Bad drivers (van, SUV, brakes, lane)

[canibeyou]

Today's idiotic driver that I got to "meet" was the winner of my "You should never drive again no matter what" award (I give these out regularly). As I turned onto the onramp of the freeway today, there was a Jeep SUV parked along side the right hand shoulder. It's a fairly long, downhill onramp. I proceeded to 'accelerate in order to merge' (a foreign concept to most, but appears in the first 10 pages of the drivers handbook in any state). I was up to approx. 57mph, when, without looking, the Jeep on the side of the road proceeds to pull away from the side of the road, turn left right in front of me, crosses over the on ramp to the shoulder on the left-hand side and then proceeds to drive UP the on ramp to exit the freeway . I couldn't believe my eyes!!! After I regained control of my heartbeat. I watched in my rearview mirror as she exited the freeway, turned and got onto another on ramp that was taking her to a location in the opposite direction.

I was STUNNED. Using an on ramp as an off ramp because you can't read and follow directions. Never mind that there's an off ramp no more than 1.5 miles up the road where you could exist safely and get back onto the freeway in the direction you really wanted to go.

The guy in the car behind me looked like he'd seen a ghost. His face was white and his eyes were buggin' out. When I got to my destination, I was still shaking, having almost been killed. I'm glad I own some boxing gloves 'cuz I need a way to vent my anger at someone who has such an absolute disregard for human life, other than their own.

I simply can't believe there are drivers like this out there. It would NEVER occur to me to drive the way, say the lady I got to "meet" did today. It would never enter my mind. Perhaps that's why it boggles my mind so much!

[Roaddog]

I had the same thing happen last week on the way to work, i had to cut across the onramp a little soon to avoid the fool, I ran over a bunch of boards, lucky I didn't damage my wifes car or iIwould never heard the end of it.

[thepizzaguy]

I've seen so many people fly by me going over 100, they have to get the award. I guess 2nd would be those junk haulers with the wooden frames and bungee cords.

[Crew Chief]

As a trucker, I've encountered bad driving in all 48 states, but two recent events both happened in Louisville, KY within a few miles of each other a couple weeks apart:

5 a.m. I'm exiting the freeway (I-264 WB onto Dixie Hwy SB, for the locals) with a load of groceries. The off-ramp curves to the left around the supports for the interstate's opposite direction, so I couldn't see around it. I'm slowly rounding this curve when an old man in a Toyota came straight for me. Luckily, we were both going slow enough that we swerved and avoided each other. I got stopped quickly enough to look back to see him turn around...

Paving crew is working on Dixie Hwy (2 lanes each way AND a center turn lane...) at 2 a.m. Paving ONLY two lanes. Light traffic but they detour us onto a side road, anyway. Nothing increases your pucker factor like pulling a (noisy) 53' refrigerated trailer through a residential area at night. I'm sure the neighbors loved it, as well! Trying to see ahead to where I might turn to get back to Dixie, I almost mis the car coming to my right from a side street. Two kids, on cell phones or whatever other electronics, I couldn't see, blew the stop sign. I slammed on the brakes which threw the contents of my lunch box all over the cab. I'm sure the neighbors ALSO appreciated the air horn...

[sunsprit]

I've had two times where a driver in a left turn lane at a traffic signal controlled intersection turned RIGHT, crossing over three traffic lanes to make a very sharp turn.

The last time, I was on a large (but very quiet) motorcycle, and the driver of the mini-van wrapped me around their right rear quarter as they made the tight turn. Fortunately, I was able to keep the bike on it's wheels and started kicking their van as we straightened out ... the kids inside on the back seat were pretty bug-eyed to see me so close.

Oblivious driver Dad and Mom in the front seats still took awhile to recognize they had an unwanted passenger and stop their car. Seeing the evil motorcyclist on their right rear quarter, they kept their windows rolled up tightly and called the police on their cellphone ... not to report the accident, but to report an assault and asking for protection and intervention by the police.

To my surprise, the responding officer was more concerned about my display of an obscene gesture to the driver than the near miss of a fatal accident caused by the driver turning across the traffic and colliding with me. He didn't cite the driver for an improper turn, either ... but threatened to write me up for disturbing the peace if I didn't quietly put my helmet back on and ride off nicely.

[Crew Chief]

Sunsprit, I feel your pain! The ultimate deal is that if the cop didn't see it happen (no matter how obvious the situation appears) usually you're out of luck. And it's best to just go. I backed into some woman who rode right on the back of my trailer (didn't believe those "IF YOU CAN'T SEE MY MIRRORS, I CAN'T SEE YOU) (Damage I THINK I caused to her '70s Honda Civic: paint on her bumper and the small grill was cracked; cheap from a junk yard) Instead of admitting fault, I shoulda just told the cop that I never even backed into her. We coulda called it a draw...

[ckaaron1]

The number one danger on the roads today is following distance.

The way I deal with these morons is to back off the driver in front of me even further, allowing enough distance for me to stop even more slowly and safely. It has a 100% success rate, as I have yet to be rear-ended in any of my cars.

Recently, I had the pleasure (insert sarcastic overtone here) of being tailgated near home by some shirtless young moron in a Ford Explorer. As I drive a sub-compact (I like the shape of the bumpers thanks), anything within 15 feet of the rear end at speed should be considered assault with a deadly weapon. This cretin proceeded to tailgate me through the 35mph zone (where police like to sit in waiting) while I'm going 42mph. This is a 2 lane opposing traffic road with no shoulders. As the 35mph zone ends and I normally speed up to 52mph for the 45mph (do I sound like a slow-poke anyone?), I downshift and stand on the gas in my little screamer - only to look in the rear view and not see the guy.

Now in this split second I'm hoping this moron vanished into thin air - yet lo and behold - this soul abortion is passing me on the wrong side of the street and almost collides with an approaching Cadillac head-on (at 50+mph).

He then proceeds on for about 500 feet, where he stops in the middle of the road, jumps out of his car, and starts screaming at the front end of my car in the middle of the street. While I'm contemplating the charges I would face from just running this guy down and getting him stuck under my little car, I check my mirrors, throw it into reverse and back away about 15 feet - looking at him like he had 3 heads.

After this elaborate display of intelligence (and the only frustration I'm feeling is not exiting my little car and showing him the working ends of my arms), he then jumps back into his Explorer and drives on about a mile. Only to pull over to the side of the road on the shoulder - (at this point I'm thinking I really should subdue this clown and call the police) to let me pass uneventfully, and then he turns left down a side road.

To this day, I carry that jerks license plate number on a scrap of paper in my wallet. If justice serves life, he's long since lost an argument with a large roadside oak tree. But the police will never see these morons until it's WAY too late, and we can only hope that they take care of themselves quickly and without harm to others.

[Magnulus]

Here's some bad driving I've noticed in Orlando, particularly around rush hour. Almost all the cars will accelerate up to the car in front of them, maybe 1 second following distance, then hit the brakes (red flash on the brake light). This is just totally ridiculous driving. Not only is it not defensive driving, but it also wastes alot of gas and they aren't really going anywhere any faster than they would be if they just took it easy. It's also what's called "riding the brakes", and is a bad habit to get into, just because it wears out the brakes as well.

Unfortunately alot of people consider this normal behavior around here. My brothers friends tell him all the time he drives like a "granny". My brother drives actually somewhat more aggressive compared to me or my mom (though still fairly safe, he doesn't tailgate, but he does accelerate harder), so what's that tell you?

[GreenMachine]

I agree with the previous poster about following distance. I always leave a lot of room between me and the person ahead. If I see a brake light, I brake....

[GracieJJ]

What cracks me is drivers seem to think driving in the rain is like driving in the dry until they get into a freak accident and find out how painfull it can get (crash )