Driving

[WickedKitchen]

Are there any other road warriors here? I average about 200 miles per day and I see a lot of stupidity on the road. Yeah, I have a lead foot but some people are despicable in their practices.

I saw an article that inspired this thread. But here's some of the things that DRIVE ME CRAZY on the road:

People who travel in the passing lane.
Texting and driving...hell, most people can't even handle talking and driving.
People stopping to let someone go who does NOT have the right of way.
People that stop in a rotary.
Not using directionals.
When two cars approach an intersection at the same time most people have no clue who is SUPPOSED to go first.
People that slow way down when the see a cop on the OTHER side of the highway.

I regard Massachusetts drivers as the second worst in the country but then again I haven't driven everywhere...yet. How are the drivers in your area?

Oh yeah...here's the article:

Swede faces world-record $1m speeding penalty

The Swede was driving a Mercedes SLS AMG - which has a top speed of 317km/h
A Swedish motorist caught driving at 290km/h (180mph) in Switzerland could be given a world-record speeding fine of SFr1.08m ($1m; £656,000), prosecutors say.
The 37-year-old, who has not been named, was clocked driving his Mercedes sports car at 170km/h over the limit.
Under Swiss law, the level of fine is determined by the wealth of the driver and the speed recorded.
In January, a Swiss driver was fined $290,000 - the current world record.
Local police spokesman Benoit Dumas said of the latest case that "nothing can justify a speed of 290km/h".
"It is not controllable. It must have taken 500m to stop," he said.
The Swede's car - a Mercedes SLS AMG - has been impounded and in principle he could be forced to pay a daily fine of SFr3,600 for 300 days.

[bipolarbear1968]

Saint Augustine is the melting pot of bad drivers (Tourons).

Nothing pisses me off more when I keep a safe distance between my car and the driver in front of me and some peckerhead decides that the space is reserved for him and cuts me off...

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

I drive around San Francisco all day for at least 3 days a week for work in a 3/4 ton cargo van. It's nuts. I've been lucky so far, but it's a real crapshoot. Of course there are some crazy drivers that piss me off (and don't get me started on the busses ), also lot's of hard to see moto racers, and the cyclists will kill you if you don't lock your doors. But it's the pedestrians I hate the most. Nothing irks me more than people walking out into the street WITHOUT EVER LOOKING. I mean, don't you want to know what just ran you over? Drives me nuts.

[Randall]

My motto is to stay calm and let the bad drivers have their accident somewhere else.

[GoVegan]

I drive about 100 miles a day and somehow feel better knowing that someone out there drives 200. My pet peeves:

1. No turn signals.
2. Tailgating.
3. Not pulling over when someone is going way under the speed limit and has 100 cars behind them.
5. The pull and putt - this is where a driver knows that his lane is going to end so he races to get in front of you and then slows way down. My motto is "if your going to pull out in front of me, at least drive faster than I was".

[EricHill78]

I agree with everyone especially the cell users and tailgaters. With the tailgaters one day I'm going to break check them so bad that they hit me. When I'm alone of course so their insurance will have to pay up. My car isn't in that great shape so it may help me out a bit. I'll just say a dog or a cat whatever was in my path. Or someone cut me
off no way to proove other wise as long as we are the only ones. I know that sounds dramatic Im just getting so sick of it.

[WickedKitchen]

I think people should just follow the rules of the road. I break the speed one though but I'm safe about it. I haven't gotten a ticket in years but that's probably partly due to the fact that I drive a Crown Vic. On the highway most people just get out of the way and it's nice. Cops wave to me and I wave back. It sucks on a rural road sometimes though...when the teenager in front of me thinks I'm a cop and does just under the limit. I can't believe how slow 25mph really is.

The driving in the left lane is something that irks me. I believe in Germany you can get a fine for that. Another thing is merging...it SHOULD be like a zipper effect but for some reason people just don't get that.

Are there a lot of car fires? I see one about every three months and maybe even more often. Maybe it's a New England thing 'cos I don't remember seeing many around NY, NJ, PA.

These GPS devices are getting to be a problem too. It takes people too long to understand them. I, though, have become a slave to mine. I don't remember the route I take to get to a house so if if craps out I'd have to use instinct to find my way back to a highway. I don't look for landmarks anymore.

[EricHill78]

Note to self - buy a Crown Vic

I'm the same way with my gps.. I depend on it way too much. Funny thing is my father in law. He knows well that I own a gps but he still insists on telling me how to get places. The funny thing is the gps route is usually quicker than his suggestions.

[Monkey]

I learned to drive in NYC so compared to there, nothing has been too bad.

Tampa has it's share of crappy drivers who do stupid stuff, but nothing to make me go postal.

Wicked, when I worked up near Boston, I drove 128 at least twice a day, it was my nemesis. I HATE that highway. The shoulder becomes a lane during RUSH HOUR!! (it turns into the fast lane!!!!!!) Why? I once saw a guy doing 65 in the center lane on 128 reading a book at night with it on the steering wheel and a book light.

[ratcheer]

My biggest pet peeve is when someone (who is almost always speeding excessively) pulls into an exit only lane or even an on ramp, passes people who are traveling reasonably, then cuts back into the main traffic lanes.

My second biggest peeve is speeders on a multilane road in the far left lane cutting across two or more lanes to exit on the right. Usually, the drivers in the main right lanes are continuing straight. It is probably the same assholes doing both of these things.

My third biggest peeve that comes to mind is when I am in a lane, trying to leave a reasonable distance from the car in front of me and some asshole cuts in front of me to turn right. Usually, there are yards and yards of space behind me where they could have gotten to make their turn, but no, they have to act like an asshole and cut me off.

The worst drivers in any general area I have driven in are in Miami, FL. If it even sprinkles rain, it is like they are playing bumper cars and there seem to be several collisions in every block.

Boston was the second worse. Boston drivers are just plain mean.

Tim

[Darwin]

[QUOTE Local police spokesman Benoit Dumas said of the latest case that "nothing can justify a speed of 290km/h".
"It is not controllable. It must have taken 500m to stop," he said.[/QUOTE]

B.S. An SLS Merc's massive brakes could stop a garbage truck inside of 500 meters at that speed. Not really relevant. Just thought I'd point it out.

[WickedKitchen]

I hear ya Monkey. 128 is terrible. The Pike is worse inside 128. I've seen the readers many times myself. It baffles me. Newspapers, books, magazines, men shaving, women putting on that clown shit, eating with a spoon, and other things of this nature.

Actually, I think NY drivers are among the best. You've got to know your stuff to get around there. Granted there are a ton of people so you're bound to have more idiots but as a percentage I think they're pretty damned good. Cross the Hudson however and it's an entirely different story.

I think RI has the wost drivers on the planet. Worse than France, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, (haven't driven in any other countries). Sorry if anyone is reading this from RI but as a group I think there are just more bad ones there than anywhere I've seen. Except northern RI like the Woonsocket area...maybe that's too local...maybe it's part of MA anyhow.

I also hate driving in NJ. Not only because of the drivers, but the highway system is nuts. If you know exactly where you are going it's not so bad but God forbid you take the wrong exit...turning around is a chore in and of itself and usually involves taking two or more byways. Crazy.

[Monkey]

I concur. I went to college in RI and Cranston/Providence/Warwick suck for driving. I worked in Chepachet fpr a little while and the driving isn't bad but after 10 pm the drunks are out. Drunk driving is a sport in nw RI.

As a rule I never took the pike. I actually never have been on it.

They're putting a rotary at an intersection I use a lot here in Tampa. I can't wait to see the accidents. I've never seen one down here and from my experiences, even drivers who are used to them can have trouble with them. Myself included. My first one was over in Jamacia Plain and I drove around it five times trying to figure out how to get out.

[Ainkor]

I drive about 40k miles a year and surprisingly enough, it isn't too bad in North Carolina. In Minnesota and California, there are MUCH worse drivers.

On the downside though, is the particularly nasty accidents I see about once a month. Last month it was 3 motorcycles, two cars and 4 bodies draped in blankets on the side of the road. The month before that was a family of 4 killed in a head on crash on a mountain road.

Take it slow and easy is the rule I follow. I'd rather make it home in one piece that end up crashing around a corner up here in the mountains.

[ratcheer]

Take it slow and easy is the rule I follow. I'd rather make it home in one piece that end up crashing around a corner up here in the mountains.

That is my philosophy, too, since I got old.

Tim