People who cruise in the passing lane

[Darth Visenya]

I do not disbelieve you about the Russians. A couple of years ago I worked in Slovakia for a little while teaching a course and they told me all sorts of stories about Russians. After that, I felt absolutely terrified of all things Russian. :lol:

My partner is Russian and she's a terrible driver, mostly through being over cautious and slow rather than a maniac.

[Tears of Lys]

I grant you the roundabout is probably really a wonderful thing when you drive the same route every day and are really used to encountering it. But it is most definitely NOT a wonderful thing if you're looking for an address on an unfamiliar street, and suddenly you're on some other street you have no intention of being, all the while having another car's nose up your ass, when you try to find a place to make a U-turn to get back where you were supposed to be, only to end up on yet another wrong street... and so on.

And another thing that pisses me off is hard to see addresses. :angry:

[Jaime L]

I was the first to see through your nice guy act.

Don't flatter yourself. You're like #12.

The Rolling Stop is our saviour from traffic.

I used to believe in the textbook traffic school full stop where you don't start up again until your back hits the seat. Now I think if you keep your head on a swivel it only makes a little more sense than doing so on a bike.

[Starkess]

I obviously don't do that but there are a bunch of places near me where there is almost no opportunity to get up to speed -- there's a tight curve on the ramp followed by a very short merge lane before it's an exit back to where you were again.

Yeah, I remember having the hardest time trying to merge on or off the highway in Maryland. They give you like 100 yards after a steep curve! So fucking frustrating, especially when people just won't let you merge.

Also nothing worse when there's 3-4 cars at a stop sign but the driver who clearly got their first either did not realize that fact or did but is being "polite" and trying to wave on some other driver leading to mass confusion.

Yes, this! You are not being helpful--you are slowing everyone down and confusing people, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Just GO when it is your turn. As long as you aren't driving blindly (ie be aware of other cars if they were to fail to yield), there shouldn't be a problem.

[Shryke]

I used to believe in the textbook traffic school full stop where you don't start up again until your back hits the seat. Now I think if you keep your head on a swivel it only makes a little more sense than doing so on a bike.

They've actually found, as I remember, that in lower traffic areas no signs at all make for the least traffic. Given no signs, people naturally slow down as they approach an intersection, look and then react to what they see. If they see more cars, they slow down more and treat it like a stop sign, if they see nothing, they go right through the intersection.

Looking for the info on that, I found a few things saying Stop Signs used as traffic calming measures (ie - to slow people down by making them stop frequently) actually tend to make people speed more between the signs.

[Nas!]

Don't flatter yourself. You're like #12.

You aren't kidding anyone here but yourself.

[Lord Syv Aldlark]

I hate people that can't negotiate 4 way stops, drives me nuts when I have to wave on a person because they refuse to go and then suddenly edge forward when you start to go.

I live in MA so rotary's don't bother me.

I hate people that cruise in the passing lane- one you really are only supposed to travel in the right lane ((not that anyone does)) so if you are going the speed limit you should stay over.

Going to read more of the thread and see what I missed.

[Lord Syv Aldlark]

Also I practice the rolling stop, especially at 4-way stops where no other cars are there and late at night. Of course I prepare to stop and look both ways when I plan on doing it, I'm not a complete idiot

I hate people who brake when it starts raining or they see a cop or such nonsense; when it's raining all your going to do is hydro planing- take your foot off the gas and slow gradually you nimcompoops! And if a cop has someone pulled over, or it you see the cop hiding on the side they probably see you too so don't slam your brakes- you'll make it more obvious that you knew you were going to fast

[BLU-RAY]

I remember driving around the beltway near DC years ago - I was following a friend down to FL. I looked down at my speedometer at one point and was doing 110 MPH. In the center lane. And was getting passed like I was nailed to the road. There were all sorts of cars that weren't just going by me, they were pulling away quickly.

I feel like I have this experience regularly in Connecticut, of all goddamn places. I'm doing 80 in the center late of a 55 MPH zone, and I'm getting passed on both sides like I'm not even moving. What's the point of even having a speed limit, then?

Is it really so hard for people to actually get in the lane they know they'll be needing before they need it?! Apparently so! :tantrum:

You know, I have this thought a lot, but generally, it's only a valid complaint if you know the offender knows the area. Even with an audible GPS, you sometimes don't get quite enough warning to get over in time, which is where the Jersey Slide comes from.

My partner is Russian and she's a terrible driver, mostly through being over cautious and slow rather than a maniac.

Whoever mentioned it first is right, YouTube Russian Dashboard Cams, it's pretty much the most ridiculous.

I used to believe in the textbook traffic school full stop where you don't start up again until your back hits the seat. Now I think if you keep your head on a swivel it only makes a little more sense than doing so on a bike.

Don't go anywhere with a lot of bikers. I didn't have a strong opinion on this when I was in high school (though I was kind of a goody-two-shoes, so I would've probably stopped at all the stop signs), but two months on a campus where every single person has a bike was enough to cure me of the California Roll permanently - leaving aside the scary potential for liability, seeing a couple of friends who'd been hit was kind of sobering.

In unrelated news, as someone who drives a car, people on bikes (not you, Person on Bike Who Posts on Board, but people on bikes in general) are a fucking virus.

[Prince of the North]

You know, I have this thought a lot, but generally, it's only a valid complaint if you know the offender knows the area. Even with an audible GPS, you sometimes don't get quite enough warning to get over in time, which is where the Jersey Slide comes from.

Oh, I completely agree. Unfortunately, most of the time I have good reason to believe they know exactly where they are and what they're doing but they just like to play games, approach driving as a competitive sport, are distracted, etc.

[Ramsay B.]

A few months ago I was going 70 in a 50. I was following another car (though not on his ass), we were in the left lane, and as we were approaching two cars in the right I checked my rearview and see this black BMW X5 bearing down on me. The guy cut to my right and then cut in front, between myself and the car I was following, just before he rear-ended the first of the two cars on the right. He then got stuck behind the car I was following until he was able to dart out past the second car in the right lane. He had to have at least been doing 90 - 100 before he started these maneuvers.

It all happened so fast - it was one of those moments where, from the moment I saw the guy approaching, I just stayed where I was and the speed I was going (no sudden movements!) so as not to cause an accident.

The car in front of me moved over and I took a mental snapshot of the Beemer driver's plate (naughty Pennsylvanian) before he took off. I then thought about calling the cops and 30 seconds later decided it needed to be done. It was the beginning of the morning commute the guy was driving in such a dangerous manner (I mean, speeding is one thing, the stunt he pulled was so fucking dangerous). So I called the local cops and because we would soon be out of their jurisdiction, they forwarded to call to the state police.

Meanwhile, the guy slowed down some but continued to weave (which was really unnecessary at this point because we went from a 2- then 3- then 5- lane highway with plenty high speed cruising opportunities if you just stay in your lane and chill). I could still see him a mile or two ahead of me (I had no interest in trying to keep up).

Holy shit I have never seen so many state troopers along this stretch of highway ready to pounce. It was extraordinary. Four miles and 5 troopers later I see a sixth trooper peel out from his hiding place and take off after the guy. I saw the guy getting pulled over just as I was passing by.

This might be unpopular but I would never call the cops on anyone. I hate asshole drivers but calling the cops on anyone is below me. I mean really? Calling the cops on someone??

[Deedles]

Why not? They are doing something extremely dangerous and should be cautioned if possible.

Would you call the police if you saw a burglary in progress? A mugging? If so, why would you differentiate between calling the police to protect property but not in cases of endangerment?

I don't have a hands free set in the car or I'd be onto traffic watch every third or fourth time I drive. I refuse to use my phone at all though as I don't.

Also, roundabouts are indeed the work of the devil. They should work, I believe they work in the UK but sadly too many people don't understand (or want to) lane discipline and indication which makes them scary.

[Biter]

The driver in question doesn't sound like just an asshole driver. It sounds like he was endangering peoples lives with his behavior.

[Balefont]

Yeah, if I called the cops on every asshole driver I'd just stay on the line with them for my whole drive. ;)

I felt I did the right thing after taking measure of the situation and I don't feel badly at all for doing so. I'd feel worse if someone got hurt and that call may have been the difference preventing it.

There's driving like an asshole and there's driving without any regard for others' safety.

[Stego]

A lot of people lamenting an inability to break speed laws in this thread. Sounds like the definition of selfish whining to me.

Get some decent audio books and an adult's perspective. You'll never be 'stuck in traffic' again.

The reality is that people in a hurry to go someplace are a lot more dangerous than someone going to speed limit in the left lane. Leave earlier.

[Stego]

Recklessness is the cardinal sin of driving and yet recently I've been finding that 9 outta the 10 things that annoy me are example of extreme passivity.

This is very insightful.

[Tears of Lys]

A lot of people lamenting an inability to break speed laws in this thread. Sounds like the definition of selfish whining to me.

Get some decent audio books and an adult's perspective. You'll never be 'stuck in traffic' again.

The reality is that people in a hurry to go someplace are a lot more dangerous than someone going to speed limit in the left lane. Leave earlier.

Said much better than I did.

Good to see you back, Stego.

[Darth Visenya]

Don't go anywhere with a lot of bikers. I didn't have a strong opinion on this when I was in high school (though I was kind of a goody-two-shoes, so I would've probably stopped at all the stop signs), but two months on a campus where every single person has a bike was enough to cure me of the California Roll permanently - leaving aside the scary potential for liability, seeing a couple of friends who'd been hit was kind of sobering.

In unrelated news, as someone who drives a car, people on bikes (not you, Person on Bike Who Posts on Board, but people on bikes in general) are a fucking virus.

Are you talking:

Or:

When you say people on bikes?, both can be scary to deal with, but generally I find cyclists tend to get in your way and hold you up where motorcyclists are there and then vanish past you before you really even knew of their arrival.

[Black Walder]

Speaking as a driver who cut my teeth in Massachusetts: People in Colorado drive like they have their fucking pants on their heads. If you want to be aggressive, or to blow through rotaries, fine, but look where the fuck you are going. I may be bitter because I got t-boned by an oblivious fuck recently, but serious, look where you are going before you blow a red light, for everyone's sake including your own.

[Stag Country]

This might be unpopular but I would never call the cops on anyone. I hate asshole drivers but calling the cops on anyone is below me. I mean really? Calling the cops on someone??

I agree. I've actually had firearms brandished at me (not pointed directly at me, but flashed) on more than one occassion, and haven't called the police over it simply because I don't want to deal with the hassle. I generally view road interactions amongst people in cars as a special breed of human behavior that just isn't like anything, anywhere else.

I have however made them crap their pants by holding up my cellphone and pretending to have a conversation with said cops.

On a sidenote. Forget rolling stops. What really is a load of bullshit is people that have absolutely no CLUE what a flashing yellow means. I can't tell you how many imbeciles I see treating a flashing yellow as a stop sign and coming to a dead stop causing traffic to backup for miles. When this happens it usually degenerates to a point where people become lemmings and start copying the behavior of the people in front of them thinking it's what they are supposed to do. And then the side street people who have the flashing red (which is the one that ACTUALLY means stop) get indignant when someone like me, doesn't stop at a flashing yellow (because I'm not supposed to) and actually proceeds through the intersection as designed.

Really is annoying how many people just don't know basic rules of the road.