Dumb Drivers.

[Telume]

This topic really grinds my gears. Especially living in a city with the most inconsiderate drivers in the country.


Today's experience: Guy sitting in my blind spot tries to block me from getting into a lane while switching and almost hits me. Keep in mind that I was in an SUV. He has the audacity to call me crazy. Was I the bad one or was he an asshole? What's your worst driving experience TPM?

[mattbcl]

If he was actively trying to block you from lane-switching, then he was the jerk, not you. Maybe there were other circumstances - dunno, wasn't there. Still, I hate being called anything by other drivers.

I don't know if I can quote my "worst" driving experience, but I'll offer up three of my most recent (and try to be quick about it):

1) A couple months ago, a blizzard rolled through while I was out on a work route. Our work vans are top- and back-heavy, which makes them unhappy on icy roads. We were, nevertheless, sent on an assignment a good 50 miles away, and along the way, I lost control and we slid off the road and into a ditch. It took 2 hours for a tow truck to come get us out. We were given an assignment after that, much to our irritation. On the other hand, it was sort of fun to watch the chaos all around us while we sat and waited - and we got to snooze for a while.

2) In the same van, I was in the middle of a tight right turn through an intersection. The light was changing at the time, so I was trying to be quick but safe - I didn't want to roll the van by whipping it - and there was a lady in the opposing left-turn lane who wanted the same road, with her SUV stuck in the intersection while I was making my move. I glanced in my rear-view and saw her throwing a massive tantrum because I apparently wasn't moving fast enough for her. Saw her mouthing some pretty unpleasant words.

3) Once more in the same van, we were fueling up at the end of the day, and an employee at that gas station was a friend of ours. We were schmoozing with him for all of 30 seconds after we were done fueling when a nosy old codger in front of us approached my window and snarled/cursed at me for holding up other cars. He didn't seem to notice there were 2 empty stalls and there was no immediate traffic.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

I work at a library car and always sit beside the driver. We encounter lots of different drivers during the day, and there's always someone who just can't drive properly. Even I can see it and I don't have a driver's licence myself. However, when I ride my bike, I should be much more careful as well. I'm about to hit a car in some point almost every time.

[Knight of Time]

First of all, Telume, could this topic possibly be extended to include times when one of us was a passenger in a car rather than the driver, please?

Anyway, I don't have my own car either, but I do remember an event from a winter day a few years ago where I was a passenger in my dad's car...one day when he was driving us home, there was this cat on the road. My dad tried to avoid the cat, but he ended up hitting it, and from there the car went out of control and ended up in a nearby ditch on the side of the road...luckily, me, my brother, and my dad were all okay, but the cat unfortunately didn't survive the accident (I can only presume this cat belonged to a family that had more than one cat at the time)...so yeah, that day was a scary one. For one thing, single vehicle accidents can be just as bad as colliding (or nearly colliding) with another vehicle, but thankfully my dad called a tow truck while we were stuck in the ditch, and we eventually got freed.

[Lady Vulpix]

I've had many annoying driving experiences (and I have met 2 people from the USA who said they wouldn't dare drive here) but the worst by far was the one I had on the highway coming back from La Plata in September, 2008.

As I was driving back home on the fast lane, the guy in front of me suddenly came to a full stop (later I learned that he had stopped to watch a crashed car on the other side of the highway). I barely managed to stop in time to avoid crashing, but then I heard a loud noise coming from behind: the noise of someone coming towards me at a really high speed and stepping hard on the break. I instinctively curled up and braced for impact, which is probably why I managed to walk out of the car after the crash; but the guy behind me crashed into me so hard that he pushed my car (actually my mom's car) against the car in front of me.

So when I got out, my mom's car looked like a metallic accordion. My back and neck were hurting a lot, and the left side of my lower back never fully recovered, but considering how the car ended up, I consider myself lucky.

I'm also lucky to have a grandfather who took it upon himself to get the car fixed. The mechanic did a wonderful job and the car is working and looks fine. It does have a couple of parts which need frequent adjustments, but if you'd looked at it right after the crash you wouldn't have thought it would ever run again, so I guess the car got lucky too. It did cost my granddad a fortune and the guy's insurance never paid because it was the worst insurance company ever, but that's another story.

[Telume]

If he was actively trying to block you from lane-switching, then he was the jerk, not you. Maybe there were other circumstances - dunno, wasn't there. Still, I hate being called anything by other drivers.
I saw him speed up when I switched on my turning signal. Thank the gods I had blind spot mirrors.

[Telume]

I've had many annoying driving experiences (and I have met 2 people from the USA who said they wouldn't dare drive here) but the worst by far was the one I had on the highway coming back from La Plata in September, 2008.

As I was driving back home on the fast lane, the guy in front of me suddenly came to a full stop (later I learned that he had stopped to watch a crashed car on the other side of the highway). I barely managed to stop in time to avoid crashing, but then I heard a loud noise coming from behind: the noise of someone coming towards me at a really high speed and stepping hard on the break. I instinctively curled up and braced for impact, which is probably why I managed to walk out of the car after the crash; but the guy behind me crashed into me so hard that he pushed my car (actually my mom's car) against the car in front of me.

So when I got out, my mom's car looked like a metallic accordion. My back and neck were hurting a lot, and the left side of my lower back never fully recovered, but considering how the car ended up, I consider myself lucky.

I'm also lucky to have a grandfather who took it upon himself to get the car fixed. The mechanic did a wonderful job and the car is working and looks fine. It does have a couple of parts which need frequent adjustments, but if you'd looked at it right after the crash you wouldn't have thought it would ever run again, so I guess the car got lucky too. It did cost my granddad a fortune and the guy's insurance never paid because it was the worst insurance company ever, but that's another story.

Sorry for the double-post, but HOLY SHIT, you have NO idea how many times I've been scared of something like that happening to me. Especially with people literally driving almost right on your bumper here.

[mattbcl]

Especially with people literally driving almost right on your bumper here.

When people around here do that to me, I tap my brakes a couple times to send them a message: "Back off or you're paying for the damage." That almost always does the trick. When it doesn't, I simply slow to a crawl and wait for them to go around.

[Crystal Mew]

People don't go the speed limit, especially in the fast lane so that's annoying too. What really annoys me is when there is no one behind me, and someone is turning right onto the road I'm driving RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Like, you literally could not wait another 2 seconds before coming out? really??

[abunaidesu]

I had a dumbass taxi driver behind me the other day who got pissed that I stopped because I wanted to parallel park. Dude turned on some flashing lights in his car so I just turned around in my seat and glared at him until he fucked off and drove away.

[Crystal Mew]

oh that reminds me. my car doesn't have very good power steering, so I can never parallel park, or when I'm backing out I need a lot of space because I seriously have to pull out so far in order to turn the wheel. people who always want to take my spot sit behind me like 7 feet away and I need more room than that...so I just pull out and wait for them to move back, but that takes awhile for them to comprehend.

I'm sure they think "what a shitty driver" but it's not my fault :(

[Telume]

oh that reminds me. my car doesn't have very good power steering, so I can never parallel park, or when I'm backing out I need a lot of space because I seriously have to pull out so far in order to turn the wheel. people who always want to take my spot sit behind me like 7 feet away and I need more room than that...so I just pull out and wait for them to move back, but that takes awhile for them to comprehend.

I'm sure they think "what a shitty driver" but it's not my fault :(

What kind of car do you have? Oo

[Crystal Mew]

I drive an Acura, which is actually a very nice car. Some idiot mechanic put transmission fluid in the power steering claiming "it's the same stuff" but no...no it's not. This happened before I bought the car though, and I knew about it cause I bought it from my friend...otherwise I would have made that mechanic compensate me somehow.

other than that it drives great lol, I'll get it fixed someday, after I graduate and find a job I guess...

[kurai]

i usually find myself trying to leave toronto at rush hour, so i am constantly filled with rage. but it is not typical that i find people being specifically dumb (in their actions), rather than generally dumb (in continuing to exist).

however! one recent example comes to mind...

consider this intersection:

http://i.imgur.com/BNcf3VM.jpg

look at all those lanes! and such a pleasant amount of traffic!

that image is a lie. this event happened at around 1730, and the E-W street was essentially maxed out - so much traffic between intersections that a green light did not mean forward motion.

eventually, i make it to my desired northbound turn lane. hooray!

so i am there, sitting in position at the front of the queue (basically where this SUV is sitting):

http://i.imgur.com/Zqm3zcO.jpg

the problem is, of course, that there is hardly any room in the northbound lanes, and one has to wait for a yellow/red light to be able to actually make the turn.

here are the lanes in question:

http://i.imgur.com/oM5sIjr.jpg

lane A is the legal turn, and had perhaps half a car length of space. lane B was in a similar situation, and lane C had lots of space (it is an HOV/carpool lane). lane D is a bike lane.

naturally, lane F represents 'F you, kurai'. so the light turns yellow, and there is almost enough space to move into lane A (my car is tiny anyhow), so i am happy about finally getting to turn. but wait! this giant old style cadillac car/boat decides to launch itself out of lane F to sit across lanes A, B, and C, like so:

http://i.imgur.com/kh8usJI.jpg

great job, buddy. now the light is red, pedestrians are swarming around both sides of this cadillac in an effort to finish crossing, and i am in the middle of the intersection and unable to move. at this point, i am apparently the dumb driver for my failure to risk death and/or make an illegal turn, and a chorus of honking rings out. :round:

[Dark Sage]

I've seen a lot of dumb drivers.

The ones I really hate are the ones who think that a yellow light means "step on the gas and try to beat it".

It really means "slow down to a stop" but they don't seem to care.

I also hate people who drink coffee while driving, or even worse, try to eat while they drive. People like this can be just as distracted as the people who talk on cell phones while they drive, something which, as you know, there are laws against.

Speaking of which... You wouldn't believe the dumb driver during the NYPD's last crackdown. A cop ticketed a man for driving while using a cellphone. About three hours later, the same cop caught the exact same man doing it again on his way back, and ticketed him again. I swear, these people never learn! Maybe if the cops were given the right to confiscate their phones, THEN they'd learn! I'm not too fond about everyone's obsession with gadgets these days anyway, you know?

[Kumori]

Apart from people being on their phones while driving, I've even heard stories of people reading Kindles while driving. I know reading is good, but reading while driving is a stupid idea and could cost lives.

[Telume]

I've seen a lot of dumb drivers.

The ones I really hate are the ones who think that a yellow light means "step on the gas and try to beat it".

It really means "slow down to a stop" but they don't seem to care.

I also hate people who drink coffee while driving, or even worse, try to eat while they drive. People like this can be just as distracted as the people who talk on cell phones while they drive, something which, as you know, there are laws against.

Speaking of which... You wouldn't believe the dumb driver during the NYPD's last crackdown. A cop ticketed a man for driving while using a cellphone. About three hours later, the same cop caught the exact same man doing it again on his way back, and ticketed him again. I swear, these people never learn! Maybe if the cops were given the right to confiscate their phones, THEN they'd learn! I'm not too fond about everyone's obsession with gadgets these days anyway, you know?

This is why people get mad at me when I don't answer my phone. I take a "Nope, I hate everyone" stance while I'm driving. Which pretty much means that, no matter what, I do not take my phone out of my pocket to answer you ANYWHERE unless I'm sitting at a red light. And even then, my response to you will likely be something along the lines of "Dude, I'm driving, I'll call you back."

[Dark Sage]

This is why people get mad at me when I don't answer my phone. I take a "Nope, I hate everyone" stance while I'm driving. Which pretty much means that, no matter what, I do not take my phone out of my pocket to answer you ANYWHERE unless I'm sitting at a red light. And even then, my response to you will likely be something along the lines of "Dude, I'm driving, I'll call you back."

Can't you just shut it off when you drive?

[ChobiChibi]

My favourite dumb driver experience was driving along the motorway one afternoon when it was pissing down with rain. The spray was so bad, I'd moved to the slow lane cos it was clearer. Little did I know, there's some prick driving really slowly ahead of me without his lights on or his tail lights were out. So I finally spot him and have to make a decision. There's someone coming up behind me in the overtaking lane (this bit only had 2 lanes) so i had two choices:
1) slam on the brakes and hope I don't skid/go into the back of the car infront
2) put my foot down and overtake.
I took the latter option. My car had a fairly big engine, so when I put my foot down it went. The car coming up behind me, however, starts flashing his lights at me! Even though I knew there was enough space to overtake if I floored it, and I didn't cut him up!

I was more annoyed at the slow no lights driver. What I did could be described as dumb driving, but I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think that I could make it.

[Magmar]

I'm a pedestrian, so I rarely drive unless I'm borrowing a roommate's car to do an errand like laundry (and I'm forever grateful when they help me like this <3)... But I have to deal with idiot drivers all the time since I walk everywhere.

In fact, yesterday! I was waiting to cross a main road and the light said walk... so I look both ways twice (I always check twice because, well, one life to life, lol) and start to cross. This idiot driver comes up and takes a right on red, which you're wont to do when the coast is clear, and the asshole almost hits me! Then has the audacity to yell, "I'm gonna hit you with my car, asshole!" I kind of wanted to throw something at the car.

Speaking of throwing something at a car, I often use the expression "a dozen eggs..." when in a car and dealing with idiot drivers, which really means "I wish I had a dozen eggs right now, because they'd be all over your vehicle for pulling that stunt, you assbandit."

[shazza]

i love you kurai