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.
Yeah, just one quick flick of the steering wheel, and you're hamburger. No need to listen to you yap, ever again....
How about the person who speeds up to pull out in front of you from a side street/driveway, only to slow down once he's out on the road. And usually, there's nobody behind you. So why couldn't he wait until you passed him?
I generally don't mind lane splitters, but I'd prefer it if they'd use the shoulder (if there is one).
Heck, I've poked myself in the eye standing right at the sink looking in the mirror!
susie
I can't believe that running stoplights/stop signs isn't on the list.
As well as:
Drivers who don't turn from the appropriate lane.
Drivers who signal the wrong direction when turning.
Drivers who get too close to the center stripe when oncoming traffic approaches.
Of course, some of these things happen *because* somebody is yakking on their cell but typically the yakkers are the ones driving too slow, weaving, not braking properly, not turning the car sharply or just behaving cluelessly while driving.
My number one irritation is close to numbers 3 and 4 - speeding up in an on ramp that leads to an off ramp into a long line of backed-up cars, just so you can go 71 instead of 70. Just merge already and then get left to pass!
People who are too dense to understand the simple fact that the posted speed limit applies to all lanes.
Some are under the mistaken impression that the left lane is an American Autobahn. It ain't.
If they follow the rules of the road, I can't imagine why you would care! ;)
susie
Wow! They have drive-thrus for THAT???!!!
Is this a great country or what?!
I had the lovely experience last week of coming upon a car driving at 50 mph in the left lane of a roadway where the speed limit was 65 mph. Sure enough, the guy was on his cell phone -- oblivious to the world around him.
The best way to deal with this crap is to lay on the horn so that the perpetrator can't possibly carry on the phone conversation.
A more frequent situation like this is the exit lane, where cars are stacked up, exiting the highway. There's a multitude of drivers bypassing the end of the line, jumping in at the last second. My beef is with them and the a-hole who let's them in. In fact, I'd like to see that (the jumping in part) be a ticketable offense.
Just think about it, you're at an amusement park. There's a 30 minute wait for a ride. Would it be okay for a late-comer to jump in a gap at the '5-minute' point? The same for the last second lane cutter. He just made every car behind him wait an extra 10 seconds. Times 50 cars in line, that's 500 seconds. Awesome.
I could go on for hours.
At first I thought you had written "Drive-in."
A Johnny Depp Wannabe.
And I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
#2 should be #1!!! The far right lane has become the new fast lane on I-95 in VA.
Guess you've never seen my husband. ;) The stuff he does while driving, drives ME crazy. Needless to say I'm a very poor back seat driver (too many comments) 'cause I'm afraid I'm gonna die.
Thee are quite a few MORE that should be on the list. Most of them can be summed up simply: NOT knowing traffice laws and/or generally accepted rules of the road.
Forinstance, use the Left or passing lane to pass and then move back over especially if you see someone coming up behind you who may want to drive faster than you and pass you.
Which brings up another problem other than just knowing the laws, it's called driver judgement. Too many people can't judge relative speed of other drivers. It's a safe bet that if someone is coming up quickly behind you on an interste that they are driving faster than you are so you might want to consider moving to the right if and when safely possible.
People using "turning lanes" which are generally a one lane portion inbetween a 2 or 4 lane road. they are supposed to be for TURNING and you should enter and slow down and perhaps stop and then turn. They are NOt another lane for peole to drive long distances in.
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