Rules of the road - come add your annoyances

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: oldhp
#1.Construction coming up merge left/right. So 99.5% of us do just that.......but there are those few who keep going past all the correct mergers and then try at the last moment to cut in. "You-will-not-get-in-front-of-me." You are a person who thinks he's more special than all us second rate people. Now that being said, if you have a medical emergency etc, your flashers should be on and be blinking your headlights. I'll make sure you get in.

#2.Every time I meet a head down texting knothead.....at the last second blast the horn with my arms up covering my face as if to avoid the impending crash.

I'm looking for a LOUD FOG HORN to really scare the B-Jesus out of them.

1 Google "zipper method." I used to think like you. To be honest, I still get over early, but not because it's he right thing to do; I get over so that I won't get road-raged by people who think similarly to you.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
My general rule about taking corners is that, if there is a warning sign with a recommended speed, subtract five and double the result to get a decent speed at which to take the corner. It's so sad that pretty much all vehicles handle better than they did in years past and drivers take corners even slower. I guess that's what you have to do to text and navigate a corner at the same time.


On ramp near me has a yellow 55mph sign. Hmmmmm

 

[A_Harman]

Privacy glass. People that have privacy glass drive like they're in their own little world, and care not one whit about what's going on outside. And after dark, they're completely clueless about changes in traffic patterns.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: oldhp
#1.Construction coming up merge left/right. So 99.5% of us do just that.......but there are those few who keep going past all the correct mergers and then try at the last moment to cut in. "You-will-not-get-in-front-of-me." You are a person who thinks he's more special than all us second rate people. Now that being said, if you have a medical emergency etc, your flashers should be on and be blinking your headlights. I'll make sure you get in.

#2.Every time I meet a head down texting knothead.....at the last second blast the horn with my arms up covering my face as if to avoid the impending crash.

I'm looking for a LOUD FOG HORN to really scare the B-Jesus out of them.

1 Google "zipper method." I used to think like you. To be honest, I still get over early, but not because it's he right thing to do; I get over so that I won't get road-raged by people who think similarly to you.


You're both right. The zipper method is the most efficient way of negotiating these bottle necks, but oldhp is also correct in saying these people are only putting off merging for as long as possible so they can cut in front of as many other drivers as possible...they aren't doing to use the zipper method, they're just part of the dreaded "me first" crowd...

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted By: supton

Speaking of blinkers... all cars have them. Use them.


But if you use your blinkers all the time, won't that force you to change the blinker fluid more often?

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: supton

Speaking of blinkers... all cars have them. Use them.


But if you use your blinkers all the time, won't that force you to change the blinker fluid more often?

Maybe around here because EVERY day I see morons who use them and then leave them on.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: oldhp
#1.Construction coming up merge left/right. So 99.5% of us do just that.......but there are those few who keep going past all the correct mergers and then try at the last moment to cut in. "You-will-not-get-in-front-of-me." You are a person who thinks he's more special than all us second rate people. Now that being said, if you have a medical emergency etc, your flashers should be on and be blinking your headlights. I'll make sure you get in.

#2.Every time I meet a head down texting knothead.....at the last second blast the horn with my arms up covering my face as if to avoid the impending crash.

I'm looking for a LOUD FOG HORN to really scare the B-Jesus out of them.

1 Google "zipper method." I used to think like you. To be honest, I still get over early, but not because it's he right thing to do; I get over so that I won't get road-raged by people who think similarly to you.


You're both right. The zipper method is the most efficient way of negotiating these bottle necks, but oldhp is also correct in saying these people are only putting off merging for as long as possible so they can cut in front of as many other drivers as possible...they aren't doing to use the zipper method, they're just part of the dreaded "me first" crowd...


Agreed, it's all dependent on the flow of traffic characteristics.

I've seen people brake hard and aggressively try to get over well in advance of a merge where a zipper-method would make A LOT more sense. These people notice the "get-over-now" signs, but traffic has already slowing down by that point. So, instead of filling the ending lane to the point of the merge, they brake-go-brake and sometimes cut in inefficiently, causing the person they get in front of to brake harder than necessary, which has a negative ripple effect.

When traffic is flowing smoothly, with plentiful gaps in the remaining lanes, it makes a lot of sense to get over asap. Otherwise, the above-mentioned effect may occur, where an inefficient merge occurs and the smoothly congested traffic is interrupted.

 

[DBMaster]

Zipper method is what they do around here when there's no other choice and traffic is backed up in both lanes. There are still those in the "correct" lane that will stay a couple of feet from the car in front of them to prevent merges and "teach someone a lesson." At times I used to center my car over the line to get traffic in front of me moving and to prevent the last minute lane changers from doing their thing in front of me (it works a lot better if you have a large vehicle). I don't do that anymore. It causes more stressful driving conditions doing either of those things. So, no matter what you do you're going to lose in traffic because everybody thinks they're the greatest driver in the world and all the other drivers suck. They think they have nothing left to learn just because they have been driving for X number of years. We ALL have things to learn.

 

[BalticBob]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: supton

Speaking of blinkers... all cars have them. Use them.


But if you use your blinkers all the time, won't that force you to change the blinker fluid more often?

What is the best blinker fluid, syn or dino?
Should I use a additive?
How many blinks before I need to change it?
Is there a difference between the left and right blinker fluid?

 

[BalticBob]

Makes my day.......
drivers that cut across a grass median to get on the service road to avoid slow traffic, and there is LEO, lining them up like cord wood!

 

[funflyer]

I follow the rules to the best of my ability as to not jeopardize my safety or the safety of other drivers around me but I draw the line when it comes to those super aggressive idiots who think they are the only ones on the road.

Example. I'm passing while in the #one lane of a two lane highway, following another car that's passing also, already going 5-8 over, and someone comes flying up behind us doing 20+ over and flashes their lights as if we're all on the autobahn and need to get out of their way. Sorry but you need to slow down and wait the few seconds that it's going to take before we all move back over.

Another example is the guy who can't stay in one lane when the traffic is heavy, changing lanes to pass one or two cars just to fill in the gaps and not going any faster. Drivers like that are the ones who cause the slow traffic in the first place.


Now for the worst and the ones that need to be pulled out of their car and thumped on the head a few times. These are the types that will go exactly the speed limit on a two lane non-divided highway for several miles and, when it's clear and you decide to pass, they speed up to keep you from getting passed them.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Zipper method is what they do around here when there's no other choice and traffic is backed up in both lanes. There are still those in the "correct" lane that will stay a couple of feet from the car in front of them to prevent merges and "teach someone a lesson." At times I used to center my car over the line to get traffic in front of me moving and to prevent the last minute lane changers from doing their thing in front of me (it works a lot better if you have a large vehicle). I don't do that anymore. It causes more stressful driving conditions doing either of those things. So, no matter what you do you're going to lose in traffic because everybody thinks they're the greatest driver in the world and all the other drivers suck. They think they have nothing left to learn just because they have been driving for X number of years. We ALL have things to learn.


Yep

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: funflyer
I follow the rules to the best of my ability as to not jeopardize my safety or the safety of other drivers around me but I draw the line when it comes to those super aggressive idiots who think they are the only ones on the road.

Example. I'm passing while in the #one lane of a two lane highway, following another car that's passing also, already going 5-8 over, and someone comes flying up behind us doing 20+ over and flashes their lights as if we're all on the autobahn and need to get out of their way. Sorry but you need to slow down and wait the few seconds that it's going to take before we all move back over.

Another example is the guy who can't stay in one lane when the traffic is heavy, changing lanes to pass one or two cars just to fill in the gaps and not going any faster. Drivers like that are the ones who cause the slow traffic in the first place.


Now for the worst and the ones that need to be pulled out of their car and thumped on the head a few times. These are the types that will go exactly the speed limit on a two lane non-divided highway for several miles and, when it's clear and you decide to pass, they speed up to keep you from getting passed them.


Double yep

 

[SeaJay]

At least half the folks by me who merge at the last minute are doing it because they are "me first" folks who are believe they are more important than the idiots that wait in line in the proper lane ahead of time.

 

[NGRhodes]

My annoyance is that I sometime see disproportionately high levels of aggressiveness for minor rule violations and I think how on earth would they cope if something more serious would happen. In someways it could possibly be better they vent their anger and calm down straight afterwards so they do not impair their driving ability, but why get so angry in the first place ?

 

[DBMaster]

We are all angry overall these days and, if not, VERY quick to anger. I think it's a way some deal with anxiety and stress on a societal level. Getting angry and responding in an aggressive manner satisfies the "fight or flight" response for many. The best thing is to try to keep calm yourself and, failing that, learn deescalation techniques.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
Originally Posted By: supton
Had to parse that a bit. I think I get it now.

Doesn't change though that I'd like to economize by not rubbing all the tread off my tires prematurely. I'm lucky to get 40k, and often less.


I don't care how fast someone takes a corner as long as they are at least going the advisory speed.


Ah fair enough; I think I can agree with that. On highways. I can think of a stretch or two near me that I will take under the limit at times, fully aware of how dangerous those areas feel when I'm on a bicycle. But most places, they put up yellow signs and there seems to be no good reason to slow down, not unless it's snowing or something (and in those cases you probably were going that slower speed anyhow).

 

[SeaJay]

Originally Posted By: NGRhodes
but why get so angry in the first place ?


Doesn't make it right. But if you creep along in the proper lane for 4-5 minutes (sometimes even longer by me) and then have a me-first driver avoid the line and try to jump in front of you....... Well, I can understand how this might drive some folks to be angry. As I said, doesn't make it right, but it is understandable.

 

[wander2039]

I agree with three sentiments above..

The only thing that bugs me on the bike is the non-use of blinkers. If I know someone's intentions it's easier to plan a smooth route, it's harder and more time consuming to stop I'm no Armstrong.

On our last trip was kinda amusing to see the difference between driving the RV and Focus. In the same area's everyone would always allow the RV in with no issue's but not the case in the Focus. Not that I minded one bit I appreciated the curiosity as the RV is no speed demon.

Everyone seems so stressed these days with no good reason for it...

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: Eric Smith
Everyone seems so stressed these days with no good reason for it...


I beg to differ. There are plenty of reasons to be stressed. Unfortunately, swallowing the stress or lashing out does not improve the situation.