Most of us drive, even those that don't have been the victims of the jerque du jour on the road. What are your driving pet peeves?
Here's some of mine, and yes, this is a bitch thread.
1. People who do not turn their lights on in the rain, snow, fog, or at night. How the fuck can I avoid your stupid ass if I can't see your stupid ass? :verymad:
2. People who seem to think it is OK to enter a 65-75 mile an hour freeway at 40 mph. :-o You enter a freeway at speed, period, full stop.
3. This is a new one around here, I've seen this behavior start up within the past year: People who hit the brake (even if they are below the work zone speed limit) whenever they see a worker near the road in a work zone. News flash, morons, if they stay on their side of the barrels, and you stay on yours, we'll all be fine. :banghead:
People who talk on their phones. :bigass:
Slow drivers are really bad. Do they want to be slow? Are they new? Why would a driver want to be slow? If you're not in a rush, take a non-freeway route!
Also, pedestrians at night wearing black.
Also, bicycles/skateboarders crossing the street without looking for traffic. They don't even have a helmet on.
Heh. I doubt I could even think of everything that irks me when I'm driving. This is a partial list.
–People who drive without headlights in bad weather or at night.
–People who drive without headlights when the sun is low in the sky.
–People who drive without headlights in enclosed or underground parking facilities.
–People who drive without headlights on two-lane roads where you pass over the center line.
–People who don't dim their high-beams for approaching traffic.
–People who don't fix burned-out headlights.
–People who drive with just the parking lights.
–People who drive at night with just DRLs (especially if their DRL system doesn't turn on the taillights).
–People who don't use turn signals.
–People who think that trying to match their speed to a gap in the adjacent lane is a substitute for a turn signal.
–People who fail to yield when turning on red (this will be the subject of my next dashcam compilation).
–People who go straight out of turn-only lanes (this will also be in my next compilation video).
–People who don't keep right except to pass.
–People who try to drive down the turn lane and then shove over to go straight.
–People who try to drive down a thru lane and then cut into the exit queue at the gore area.
–People who change lanes from a thru lane into the onramp acceleration lane to use it as a passing lane.
–People who leave too much space when stopped at a red light such that you can't access the turn lane.
–People who exceed the speed limit to the point where they're unable to stay on their own side of the double yellow line (common in my neighborhood's 25-mph zone).
–People who leave too much space when they parallel park, thereby preventing someone else from fitting in.
–People who ignore the sign for the proper lane at an interchange and then expect everyone to slow down to let them get over at the last second.
–People who don't seem to know what "Exit Only" means.
–People who drive right in the middle on roads with no center stripe instead of staying to the right.
–People who are happy to give you the finger, flash their high-beams, etc., but who go into a rage if you give them the finger back.
–People who won't change lanes when they have all the space in the world behind you but instead insist on trying to force their way in further up.
–People who stop at green lights for no reason.
–People who stop at yield signs for no reason.
–People who walk despite having a "Don't Walk" sign.
–People who cut the corner at intersections instead of staying on their own side.
–People who, when encountering an onramp acceleration lane, don't move over one lane to allow people to enter the highway without slowing down (assuming, of course, traffic is flowing freely and it's safe to move over...I view this as a courtesy even though the entering driver is the one who has to yield).
–People who don't move when the light turns green or when the car in front of them moves.
–People (other than truck drivers) who make a "Mississippi turn" where they signal right (or left) but then pull left (or right) before making the turn.
–People who don't have E-ZPass or SunPass but who drive into the E-ZPass Only or SunPass Only lane anyway and then stop.
People who don't signal and then try to cut you off thinking that you already knew what they were doing.
People who pass you then barely go the speed limit just to spite you.
People who drive in the left lane and go the speed limit, preventing everyone from passing.
People who drive with their brights on all the time at night, and don't turn them off when they see you coming over the horizon.
New Jersey traffic circles. :ded:
My top pet peeves:
1. Not signaling a turn or a lane change, even if there's very little possibility of conflict. It really is my Berserk Button (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BerserkButton). It's so damn easy to signal, why isn't the procedure wired up in your brain already? I mean, I do it without even thinking!
2. Driving noticeably under the limit, for no apparent reason (i.e. not looking for an address), after passing more than one speed limit sign that's above their travel speed. Worse if it's straight line in the milddle of nowhere. Worse if it's impossible to pass for several miles.
2a. Slowing down at intersections where you have the right of way. I swear, I've seen a lot of people do this lately. dafuq?
3. Making a full 2+ second stop at a Yield with no conflicting traffic. Worse, making such a stop when there's no sign at all because you have the right of way in that direction. Guaranteed honk from me.
4. Going through an intersection from a turn lane, cutting me off in the process. I'll honk at you and I'll wish for your death if you do this.
driving in the left lane, slower than traffic approaching from behind. stay right. or, hell, stay home.
Quote–People (other than truck drivers) who make a "Mississippi turn" where they signal right (or left) but then pull left (or right) before making the turn.
what
is the point of this, exactly? unless you're making a hook turn (which involves pulling completely out of the travel lane, and then yielding to any traffic behind you), or your turning radius is insufficient ... you do not need to pull one direction before turning in the other.
that said: more people should use hook turns. why hold everybody up?
Deer that run out into the roadway.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 31, 2013, 03:24:13 PM
Quote–People (other than truck drivers) who make a "Mississippi turn" where they signal right (or left) but then pull left (or right) before making the turn.
what is the point of this, exactly? unless you're making a hook turn (which involves pulling completely out of the travel lane, and then yielding to any traffic behind you), or your turning radius is insufficient ... you do not need to pull one direction before turning in the other.
that said: more people should use hook turns. why hold everybody up?
That's what the rear differential is for. There's a reason GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, et.al. put one on the damn car. Take the turn quickly and square it properly.
Of course, I passed two driver's ed vehicles on I-55 earlier today. It was raining, and state law dictates that the lights be on if the wipers are on. Neither driver's ed vehicles had lights on. WTF are they teaching people in driver's ed!?!
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 31, 2013, 03:24:13 PM
QuotePeople (other than truck drivers) who make a "Mississippi turn" where they signal right (or left) but then pull left (or right) before making the turn.
what is the point of this, exactly? unless you're making a hook turn (which involves pulling completely out of the travel lane, and then yielding to any traffic behind you), or your turning radius is insufficient ... you do not need to pull one direction before turning in the other.
that said: more people should use hook turns. why hold everybody up?
Truckers need to do this because of the length of their truck. I wonder if people watch those truckers, then think they need to do it themselves. All the time. In their tiny-ass car.
Quote from: Zeffy on October 31, 2013, 03:14:26 PM
People who pass you then barely go the speed limit just to spite you.
Then you have those who decide to speed up when you try to pass them. Had two of those fuckers today. The last one was on two-lane IL-126.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 31, 2013, 03:24:13 PM
Quote–People (other than truck drivers) who make a "Mississippi turn" where they signal right (or left) but then pull left (or right) before making the turn.
what is the point of this, exactly? unless you're making a hook turn (which involves pulling completely out of the travel lane, and then yielding to any traffic behind you), or your turning radius is insufficient ... you do not need to pull one direction before turning in the other.
that said: more people should use hook turns. why hold everybody up?
I've never understood it and that's one reason why it's on my list. My use of the term "Mississippi turn" comes from my father; he calls it that because of the way the river turns first one way and then the other. I did it one time in my high school's parking lot when he was teaching me to drive in his 1982 Honda Accord (a small car) and he reprimanded me quite thoroughly for it. (I wasn't doing it because I thought I needed to. I just did it for no reason at all and he was most emphatic that I should not get into that bad habit.)
The only times I ever make that kind of turn are when I'm turning into our driveway (because it's a narrow driveway with bushes on one side and we live on a narrow street) and sometimes when I'm parking in a tight parking garage. But some people do it in an ordinary old right-turn lane. MAYBE if you're going around a very sharp turn it might be necessary.
Another addition to my list:
–People who make a turn where there are multiple turn lanes but fail to turn into the correct lane. (Example: I'm in the second lane from the right and it's an option lane. You're in the far right lane and it's a turn-only lane. We both turn but you turn into the second lane from the right, which is my lane.) An example of this will show up in my next compilation video. I see it happen frequently at relatively high speed (meaning 30 mph or so) at the Beltway interchange nearest to our house. Very dangerous and annoying when you're turning legally and the guy next to you launches right into your lane.
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 31, 2013, 03:56:48 PM
–People who make a turn where there are multiple turn lanes but fail to turn into the correct lane. (Example: I'm in the second lane from the right and it's an option lane. You're in the far right lane and it's a turn-only lane. We both turn but you turn into the second lane from the right, which is my lane.) An example of this will show up in my next compilation video. I see it happen frequently at relatively high speed (meaning 30 mph or so) at the Beltway interchange nearest to our house. Very dangerous and annoying when you're turning legally and the guy next to you launches right into your lane.
That shit gets the horn from me. I've had more than a few assholes pull that on dual left turns. It happens far too often for my taste at the I-55/US-30 interchange in town.
Police who want to give you a ticket for the slightest little things.
People who hang out in your blind spot all day long on the freeway.
People who don't change lanes to let you on the freeway when there's nobody in the other lane (had this happen to me today with someone texting and driving)
People who slow down to the speed limit in a freeway construction zone (or any two-laner with a ton of traffic) and hold up a line, when everyone in front of them is still going 70-75.
Quote from: Brandon on October 31, 2013, 04:04:46 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 31, 2013, 03:56:48 PM
–People who make a turn where there are multiple turn lanes but fail to turn into the correct lane. (Example: I'm in the second lane from the right and it's an option lane. You're in the far right lane and it's a turn-only lane. We both turn but you turn into the second lane from the right, which is my lane.) An example of this will show up in my next compilation video. I see it happen frequently at relatively high speed (meaning 30 mph or so) at the Beltway interchange nearest to our house. Very dangerous and annoying when you're turning legally and the guy next to you launches right into your lane.
That shit gets the horn from me. I've had more than a few assholes pull that on dual left turns. It happens far too often for my taste at the I-55/US-30 interchange in town.
Turns out I misremembered: The new compilation video doesn't include that clip. Instead it includes a different clip from the same intersection (though I was coming from a different direction) where a woman cut a right on red as I came through the intersection and turned into the center lane (where I was) instead of the right lane.
Here's the one I was thinking of. Notice they put down what VDOT calls "puppy tracks" to underscore the proper movement. I was just far enough back that I didn't bother blowing the horn, although I felt it would have been justified.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi31.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc378%2F1995hoo%2FDashcam%2520videos%2Fth_RightturnintowronglaneWBFranconiatoNBVanDorn_zpsc99acbc3.jpg&hash=31e1820a079d20141a4d13b74310b542a16b9c54) (http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c378/1995hoo/Dashcam%20videos/RightturnintowronglaneWBFranconiatoNBVanDorn_zpsc99acbc3.mp4)
Quote from: Molandfreak on October 31, 2013, 04:35:12 PM
People who slow down to the speed limit in a freeway construction zone (or any two-laner with a ton of traffic) and hold up a line, when everyone in front of them is still going 70-75.
I've done this. if it's posted 35 and it looks like there are people hard at work, I will go 35. especially if I am N states away from home; who knows what the enforcement is like? I'm sure I could safely do 50 (70 seems pushing it, if it's an active work zone), but who wants to fly back to Rustnozzle County to explain that to a judge?
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 31, 2013, 04:41:36 PM
Quote from: Molandfreak on October 31, 2013, 04:35:12 PM
People who slow down to the speed limit in a freeway construction zone (or any two-laner with a ton of traffic) and hold up a line, when everyone in front of them is still going 70-75.
I've done this. if it's posted 35 and it looks like there are people hard at work, I will go 35. especially if I am N states away from home; who knows what the enforcement is like? I'm sure I could safely do 50 (70 seems pushing it, if it's an active work zone), but who wants to fly back to Rustnozzle County to explain that to a judge?
If it's 35 and under heavy instruction, and people are still going 70, then yeah you have a problem. If it's 55 and not extremely active at the time, I'll go with the traffic.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 31, 2013, 04:41:36 PM
Quote from: Molandfreak on October 31, 2013, 04:35:12 PM
People who slow down to the speed limit in a freeway construction zone (or any two-laner with a ton of traffic) and hold up a line, when everyone in front of them is still going 70-75.
I've done this. if it's posted 35 and it looks like there are people hard at work, I will go 35. especially if I am N states away from home; who knows what the enforcement is like? I'm sure I could safely do 50 (70 seems pushing it, if it's an active work zone), but who wants to fly back to Rustnozzle County to explain that to a judge?
I recall a situation where I made a point of going right on the speed limit when there was an "average speed check" zone set up on the M4 somewhere between Reading and Heathrow and the speed limit was 50 mph. "Average speed check" means each camera reads your number plate and it then calculates your speed based on how long it took you to pass the multiple cameras. Too fast and you get a ticket. It's specifically designed to prevent what we all do in DC and Maryland, which is to drive along at whatever speed suits us and then slow down when we pass a speed camera.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on October 31, 2013, 03:42:21 PM
I wonder if people watch those truckers, then think they need to do it themselves. All the time. In their tiny-ass car.
I verge slightly towards the other lane if I know the radius is going to be tight, but certainly not in thick traffic. Certainly not enough to take two lanes up like a Scandinavian Flick (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_flick) (although I've done those before on completely empty roads/lots). If the median has a wide enough berth, I can nicely and speedily take the left lane without disruption.
I can't stand when someone lazily makes a slow U-turn and doesn't even try to attempt accelerate with the flow of traffic. I understand trucks are going to do this, because they do not accelerate very rapidly - that's understandable. But the average car has 150 horsepower, this is when you need to use it.
Quote from: Brandon on October 31, 2013, 04:04:46 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 31, 2013, 03:56:48 PM
—People who make a turn where there are multiple turn lanes but fail to turn into the correct lane. (Example: I'm in the second lane from the right and it's an option lane. You're in the far right lane and it's a turn-only lane. We both turn but you turn into the second lane from the right, which is my lane.) An example of this will show up in my next compilation video. I see it happen frequently at relatively high speed (meaning 30 mph or so) at the Beltway interchange nearest to our house. Very dangerous and annoying when you're turning legally and the guy next to you launches right into your lane.
That shit gets the horn from me. I've had more than a few assholes pull that on dual left turns. It happens far too often for my taste at the I-55/US-30 interchange in town.
Yeah, it's one thing if you launch like the clappers because you really meant to be in that "other left lane", and cut off nobody, fine. But don't slice within 2 feet of my bumper, and fail to tell me you're doing so when we're stopped, because you did not to pay attention.
This all combines into one very big pet peeve of mine: Doing some stupid maneuver which annoys a bunch of motorists instead of driving up the street one block and making a U-turn. Or missing an exit, and reversing (!) or swerving maniacally to make the ramp.
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 31, 2013, 03:56:48 PM"Mississippi turn"
here I thought that was a left turn lane separated by a barrier from the straight lanes, so that one can see oncoming traffic better even if the oncoming left-turn lane is occupied.
http://goo.gl/maps/2tO0w
Quote from: formulanone on October 31, 2013, 04:46:38 PM
....
This all combines into one very big pet peeve of mine: Doing some stupid maneuver which annoys a bunch of motorists instead of driving up the street one block and making a U-turn. Or missing an exit, and reversing (!) or swerving maniacally to make the ramp.
Quote from: formulanone on October 31, 2013, 04:46:38 PM
This all combines into one very big pet peeve of mine: Doing some stupid maneuver which annoys a bunch of motorists instead of driving up the street one block and making a U-turn. Or missing an exit, and reversing (!) or swerving maniacally to make the ramp.
then there's always the milquetoast who lets in the driver attempting to cut the gore.
nope, that person needs to stay in the gore until he runs out of gas and needs a tow truck. take the next exit, you fool.
Stopping on green, an interesting south Florida trick.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 31, 2013, 04:51:20 PM
Quote from: formulanone on October 31, 2013, 04:46:38 PM
This all combines into one very big pet peeve of mine: Doing some stupid maneuver which annoys a bunch of motorists instead of driving up the street one block and making a U-turn. Or missing an exit, and reversing (!) or swerving maniacally to make the ramp.
then there's always the milquetoast who lets in the driver attempting to cut the gore.
nope, that person needs to stay in the gore until he runs out of gas and needs a tow truck. take the next exit, you fool.
See, that's part of what annoys me so much: The people who meekly or happily allow them to cut like that just encourage them to keep doing it because they know they can.
My wife doesn't understand why it annoys me, but then she hasn't driven to work on a regular basis in a long time because she takes the subway. She, in turn, quickly loses her temper with people like the stupeys who block the left side of the escalator or who come to a stop right in front of the bottom of the escalator or directly inside the train doors!
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 31, 2013, 03:56:48 PM
–People who make a turn where there are multiple turn lanes but fail to turn into the correct lane. (Example: I'm in the second lane from the right and it's an option lane. You're in the far right lane and it's a turn-only lane. We both turn but you turn into the second lane from the right, which is my lane.)
I saw a woman smash right into the side of a guy's truck just the other day in a similar setup. It's a left only and left/straight optional lane (just a mirror image of your scenario.) Anyway, apparently the guy in the truck didn't see the woman heading towards his fender. The driver of the truck didn't try to avoid it in any way (speed up, brake, steer evasively, etc.) Fortunately for both involved neither one appeared to be hurt. They were both exiting their vehicles and assesing the damage when my approach turned green and me and the drivers around me had to squeeze past the accident site. The lady's car wasn't able to be moved. It appeared that she was leaking coolant (green puddle under her car.)
As for my pet peeves. Like 1995hoo, this list isn't complete, but off the top of my head the most irksome things...
-People who can't keep right when not passing (an even bigger fuck you if you speed up as I attempt to pass on the right) Ignorance may be bliss, so if said left lane bandit is just oblivious it's one thing. I'll just pass on the right and move along. But if the driver speeds up that tells me they're well aware of what they're doing and it's dickish
-People who ride in the left lane right next to a car in the right lane on a freeway. This can become ultra frustrating. Especially if the driver in the right lane is too scared or too inept to speed up. Good luck getting the asshole in the left lane to speed up since that was the one who likely decided to camp next to the vehicle on the right
-People who change lanes right in front of me without signaling. If they're further upstream and it doesn't affect me then not signaling doesn't bother me. I instill the same practices as to whether I do or don't signal my lane changes, so I can't be a hypocrite
-People who tailgate me. I'm not a slow driver and I generally do 5-15 over on local streets and 10-20 over on freeways (conditions and enforcement pending for all roads) So if my speeding isn't fast enough that I need to be tailgated, that's just ridiculous. If it's on a freeway, tailgating won't get me to go any faster. I'm not he holdup, so tailgating me won't solve anything
-Drivers who pull out in front of me on local streets, only to immediately turn left within the next 1/4 mile. 9 times out of 10 there is no one behind me, all they had to do was wait for me to pass. Thanks for slowing me down for your own selfish gain, asshole
-Drivers who pull out in front of me on local streets, only to drive slower than I wanted to go. Again, most times no one is behind me. I could see if I was the head of a platoon. I've pulled out in front of convoys like that plenty of times, but rarely do I hold anyone up
-Drivers of dark colored cars who don't turn their lights on in the dark and/or shitty weather (these seem to be the worst offenders, light or bright colored cars seem to have a higher compliance)
-People who feel the need to race me to a merge, only to slow down after the merge
I just posted this in the thread I have on the "Photos/Videos" subforum, but it seems to fit in this thread as well, especially since I mentioned my new compilation video earlier in this thread.
On roads where there's a clearly-marked center Lane for left turns, the street I reside on being one of them. I can not tell you the number of times I've seen people make left turns from the travel lane. I find myself screaming at those cars, "That's what the center lane is for, Stupid!"
People at a signalized intersection between two one-way streets who don't realize that they can make a left turn on a red signal (unless signed or signaled otherwise). The mezzanine level of the I-476/US 1 interchange in PA is the most blatant example of where I see this idiocy.
Mezzanine level: interchange signal ramp (left for US 1 South & I-476 South, straight for I-476 North)
http://goo.gl/maps/I8NhO (http://goo.gl/maps/I8NhO)
I can not tell you the number of times I've seen vehicles needlessly stack up at this left turn ramp because they forget that it's okay to turn left on a red signal at this location.
- Drivers who turn onto a four/six-lane road that has light traffic on it (usually at night), yet they still manage to cut you off or cause you to slow down significantly.
Would it really have bothered you to take the left or right lane instead? Or wait 3 seconds?
Quote from: PHLBOS on October 31, 2013, 05:08:12 PM
....
I can not tell you the number of times I've seen vehicles needlessly stack up at this left turn ramp because they forget that it's okay to turn left on a red signal at this location.
I think with most people it's not so much a case of "forgetting" as never having known that it was legal at all.
- When you wait at a red light and there is no cross traffic!
This has happened to me on several occasions, mostly at night. Between Midnight and 4/5AM traffic lights should go to flash (at minor intersections). My blind obediance to traffic law prevents me from just running the red, haha!
- When traffic lights turn green for 1 right turning car
I think my pet peeve is when people slow all the way down to 7 miles per hour on a 40-mph arterial to make a right turn. I call them "drama queen turns" because it feels like they want to bring the entire world to a stop to demonstrate the fact that they can navigate their car around the corner.
People on a busy main street, that turn (right) onto a side street, at an intersection with traffic lights, and they swing wide and trip the sensor on the traffic lights!!
If I am a block or so behind them and see them do it I want to strangle them, because when I get to the intersection the damn light has changed and there is NOBODY on the side street waiting to pull on to the main street.
The sensors need to be improved so they can tell which way the car is going, and then they can ignore these lazy idiots.
I'm not content with people just keeping right except to pass. If we're on a rural freeway and there's not much traffic, pass me with some velocity. If my cruise is at 80 and yours is at 80.1, it's going to take forever for the manuever to complete. In the meantime, a deer could run out or a refrigerator might be in the road and I might want to use the whole road so just pass- there's no reason for two cars to be close together on I-90 in rural Montana.
Speed up to 85 for a second- it won't kill you, or if you think I'm driving 99.9% fast enough, push the "coast" button on your cruise once and then you'll be going slower.
1995hoo, you got some shitty drivers around DC, but here's some of what I put up with around Chicagoland. Someone (not me) has a compilation of crappy Chicago drivers (and believe me, there's a shitload of them). By "mydashcam6":
I direly need a dash cam just to show off some of these assholes.
Quote from: corco on October 31, 2013, 09:27:04 PM
I'm not content with people just keeping right except to pass. If we're on a rural freeway and there's not much traffic, pass me with some velocity. If my cruise is at 80 and yours is at 80.1, it's going to take forever for the manuever to complete. In the meantime, a deer could run out or a refrigerator might be in the road and I might want to use the whole road so just pass- there's no reason for two cars to be close together on I-90 in rural Montana.
Speed up to 85 for a second- it won't kill you, or if you think I'm driving 99.9% fast enough, push the "coast" button on your cruise once and then you'll be going slower.
indeed. no riding abreast. this seems to be a problem in Oregon the most, in my experience. the Blue Angels are at least doing 300mph when they're in formation.
Quote from: Brandon on October 31, 2013, 09:28:59 PM
1995hoo, you got some shitty drivers around DC, but here's some of what I put up with around Chicagoland. Someone (not me) has a compilation of crappy Chicago drivers (and believe me, there's a shitload of them). By "mydashcam6":
I direly need a dash cam just to show off some of these assholes.
Seems similar to a lot of what goes on here. But around here a lot of people seem to go out of their way to be rude just for the sake of rudeness.
My dashcam cost me $70 for the camera and $30 for the micro SD card. I got it from a place in New York called Spy Tec. It's a Chinese-made unit (what isn't these days?) called a DVR 207.
- People who have no clue how to use a TWLTL...those that insist on making a left turn from the lane to the right of the TWLWL
- People who insist on driving with their turn signal on...How is that even possible with the more modern cars? If I drive without turning the wheel (I forget the exact distance), a message appears with a different warning chime that the signal is still on. :pan:
- As an expansion to the one above, those who wait at the end of an off-ramp with their right turn signal still on while waiting to turn left. This then creates confusion since no one knows if they just forgot or their actually going to turn right from the left/thru lane.
- Drivers that have zero concept that snowy/wet roads require more stopping distance than dry roads
- Those that pass you on the freeway like a bat outta hell just to get off at the next exit, usually less than a mile down the highway.
- Timid drivers in inclement weather. :banghead: If you're going to go no faster than 2 mph down the snow-covered freeway, STAY THE FUCK HOME! There's a BIG difference between being cautious and being a danger to everyone else on the road.
- Cyclists who don't use lights at night. There's also another subset of those who don't even have the minimum required reflectors. The vast majority of those in the latter group also chose to wear dark clothing and cut across traffic/pull out like they're the only ones on the road. I'm not normally not a full believer in Darwinism, but these folks are slowly converting me.
- Drivers at the beginning of the queue at a red light who don't pay attention and still sit there after the light's been green for 5 seconds (even worse at protected left-turn lanes).
- Drivers who don't turn into the lane closest to them (on the receiving street) when other traffic is around. Do it when no one else is around/you won't interfere with other traffic.
- People who have the right of way but have no clue that they do
Roundabout-specific:
- People who insist on waiting for traffic at a roundabout when it's on the other side of the central island
- People who stop while in the circulatory roadway to let people in
- Drivers that come to a dead stop in the circulatory roadway because they aren't sure they want that exit
- Drivers who have no concept of the difference between a YIELD sign and a STOP sign
People who either refuse to use cruise control (or don't have it) and are unable to maintain anything close to a constant speed. It's annoying as hell to get stuck behind someone on a busy 2 lane who can't quite seem to decide if they want to drive 5 under the speed limit or 2 over, making it impossible for you to set your own cruise for more than a minute or two before having to adjust to their latest speed change. And the freeway version: you pass someone, then they speed up and pass you only to get back in front of you and slow the fuck down, forcing you to pass them again, and so on. Or, as has been mentioned before, they speed up while you're passing them.
Quote from: Buck87 on October 31, 2013, 11:29:26 PM
People who either refuse to use cruise control (or don't have it) and are unable to maintain anything close to a constant speed. It's annoying as hell to get stuck behind someone on a busy 2 lane who can't quite seem to decide if they want to drive 5 under the speed limit or 2 over, making it impossible for you to set your own cruise for more than a minute or two before having to adjust to their latest speed change.
This is something I am known to be guilty of when driving in unfamiliar areas and the reason I do it is because my speed swings up and down with my confidence that I won't get pulled over for it at that precise time and location. You might see me doing 75 in a 70 and then suddenly speed up to 80 if someone passes me going 85. Likewise, you might see me going 80 in a 70 and then suddenly slow down to 75 if I realize I seem to be the fastest car in my immediate vicinity. I will also sometimes speed up if there is clearly nowhere for any cops to hide nearby. But I'll slow down when I see a median break to avoid being nabbed by a cop coming the other way and u-turning. It's all a constant risk analysis.
For what it's worth, though, if someone is trying to pass me and is taking too long to do so, I will slow down to compensate.
As for some of my own pet peeves:
1) I hate being directly behind large vehicles that obstruct my view of things (pickup, SUV, etc.). If you are driving one of these vehicles you may see me pass you and then get in front of you and match your speed. I don't actually want to go faster than you, I just prefer seeing the road ahead of me to staring at your tinydickmobile.
2) I hate drivers who come up behind me in the left lane and then just follow me into the right lane when I move over to let them pass.
3) I hate able-bodied pedestrians who slowly mosey across the street at stop signs or against lights. If you are capable of moving your ass out of my way faster, please do so!
Quote from: DaBigE on October 31, 2013, 11:01:04 PM- Timid drivers in inclement weather. :banghead: If you're going to go no faster than 2 mph down the snow-covered freeway, STAY THE FUCK HOME! There's a BIG difference between being cautious and being a danger to everyone else on the road.
This. Especially at the beginning of the winter. Half an inch of snow and everyone slows down to 60 km/h (35 mph) on the freeway.
–People following behind you who, when you signal to turn at a spot with no turn lane, don't slow down when you step on the brakes to slow down to make the turn. This used to happen to me all the time outside my apartment at Duke back in the mid-1990s (Street View: http://goo.gl/maps/IPLuZ –those spiffy brick pillars weren't there at the time) and it's been happening lately when I turn into a neighborhood near my house that I sometimes use to bypass two traffic lights (Street View: http://goo.gl/maps/7YxGf –I turn from the right lane onto the street where that pedestrian is crossing). Unless you're a reckless driver, you don't go around corners like that at 40 mph without slowing down–and if you DID, it would be a time where the "Mississippi turn" I mentioned earlier might be necessary!
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on November 01, 2013, 09:42:37 AM
This. Especially at the beginning of the winter. Half an inch of snow and everyone slows down to 60 km/h (35 mph) on the freeway.
except in SoCal. here, we get a moderate rain, and half of the population slows down to about 15 on the freeway. the other half continues to go 90.
When there is a lane drop and people wait until the LAST POSSIBLE SECOND to try and merge into your lane. In this situation, I purposefully tailgate the driver in front of me so that there will no chance someone trying to merge in front of me right when their pavement ends. If you are trying to get over early on, with your signal, I'll let you in. BUT... if someone tries to speed up and get in front of you, there's no way I'm letting you over easily.
Quote from: PColumbus73 on November 01, 2013, 11:43:25 AM
When there is a lane drop and people wait until the LAST POSSIBLE SECOND to try and merge into your lane. In this situation, I purposefully tailgate the driver in front of me so that there will no chance someone trying to merge in front of me right when their pavement ends. If you are trying to get over early on, with your signal, I'll let you in. BUT... if someone tries to speed up and get in front of you, there's no way I'm letting you over easily.
My reaction to that depends on the situation.
If the traffic is flowing freely, then yes, get over early whenever it's clear. Don't cause everybody to slam on the brakes by waiting until the last second.
If the traffic is already at a crawl, then you should go to the end and take turns. Otherwise you're just wasting road capacity and you're setting up conflict because every driver will have a different idea of where the "correct" place is to get over. In other words, the "you must merge early" crowd are effectively saying "thou shalt not use the lane that's ending." But if that's the rule, then why have that lane at all? It's far more sensible and efficient–in slow or stopped traffic, mind you–to have a single merge point where you alternate one-and-one.
The people who attempt to straddle the line so as to block the traffic in both lanes are the most obnoxious. Who do they think they are to say "everyone else must watch where I get over and then do the same"?
I will second people who don't turn their headlights on when it's dusk, foggy, rainy, or misty. Instead of speeding tickets, why don't the cops spend their days ticketing these people? There are more of a danger than people going 5 over.
People whose lowbeams are ultrabright and mounted at eye level. The purpose of low beams is to be seen, not to light up the road for half a mile ahead (that's what high beams are for).
People who sit on my flank when I'm trying to get over, instead of speeding up or slowing down.
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 01, 2013, 11:55:37 AM
The people who attempt to straddle the line so as to block the traffic in both lanes are the most obnoxious. Who do they think they are to say "everyone else must watch where I get over and then do the same"?
I do that near the end when we're crawling as Chicago drivers have a very nasty habit of bulling their way in instead of zippering. I make sure I get behind one vehicle, and then close it off near the end. If I don't, most assuredly, I will get some asshole who will not zipper and will not give way even if I am slightly ahead. Watch some of the bad Chicago driver videos, and you'll see what I mean. These assholes have no clue what zippering means.
Quote from: kkt on November 01, 2013, 12:32:59 PM
I will second people who don't turn their headlights on when it's dusk, foggy, rainy, or misty. Instead of speeding tickets, why don't the cops spend their days ticketing these people? There are more of a danger than people going 5 over.
Beats the shit out of me. I wish they'd ticket them as well. You can't see them, so it makes it all that much harder to avoid their idiocy.
QuotePeople who sit on my flank when I'm trying to get over, instead of speeding up or slowing down.
They are most annoying. Even worse is when the jackass on your quarter panel speeds up and slows down with you.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on November 01, 2013, 09:42:37 AM
Quote from: DaBigE on October 31, 2013, 11:01:04 PM- Timid drivers in inclement weather. :banghead: If you're going to go no faster than 2 mph down the snow-covered freeway, STAY THE FUCK HOME! There's a BIG difference between being cautious and being a danger to everyone else on the road.
This. Especially at the beginning of the winter. Half an inch of snow and everyone slows down to 60 km/h (35 mph) on the freeway.
Conversely, I am annoyed by the idiots who drive in snow like the road was completely dry and don't slow down. Especially by truckers who continue to barrel down the road at 55-65 mph when most of the rest of the traffic is going 45. I always chuckle when I see some truck jackknifed or overturned when the road is slick because I know they brought it on themselves by driving too fast for conditions.
I've mentioned this before, but in the winter of 2004 I was driving home from a conference in Washington, D.C. It began snowing not long after I passed Haymarket heading west on I-66, and by the time I got to I-81 the snow was already sticking to the pavement and I knew that more snow was in the forecast. Trucks were still driving at or above the speed limit and that got worse when I hit I-81 south. I had no desire to be on the road with those menaces all the way down to Lexington and the I-64 west split, so I bailed at Strasburg and took Corridor H. At the time, the four-lane was only open between Baker and Moorefield, and from Kerens to Weston. Even though there was a lot of snow on the road (WV 55, US 220, WV 42, WV 93 and US 219) and the terrain was mountainous, I felt a lot safer driving those two-lane mountain roads than on the interstate with trucks flying through the snow.
(Photos at http://www.millenniumhwy.net/Washington_CD_2004/index.html)
Quote from: hbelkins on November 01, 2013, 01:07:49 PM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on November 01, 2013, 09:42:37 AM
Quote from: DaBigE on October 31, 2013, 11:01:04 PM- Timid drivers in inclement weather. :banghead: If you're going to go no faster than 2 mph down the snow-covered freeway, STAY THE FUCK HOME! There's a BIG difference between being cautious and being a danger to everyone else on the road.
This. Especially at the beginning of the winter. Half an inch of snow and everyone slows down to 60 km/h (35 mph) on the freeway.
Conversely, I am annoyed by the idiots who drive in snow like the road was completely dry and don't slow down. Especially by truckers who continue to barrel down the road at 55-65 mph when most of the rest of the traffic is going 45. I always chuckle when I see some truck jackknifed or overturned when the road is slick because I know they brought it on themselves by driving too fast for conditions.
I've mentioned this before, but in the winter of 2004 I was driving home from a conference in Washington, D.C. It began snowing not long after I passed Haymarket heading west on I-66, and by the time I got to I-81 the snow was already sticking to the pavement and I knew that more snow was in the forecast. Trucks were still driving at or above the speed limit and that got worse when I hit I-81 south. I had no desire to be on the road with those menaces all the way down to Lexington and the I-64 west split, so I bailed at Strasburg and took Corridor H. At the time, the four-lane was only open between Baker and Moorefield, and from Kerens to Weston. Even though there was a lot of snow on the road (WV 55, US 220, WV 42, WV 93 and US 219) and the terrain was mountainous, I felt a lot safer driving those two-lane mountain roads than on the interstate with trucks flying through the snow.
(Photos at http://www.millenniumhwy.net/Washington_CD_2004/index.html)
I'll agree with this, especially during the first snowfalls before the plows have their run, I keep it around 50 MPH on the freeway
Deer pet peeves:
*GET OUT OF THE FRELLING ROAD!
*Mommy deer: if you've already had one kid get splattered, how about leaving the other one home the next time you want to go out ?
*NO! You cannot outstare my headlights!
*When the guy in the oncoming lane nails a deer and flips the remains in MY lane! Hey buddy, you hit it, you keep it
!
*Collateral kills; predators munching on a dead deer and not paying attention to the traffic and getting run over themselves
*BUCKS: turn your head before impact, I don't want an antler in my radiator!
*Fawns: please run in the direction I am traveling, if I am overtaking you, you will still get squished, but there will be less damage to my vehicle.
Quote from: kkt on November 01, 2013, 12:32:59 PM
I will second people who don't turn their headlights on when it's dusk, foggy, rainy, or misty. Instead of speeding tickets, why don't the cops spend their days ticketing these people? There are more of a danger than people going 5 over.
....
I've always assumed the cops don't much feel like getting wet out in the rain any more than the rest of us do.
QuoteI felt a lot safer driving those two-lane mountain roads than on the interstate with trucks flying through the snow.
For sure- I avoid interstates whenever I can if it's snowing, even if the interstate has been plowed better. I'm comfortable with my own ability to keep the car out of the ditch. I'm less comfortable that some other jerk or ass-hauling truck is going to not do something stupid.
I'll go faster off-interstate if it's a straight, flat road- I don't typically go much more than 50ish on snow packed interstates, but I'll crank it into the 60s if I'm on a wide open two lane road with good visibility like US 93 in Nevada.
When you slow down to let someone coming off an on-ramp in...and they then slow down.
Quote from: Takumi on November 01, 2013, 04:23:24 PM
When you slow down to let someone coming off an on-ramp in...and they then slow down.
ARRRRRGH! I fucking hate that! When entering a freeway, you are supposed to match your speed to those already on it, not expect those on it to slow for you. If you cannot get up to speed on the entrance ramp, stay off the goddamned freeway.
Quote from: corco on November 01, 2013, 03:58:36 PM
QuoteI felt a lot safer driving those two-lane mountain roads than on the interstate with trucks flying through the snow.
For sure- I avoid interstates whenever I can if it's snowing, even if the interstate has been plowed better. I'm comfortable with my own ability to keep the car out of the ditch. I'm less comfortable that some other jerk or ass-hauling truck is going to not do something stupid.
I'll go faster off-interstate if it's a straight, flat road- I don't typically go much more than 50ish on snow packed interstates, but I'll crank it into the 60s if I'm on a wide open two lane road with good visibility like US 93 in Nevada.
I second Corco's comments. When I plan on traveling anywhere and there's a possibility of inclement weather, I map out two routes - an Interstate/freeway one, and a non-Interstate/freeway one. The non-Interstate/freeway one may be a little slower, but I find it's more reliable (and less stressful) when snow (other than flurries) is falling.
Quote from: Takumi on November 01, 2013, 04:23:24 PM
When you slow down to let someone coming off an on-ramp in...and they then slow down.
Maybe this is a west coast thing or I'm wrong (I'm not a city driver by nature), but from they way I've always understood it the car driving on the freeway should maintain their speed and the burden is on the car on the ramp to adjust their speed to move into a gap smoothly. I'd probably be one of those cars that slows down because I expect you're not doing that and was planning on getting in behind you, and then I'd be surprised to see that you did too. When I merge, I operate under the assumption that you're not going to slow down and prepare for that. I try to monitor through the side windows to see if there's a change, but that can be tough sometimes.
That said, I'm basically self-taught on merging, so it's not at all out of the question that I've been doing it wrong this whole time.
I've always understood it as whoever gets to the end of the gore point first goes first. If I see someone coming on clearly ahead of me I will ease up or move over to let them in, since me continuing at speed in the right lane would end up with me abreast of them when they need to merge unless they slow down, and them slowing down is counterproductive to them merging onto the freeway.
Of course, I also grew up in an environment where people tend to drive aggressively and sometimes letting someone in even if you shouldn't is preferable to getting into a pissing contest with them, 'cause they ain't gonna just let you go first without a fight.
QuoteI've always understood it as whoever gets to the end of the gore point first goes first.
Oh for sure- if you're in stop and go/slow traffic yeah, gore goes first. What's the proper procedure when you're moving at speed though and the vehicle on the ramp looks like they'll hit the gore at the same time and speed as you unless one of you slows down/speeds up?
In the instance today, the vehicle coming off the on-ramp got to the gore before I did, and was going faster than I was. There was traffic ahead of me in my lane and beside me, but not behind me, so slowing down was really my only choice. Normally I move over, but in this case I simply couldn't.
And the people coming down the on ramp, THAT GET THEIR OWN LANE, and still want to move into my lane.
I hate that.
And they NEVER signal either.
Quote from: corco on November 01, 2013, 08:17:17 PM
QuoteI've always understood it as whoever gets to the end of the gore point first goes first.
Oh for sure- if you're in stop and go/slow traffic yeah, gore goes first. What's the proper procedure when you're moving at speed though and the vehicle on the ramp looks like they'll hit the gore at the same time and speed as you unless one of you slows down/speeds up?
Same. I'd move over, or if I can't, slow down. Unless the onramp has no acceleration lane and ends at a yield. Then I'll move over but I won't slow down since it's established that they're supposed to yield to me.
Quote from: Jardine on November 01, 2013, 09:45:31 PM
And the people coming down the on ramp, THAT GET THEIR OWN LANE, and still want to move into my lane.
I hate that.
And they NEVER signal either.
Not signaling and cutting people off are legitimate complaints. But I might as an entering car in this circumstance move over simply because I want to get over to the left and go faster. Or if I'm unfamiliar with the area I might not be aware that there's an added lane (it isn't always signed properly).
Often times added lanes drop pretty quickly too- I'll almost always try to get out of the added lane as quickly as possible, though I do signal and don't cut people off to do so.
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 31, 2013, 04:46:35 PMI recall a situation where I made a point of going right on the speed limit when there was an "average speed check" zone set up on the M4 somewhere between Reading and Heathrow and the speed limit was 50 mph. "Average speed check" means each camera reads your number plate and it then calculates your speed based on how long it took you to pass the multiple cameras. Too fast and you get a ticket. It's specifically designed to prevent what we all do in DC and Maryland, which is to drive along at whatever speed suits us and then slow down when we pass a speed camera.
Since I don't speed to save time, I would just continue to drive what whatever speed I saw fit, then pull over for a minute or so to fuck up the average, then pull back onto the highway and resume whatever speed I pleased. Possibly while flipping of the 'end' camera.
Quote from: corco on November 01, 2013, 07:09:57 PM
Quote from: Takumi on November 01, 2013, 04:23:24 PM
When you slow down to let someone coming off an on-ramp in...and they then slow down.
Maybe this is a west coast thing or I'm wrong (I'm not a city driver by nature), but from they way I've always understood it the car driving on the freeway should maintain their speed and the burden is on the car on the ramp to adjust their speed to move into a gap smoothly. I'd probably be one of those cars that slows down because I expect you're not doing that and was planning on getting in behind you, and then I'd be surprised to see that you did too. When I merge, I operate under the assumption that you're not going to slow down and prepare for that. I try to monitor through the side windows to see if there's a change, but that can be tough sometimes.
That said, I'm basically self-taught on merging, so it's not at all out of the question that I've been doing it wrong this whole time.
It's not just a west coast thing. I got taught that by may parents, both Michiganders from Detroit, one of whom is the daughter of a Detroit policeman. If you can be polite and move over, do so, otherwise, maintain your speed. The person entering the freeway has to adjust to you and find a spot. If it's you entering, match the speed of traffic well before the merge point. Usually that means get your ass up to 70+ mph. Around Detroit, much different than Chicago, they'll run you off the road if you try to merge below speed.
It's one of the things that really pisses me off here in Illinois. Few around here enter at speed. They try to enter at 40 or 45 mph on a 65 mph freeway where the flow is 70-75 mph. Then they bull their way in and expect you to let them in. They give you a funny look when you don't.
Some truck drivers believe because the truck weighs far more than other vehicles the weight holds the truck the ground. I dont know if thats true but I've tried the theory several times with good results, maybe luck, maybe not.
I remember driving the NY Thruway while it was snowing in the middle of the night and running 60 mph but I weighed nearly 80,000 lbs and I was young & dumb. I didnt drive like that everytime, it depended on many things like how much traffic, time of day, terrrain and highway condition. I think snow is much easier to drive on when its still fluffy (virgin) than a plowed road or packed down.
My driver pet peeve is when traffic is stopped by either a traffic light or volume and there are people on the minor cross streets that only have stop signs that want to either cross the road I'm on or turn onto it. We are stopped by the light and drivers block the cross streets so those drivers dont have a chance to cross because once our light goes green and our traffic clears there will be another group of cars coming from the previous light. There is a very short time, if any to safely cross. Traffic here has gotten so bad during daylight that the cross traffic backs up 4-7 cars and if u have granny in front of you she's too scared to move quickly so she misses times she could have made it. I usually go a little out of my to cross/enter at a controlled intersection. Anyone else do that?
Same thing sometimes at controlled intersections, the light turns red for them and they didnt clear the intersection so they are blocking cross traffic that has green. They cant move because they are blocked by stopped traffic ahead of them. In stop & go traffic dont enter an intersection until the car in front of you clears the intersection and there is room for you!
I do believe that weighed down trucks are probably safer to drive fast than most other vehicles as long as there isn't too much of a cross wind, and also your higher position gives you better visibility in white out. That said, it scares the shit out of most of the people in cars to be passed by an 18 wheeler on a bad road.
The scariest trek I've ever taken was a drive from Laramie to Cheyenne in late 2010 to go see a concert. We got on the ike right before the freeway closed- a text from a friend confirmed it closed 10 minutes after we left. The conditions were white out- I had to go 25 MPH and depended on my co-pilot to help me identify the edge of the road, and I wasn't going faster than any of the passenger cars (in fact, I passed several). The trucks were still capable of 35-40, which is great for them but when you're in a car and you can't tell exactly where the road edge is that's scary as fuck when they pass you.
As far as:
QuoteSame thing sometimes at controlled intersections, the light turns red for them and they didnt clear the intersection so they are blocking cross traffic that has green. They cant move because they are blocked by stopped traffic ahead of them. In stop & go traffic dont enter an intersection until the car in front of you clears the intersection and there is room for you!
Yeah, that used to drive me nuts in Tucson- Tucson has a horrible freeway network and I had a 12 mile commute on surface streets, so I had to deal with that shit all the time.
I'll share just the irritations that haven't already been mentioned by others. The context is generally either a freeway or a multilane arterial with at least two lanes in each direction.
* Cars that tailgate each other going down a freeway on-ramp, forming a "wall of steel" that forces you out of the right-hand lane of the freeway as you approach the merge point
* Impatient following drivers who swish around to pass you on the right instead of waiting for you to leave an appropriate headway between yourself and the car you have just passed (having taken pains to do so at a reasonable speed differential of ~10 MPH) before you move right
* Drivers behind you on a driveway who honk at you because they think you should turn right into a lane that is clear instead of waiting for all lanes in your intended direction of travel to be clear
Quote from: corco on November 01, 2013, 07:09:57 PMMaybe this is a west coast thing or I'm wrong (I'm not a city driver by nature), but from they way I've always understood it the car driving on the freeway should maintain their speed and the burden is on the car on the ramp to adjust their speed to move into a gap smoothly. I'd probably be one of those cars that slows down because I expect you're not doing that and was planning on getting in behind you, and then I'd be surprised to see that you did too. When I merge, I operate under the assumption that you're not going to slow down and prepare for that. I try to monitor through the side windows to see if there's a change, but that can be tough sometimes.
That said, I'm basically self-taught on merging, so it's not at all out of the question that I've been doing it wrong this whole time.
I'd say your understanding of how to merge is correct and not really regionally specific. The problem (at least in cities like Wichita which are big enough to have freeway on-ramps controlled by signals but not big enough to need ramp metering) is that drivers queued up to enter a freeway who get green maintain more or less the same headways going down the ramp that they did while waiting for the light. This leaves very little room to maneuver both for them and for cars already on the freeway ("wall of steel" problem).
If there is a regional aspect to this, which frankly I doubt, it would likely be that people driving on the coasts are more likely to be experienced with heavy traffic and thus to have the foresight to let the following distance to the car in front increase as they go down a ramp so that they can merge smoothly and with minimum disruption to traffic already on the freeway.
Quote from: allniter89 on November 02, 2013, 01:07:07 AM
Some truck drivers believe because the truck weighs far more than other vehicles the weight holds the truck the ground. I dont know if thats true but I've tried the theory several times with good results, maybe luck, maybe not.
It's not luck. I was on US 131 S/B in Michigan coming out of Stanwood on morning in a snow storm. Had just over 45,000lbs in the box, I was running 79,300 gross. Coming up on Grand Rapids, the road was competely snow covered and I was running 60-62. I blew past a straight truck. When he saw this, he sped up and eventually passed me. I noticed he was either really light or empty, as the back end of his truck was bouncing a lot going over bridges. Things were fine for a few miles until a curve just inside Grand Rapids, where he started to go sideways. He managed to save it, but needless to say I
stepped on the brakes. For me, the pavement might as well have been dry.
Heavy weight does make a difference.
On the flip side, in another snow storm, this time in Wisconsin, I picked up a load in Prairie Du Chien that was 2,600lbs. You can't tell a load of less than about 8,000 is even there. Under that, it feels empty, and this was no exception. I was crawling at 30 or less going across US 18...and the relentless south winds still kept blowing my trailer a tad bit sideways. Unfortunately, I couldn't just pull over, because I couldn't see where the road ended and where the ditch began. That was probably my most hair-raising winter drive yet.
I should note that my speed in winter weather conditions depends on 3 things: weight, whether or not there is ice, and sight distance. If I have plenty of traction, but it is snowing heavily and my sight distance is poor, I'll be doing 40 or less like everyone else. This is where you can really tell the super truckers apart from the rest: the super truckers will still try to barrel through at 55+ even when they can't see.
I hate when I am driving on a 2 lane road and the person in front of me intentionally slows down because they see a faster driver behind them. If you would pull over for 2 seconds, I could pass you, and we could both get on with our lives.
Anytime someone makes a post about how they hate tailgaters and intentionally slow down and randomly brake in front of them, I usually respond "Well I hope someone uninsured rear ends the hell out of your car".
I hate tailgaters, and I slow down/brake for them.*
*Disclaimer - in my car only, as I'm usually doing well north of the speed limit in my car. You come flying up on me and get right on my bumper when I'm doing 10-12 over, I slow down to the speed limit. If you get closer, you get a flash of the hazards. Next comes a couple quick flashes of the left turn signal followed by a brake tap or two...and if you don't get the hint by that point and either back off or go around, I let loose the tire smoke. (Neither of my cars have ABS, so you know what that means.) Sorry, but nothing pisses me off more than when I'm going 65 in a 55 in the right lane on the freeway and some jackass gets right up on my bumper but won't go around because his exit is 3/4 mile ahead and he wants to go 75 right up to it.
And if some uninsured rear-ends the shit out of me when I let loose the tire smoke, I'll drag 'em to court and run 'em dry. I was going 65 in a 55 in the right lane and the left lane was clear, you could have just gone around, jackass.
On two lane roads, I pull over if I can. If I can't, and a long passing zone opens up and is clear...the above applies.
But I simply don't tailgate. Even if I think someone deserves it. It's reckless and obnoxious behavior. (Two wrongs don't make it right, people.)
Quote from: Laura Bianca on November 03, 2013, 09:38:48 AM
I hate when I am driving on a 2 lane road and the person in front of me intentionally slows down because they see a faster driver behind them. If you would pull over for 2 seconds, I could pass you, and we could both get on with our lives.
This, IMO, is a variation on the theme of nestoring (details here on AAROADS in this thread (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=8548.msg199022)).
Quote from: Laura Bianca on November 03, 2013, 09:38:48 AM
Anytime someone makes a post about how they hate tailgaters and intentionally slow down and randomly brake in front of them, I usually respond "Well I hope someone uninsured rear ends the hell out of your car".
I don't like tailgating, but I do not deliberately slow down to piss other drivers off either. If I am going noticeably slowly for some reason (as if I am looking for something along the road), I will try to find a place to pull over to let the people in a hurry pass me.
If someone tailgates me, I spray my windshield washers. They were aimed a bit high when I got the car and some of the spray invariably goes up over the roofline. I've never re-aimed them. If I'm stopped at a red light it winds up on my rear window, but if I'm moving at highway speed it winds up on the windshield of the car behind me. It almost always causes them to back off.
Motorcyclists don't seem to appreciate it much. But if they'd kept the proper distance, they wouldn't have gotten wet....
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 03, 2013, 10:47:57 AM
If someone tailgates me, I spray my windshield washers. They were aimed a bit high when I got the car and some of the spray invariably goes up over the roofline. I've never re-aimed them. If I'm stopped at a red light it winds up on my rear window, but if I'm moving at highway speed it winds up on the windshield of the car behind me. It almost always causes them to back off.
Motorcyclists don't seem to appreciate it much. But if they'd kept the proper distance, they wouldn't have gotten wet....
That is hilarious! Sounds like it's pretty effective; I wish I were able to do that.
Whenever someone pisses me off I whip out my dick. Shame it's so small :(
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 03, 2013, 10:47:57 AMIf someone tailgates me, I spray my windshield washers. They were aimed a bit high when I got the car and some of the spray invariably goes up over the roofline. I've never re-aimed them. If I'm stopped at a red light it winds up on my rear window, but if I'm moving at highway speed it winds up on the windshield of the car behind me. It almost always causes them to back off.
I don't do that--at all. I remember it being recommended in newspapers ten or so years ago as a fun way of responding to tailgating, but I have found it only invites retaliation (tailgater passes aggressively so he can dump his windshield wiper overspray on your windshield), including in cases where I really just want my windshield clean and have no intention of punishing a tailgater.
So here is what I do:
* If it's a dry day and the windshield needs to be cleaned (generally to remove water spots and the like), I run the washer and wipers immediately after starting the car, while it is not moving. This saves aggravation all around.
* If I am being tailgated, I drop my speed to leave between myself and the car in front (1) the space I need to leave, (2) the space the tailgater should be leaving between himself and me, and (3) additional space equal to either (1) or (2) (whichever is greater) to compensate for the tailgater's reflexes and response time, which are doubtless retarded since he is clearly not focused on driving properly. I extend time spent signalling, coasting before stops or turns, etc. by comparable amounts. Usually this encourages tailgaters to pass if that is compatible with their itineraries, and if not, it insulates me from the risk of a rear-end collision.
I live in a rural area, and if I am being tailgated, I just look for loose gravel on the edge of the road from a driveway or county gravel road intersection and run over it.
Doesn't even look like I am doing it deliberately, but I am.
:sombrero:
If it's a 2-lane road and there's no safe place to pull over, but there are passing opportunities, the slower vehicle should reduce speed to the speed limit so the faster vehicles can pass more easily.
When it comes to urban surface streets, I regard the left lane for through traffic and the right lane for people turning or entering the road. Especially on a parkway or divided highway. If it's a 6-lane road (3 lanes each way), I stick to the center lane except when I'm approaching my turn.
Quote from: Duke87 on November 01, 2013, 12:09:16 AM
Quote from: Buck87 on October 31, 2013, 11:29:26 PM
People who either refuse to use cruise control (or don't have it) and are unable to maintain anything close to a constant speed. It's annoying as hell to get stuck behind someone on a busy 2 lane who can't quite seem to decide if they want to drive 5 under the speed limit or 2 over, making it impossible for you to set your own cruise for more than a minute or two before having to adjust to their latest speed change.
This is something I am known to be guilty of when driving in unfamiliar areas and the reason I do it is because my speed swings up and down with my confidence that I won't get pulled over for it at that precise time and location. You might see me doing 75 in a 70 and then suddenly speed up to 80 if someone passes me going 85. Likewise, you might see me going 80 in a 70 and then suddenly slow down to 75 if I realize I seem to be the fastest car in my immediate vicinity. I will also sometimes speed up if there is clearly nowhere for any cops to hide nearby. But I'll slow down when I see a median break to avoid being nabbed by a cop coming the other way and u-turning. It's all a constant risk analysis.
What you're describing here doesn't seem to be that bad. I was mainly talking about people whose speed is constantly wavering up and down over an extended period of time for no apparent reason (as in their speed changes by 1 MPH every 10-20 seconds or so, probably due to some distraction)
Quote from: Buck87 on November 05, 2013, 09:36:28 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on November 01, 2013, 12:09:16 AM
Quote from: Buck87 on October 31, 2013, 11:29:26 PM
People who either refuse to use cruise control (or don't have it) and are unable to maintain anything close to a constant speed. It's annoying as hell to get stuck behind someone on a busy 2 lane who can't quite seem to decide if they want to drive 5 under the speed limit or 2 over, making it impossible for you to set your own cruise for more than a minute or two before having to adjust to their latest speed change.
This is something I am known to be guilty of when driving in unfamiliar areas and the reason I do it is because my speed swings up and down with my confidence that I won't get pulled over for it at that precise time and location. You might see me doing 75 in a 70 and then suddenly speed up to 80 if someone passes me going 85. Likewise, you might see me going 80 in a 70 and then suddenly slow down to 75 if I realize I seem to be the fastest car in my immediate vicinity. I will also sometimes speed up if there is clearly nowhere for any cops to hide nearby. But I'll slow down when I see a median break to avoid being nabbed by a cop coming the other way and u-turning. It's all a constant risk analysis.
What you're describing here doesn't seem to be that bad. I was mainly talking about people whose speed is constantly wavering up and down over an extended period of time for no apparent reason (as in their speed changes by 1 MPH every 10-20 seconds or so, probably due to some distraction)
1 mph? Dude, that's well within an acceptable margin of error for a modern cruise control.
Quote from: Molandfreak on November 05, 2013, 10:04:20 AM
1 mph? Dude, that's well within an acceptable margin of error for a modern cruise control.
I'm not talking about something that looks like 55-54-55-54-55-54-55.
I'm talking about something that looks more like:
53-54-55-54-55-56-57-56-55-54-53-52-53-52-51-50-51-52-51-52-53-54-55-56-55
Here's another one I encountered today: people who think they can't pass a cop. On a 4 lane road with the speed limit 40, if there's a cop in the right lane going 35 that doesn't mean you have to block the left lane going 35 as well. The cop won't pull you over for going faster than him if you're at the speed limit.
Some people are so unwilling to use their turnsignals to change lanes for passing that they will not pass a cop going below the limit.
Wouldn't that be "some people are unwilling to pass a cop going below the limit" instead. I've seen that a number of times over the years. Of course, that's normally not a problem on Massachusetts freeways (except in construction zones, which are double fines for speeding), as our state police are known for driving at least 5-10 over the posted limit on a regular basis.
Quote from: roadman on November 08, 2013, 07:48:17 PM
as our state police are known for driving at least 5-10 over the posted limit on a regular basis.
I would say more like 20-30, and if youre on some of the roads like US 3 and 128 where the speed limit is under posted at 55, the police can often be seen going 30-40 over. although they aren't going much faster than the prevailing traffic speed anyway.
It's typical to see Kentucky state police driving well in excess of the speed limit without their emergency equipment operating. Law enforcement officers traveling in their cruisers outside their jurisdiction -- for example, a police officer or sheriff from eastern Kentucky driving down the Mountain Parkway or I-64 -- often do this as well, knowing they won't be stopped because of what they call "professional courtesy."
When I was commuting from Winchester to Frankfort along I-64 several years ago, there was this one state trooper who would often drive at the speed limit, which at the time was 65 mph. He would stack traffic up behind him pretty badly.
Quote from: 1995hoo on November 03, 2013, 10:47:57 AM
...
Motorcyclists don't seem to appreciate it much. But if they'd kept the proper distance, they wouldn't have gotten wet....
We have stumbled upon the magic word!I go out of my way to not follow too closely, especially when I am on my Harley. But when I do that, the guy behind ME usually gets pissed off.
I just can't seem to win.
Sometimes, the guy behind me just TAKES my lane, regardless of where I legally am positioned within it.
Don't get me started on the text-messaging generation. I think they are the ones who have been sent to kill me.
Quote from: mass_citizen on November 09, 2013, 03:08:36 AM
Quote from: roadman on November 08, 2013, 07:48:17 PM
as our state police are known for driving at least 5-10 over the posted limit on a regular basis.
I would say more like 20-30,
Quote from: hbelkins on November 09, 2013, 05:22:31 PM
It's typical to see Kentucky state police driving well in excess of the speed limit without their emergency equipment operating. Law enforcement officers traveling in their cruisers outside their jurisdiction -- for example, a police officer or sheriff from eastern Kentucky driving down the Mountain Parkway or I-64 -- often do this as well, knowing they won't be stopped because of what they call "professional courtesy."
Similiarly, I have never in my life seen a member of the Michigan State Police signal while changing lanes.
However, a(n off-duty) village sheriff in my county was convicted of a DUI a couple years ago after being pulled over by county police, so thankfully, "professional courtesy" doesn't always apply when lives are in danger.
Quote from: getemngo on November 10, 2013, 08:33:25 PM
However, a(n off-duty) village sheriff in my county was convicted of a DUI a couple years ago after being pulled over by county police, so thankfully, "professional courtesy" doesn't always apply when lives are in danger.
Hopefully not in his official vehicle.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on November 01, 2013, 10:02:35 AM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on November 01, 2013, 09:42:37 AM
This. Especially at the beginning of the winter. Half an inch of snow and everyone slows down to 60 km/h (35 mph) on the freeway.
except in SoCal. here, we get a moderate rain, and half of the population slows down to about 15 on the freeway. the other half continues to go 90.
Interesting things happen when somebody doing 90 meets somebody doing 15. :D
Quote from: hbelkins on November 09, 2013, 05:22:31 PM
It's typical to see Kentucky state police driving well in excess of the speed limit without their emergency equipment operating. Law enforcement officers traveling in their cruisers outside their jurisdiction -- for example, a police officer or sheriff from eastern Kentucky driving down the Mountain Parkway or I-64 -- often do this as well, knowing they won't be stopped because of what they call "professional courtesy."
When I was commuting from Winchester to Frankfort along I-64 several years ago, there was this one state trooper who would often drive at the speed limit, which at the time was 65 mph. He would stack traffic up behind him pretty badly.
I remember reading somewhere that many police departments instruct their officers to do either 10 under the limit or less or 10 over or more as a matter of policy to avoid this phenomenon.
On my early-morning airport commutes to FLL, it was a lottery whether the said "pace car" preferred a posted 65, 75, or even 80-85 on the local freeway.
I've encountered only a small handful who would troll traffic by going 5-10 under, but that never stopped me for long...although, if you see a weaving cop car doing that, there's probably a reason.
I recall when I was a little kid on a family trip to New York we encountered one of Maryland's infamous "rolling roadblocks" where the state police would form essentially a moving wall across all lanes going 55 mph. It was an effort to "enforce compliance" with the national speed limit because federal law penalized states with "insufficient" compliance. Many years later I saw a picture of one of those and it looked rather comical given the dated-looking police cars, but I do not remember where I saw that picture (though it was probably in the book American Autobahn).
Quote from: formulanone on November 12, 2013, 11:25:34 AM
although, if you see a weaving cop car doing that, there's probably a reason.
that's a traffic break, and usually it means there is debris in the road ahead. the cop stops everyone behind him, gets out of the car, moves the debris off the road, and then lets everyone continue.
Tailgating is my number one pet peeve. It really makes my blood boil more than just about anything. I shouldn't slam on my brakes, but if someone continues to tailgate me, then I will be more than happy to do so and watch them back off or run into the back of me. I try to get out of situations like this like when I'm stuck behind someone going slower than I want to on a two-lane road and someone is behind me tailgating me. I try to pass the person in front or go a different route to get out of the situation.
The lack of use of cruise control on a rural freeway also grinds my gears. Most cars have it. USE IT. This slowing down, speeding up affair when you don't have to do so just annoys the hell out of me. Likewise, if you pass me, I expect you to either maintain a distance away from me so that I don't have to pass you again later.
Another thing I hate is when I'm in a turn lane and the person in front of me or behind me doesn't have their signal on and they got to the turn lane a little bit before I did. I put my turn signal on, and then low and behold they decide they should turn their signal on too! Well, I would have NEVER guessed you were turning too!