Posted on 05/29/2011 12:00:23 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
There are variations in driving styles on our roads and most motorists will fall into a distinct characteristic type depending on how they approach the task of driving. As you read through this list, you are likely to recognize yourself or someone you drive with.
Which driving character are you?
Nervous Nick: This driver lacks confidence in their driving abilities and is intimidated by traffic and highway speeds. The “Nervous Nick” will always drive at the speed limit or lower and will not accelerate enough to merge safely with highway traffic. They will display moments of indecision when it comes to driving options such as making left turns and when to proceed and how fast.
The Danger: They cause traffic to “rat pack” around them on highways. This leads to multiple lane changes and drivers becoming impatient and making dangerous choices or lane changes. Driving slower than the “flow” of traffic can cause traffic mayhem behind the slower driver as others must negotiate a way around the slow moving vehicle.
Middle Lane Mike: Will head from the on-ramp directly to the middle lane and plant them selves there no matter how slow they drive or who is sitting on their rear bumper. They are convinced this is the best lane to drive in and they are the safest drivers on the road.
The Danger: Traffic will pass on either the right of left sides of this driver causing traffic flow chaos. Large trucks will sit impatiently on their rear bumper trying to intimidate this driver into moving over. They are in danger of causing a crash or being rear-ended. Vehicles moving slowly in the middle lane are like a rock in a stream. They cause turbulence and in this case traffic turbulence.
Overconfident Owen or Arrogant Andy: These drivers are usually driving in an aggressive manner as they are very sure of their capabilities. They are usually speeding and changing lanes often. This aggressive driver feels they are more important than everyone else on the road. All other drivers are just in “their” way and should not be on “their” road.
The Danger: This driver has the confidence and sometimes even the driving talent that will allow them to handle their vehicle while speeding, but when things go wrong they lack the skills to recover or avoid an incident. This driver has confidence that far out strips their “driving smarts” and they make poor choices in their driving situations. They are usually driving too fast for weather and traffic conditions. They often drive an SUV or other large vehicle that adds to their sense of superiority. This driver will tailgate others and try different means of intimidation to get others out of their way. These drivers have been known to pass on the shoulder and lane hop. During the winter months, they are often found in the ditch.
Bored Bobby or Busy Betty: Usually found talking on a cell phone or chatting with passengers. Their mind will be focused on anything but driving safely. Even though they know the distraction of talking on the cell phone is dangerous, they feel their business is more important.
The Danger: This motorist is not paying attention to driving and invariably will end up crashing or cutting someone off. The “Bored Bobby” is just as dangerous as the other drivers on this list. They are not processing all their driving information that will help them make wise driving choices. They are driving distracted which is the leading cause of crashes. After being involved in a crash, they usually cannot figure out what happened.
Solo Sandy: This driver believes they are the only one on the road. They rarely check their mirrors and have no idea other vehicles are near or beside them. You may see this motorist heading down a highway with the only other vehicle in sight directly beside them or in front of them. Also known as “Blinder Billy” as they appear to have blinders on allowing them to only see directly in front of them.
The Danger: Not knowing what is around you in your driving environment is very dangerous. Each driver needs to know what vehicles are in their immediate vicinity to make intelligent lane or avoidance choices. This driver is often hoping others will yield to their lane changes. If they encounter a “Bored Bobby” or a “Busy Betty” the results are usually costly.
Immortal Ivan: Believes no matter what they do behind the wheel, nothing bad will happen to them. When people die in car crashes, it is always going to be someone else, not them. This driving symptom tends to come in the teenage years and can last into middle age if the driver makes it to that age. Too many car crashing video games can exacerbate the problem.
The Danger: Their fearlessness leads to very poor driving decisions and reckless driving. Many younger drivers and their passengers succumb to this syndrome. If “Immortal Ivan” survives, they often age to become an “Arrogant Andy”.
Dangerous Don or Silly Stevie: These drivers believe they know it all about driving. They have been on the road for a number of years and have survived. To them, their experience means they are the best drivers on the road. All those around them are morons or crazy. For drivers like “Dangerous Don”, their frustration with other motorists can lead to high risk driving and poor decisions.
The Danger: Their survival in many ways was a product of luck and not so much skill. One day that luck will run out and the resulting crash will be anyone else’s mistake and not theirs. They will blame the other driver, black ice or anything else since they could not possibly be at fault. Their closed minds mean they will never learn the skills that could keep them from that future crash.
Smart Susie: The rarest of drivers. Understands that driving is the most dangerous daily task they will face and prepares for it. This driver realizes they need to upgrade their driving skills to be prepared for the perils of driving. They focus on the task of driving and are always making driving easier for those sharing the road with them.
The Danger: There are not enough of these drivers on our roads!
Yes, great idea. That way when you get older and confused it's no problem mashing down the accellerator instead of the brake and your car ends up inside of a donut shop. Virtually all sudden accelleration accidents are caused by senior citizen driver who brag about their lifetime of perfect driving.
You left out the best part. Tell folks how long it will take you to stop when an idiot cuts in front and slams on the brakes.
The really dangerous drivers are all the ones mentioned sitting on others’ rear bumpers.
Tailgating is the worst driving offense on the road.
I do a lot of driving on the interstate highways in rental cars. Your post reminds me of something I’ve seen a lot. I’ll be in a 70 mph zone on a four lane highway (two in each direction) and there will be a string of trucks, some spaced a hundred yards apart. Some guy will pass these trucks that are doing maybe 68, at 69 MPH. It takes miles. Then, when they get past them they don’t pull over. And as there is enough gap for me to pass on the right and get behind them, they bump their speed to 75 or more, trying to cut me off. Usually I’m driving something powerful enough to gun it to get by them. In fact to avoid the situation I generally gun it before I actually change into the right lane. On one occasion I saw the brown smoke pouring out of the guy’s tailpipe as he was basically racing me to the next truck.
I really hate it when others try to control me. It’s an “American” thing. I left the security of my paren’t home for a reason. Freedom.
Is that the Rule of 15 or the Guideline of 15?
Tops on my list of offenders. A few years ago on I77 south there were two of them, one in each lane running 55 or so that kept all the traffic from getting anywhere for about 20 miles.
>>My Uncle told me the most dangerous animal on the planet was a 16-24 year old female driver.
Insurance companies would disagree with your uncle, and they have to know statistics—as opposed to anecdotal evidence and bias—in order to stay in business. The most dangerous driver is the young male.<<
Actually, some types of drivers are dangerous not because they cause accidents that they themselves are a part of, but because they cause accidents that they are not a part of. I am also of the impression that these women DO get in a LOT of accidents, but they are generally fender benders caused by their limited spacial reasoning capabilities. When males cause accidents, somebody’s losin’ an eye - or worse. :)
I rarely see the smart suzies. You can tell some because they’ll get out of the way for cars that are barrelling towards someone in their lane. The smart suzies know the barreler will make an erratic lane change. They watch for other drivers and drive accordingly. They know where everyone around them is and the rates of closing. They drive to not be surprised.
There’s lots more but you already know. right?
Or people that you pass, then they can’t stand it so they have to speed up and pass you back, then you have to pass them again, because they don’t seem to understand, “Yes, I really AM going faster than you, THAT’S WHY I PASSED YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE!”
And the entitled passing lane drivers who have to be passed on the right. What jerks.
>>How about Coporegime the State Trooper? He’s nearly caused me to have a couple of very serious accidents. One time he was wading out into 3 lanes of traffic on an Interstate on foot, forcing me to veer to avoid hitting him.<<
This happened to me in Indiana a little over a year ago. There was one case where a teenaged girl was being waved over in this manner and she struck and killed the cop. Charges were filed against her but she won. It was determined that when you hit a pedestrian on the freeway it is their fault unless a case can be made that you did it on purpose.
Well, most of the time.
My experience in the last 12 years has been in traffic half of which is large trucks. Their role actually controls everything near on/off ramps. Although most maintain safe braking distance between them, that doesn't do it at on ramps, since the passenger vehicle trying to merge, doing everything perfectly, finds himself on the wrong end of a possible rear end collision, at least momentarily.
I do not consider myself a goody two-shoes driver, but when on the highway and approaching on ramps, I reduce speed to make sure that there is room for at least on vehicle to merge without undue excitement. I do this unconsciously since if I am just trying to get somewhere, I prefer to do it with a minimum of drama.
If that’s the case and you can get by on the inside, you can sometimes get in front and start to slow down. They’ll get out of the lane. You speed up and let the traffic flow.
Has anyone mentioned the lookie-loos? The ones who slow to oggle a guy changing a flat, which backs-up traffic for miles!
If it was up to me you’d get a commendation and a free reload.
What happens when all the drivers in all lanes drive the speed limit (55)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B-Ox0ZmVIU
Oh, there are always those who just want to be first, then lose their nerve when they’re actually the lead car and most exposed to police radar. On long trips, it can be like leapfrog for a hundred miles or more. Sometimes I slow down or pull off for a soda or something to get away from them, and sometimes I floor it as you say. Depends upon where I am, what I’m driving and how exposed to radar I would be myself for doing such a thing.
The onramp blockers aren’t wanting to do anything but force you to stop on an onramp, which in heavy traffic can be an extremely dangerous thing to do, not to mention making it nearly impossible to get onto the interstate without using the emergency lane for acceleration. A fast car defeats these types of people, whereas just letting them be first sometimes doesn’t ... they brake to keep blocking you, no matter what, for no reason at all. It’s not as if there is any reason for road rage, as if there’s ever really any reason, you’ve just come down the ramp and are trying to merge, whether than means in front of or behind them. Neither makes them happy, only stopping you does.
>>Tailgating is the worst driving offense on the road.<<
Not really. Depends on the condition. I personally know TWO people who will, when particularly peaved by a blocker in the passing lane, actually tap the blocker’s rear bumper with their front bumper. No, I have not done it, but I will say this: More and more states are taking notice of drivers blocking the passing lane. Fact is, they really to spark road rage and erratic driving in others. And the police have a better understanding of human nature than a lot of people realize.
We are imperfect creatures and you piss one off at your own peril.
I always wanted a garbage truck with the dumpster lift. Pull up behind someone hogging the lane, activate the lift, pick the car up and dump it. Keep driving.
if you had learned to drive before auto.tranny,you wouldn’t think like that.
The most aggravating, and no doubt most frequent, are those who are making a left turn at a busy intersection and fail to get their vehicle out into the center of the intersection, creeping only slightly, with the majority of their car remaining in the crosswalk, so that when the light finally changes, and oncoming traffic stops, they are the only vehicle that gets through.
Aaaaarrrggghhh!!!!
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