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.
Yea, but your identity is your Cobra64!!!
"However, if there are three lanes of traffic, I drive the speed limit in the center lane with no apologies. "
Just s friendly note...in CT that center lane is the truckers "fast lane"...so you'll likely have an 80,000 pound rig millimeters off your back bumper. Guess who's gonna lose in that fight?
How do you feel about seat belt laws?
Try it on the 101/405. Your remaining life will be measured in minutes.
So when you're not in CA, don't lane split.
It's also the law.
My biggest irritant is people on their cell phones. I do believe that it makes them less safe FOR THE REST OF US. People get too wrapped up in their conversations and forget the dangerous task at hand. As with drunk drivers, it's not just THEIR lives they're messing with.
I've seen it, and I'm sure most others have seen it.
"Just s friendly note...in CT that center lane is the truckers "fast lane"...so you'll likely have an 80,000 pound rig millimeters off your back bumper. Guess who's gonna lose in that fight?
"
OK. I've never been in CT. I would adapt to the conditions I found there, no doubt, as I have adapted to the conditions wherever I drive. Actually CT is one of the few states I've never driven. I'll have to make a point of it, one of these years.
Which is illegal in most states. If you are not passing, stay right, whether you are doing the speed limit or not.
"I am number 5. And if someone is REALLY trying to pass me, I enjoy pulling up next to a car going EXACTLY the speed limit and putting on cruise control. Just to see how big a line of speeders I can get trapped behind me on the highway. A lot of fun on I-85."
....sounds like what a Democrat would do.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1667191/posts?q=1&&page=1#221
Your logic says that YOU get to establish the speed over the limit that is acceptable to everyone else.
Speed limit is 50.
You are driving 60.
I want to drive 70.
Conclusion, I piss you off because I am exceeding your speed. How about the others that are driving 50? Hmmm?
"Try it on the 101/405. Your remaining life will be measured in minutes."
Huh? I thought the speed limit on those two freeways was about 15 mph. That always seems to be the speed when I'm on them, running from LAX up to Ventura County. I hate those two freeways more than any roads I've ever been on in my life, and have driven both hundreds of times.
I used to drive from San Luis Obispo to San Diego and back in the same day about six times a year. I always tried to time my passage so I avoided the LAX to Ventura County line during the worst of rush hour.
TIP to all travellers going to California: Mark those two freeways on your map and avoid them whenever possible.
Please don't tell us you think the speed limt is a failsafe, always-reasonable-and-accurate figure. Please DO tell us you're familiar with the 85th percentile concept. If you think everyone driving the 'safe' speed limit would create a traffic panacea, please have a look at this (unless you've seen it already):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5366552067462745475&q=
In California people are shot at on the freeway for just such behaviour so often, that it barely makes the news.
Skooz is undoubdtedly a Volvo driver who set the rev limiter to 1,200 rpm.
In my opinion jerks like this should be the ones ticketed. Not the speeders or those that yank such vermin from their cars to pound their heads in. But then... This is just my opinion.
Yeah, I often see middle-aged women drivers who don't need their phones for that!! ;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.