My driving rant.....

seedcorn

Garden Master
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
9,627
Reaction score
9,882
Points
397
Location
NE IN
Tonight on way home I was forced to follow a driver.

She drove 10-15 mph below the speed limit. She was being followed by 3-12 vehicles at different times. She was having a great time with a younger person (assume grand daughter). Too much traffic to pass. People pulling out in front of her as they could see she wouldn't drive the speed limit. 30 minutes of following her, she finally turned right-no signal, just hit brakes and turned...... she drove center of lane to her shoulder-I think she was so stupid that she thought I'd pass between her on shoulder and on coming traffic. If she didn't want to drive the speed limit, why not pull over and let us pass? (It's actually the law in Indiana that you are to allow traffic around you if more than 3 vehicles are behind you-not enforced). I drive WAY too much and I see way too many people that are allowed to drive that have no business driving on highways.

End of rant, sorry...
 

Collector

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 16, 2010
Messages
3,026
Reaction score
3,844
Points
337
Location
Eastern Wa. Zone 5/6 ?
I drive sometimes 100 miles a day some days more for work. It irks me when people don't pay attention to their driving, other people have places to be and are busy. They should pull over and let traffic pass when possible ,if not get the heck off the road!
 

seedcorn

Garden Master
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
9,627
Reaction score
9,882
Points
397
Location
NE IN
People should be required to pass both city and high way driving to obtain and keep their license. I'd have no problem, if licenses had restrictions like they have for eyes, etc...

I pity semi drivers who are slowing down for lights and morons see the distance and dive in front-thus reducing the semi's stopping distance. If semi hits them, the semi driver gets written up. & anyone NOT using hands free for phones, should lose their license plus attend mandatory drivers school.
 

Nyboy

Garden Master
Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
21,365
Reaction score
16,240
Points
437
Location
White Plains NY,weekends Lagrange NY.
My issue is with seniors driving. Last time my dad had to renew his licences I thought problem of him driving solved. I almost fell down when he called and said no problem getting his licence renewed!!!!!. He has given up night time driving for the most part.
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
25,719
Reaction score
28,724
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
Yesterday, I was out in the country just arriving into suburbia on a 35mph, 2 lane road.

I quickly caught up with a car. Its right turn signal came on. I think, "okay, turning into a driveway."

Nope. Right signal still flashing, we continue down the road. I think, "okay, turning on that little side street."

Nope. A car is suddenly behind because we are continuing at about 25mph. Right turn signal flashing, the car ahead of us is now about 2 feet over the center line. I see the car behind swing out as though to pass both of us. I think, "oh no! Look how that car has moved over to the left. The driver must be really gonna take a hard, 90 degree right but where and how do we know??"

The car behind moves back behind my pickup and the car ahead suddenly turns LEFT! Amazing! I am so glad that driver behind didn't punch the gas petal and begin to pass! I think that the driver ahead was lost but having another vehicle plow into the driver's side door would not have been a good alternative to just stopping somewhere and getting his/her bearings.

Steve
 

Ridgerunner

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
8,227
Reaction score
10,049
Points
397
Location
Southeast Louisiana Zone 9A
I run into those slow drivers out here a lot, doing 35 in a 50 for example. Sometimes even slower. Usually they are elderly but not always. On these roads passing is seldom an option, some really winding hilly twisty roads. it doesn't bother me if I get stuck behind slow farm machinery, I understand that. Sometimes they pull over and let people pass, sometimes not. And some people are just enjoying the view. We call those Sunday Drivers. I usually don't get impatient, just hang back and give them room. I'm not going to tailgate and get them nervous, I don't want them to panic. Why should I do something that could easily get me hurt? My wife doesn't have the patience I do.

When I pull a trailer I often go below the speed limit enough to back up vehicles behind me. When I can, I pull over and let them pass. Sometimes it's challenging to find a safe place to pull over though.

When I'm not pulling a trailer I normally drive at the speed limit or a bit above. Not much above but a little. If some Darwin candidate decides they need to tailgate on those twisty roads I generally slow down a bit just to reduce the force of the potential impact. If I can I'll pull over and let them pass. I see no reason someone else's stupidity should get me injured.

Steve, I think you are right. That driver did not know where they were going. Maybe not lost but certainly confused. They probably didn't know the turn signal was on. Some turn signals aren't very loud when they click, especially with a radio or other sound source going. And they are probably not looking at the dash, they are looking at the road, which is probably a good thing.
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
25,719
Reaction score
28,724
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
¡¡ True, @catjac1975 !!

And driving over the speed limit, I feel I have to, at times. Just to stay with the flow of the traffic ... altho it often doesn't work well with the timed signals at intersections ...

Here's something to think about: if everyone is driving 10mph over the "limit." We are leaving law enforcement with the full determination of who they choose to stop.

Police officers in my family: both my maternal uncle and my grandfather (yes, the Canadian who was probably in the U.S. illegally ;)). They were smart guys, compassionate, broad-minded. But some people as police officers would make good bus drivers or mechanics or gardeners.

Entirely at their discretion who they stop. Fifty years ago, I might have thought, "oh, they would stop that guy going 15mph over the speed limit rather than me driving 10mph over." I have enuf experience now to know I'd be wrong.

The guy driving faster is seldom seen. Maybe the officer is suspicious of teenagers. Maybe he/she decided that people who drive Buicks are more fun to stop. Maybe they don't like tinted windows. Maybe they are like me and noisy diesel engines make my hearing aids pop!! Entirely up to the officer's discretion.

.... I see no reason someone else's stupidity should get me injured.

And, the alternative to that sensible behavior is an injury to civil society. Good Heavens! We are out there on curvy roads and the interstates. We could measure the distance between cars in inches! Ya know, when you think about it, we do a pretty good job with civil behavior.

We can continue in an efficient manner or activity can degenerate to where driving has to be done no faster than people walk! Where vehicle transport may be easier to carry a load than on one's back but because of inefficiencies in every facet of social life, the people who actually carry loads - can no way afford vehicles.

Steve
 

Smart Red

Garden Master
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
11,303
Reaction score
7,395
Points
417
Location
South-est, central-est Wisconsin
Sigh! I am finding that without Spouse, I am driving slower. Not finding driving difficult, just not in any hurry to get anywhere.

I seldom find myself at the speed limit when I'm driving to and from home anymore. Usually 3-5 miles under both as a caution since having the deer hit my car and because of the beauty of each day's drive.

I am not "THAT PERSON" ya'll are complaining about, though.

I do set the controls to 3-5 miles over the limit when there is traffic behind me. That's what is needed to "keep up" with traffic. I also move to the far right to allow anyone in a hurry to see better when passing is allowed.

I think I am also a bit wary of the local Sheriff department since the boundary problem. In every instance they were called, they sided with the neighbors. That the neighbors lied, moved survey markers, and such meant nothing. I was treated as a suspect although I never spoke anything but the truth.

Then the deputies allowed the neighbors to take anything they wanted from my yard. I was threatened with arrest if I left the porch. Each time I saw them take something that was not theirs (I'm giving them the assumption they mistakenly too the things) I stated to the officers the items were not the neighbor's property. One officer even carried parts of my seeder out to the road when I stated they might as well "have all the parts of the seeder they are stealing".

Since then I have been to the Sheriff's department trying to get my things back. I took photographic proof that some of the items were mine. One officer said he would look into it, but when I called back insisted the photos didn't show any difference (I'm guessing he simply forgot to check) and stated he could read my mind, finally, threatened to charge me with something if I didn't stop bothering the department.

I am afraid I would have a target on my vehicle if I were driving over the speed limit at all, so, as long as I'm not driving in traffic, I'm not driving fast.
 

Ridgerunner

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
8,227
Reaction score
10,049
Points
397
Location
Southeast Louisiana Zone 9A
I use Cruise Control a lot. It's the best way I know of to not go way over the speed limit. Unless I continuously watch the speedometer my speed tends to creep up so I'm soon going too fast. I'd prefer to watch the road than keep my attention on the speedometer.
 

Latest posts

Top