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Bad Drivers

Zenithal said:
Yes, that can be dangerous, because it's pitch black. It's not as common as it used to be, but there are roads here that are usually empty and pitch black once you get outside the major counties. The PDs there are fine with people using highbeams to get around unless there are other drivers. Even the brightest OEM headlights won't help unless you turn your highbeams on.

That said, infrared camera systems haven't really strayed from the higher priced German vehicles to other cars. It isn't a necessity yet, but don't be surprised if DOT regulations require them in 10 years. I'd say we're getting closer to HUDs being a requirement on new vehicles.
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The one thing I want to be required in the next 5 years is good (Preferably HID or LED) Headlights and LED Daytime Running lights. Thankfully more manufacturers are taking notice now that IIHS rates headlights now.

Seriously, on my cars I don't need a lot of the BS features of higher trims. Feature wise, the second after base trim usually does it. I hate that I can't just get a headlight package. Instead I'd have to buy the $30,000-$40,000 super trim just to get decent headlights. Hopefully more trims have it by the time I replace my Kia Soul. I don't need heated rear seats. :p
 
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eyoungren said:
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
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Come on Eric, trolling here to see your name on the web? Stupidest thread I think I've ever seen here.
 
StarShot said:
Come on Eric, trolling here to see your name on the web? Stupidest thread I think I've ever seen here.
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Not really.

My name has been on the web in some form or another since 1999 in various places. I'm not here on this forum for self-appreciation.

In any case, this particular section of the forum is a community section where lots of topics are different.

You can make a vaccum cleaner recommendation in another thread if you like, or state your typical coffee order at Starbucks.

Either way my topic is within the parameters of this particular forum section.

I'm sorry if you don't agree.
 
Zenithal said:
Yes, that can be dangerous, because it's pitch black. It's not as common as it used to be, but there are roads here that are usually empty and pitch black once you get outside the major counties. The PDs there are fine with people using highbeams to get around unless there are other drivers. Even the brightest OEM headlights won't help unless you turn your highbeams on.

That said, infrared camera systems haven't really strayed from the higher priced German vehicles to other cars. It isn't a necessity yet, but don't be surprised if DOT regulations require them in 10 years. I'd say we're getting closer to HUDs being a requirement on new vehicles.
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Speaking of high beams.... People who leave their high beams on all the time. No matter if on a highway full of people or cars oncoming, etc. That has been the latest trend I have been noticing lately.
 
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quagmire said:
Speaking of high beams.... People who leave their high beams on all the time. No matter if on a highway full of people or cars oncoming, etc. That has been the latest trend I have been noticing lately.
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LOL, I love seeing people driving in a light rain with wipers on high and no lights on, or those driving in blazing sunlight with highbeams on (and no, not just DRL but full-light highbeams). It's one extreme or the other with some...
 
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BarracksSi said:
And then they complain about their brakes fading because nobody taught them that they should downshift and use the engine to keep their speed down...
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Exactly.

You can always tell the residents of mountain towns. They are the ones driving Subarus or 4WD trucks.
 
Drivers are terrible for a wide spectrum of reasons. The two worst reasons are driving aggressively to gain a couple of car lengths in busy traffic and multitasking with their phones.
 
How about weaving in and out of traffic, narrowly missing vehicles around them and then making it to a lane that is left turn only, no way of going any other direction and that is when the turn signal comes on.
 
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I counted 23 cars, well 24 including me, blocked in the passing lane due to a car going below the speed limit. This lasted for about three miles. I 'm sure there were plenty of cars behind me by the time this worked itself out.

Perhaps Apple can build autonomous processes to flash dashboard lights when a driver is being a plonker.
 
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Here's an annoying thing that happened on my commute this morning:
I'm going 80mph in the passing lane. Chick in a blue Corolla comes up behind me, I get over and yield to let her pass. Right after she passes, she drops to 75.(FFS) There's a ton of traffic merging on from a freeway interchange, so I have to go into "afterburner" to get back in the passing lane because she's going too slow.

She proceeds to ride my ass(tailgate) in saturated traffic. She zig zags through cars only to end up behind me again. Finally she manages to pass me and I lose sight.(Thank goodness) To top it all off, after a 30 mile commute, I go to merge right to exit and 'lo and behold' she merges in front of me, getting off at the same exit. :p

Most awkward red light ever. We were side by side, me on the right. She purposely inches forward to avoid eye contact. LOL
 
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Huntn said:
Drivers are terrible for a wide spectrum of reasons. The two worst reasons are driving aggressively to gain a couple of car lengths in busy traffic and multitasking with their phones.
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I blame the lax license requirements in 'Muerica. If they made the requirements stricter (require 90% to pass the written test instead of 70%) and do the driving test in everyday driving environments, instead of empty suburban streets.

Hail, if I had my way, the driving test would involved a closed course to simulated emergency (skid recovery, emergency braking and so on). And for those who want to own a truck, a towing test as well.

I might be an outlier, but I'm sick of drivers using technology to compensated for lack driving skill. I'm not talking about ABS or VSC (although I hate traction control; can't drift with VSC on.:mad:) Infrared cameras? Back up cameras? Automatic parking? Come on, man. It ain't that hard to parallel park.:rolleyes:
 
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Mousse said:
I blame the lax license requirements in 'Muerica. If they made the requirements stricter (require 90% to pass the written test instead of 70%) and do the driving test in everyday driving environments, instead of empty suburban streets.

Hail, if I had my way, the driving test would involved a closed course to simulated emergency (skid recovery, emergency braking and so on). And for those who want to own a truck, a towing test as well.

I might be an outlier, but I'm sick of drivers using technology to compensated for lack driving skill. I'm not talking about ABS or VCS (although I hate traction control; can't drift with VSC on.:mad:) Infrared cameras? Back up cameras? Automatic parking? Come on, man. It ain't that hard to parallel park.:rolleyes:
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I agree totally with this.

We are all told in America that driving is a priviledge and not a right, yet the government's licensing laws are some of the most lax.

Perhaps that is because of business. Tightening the licensing laws would cause a lot of working class citizens to suddenly lose their work transportation. Too many people find it difficult to operate a vehicle within the bounds of current laws so I can only imagine what would happen here.
 
we had a gruesome road rage issue in a denver suburb last week. Guy got upset with a women driver and shot her & her 2 children point blank dead. A 3rd child got away. The guy was pissed and came back a second time and shot one of the 2 children a few more times to make DOUBLE sure.

He also shot a bystander so remember when you see this happen pretend it is NOT happening, dont stare.
 
eyoungren said:
Muscle car in the right lane moving through Redlands, traffic is fairly slow, but the car ahead of this guy slams on his brakes hard because traffic is stopping. Driver of the muscle car has only a split second to react or he's going to rear-end this guy so he swerves on to the shouder and misses the guy by inches and also prevents himself from having to slam on the brakes too. That would have caused a chain reaction of rear-end collisions.

I was behind and to the left of the muscle car at the time so I observed this spectacular car-saving move. It was frighteningly impressive.
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Yes, I’ve had to do this as well. And while I wasn’t particularly sleepy at the time, it left me quite wide awake afterwards.
Speaking of rear-ending, another thing I’m pretty attentive to when in traffic is to be aware of what’s behind me. Especially when I have to brake heavily, I quickly glance in the rear view (as many times as necessary) to make sure I have enough room to avoid someone rear-ending me. That has saved me on numerous occasions.
 
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Matz said:
Yes, I’ve had to do this as well. And while I wasn’t particularly sleepy at the time, it left me quite wide awake afterwards.
Speaking of rear-ending, another thing I’m pretty attentive to when in traffic is to be aware of what’s behind me. Especially when I have to brake heavily, I quickly glance in the rear view (as many times as necessary) to make sure I have enough room to avoid someone rear-ending me. That has saved me on numerous occasions.
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Since I initially posted this, I've had more than one person in front of me at a light that decided to shift into Park or Neutral while waiting for a light change. Understandable while waiting for a train to pass and generally no big deal.

But in two of those instances both people switched into reverse and didn't realize it. I would have been front ended the first time had I not laid on my horn. Fortunately, the second time, the person ahead of me realized their mistake and put it into Drive.

About a decade ago we had some guy driving a cement truck that was driving on no sleep and high on meth. He plowed right into a bunch of bikers waiting at a light, killing a few and making several others parapalegics.

Since that time I'm always checking my rear view at a light and planning an escape route because the drivers out here are so freakin' clueless.

I learned to drive in California where tolerance for bad driving by CHP and local law enforcement is low. It would seem Arizona drivers just need to be breathing in order to get a license.
 
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Totally the opposite here...

If others wanna drive slow go in the left hand lane.. or overtake since there are no cars.

I often wonder why people even but high performance cars, or even out lander type jeeps, if they are restricted/caught anyway by speed cameras etc. or use them most of the time in Metro area.... Save that stuff for the country roads...

You'd use the tool for the job... but for cars, its breaks that rule..

If you drive fast, the only thing stopping you is hidden speed cameras. Unfortunately, these companies that track speed camera locations are favoring speeders. Why else would they want you too avoid them ? Its never been about safety... Its about money...

Otherwise is speed cameras were in public view would these companies continue with telling you the locations of them? of course .. But for no other reason, the their just "there" because if you ain't speeding, what would you have to be worried about?
 
an-other said:
bless this officer
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I’m not sure I agree with a law using vague terms like “flow of traffic”. A person traveling slower than the posted speed limit in the number one lane must yield or could receive a citation, but if they’re going the speed...sorry, too bad.

I also like the California law stating vehicles on a two laned roadway going less than the posted limit and holding up five or more vehicle must yield to the shoulder and allow them to pass.
 
Gutwrench said:
I also like the California law stating vehicles on a two laned roadway going less than the posted limit and holding up five or more vehicle must yield to the shoulder and allow them to pass.
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You like it, but does anyone ever follow it? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
 
Zenithal said:
You like it, but does anyone ever follow it? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
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It rarely happened on panoramic highway, but I was usually on a motorcycle and could work my way through it. However, I saw trucks pulling over quite often in and around Sebastopol during the Apple harvest.
 
Gutwrench said:
It rarely happened on panoramic highway, but I was usually on a motorcycle and could work my way through it. However, I saw trucks pulling over quite often in and around Sebastopol during the Apple harvest.
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Ah, I thought you drove a cruiser. I vaguely know the area you're referring to. Some of the farms sell or sold incredible apple pies made with their apples with a few giant scoops of ice cream and fresh unfiltered cider. Probably one of the few reasons to drive up North. Other than Napa and some of the more scenic places. Especially the sea bluffs.
 
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Gutwrench said:
It rarely happened on panoramic highway, but I was usually on a motorcycle and could work my way through it. However, I saw trucks pulling over quite often in and around Sebastopol during the Apple harvest.
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The fines for truck drivers in California being caught in the second lane are severe. Most get over as quickly as possible.

A law, I wish they would bring to Arizona. In Arizona, trucks may drive in any lane they wish and they can stay there if they want.
 
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