Bad Drivers

[eyoungren]

Haven't seen a post on this topic here before, so I will start one. My thread title is a little misleading to the topic, but I expect the thread will evolve into that so I am leading with it.

At this moment, one of my pet peeves is people who drive high performance cars but who can't be bothered to drive them very quickly.

Last night I was making a left at a four way intersection. I had to wait for a Dodge Charger to slowly leave the line and enter the intersection and then slowly cruise through before I could make a left turn.

Now I am the type of driver who picks one speed, accelerates quickly to it, holds it and makes every effort to avoid using the brakes. So waiting for people who have enough horsepower to blow the doors off my 2014 Sentra to get out of the way is always irritating.

I don't know how many people I've sat behind who drive cars capable of being entered in a NASCAR race but who can't ever seem to get those cars past 30-35mph.

Why? Why have these incredible speed demons and drive them at speeds where the little old lady from Pasadena is passing you?!

Barring mechanical issues or legal issues, these people need to speed up!

I'm not asking anyone to violate the speed limit. But when you're driving 5-15 miles per hour UNDER the limit in a high performance sports car I am of the opinion you don't deserve to own that vehicle.

 

[jbarley]

Erik, you probably noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

 

[eyoungren]

Erik, you probably noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

No, no. Not an idiot, just inconsiderate. They are more important than everyone else. I don't object to slower drivers when they are meeting the speed limit. I cannot complain because that is the limit.

It's when they are 5 to 15 mph UNDER the limit I start to think how selfish and self-absorbed they are.

The ones going faster than me I assume are late to work. Which I understand.

 

[BarracksSi]

Erik, you probably noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

Carlin rocked.

My own peeves about drivers all come down to when they don't display any consideration for those around themselves.

Lack of signaling, merging from an entrance ramp too slowly (or too quickly), stopping in a thru lane, not going with the flow, TEXTING, turning from the wrong lane, speeding across parking lots, etc. These are all things that people do which make their behavior unpredictable and, therefore, unsafe.

Sometimes it's as childish as feeling that the rules don't apply to them. The rules for driving aren't there because The Man wants to keep you down, they're there to make it easier for everyone else to make a good guess about what you're going to do and adjust their plan accordingly.

I used to go to college three hours from my hometown. When visiting home for the weekend, I made a habit of driving after dinner, specifically because, at that late hour, most of the other drivers I encountered on the road were professional truck drivers. My little Civic was the proverbial rollerskate among all the big rigs, but those guys were so much more predictable than regular people, I had a much more relaxing drive.

 

[eyoungren]

I used to go to college three hours from my hometown. When visiting home for the weekend, I made a habit of driving after dinner, specifically because, at that late hour, most of the other drivers I encountered on the road were professional truck drivers. My little Civic was the proverbial rollerskate among all the big rigs, but those guys were so much more predictable than regular people, I had a much more relaxing drive.

I've learned a few things from the truckers.

As I mentioned in my OP I hate using the brakes. So, I moderate my accelleration/decelleration using the gas pedal.

Truckers tend to give larger distances behind cars (and other trucks) in traffic. The idea is that if traffic slows, simply stepping off the acellerator allows enough distance for the truck to slow down.

I do the same. I don't give huge amounts of space, but I don't tailgate (even when someone is driving slow) but I give enough to be able to reasonably decellerate without tapping the brakes. The result is that traffic tends to flow smoother behind me because people are no longer slamming on brakes.

There's been a few times when those behind me saw what I was doing and started doing it themselves.

It's also nice when you can dim your lights for the truckers so they can move over. Getting those flashing trailer lights back in response is nice.

 

[D.T.]

It's when they are 5 to 15 mph UNDER the limit I start to think how selfish and self-absorbed they are.

We have a terrible problem on the main road that connects our neighborhood to the rest of the world. We live off of A1A, which basically runs parallel to the coast, and this being a tourist/vacation area, people get hypotized by the ocean and creep along at 25MPH, in a 40 (that becomes, 45, then 50 before our turn), and to make matters worse, the whole stretch of road is a no passing zone ...

 

[eyoungren]

We have a terrible problem on the main road that connects our neighborhood to the rest of the world. We live off of A1A, which basically runs parallel to the coast, and this being a tourist/vacation area, people get hypotized by the ocean and creep along at 25MPH, in a 40 (that becomes, 45, then 50 before our turn), and to make matters worse, the whole stretch of road is a no passing zone ...

Sounds like something similar to flatlanders in mountain territory.

Where I used to live in California was in proximity to Big Bear, Angelus Oaks, Forest Falls, etc. I had a number of reasons to frequent those areas a lot so you learn to drive there. You learn the turnouts, passing areas, etc.

But flatlanders! OMG, these people get paralyzed by the scenery or the drops that can be seen off the side of the mountain periodically. These people will have ten cars or more inching along at 25mph in a 50mph zone because they are out of their minds frightened.

It's nuts!

So totally get your predicament and I feel for you!

 

[D.T.]

It always happens when I'm trying to get to and back from the grocery store during an emergency run ("OMG, we're out of beer!>!>!>")

If I'm headed north (on A1A), at least there are nice stretches of passing zones - blowing around someone at WOT with my aftermarket exhaust scares the hell out of people

 

[Stefan johansson]

Soo,anyone is allowed to choose their own speed within speed limit. Driving a high performance car in public roads do not mean you have to drive at maximum allowed speed every time and everywhere. For my own comfort,in highways with maximum speed at 100km/h,I prefer to drive my supercharged stingray at about 65-75 km/h,and you know what? It saves me lots of fuel money and engine wear. Of course,the same car proved to do a quarter mile race in about 9 seconds,so I guess it qualifies as "high performance ".

 

[eyoungren]

Soo,anyone is allowed to choose their own speed within speed limit. Driving a high performance car in public roads do not mean you have to drive at maximum allowed speed every time and everywhere. For my own comfort,in highways with maximum speed at 100km/h,I prefer to drive my supercharged stingray at about 65-75 km/h,and you know what? It saves me lots of fuel money and engine wear. Of course,the same car proved to do a quarter mile race in about 9 seconds,so I guess it qualifies as "high performance ".

Not so in the United States. There are many state laws that can see slow drivers be ticketed because they are impeding the flow of traffic and causing a safety issue.

A number of states have minimum speed laws that your vehicle must comply with.

As far as saving gas, I understand the argument and I don't deny it. However, there is a common fallacy in the United States that accelerating slowly from a stoplight will increase your gas mileage. It doesn't.

Again, I am not saying people should be doing my speed. I just believe that if they are going to be slower they need to be moving out of other people's way. That's even a driving law in many states "Slower vehicles keep to the right".

I guess it's different in Sweden.

 

[D.T.]

Soo,anyone is allowed to choose their own speed within speed limit. Driving a high performance car in public roads do not mean you have to drive at maximum allowed speed every time and everywhere. For my own comfort,in highways with maximum speed at 100km/h,I prefer to drive my supercharged stingray at about 65-75 km/h,and you know what? It saves me lots of fuel money and engine wear. Of course,the same car proved to do a quarter mile race in about 9 seconds,so I guess it qualifies as "high performance ".

MPH [in the 1/4]? Pics of car? Specs? I've been around and owned a number of high performance cars (and know quite a bit about drag racing), and when you start talking single digits, you're pulling the kind of times, that require a serious 60', that can decimate drive trains, you're running full on stickies, spinning half-shafts ... I'd like to hear more.

 

[Stefan johansson]

Not so in the United States. There are many state laws that can see slow drivers be ticketed because they are impeding the flow of traffic and causing a safety issue.

A number of states have minimum speed laws that your vehicle must comply with.

As far as saving gas, I understand the argument and I don't deny it. However, there is a common fallacy in the United States that accelerating slowly from a stoplight will increase your gas mileage. It doesn't.

Again, I am not saying people should be doing my speed. I just believe that if they are going to be slower they need to be moving out of other people's way. That's even a driving law in many states "Slower vehicles keep to the right".

I guess it's different in Sweden.

Yes it is. Of course,in the motorways you are not allowed to drive farm tractors or mopeds,and of course you might get filed if you obstruct traffic too much,but that is very uncommon. In Sweden,the price for 95 octane unleaded fuel is about 6 usd/gallon,so saving some is important.

 

[BarracksSi]

Soo,anyone is allowed to choose their own speed within speed limit. Driving a high performance car in public roads do not mean you have to drive at maximum allowed speed every time and everywhere. For my own comfort,in highways with maximum speed at 100km/h,I prefer to drive my supercharged stingray at about 65-75 km/h,and you know what? It saves me lots of fuel money and engine wear. Of course,the same car proved to do a quarter mile race in about 9 seconds,so I guess it qualifies as "high performance ".

Driving in a way that's different from the normal behavior of traffic is enough to raise suspicion.

Is a slow driver drunk? High? Texting? Getting "enjoyment" from a passenger?

Is the car broken and running badly?

All of these possibilities are worth investigating the driver and/or getting the car off the road.

 

[Tech198]

Erik, you probably noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

hehe... yep.

 

[eyoungren]

hehe... yep.

Never said that and see my reply to him.

I'm only upset when the only reason someone is driving slow is down to self-absorption. The old saw, you don't own the road.

 

[A.Goldberg]

I have some pet peeves, I will mention the ones I notice the most in Massachusetts.

1. Driving at or below the speed limit in the left lane. The left lane is made for passing. Unless you're in a traffic jam, if you're not passing someone you should not be in the left lane. This seems to be a chronic issue on the Mass Pike.

2. There is this 3-way intersection on my way to work. I have the right of way and go straight. Most people turn right though, but the people coming from the right assume everyone's going right and often pull out in front of me.

3. Sometimes if I have to to downtown Boston or Cambridge I'll take an Uber/Lyft due to the lack of easy parking. A lot of these drivers don't live in Boston and have not acquired the skills to be a competent Boston driver. You have to be very "assertive" as I call it, otherwise you will never get anywhere.

4. Nissan Rogue drivers- they're the worst. I don't know why, but they are.

@eyoungren I live close to Boston College and Boston University. I should take you over to Comm ave where there are loads of Asian students with exotic and luxury cars Porsches, Maseratis, high end Mercedes and BMWs. @AutoUnion39 can attest to this. (please do not be offended by Asian driver joke).

 

[eyoungren]

2. There is this 3-way intersection on my way to work. I have the right of way and go straight. Most people turn right though, but the people coming from the right assume everyone's going right and often pull out in front of me.

On one of the streets I use every day (Campell) in my neightborhood there is a four way intersection just past Westwind Elementary (on the east side).

Those going east-west do NOT have a stop sign. Those going north-south DO. It is routine that a north-south driver will ASSUME you have a stop sign and will pull out right in front of you. I can't count how many times I've had to lay on the horn because these people think I am going to stop.

In the same way there have been people in front of me going east-west who think they have a stop sign when they don't! It's irritating to have to slam on the brakes because the guy ahead stops for a non-existant stop sign.

@eyoungren I live close to Boston College and Boston University. I should take you over to Comm ave where there are loads of Asian students with exotic and luxury cars Porsches, Maseratis, high end Mercedes and BMWs. @AutoUnion39 can attest to this. (please do it be offended by Asian driver joke).

Not if you aren't offended by the fact that a lot of Mexican women in Phoenix drive their husband or boyfriend's truck or SUV like it can't do more than 25mph. They use no turn signals, drive where they feel like and are suprised when they find out they are sharing the road with other vehicles.

I find it strange since my wife is Mexican and she doesn't drive this way.

 

[quagmire]

1. Echo Goldberg's #1. Get out of the left lane. To build on it though.... Have some freaking patience! If I'm in the left lane coming up on you and don't have the space/time to change into the left lane and accelerate to my speed, wait the 1-2 seconds until I pass then move over.

2. People who enter a highway full of people going 60 MPH at 30 MPH and make no attempt to accelerate. They wait until they merge onto the highway then accelerate.

3. In rush hour traffic, people who use entrance/exit lanes to jump ahead of other cars. You're not more important than me or anyone else. You stay in your lane. Everyone just wants to get where they are going too. You're also making it worse because now you have to force yourself back into traffic.

4. Indecisive lane changers. Going to change lanes? Move over. Don't take 5 minutes to get your vehicle from one lane to another. Especially if said lane change is into a turning lane. Get your vehicle into that lane so I don't have to stop behind you as well because you couldn't get your vehicle out of my way.

5. Last minute lane changers. "Oh crap! My exit is a 1/4 mile away, and I'm all the way over in the left lane!!!" You had plenty of warnings your exit was soon. Pay attention idiot.

6. Brake slammers who almost or do miss their turn. Hope getting rear ended was worth the 1-2 minutes, 5 minutes at worst it will take to make a U-turn.

7. Brake lovers. People who spend more time with their feet on the brakes then the gas. That slight downhill does not require you to hit the brakes. Just coast down it. Same with that slight curve in the road. Also why are you braking up a hill.....

8. People who don't maintain their speed. Whether it's going up hill and just accept they will slow down or just cruising along. What annoys me more than people driving slow is being in an accordion. 30 MPH to 40 MPH back to 30 MPH back to 40 MPH, etc.

9. Rolling roadblockers. It's bad enough you're hogging the left lane. It's even worse I can't even get around you because you lined up to the car right next to you.

And so many more....

 

[A.Goldberg]

On one of the streets I use every day (Campell) in my neightborhood there is a four way intersection just past Westwind Elementary (on the east side).

Those going east-west do NOT have a stop sign. Those going north-south DO. It is routine that a north-south driver will ASSUME you have a stop sign and will pull out right in front of you. I can't count how many times I've had to lay on the horn because these people think I am going to stop.

In the same way there have been people in front of me going east-west who think they have a stop sign when they don't! It's irritating to have to slam on the brakes because the guy ahead stops for a non-existant stop sign.


Not if you aren't offended by the fact that a lot of Mexican women in Phoenix drive their husband or boyfriend's truck or SUV like it can't do more than 25mph. They use no turn signals, drive where they feel like and are suprised when they find out they are sharing the road with other vehicles.

I find it strange since my wife is Mexican and she doesn't drive this way.

The Asian college drivers are actually very good, I've never really a problem with them driving too slow or wrecklessly for that matter.

That intersection drives me crazy. The people know it's not a 3 way stop but they assume everyone is turning. I've even started putting on my left signal to go straight, which has helped a little. I suppose I could make a detour.

 

[eyoungren]

1. Echo Goldberg's #1. Get out of the left lane. To build on it though.... Have some freaking patience! If I'm in the left lane coming up on you and don't have the space/time to change into the left lane and accelerate to my speed, wait the 1-2 seconds until I pass then move over.

2. People who enter a highway full of people going 60 MPH at 30 MPH and make no attempt to accelerate. They wait until they merge onto the highway then accelerate.

3. In rush hour traffic, people who use entrance/exit lanes to jump ahead of other cars. You're not more important than me or anyone else. You stay in your lane. Everyone just wants to get where they are going too. You're also making it worse because now you have to force yourself back into traffic.

4. Indecisive lane changers. Going to change lanes? Move over. Don't take 5 minutes to get your vehicle from one lane to another. Especially if said lane change is into a turning lane. Get your vehicle into that lane so I don't have to stop behind you as well because you couldn't get your vehicle out of my way.

5. Last minute lane changers. "Oh crap! My exit is a 1/4 mile away, and I'm all the way over in the left lane!!!" You had plenty of warnings your exit was soon. Pay attention idiot.

6. Brake slammers who almost or do miss their turn. Hope getting rear ended was worth the 1-2 minutes, 5 minutes at worst it will take to make a U-turn.

7. Brake lovers. People who spend more time with their feet on the brakes then the gas. That slight downhill does not require you to hit the brakes. Just coast down it. Same with that slight curve in the road. Also why are you braking up a hill.....

8. People who don't maintain their speed. Whether it's going up hill and just accept they will slow down or just cruising along. What annoys me more than people driving slow is being in an accordion. 30 MPH to 40 MPH back to 30 MPH back to 40 MPH, etc.

9. Rolling roadblockers. It's bad enough you're hogging the left lane. It's even worse I can't even get around you because you lined up to the car right next to you.

And so many more....

You don't want to visit Arizona, especially Phoneix. I come from California where I learned to drive and the rules there are much stricter than they are here.

Very few people in California who speed up to prevent you from passing them. But that kind of thing happens every day out here. I don't understand why you can only be doing 30 in a 45 zone but the moment I move to pass you you're doing 50! It's just a jerk move!

 

[0388631]

State laws dictate slow drivers can be ticketed, but they never are. It's such a waste of police time. The worst drivers are probably Prius drivers. Most Chargers on the road are the base engine. Not the high performance ones.

I often wish my cars came with Bond like missiles I could shoot at other drivers who can't decide what to do and have been driving with their blinker on for what seems to be forever.
[doublepost=1501537733][/doublepost]

Very few people in California who speed up to prevent you from passing them. But that kind of thing happens every day out here. I don't understand why you can only be doing 30 in a 45 zone but the moment I move to pass you you're doing 50! It's just a jerk move!

Driving in California is easy. Being a competent driver is not. You'll get "lost" very quickly if you can't toughen up and drive properly.

 

[Stefan johansson]

Driving in a way that's different from the normal behavior of traffic is enough to raise suspicion.

Is a slow driver drunk? High? Texting? Getting "enjoyment" from a passenger?

Is the car broken and running badly?

All of these possibilities are worth investigating the driver and/or getting the car off the road.

Well,when I drive my classic Chevy at low speed,I don't get stopped. Maybe your cops are different from us,our cops don't see a suspect,they see a careful driver saving gas.
[doublepost=1501538594][/doublepost]

1. Echo Goldberg's #1. Get out of the left lane. To build on it though.... Have some freaking patience! If I'm in the left lane coming up on you and don't have the space/time to change into the left lane and accelerate to my speed, wait the 1-2 seconds until I pass then move over.

2. People who enter a highway full of people going 60 MPH at 30 MPH and make no attempt to accelerate. They wait until they merge onto the highway then accelerate.

3. In rush hour traffic, people who use entrance/exit lanes to jump ahead of other cars. You're not more important than me or anyone else. You stay in your lane. Everyone just wants to get where they are going too. You're also making it worse because now you have to force yourself back into traffic.

4. Indecisive lane changers. Going to change lanes? Move over. Don't take 5 minutes to get your vehicle from one lane to another. Especially if said lane change is into a turning lane. Get your vehicle into that lane so I don't have to stop behind you as well because you couldn't get your vehicle out of my way.

5. Last minute lane changers. "Oh crap! My exit is a 1/4 mile away, and I'm all the way over in the left lane!!!" You had plenty of warnings your exit was soon. Pay attention idiot.

6. Brake slammers who almost or do miss their turn. Hope getting rear ended was worth the 1-2 minutes, 5 minutes at worst it will take to make a U-turn.

7. Brake lovers. People who spend more time with their feet on the brakes then the gas. That slight downhill does not require you to hit the brakes. Just coast down it. Same with that slight curve in the road. Also why are you braking up a hill.....

8. People who don't maintain their speed. Whether it's going up hill and just accept they will slow down or just cruising along. What annoys me more than people driving slow is being in an accordion. 30 MPH to 40 MPH back to 30 MPH back to 40 MPH, etc.

9. Rolling roadblockers. It's bad enough you're hogging the left lane. It's even worse I can't even get around you because you lined up to the car right next to you.

And so many more....

Mhmm...my worst traffic nightmare are people with large terrain SUVs coming from opposite direction on narrow dirt roads,sometimes,it's much more difficult to pass these "middle of the road"drivers than a 24 metre lumber truck.
Obviously they think that their Volvo XC90 or Audi Q7s have worse terrain abilities than my stingray.
Soo,every time I face these amateurs,I am the one that has to drive outside the road,and the muppet in the jeep never ever pulls over.

 

[heehee]

I cannot stand driving and I love cars. The problem is N/A drivers test is way too easy to pass.

I have driven in Italy and it's night and day. They are crazy drivers, text when stopped, merge like crazy, drives super fast in the left lane on the highway but alteast they know what the hell they are doing.

Most people here don't even know how to back in to a spot, never mind parallel park.

 

[eyoungren]

Most Chargers on the road are the base engine. Not the high performance ones.

Base engine or not, I highly doubt a Dodge Charger engine will be outperformed by my 4 cylinder 1.8L 2014 Nissan Sentra. It should not take you a full minute to step on the accelerator and move halfway through a busy intersection while I am waiting to make a left with a stack of cars behind me waiting to do the same.

Driving in California is easy. Being a competent driver is not. You'll get "lost" very quickly if you can't toughen up and drive properly.

I used to think so, but only because I learned to drive there. Move to Arizona and you have to wonder just how tough other states licensing laws are because you are sharing the road with dangerous people.

Phoenix is the red light running capitol of the US. Most people gun it at yellow lights around here because the timing is DOUBLE what it is in California. California gives you 2-3 seconds. You LEARN when it flips yellow to STOP!

Out here you have 5-7 seconds. Most people blast right through. It doesn't help that Arizona's red light regulation says you have only run the red light if your rear wheels are past the limit line when you enter the intersection. California says you've run a red when your FRONT wheels are in the intersection when the light changes red.

Compared to California drivers, competant or not, most Arizona drivers wouldn't pass the California driving test.

I'm just saying. The laws are fairly lax out here.

 

[0388631]

Base engine or not, I highly doubt a Dodge Charger engine will be outperformed by my 4 cylinder 1.8L 2014 Nissan Sentra. It should not take you a full minute to step on the accelerator and move halfway through a busy intersection while I am waiting to make a left with a stack of cars behind me waiting to do the same.

Fair point. Base engine is a V6 pushing out 290 HP at about 2 tons empty weight. As soon as I turn onto an on-ramp and see it isn't blinkering, I tend to floor my car. Most people are a bit stunned to see a 2.5 ton SUV hit 60 in just over five seconds. Though they're not surprised at how much fuel it drinks.
[doublepost=1501539644][/doublepost]

I used to think so, but only because I learned to drive there. Move to Arizona and you have to wonder just how tough other states licensing laws are because you are sharing the road with dangerous people.

You misunderstood my post. I said it's fairly easy to drive in California, but to be a good driver, you need to be competent.