What burns you about other drivers?

Then there is the one, in front of you, who slows way down for the green light, accelerates as soon as the light turns yellow and you are caught by the red light.

That is taught in defensive driving classes. (I got a speeding ticket and had to take one) Not to actually slow down, but to be ready to stop, and to alert the person behind you that you may have to stop abruptly. The instructor said that when you get to an intersection the driver in 2nd car wants to beat the red light and all to often is tail gating.

The left lane is the passing lane or the fast lane. How about if you're not passing cars you need to get over? I hate to sterotype but many of the bad drivers are mini van drivers and SUV drivers who should be driving a mini cooper. The ones who have no idea what side mirrors are or how to use them. And not to forget the ones who pass you only to pull right in front of you, then slow down below the speed limit.

Don't forget drivers who drive down the center the road. I was behind someone on a four lane highway who had to drive down the center of the right two lanes. Which made it impossible to get away from him. What made it worse is he had customized his car to look like a Payday candy bar.

Drivers who don't know how to drive...

all above?

I drive an SUV - but then again, I live on the first slopes of a mountain.

I don't set my speed above the speed limit on the highway, I noticed that I'd save on fuel AND get to my destination at the same time as the speeders. Ah, and it gives me a more relaxed drive, too.

I tend to stay on the right lane as much as I can - unless there's no other way to keep a safe distance between The Others and my rig, of course !

I totally refuse to answer the phone when I'm in the car - unless my Bluetooth is active. That also means I'm alone in my car. If my wife's with me, then SHE answers. And I won't take the phone from her, regardless of what the Other Person wants to tell me.

I do use my GPS. Not only to find my detsination and its itinerary, but also to inform me of the road's layout. Nothing like that, to let you know that the road will turn sharply right after that speed decline and you maybe don't want to miss that turn ?

Oh - but I'm certainly an anachronism on those roads where I drive. It used to be that nobody would (dare) honk at a stopped car in Corsica, even if it blocks the road. Heck, I'm sure they are talking about important stuff, and I don't want to interrupt them. I like being safe

Back to your comments now, though. I totally agree with your comments about Those Others. I try very hard to stay out of their crowd. And when I feel I won't be able to for much longer, I just try to find another road. Before I shoot the son of a guns !

Ah, that felt good. The sun is shining. The snow should start falling any time now. And that's why I have a 4x4 - to find a road where nobody else will be. Just me, my beloved wife, our dog, and the show of all those careless people and their wheels, on the road below. Man, what a show they're giving, good thing the places were for free !

PS: I wonder how many people took my rant seriously

We live in a small town that gets tens of thousands of tourists in the summer. We locals KNOW where we are going but the tourists don't. I guess you can't be lost if you drive really slowly . There are little dinosaur statues throughout town, and a 25 meter high T Rex statue at the information centre - and people STOP in the middle of the street to take pictures! Our famous museum is located eight kilometers west of town; the signage is good, but the tourists drive 50 kph down the highway because they might miss the turn off.

Of course, I am NEVER like that when I travel! I have a GPS

I hate tailgaters. Just because you are late for work does not entitle you harass me.

Not all entrances/exits have electronic toll methods so I may rarely have to go through a "change lane".

I find it exasperating to watch the doofus in front fumble through purse or pockets looking for change and holding up the line.

Did you not understand what "Toll" road meant? How could you get on a toll road and not have money accessible if you don't have an EZ Pass?

#1 has GOT TO BE the ones that drive in a lane well marked as closing ahead, especially commuters who do it every day. They drive all the way up until their bumpers are knocking barrels away THEN sit there and flip off people who don't let them in. BTW-The one's who stop and wave them in are just as bad. They are the enablers.

Got me a nice, square and strong hitch hook... That scares'em plenty enough !

Parents on their way to pickup their darling child that pass you in a school zone when you are doing the required 20 MPH. Guess the speed limit is for the rest of the world and does not apply if you have a child at that school. Where are the radar traps when you need one?

I can agree with all of those....

1. Sitting behind a car in the right lane at a stop light, a LONG stop light, light turns green and he turns right, when we could have turned right a long time before, because of no cross-traffic, but this guy doesn't believe in right turn on red.

2. Intersections with a left turn arrow and left turn lane, with a sign on the signal arm that says, "Left turn YIELD on Green." As soon as the arrow extinguishes and the light turns green....he stays behind the line and waits for the next signal cycle. I'm guessing because reading comprehension isn't a strong point for him.

Camerabob covered them all but I would like to emphasize the cell phone driver. I have almost gotten in a collision several times with people on the cell phone. They are so busy concentrating on there conversation they don't even know they caused a problem.

...at how many people are SCARED (downright terrified) of making a simple left-hand turn. I don't get it myself though.

Can you show us where it says a driver must turn right on red? My search of the regulations in various states all state turning right on red is an option available to a driver unless specifically prohibited.

Gotta disagree here. Bad drivers are bad drivers, with or without cell phones. Take away the cell phone and it'll be iPods, mirrors, or turning to look at someone in the car. This is like blaming the gun for someone getting shot, but that could open up a whole new can of worms.

Let me add one since this is a GPS forum. It tells me a LOT about the intelligence/skill level of a driver who has their GPS stuck to windshield, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER. Hello, are you following the map or the road? Nice, big 5" screens, stuck right in the driver's line of sight. How smart can that guy be? My question is are they trying to show it off to everyone (including thieves) or are they incapable of following it if it's down on the dash. It it blocks one inch of road view, it's mounted improperly.

No I can't, but why not if there is no traffic coming in either direction and moving would help keep traffic flowing?

Drivers that are too slow...

Clueless suv/mini van drivers that cut you off.

Ricers that think the stand even a .0002% chance of winning a race.

camerabob has nailed just about every road idiot that I can think of, with the exception of one. I live in the Region of Waterloo, about 50 miles west of Toronto, Ontario. We have about 30 roundabouts and there are plans for many more. This is nothing new for Europe, but is relatively rare in North America, with the exception of Waterloo Region.

In general, roundabouts do move traffic better and accidents are less severe, since these are sidswipes, instead of T-Bones. However, navigating them requires a combination of speed reduction, courtesy, and a certain degree of confidence, when you enter them.

My beefs are as follows:

1.People that charge into the roundabout like they were on a race track.
2. People that treat the roundabout like a Stop sign. You treat it like a Yield, where the vehicle in the roundabout circle has the right of way.
3. People that don't signal there exits from the roundabout or fail to signal the direction within the roundabout. Treat it like you would a normal intersection, where you signal your turns.
4. People that try to pass you in the roundabout. These are usually the people in 1 above.

When my programmed route as me going through a roundabout it announces "Enter Roundabout - Watch for idiots!"

I believe Napoleon had a bad time over there. Back in 1815, as I recall ? And some 15 years later, Belgium was born. Yes, Belgium, country of beers, waffles....

And land of my birth, too

1) I drive a large truck with a 40' 5th wheel behind. I'm usually at about 20,000 - 25,000 total pounds. I hate the people that cut me off in front of me and then slow down immediately. They have no clue what it takes for me to slow down, many times almost smashing into them.

2) I hate the truckers on the highways that move over to the fast lane to go around another trucker and then they end up going the same speed for 10 minutes and nobody on the 2 lane highway can get around them.

This is not directed at anyone, this is just my main rant.

Ok this is one of my pet peeves coming from the other aspect. If I am sitting at a red light and I want to turn right but can't see if it is safe, I should have the freedom to sit there and not get harassed by the guy behind me that also wants to turn right.

Usually the situation is one where you can also go straight from that right lane and you would have to wait for the green light anyway if I was not turning.

I tend to be a very cautious driver and usually have two little ones in the car. I don't take chances on the road and I have stuck my hand out the window and flipped the bird at the honking inconsiderate driver behind me at times. Maybe I see something you don't, there might be a pedestrian coming or a bike.

I choose to make my own decisions and not let other drivers tell me what to do. I have seen one too many times when an accident happens because someone didn't listen to their own intuition and tried to please some impatient driver behind them that couldn't see the whole picture.

I rarely post a rant but that might just be my rant of the year.

Miss POI

I just wave at the idiots - sometimes I just turn around and smile at them - drives them crazy.

I call this the Texas Merge. The driver entering the freeway that accelerates to the point that he is even with the car in the lane that he wants to enter, then expects that driver to accelerate or slow down to let him in.

I disagree it is to help protect the suspension. Truck are no different than cars/

The other one is the old people who approach a green light and (a 100 yards before the intersection

Per your comment above. Most of us do it if a car is there to make a right turn. I have many that have pulled out in front of me just before I get to the intersection.

Agree with you totally, Miss Poi.
I consider those that have a problem with not turning on red as self-centered as those that have an issue with #3 or have a problem with a 'slow' driver doing the actual speed limit (exception when they travel far left well after it's clear to move right.

I used to be an impatient young twit myself. Just remember that you'll likely turn into an old twit that doesn't turn right just because he sees you fidgiting & bouncing up and down in his rear view mirror. Or makes sure he's at least 2-3 car lengths ahead of the car he passes (at the speed limit) before he pulls over because you're on his a** as soon as he pulled left.

Have a nice day, y'all. And be careful out there.

I understand your caution in that regard Ms. POI, what I was referring to is an intersection that has absolutely NO cross-traffic, no cars visible in either direction. I'm not impatient nor do I ever lay on the horn, I just can't understand WHY someone would not use the option to turn right when it's safe to do so.

This one doesn't burn me up, it's just something I can't figure out. I live in central Indiana, having been transferred here after many career moves from other larger cities. It's sort of an unwritten rule here that when a funeral procession approaches........every one pulls to the side and stops until the procession passes. It doesn't matter if it's on a 4 lane divided highway or a 2 lane county road, and BOTH directions of traffic do this.

NOW what I find amusing is, ambulances have a hard time getting people out of their way.

How come they'll pull over for a dead guy, (undestanding it's showing respect for his family) but won't yield to a person that is alive and needs medical help?

People who seem to think they have to come almost to a complete stop to turn into a parking area with a quarter inch bump up into the entry ramp.

People who refuse to use the left lane at dangerous spots on the freeway. There's an on ramp where I live that sees a lot of accidents. It's clearly posted to be in the left lane if you are "through traffic". People who want to get off at the NEXT exit (half a mile or so down the road) don't consider themselves through traffic so they stay in the right hand lane and the people trying to enter the freeway are crowded out - causing many accidents.

Anybody yakking on a cell phone while driving.

People who want to turn at the next street but see a lot of cars in that lane so they use the left lane to zoom up past all the other cars and then try to force their way into the right lane to make the turn. I see this every day on my way to work.

People who know they have to turn into a business half a block or more away and slow to 10 mph waaaaay in advance to "be ready" for the turn.

My hat's off to truckers that use their rigs and radios to block all lanes and prevent this behavior when there is a lane backup.

...is when other drivers want to use the same road as I do, at the same time that I do. I think the sum of all contributors above says about the same thing.

- Perfectly!

Drivers, especially around urban area get bumper to bumper on the entrance ramp and try to merge onto the highway where the traffic is cruising 65 mph+.

Is there any driving schoolthat doesn't teach "Merge at the Speed of Traffic" and if you are on the freeway and other vehicles are merging, maintain your speed.

I also want to apologize for my driving habits to the three or four people who commented here that singled me personally.

It is funny that in San Jose everyone hogs the right lanes. After spending time in San Jose, CA I can not imagine driving in China.

A really irritating variant of slow driver who won't move over, where you have drivers side-by-side across several or all lanes of traffic, all going the same speed and not allowing anyone to get by them.

If they are all going the same speed and it is over the limit where do you want them to go?

Reading all the comments here about bad drivrs it seem everyone's complaint is about everyone else but not about their self. Do each of us think we are the only good driver on the road?

I am still trying to get over the shock Miss Poi flipped someone the bird.

Hardly. But, I do use courtesy, and common sense when I drive. I leave early to avoid driving like a fool. I look at the road conditions, traffic, and other variables to make sure I am part of the solution, and not the problem.

Perfect? Nope. But, I remain aware of my surroundings on the road.

I agree hard to see her doing that.

I have to agree I wasn't saying I was the best driver as I have my faults as well. I learned to be aware of what is around me at all time as I have had a few near misses because of people not caring how they drive. I rode a motorcycle for year and you really have to be on you guard for all kinds if you want to remaie with the wheels on the ground and upright.

Like a cooking recipe "A Pinch Of Each Of The 14"

Trucks need a wide swing to make some right turns,,, Running up between the truck and the curb can and will get you KILLED!

Enter at your own RISK!

Me too.