ka-mai Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Jesus Christ, Why is there such an abundant amount of shitheels in this country? I just got back from picking up my kid from school, and nearly got rear ended by some jackass TALKING ON HIS FUCKING CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH IN A SCHOOL ZONE?! Then this dickhead has the balls to flip me off for going so slow. What the fuck happened to intelligence? And if I get flipped off one more time because you can't merge on the freeway properly, I'm going to fucking shoot you. You need to be at freeway speed at the end of the on ramp. Why is this little factoid so hard to comprehend? Oh, and that little lever on the steering column? It's function is to notify others that you intend to change lanes. It's called a turn signal. Please utilize this feature. I have a ton more, but I get really mad when someone who supposedly passed a driver's examine, can't drive their car properly. God, I hate the human race... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetle Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I concur, a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withing Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Dude, don't shoot anyone, even if they deserve it. I agree with you, I hate it when people drive and talk on the phone, and I cannot stand it when people speed through school zones... I wanna shoot them too, but it's really not worth the jail time. It's really not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olga Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I hear ya, brother! I also do not understand why people don't use their turn signals. It's so basic. It is illegal in this state to talk on the cellphone in the car, unless you have a hands-free model. There is legislation being considered that would make it illegal to use ALL kinds of cell phones in the car. (I'm talking about the driver, of course). Fine by me. I'm glad you got home without punching someone. olga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ka-mai Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks for the replies everyone. Oh, and Pat, not to worry. I don't carry a firearm anymore, and even if I still did, there is no excuse for shooting people just because they are a little stupid when it comes to driving. I was just sincerely pissed when I posted that. I tend to get a bit more aggressive when my kids are in the car with me. Like I once said before, if you hit my car and you were talking on a cell phone, you better be hurt, because I guarantee, you will be, particularly if one of my children is in my vehicle. (Yes, I am a bit overprotective of my kids, isn't everyone?) Olga, it is also illegal in my state to drive and use a cell phone unless it's hands free. But since it is a secondary offense (you have to be pulled over for something else first.), no one is complying. On a drive last week, in a twenty minute stretch, I counted no less than 30 people driving and talking (or texting?) on their damn phones. You know, I have a cell phone, and when I drive I use my hands free. I'm still scratching my head as to why a bluetooth or hands free device is such a big deal. Now, realize I'm talking about people that can afford one. If you are driving a Hummer (gag), 30 bucks won't break you to comply with the state law. I can sort of understand if you can't afford one, but really, is it going to kill you if can't talk to someone on your phone for the 30-45 minutes that you will be driving? I won't even bother with texting. Just knock it off, okay? People are always so cocky when it comes to issues like this: "Oh, you are not talking about me, I can make a sandwich, make a phone call, balance my checkbook, and check the box scores all while driving"! Bullshit. And ladies, will you for christ sake stop trying to drive while applying your eye makeup? The rearview mirror was not designed for this task. Put your war paint on at home. I would love to see the stats, but I will bet you cash money that some chick has had to have one of those applicators surgically removed. The girls I see doing this have their head about 3 inches away from the mirror. Makes it tough to see the car on front of you, don't it? Anyway, thanks for putting up with all of my foul language and angry comments. But seriously, I'm coming around to the fact that there are just too many idiots in the world, and many of them drive, put on make up, text, etc...all while driving, even though it's obvious that just driving tests their limits. Sometimes I wonder how the human race got this far. Blah, Martin edited for spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ophelia Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I hate other drivers... stupid drivers. Living wear I do... well... I have had to become a very good defensive driver! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deepster Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Don't know if I should or even could add too much to what has already been stated. I for one will not talk on my cell while driving. If I get a call, or need to make a call, I look for the safest and most convenient place to pull off the road. My "four-lane road" to work is not access controlled so there are all kinds of "other roads" with nothing but stop signs to control access. Yet, this is still a "60 MPH" highway. I'm stressed everyday looking at people preparing to enter the highway......cellphone to ear, and often looking in the opposite direction from which I am approaching. I'll be glad to see when all 50 states totally ban on road use of cell phones. It's pointless. It's useless. It's downright usafe! I in no way advocate going back to the days of "coin phone" usage, but cellphone abuse has become downright hazardous! Thanks for everyone's concurrence! Deepster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withing Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I won't say that I *never* talk on the phone when I'm driving because I have been guilty of it a time or two - but I try to be extra careful when I do. However, having said that, I hardly ever talk on the phone while driving because, really there's usually nothing that important to say... the few times I'm talking on the phone while driving it's usually when I'm looking for a house or building and someone's "talking me down" - I just can't find it without them saying "okay, are you at this place? now turn right..." I don't know how I ever found my way around strange areas before the invention of cell phones. Oh yeah, I pulled over and asked directions at every convenience store between me and my destination. I'm not trying to justify my talking on the phone while driving 'cause I'm just as guilty as the next person - but I'll say that I do try to pay attention to the road around me, even while I'm on the phone. I don't have a blue-tooth 'cause my phone won't work with them, but I'd use one if it did. I used to have an earpiece, but it broke. But, ka-mai, I feel your anger... I get just as pissed at idiot drivers, and it's not just people on the phone either. Some people just don't pay attention, or they simply think they own the road and everyone else should just get out of their way. Those are the ones I want to run the hell over. Right now I live in an itty bitty town so it's not as bad (except the college brats who think that they can waltz out in front of every car without looking 'cause we'll all stop...), but when I lived in VA, oh boy was my language colorful in the car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liveoak Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 path, i hear you about the college students. Tonight I was driving through the university on my way home, and a kid jay-walked right in front of my car. At dusk. Wearing dark clothes. I damn near hit him. WHEW. I know that pedestrians have the right of way, but damn, use the cross walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit37 Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I recently almost rear-ended someone because they *stopped* on the on-ramp. Why? Too busy talking on their cell phone! I actually had to go around them! Talk about wanting to shoot someone... Call the police and complain about the school zone. For a long time, we had a police car in the midst of the school zone, there were STILL idiots who sped, but they got tickets, heh heh. We've have college crosswalks here, and students will step out in front of an oncoming car. God, that irritates me. Common sense says wait til they stop or pass you. Snotty little brats... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickler Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Since I've been on the receiving end of a hit-and-run, and I get tailgated by giant pickup trucks all the time, I've thought about putting radiator harpoons on the rear of my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Generica Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Radiator harpoons, LOL... I want some! I think that not indicating your intention to change lanes, turn a corner, etc is the height of arrogance & superiority - a sense of owning the road & no obligation to other road users to let them know your unpredictable behavior. Other things that really piss me off: - brake first, indicate that you're turning later.... grrr. Cars & especially trucks that sit in the overtaking lane. Either keeping the same pace as the car beside them so no-one can get past. Or worse, doing 10-20 mph less than the speed limit in the overtaking lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LikeMinded Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I dunno... having lived all across the country, I have to say that the best and most consistent drivers are in the central Midwestern US and some points southwards (e.g., Indianapolis, Nashville, Charlotte). Driving up where I live has been likened to the Autobahn... although everybody generally knows what they're doing, properly using turn signals, having merge and lane courtesy, etc. etc., they're also going twice the speed limit, and anybody also not doing so will be treated with extreme prejudice by local motorists. Running red lights is also the norm and is something I've almost been rear-ended over this issue multiple times. Basically, if you have any chance for your car to be IN the intersection by the time the light turns red, you haul it through. And talking on cellphones... yeah, ugh. I'm too ADD to do that and haven't even put my handsfree unit in my car yet (I never bother answering the cell whilst driving, anyways). I have applied for job positions that will probably require having to talk on the phone whilst driving (even if through a handsfree unit) and I'm not looking forward to having to do that. And don't even get me started on those buffoons who turn up their radios and care more about singing along to their favorite song by the Exies rather than they do the the road... wait, is there a fifth I can plead here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjeff Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'm a timid and paranoid enough driver as it is. I've had to give up on the freeway. I could be going ten mph over and still get passed, honked at and flipped off. People in Utah treat the streets and especially the freeway like their own personal autobahn. I never, ever answer my cell in the car unless I can pull over somewhere and it damn well better be an emergency. My biggest pet peeve though is tailgaters. When these assholes get behind me I'll slow down until they get pissed enough to change lanes. After all, the closer you are; the slower the safer right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withing Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 My biggest pet peeve though is tailgaters. When these assholes get behind me I'll slow down until they get pissed enough to change lanes. After all, the closer you are; the slower the safer right? I do that too. It pisses me off when they get that close. I mean I usually do just above the speek limit and everyone else out there must think that the speed limit is "just a suggestion" because someone is always crawling up my ass!!!! :) So I slow the fuck down until they pass me. Fuck 'em. If they're in that much of a hurry they can go the fuck around me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdjeff Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 My biggest pet peeve though is tailgaters. When these assholes get behind me I'll slow down until they get pissed enough to change lanes. After all, the closer you are; the slower the safer right? I do that too. It pisses me off when they get that close. I mean I usually do just above the speek limit and everyone else out there must think that the speed limit is "just a suggestion" because someone is always crawling up my ass!!!! :) So I slow the fuck down until they pass me. Fuck 'em. If they're in that much of a hurry they can go the fuck around me. A-fuckin-men Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scatty Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I hate when people stop in the middle of the street. No turn signal, no reason to just stop. They just sit there like they are texting or something. I hope they all get rear ended! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kei13 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'm glad I don't drive a 1983 Bronco, although if often wishI did, cause I would, indeed, ram into stupid ass drivers' cars!!!! By the way if you ever vacation in PR make sure you don't drive, use taxis or other arranged transportation. Here "Stop" signs mean "Yield', The emergency lane is also a passing lane. Rural area two-way roads are only about 15' wide (which means there's about a foot, or so, gap in between veichles driving at 40mph in curvy, narrow, steep roads) People will stop in the middle of the road, not to text or dial phone calls... but actually to shake hands, say hi and chat with an acquaintance in the car next to him. Blinkers are useless AND unused; if you want to switch lanes and put your blinker on, the other drivers will speed up so you don't switch in front of them... etc. etc. etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nalgas Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 re: people tailgating, if you're in the right (or left, depending on which part of the world you're in) lane, or whichever one is the traveling/'slow" lane, and you're going a reasonable speed, that's totally their bad, and you may yell at them all you want for being bad people, and they should just go around you. However, if you're in one of the faster/passing lanes, especially if you're going slower than the speed of the flow of traffic (regardless of the actual speed limit), they have every right to be annoyed at you (although they still shouldn't be tailgating). I'm too lazy to cite anything, because I just woke up, but in a lot of situations like that, more accidents are caused by going a different speed from the flow of traffic than by going over the speed limit (within reason, of course; if the speed limit's 60, and everyone's going 70, you're safer going 70 along with them than obstinately going 60, but if they're trying to do 100 on a road that obviously can't accommodate that...well, in that extreme of a case, probably get off the road until the nutjobs leave, heh). They still shouldn't be tailgating anyone, but there are situations where the tailgatee pretty much invites it on themselves by disrupting the flow of traffic (not that I'm suggesting that applies to anyone on here, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scatty Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 re: people tailgating, if you're in the right (or left, depending on which part of the world you're in) lane, or whichever one is the traveling/'slow" lane, and you're going a reasonable speed, that's totally their bad, and you may yell at them all you want for being bad people, and they should just go around you. However, if you're in one of the faster/passing lanes, especially if you're going slower than the speed of the flow of traffic (regardless of the actual speed limit), they have every right to be annoyed at you (although they still shouldn't be tailgating). I'm too lazy to cite anything, because I just woke up, but in a lot of situations like that, more accidents are caused by going a different speed from the flow of traffic than by going over the speed limit (within reason, of course; if the speed limit's 60, and everyone's going 70, you're safer going 70 along with them than obstinately going 60, but if they're trying to do 100 on a road that obviously can't accommodate that...well, in that extreme of a case, probably get off the road until the nutjobs leave, heh). They still shouldn't be tailgating anyone, but there are situations where the tailgatee pretty much invites it on themselves by disrupting the flow of traffic (not that I'm suggesting that applies to anyone on here, etc.). Oh yeah, you pretty much have to go the speed of traffic on the highway. At least in Boston. Then again, if you are more than 6 ft from the car in front of you, people think nothing of trying to squeeze right in. Usually going 80 mph or more. I used to drive through Boston when I was 16. It's really a wonder I wasn't killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Generica Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 A friend of mine is a horrendous tailgater. I hate being in the car with her. I spend most of my time with my braking foot automatically going to the floor as she rides the ass of every car that goes in front of her, even heading into intersections & roundabouts. I keep waiting for the crash. I usually suggest I drive us places these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resonance Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I think a lot of people don't know or remember what constitutes a safe following distance at different speeds (edit: stopping distance is longer). As well as underestimating their reaction time. A number of places recommend allowing two full seconds of reaction time, measured by counting seconds between when the end of the car in front of you passes an object (like a pole) and when you arrive at the object. At *thirty* miles per hour, that's about 88 feet. (48 kph / 27 meters) At *seventy* miles per hour, that's about 205 feet. (113 kph / 40 meters) That's about 2/3 the length of an American football field and about twice the length of a football field other places, if the internet tells me right. The reality is that if you travel a safe distance from the car in front of you, someone will take that as an invitation to reduce the safe distance by changing into your lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickler Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Around here, you put on your blinker about a half-second before you make the lane change, or the person in the other lane may accelerate and cut you off. People in different areas of Houston drive differently, but mostly ridiculously fast. In the snooty areas, people think their obvious wealth means that all the peons should get out of their way, including those on foot (see below). In more Latino immigrant parts of town, folks learned to drive in Mexico, or learned to drive from someone who learned to drive in Mexico, so if it rolls at all they're doing 80 in it. You also see these guys (always male) in giant dually diesel trucks with the welding rig on the back, and they always drive like it's the Indy 500 or something. I think there must be some rule that you can't be a welder unless you drive like a maniac. The street racers are probably the most dangerous, though, because they tend to really zip up out of nowhere doing 90 or such, weaving in and out. On the other hand, you have the southern driving style on surface streets, which is typified by the "You go first, honey," at stop signs and/or generally driving more reasonably. Starting to become less common, though, as the aggressive drivers push the non-aggressive drivers to become more aggressive. ( ) My wife was nearly run over a few years ago on her way from the bus stop to work by a rich young woman in a fancy car. The Rich Bitch (RB) pulled into the shopping center, almost hitting my wife, then got out of the car and shouted " You should have got out of my way faster!" before going into a store. My wife waited until the RB went into the store, took her keys out of her purse and proceeded to walk around the RB's car with them, gouging a nice deep line and producing a sunken groove all the way. The RB came out of the store and started screaming, while my wife calmly walked across the intersection and eluded her in the crowd of other people going to work and the traffic. Wow, I really love my wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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