Aggressive drivers

[Mikej]

So many traffic issues, accidents, congestion could be lessened if people, simply, followed the basic rules when they are behind the wheel. And other unwritten rules that fall under basic courtesy. It's that simple. All those little rules being followed by all drivers would do a world of good to ease traffic problems. It's not the so called AH-es that cause traffic problem. It's the drivers not following the rules of the road.

Best of luck for your daughter in learning how to drive properly. Maybe we could get lucky and have a new generation of drivers coming to the road ways that take driving seriously. I won't be holding my breath though.

 

[revjen45]

1) Teaching young 'uns to drive is not for the faint of heart.
2) I have found that Calif. drivers seem to "get it" vis-à-vis how to get where you're going. In the DPRK (may have changed) traffic is moving @ 70-75 mph about 10' apart, and there was/is some semblance of courtesy. When we moved to WA ('92) I immediately noticed that nobody knew how to drive - to the point of being scary. I got used to it and now my wife says I drive like always lived here.
3) The BEST way to learn survival driving is to ride a motorsickle*. You will either learn or quit due to death or injury. BTW, there's nothing like riding a '41 Indian Chief for getting looks - which is a good thing since people often don't see bikes.
4) Since I carry a piece when out and about it is imperative that I don't piss other people off. The last thing I need to do is precipitate a lethal encounter over some perceived slight in traffic. I use the Cheyenne warriors' mantra for dealing with life's minor-to-moderate annoyances: "A dog has pissed on my tipi."
5) When driving it's best to remember what you're trying to accomplish, i.e. to get somewhere without injury or damage. This requires paying attention to traffic and driving your car, not talking on the phone or checking e-mails. Aggressive driving, flipping people off, etc. are not conducive to getting to your destination.

*Yup, The Grim Reaper's own sled. He rides an Indian.

 

[P7M13]

Some drivers are never happy unless they are in front of the car that is in front of them.

Lead Dog syndrome.

No, instead he got all pissed off that someone dared to slow him down for a nanosecond, and instead of slowing down slightly, he came at her full speed and slammed on the brakes. People with that sort of disposition shouldn't even be driving.

Did you watch his eyes the entire time? More likely, he was looking at his cell phone or simply not looking ahead.

Maybe the good drivers are staying home?

What we are considering good drivers are the folks who are non-aggressive, or even cautious. The ones who tend to exercise less caution or act aggressively would less likely obey the stay at home edict.

Self check is the answer. Always use it when it's available.

Simple math, looking at the lines and guestimating the average time a self-checker makes it through. Knowing the self check system and it's level of effectiveness.

If you have a car equipped with collision avoidance/warning system, turn it on for your kids. If it is programmed well, it will serve as an "aggressive driver" warning system. The ideal situation is to never make it beep. HOWEVER, turn it on ONLY after considering this:

• Collision warning / avoidance is only as good as the programming that went into it. Code reuse in systems now will likely result in bad code being used in the collision avoidance.
• The response mechanism following the warning is the least desirable scenario : slam on the brakes.
• The autonomic response of collision avoidance has taken human out of the "drive by wire" loop. A human overriding the response will result in a delay which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. It is typically 1-2 seconds, enough to guarantee the crash.
• The two worst examples of "Collision Avoidance" gone haywire for me happened driving freeway speeds. The first is changing lanes on 26 near the vista ridge tunnel, light traffic time, from middle to right lane. 10+ car length gap that I am merging into in the right lane, the car in front of me hits the brakes hard. My car slams on the brakes while I am halfway between lanes. Ten car gap turned into nothing as I override and accelerate. 2nd example, driving in SLC following a dark truck. Sun is bright, passing under a long overpass with dark shadow line on ground. As truck ahead crosses line, it functionally "disappears" and the dark shadow line on the pavement becomes the truck. My vehicle slams on the brakes at 70mph.

@CLT65 , you know how your kids think. I am currently teaching my youngest, which involves preaching a lot: think ahead, deliberate actions, if you're second guessing don't do it, be aware of all the vehicles around you and assume they do not see you, never travel in the blind spot of another vehicle, repeatedly check your surroundings and blind spots, etc. So far, so good.

 

[MannyGlocks]

Take a look at the "Pet Peeve" thread.

The majority of complaints?

Drivers endlessly complaining about other drivers as if they owned the roads.

 

[nwslopoke]

When I lived in Germany in the early 90s, at least in the area I lived in they had what the called, the 3rd lane. On a 2 lane B road like hwy 47 or hwy 26 heading to the coast, you could pass even with oncoming traffic by splitting the dotted yellow line. Cars on either side would give you extra space.

No one blocked you or did anything stupid. They just gave way and everyone moved on with their lives. Cannot imagine that ever happening here.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I'm going to make up a sign for the back of my car that says "Stop driving like you're still in CommieFornia"

 

[Camelfilter]

I'm going to make up a sign for the back of my car that says "Stop driving like you're still in CommieFornia"

I've a heavy duty pintle hook on the back of my truck...So very rarely get bumper riders.

It's really quite interesting, as when I take a similar route in the wife's SUV how close folks tend to get.

I'm thinking I'll install a tow hitch receiver on the SUV and throw a bumper guard/step on it.

Been thinking on doing such anyways to act as a simple bash guard for backing up.

 

[RVTECH]

Im thinking of installing a momentary contact switch that turns on the brake lights without having to push the brake pedal for the 65 MPH tailgaters!

 

[CLT65]

@CLT65 , you know how your kids think. I am currently teaching my youngest, which involves preaching a lot: think ahead, deliberate actions, if you're second guessing don't do it, be aware of all the vehicles around you and assume they do not see you, never travel in the blind spot of another vehicle, repeatedly check your surroundings and blind spots, etc. So far, so good.

Sounds like we think a lot alike. I've been teaching her the same stuff. I've had Smith System training at work; it really makes you think. When you're behind the wheel, you are responsible every single second for a huge, powerful bullet hurtling down the road. You have to focus 100% of the time. No messing with your phone, daydreaming, watching the scenery, etc.. Don't let anyone or anything distract you from your primary responsibility.

I think this is a primary difference between the U.S. and other countries. Some friends were talking once, and they'd both lived out of the U.S. in the past, one in Europe and the other in Ecuador. The one expressed the opinion that there was something wrong with Americans, because the people in Europe drove like maniacs and there were rarely accidents. The drove extremely close together and very fast. The other guy said that when everyone drives like that, you have no choice but to be completely focused at all times.

Also, here we get all upset and ready to sue over the tiniest door ding in a parking lot. There, their cars are often all dinged up just because of the way everyone drives. My friend from Ecuador also said that while their may be fewer accidents, when their was an accident, lots of people would die.

A co-worker told me his wife intentionally camps in the fast lane and maintains at or slightly below the posted limit. Her reason? To punish speeders and law breakers. My mother in law will do the same thing, but not with malice...she is just a complete and total rule follower.

That's so bad. I tell my kids never try to punish or "teach a lesson" to some other driver on the road. Unless you're crazier than they are, they will end up teaching you a lesson. You're responsibility is for your safety. If someone else is doing something wrong, just get out of their way, and stay away from crazy.

I knew a guy who said he once got a ticket for doing the speed limit in the fast lane. He was incensed; the ticket was for impeding traffic. The cop told him it was "my job to stop speeders, and your job to stay out of their way".

Did you watch his eyes the entire time? More likely, he was looking at his cell phone or simply not looking ahead.

That is possible, I suppose. It was a fairly slow speed encounter, 25mph zone. The way he laid on his horn I assumed he was just a jerk.

 

[AshWilliams]

I have a teenage daughter with a learner's and I know exactly what you mean.

We were driving down a rural road with magnets stuck on the front, back, and doors of the car that read, "Student driver. Please be patient." This colossal white truck gets behind us and completely rides our bumper. She gets nervous and I told her that we're bound to encounter bubblegums like this and to focus on the road. Suddenly, he pulls around us to pass and accelerates full throttle into oncoming traffic. My daughter not knowing any better maintains speed and doesn't slow down to let him pass as he hurtles towards his doom. At the last minute he completely cuts her off and speeds away. After he cut us off I gave him two middle fingers unable to control myself. I mean, what part of those magnet signs did he not understand?!

 

[Diamondback]

A co-worker told me his wife intentionally camps in the fast lane and maintains at or slightly below the posted limit. Her reason? To punish speeders and law breakers. My mother in law will do the same thing, but not with malice...she is just a complete and total rule follower.

Probably best not to say what I think about that sort of mentality....

We call them "Karens."

Want scary? Be a pedestrian crossing a major intersection where semis habitually blow through red lights and otherwise try to run you over at least once every other day... and that's just the start of your morning as you head out the door.

 

[P7M13]

A co-worker told me his wife intentionally camps in the fast lane and maintains at or slightly below the posted limit. Her reason? To punish speeders and law breakers.

Personally, I despise people like that.
I had a rice burner doing 62 in the left lane between Brooks and Woodburn. I come upon it, flash my lights, and it doesn't move over. So I move over to pass on the right. It accelerates and move in front of me and slows down. I move over to the left lane to pass, it gets in front of me again, then moves over to the shoulder and throws gravel. To me, that's a declaration of war, but I don't play freeway hijinx and certainly don't have a vehicle with the acceleration or horsepower to crush the car and liquefy its contents as I would like. He insists on the left lane. OK, give him space. I wait until he's stuck in a pick, move to the right and pass. Don't see him for another 20 miles when I slow for the 217 ramp, and he guns his engine as he passes me like he accomplished something. Smile and wave....

We call them "Karens."

I just learned that term yesterday from some friends. It's generic for anal white folk, and i think an apt description.

After he cut us off I gave him two middle fingers unable to control myself. I mean, what part of those magnet signs did he not understand?!

You failed her on three levels. Didn't alert her that the guy gave no consideration to the magnets; didn't advise her to slow down once he started his move, lost your cool and flipped him the bird.

 

[CLT65]

Want scary? Be a pedestrian crossing a major intersection where semis habitually blow through red lights and otherwise try to run you over at least once every other day... and that's just the start of your morning as you head out the door.

I've got a funny story, or at least it was funny at the time. I have noticed that in the small-ish town where we live, there are actually a fairly high percentage of considerate drivers. We really notice the rude jerks, but when you pay attention you start to notice the considerate ones too. One thing in particular that I've seen is that most people around here will stop for pedestrians at a cross-walk, sometimes even when they don't have to.

Some years back a co-worker was here from Dallas, TX. We had walked across the street for lunch. On the way back we were coming up to the cross walk, and I mentioned how I'd noticed that folks around here will always stop for you. This was a cross-walk on a fairly busy road, where there wasn't any light or stop signs. He replied that in Dallas, you'd get run over if you didn't watch yourself really close. I said not here. He looked out at traffic and deliberately stepped one foot out off the curb.

It was like parting the Red Sea! Traffic both ways screeched to a halt as we walked across. I was embarrassed but he had a big stupid grin on his face.

 

[AshWilliams]

Personally, I despise people like that.
I had a rice burner doing 62 in the left lane between Brooks and Woodburn. I come upon it, flash my lights, and it doesn't move over. So I move over to pass on the right. It accelerates and move in front of me and slows down. I move over to the left lane to pass, it gets in front of me again, then moves over to the shoulder and throws gravel. To me, that's a declaration of war, but I don't play freeway hijinx and certainly don't have a vehicle with the acceleration or horsepower to crush the car and liquefy its contents as I would like. He insists on the left lane. OK, give him space. I wait until he's stuck in a pick, move to the right and pass. Don't see him for another 20 miles when I slow for the 217 ramp, and he guns his engine as he passes me like he accomplished something. Smile and wave....
I just learned that term yesterday from some friends. It's generic for anal white folk, and i think an apt description.

You failed her on three levels. Didn't alert her that the guy gave no consideration to the magnets; didn't advise her to slow down once he started his move, lost your cool and flipped him the bird.

I agree with you on flipping the bird. As for advising her to slow down, it happened so fast i didn't get a chance to. And yeah, we had previously had the discussion that bubblegums will be bubblegums and to not be concerned with impatient tailgaters and to focus on the road.

As for the driver of the truck, his juvenile impatience and wreckless disregard for others could have created a far worse scenario.

 

[Pete F]

I've got a funny story, or at least it was funny at the time. I have noticed that in the small-ish town where we live, there are actually a fairly high percentage of considerate drivers. We really notice the rude jerks, but when you pay attention you start to notice the considerate ones too. One thing in particular that I've seen is that most people around here will stop for pedestrians at a cross-walk, sometimes even when they don't have to.

Some years back a co-worker was here from Dallas, TX. We had walked across the street for lunch. On the way back we were coming up to the cross walk, and I mentioned how I'd noticed that folks around here will always stop for you. This was a cross-walk on a fairly busy road, where there wasn't any light or stop signs. He replied that in Dallas, you'd get run over if you didn't watch yourself really close. I said not here. He looked out at traffic and deliberately stepped one foot out off the curb.

It was like parting the Red Sea! Traffic both ways screeched to a halt as we walked across. I was embarrassed but he had a big stupid grin on his face.

In the mid-80's, my wife and I went to visit her folks in Dallas. It was legal to drink and drive and you almost had to. Cars making 5 lane crossovers to the offramp with no advance notice and very little space to accomplish it. They had one of the biggest malls in the country at the tiime and we almost got run over by a car doing 20 to 25mph in reverse in the parking garage.

The only scarier State that I drove in was Massachusetts. Total offensive driving. That is why your license plate goes with you and not the car - highest insurance rates in the country. Of course we were driving a 65 Plymouth Fury with duct tape over the top of the wheel wells, Florida plates with a Massacusits inspection sticker (MA car with plates from a Chevelle from FL that died on the way). Long story short, we got pulled over once and Rip VanWinkle from Walla Walla Washington (TRUE Story) was driving. The cop looked at the license plate and the inspection sticker and the drivers license and told us to drive more carefully. He didn't want to spend the rest of his shift trying to explain it in a report. We didn't want to spend the money for MA plates. It would have been more than the car cost - $700.

 

[billdeserthills]

You wanna see something scary, come for a drive in Arizona--we have losers from every state here, all trying their dumb pet tricks on the streets

 

[Diamondback]

You wanna see something scary, come for a drive in Arizona--we have losers from every state here, all trying their dumb pet tricks on the streets

Is that including Cannonball fans?

 

[WWShooter]

Long ago (28 years) I sent my daughter to driving school so she could learn how not to hit things. When she got her license, I taught her how to drive on Southern California freeways. She said she learned more about survival from me than she ever did in her licensed school.

It's like anything else - situational awareness, anticipating what can go wrong and being prepared. She's about the only driver I really feel completely comfortable trusting with my life - both on basic safety and on getting on down the road efficiently.

 

[Ducati_Meister]

I can't stand antsy drivers as they are one of the reasons our insurance goes up statistically speaking. For my job, I often drive police vehicles back to the fleet facility after equipment gets installed, I find it interesting that people drive better as they are spooked by unmarked and marked units lol. Interesting dynamic nonetheless.

 

[CLT65]

I've got a friend, good guy, a likeable guy. I won't ride with him in a car though, if I can avoid it. He's about the most high-strung, anxious driver I've ever seen. He gets red in the face angry if anyone slows him down or irritates him. Ridiculous. There's just no point in being that way.

I rode with my daughter again this afternoon. She's been getting comfortable driving around town in very light traffic, so I've been pushing her a little. I had her merge into traffic turning left onto the main drag in town. She hesitated and I had to tell her to go, punch it. Traffic was light, plenty of room and no danger, but cars were coming. One guy probably had to slow down slightly because she hesitated. Again, plenty of room and no danger, but he just had to honk his horn at her. I told her to ignore it, won't be the last time. The guy passed us maybe 1/4 mile down the road. Just a punk kid in a fast little car.

She just needs a bunch more experience to gain some confidence. She'll do fine. I talk about focus and things to watch for every time we go out. I've been driving so long I forget just how much there is to watch for on the road, unpredictable things other drivers may do. I told her that she needs to especially watch out for teenage girls learning to drive. They're especially dangerous.