Years ago, I was driving Ohio to Alabama (doing the rounds visiting family) - I think this means I-65? Eventually I encountered a black VW with Illinois plates. The VW just couldn't find and stay in one place in traffic. I got sick of all the speeding up, slowing down, lane changes, merging, blocking, avoiding - so I slowed to 65 (or less) MPH for an hour. Suddenly, there's the VW again! I speed up to 80 MPH for an hour - and here's the VW again. I stopped in a rest area for a while, get back on the highway - and the VW again!
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Bad Drivers
- Thread starter eyoungren
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Years ago, I was driving Ohio to Alabama (doing the rounds visiting family) - I think this means I-65? Eventually I encountered a black VW with Illinois plates. The VW just couldn't find and stay in one place in traffic. I got sick of all the speeding up, slowing down, lane changes, merging, blocking, avoiding - so I slowed to 65 (or less) MPH for an hour. Suddenly, there's the VW again! I speed up to 80 MPH for an hour - and here's the VW again. I stopped in a rest area for a while, get back on the highway - and the VW again!
When I was 16 or 17 a buddy and I were driving around in a city when some @$$ overtook us weaving like crazy through traffic. Well, since we had been drinking we gave chase and caught up to him. My buddy was standing out of the sunroof throwing beer cans at him for a couple blocks when suddenly a cop appeared out of nowhere and pulled US over.
Well, we weren’t drunk yet so the cop just gave us a warning for my buddy “standing out the sunroof like a big ape.” Apparently he didn’t see the “big ape” throwing cans or the other @$$’s driving.After the cop let us go we drove off and stopped in a random gas station to laugh and let our hearts calm down. Suddenly I see a guy running out of the gas station door toward us with a crowbar raised over his head. I realized it was the driver of the other car. As we sped off I see his car parked along side of the building...I’m guessing he worked there. Can you believe THAT guy?
My brother got a ticket for this about 7 years ago in Washington State. The Officer said he was "camping" in the passing lane. I see this all the time when out on the highway. Some people think they "own" the passing lane. I think one of the reasons this happens is when someone does move out of the passing lane and then comes up on slower vehicle, unless they fast, they can get stuck there while a whole string of "campers" go by. And a lot of these campers think they're driving in a Nascar Race, "drafting" on the car ahead of them.
I had one of these "slow campers" in the left lane this weekend. Coming up from NYC on I-87 (2 lanes in each direction) in the rain, had someone puttering along at 55 in the left lane (limit in ideal conditions is 65). That's fine, I can appreciate slowing it down some in inclement weather and I even did the same but I didn't slow down THAT far. On this section there are actually signs reading "Keep right except to pass". The guy in front of me was riding this guy for a bit, then pulled to the right and passed the car. Once I was the next one behind him, I flicked my high beams (typical indication you want to pass) and every flick of the beams was met with brake lights despite there being PLENTY of opportunity to move right. Even my dad, who is normally a conservative driver, was expressing frustration with the guy from the passenger seat...
I DON'T do that anymore. A good way to get into a wingnut road rage incident. A big no-no is the finger salute. One time in your area, I was crusing at the speed limit and this truck came up VERY close and started flashing his lights. I was 30 years younger and gave him the "salute".
Now he went postal and tried to ram me. I hit the gas, move over a lane and he did folowed. Everytime I changed lanes, he did too. So I did one of those "movie" exits, swerving quickly on to a exit ramp that he couldn't make.
More recently, this time I had a tailgater and I moved over a lane when I could. When this jerk came by, he gave me a wave that looked like he had a pistol in his hand, with a shooting motion. To be clear, there was no pistol, but still the thought of it.
So, be careful out there with all the wingnuts on the road, just waiting to show you who has the bigger set.
Went to MB dealer this afternoon to return the C. There was a G63 infront of me trying to park into a spot, only two spots left side by side. The young girl went front in, right in the middle, back out, tried to park closer to the right, this went on for a few more times.
I got tired of waiting and went to see if there are spots left. Nope, had to turn back around and someone else was driving the G63 backing in. My wife was waiting for me at the door said she had to ask someone to park for her.
I got tired of waiting and went to see if there are spots left. Nope, had to turn back around and someone else was driving the G63 backing in. My wife was waiting for me at the door said she had to ask someone to park for her.
I think it’s perfect, it is simply saying move over to the right if traffic is flowing faster than you’re going. You shouldn’t be hanging out in the left lane anyway(in the USA). It’s just about impeding traffic in the passing lane.
I wish every state enforced that because it is frustrating when two cars are going the same speed and they're side by side.
I agree.
People don't realize that traffic would go much smoother if people followed the left lane rules. The speeding BMW X5(On the freeway, I've NEVER seen an X5 not flying past me, and I consider myself to have a lead foot) simply flying past unimpeded in the passing lane is much safer than the BMW trying swing in and out of traffic.
California is by far worst state for this. Miles and miles of continuous left lane campers. The Prius stereotype is truth: I consistently see more Prius drivers camping than any other model of car.
California is by far worst state for this. Miles and miles of continuous left lane campers. The Prius stereotype is truth: I consistently see more Prius drivers camping than any other model of car.
It has been my life experience that those who hang out in the left lane are moral crusaders out to prevent speeders from engaging in illegal activity.
Self-appointed traffic law enforcers, these are the self-righteous who dictate their moral superiority upon you from on high.
Their affronted outrage knows no bounds when you are finally able to get around them.
Usually I’m the passer, rather than the passee. But I’m happy to let folks go by. I’ll move to the right as soon as I can do so safely to let someone pass.
Why on earth wouldn’t I?
On the other hand, I’ve had a few people block the left lane, or go five or ten below the limit on a two lane road, but then speed up aggressively when I’ve been able to get around them. As if it’s a contest for them.
Weird.
Why on earth wouldn’t I?
On the other hand, I’ve had a few people block the left lane, or go five or ten below the limit on a two lane road, but then speed up aggressively when I’ve been able to get around them. As if it’s a contest for them.
Weird.
I was taught that if you are the slower driver that you should move over to let others pass whenever it it safe to do so.
THAT is the difference between mountain drivers and flatlanders. Flatlanders will never get out of the way, but mountain drivers know that it's common courtesy - even when driving off the mountain.
I can't STAND this. It happened frequently on one of the roads I frequent for my commute, now there are no passing zones AT ALL (they re-painted the lines).
That sounds dangerously close to a rash generalization, or even...
But, having spent quite a few years in the central Rockies, I admit that I have noticed certain, ah, patterns of behavior which could be associated with folks of a certain geographic persuasion...
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The state (Commonwealth, actually) recently re-striped a long stretch of road on my commute. Fortunately, the aforementioned slowness doesn’t happen as often as I’d expect. But when it does, arrggghhhh.
Sometimes, particularly in the more remote reaches of the county, I’ve been known to poke along at 45 mph in a 55 zone. Occasionally. But I keep an eye out, and if someone comes up behind me, I’ll pull over at the first opportunity and let them go on.
Most times, though, I enjoy going through the twisties a bit faster, especially if I’m not in the company vehicle.
LOL!!!That sounds dangerously close to a rash generalization, or even...
But, having spent quite a few years in the central Rockies, I admit that I have noticed certain, ah, patterns of behavior which could be associated with folks of a certain geographic persuasion...
Flatlanders also tend to take mountain curves at or below the posted speed limit. They are the ones who have six to eight cars backed up behind them and won't get over at the cutouts.
Most mountain drivers have driven the roads in all conditions and when it's dry and clear tend to take the curves at speeds that scare the crap out of flatlanders.
PS. For disclosure's sake, I never lived in the mountains. But I knew people in Angelus Oaks, Big Bear and Forest Falls (all California) and Oak Glen, CA was near where I used to live as well as the back way (Wildwood Canyon Dr.) to Yucaipa. It was highly irritating every time I visited or drove through to have people poking along and white knuckling the steering wheel at 30mph.
Most drivers in LA don’t even know the passing rules or markings. I’ve gotten honked for passing an extremely slow driver when it was a perfectly legal pass over a dash yellow line. Just last week I was going down perfectly level and straight farm road (dash yellow center line for the whole stretch) and passed a driver going 15 under the 55 limit but other cars were too scared or didn’t know they could legally pass I guess.
Yet, even more hilarious, drivers out here will pass a slow truck on a blind curve or hill with two solid yellow lines.
Yet, even more hilarious, drivers out here will pass a slow truck on a blind curve or hill with two solid yellow lines.
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Even more hilarious, dudes in a BMW coming back from a tomato run to some farmer's market came up the hill from a village near here at 65 in a 30, blind curve at summit, nearly encountered a manure spreader backing off a meadow and elected to semi-total the car in the generously welcoming boughs of a bunch of young spruce trees instead. The tomato crush curve, we renamed it. The very ripe tomatoes (loose in mesh bags in lieu of bringing home the bushel basket?) ended up all over the interior of the car.
One day someone's gonna die on that hill so it won't be the tomato crush curve any more, just another hill where some damn blinking light that costs $12k tries to lend a little gravitas to the idea of why it's a 30 zone there. Sometimes a speed limit is not about revenue generation at all. I mean there's no deputy gonna sit in the boondocks waiting for an idiot to connect with a manure spreader. When you're in the sticks and there's a speed limit pops up "for no reason",,,, could be cool to take your foot off the gas.
About two weeks ago (on a Saturday morning) two guys decided to street race down one of the major streets at 3:55am.
At some point their cars managed to lightly touch each other but at the speeds they were going at it was enough to send both cars out of control and rolling. One driver was killed, the other was arrested and is being charged with manslaughter.
http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/ar...er-after-fatal-street-racing-crash-in-phoenix
Not the first time this has ever happened here unfortunately.
It was notable this time though because the guy that died hit a pole. Power in that area was knocked out for 12 hours or so. Which is a problem when the temp in Phoenix is over 110º as it was that Saturday. So, not only did these jerks wreck their cars and kill someone they inconvenienced many people as well.
Distracted driving is a big concern for me when I'm out there on the roads. I live 2 miles from work and in that very short drive, almost every time I see someone messing around with their phone while driving.
I find it utterly amazing how so many humans cannot seem to put their device down and leave it there while hurtling down the road like they do.
I put my phone away and connect it to CarPlay and if I happen to get that rare phone call while driving, I'll either ignore it or take it on the hands-free. Everything else, text messages, email and whatnot all can wait until I get to my destination. I don't even touch it at stop lights.
I have to keep my eyes on the road and everyone else so I'm not going to compound the problem by being distracted as well.
I find it utterly amazing how so many humans cannot seem to put their device down and leave it there while hurtling down the road like they do.
I put my phone away and connect it to CarPlay and if I happen to get that rare phone call while driving, I'll either ignore it or take it on the hands-free. Everything else, text messages, email and whatnot all can wait until I get to my destination. I don't even touch it at stop lights.
I have to keep my eyes on the road and everyone else so I'm not going to compound the problem by being distracted as well.
since I started riding a motorcycle I have noticed a gazillion idiots on their phone while driving. 70-80 mph and swerving on the fwy like morons, far too many still with the phone to their head making calls, what phones don't have speakers?
Here's the thing that's scary…
I got my license in 1986 (16 years old). I learned to drive in California. But the rules in ARIZONA are considerably more lax then they are in California!
If you have problems with Cali's drivers, don't come here. At least Cali has laws that they are violating.
In AZ, there are no rules about blocking intersections.
Yellows lights are 3-4 seconds long. In Cali, if you get a yellow you better damn STOP because red is one second away. Biggest reason Phoenix is one of the red-light running capitols of the US.
No specific rules for turns into your own lane, i.e. you can make a right hand turn and cross three lanes of traffic to get to the outside lane if you want.
Trucks can drive in any lane. AZ doesn't regulate all those air dam things trucks in Cali have either.
And, until just a few years ago…if you got in a wreck, AZ law mandated that you leave your car where it rested. For accident investigation. So, if you have a minor fender bender on the freeway in the fast lane, you had to wait and block traffic until a cop showed up and told you that you could move your car.
That's changed because we now have enough people out here that our idiot legislators finally got it through their thick skulls that this was BAD, but it hasn't filtered down to all the locals yet. So, we still have people blocking freeways because of this.
Finally, we get all the people from all the states where getting your license just meant you have to be breathing.
I’m visiting family in CO, staying in the front range, mostly. On my way from the airport in my rental car, I noticed that traffic on the interstate seemed heavier than I remember. Not surprising, as it seems CO is a popular place to visit or move to. Crowding leads to conflict.
I witnessed several incidents of idiocy and just plain inattention on my way from the airport, moreso than I’d expect. Then the light bulb came on: Legalized pot.
Of course that may have nothing to do with it, but after a number of close calls this week, I’m finding it useful to act as if about 50% of my fellow travelers are stoned. Seems to help.
I witnessed several incidents of idiocy and just plain inattention on my way from the airport, moreso than I’d expect. Then the light bulb came on: Legalized pot.
Of course that may have nothing to do with it, but after a number of close calls this week, I’m finding it useful to act as if about 50% of my fellow travelers are stoned. Seems to help.
Are you kidding? My mother was hit while driving my old 2001 Camry by an idiot high on pot. He tried to make a right turn from the left lane on a red light. In his PARENTS' car no less. My mother had a green and was simply driving through the intersection. Took his insurance months to find him at-fault and pay out.
I recently just found out last week after talking to another engineer in the office that he was rear-ended by another idiot high on pot.