Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
People down here also love to floor it off of the light for some stupid reason.
LOL! Now see, that's where I'm gonna get honked at! When I was in Columbus OH I noticed a lot of people would watch the light for oncoming traffic and hit the gas and move forward when the oncoming signal turned yellow. So I stopped driving through yellow lights (well, mostly....ish) Here in Davenport, people go through major intersections like the light or sign doesn't even exist. Not like they're running it, just like its not even there. So, if I'm first in line, I pause and look both ways before proceeding even after the light has changed to green. But, they can honk at me all they want, I really don't care. I'm chill like that : D
As a semi related tidbit, I remember hearing something a few months ago about a study that suggested people who listen to loud music while driving are more focused. I should go look that up
People around here drive like HUGE, HUGE Aholes. Worse than Philadephia. Down here, everyone speeds ridiculously excessively. I see people go 85 on the highway and someone still wants to tailgate their ass and pass them going 100-110 mph many times on I95. Sorry, that's excessive speed no matter what. People love to constantly cut you off down here. Nothing gets my blood more boiling than aholes behind you that cut you off from behind while you are trying to merge.
It's also much worse down here for pedestrians. People don't give a flying F about yielding to pedestrians and even cuss you out for walking in the crosswalk for when you are supposed to because they're trying to make a turn and you're in their way. People down here also love to floor it off of the light for some stupid reason.
Pedestrians in this area are morons. They walk slow into the street without looking both ways. They act like the road is for people. They don't seem to realize a car can kill them.
When I'm a pedestrian I treat cars with respect because I know they can hurt me more than I can hurt them. This is common sense. Regardless of the rules in place, it's stupid to assume someone driving a deadly car will always see you or stop for you.
The overall theme of all my posts on this thread is: "get out of the way!!!". People just don't get it.
This comes off as control freak behavior. Its not enough that you live as you please... you must also force your ways on others.
You gain nothing by "annoying" the person tailgating you. When I tailgate people and they slow down to "annoy me" I just keep tailgating them. If they go below the speed limit by even 1 mile.. I lay on my horn and I don't stop.
If you want to "annoy me" for tailgating you.. the price will be high. You won't hear that music or talk radio you're listening too. Nope.. just my horn.
Its best to just get out of people's way. Some people who tailgate WILL hit you (or worse) and keep going. Don't try to be a hero or risk your life when all you have to do is get out of their way.
Even out of simple self-preservation instincts, why would you tailgate someone? I mean why, why would anyone want to be right behind another car at 50+ MPH?
I mean I get out the way, whatever, but I don't get bump riders.
I follow the 2 second rule myself, I'd like enough time to swerve or whatever if anything goes down.
Even out of simple self-preservation instincts, why would you tailgate someone? I mean why, why would anyone want to be right behind another car at 50+ MPH?
I mean I get out the way, whatever, but I don't get bump riders.
I follow the 2 second rule myself, I'd like enough time to swerve or whatever if anything goes down.
I guess for the same reason people get into bar fights. It's a form of intimidation. The idea is to make the other driver fear their safety enough to get out of my way.
I guess for the same reason people get into bar fights. It's a form of intimidation. The idea is to make the other driver fear their safety enough to get out of my way.
Haha, if someone tailgates me, I go slower to minimize the chances of a fatal accident -- if you crash into my back at 50 mph and I start fish-tailing, that's the end of my life. At 20 mph, it's not such a big deal. You'd probably be completely fine, though.
And I abhor people who get mad at people for driving below the speed limit! You're the one who's at fault legally if you want to speed, not the person who's going slowly. After all, it's technically illegal for you to go even 0.1 mph over the speed limit. I understand that you have a meeting to get to, but I do too, and it's wrong for you to assume that you're more important than me or a better driver just because you're speeding. Sometimes there are reasons for going slowly -- if I'm unfamiliar with the roads, I have to slow down! If you really want to speed, contact MDSHA and ask them to raise speed limits, or move to Germany.
Also, your argument that slower drivers are worse drivers is completely flawed. I know people who are great at controlling the car in emergency situations and speeding if they need to, but they DON'T because they're disciplined and conscientious drivers. If you tailgate people and get angry because of slow drivers, you're OBVIOUSLY not level-headed (no argument there, you admitted it yourself), and shouldn't be driving (it's Driving 101 -- you're not supposed to drive if you're angry or emotionally taxed).
That said, I always drive about 5-10 mph over the speed limit to stop people from getting totally mad at me and being rash. If I had it my way, though, I wouldn't go more than the speed limit at all. Also, it's any driver's right to go below the speed limit within 10 mph (legally!), but it's NOBODY's right to go above the speed limit, at least in MD. It is an absolute law, even though police officers won't pull you over unless you're going really quickly. Other states have other laws.
By the way, you say there aren't many aggressive drivers here, but YOU are one if you tailgate. You're the epitome of what bad driving is in DC, I'm sorry to say.
Bad drivers here in the DC area:
-don't use their indicators when changing lanes or turning, because they think they have the right of way anyways.
-weave in and out of traffic because they think they're good enough to do it (even though you're endangering others). This is how my friend got side-swiped once, by someone who had been weaving earlier.
-tailgate ('nuff said)
-go more than 10 mph over the speed limit -- seriously, that overconfidence is what kills people.
-Drink-drive -- not stupid necessarily, but lacking in judgement.
-Honk at you for accelerating slowly or doing something else within your rights.
-participate in "Left-turn trains," where you assume it is clear to turn left because the car in front of you is turning.
-don't stop at the stop line if they're going straight through or making a left turn and it's red. This blocks the view of people trying to turn right on red if you're nose is sticking out into the intersection.
And, my number one pet-peeve:
Driving past everyone on the shoulder when you want to make a right turn. These people think they're better than everyone else and don't have to wait in line, so they use the shoulder to get ahead of everyone else. There have been countless times when a fire-truck had to use the shoulder and the egotistical jerks were blocking the way. I encounter these drivers every single day on the way to work.
I make mistakes myself, though:
-I usually go over the speed limit a bit, which is technically illegal.
-I overtake bicyclists and pedestrians over double-yellow lines -- a cop told me I could when I asked him about it, but it's still technically illegal.
-I give way at yield signs when turning right, even if a new lane opens up just for me.* Technically, you're still supposed to yield to anyone else who wants to enter that lane from the other lanes because of the "Yield" sign, but no one follows that and I'm just annoying impatient drivers that way.
*For that last mistake, refer to this city-data post: Yield Signs
Apparently, you ARE supposed to yield even though you get your own lane, but no one else does that.
Haha, if someone tailgates me, I go slower to minimize the chances of a fatal accident -- if you crash into my back at 50 mph and I start fish-tailing, that's the end of my life. At 20 mph, it's not such a big deal. You'd probably be completely fine, though.
And I abhor people who get mad at people for driving below the speed limit! You're the one who's at fault legally if you want to speed, not the person who's going slowly. After all, it's technically illegal for you to go even 0.1 mph over the speed limit. I understand that you have a meeting to get to, but I do too, and it's wrong for you to assume that you're more important than me or a better driver just because you're speeding. Sometimes there are reasons for going slowly -- if I'm unfamiliar with the roads, I have to slow down! If you really want to speed, contact MDSHA and ask them to raise speed limits, or move to Germany.
Also, your argument that slower drivers are worse drivers is completely flawed. I know people who are great at controlling the car in emergency situations and speeding if they need to, but they DON'T because they're disciplined and conscientious drivers. If you tailgate people and get angry because of slow drivers, you're OBVIOUSLY not level-headed (no argument there, you admitted it yourself), and shouldn't be driving (it's Driving 101 -- you're not supposed to drive if you're angry or emotionally taxed).
That said, I always drive about 5-10 mph over the speed limit to stop people from getting totally mad at me and being rash. If I had it my way, though, I wouldn't go more than the speed limit at all. Also, it's any driver's right to go below the speed limit within 10 mph (legally!), but it's NOBODY's right to go above the speed limit, at least in MD. It is an absolute law, even though police officers won't pull you over unless you're going really quickly. Other states have other laws.
By the way, you say there aren't many aggressive drivers here, but YOU are one if you tailgate. You're the epitome of what bad driving is in DC, I'm sorry to say.
Bad drivers here in the DC area:
-don't use their indicators when changing lanes or turning, because they think they have the right of way anyways.
-weave in and out of traffic because they think they're good enough to do it (even though you're endangering others). This is how my friend got side-swiped once, by someone who had been weaving earlier.
-tailgate ('nuff said)
-go more than 10 mph over the speed limit -- seriously, that overconfidence is what kills people.
-Drink-drive -- not stupid necessarily, but lacking in judgement.
-Honk at you for accelerating slowly or doing something else within your rights.
-participate in "Left-turn trains," where you assume it is clear to turn left because the car in front of you is turning.
-don't stop at the stop line if they're going straight through or making a left turn and it's red. This blocks the view of people trying to turn right on red if you're nose is sticking out into the intersection.
And, my number one pet-peeve:
Driving past everyone on the shoulder when you want to make a right turn. These people think they're better than everyone else and don't have to wait in line, so they use the shoulder to get ahead of everyone else. There have been countless times when a fire-truck had to use the shoulder and the egotistical jerks were blocking the way. I encounter these drivers every single day on the way to work.
I make mistakes myself, though:
-I usually go over the speed limit a bit, which is technically illegal.
-I overtake bicyclists and pedestrians over double-yellow lines -- a cop told me I could when I asked him about it, but it's still technically illegal.
-I give way at yield signs when turning right, even if a new lane opens up just for me.* Technically, you're still supposed to yield to anyone else who wants to enter that lane from the other lanes because of the "Yield" sign, but no one follows that and I'm just annoying impatient drivers that way.
*For that last mistake, refer to this city-data post: Yield Signs
Apparently, you ARE supposed to yield even though you get your own lane, but no one else does that.
Sorry but slow drivers are an irritation and cause more accidents. They fall asleep, multi-task and pick their noses. They text and talk on the phone . They day dream. You know why? Because they are in no rush. Slow driving should be grounds for a $200 ticket.
Fast drivers ARE better than everyone else. We are efficient and polute the air less because we spend less time fooling around on the road. If you drive slow then you deserve to get cut off and tailgated. Get out of my way!
I live in Seattle but I've driven in the DC area many times before and it's crazy how many people don't use their turn signals.
Collateral, driving inattentively is just as dangerous as those who feel the need to be a hot rod on the road. If you seriously think raising your blood pressure and getting all worked up over someone not going exactly if not faster than you just so you can be a few minutes earlier for your destination, I feel sorry for you. If you are THAT rushed of a person, I suggest leaving your house earlier.
I have encountered a few transplanted New York and other east coast license plates here in the Seattle area and they all try to bring those dangerous driving habits here. Go ahead and try to tail-gate me, I'll give you a nice dose of breaks to slow you down even more. Horn?.... lemme put my radio on full blast to drown out that god awful noise. lol
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
