Stop Honking at Me! and other Driving Woes

[hereyago]

This sums it up for the HRBT(Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel here in VA)

https://images.app.goo.gl/pc38fXC8kPQHuAMQ6.

 

[mummabear]

What are your driving pet peeves/woes?

People who are not confident drives and are inconsiderate to other drivers by staying under the speed limit without pulling over.
If you cant drive 50 on residential streets, you shouldnt have a liscence.

 

[disneychrista]

People who are not confident drives and are inconsiderate to other drivers by staying under the speed limit without pulling over.
If you cant drive 50 on residential streets, you shouldnt have a liscence.

I sure hope NO ONE is driving 50 on our residential streets. The speed limit is 25.

 

[ronandannette]

People who are not confident drives and are inconsiderate to other drivers by staying under the speed limit without pulling over.
If you cant drive 50 on residential streets, you shouldnt have a liscence.

I'm not sure if this show is available on-line, but try googling Canada's Worst Driver. It's a reality show where people have to go to "bad driver rehab" for 14 days and actually learn how to drive safely, if that's even possible in each case. The participants sign a contract agreeing to surrender their licenses if the panel of experts (a professional driving instructor, two retired policemen and a chartered psychologist) do not agree they have improved enough to be safe. It's hilarious while at the same time bone-chilling. I've actually lost sleep worrying about driving on the same streets as some of the participants they've had from Calgary over the years.

 

[mummabear]

I sure hope NO ONE is driving 50 on our residential streets. The speed limit is 25.

Remember NZ is in kms

 

[C&Jx2]

People who pass school busses with their signs out, and people who speed through school zones, especially at pick-up and drop-off times.

 

[Klayfish]

Are we all being hypocrites here? Whining and complaining about things someone else does. I'm sure everyone here has violated a traffic law or done something to annoy another driver. I know I sure have, and I consider myself a darn good driver.

 

[kdonnel]

Not for the 2 seconds it takes to turn. I'm not saying drive 1/2 a mile on the shoulder.

If you drive on the shoulder for 2 seconds to make a turn in front of the police you will get a ticket here.

 

[kdonnel]

Are we all being hypocrites here? Whining and complaining about things someone else does.

‘Merica!

 

[Hikergirl]

My pet peeve is when people cruise in the passing lane, especially if they cut in front of me.
I did just read recently that it will be against the law to stay in the left lane if you haven't passed someone in a 1 1/2 miles. Hopefully it passes and I don't know if it will be enforced but I sure hope so.

 

[jrmasm]

The law in my state regarding driving in the left lane:

On highways, drivers must stay in the right lane unless they are passing slower traffic. The left lanes are intended for passing vehicles and, in some cases, left turns only. Drivers can only use the left lane for a maximum of two miles before passing or making a left turn.

 

[rotlex]

People who are not paying attention and do not go when the light changes color, particularly in a turn lane. Green means go and no need to leave 10 car lengths between you and the car in front of you. If people just paid attention and followed the car in front of them through the intersection, I swear at least 25% or more cars could make it through.

And yes - I am in a hurry. Not aggressively so, but I don't appreciate people not paying attention and wasting my time!

The above is probably my biggest peeve as well! It's aggravated even further by people CONSTANTLY on their cell phones while at traffic lights. Honestly, it's infuriating when your at a light and as you mention people leave 5-10 car length in between vehicles before they start to move.

The cell phone thing is probably a tie with the vehicle gap issue. Honestly, I think being caught by a cop with a cell pone in your hand while driving should be equal to a DUI. Somewhere around a 10K fine and loss of license for 6 months minimum.

 

[morgan98]

Driving to work today made me think of another!

People staying in the far right lane of the interstate (I am talking 5 or more lanes wide here) and just obliviously driving through very congested areas with many entrance and exit ramps. If you are through traffic, at least move one lane further to the left and leave that very right lane for those that are trying to merge on or exit the interstate. Some of these drivers are just blocking already potentially dangerous area.

As soon as I get on the interstate, I do try to move left to leave that far right lane for those entering and exiting. Way too dangerous and stressful for me to stay in that lane for MILES, exit after exit.

 

[Klayfish]

‘Merica!

Yup.

The stuff I see would make your head spin....or make you never want to get into a car.

 

[DietCoke18]

Ah. Love these threads. Everyone gets on their high horse about what an excellent driver they are. When it’s simply a pet peeve thread.

For me, it’s when someone shoots out in front of you and there are no cars for milllessss. And when someone is turning and they don’t pull all the way into the turning lane.

 

[wgeo]

The cell phone thing is probably a tie with the vehicle gap issue. Honestly, I think being caught by a cop with a cell pone in your hand while driving should be equal to a DUI. Somewhere around a 10K fine and loss of license for 6 months minimum.

I think it'd be a good start if someone who got a DUI actually had a 10K fine and loss of license for 6 months. I am continually surprised by the light sentences that people recieve for driving infractions.

A young lady with multiple moving infractions and I believe who had even had her license suspended for a few months because of all her tickets, "failed to yield to a pedestrian" at the end of the last school year and killed an 8 year old boy. She just recieved her "sentence" of probation, a small fine and 12 hours of traffic school. Unexcusable in my opinion.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

‘Merica!

The Internets!

 

[Praying Colonel]

FWIW, a compilation of "keep right" laws by state:

http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
I have so, so many driving pet peeves, but I've tried to let them go. I'm a work in progress.

There's a YouTube channel called "Fury Road" where you see people doing some incredibly stupid/road ragey stuff. 5 minutes of watching that channel is enough to make me want to cool my jets and be more relaxed on the roads.

 

[MGMmjl]

In Alabama, a new law was passed recently and went into effect on September 1 concerning driving in the left lane:

The rule is: you’re only allowed to drive in the left lane to pass another car. Do not drive in the left lane for more than a 1.5 miles.​

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Exceptions:​

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1. Congestion: If traffic is preventing you from driving in the right lane, you can remain in the left lane.
2. Bad weather and road hazards: The new law states, you are allowed to drive in the left lane if these conditions are present.
3. Exit and Toll: When your exit is on the left, or you’re paying a toll, you are allowed to drive in the left lane.
4. Authorized Vehicles: Law enforcement and first responders, while on duty, are allowed to drive in the left lane.
5. Construction: If construction forces traffic to the left, it is okay to stay in the left lane.

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To the original question, I would say my biggest pet peeve is people not using their turn signals when they intend to turn.​

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[ronandannette]

The above is probably my biggest peeve as well! It's aggravated even further by people CONSTANTLY on their cell phones while at traffic lights. Honestly, it's infuriating when your at a light and as you mention people leave 5-10 car length in between vehicles before they start to move.

The cell phone thing is probably a tie with the vehicle gap issue. Honestly, I think being caught by a cop with a cell pone in your hand while driving should be equal to a DUI. Somewhere around a 10K fine and loss of license for 6 months minimum.

Do you not have distracted-driving laws where you live? Here it is a violation to use a cell phone in any way except 100% hands-free, while you are operating a vehicle (this includes at stop lights and in parking lots while the engine is running). The penalties aren’t as steep as a DUI but they are significant and if the act is found to be an aggravating factor in an accident that gets prosecuted, the sentence is increased.