Idiot Driver Rant

[charlier]

Definitely feel your pain, Charlie!

I am really missing driving a Bug for summer work commuting, though (with my '70 Bug being in the shop for engine issues all summer), and getting excited about my gnarly '69 getting closer to being able to be activated for that task.

I would say that I find the typical grim weekday commuter to be a better driver *in general* than the weekend boobs on the highway--but there are also exceptions to every rule, of course.

Whenever I'm on the highway with my Bug, though, I am fully in "defensive driver mode," and always expect the worst possible moves from other drivers, and maintain as much space and attention as possible at all times.

Sadly, where I live there is little difference between weekday and weekend drivers as far as inattentive driving goes (the exceptions you posted about I guess). I share your Full Defensive Driver Mode style of driving as I drive my 1985 VW Golf to work every day except when it snows or is down for maintenance/repairs. During my commutes it is all about defensive driving around here. A co-worker with a 1988 VW Golf was involved in an accident with a Ford F150 back in May. The 20 something your lady driving the F150 caused the accident and was 100% at fault. Sadly the co-worker's mother passed away from her injuries and the co-worker's right foot sustained severe injury. I do have to wonder if distracted driving (texting or talking on the phone) played a role in the accident. Will probably never know the answer to that question unless some sort of legal proceeding results from the accident which I doubt as of now. BTW, both the co-worker and her mother were both wearing their seat belts.

[padgett]

Maybe they should teach "evading a Moose" in driver's ed, is apparently common in Sweden.

Agree here it is best to get everything possible done before noon. Cooler too.

Have to keep in mind that dumb cautious drivers are probably safer than expert drivers from other places: like the UK, Japan, and Oz. Here (and are common) their expert reactions are all rong.

Prefer to drive in the right lane myself, generally moves faster in really heavy traffic.

[nzcarnerd]

The rule of thumb that was taught to me in Driver's Ed was that when a driver stops behind another vehicle, the driver should at least be able to see the the bottom edge of the rear tires on the vehicle ahead of them. That should leave enough space to react if the driver in front rolls back or starts to back up. Far too many people roll right up on the back bumper so that they have a better chance of making it through the light. It also increases your chances of getting hit by the car in front.

I agree. I have just started driving city buses (at the tender age of almost 60) and one of the things I learnt when I got my heavy vehicle licence was not to stop too close to the vehicle in front. In my situation it is interesting to see how many drivers 'let the bus go first' - not a lot, but enough that progress is not really slowed. I note that it is often youger women drivers who have the least patience. I think many are a little surprised when bus drags them off at the lights - some of the buses have very good initial acceleration and have no trouble sticking with the traffic in a city situation.

[RU22]

I would love to let buses in if they didn't belch thick black stinking exhaust ....... There are places in the US where buses are powered by clean fuels Electricity LNG ect. But in the Eco EU almost none in buses!!!

[Guest]

Thanks for all the replies, shows how pervasive this problem has become. As far as driver accountability, no-fault insurance in Texas has severely diminished that. The police will not even respond to a minor wreck like we had as long as the drivers can exchange insurance info. In this case the other driver is insured and will have a hard time avoiding fault but her nonchalance was partly due to her having no damage to her vehicle other than maybe a dull spot on the trailer hitch. We have noticed lately that many drivers leave a very large interval in front of them at a stop, I'm sure my wife will now become one of them. I like the idea of an air horn and that now seems totally necessary for a small car here - I may add one to both cars!

Don, I feel your pain. I thought the Expedition had sonar sensors in the rear bumper. Here is what I have found; If the driver is preoccupied with stereo, Navigation, DVD- yes I have seen drivers with a DVD in the center console, phone, texting, talking to a passenger, admiring or looking at oneself in the mirror, even a back-up sensor wont do the job. Giving them extra room ( more than a normal space ) just gives them more distance to ramp up speed and hit you even harder. I like Dave Moons suggestion of coming up to a car a little off center, my friend used to do that until a motorcycle took his drivers mirror clean off . Dandy Dave suggested that 90% of the people could not handle a car built before 1942... I agree, but will also say 95% can't handle a car today either..That includes many people at AACA. Don't believe me? Give me ten minutes with anyone on a polished concrete wet skidpad and see how they do.

But all of you are right, there seems to be a total disconnect with responsibility and disrespect of many things today. Phones in drivers hands when the Police can see, dogs in parks without leads, dogs in parks with leads, skateboards in parks, bicycles in parks, when there are signs saying no dogs, skateboards,bicycles allowed.....and the cops just look the other way. What kind of message does that tell kids when they see this? It's OK to break the law because you won't get in trouble? Why post it a all if it means the opposite? Meanwhile we build at taxpayers expense skateboard parks, dog parks....for what? Don't get me started on the gasoline tax fund getting diverted for bicycle lanes instead of road maintenance when that is why the gas tax was there in the first place.

D.

[nzcarnerd]

I would love to let buses in if they didn't belch thick black stinking exhaust ....... There are places in the US where buses are powered by clean fuels Electricity LNG ect. But in the Eco EU almost none in buses!!!

No idea what they run on there but having followed plenty of our buses in traffic here there is no noticeable exhaust smoke of any sort. They would not be allowed on the road it there was. The buses are a mix of mostly European makes (MAN, Volvo, Scania) with some Cummins-powered Chinese ones as well.

[critterpainter]

Wish I had a portable cell-phone jammer Years ago a friend of mine had a car pass him, then pull over to the shoulder and do a U-TURN in front of him. He hit the car broadside flipping it over twice. His ranch truck suffered a broken headlight and smashed trim ring. He is till driving it.

Bill

[Argyll]

I was over on vacation driving through Orlando late afternoon heading to the Old Town car show when one of Florida's 'the heavens opened up' rainstorms poured down, but only lasted about a minute. I was on the Orange Blossom Trail, which is two and three lanes of fairly fast traffic when out of the corner of my left eye I noticed a nice early (67 / 68?) Mustang edging out of the road to my left. Now being a retired firefighter I drive with at least two car lengths of space in front of me and the Mustang driver decided he could get into it if he pulled out quickly enough - much to my surprise!

He pulled out so quickly he ended up doing a full 360 in front of me, with me somehow managing to drive around the spinning Mustang, which by now was skittering all over the road in between cars. Remarkably he didn't hit a thing, but I noticed in my rear view mirror more than one driver getting out of their car at the next set of traffic lights to give him helpful advice on how not to be a complete idiot.

I've learned to expect nonsense like that from daily-driver cars, but never a valuable classic owner.

[Dandy Dave]

Don, I feel your pain. I thought the Expedition had sonar sensors in the rear bumper. Here is what I have found; If the driver is preoccupied with stereo, Navigation, DVD- yes I have seen drivers with a DVD in the center console, phone, texting, talking to a passenger, admiring or looking at oneself in the mirror, even a back-up sensor wont do the job. Giving them extra room ( more than a normal space ) just gives them more distance to ramp up speed and hit you even harder. I like Dave Moons suggestion of coming up to a car a little off center, my friend used to do that until a motorcycle took his drivers mirror clean off . Dandy Dave suggested that 90% of the people could not handle a car built before 1942... I agree, but will also say 95% can't handle a car today either..That includes many people at AACA. Don't believe me? Give me ten minutes with anyone on a polished concrete wet skidpad and see how they do.

But all of you are right, there seems to be a total disconnect with responsibility and disrespect of many things today. Phones in drivers hands when the Police can see, dogs in parks without leads, dogs in parks with leads, skateboards in parks, bicycles in parks, when there are signs saying no dogs, skateboards,bicycles allowed.....and the cops just look the other way. What kind of message does that tell kids when they see this? It's OK to break the law because you won't get in trouble? Why post it a all if it means the opposite? Meanwhile we build at taxpayers expense skateboard parks, dog parks....for what? Don't get me started on the gasoline tax fund getting diverted for bicycle lanes instead of road maintenance when that is why the gas tax was there in the first place.

D.

Water nothing, Up here in the Great North East, If you can't drive in the snow and Ice, Stay at home! I've even been on bulldozers that slide sideways in the stuff while pushing the great speed of a mile and a half an hour. I see 4WD vehicles in ditches around here all the time because the drivers are going too fast to begin with. I would take your wet concrete challange any day of the week. Dandy Dave!

Edited August 16, 2012 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[39BuickEight]

Nothing worse than your car being damaged (other than your person of course), but it happens. If it doesn't get hit again, in 10 years it will be just like all the other 10 year old Miatas, probably touched up at some point.

Unfortunately for us, most drivers do not care about their vehicles or what dangers it imposes on the rest of the world when they drive without thinking.

Edited August 16, 2012 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[dan at larescorp]

Water nothing, Up here in the Great North East, If you can't drive in the snow and Ice, Stay at home! I've even been on bulldozers that slide sideways in the stuff while pushing the great speed of a mile and a half an hour. I see 4WD vehicles in ditches around here all the time because the drivers are going too fast to begin with. I would take your wet concrete challange any day of the week. Dandy Dave!

X2. Sign me up for the test. Although in MN I think the first day of snow has side effects such as ; memory loss, loss of hand/ foot control, and most important the loss of brain function. It is still suprising to see how many people end up in the ditch. All I can think is we drove through this same crap less then 6 months ago! Yes if you slam on the brakes on ice you slide! (and my favorite) When you put throttle to the floor trying to make your car move and find yourself burried to the axle in snow.

[Amphicar BUYER]

X2. Sign me up for the test. Although in MN I think the first day of snow has side effects such as ; memory loss, loss of hand/ foot control, and most important the loss of brain function. It is still suprising to see how many people end up in the ditch. All I can think is we drove through this same crap less then 6 months ago! Yes if you slam on the brakes on ice you slide! (and my favorite) When you put throttle to the floor trying to make your car move and find yourself burried to the axle in snow.

All the videos of people sliding down the street and you hear many of them just mash the accelator or brake to the floor (either way, same result). "How'd that work out for you there fella?" Being born and raised in Colorado, I do know how to drive in the snow and ice. Driven in blizzards where I couldn't see the end of my hood until I could get to a safe place. You can't fight physics, but you can make friends! If you are crapping your pants because your too scared, don't be on our roads, if you can't drive slow enough or fast enough to not be a hazard, call a cab or stay home.

[Guest]

Water nothing, Up here in the Great North East, If you can't drive in the snow and Ice, Stay at home! I've even been on bulldozers that slide sideways in the stuff while pushing the great speed of a mile and a half an hour. I see 4WD vehicles in ditches around here all the time because the drivers are going too fast to begin with. I would take your wet concrete challange any day of the week. Dandy Dave!

I should have said the wet polished concrete skidpad demonstration should be a part of the drivers test. If you can't pass the skidpad test you shouldn't be driving. Dave, I'm glad you think your competent, competence is what we need out there.

D.

[TexRiv_63]

The latest update on the accident that started all this - the woman who backed into my wife's car has not responded to her insurance company to give a statement after multiple attempts to contact her. We have kicked it back to our insurance company so we can proceed with repairs and they will go after her. Her "don't give a sh-t" attitude about the accident obviously reflects her attitude about everything. Although the insurance is in her husband's name so it may be him driving the boat. My wife joked that they are probably in the Witness Protection Program and have been moved to another state by now!

[john2dameron]

Want to get into an interesting situation. Take a drive thru one of the southern states when an unexpected snow hits. I was coming up thru S.C. a few years ago the 1st of March and it started dumping the snow. Soon about every vehicle was doing erractic stuff. I decided the best thing to do was to check into a motel for the night. I was not worried about my ability to drive in snow but I was extremely worried about the things the other drivers were doing. Came on up I-77 the next day and could not believe the number of cars, trucks, and semi's I saw overturned in the median and there were lots of skid marks where people had gone into the median and got out or been pulled out. Same thing happened in Tennessee about 1995. Was going down I-40 and ran into freezing rain. By the time I drove from Kingsport, TN to Williamsburg KY I must have seen over 200 wrecks and some of them involved fatalities. People with no experience driving on slick roads ought to park their vehicles when the weather is bad.

[RPrice]

Unfortunately, we can't legislate against stupidity.

Rog

[Dave@Moon]

Want to get into an interesting situation. Take a drive thru one of the southern states when an unexpected snow hits.

I had a college roommate from Dallas who had moved there from New Jersey when he was in junior high school. He liked to tell the story of the time it snowed 1-3 inches, and he was off of school for 4 days.

[dan at larescorp]

I was in Germantown TN about 3 years ago when it snowed. At 9am there was about 1/4 inch cover of snow on the ground. At 10 am every business and bank closed for the day due to traffic jams and accidents. By noon all the snow was gone and it was 65*F. The entire town stayed closed until the next day. The funny part about it was in Germantown everyone is driving a nice new Benz or BMW. Just goes to show that It doesnt mater if you have a $1000 or $100,000 car. If you cant drive, you cant drive.

[Dave@Moon]

All the videos of people sliding down the street and you hear many of them just mash the accelator or brake to the floor (either way, same result). "How'd that work out for you there fella?" Being born and raised in Colorado, I do know how to drive in the snow and ice. Driven in blizzards where I couldn't see the end of my hood until I could get to a safe place. You can't fight physics, but you can make friends! If you are crapping your pants because your too scared, don't be on our roads, if you can't drive slow enough or fast enough to not be a hazard, call a cab or stay home.

And then, sometimes, you come up over a sunny hill into a shady downstretch and all hell breaks loose. :eek: See the imbedded videos in the following web page for a worst case scenario (a.k.a. a bad day in Pittsburgh): Icy Overnight Conditions Cause Many Accidents Across Area « CBS Pittsburgh

[jay144]

The sheeple forget that a driver's license is a privilege, not a right.

I think the US should have a program, such as I've heard in Germany, where you have to be 18 to get a license, and go through extensive training, including first aid courses. I understand that it cost about 2-3 thousand dollars to get your license there...

I don't own a gun because I would summarily execute some of these a-holes on the road.

[Amphicar BUYER]

...I think the US should have a program, such as I've heard in Germany, where you have to be 18 to get a license, and go through extensive training, including first aid courses. I understand that it cost about 2-3 thousand dollars to get your license there...

I agree 100%! No drivers education in most places. I usually consists of mom or dad training their kid to drive like they do. This is not a good practice! The process should also include common courtesy as well as rules of the road in addition to actual skills! Just these 2 things would save lives and reduce road rage. Most young drivers have little if any skills then add multi-tasking (texting, talking, eating etc) and there will be a funeral. Here in Colo they enacted laws that restrict the time window and passengers they can have for young drivers but still offer no provision for proper training! They can't smoke or drink or buy a lottery ticket, but here's the keys to a 3000lb weapon capable of 100+ MPH, have fun! We also have a big problem with illegals w/o any licence or ins too. But that's another thing...

[Dave@Moon]

I agree 100%! No drivers education in most places. I usually consists of mom or dad training their kid to drive like they do. This is not a good practice! The process should also include common courtesy as well as rules of the road in addition to actual skills! Just these 2 things would save lives and reduce road rage. Most young drivers have little if any skills then add multi-tasking (texting, talking, eating etc) and there will be a funeral. Here in Colo they enacted laws that restrict the time window and passengers they can have for young drivers but still offer no provision for proper training! They can't smoke or drink or buy a lottery ticket, but here's the keys to a 3000lb weapon capable of 100+ MPH, have fun! We also have a big problem with illegals w/o any licence or ins too. But that's another thing...

When my son was 16 (now 20) I had to certify that he had 20 hours of "behind the wheel" driving experience. That was it. He took the test and got his license.

My daughter is now 16. Ohio now requires I have to certify that she has 50 hours of behind the wheel experience, and she has taken a state mandated, $400.00 driver training course (same price everywhere, excellent at keeping poor kids off the road and without photo id) with 25 hours classroom and 6 hours behind the wheel with a state certified instructor. The classroom portion is universally panned as a complete waste of time. My daughter described an entire 4.25 hour day devoted to "don't text and drive", and another to "don't drive when high on drugs". She described the entire course as "Basic Common Sense", and claims to have learned almost nothing that she didn't take in there with her. (The only useful information for her was tips on whet she'd lose points for in the driver's test, i.e. letting the wheel return to a straight ahead position on it's own (and not hand-over-hand guiding it there) is a 5 point deduction.)

We'll see about the in-car stuff, that may be helpful to her. It takes a long time (after paying) to get it scheduled. The schools are swamped with students, as most of Ohio is now too poor to afford school buses and the vast majority of high school students now drive to school or get a ride from a parent. (Getting a ride from another student is tough. You have to be 18 years old to have more than one passenger in your car.) When that's done she'll get her diploma, and when I've finished spending most of the late summer and fall in the passenger seat of my car she can take her test.

State mandated driver instruction/training is no panacea.

[Sweepspear]

After the first significant snow fall, I pull into an empty parking lot and do some maneuvers with my car just to get acclimated again as to how it behaves in snow & ice. Not in a reckless manner mind you.

Plus its fun!

On a typical snowy or icy day when I pull out of the driveway I test the brakes a little to get a feel as to how slippery it is.

I have to admit, I don't think I will ever get used to anti-lock brakes. Once they activate I feel a bit helpless. I'd rather have full control of them.

[mrspeedyt]

i'm 62 and been employed as a truck driver...class a cdl doubles/triple, haz mat/tanker with millions of miles with consolidated freightways and abf... and i am still learning how to drive.

[dan at larescorp]

i'm 62 and been employed as a truck driver...class a cdl doubles/triple, haz mat/tanker with millions of miles with consolidated freightways and abf... and i am still learning how to drive.

Very true. You cannot be ready for everything. On the other hand you are at least making an effort to learn. Most people think they own the road and don't care about any one around them. Those are the same kind of people that run into you and get mad because "You were in the way". I dont believe that making things more expensive for kids is a good idea. Afer all its the parents who end up paying %90 of the time. But I do think they should make a better drivers education class. Something that tells you more then wear your seatbelt and dont text and drive. People see enough of that on tv.

[Dandy Dave]

I had to make a run from here to Buffalo yesterday to pick up a very important part for a vintage machine. Over 600 miles of driving with one near miss. Why the H#&& do people have to ride in your blind spot. Get on it and pass, or stay the H377 back. Yeah I about pooed my pants. I have to agree with most everything posted. Too much to reply to. Never mind the hits, what is the average of near misses. If she was my girl frined I would miss her alot. Dandy Dave!

Edited August 18, 2012 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[Guest]

I had to make a run from here to Buffalo yesterday to pick up a very important part for a vintage machine. Over 600 miles of driving with one near miss. Why the H#&& do people have to ride in your blind spot. Get on it and pass, or stay the H377 back. Yeah I about pooed my pants. I have to agree with most everything posted. Too much to reply to. Dandy Dave!

It's one thing when drivers just don't have a clue to what they are doing. The other problem is drivers who want for some reason to control you or traffic. If traffic is doing eight miles per hour over the limit they want to try and stop that.

After driving in California where the speed limit is 55 for cars and trucks with trailers, you enter Arizona where the speed limit is now 75 for all and you gradually come up to a caravan of large trucks in the #2 lane going 70. As you approach the convoy the last truck ( who can see you coming up ) pulls into the #1 lane and pulls right up to the lead truck in the #2 lane and will stay even for miles ( he knows what he's doing ) now your sitting behind him and now you've got a line of cars piling up behind you. Every time we go see the kids in AZ. I see this happen. There should be a law for INCITING road rage.

D.

[John_Maine]

Interesting reading about southern drivers in the snow. Pennsylvania isn't exactly southern, but in March 2002, I was heading down I81 on my way to Florida. I stopped in Hazelton, PA at McDonald's to take a bathroom break and get a shake. As I got into my car, I noticed it was spitting snow and looking off to the south, I could tell it was snowing more heavily. I was trying to get to my wife's aunt's and uncle's house in Mt. Jackson, VA for my first night, so I got back on 81 and headed south. At first, the road was dry with light blowing snow, then it turned wet and then it started to get slushy, finally getting to the point that snow was staying on the road and visibility maybe a couple hundred feet. I was in my Crown Vic and I had taken my snow tires off before leaving because I didn't want to go all the way to Florida on studded tires. I kept slowing down and yet people were passing me, going way too fast, the last couple of cars almost went off the road when they pulled in front of me. I was down to about 35 mph and had a whole line of cars behind me. Interesting that I could see cars coming down the left lane, passing the cars behind me, but when they got to me, they slowed down and pulled in behind. The only thing I can think of is that they saw the Maine plate and figured if I was going that slow, maybe they better slow down. This happened several times. Ultimately, I caught up to traffic that was basically stopped and it took a half hour to go 3 miles - which brought me to an exit. I got off the highway in Lickdale and checked into a hotel. The lobby was full and I got one of the last rooms. I talked to several people coming up from the south and they said it was really bad all the way to the Virginia line so I was glad I stopped. One couple said they were 20 miles from home but decided it was just too bad to try and make it. It was an interesting trip.