Driving Habits

Not so much a driving habbit per se:

By far my biggest peeve (and I have so very many) is unrestrained children in a car. Despite the fact that securing children is law in the US and that there is (I'm told) financial help to buy seats or free seats for those who can't afford them, I still sometimes see kids clambering around in moving vehicles. What are the parents thinking??? How stupid do you have to be not to grasp that a windshield is a poor child-catching device?

I agree, I have watched driving getting worse and worse as the years go by - and this is not because I'm a grumpy old man now (46&3/4) you should try riding a bicycle, you see much more bad driving but this time it's personal, they try to kill you. There is the highway code and another set of rules that seem to have developed, a sort of para-highway-code. Everyone feels they have a busy lifestyle these days, even if they don't, and as a result are in a rush. courtesy goes out of the window and so does the abuse. At a traffic island if someone is hurtling towards it but has not yet crossed the line they assume they have priority based on speed, over someone else (me) who is already at the junction and about to enter the roundabout. Box junction rules are ignored as are red lights, I see this every day they have not yet crossed the solid white line, their lights have been red long enough for the other set to have gone to green and they still move off to cross the junction. No-one seems wise enough to work out average speed is what matters and rushing from this jam to that jam achieves nothing.

Greetings, Hux...

I, certainly, agree with your observations, "...I have watched driving getting worse and worse as the years go by - and this is not because I'm a grumpy old man now (46&3/4) you should try riding a bicycle, you see much more bad driving but this time it's personal, they try to kill you."

As an avid bicycle rider, I share your experiences, and last year became shockingly aware of the attitude of some non-bikers that I had not previously considered. A non-biking friend confided that we bicyclers don't belong on the roads, because we don't pay fuel taxes. (The implication is that if we get crunched or killed it is our own fault, 'cause we shouldn't have been there to start with.) I pointed out to him that in all likelihood we riders have fuel burning vehicles sitting at home when we are out getting exercise on our bikes and saving fuel at the same time. I, also, mentioned that by law bicycle riders have all of the rights, privileges, and obligations of motorists. That shut him up, but I don't think it changed his small-mindedness.

Just something to think about when you are out dodging the fuel burners.

Am I the only one that gets overtaken while doing 30 in a 30 limit?

Good point... I'm wondering if I am the only one that gets overtaken while doing 40 mph in a 30 mph zone.

If this has become a habit in your country ticket revenues should be good.

You should try DC USA where you have people that have learned their driving habits from all over. What a nightmare that is.

Before moving to Pittsburgh, I spent a lot of time in DC and learned the local trick of trying to guess when the light will turn green and trying to get a 5-6 second jump on the green. So then I ran into the Pittsburgh quirk of continuing to go through traffic lights for, oh, 12-15 seconds after it's turned red. My first couple months here were fairly white-knuckle for me and for cross traffic drivers as well.

Good thread start, davah...

One of my pet peeves is the number of fools, who don't observe the right-of-way law. My understanding is that our law was adopted from ancient maritime rules which established colored lights (red to port and green to starboard) on vessels to help avoid collisions when on converging courses. If two vessels approach, the vessel on the left will see the red light on its right and yield — the vessel on the right will see the green light on its left and proceed. This rule was, supposedly, transfered to use of vehicles on land in England, then came to the U.S. But, for some reason U.S. cars put the driver on the left side, so the ROW rule became cumbersome. We should really have a left-of-way law for highways in the U.S. That way, if the driver did not yield to the vehicle approaching on his/her left, he or she would take the brunt of the collision not the passenger.

The right-of-way laws in most (if not all) of our states state that when two vehicles are approaching an uncontrolled intersection (one with no stop signs or signals) the vehicle on the left shall yield to the vehicle on the right. But, if the drivers don't know their left hand from their right hand, they are going to have a difficult time adhering to the law. And, some drivers have it in their minds that if they are on the right they can proceed into the intersection at any time, even if they have stopped before doing so. Sooooo, consequently, there are far too many collisions at intersections.

Try driving a horse drawn, or in my case, pony drawn, vehicle on the roads. And it is legal and I have a perfect right to do so. I have been overtaken on blind corners in driving hail, and pedestrians are no better, one woman tried to push her pram between the horse and cart. I do believe I could have claimed natural selection as a defence if the mother had been killed, I just felt sorry for the baby.

The ones that drive me crazy are the drivers who are doing everything but actually paying attention to the road.

Some are reading newspapers and talking on their cell phones. Others are shaving and using the vanity mirror so they don't miss a spot. And then there are the eaters who have a really large burger in one hand and a drink in the other. How are they steering the car? Were they born with an extra hand or something.

2 things I can think of that might help curb these bad habits.

First having to take a driving test every 5 years or so. I figure if you take the driving test and use your bad habits while taking the test. You will flunk and lose your license.

Second require everyone to ride a bike along the roads on a regular basis. When you ride a bike you learn to be aware of everything going on around you or you'll become a hood ornament on some idiots car.

Some of us are just better at multitasking than others. I did find that the mouse was difficult to master while driving on this expressway.

The thing that I probably see most commonly and find really annoying...

It's almost stereotypical, but, you see an 80's model Oldsmobile, with bad paint (oxidized, faded, rusted, chrome trim hanging off the body, rotten/ripped vinyl top, etc.) and huge 20" rims that cost far more than the car, and then you don't see the driver... Why? Because his/her seat is layed so far back that I can only imagine how they can see the road over the steering wheel. My first impression is always, "if this moron can afford $5k+ for 20" rims on an old beater like that, why didn't they use that money towards a newer car in far better condition, or make the obviously needed repairs and upkeep to their vehicle?" I guess they are just too busy being cool with their chrome rims and their seat layed back, prowling super market parking lots driving 'round and 'round at 2mph blaring their music trying to show off how cool they are. The music is awful also. Apparently playing obnoxiously loud distorted music through speakers that are obviously blown is a popular thing. Gotta love that trunk rattle! (It's called Dynamat! Buy it!) I be sure to point out to my wife when we are out all the cool guys. I usually say something along the lines of "Hey hon, in case you didn't know, that guy over there is cool. You best rekognize! It's too bad we're married hon, or you could have had a real 'winner' like that guy over there." (sarcasm is common place in our conversations btw, we get a good laugh out of statements like that trying to make light of the situation)

One little note, I'm 29, and in my teens/early 20's, I competed in USAC and IASCA auto sound competitions. The audio system in my vehicle at the time was fairly massive on a small budget (which I worked for), sounded clean, installed by myself (all custom work, boxes, door panels, etc.), and did fairly well in competition. Hearing people blaring busted equipment they bought at a pawn shop or radio shack just hits a raw nerve sometimes. I understand the youth mentality of building big stereo systems and engines, but even in my youth I also understood the importance of research, using quality equipment, proper installation, and taking the proper steps in order to do it right the first time.

./rant_off

The lack trafiic lights and the desire to save land by building roundabouts rather than off ramps is the root cause of the problem you describe.

I just spent a week driving in France and Switzerland and these roundabouts were one hell of a paradigm shift for a freeway born and bred lead foot.

Somebody tries to drive high speed through a red light , they get t-boned.

Somebody drives highspeed round the outside of a round about- and who knows what will happen?

Put in red lights. Burn gas while idling.

Sarcasm over.

milo "Thankfully, we had GPS, which didn;t handle the roundabouts as gracefully as We had hoped, but we always managed to get to our destination"

One thing that I observed while spending time in California (LA area), is that there seem to be no protected left turn signals. Here in Texas, protected left turn traffic signals are commonplace. So it seems that the method used in LA is to wait for your traffic light to turn red, then punch the accelerator and turn left through the intersection before the oncoming traffic can hit you.

My favorites are the driver who is incapable of taking his foot off the gas. Three lanes going the same way. He races up in the right lane as I am passing the slower driver on the right, then sits on my tail a moment before flying past to immediately turn across and take the exit ramp, followed by the car in the right lane which has been signaling a turn for 1/4 mile.

The other is the huge 18 wheeler who decides to pass when I am right beside him and just puts on his signals and moves over, putting me into the median or into a screeching near-stop.

>>>>The other is the huge 18 wheeler who decides to pass when I am right beside him and just puts on his signals and moves over, putting me into the median or into a screeching near-stop.<<<<

There you go... size matters!

Common courtesy is harder to find on the road than cheap gasoline. Passing on the right. Driving on the shoulder when traffic stops. Driving through lights after it changes just because the car in front of you went. Rude inconsiderate drivers.

My other gripe. New Jersey, home of "no left turns" Two wrongs don't make a right. but in N.J. three rights make a left.

If roundabouts were square, people wouldn't treat them like chicanes. Speed actuated guns at pedestrian crossing would also concentrate minds.

Square-abouts?

Yep, stop the temptation;

I, totally, agree with you. Roundabouts are starting to show up, here, in Montana. I think it is mostly because the designers think they are cute, and soooo European. Roundabouts so tiny that an extended cab pickup cannot negotiate them are being placed in the middle of new housing developments. Any driver of a large truck, moving van, or semi finds them impossible to drive through, unless going over the sidewalks on both sides of the street. I'm sure the autobody repair shops can hardly wait for more.

You'd go nuts in Milton Keynes. The city is laid out in a grid, and just about every intersection has a roundabout. Most UK towns have some crazy roundabouts, Hemel Hempsted for instance. They vary in size from a couple of feet to a couple of hundred yards. Some are landscaped, and others look like a pancake that fell off the back of a truck. One local to me even has hanging baskets for flowers !

We spend some time in the UK every summer. I hate driving anyway, but in the UK it's a real challenge. We try to take the tube and trains whenever possible, but sometimes you just have to drive. Those round abouts are a killer. Lucky I'm still alive.

Massachusetts drivers are amoung the worst in the world though. The other day I had a broad pull out right in front of me, she had a cell phone in one hand, and was lighting a butt with the other.

I am an avid biker. People here, (Worcester area) hate bikers. They actually aim for you. The funny part is if you go to western MA, or Vermont, the total dynamic changes. They are actually nice to you, and wave, and stop, and smile, and let you go.

I like Amsterdam the best. Everybody rides a bike there. I spend the month of July in Amsterdam every year. So I don't have to drive a car for a whole month. Soon, when I retire, I hope to move there.

Please come to Juarez Mexico, so you will grow to appreciate the sanity that still remains on your streets. Unlicensed drivers, many with out license plates (The car that hit me was red, a chevy, I think, officer...he drove away..) that actually jump the curb to go around you in order to run the red light, swerve away from the oncoming traffic, pass on the left in order to exit on the right, after crossing in front of you, stop abruptly blocking two lanes to chat, constantly drive with emergency flashers on, drive 20 or 50 KPH in an 80 KPH zone, swerve around traffic at double the limit, go to the far right land (Rt 2 lanes for moving straight) in order to cut in front of traffic to turn left, zig-zag in front of or into you to avoid a pot-hole, NEVER NEVER NEVER have their children sit down, much less buckle up, throw trash out into your path, throw beer out into your path...and if they get pulled ofer by the traffico, toss 100 pesos (less than $1.00 US) and go on their merry way...you are sooo fortunate you don't deal with this on a daily basis. A written exam only is required to get a lisence, and many folks can not read or write, but everybody has a car. And they drive like macho madmen. There's much more, but I have no blood pressure medicine.

I think it is time for you to replace your current vehicle with something more appropriate. Have you considered a Bradley armored personnel carrier? With a 50 cal. gun most people will be more polite.

Guns aren't allowed here !! (though many Mexicans have one or two...)

There ARE a lot of Hummers, though, and come to think of it, I have never seen a dented one. (I've never seen one scratched or muddy either...no signs of off-road use)

I am looking into putting heavy-duty brush guards on my 4-Runner though, and yes, I do take it off road occasionally.

I would be terrified in a small car - especially since it seems some Mexican drivers resent gringos, (or are after the insurance money) and go out of their way to tempt an accident. I have had several cars jump in front of me and brake suddenly.

SPIJman - hilarious, everyone's gripes all in one place. Build a big ramming frame around your car and dare them to hit you. You don't need a gun, just a bigger meaner-looking vehicle.

I was recording some of the traffic, but was "encouraged" to remove the camera from my dash...am working on mounting it more discretely.

[It's like the wild west down here - 83 assasinations this month alone. Yesterday the Mexican army and federal police had the Humvees blocking the ADC plant next door - not sure what that was all about - but the Mexican military absolutely PROHIBIT anyone from photographing them...too many death threats, murdered policemen and soldiers - along with the rival drug vendors]

Anybody know where I can get an old trash truck with teeth?