Driving woes

[Aggrophobic]

From a UK perspective:
1. Driving below the speed limit is acceptable provided it isn't TOO slow. What is too slow? Depends on the situation and conditions, but it's a speed slow enough to present an obstacle and hazard to those around you. If someone's doing 25 in a 30 then it's acceptable even if it is irritating when there's too much traffic to overtake them That's why it's called a speed 'limit' and not 'target'.

2. Driving slowly in the overtaking lane when others are around is just dumb and I hate those people too.

3. Some people can't afford much better

4. If it's a double lane highway and the overtaking lane is empty I have no problem with this, you simply move over to help them join the carriageway. I've noticed on many videos, situations where someone gets mad at someone pulling into their lane when there is a perfectly empty lane to their left they can simply move into to 'help' the turning vehicle out. A large cultural difference between the UK and US is where our traffic is more co-operative in helping each other merge onto a fast road, people in the US generally seem less inclined to want to share space with each other, it's almost like "it's my lane, I shouldn't HAVE to move for you!" kind of attitude. If however the left lane is busy then yeah just merging on is a dickhead move as it forces you to brake with nowhere to go. I'm not referring to last-second pull-outs, of course, as that's clearly insane.

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I'm not denying that, and indeed the majority of drivers believe they're really skilled and good when they're deluding themselves. But at the very least the fact the OP acknowledged many common bad driving habits instantly tells me s/he is more 'clued in' and 'aware' than most of the autopilot morons you meet out on the road. Yet you tell the OP they're the "most dangerous type of driver out there"? Sorry but I think the more dangerous types are the ones who simply don't CARE. My dad for example is an awful driver and he's fully aware he cuts people up, tailgates, etc, and he does it on purpose to try and bully other road users to let him go by. Are you SERIOUSLY telling me the OP sounds more dangerous than that? Telling someone you don't even know that they're dangerous simply because they are implying they're better than most after a year's experience, is a bit unfair, no? You need hard evidence to accuse someone of being dangerous.

Ok then - It is very, very likley that the OP is more of a danger than the people he/she speaks of. Better?

[Forgettable]

Here are the answers to some of your gripes:

People that don’t completely stop at stop/red light signs.
Spirit of the law - Make sure you can see well enough so you don't hurt anyone. Nobody there? Why stop?

People who change lanes for no reason at all.
Context. Does it get me there faster?

People who don’t signal and suddenly make a turn.
No explanation for this. Just stupidity.

People who try to push their way past you/cut you off.
If you're going too slow, get out of my way.

People who tailgate you when you’re going the legal limit of the road.
The "legal limit" can go suck it. Many of the "legal limits" are set just so police can rack up speeding tickets. Also get out of my way.

Please don't bite my head off for giving you answers to your questions, unless of course this was just a bait thread.

[Deleted]

The older you get the less aggressive you drive, hence the greatest woe on the streets are young drivers. They go too fast and make too much noise, they don't hold distance, they don't pay attention, they listen to loud aggressive music and haven't realize how much more dangerous that is than to drive without music or silent/slow paced stuff. This list could go on for ever.

[Deleted]

I hate people who park next to me so closely that I can barely open my door.

[Garnier Fructis]

1. People who purposely drive the same speed as regular traffic while in the carpool lane.
2. People who can't zipper merge.
3. People who must merge in front of me even when I'm keeping up with the traffic in front of me, and there's nobody behind me.

And I think this one stands out.
4. People who are absolutely retarded: people who pull over to the side of the road and stop when an ambulance is coming through, and then don't move even though they're still blocking the ambulance. Last time this happened, I watched for one whole minute as an ambulance was stuck behind this guy and unable to move before the guy got a fucking clue and drove forward to an area where he could get out of the way. The rest of the shit on my list are just minor annoyances, but people like this need to have their licenses taken away.

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People who don’t signal and suddenly make a turn.

Not quite the same scenario, but one time I did signal a left turn and then merged right instead. I did it because some fuck was using my turn signals as a way to stay in front of me and slow me down no matter which lane I turned to. He flipped me off after I tricked him with the signal to get past him (he merged left like I had signaled). Still have no idea what I did to make him road rage that hard.

[Serpha]

From a UK perspective:
1. Driving below the speed limit is acceptable provided it isn't TOO slow. What is too slow? Depends on the situation and conditions, but it's a speed slow enough to present an obstacle and hazard to those around you. If someone's doing 25 in a 30 then it's acceptable even if it is irritating when there's too much traffic to overtake them That's why it's called a speed 'limit' and not 'target'.

2. Driving slowly in the overtaking lane when others are around is just dumb and I hate those people too.

3. Some people can't afford much better

4. If it's a double lane highway and the overtaking lane is empty I have no problem with this, you simply move over to help them join the carriageway. I've noticed on many videos, situations where someone gets mad at someone pulling into their lane when there is a perfectly empty lane to their left they can simply move into to 'help' the turning vehicle out. A large cultural difference between the UK and US is where our traffic is more co-operative in helping each other merge onto a fast road, people in the US generally seem less inclined to want to share space with each other, it's almost like "it's my lane, I shouldn't HAVE to move for you!" kind of attitude. If however the left lane is busy then yeah just merging on is a dickhead move as it forces you to brake with nowhere to go. I'm not referring to last-second pull-outs, of course, as that's clearly insane.

- - - Updated - - -



I'm not denying that, and indeed the majority of drivers believe they're really skilled and good when they're deluding themselves. But at the very least the fact the OP acknowledged many common bad driving habits instantly tells me s/he is more 'clued in' and 'aware' than most of the autopilot morons you meet out on the road. Yet you tell the OP they're the "most dangerous type of driver out there"? Sorry but I think the more dangerous types are the ones who simply don't CARE. My dad for example is an awful driver and he's fully aware he cuts people up, tailgates, etc, and he does it on purpose to try and bully other road users to let him go by. Are you SERIOUSLY telling me the OP sounds more dangerous than that? Telling someone you don't even know that they're dangerous simply because they are implying they're better than most after a year's experience, is a bit unfair, no? You need hard evidence to accuse someone of being dangerous.

Even the overtaking lane has speed limit, I don't understand people raging about it as long as the person is overtaking.

[petej0]

I have only been driving for about a year so far, but i feel like my driving ability far exceeds the majority of people who are on the roads. I see so many people do the most stupidest things, when they don’t need to. Do people forget the basics the more they drive?

Here’s some of my gripes:

People that don’t completely stop at stop/red light signs.
People who change lanes for no reason at all.
People who don’t signal and suddenly make a turn.
People who try to push their way past you/cut you off.
People who tailgate you when you’re going the legal limit of the road.

Maybe the DMV should mandate a driving brushup every 6 months or so.

What are your annoyances when driving?

I think you are mistaken. Its not that they dont know or forget the rules of the road. Its that they just dont care, watch how everyone all of a sudden is a good driver when a cop or trooper is around. Retesting doesnt do anything, they will make sure they do what they need to do to pass the test then go right back to being a jerk on the road.

[melodramocracy]

What are your annoyances when driving?

People who've only been driving a year, and think that everyone else needs a refresher course.


Here's a tidbit for you. Your average commuter approaches driving the way they approach life itself. They do not give a shit about much of anything outside the confines of their own vehicle, take zero personal responsibillity, and are very easily distracted. As you progress, you'll conclude that rather than trying to contend with such people behind the wheel, it's better to simply get past them as efficiently as possible.

You're going to see more of this sort of driver in future years, rather than fewer. The auto industry has spent decades filling cars with poorly placed distractions, and the solution to their self imposed problem is driver aids that reduce the basic skill level required (so Joe and Mary Dipshit can spend more time on important stuff, like fussing with the playlist on that in-dash tablet).

I'm waiting to see the day that parallel parking is removed from driving tests because it's considered too hard.

[Tommi]

Younger drivers in 1 litre 60BHP shit cars with loud as fuck exhausts and music playing so loud you hear them from half a mile away that rev their cars to 6000RPM thinking they are in Fast and Furious. Those cunts annoy me more than anything.

Although I do get joy from watching them try to race me onto a motorway. Sorry kiddie, my car may only be a 1.4L, but it's got 150BHP with an auto gearbox that shifts in 0.2 seconds.

[McFuu]

Younger drivers in 1 litre 60BHP shit cars with loud as fuck exhausts and music playing so loud you hear them from half a mile away that rev their cars to 6000RPM thinking they are in Fast and Furious. Those cunts annoy me more than anything.

Although I do get joy from watching them try to race me onto a motorway. Sorry kiddie, my car may only be a 1.4L, but it's got 150BHP with an auto gearbox that shifts in 0.2 seconds.

This post is just depressing for an auto enthusiast to read.

[Tommi]

This post is just depressing for an auto enthusiast to read.

In what way?

[Serpha]

In what way?

Your Astra doesn't impress me!

[Tommi]

Your Astra doesn't impress me!

Good guess at the car! Now what version of it do you think it is? :P

[McFuu]

In what way?

Automatic... fast shifting... 80hp shit buckets. Take your pick.

[Tommi]

Automatic... fast shifting... 80hp shit buckets. Take your pick.

I can't drive manuals due to muscle wasting. The thing does shift gears rather quickly though.

[Witchblade77]

no turn signals. I'm not a bloody goddamn mind reader, i need to do if you are turning or going straight.
tailgating and its sibling - changing lanes (without turn signal naturally) while practically brushing up against the car you are cutting off.
and my favorite - thinking you are a truck or a bus or something and leaning to the right, blocking people who are actualy trying to do a right turn... before making a left turn. ffs. your little sedan does not need all that clearance.

[Serpha]

Good guess at the car! Now what version of it do you think it is? :P

My guess it's 1.4 turbo Tech line nav, only atutomatic comes with 150bhp

[talwynn]

I drive a manual transmission, so I roll through stop signs all the time. I kind of hate it when people come to a complete stop at a stop sign when no one else is around. It's like dude, just go. This doesn't mean I always do it, I judge the time of day and the traffic conditions.

Dickhead professional drivers piss me off a lot. I was driving home from work one day, when a pro driver was barreling down the highway. Cutting people off, tailgating them trying to get them to speed up. Saw he was taking the same one lane exit I was, so I got in front of him and slowed him down a bit. Yeah, it was probably dangerous, but it would have been on him if he hit me.

Another thing that really pisses me off is people not using the on ramp to accelerate up to the speed of a highway. That's the whole purpose of the on ramp, to give you an area to accelerate. People are dangerous about this. Hitting a 70 MPH highway doing 40 MPH is a bad idea.

People driving in my blind spot gets me.

I used to drive for a living, so there are ALOT of things that people do that piss me off.

[McFuu]

I can't drive manuals due to muscle wasting. The thing does shift gears rather quickly though.

It just sounds like a horrific hell world.
I'm not even all that into high hp cars, my car only has 200hp, but auto's make me shudder. Sorry about your leg, I'd be more lost than I already am if I couldn't drive my car or bike.

[I Push Buttons]

Maybe the DMV should mandate a driving brushup every 6 months or so.

Yeah fuck that. The DMV is already a nightmare without hundreds of millions of people needing to come in every six months for a "brush up".