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Different areas are different, for sure. The only thing I can chime in on, is that I will leave a space between me and the car ahead of me, because I don't want to breathe their exhaust. I live in Silicon Valley, and as someone else mentioned, it's also smart to leave a space in case you want the option to turn around or change lanes.
The space the OP mentioned does seem like a crazy amount of space, though. Are there a lot of senior citizens where you live, who don't have good depth perception?
In Silicon Valley, the biggest challenge here, is that there are a lot of drivers on the road who are immigrants from other countries who either have never driven before and/or come from countries where it's really necessary to drive really aggressively, or where it makes more sense to just stop your vehicle in the middle of the road until you decide what you want to do - than pull over to the side of the road.
I can't tell you how many times I've been stuck behind a couple of Indian women in a minivan here, who decided to just stop in the middle of the road, while they consulted their GPS LOL. So, here, you leave yourself enough space to get around someone, just in case.
Different areas are different, for sure. The only thing I can chime in on, is that I will leave a space between me and the car ahead of me, because I don't want to breathe their exhaust. I live in Silicon Valley, and as someone else mentioned, it's also smart to leave a space in case you want the option to turn around or change lanes.
The space the OP mentioned does seem like a crazy amount of space, though. Are there a lot of senior citizens where you live, who don't have good depth perception?
In Silicon Valley, the biggest challenge here, is that there are a lot of drivers on the road who are immigrants from other countries who either have never driven before and/or come from countries where it's really necessary to drive really aggressively, or where it makes more sense to just stop your vehicle in the middle of the road until you decide what you want to do - than pull over to the side of the road.
I can't tell you how many times I've been stuck behind a couple of Indian women in a minivan here, who decided to just stop in the middle of the road, while they consulted their GPS LOL. So, here, you leave yourself enough space to get around someone, just in case.
Never remember that happening when I lived in the Bay Area including SV.. it happens a lot more than I care to even count here in West Texas even with far fewer immigrants.
I moved to the US (Texas) from Germany, so for me it was a big adjustment.
1) 3-5 car gaps when standing at intersection? I noticed gaps, but maybe 1-2 cars length.
I asked about it and was told that some people do that, because they don't want to hit the back of the car on the front when someone hit their back. Apparently no matter what, if you hit someone's back is always your fault.
2) some people do drive just about speed limit on the fast lane. It sucks when they act like Hwy patrol. There are signs "Slower traffic keep right", but they think driving posted speed limit is the right thing to do. Trying to pass them often creates dangerous situation.
3) I have no opinion about #3, because I drive on
the far right lane as little as possible.
Now let me add few of my pet peeves:
- lose, unsecured cargo on the pickups, and stuff falling out. Once a sofa fell out of a pickup in front of me. Another time I saw handyman truck lost his ladder
It's pretty common to see lost cargo on the road shoulder.
- trucks that pass each other super slow on two lane hwy, slowing down the traffic for miles.
Also cars on hwy driving in clusters/platoons , at the same speed on all lanes. Trying to overtake them is a real challenge.
- drivers who don't use turn signals, or forgot to turn them off.
- drivers who dawdle or drive very slow at light change, and don't give a damn about the cars behind that will not make it through the green light. That's just a simple lack of driving courtesy.
- all those who don't understand the concept of zipper merging, creating havoc and traffic jam at construction sites.
- and here is one that irritates me the most - cars changing lanes or pulling out into traffic in front of me, causing me to slam on the brakes and slow down, and when I check the back mirror I see no other cars behind me. Why don't they slow down or wait a moment and merge behind me, when there is a big gap between the cars?
This is happening several times every day during my commute to and from work.
Most important lesson I learned since I moved in here is to constantly watch other drivers to anticipate their erratic behavior. That's tiring and annoying, and something I dont have to do when driving overseas.
Now let me add few of my pet peeves:
- lose, unsecured cargo on the pickups, and stuff falling out. Once a sofa fell out of a pickup in front of me. Another time I saw handyman truck lost his ladder It's pretty common to see lost cargo on the road shoulder.
- trucks that pass each other super slow on two lane hwy, slowing down the traffic for miles. Also cars on hwy driving in clusters/platoons , at the same speed on all lanes. Trying to overtake them is a real challenge.
- drivers who don't use turn signals, or forgot to turn them off.
- drivers who dawdle or drive very slow at light change, and don't give a damn about the cars behind that will not make it through the green light. That's just a simple lack of driving courtesy.
- all those who don't understand the concept of zipper merging, creating havoc and traffic jam at construction sites.
- and here is one that irritates me the most - cars changing lanes or pulling out into traffic in front of me, causing me to slam on the brakes and slow down, and when I check the back mirror I see no other cars behind me. Why don't they slow down or wait a moment and merge behind me, when there is a big gap between the cars?
This is happening several times every day during my commute to and from work.
Most important lesson I learned since I moved in here is to constantly watch other drivers to anticipate their erratic behavior. That's tiring and annoying, and something I dont have to do when driving overseas.
I was seriously nodding my head in agreement at all of your pet peeves but especially at the unsecured cargo. A friend and I were leaving Trader Joe's when a truck tried to race to make a left turn in front of us, a mattress set and bedframe came flying off of the back of the vehicle in the lane that we were traveling in
I noticed a tendency to leave ridiculous gaps between stopped cars here that I don't remember seeing back east. One car length when it's icy I can understand; two or more car lengths on perfectly dry roads is just silly. It prevents drivers behind you from being able to turn onto the road and from reaching turn lanes, and means fewer cars get through the intersection when the light changes.
The thing that bugs me most, though, which I haven't seen mentioned, is drivers who refuse to use two designated lanes for turning. We have a busy intersection with two left turn lanes, designed to move more traffic through the intersection in one light cycle which then merges together about a mile down the road, at which point there's been plenty of time to spread out for a zipper merge. Invariably traffic is backed up in the leftmost lane all the way back to where the turn lanes begin, and those drivers get super upset if anyone dares pass them on the right to use the second lane for its intended purpose.
drivers who refuse to use two designated lanes for turning.
these drivers don't want to merge at the zipper thinking that they will get ahead (priority in merging?) than those who will merge later forgetting that at the zipper, you take turns merging. so if I was the only one at the other (right) lane, I will go first than the 2nd or 3rd car in the other (left) lane
By leaving a gap between cars at a red light, all the cars can accelerate faster to get through the light. Instead of each car waiting for the car in front to go, everyone can start moving forward all together.
^^^^^^ Bingo.
I'm amazed at how few people get it. When the cars are spaced out, all cars the can start moving at the same time. From the first car to the last car. When the cars are a foot apart, the second car has to wait for the first car to move. The third car has to wait for the second car to move and so on. By the time the last car can move, the light is ready to turn red again.
Pulling right up to the bumper of the car infront of you at a stop light, is just a form of tailgating. The mentality that you always have to be on the bumper of the car in front of you no matter what. Even if it is just dangerous and slows all traffic down.
Another driver courtesy worth mention are drivers that stop on traffic light, and use the turn lane to go straight. They are blocking all cars that could turn right by red (when allowed), but must wait for green because of cars in front of them going straight.
Some drivers are so selfish...
Another driver courtesy worth mention are drivers that stop on traffic light, and use the turn lane to go straight. They are blocking all cars that could turn right by red (when allowed), but must wait for green because of cars in front of them going straight.
Some drivers are so selfish...
Unless there is a sign that states the right lane must turn right, the driver going straight through the intersection has every legal right to be in that lane as much the driver that will be turning right.
The most prudent choice would be to build a dedicated right turn lane. If that is not possible, than you will see what are you are describing above: vehicles can head straight or turn right. Traffic and road engineers want people to use both lanes to prevent a long line of vehicles in one lane while there is a scant few vehicles just using the right lane.
I recently moved to a new area of the country and have observed what I consider to be strange habits among the local driving population. I was hoping that posters could help me understand what I am seeing and why moving to a new region makes such a huge difference in how people drive. Some background, I was born in the Los Angeles area and spent most of my life living in Phoenix AZ. I moved to a small city in the Midwest and have been perplexed and annoyed at the way people drive here.
1. Why do people leave HUGE gaps between vehicles when they are stopped at intersections? I am talking about 2-5 car lengths and a majority of people are doing it. To create this gap, people will intentionally stop short almost like a panic stop. For a person used to a more normal gap between vehicles, it is frustrating. When approaching an intersection, the car in front will begin braking hard before they are even close to the car in front of them, it still takes me by surprise sometimes. It also makes it hard for traffic to enter left/right turn lanes and only a few cars can get through when the light turns green.
2. Why do people routinely drive under the speed limit? Most people seem to drive 3-5 mph below the posted speed limit. They often do this side by side with other vehicles, creating a bottleneck and a large line of cars behind them. This is done on surface streets and freeways.
3. Why do drivers attempt to enter the freeway at slow speed when traffic is clear? They don't even try to use the ramp to get up to normal speed and it is dangerous. They will also merge right into traffic that is moving 10-15 mph faster and expect those drivers to slow down and let them in. I have never seen this type of freeway driving in my life.
LOL. Did you move to Minneapolis?! You've just described it to a T.
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