Or a Peter Sellers wannabe:
Posted on 07/17/2006 8:41:13 AM PDT by Smogger
Are you really a good, conscientious driver, or are your driving habits the behind-the-wheel equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard to everyone else on the road?
A recent survey of 10,000 drivers conducted by Hagerty Insurance, a company that insures collector cars, determined the 10 things that exasperate other drivers the most:
10. You're taking a carefree spin down the road when you notice that the car in front of you has its turn signal on ... and on ... and on. Five or 10 miles later, your left eye twitching, you realize the other driver is clueless to the fact their indicator is on. You have just experienced the 10th-biggest irritation, according to the drivers surveyed.
9. Ah, men. Running a little late for work, they often can be seen grooming and shaving while driving. To be certain, this is never an issue for those of us of the female persuasion. Heads up, gentlemen. Grooming while driving was ranked as the ninth-most annoying driver behavior.
8. Due to the fact that I get into deep hot water with motorcycle riders every time I write something negative about motorcycles driving in between lanes, I feel it necessary to post the following disclaimer: I did not conduct the survey. Hagerty Insurance did. That said, the survey concluded that motorcycles that split lanes are No. 8 on the list of what infuriates drivers the most.
7. If you have been told on more than one occasion that you are a good candidate for an anger-management class, you should be aware that those of you who take your rage out on the road are the seventh-most disliked drivers.
6. Do you find that reaching up and turning on that pesky turn signal is more effort than you care to expend while driving? Not bothering to use your turn signal is the sixth-most irksome thing you can do when behind the wheel.
5. If you are a driver with a superiority complex, beware. If you speed up to keep other people from changing lanes or passing you, you were ranked as the fifth-biggest irritation on the road.
4. Some drivers weave in and out of lanes for the precious advantage of arriving at their destination two minutes earlier than those silly folks who actually drive safely. Traffic weavers, you have been forewarned -- you are the fourth-most reviled drivers.
3. You look in your rear-view mirror and see another car driving within inches of your rear bumper. If you were to stop suddenly, the driver behind you would no doubt be meeting you in your front seat for lunch. The survey found that the third-most exasperating driver is the tailgater.
2. If you've got to drive slow, you better know where to go. Those who putz in the fast lane ranked as the second-biggest driving annoyance.
1. And the Big Kahuna, the No. 1 act that survey respondents said made them grind their teeth down to a pulp when they saw other drivers doing it? You guessed it -- chatting on the cell phone. Some 28.5 percent of those surveyed would like you to hang it up the next time you hit the road.
How many women have I seen putting on mascara or lipstick while driving?
I'll second that - although, I did see a guy using an electric shaver, ONCE, while we were all stopped in traffic. It was a bit disgusting, but not dangerous.
But the "grooming" booby-prize definitely goes to women - put on your freakin' makeup at home!
"I saw a guy driving with a parrot on his shoulder the other day. No kidding."
Maybe he couldn't afford a GPS system.
That is true. If there were fewer police manning speed traps, they could have more speed traps.
I've driven with a cat on my shoulder...
About 5 years ago, I tried that line on a state trooper who was ticketing me for speeding on the interstate. He wasn't impressed. Maybe you will have better luck with it.
See post #76.
Trying uhhhh hard to uhhh
hold my fingers . . . and just pass on by that one . . .
without added punny uhhhh comment.
You're lucky she didn't, she probably would have sued YOU!
susie
No, of course, its all men's fault - us grooming on the way to work - since I see that very often.
I often see men sticking their electric razors into their cigarette lighter sockets and getting a good shave. Though, it is far more irritating to see them with the basin and straight razor as well.
Then there's men using their blow dryers too. Boy that cheeses me.
Yes, men are the problem with grooming.
Women, however, are never applying their war paint as they are going down the road, smoking, drinking coffee AND talking on their cell phones. That never happens twice in a commute at least . . .
Uhhhh, I've shaved while driving...
There seems to be some kind of kneejerk response to cell phone use while driving. I know people who live on their cell phone in the car who complain every time they see another person do something on the road they do not like. They will automatically assume the offending person is on a cell phone.
#2 is a big reason for traffic bottlenecks and accidents. A person has to be a complete and blithering idiot to be driving in the left lane if the two lanes to your right are full of drivers passing you, honking their horns and flipping you off.
They teach you in driver's education that the left lane is a passing lane. If you're holding up traffic and they're passing you on the right...please get a clue.
I (usually) obey the speed limit and other traffic laws and wish others would do so. That makes me dangerous on your planet?
Or a Peter Sellers wannabe:
Nope, wouldn't even try it, because I know that speeding tickets are a healthy government revenue source, and if there's one thing our government won't tolerate, it's an infringment on their revenues.
"re-reading your story. I disagree. If that kid was in traffic and screwing around and got himself hit, IF the driver was following traffic cars, it is his fault.
"
It was a residential street, and the kid was riding her bike like the kids do on residential streets. Don't give me that nonsense. Kids are on the street in residential areas on their bicycles, so I drive very cautiously on those streets.
I'm not quite sure what your problem is, there, guy, but I'd try to cool off a little, you know.
I once got rearended by a woman who claimed I "...stopped too fast.".....at a red light!
The penalty for number 2 should be death by public hanging, on live TV.
It's a question of courtesy. You don't have to drive fast if you don't want to but at least have the courtesy to get out of other people's way.
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