Be careful out there.....

[gathermewool]

I once saw an old man literally reading a paper, with it spread out over the steering wheel near Mianmar in CA. I missed the base entrance, I just had to follow this guy for a bit to see what would happen. When I finally passed and looked over my initial visual was confirmed. I honked and he responded with the freedom finger and some choice words.

I laughed, banged a U-ey and continued back to base. I’ve never, ever seen something so crazy in my life.

 

[JimPghPA]

A couple of years ago by the home-depo near South Hills village I saw a woman eating a big hoagie while driving a big van run a red-light and fortunately there were no other vehicles going through the intersection from the roads that had the right of way. I stopped for the red-light and happened to catch up to her when she had to stop for a bunch of stopped vehicles at a light ahead. I pulled beside her and told her the light at the intersection back there was completely red and she ran it. She said she did not know that.

And a couple of years ago, I was in the south side on Carson outbound getting ready to make a left onto 10th street to cross the 10th street bridge and saw a big diesel dump-truck on 10th street run a red-light that was already red for a few seconds before he got to the intersection and continue on his way to cross the 10th street bridge. The driver was an old man looking at his cell phone. I caught up to him on the other side of the Armstrong tunnel and told him that he ran the red-light back at Carson, and he said he did not know that.

People think distractions do not apply to them, and do not affect there driving, no matter how bad they drive. Which is one of the reasons why I quote what I do in my signature.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I was on 495 late in the evening, lite/minimal traffic, ~80 in the center lane.

What was the speed limit?

 

[Donald]

Around here in the city, there's a bunch of kids on bicycles riding in the streets doing wheelies. It's like what's the point kid? You're on a bicycle...



It's based on the distance of the exits. So if the start of the highway is at 1 and you end 100 miles later, then you have exit 100. In theory it's supposed to help you figure out how far apart the exits are.

They used a similar system in upstate NY when they implemented 911 and got away from a "Box xx RR1" for mailing address. At one end of the street was "1". Then every 68' the number incremented by 1. So if you were 200' from end of the road you would be number "4". That was the basics.

 

[jeepman3071]

I had a close call on Friday night. I ended up having to stay late at work, and drove home when it was completely dark instead of just dusk like usual. I went to change lanes on the highway, glanced over my shoulder, nobody there, so I signal and start to move over when I hear a horn blast. I stop, turn and look again and it's some moron in a black SUV with no headlights on, at around 6:30pm, on a dark road, in my blind spot. If they didn't honk I would've hit them. They continued on for the next 5 miles with no headlights, even after several cars flashed them. I passed several cars during yesterday's snow storm in white out conditions that had no headlights on. It should be MUCH harder to obtain a driver's license.

 

[JT20]

In NE, you can be going 85 in the middle lane and still have someone riding your bumper rather than just going around.

Slow down gradually for them.

 

[wings&wheels]

What was the speed limit?

less than I was going 65

 

[jeepman3071]

Slow down gradually for them.

That usually results in them passing you and then brake checking you. People are crazy.

 

[JT20]

That usually results in them passing you and then brake checking you. People are crazy.

It is true they sometimes do the brake check... Sometimes they don't. I usually do 75MPH. I would no longer recommend this on a 2-lane road.

Depends on their level of crazy. But if you tailgate me.. I'm not giving in to your attempt to get me to speed up (I've been tailgated up to about 100MPH, in an attempt to appease them. Not cool.)

Most tailgaters/road ragers simply want to get where they are going as fast as possible so they will eventually get tired of seeing how far you will take it and just pass you (and do whatever speed they will.)

 

[jeepman3071]

It is true they sometimes do the brake check... Sometimes they don't. I usually do 75MPH. I would no longer recommend this on a 2-lane road.

Depends on their level of crazy. But if you tailgate me.. I'm not giving in to your attempt to get me to speed up (I've been tailgated up to about 100MPH, in an attempt to appease them. Not cool.)

Most tailgaters/road ragers simply want to get where they are going as fast as possible so they will eventually get tired of seeing how far you will take it and just pass you (and do whatever speed they will.)

I take a lot of 50 mph country roads to the sites where I work, and most of the time I'll do 10 mph over if it's a road I'm familiar with and conditions allow it. It also depends if I get stuck behind a bus or slow car, but I find that most of the time people tailgate me when I'm stuck behind a slow car or two, which is pointless. Tailgating me won't get me to go any faster, as none of these roads have adequate visibility for a double pass. I usually just tip my rearview mirror up and ignore them.

 

[opus1]

I had a close call on Friday night. I ended up having to stay late at work, and drove home when it was completely dark instead of just dusk like usual. I went to change lanes on the highway, glanced over my shoulder, nobody there, so I signal and start to move over when I hear a horn blast. I stop, turn and look again and it's some moron in a black SUV with no headlights on, at around 6:30pm, on a dark road, in my blind spot. If they didn't honk I would've hit them. They continued on for the next 5 miles with no headlights, even after several cars flashed them. I passed several cars during yesterday's snow storm in white out conditions that had no headlights on. It should be MUCH harder to obtain a driver's license.

A year or so ago, I saw the aftermath of someone driving on the Interstate without lights on, only in a thunderstorm. Gray Dodge Caravan cruises by in the left lane with no lights. I almost got in front of them, but fortunately I saw them and stayed put to let them pass. About 3 miles later, traffic starts slowing and then everyone in my lane is signaling to get to the right. I get to the cause of the traffic and, sure enough, Gray Dodge Caravan is now facing traffic from the left shoulder, and the person that didn't see them until they made contact was parked there too, both vehicles heavily damaged.

I have several editorial comments I'd like to make about the situation, but I'll just say that one of the things GM has done right is their automatic headlight setup. I don't like the need for a nanny to correct stupid drivers, but it seems like there are a lot more of them than there are of us.

 

[JT20]

I take a lot of 50 mph country roads to the sites where I work, and most of the time I'll do 10 mph over if it's a road I'm familiar with and conditions allow it. It also depends if I get stuck behind a bus or slow car, but I find that most of the time people tailgate me when I'm stuck behind a slow car or two, which is pointless. Tailgating me won't get me to go any faster, as none of these roads have adequate visibility for a double pass. I usually just tip my rearview mirror up and ignore them.

I have been known to just keep my cruise set and pretend they aren't there as well. It really all depends.

How much traffic is on the road.
Is it raining.
Who *** would tailgate you when it is raining.
How angry is the person.
Are they yelling into their mirror/windshield like they are watching a sports game (hockey/football.)
Are they doing that thing where even though they are tailgating you they are getting closer.
How fast are we going .

Now,.if I am decelerating...

Do I see a dash cam.
Are they the State Police or not.
Am I simply flicking off the cruise control or not.
In this situation, tapping the brakes (in an already aggressive situation) could be a sign of aggression.
How many lanes are there.
How far is my next exit.
Are we just being cute or is the driver really seemingly exceedingly mad.

9 times out of 10, they will get tired of what they are doing in about 5 miles and just pass you.

The last time I got tailgated, it was the State Police wanted to give me a ticket for doing 75 in a 65. I told him, I thought the speed limit was 70 - which is true, I thought it was. (It was on the other highway.) But at ~3AM on a 2 lane highway.. they got me. He cut me a break too, just said the speed limit is 65 and that he could tell me he wasn't going to pull anyone over for 5 over (after he told me he wasn't going to tell me it was OK to speed, lol) and I asked him, if I had tapped the brakes if that would have been better, as I explained to him, you don't know if the person is slamming on the brakes or just tapping. He liked my respect and that I pulled all the way over and yes he let me go.

And this taught me to not speed 10MPH or more when you're the only car on the road, early morning on a 2-lane highway.

The last 5 out of 5 times or so, I've decelerated from 75 to about 65 or so MPH before the other driver has had enough, and simply went around. Think of the psychology here.. They had somewhere to go, and you just denied them the privilege of going faster for them. (Every single time I have been tailgated, there was a left lane available for them. Anyways.) Plus, we were already speeding .. there's that.

I think only one time, someone used their opportunity to get in front of me to brake-check me. I think I used the opportunity to again fly past them on the left. I forget. But I know the entire experience was unpleasant.

One time I let a semi tailgate me past the State Police on the side of the road.

 

[JT20]

A year or so ago, I saw the aftermath of someone driving on the Interstate without lights on, only in a thunderstorm. Gray Dodge Caravan cruises by in the left lane with no lights. I almost got in front of them, but fortunately I saw them and stayed put to let them pass. About 3 miles later, traffic starts slowing and then everyone in my lane is signaling to get to the right. I get to the cause of the traffic and, sure enough, Gray Dodge Caravan is now facing traffic from the left shoulder, and the person that didn't see them until they made contact was parked there too, both vehicles heavily damaged.

I have several editorial comments I'd like to make about the situation, but I'll just say that one of the things GM has done right is their automatic headlight setup. I don't like the need for a nanny to correct stupid drivers, but it seems like there are a lot more of them than there are of us.

My Subaru has had Daytime Running Lamps since the 2000s. The one newer GM we had had that Automatic light thing. This finally explains why I see cars on the road at night.. Headlights on, rear lights etc are not.

 

[opus1]

My Subaru has had Daytime Running Lamps since the 2000s. The one newer GM we had had that Automatic light thing. This finally explains why I see cars on the road at night.. Headlights on, rear lights etc are not.

My '99 Malibu had running lights with the automatic system turning on all the lights when it felt the need, and the Cobalt has the same thing. I like the Sonata's set up in that at this time of year, when I tend to drive mostly in the dark, I can leave the light switch on, but the car will kill the lights for me when I shut it off. Saves wear and tear on the switch I guess...

I've heard the 'excuse' that most cars have either electronic displays, or mechanical displays which light up when the car is running, and this fools the driver into thinking that their lights are on, but, IMHO, it's still the driver's responsibility to know if they have their lights on or not.

 

[JT20]

My '99 Malibu had running lights with the automatic system turning on all the lights when it felt the need, and the Cobalt has the same thing. I like the Sonata's set up in that at this time of year, when I tend to drive mostly in the dark, I can leave the light switch on, but the car will kill the lights for me when I shut it off. Saves wear and tear on the switch I guess...

I've heard the 'excuse' that most cars have either electronic displays, or mechanical displays which light up when the car is running, and this fools the driver into thinking that their lights are on, but, IMHO, it's still the driver's responsibility to know if they have their lights on or not.

Of course it is!

And, speaking of lights, one thing that I hear repeated that I CANNOT verify is "Cars turn their high beams on when they know they've been stolen." That sounds like a lie to me...

 

[Leo99]

I fail to understand why people turn off the automatic headlights. I see cars with no lights on in the dark and I know they're new enough to have auto headlights. What are the drivers thinking, I'll turn the lights when I decide and when I'm good and ready?

 

[JT20]

I fail to understand why people turn off the automatic headlights. I see cars with no lights on in the dark and I know they're new enough to have auto headlights. What are the drivers thinking, I'll turn the lights when I decide and when I'm good and ready?

I think you nailed it.

"My car doesn't tell me what to do!"

 

[aquariuscsm]

Of course it is!

And, speaking of lights, one thing that I hear repeated that I CANNOT verify is "Cars turn their high beams on when they know they've been stolen." That sounds like a lie to me...

I remember reading or hearing that once the steering column is broken to get the car started, the high beams are stuck in "high" position. Of course this may be old school news, or an urban legend.

 

[JT20]

I remember reading or hearing that once the steering column is broken to get the car started, the high beams are stuck in "high" position. Of course this may be old school news, or an urban legend.

Right, I've heard the same thing (maybe from the same early morning car shows that say "Don't top off the tank?") or something like that but, how would the car know that.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Right, I've heard the same thing (maybe from the same early morning car shows that say "Don't top off the tank?") or something like that but, how would the car know that.

Yep,like back from the 80s maybe?