Is it just me, or are people driving a lot worse than normal?

This year has been interesting so far, but something that I have been noticing that is really bothering me, is that it seems like people are driving even worse than normal. I see people stopping at stop lights 3-4 car lengths behind the car ahead of them. This causes the line to back up so far that it sometimes blocks access to the right turn lane for those who would not normally wait for the light to turn green.

Then I see these people driving 5 under the speed limit when i usually drive 5 over. It would not be so bad, because I would normally just go around them, but now its like they line up side by side so that you can not go around them.

Then you get those people who sit at the left turn light when it turns green, making it so that the last 2-3 cars who should have made the light are stuck waiting.

Now I understand that these are normal everyday things, but it has become worse this year. It is also not related to the time of day, because it is happening all the time it seems like.

Anybody else noticing this in their areas?

Let me join your rant. I truly lost it this evening coming home from town. I was stopped at a red light, during rush hour and there was this jerk behind me beeping his horn at me because I wouldn't floor it and make a right turn into traffic when I was at a red light in the first place.

I almost never lose my temper, but when someone keeps pushing my buttons, I have a fierce temper when pushed too far. So, after the third time he beeped at me...I slammed on the e-break and jumped out of my car and freaked out on that idiot. He didn't know what was coming...I swear to God.... I turned into the biggest psycho bitch ever...and started calling the cops on my cell phone...I thought he was going to crap himself. Why do people have to act like that?

Jen, if they knew that you were in the neighbor hood, I'll bet they would think twice before acting stupid. Honest, that wasen't me, I live a few states south.


where did that 11 come from??


























11

[edit on 2-4-2008 by whaaa]

Originally posted by evo80
I see people stopping at stop lights 3-4 car lengths behind the car ahead of them.

Well that is a little to far, but I am a new driver, and they teach to stop 1-2 car lengths behind the car in front of you, as a safety measure so you can either move into another lane without backing up or to pull up incase a car is coming to fast behind you.

reply to post by evo80


I'm one of those people who leave some space between me and the car in front of me at stop lights. I have been rear ended and pushed into the car in front of me. I don't leave 3 or 4 spaces, but I leave a car length or so.

People who complain, in my opinion, about somebody not going 5 miles over the speed limit, are people who don't leave enough time to get to where they are going.

Really, does going 5 miles over the spead limit get you anywhere faster?

Originally posted by Enthralled Fan
reply to post by evo80

 

People who complain, in my opinion, about somebody not going 5 miles over the speed limit, are people who don't leave enough time to get to where they are going.

Really, does going 5 miles over the spead limit get you anywhere faster?

Its not that I think these people should be driving 5 over the limit, but at least try to drive the speed limit. The speed limits are so conservative anyway, so driving another 5-7 miles under those limits is too much. Again, that is normal everyday stuff. I am complaining because I am noticing more and more people doing this, but also they seem to line up side by side and make it impossible to go around them.

Going 5 over can get you to places faster, but it really is not that much faster. Also depending on the lights and traffic, it can be possible not to get to your destination any faster. I do not mind people who drive the speed limit, and I do the speed limit when I am not heading anywhere specific like work.

I guess what we need are true 'slow' and 'fast' lanes. Then the slow pokes can not ride side by side in a contest of who can hold up the most traffic haha.

reply to post by evo80


Your idea about the fast and slow lanes holds true for some of the areas I have lived in. For instance, I have to go to Baton Rouge a few times a month and people get ticketed all the time for riding in the left hand lane, unless they are turning, or passing. That hasn't happened to me, but to other people I know. I don't know if that rule applies where you live, so you might want to check to be on the safe side.

I never get in a hurry to go anywhere, so, people who speed are one of the reasons I try to stay off the road during morning and evening rush hours. I had to take somebody to the Dr's office last week for an 8 a.m. appointment, went the 55 mph speed limit, and had people whipping around me like they were heading to some place giving something away for free! Crazy.

Truthfully though, I think that people are driving slower to conserve gasoline lately. That might be the reason you see this more often now.

I was going to start a topic on this yesterday but my dog ate my keyboard.
All jokes aside.I drive for a living so I get to see people in action every single day.........ALL day.
1.)My biggest pet peeve is people who talk on cell phones while doing 10kmh under the speed limit and meandering over the white line.
2.)Women who feel the need to apply make-up while driving.
3.)People who have unruly yard apes in the mini van and can't look at the road.
4.) Men who shave while driving.Yes, I saw it last week and he was using an electric in case anyone was wondering.
5.) The person who takes the cake had a newspaper spread out across his steering wheel,talking on a cell phone and drinking coffee.

Alberta is looking at banning cell phone use while driving and I hope it becomes law.
The drivers in this city get worse every day.

AAAAAHHHH I hate it too when people are on their cell phones trying to drive. They totally lose focus on the important task of DRIVING. Its funny because if you pass them and give them a mean look, they have no idea why you are upset at them, because they were not paying any attention to the road.
I am all for a law against driving while on a cell phone.

I saw something similar to the newspaper thing as well, but instead it was a map. An older guy and his wife were BOTH looking at the map while he was trying to 'drive.'

reply to post by evo80


I live in an area of "tree huggers" & "earth muffins." They are liberals who drive a lot of Subaru's. They are the most passive aggressive drivers around. All of them claim to be peace loving, anti-war, and freedom people, yet are the rudest and angriest ones around! Too bad they don't live by their creed!

I almost got in a car accident with a cop, all partly because he didn't make himself noticeable, he didn't turn on his sirens, it was when he was about to cross the crossroad that I even notice him. Yeah his lights were on, but to be honest it was daylight and I couldn't see it, not to mention the cars and trucks on the other three lane of the four lane road was much pretty blocking my view of him. I managed to stop before we were about clash because I saw something moving at my peripherals, when he stop, he gave me a dirty look, and drove off.

And I doubt he even had anything important, he just simply turned off his lights and sirens after he crossed the road, he just didn't want to wait for the lights to turn green.

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However three things that tick me off while driving:
1) People who text message while driving. I don't mind people who drive as long as they have their eyes on the road.
2) Aggressive Highway drivers, you know those people who drive like 100mphs, do zig-zag in tight space, and try to tailgate you because you don't drive fast enough.

Things that I find humorous:
1) When people generously gives you the right of way at a four-way or three-way stop at night, not knowing that you really can't see them since their headlights blinds you. So for about 10 seconds, their is this moment of awkwardness. Where both care would inch forward, but would stop and then start simultaneously because both are now not sure when to move. Good Times.

[edit on 5-4-2008 by skyblueff0]