What Bothers You Most on the Road?

[maureen]

For those of you who drive or have driven, what are some of the most annoying things you have to encounter or that bother you about having to drive? I'll go first.

My biggest pet peaves are tail gaters, tractors during rush hour, inconsiderate and dangerous drivers, road works, and traffic.

[Deleted]

Boy racers and women who do their make up/nails at traffic lights and don't concentrate.

[mansonmaniac]

Glaswegian drivers ;D

[Mayfayre]

Hello, this is WY on MF's login!

Old blokes in hats with small city cars driving at a maximum of 25mph.

Especially when they take the "use both lanes" signs to mean "simultaneously"...

[inky]

People who opted for the 'no indicators pack' when they bought their cars

[lindenchase]

Tail gaters!

[beckstar]

Sept 27, 2008 13:38:04 GMT inky said:

People who opted for the 'no indicators pack' when they bought their cars

Speaking as a pedestrian that is THE most annoying thing drivers do, especially at busy junctions. That, and being too f*cking lazy to stop at zebra crossings...

[clementine]

People who drive the speed limit in the fast lane (do you have a fast lane? It's the far left one here, and in Detroit they think it's a race track, myself included).

[inky]

Sept 27, 2008 15:07:40 GMT @clementine said:

People who drive the speed limit in the fast lane (do you have a fast lane? It's the far left one here, and in Detroit they think it's a race track, myself included).

;D You mean it has a speed limit???

[clementine]

Actually it does have a speed limit, but no one pays any attention.

[PP]

Sept 27, 2008 15:07:40 GMT @clementine said:

People who drive the speed limit in the fast lane (do you have a fast lane? It's the far left one here, and in Detroit they think it's a race track, myself included).

Good thread. On a similar note, the thing that irritates me the most are the people who do 60mph (or lower) in the middle lane when there is nothing in front of them or in the 'slow' lane next to them. It drives me mad that I have to move over from lane 1 to lane 3 and back again just to get around them. Why can't they just pull over into the lane that they are supposed to be in!?This seems to happen to me every time! I also hate tailgaters!
I'm not exactly the greatest driver [jezza]in the world [/jezza] and I'm sure that I'm guilty of many bad habits but these things really get to me.

Edit: Thinking about it, when we went to New York a couple of years ago, the taxi driver taking us from the airport said that it was perfectly legal to over/undertake on both sides in that state. I wonder how much chaos it would cause to implement that here?

[maureen]

Well, in America, if there's an open lane on any side, it's perfectly legal to pass on either side.

One thing that's always bothered me about being a pedestrian are the immature morons who blow their horn, whistle, or shout things at you out of their windows, even though you're minding your own business and just walking from one place to another. The nice thing about walking is that we can go places cars can't go.

[PP]

Sept 27, 2008 16:11:47 GMT @maureen said:

Well, in America, if there's an open lane on any side, it's perfectly legal to pass on either side.

One thing that's always bothered me about being a pedestrian are the immature morons who blow their horn, whistle, or shout things at you out of their windows, even though you're minding your own business and just walking from one place to another. The nice thing about walking is that we can go places cars can't go.

As someone who has cerebral palsy and walks with a bit of a limp - that happens to me alot. I've never understood why someone (usually young lads) feel the need to shout out of a car window remind me that I'm a "spastic" - I've noticed that already thanks!

[lindenchase]

Sept 27, 2008 16:11:47 GMT @maureen said:

Well, in America, if there's an open lane on any side, it's perfectly legal to pass on either side.

That completely threw me off when I first drove in the States. I was overtaken on the right side, even though I was speeding in the left lane. I really had a "what the f*ck" moment. ;D
And then someone told me it was ok to jump the red light if you wanted to turn right. Whenever I did that I had the feeling a cop was going to book me for that one.

[maureen]

I know what you mean about the right on red in America. It does give you an uneasy feeling at first. After a while, I get so used to doing it while I'm visiting there that I have to remember not to take a left on red when I get back home.

[fussycat]

Sept 27, 2008 16:18:19 GMT PP said:

Sept 27, 2008 16:11:47 GMT @maureen said:

Well, in America, if there's an open lane on any side, it's perfectly legal to pass on either side.

One thing that's always bothered me about being a pedestrian are the immature morons who blow their horn, whistle, or shout things at you out of their windows, even though you're minding your own business and just walking from one place to another. The nice thing about walking is that we can go places cars can't go.

As someone who has cerebral palsy and walks with a bit of a limp - that happens to me alot. I've never understood why someone (usually young lads) feel the need to shout out of a car window remind me that I'm a "spastic" - I've noticed that already thanks!

The year before last some w***ker threw a water bomb at me from the passenger winow of a car as I rode my push bike at a bit of a speed down a local hill. It narrowly missed me with just a splash back, God knows what damage it would have caused at those speeds if it had hit me!

Oh and nearly every time I rode my bike in that area some d**k woud shout some really wise cracking comment out the window, what Mr Funny didn't realise is all I can hear is something like 'wheeerzeeegor!' yes it is that incoherent!

Oh Porcha can I just say that any pathetic little moron who shouts comments of that kind from car foot or whatever is a total brain dead */*/*/

[maureen]

One thing I've been noticing lately that I find terrifying is when people speed up to an intersection and slam on their breaks just as you're driving adjacent to them. I'm always so worried that they're going to slam into me.

A very terrifying thing that happened to me today was a bus was heading towards me on a very narrow road that was way too small for it and me to fit on. I nearly ended up in the woods. Scarey!

[mansonmaniac]

Seaguls

there everywhere!

was nearling in a head on collision with a seagul today, stupid thing!

[Vixen]

I can't comment here, except to say, I'm everyones worst night mare on the road (except for the shouting thing porsche, that's just plain cruel!) and if you p*ss me of on the road, expect some payback for it!

[inky]

That's my attitude too Get them before they get you

[Vixen]

;D ^^ Let's hope we never run into each other on the road then!!

[maureen]

This one is kind of mother nature picking a bad time for me to have a sneezing fit during hay fever season at the worst possible time of the drives. Also, when something like an eyelash gets stuck in my eye. Worst possible time for that to happen, since I need to be able to be comfortable and concentrate on driving. Not rubbing my eye and being in pain.

[Vixen]

The thing that annoys me most on the road at the moment, is water. Means I have to drive slower...

[Wyvern]

Sept 27, 2008 21:48:19 GMT fussycat said:

The year before last some w***ker threw a water bomb at me from the passenger winow of a car as I rode my push bike at a bit of a speed down a local hill. It narrowly missed me with just a splash back, God knows what damage it would have caused at those speeds if it had hit me!

Something similar happened to me last week. Someone threw a cup of something (I decided not to try to figure out what) at me from a car that was moving reasonably quickly. It didn't half smart and it left a heck of a bruise.

The thing is, the guy it me right at the top of the inner thigh, making me look like I'd had a bit of an accident. While I should have been outraged and upset, a little bit of me couldn't help but admire the guy's aim; a moving target from a moving vehicle takes some doing

[Mayfayre]

The biker in me hates wet leaves on the road more than anything at the moment. They're horribly slippery, far more than a wet road on its own.

[maureen]

I'm not sure how familiar some of you are with Charlie Horses, so I'll say really painful foot cramp. I got one of those this morning while I was overtaking someone on the way to my doctor's appointment. Those things hurt like a ............... It's awful when you get them in your sleep, but swimming or driving - very painful and even more dangerous. Mother Natural sure picks her moments to be mean to me.

[maureen]

GRRRRRRR!!!!!

I'll tell you what I really truly hate. It's going to sound like I'm stereotyping, which I hate doing, but here goes. *deep inhale*

1. I hate w*nkers (usually males) who drive black Audis and BMWs! They're the biggest sh***s on the road and deserve hollow points! They tailgate, act like the sun shines out of their **ses if you put your hazard lights on to warn them off, and think every road is a race track. They're worse than motorcyclists who drive those brightly coloured Japanese things, because they can do more damage if they stupidly run into you.

2. Those bl**dy white utility and delivery vehicles. I call them white w*nker vehicles now. They're just as bad as the motorcyclists and black richy-b***h cars I mentioned above, and they do this for a living.

These are my most hated categories of drivers we have to risk our lives with almost everyday. The worst of the worst.

[lily1895]

Mojo I agree! I'll just go stand in the "shame" corner now! I hate the black BMW, Audi, and Mercedes idiot drivers too. They act like they bought the road with the car.

I actually had a nimnod in a Mercedes SLK try and change lanes while I was in the spot he was aiming for! The traffic was packed across 3 lanes and that idiot started coming over when my sideview mirror was level with his head! He stopped coming over when the truck behind us blew his air horn because Mr. Mercedes wasn't hearing my car horn. Otherwise thie dink was going to impale himself on my car and jam me into a concrete barrier.

When I dropped back and let him pass, he got into my lane and then ran under the back of a semi truck. I don't know how he didn't decapitate himself. Such a shame to waste such a lovely car on such an idiot.

"Crotch Rocket" drivers are a problem around here too. (I drive on the Baltimore Beltway) They drive like they're immortal. Then when they crash and get smeared all over the road they jam traffic for hours.

I don't want anyone killed on the roads. That includes me!

I hate those "Baby On Board" stickers on cars I deserve to not get killed even if I don't have kids in the car! I want one that says "Hey! I'm drivin' here!"

Everybody stay safe out there.

[maureen]

Hi Lily,

This past summer, my sister drove us around Boston when we weren't taking the underground and it was scarey. I've never been brave about city driving. I like your idea for the "Hey! I'm drivin' here!" sticker. There are some dangerous people out there. Stay safe and watch out for idiots.

[(Ali)]

Jan 22, 2009 16:44:43 GMT @maureen said:

Hi Lily,

This past summer, my sister drove us around Boston when we weren't taking the underground and it was scarey. I've never been brave about city driving. I like your idea for the "Hey! I'm drivin' here!" sticker. There are some dangerous people out there. Stay safe and watch out for idiots.

Boston is definitely a crazy place to drive. I think the most stressful city in the US to drive through is Atlanta though. Two 4-5 lane interstates converge in the middle of the city and then split again a few minutes later. If you don't know exactly where you're going it can be disastrous.