Nutty drivers?? (long)

Jeff396 · Dec 18, 2003

“Traffic Cop” The person in front of you, with another in front of them and as the person in front of THEM signals THEIR turn, the person in front of YOU mimics the same, yet, fails to turn. When the first car is gone, they turn their blinker off.. “Yo ding dong… signal to me what YOU are going to do, not what everyone else is doing”


I first ran across this one on a trip to the sunny south about 20 years ago though I have not seen it done in a long time. When we reached our destination I asked the locals what was up with this nonsense. Their reasoning actually made some sense to me. They said that the person who puts on their blinker because someone in from of them did is letting the cars behind them know that they shouldn't try to pass as someone is in the process of turning left rather than just a slow bit of traffic.

Now I do have to admit that I am guilty of the truck high headlight thing but I don't tailgate. I have a big truck and it doesn't stop so fast and besides....tailgating never really makes the person in front of you drive any differently and it will be your fault if you accidently hit them. So, when I get behind someone going 10 mph or more below the limit and we get to a light is I carefully line up my left headlight with their drivers side mirror so I can see their whole face lit up. I figure if I have to be annoyed driving behind them they can be annoyed at each and every stop light! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

The ones I have noticed lately is the people who can't even get close to a 45 of 50 mph speed limit on main roads but once they get into a subdivision with a 25 mph limit they will easily drive 10 to 15 mph over. I still can't figure that one out...

Jeff

jwstewar · Dec 18, 2003

( So, when I get behind someone going 10 mph or more below the limit and we get to a light is I carefully line up my left headlight with their drivers side mirror so I can see their whole face lit up.)

I thought I was the only one that did that. That is always fun watching them set there with their hand of their mirror try keep from getting blinded. And I might get a little close at the stop light too, but not while I'm driving. As I know most cars can out brake my truck even though it is only a 1500, I've still got a good 2000#s on most cars. With my little 2 wheeled trailer & me the truck weighs in at about 5700 lbs. Trailer weighs around 500 and me around 200 + or - OK, plus a few pounds. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Richard · Dec 18, 2003

Think I thought of a couple more..

The person who passes you on single lane only to slow down once in front of you /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Driving on a 2 lane road, you are in a lane... the person who pulls out of a gas station/other and pulls INTO your lane making you nail the brakes, instead of them CROSSING your lane into the lane with NO cars to then get up to speed.

Those who's time is so precious that they use corner lots to zip through in their endeavour to make a turn and not have to wait at a light.

I see the above one frequently, as on my way to work, I pull into a large shopping area that has a frontage road to the next road (or can go up to light). I turn in to get a bacon/egg biscuit... but others use this as their pathway around the backed up traffic. Since this isn't a "lot", but a driveway that has several turns and a stop sign, when one of these people zing in behind me in their journey to get beyond the light, I always make sure to drive very slowly & cautiously... even to the point that I come to a COMPLETE stop at the stopsign, and even slow down to stop at another part of an intersection without stopsign... (after all, some yahoo might be flying through intersection??)

I consider my task a success either way, because if they are racing to get through the light, I've "slowed" them down & messed with them..but it's a REAL success when the light has turned and now they have to wait for the very traffic they were trying to cut around /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

what? ME vindictive?

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Gatorboy · Dec 18, 2003

Re: Nutty drivers??

( Driving on a 2 lane road, you are in a lane... the person who pulls out of a gas station/other and pulls INTO your lane making you nail the brakes, instead of them CROSSING your lane into the lane with NO cars to then get up to speed. )

1. A two-lane road only has 1-lane going in one direction and 1-lane going in the other. I think you meant a 4-lane road.

2. People who pull out and cross the right lane and move right the left lane is WRONG. You are only supposed to pull into the far right lane when it is clear. If I am driving along in the right lane, and ahead of me I see someone that wants to pull out, I move over to the left lane (if open) as a courtesy.

Richard · Dec 18, 2003

Re: Nutty drivers??

Oops, you are right, my bad.. 4 lane road /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

It also works from the left side... people making LEFT turn onto the road, if you are in left lane, they should (in myview) cross over to the RIGHT lane (again, this presupposes no traffic other than oneself), but they pull out into YOUR lane.

There is a "window" where they should simply stay PUT and not pull out, and it's this window of time that I refer to. Traffic (oneself) is too close... do I move to the right lane thinking they will stay left, or do I stay left, thinking they will cross over to right lane... (same from other direction but opposing sides).

I've had them do both when I've tried to move, or tried to stay put... I think they should just wait the extra 5 seconds to let you pass.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gatorboy · Dec 18, 2003

Re: Nutty drivers??

( people making LEFT turn onto the road, if you are in left lane, they should (in myview) cross over to the RIGHT lane )

This is also wrong. If turning left, you should turn INTO the left lane, and NOT cross into the right. You, as the driver coming down the road, shouldn't be traveling in the left lane anyway -- that is the passing lane -- unless you are passing someone or about to turn left yourself.

You CAN get a ticket for changing multiple lanes at one time.

slowrev · Dec 18, 2003

Jeff,
When I had Drivers Ed ( many years ago ) The turn signal/traffic cop thing was a part of the drivers manual in KY. Lost points on your drivers test if you did not follow the leader on turn signals.
Might seem dumb to some but it was and probably still is the law.

slowrev · Dec 18, 2003

Re: Nutty drivers??

Dave,
Some of the road rage problem seems to be that many don't understand the rules/laws of the road. Maybe most of us need to take our dirvers test ( written/actual ) every couple of years.
Also maybe our insurance rates should be based in part on how you did on your drivers test ( written and actual). If you don't know the rules you will be a more dangerous driver.

Gatorboy · Dec 18, 2003

Re: Nutty drivers??

I found an interesting link: The American Driver

..and Yes, it's amazing how many people DON'T know the rules of the road. I remember, about 30+ years ago, Shell Oil had a 30-minute or 1-hour Road Test Show on TV. They showed many typical situations and then stopped the film and put up multiple choice answers to the proper way to handle the situation. Then after you selected the answer, they continued the film and showed the proper answer. At the end of the show they told you based on the number you had correct how well you actually know the rules.

They need to bring something like that back on TV.

Jeff396 · Dec 18, 2003

I actually thought it wasn't a bad idea......once I was told what was going on. Before that it just confused the bejeebers out of me!!!! Kentucky may have been where I saw it occur. All I remember is I was breaking in a new vehicle taking the back roads from Michigan to Tennessee when I first encountered this phenomonon.

I love the person who will blow off a stop sign to turn if front of you but then goes 5 mph under the speed limit......OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE LAW!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Jeff