Forgive me for the rant.... (Denver, Superior: rental car, rental, work)

[HighlandsGal]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I notice that many of you woman are expressing anger and you want to drive faster and faster and you are annoyed at the slow drivers.

When, I was younger a woman driver was considered a slow, patient, courteous driver and aggressive men were annoyed by "women drivers".

I had lunch with a Colorado Police Officer, a number of years ago, and he told this story:

" I was leaving work very late, one evening, about 10 PM and driving another officer home in my own old car. The road I was on was somewhat remote and not very busy. I made a mistake and I cut off a driver that I did not see and the other driver was forced to slow down. It was not dangerous encounter, no fast braking; it was just like you see everyday. There was no accident or contact and I just kept driving but I felt bad and embarrassed The other driver sped up, honk and honked and cut me in front of me and braked hard. I drove on, she drove on and again she slowed and braked hard in front of me. I did not want a confrontation, so I just took the license number down, glimpsed the driver, and noted it was a Mercedes.

Next day, I ran the plate and I went to the house to make contact with the driver and issued HER a summons. She was a 65 year old woman, living in a very elegant house.

I asked myself, what has changed in this world when an older woman challenges a male driver with another male in the car, late at night, on a lonely road."

I see that today, when people challenge other drivers, after the other driver made a mistake in judgment. Are you not afraid for your safety?? People have guns in their cars?
Maybe the person is violent?? Yet, I see this more and more, even with woman who have children in their car.

We all have made mistake in driving and we feel bad, we feel embarrassed, it happens. Have an understanding that other drivers, do make careless, unintended mistakes.

Man are notorious for being aggressive and that is why more crime, murders are committed by men. However, what is happening to woman when now they are approaching this level of anger. Why???

All of us, men and women, need to slow down when we drive. When we are angry, it is best to pull over and relax. I do not force a confrontation or try to confront any driver on the road and if I am in the way, I try to move over and let them pass.

It appears that women and men are started to come closer to life expectancy. It is ashame that woman need to be so aggressive and rushed in their lives that they hurt themselves and others.

Livecontent

Oh no, I think you misunderstand!! I am NOT an aggressive driver, I just like to go at the speed limit or maybe 5 over. I do not tailgate and I do not flip people off, curse, chase people down, etc. I DO put on my brakes if someone is driving up my a**, but that is rare here. And yes, I will admit to passing on the right if someone won't get over in a reasonable amount of time.

I just started this thread because it seems to me that more people than normal here in the metro area lack important driving skills like merging and driving at appropriate speeds!

I live very close to downtown and walk all the time in my 'hood and into the city, however, I live in the Lower Highlands and work in Castle Rock, so mass transit isn't really an option for me and my work hours.

[Katiana]

I have always thought Denver drivers drive fairly fast. I have rarely been stuck behind a plodding vehicle. That is not my issue. There's a lot of cutting in and out of lanes here, and people who move over to the passing lane and block the car that is behind the occasional slowpoke. Signage is awful here; there is no consistency. 'Next right' and 'this right' can mean the same thing. 'Next right' can mean the exit right in front of you, or it can mean the one after that. For a state that is so dependent on tourism, one would think they would standardize this stuff.

[kristenfromdenver]

I grew up driving in IL and MI and I must say my NUMBER ONE complaint about Colorado drivers is that they cannot seem to pay attention to the Slower Traffic Stay Right signs. That is my main complaint. You stay to the right unless you are going to pass, then once you pass you move back to the right again. people in Chicago are great at this and people here putz along in the left lane with numerous people passing them on the right and they don't seem to notice even after they pass a Slower Traffic Stay Right sign! Little irritating!

[el borracho]

i have one for you ,have you ever come up to a red light and there will be 20cars in the left lane and none in the right lane i just dont get it ,and dont blame all the people from TEXAS and, cali the traffic in those states are way more congested ,denver drivers no survivors

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I made a mistake and I cut off a driver that I did not see and the other driver was forced to slow down. It was not dangerous encounter, no fast braking; it was just like you see everyday. There was no accident or contact and I just kept driving but I felt bad and embarrassed The other driver sped up, honk and honked and cut me in front of me and braked hard. I drove on, she drove on and again she slowed and braked hard in front of me. Livecontent

I have had situations like this and usually get out of them by rolling down the window and waving at them. They usually get the hint.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by HighlandsGal

Oh no, I think you misunderstand!! I am NOT an aggressive driver, I just like to go at the speed limit or maybe 5 over. I do not tailgate and I do not flip people off, curse, chase people down, etc. I DO put on my brakes if someone is driving up my a**, but that is rare here. And yes, I will admit to passing on the right if someone won't get over in a reasonable amount of time.

I just started this thread because it seems to me that more people than normal here in the metro area lack important driving skills like merging and driving at appropriate speeds!

I live very close to downtown and walk all the time in my 'hood and into the city, however, I live in the Lower Highlands and work in Castle Rock, so mass transit isn't really an option for me and my work hours.

I have read your numerous posts and they tell me you are a sensitive and intelligent woman. I am no better than you or anybody--I am myself as you are yourself.

I see the situation where someone is driving slow then I drive slow behind them and relax. I have never passed on the right--an illegal move that is dangerous to other drivers and pedestrians.

There are minimum driving speeds that I will follow, so at the same time I follow the maximum driving limit and drive the speed what is appropriate for the situation.

But if you feel differently and you drive differently then it is what you do. I am sure our different ages, experiences, and requirements of livings differentiate our behavior. I have commented on what I see as indications of aggression and impatience that are characteristic of the traditional male, but that is what I see, it is not necessary for you to agree.

I just relax, sit back, and get where I am going, when I get there.

Many times the slow driver is lost and many times elderly or the driver see a hazard that I do not see.

Livecontent

[ditto]

I blame the altitude -- does crazy things to the brain. Just look at some of my posts.

[esya]

Ludachris,

the reason people stay in the far right lane is because a few years ago our intelligent legislature made a rule that says you are supposed to stay right unless you are passing. Since most people think this law was passed to allow the aggressive and speed exceeding drivers (75 is a max, not a minimum) to go as fast as they want in the left lane, this leaves everyone else, truckers, normal drivers, and mergers, to all work it out in the right lane, and it's especially bad where there are only two lanes.

Most sensible cities, eastern ones included, have signs that tell people things like "through traffic stay right" or "exit 457 right lane 1/2 mile ahead" but the morons who planned I-25 (and still are) seem to have only one goal: moving traffic faster and faster. They apparently stiffed the signage budget.

Say what you want, but I don't think putting your car into a space of 10 feet between two other vehicles while going 65 or more in a totally full freeway is safe. I drive a BMW and am a good driver, but people are insane on the freeways. The SUVs have ruined the roadways because they stomp on it on the straitaways and clog up the roads on the curves, are blind due to blackout windows, and poor visibility down to the road level.

[gsxrmoto1]

What I don't understand about the Colorado drivers since I moved from Washington DC is why they have to merge over ASAP whenever there is traffic. For instance, if there is wall to wall traffic in front of you, or a sign that says right lane ends 1 mile, why do you have to merge over right then and there? Just simply, wait until you get to the end of your lane and then move over. This helps prevent longer backups on the highway because more cars are sitting in the lane that's going to be closed. Do the drivers around here just panic or something. This approach also prevents the crazy drivers from flying by you to try and get ahead. Just ride the lane out, it'll help out everyone in the end.....

[Mikieo415]

Originally Posted by gsxrmoto1

What I don't understand about the Colorado drivers since I moved from Washington DC is why they have to merge over ASAP whenever there is traffic. For instance, if there is wall to wall traffic in front of you, or a sign that says right lane ends 1 mile, why do you have to merge over right then and there? Just simply, wait until you get to the end of your lane and then move over. This helps prevent longer backups on the highway because more cars are sitting in the lane that's going to be closed. Do the drivers around here just panic or something. This approach also prevents the crazy drivers from flying by you to try and get ahead. Just ride the lane out, it'll help out everyone in the end.....

Unfortunately if you choose to remain in the lane you may get trapped there because most people are in a hurry to get nowhere and don't let people merge. I have been forced off on a few exit only ramps due to people not letting me merge.