asshole driving maneuvers

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Cringer

Not just in the NW. Texas, the whole state, has a problem with this too. South Texas is the worst. You can be on a 8 lane road (4 each direction) at 2 AM and maybe 5 cars scattered 2 miles in front of you and 2 miles behind you. Half of those cars will be in the left lane, and then you see a guy getting on who goes straight o the left lane even though there is barely anyone on the damn freeway.

This is one thing I'll give that crappy state to the east of us. On I-70, which is basically a giant straight line between KC and St Louis, most drivers are pretty good, at least for the KC to Columbia part, once you get out of KC. I've done the whole Missouri part of the Lawrence to Columbia drive with my cruise control at 72, never having to touch the brakes, and making the entire trip look like a game of highway leapfrog where the only slow people are on the right and everyone who is going around 70 like myself stays to the right except when passing the sub 70 people.

Originally Posted by Cringer

I hate this. I hate this more then almost anything I think. It is especially bad driving a truck because for some reason people hate to let a truck pass them up and then be in front of them. Once again, I can not hammer the fucker and just blow by them, so this is a big ass problem for me.

This is one part where the rules don't entirely apply. I hate people who abuse truckers- they can't accellerate very fast and they can't decellerate very fast either- so people love to cut them off. So, in that same vein, I'll try to let truckers in whenever possible. They can't speed their way in and if they're trapped in that merging lane, it's typically because they haven't been let in- not because they're looking to scoot ahead of people.

SI

[Suburban Rhythm]

I have to laugh at the talk of the Philly Left....because over here on the other side of the state, we have the Pittsburgh Left.

The car in the turn lane making the left has their turn signal on, waiting at the red light. The first car in the opposing lane is waiting to go straight.
Almost without fail...the car going straight will wave the left turner through first before hitting the gas.

God forbid 2 cars come to an intersection, both to make lefts...chaos ensues as both continuously wave the other through.

Used to happen ALOT more...now that people have become idiots, it's acceptable to not wave them through, but still happens alot.

Funny part is...out of habit, I'll do that if driving out of state, and get looks like I'm an idiot.

And nobody has touched on cross walk usage...downtown Pittsburgh isn't a huge area, but you see the people who haven't mastered it yet.

It's almost like they are facing the direction that want to cross, which has a red light/don't walk. But, they turn their head, and see the opposite direction has a green/walk...well, logic dictates, I'm looking at that sign, to my right/left, but my feet are pointing straight ahead...it must mean I can walk...that's what the sign says...

[Buccaneer]

In almost 30 years of driving, I would rank these as my #1 and #2

1. Slalomers - assholes that treat other cars on freeways and fast arterials as slalom gates. These are the only kind of drivers I wish death upon.

2. Lane Enders - (as been mentioned) - Not just those unfamiliar with lane constructions but even regulars that are not paying attention that a lane is ending they have to merge. Because they are too stupid to look ahead, I purposely prevent them from merging.

Belonging in this group are those that use normal lane endings as their personal lane merger. In other words, they go right to the end and marge into (usually) heavy traffic without checking to see if there's an opening.

Finally, also in this category are the absolute nimrods that do the exact opposite - go to the end of a merged lane and STOP. I saw more of those in the South than out here but when I do, I just swerve around them in hope they get the message of how stupid they are.

[korme]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

This is only triggered in me when I sense that the person has no legitimate reason to pass me, other than impatience or just plain being an asshole. Again, it goes to respect and courtesy - you're not any more special than the rest of us, so you can wait in line like we are. If someone's passing because they're doing 80 and I'm doing 75, I don't care. But if I'm in the left lane and a car is coming up on my right that I'm going to pass in 30 seconds, I'm not getting over just to let Mr. Impatient behind me pass him, thereby forcing me to put on my brakes because of the slow car in the right lane and/or pushing me to the end of a 15 car train in the left lane when I can get back over. You can wait until I pass him, then I'll get over and let you by. And the same goes for the jackass doing 100 who comes up on someone going over the speed limit who's passing cars on the right, but who decides he needs to flash his beams as if we didn't see him zoom up behind us. We saw you fuckface, but we don't have to get out of your way at our inconvenience.

If you get impatient and try to sneak by in the right lane, I'll speed up to block you, then I'll slow down to prevent you from getting back in line, forcing you to wait until the entire line of cars passes on the left before you get back over. Man, I love it when that happens. But again, I don't give a shit if there's no one around, I've gotten in the right lane, and you want to pass me. I only become an asshole when provoked.

*claps* I agree with everything said, especially about the generally large trucks that need to hit their brights on you as they come up from behind going 90 trying to force you to get outta the way.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

The whole concept of "keep right except to pass" is clearly not common knowledge in the Pacific NW.

I believe that on April 1 of this year, the State of Colorado has made it a ticketable fine to cruise in the far left lane on the interstate if you are not passing anyone.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

In almost 30 years of driving, I would rank these as my #1 and #2

1. Slalomers - assholes that treat other cars on freeways and fast arterials as slalom gates. These are the only kind of drivers I wish death upon.

Thank for finally giving me a name to call these idiots.

I, personally, get terribly annoyed in parking garages. The worst is when there's an entire empty floor above us, but somebody feels the need to wait 5 minutes for a space on the ramp....IT'S FASTER TO JUST PARK BY THE STAIRS ON THE SECOND FLOOR!!!

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I believe that on April 1 of this year, the State of Colorado has made it a ticketable fine to cruise in the far left lane on the interstate if you are not passing anyone.

Yeah, but will they enforce it? Every state has a no-tailgating law, but from what I've seen that law is verrrry seldom enforced. Generally speaking, I find tailgating a more dangerous act than speeding and it pisses me off to no end when someone does it to me. If someone is coming up behind me that obviously wants to drive faster than I am, I'll pull over as soon as I can safely do so to let them pass. But if I'm being held up by someone in front of me, it makes absolutely no sense to get up on my ass - you'll just piss me off, and I'll slow down to give you the hint. If you're too dense or obnoxious to take that hint, I'll tap my brakes.

I agree with the slalom racer drivers - that's reckless driving IMO. While I generally like to go a little faster than the speed limit, I don't need to do so enough to engage in this kind of behavior. Of course, given the tendency of slow drivers to clog the left-hand lanes on the freeways in this state (and I'm talking outside of major city limits BTW) there are times when I'm forced to pass on the right and sometimes do multiple lane changes to get through a thick pack of slow drivers that refuse to move over to the right-hand lane.

Another thing that bugs me is how so many people have a tendency to speed up quickly and jam on their brakes in stop & go situations - this just exacerbates the whole stop & go phenomenon. If instead everyone kept a moderate following distance it would make for smoother driving, less abrupt stops and less wear and tear on your car (especially your brakes and transmission). Being as how I drive a stick-shift, I'm particularly sensitive to this. Of course, if you give too much of a following distance in these situations, you'll get a lot of pricks that jump in front of you and cut you off. I try and keep a happy medium of enough following distance to minimize the accordion effect in stop & go but not so much to encourage people to cut me off.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Airhog

I don't see it being a big deal if your in the left lane on a highway in city limits. Here in OKC there are quite a few left lanes that exit onto other highways and such so that isnt a problem if your driving slow in the left lane. Maybe if your driving slow in the left lane 10 miles before the exit.

I only see it being a problem when you do it outside of city limits.

If you're driving slow in the left lane, you're a hazard. Get the hell over.

If your left lane exit is coming up, then get into the left lane. But you can easily do so within 1/2 a mile of your exit, meaning you're in the left lane for 30 seconds, max. Otherwise, the passing lane is for exactly that - passing.

One way to think about driving safely is "how many people have to react to what I'm doing?" One guy driving fast in the left lane may not be safe, but if he's alone in the left lane, no one has to react to him. The chances of an accident are slim (truly excessive speeds are another story). But if you're driving 65 in a 65 and forcing most everyone around you to change lanes to get around you, then you are forcing many others to react to you. That's dangerous. As for them driving over the speed limit, you're not a cop.

In general, cops would rather have someone drive 10 MPH over the speed limit than 10 MPH under it. Unfortunately, the latter isn't against the law and cops have quotas, so they can only go after the speeders.

So if you don't see it as a big deal, think again. If you drive like that, you're a poor driver.

[korme]

Speaking of which, do you guys consider it a general rule of thumb that as long as you are going <80 MPH in a 65, you pretty much won't get pulled over? I've never gotten pulled over going less than 80 MPH on the highway in non-construction zones.

[Ksyrup]

I generally do up to 9 MPH over the speed limit. In Florida, most highways are 70 MPH, so I do around 78 or so. Only ticket I ever got was for doing 81 in a 70 on the turnpike. Occassionally, I'll hit 85-90 in spurts to pass a bunch of traffic on the right, but with the cruise control, I set it just under 10 MPH over the speed limit. My brother-in-law is a FL Highway Patrol officer, and he says that unless you get unlucky with someone trying to hit quotas and what-not, the weather is bad, or you're driving recklessly given the flow of traffic (switching lanes repeatedly, etc.), 10 MPH is the magic mark not to cross.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

Speaking of which, do you guys consider it a general rule of thumb that as long as you are going <80 MPH in a 65, you pretty much won't get pulled over? I've never gotten pulled over going less than 80 MPH on the highway in non-construction zones.

If I'm in a hurry somewhere, I tend to think of 10mph as a rule of thumb. Then again, the highways nearby are 70 and I consider up to 79 safe.

SI

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

No shit, 100% completely THEIR fault

Not all of us have free time to sort out weekly accidents, whether or not the insurance will pay for it to get fixed.

[RPI-Fan]

My biggest annoyance probably isn't with drivers (though I agree KSyrup about not letting someone in the left lane go around me if ALL it will accomplish is putting me at the back of the line and speeding nothing up for anybody), but with lights.

Maybe it's the engineering part of me, but I just get so damn frustrated by poorly designed lights. Either untimed, or unsensored light bug me to know end. The technology to put a sensor in at even lightly used intersections is not expensive whatsoever, yet very few intersections around here have it. So when I'm driving at night, I have to sit for 3 minutes to go through lights, even though no other cars go through the light perpindicular to me during that time period.

And when there are lights within 200 feet of each other, FUCKING SYNCHRONIZE THEM!!!

Argh!

~rpi-fan

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

Speaking of which, do you guys consider it a general rule of thumb that as long as you are going <80 MPH in a 65, you pretty much won't get pulled over? I've never gotten pulled over going less than 80 MPH on the highway in non-construction zones.

I suppose it depends on the location and the conditions. In the NW, the general rule of thumb is that cops will give you up to 10 MPH grace on freeways/highways, but more than that and you're liable to get targeted. Of course, if everyone on the road is going 15+, it'll be harder for the cop to target you, but cops and judges don't care for the "everyone else was going that fast!" excuse.

I also don't rub it in cops faces - if I see one on the side of the road, or one merges on to the road ahead of me, I'll drop down to within 1-2 MPH of the speed limit, unless he's going faster than the speed limit. Then I figure I can drive whatever speed he is. Of course, in the NW most people will drop to 5-10 MPH below the speed limit if they see a cop - we're a paranoid group of drivers.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

Maybe it's the engineering part of me, but I just get so damn frustrated by poorly designed lights. Either untimed, or unsensored light bug me to know end. The technology to put a sensor in at even lightly used intersections is not expensive whatsoever, yet very few intersections around here have it. So when I'm driving at night, I have to sit for 3 minutes to go through lights, even though no other cars go through the light perpindicular to me during that time period.

I hear you. Most intersections in Seattle are reasonably well-timed and probably have sensors governing them, but the northbound exit from I-5 to Northgate obviously doesn't have any kind of sensor. I've been at that light after midnight with no other cars around in any direction, and I've had to wait 2-3 minutes for the fucker to change. I'll try my hi-beams just to see if there's a light sensor, but no luck. One time I was at that light late at night, nobody else around. I live about 5 blocks away from this intersection, and this particular time my bladder was screaming, I had to piss so bad, yet the fucking light wouldn't change. I finally said "fuck it" and ignored the red light. Fortunately there weren't any cops around - my house is just a few blocks from the local police precinct, and this exit is also a popular place for state troopers to pull off. Good thing too - I barely made it to my toilet in time. If I'd been pulled over I wouldn't have been able to hold it.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Shorty3281

Speaking of which, do you guys consider it a general rule of thumb that as long as you are going <80 MPH in a 65, you pretty much won't get pulled over? I've never gotten pulled over going less than 80 MPH on the highway in non-construction zones.

The general guideline (more applicable in the West, from a couple of HP I knew) is that if you are not doing anything that would make you stick out in traffic, then you are okay. In other words, if everyone is doing 85, as long as you stay in the flow, you won't get noticed. The minute you start changing lanes right and left, or start to swerve, or tailgate, then you will get noticed.

As an example, I dropped my stepson off at a friend's house this past weekend down in Albuquerque. I put it on cruise control at 85 (speed limit is 75) and flew right by a HP. I was in the right lane about 10 car lengths behind and ahead of other cars. I know that's not a likely scenario in the East but +10 is okay in less traffic.

[Buccaneer]

The caveat which I witnessed more in California is that there will be stretches (esp along I-5) where they will pull over X number of cars at times - all flowing bumper to bumper at 75-85. That is the normal traffic pattern but sometimes they do get a batch just to remind drivers that they are there.

[korme]

Speed limit 75? You lucky bastard

[ISiddiqui]

I thought of another group of people I hate. Those that merge onto a highway and find a need to STOP, even if they have a free lane. This gets even worse when I go onto a highway close to my house where the merge is a left lane merge. You can tell for about a quarter mile that it'll be a left lane merge, but cars STILL go 40 or hit the brakes before they hit the highway. ARGH!

[21C]

I hate the people who pass your car on the highway and then proceed to slow down.

I like to sit on about 60 and let anyone pass me who wants to go over that. I can't stand it when someone passes me and then drops to 55 or 50 within a short distance. Why the fuck pass me in the first place? I'll then proceed to pass them ( while trying to avoid the temptation of 'dropping in' on them ) by going 70 and go on my merry way - only to find that they pass me shortly after and drop to 50 again!

[stevew]

What i hate is when ill driving right around the speedlimit(somewhere on the 35-45mph range) on a 4 lane road(2 each way) and someone will move up to about 2 car lengths behind you, but not pass you. Eventually i ease on the brakes so that they have to pass. Its especially annoying at night.