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.
I agree with you there.
In this instance, the teen knew that she was at fault and sheepishly mouthed "Sorry!" and waved the cell phone at me!.......
You got me good, pardner.
That would actually be a good idea. It would probably be cost prohibitive, however.
RE: 10 - See it every day. And the dopes are 10-20 mph slower than traffic flow.
Maybe he couldn't afford a GPS system.
Arrrgh!! That's me dictation device, matey!
No. 4. They are what make the roads dangerous.
Say it LOUD and say it PROUD!!!
Yes. In the given conditions you certainly would be.
I never insist on driving at a slower speed in the left lanes
Your answer implied you did, and your insistence on standing by the letter of the law in the face of roadway reality implies you condone it, in spite of your rhetoric.
(Me) Not talking law or legality.
(You) Because you can't, in this case.
No, I can't. So what? I will not use the law to justify and unsafe practice.
When doing the speed limit, I stay in the right lane.
Great! Then you agree that doing it is unsafe. Thanks, we are done I guess. ;)
I hate drivers who go up to the very end of a lane marked as "closed" then try get into the open lane, ahead of those of us who actually changed lanes when we saw the sign.
-- All that does is slow traffic down even more. Many road work areas now post signs to "use both lanes to merge point"
LOL!
susie
More-or-less, I guess - I just about ran off the road laughing, though...
Ahhhhh.
I certainly don't like the global police state that's being built at break neck speed.
But there ARE a fine lot of police who do a great job serving a lot of people who need them desperately. And I applaud them. And some of them are my good friends and loved ones.
Yeah, there are the cheeky characters who ought to be in any kind of job but one with power. There are probably too many with such personalities in the police forces of our land. But thankfully there are many, hopefully most, who are much better citizens with much better characters.
And, it's still mostly true . . . the right living folks need not fear the police nor hate them.
Seen on bumpersticker "Turn signal broken, watch for finger"
And lived to tell the tale??!
susie
When my 23 pound cat decided he had to sit on my shoulder on the way to the vet, I bought him a carrier. He wasn't happy about it, but it sure saved me some headaches. It's been almost a year now since I had to put him down. I'd give my eye teeth to have him back sitting on my shoulder...at any time.
I don't know if this is in my top ten, but it sure burns me up. I have a boat. 23 feet long. On a trailer. I CANNOT GET ON THE FREEWAY!!!!! You come up a ramp. Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration takes a nap when you hook the trailer to the truck. No one will let merge in. They will even speed up to keep you from getting in front of them, even when there's two empty lanes to their left that they could use. So I'm trying to get on the freeway, truck is floored and has all the pick-up of a herd of turtles, and I'm running out of pavement. What do I do?? Trust me, you don't want the boat to hit you, it carries 120 gallons of very flammable gasoline. And if the trailer hits the shoulder, control will be lost.
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