The Worst of the SUV Drivers (dorm, schools, college)

[AnalyzeThis]

I meant Focus, the little hatchback looking one! My bad!

[oneasterisk]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

The other "problematic" vehicle I see is the motorcycle. There are actually very good motorcycle drivers on my way to work. Invariably, the are older men on Harleys. Because they are not enclosed, I can see them pretty well. But at least half of the motorcycle drivers appear to be young, are driving those loud, more compact bikes in the express lanes and driving like nuts. On most days I just cringe when they go by because I'm terrified I'm going to witness a motorcycle crash because of their reckless driving. There's definitely a pattern there too.

As a motorcyclists I also have great disdain for those riders who drive way too fast on the roads or are "stunting". What's interesting though is I've seen statistics that show that it's the older riders that are getting into crashes more than the younger ones. I'm not sure if it's the baby boomer crowd that is now getting into riding, or just aging riders that can no longer control thier bikes. I was on a bike trip in West Virginia 3 weeks ago and we had one crash. Older gentleman who just got back into riding and was inexperienced with the bike. Crash cost him 8 broken ribs.

My experience as a rider has shown that I'm much safer if I'm separated from traffic. I take off quickly and I'm usually driving faster than traffic to keep that buffer around me. I pay extra attention while riding during traffic since I've had cars just change lanes right into me, or I'm never sure if the guy behind me wants me as a hood ornament. People tell me to be careful while riding. I respond back, it's not me I have to worry about, it's the other "guy"...

This whole thread is silly for blaming one type of vehicle as bad drivers. Bad drivers drive/ride many different types of vehicles.

[scimitar12]

Originally Posted by Margery

Since we are griping about SUV's here's mine. It seems no matter how far I park from the entrance to a store when I come out there's an SUV on either side of me and I have to inch my way backing out because I can't see if there is oncoming traffic. I do not have a compact car, just a normal sized Infiniti G35. Another problem when I have pulled up to a stop sign, stopped and waited for traffic to clear so I can make a right turn, an SUV pulls up farther into the intersection to make a left turn and I can no longer see oncoming traffic. Thanks for letting me complain-I guess my life is not so bad if these are my only complaints.

Bingo! I too have a very hard time seeing around and above taller SUVs as I inch out of a parking spot, or try to make a turn at an intersection. And, when I drive my wife's Corolla it's even worse.

[rrrafael]

I'll nominate the Ford Expedition for biggest menace to the road. I read some of the other comments about them, and am in complete agreement.

[Nova10]

This thread is particularly funny/amusing to me since I truly loathe SUVs. The bigger, the more fire shoots out of my nose.

I generally refer to the Chevrolet SUVs (forget the model) as hearsts without caskets.

I generally refer to any huge white SUV as an ambulance without the injured party.

What's with the folks (usually men) who drive these monster trucks/SUVs, etc. always pulling up to a red light and LOOKING down into your car...I mean, I can look over into my rear mirror and actually guess if it's a dude he'll be pulling up staring as if he'll see a naked woman inside. (Get a Playboy, soiled azz-wipe.) The long red lights really, really irk me. I get so sick of having my fabric COVERED thighs stared at. There really are a lot of voyeurs in the world.

Regarding backing out from a parking space at a store, after someone I knew actually hit an elderly lady she didn't see walking along, 99.999% of the time I pull forward into all spaces so that I never have to back up. I've backed out too many times before and could've easily hit a kid or two whose parent let them run along ahead of them. That's terrifying. I'd rather hit a vehicle any day than an actual person, let alone a child.

The tinted windows drive me bonkers, too. Pray tell, why do so many SUVs, trucks, etc., have tinted windows when they're the ones towering over YOU and looking into YOUR vehicle?

Snarling.

One more thought...You know what they say, the bigger the truck, the smaller the...That always brings a chuckle behind the snarl.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by Nova10

One more thought...You know what they say, the bigger the truck, the smaller the...That always brings a chuckle behind the snarl.

My friend who drives the Smart Car always jokes that people compensate for things with their cars and he's very proud that he drives a "small" car. He said it describes him to a "T" - it's short, white, and goes for a long time.

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by Nova10

What's with the folks (usually men) who drive these monster trucks/SUVs, etc. always pulling up to a red light and LOOKING down into your car...I mean, I can look over into my rear mirror and actually guess if it's a dude he'll be pulling up staring as if he'll see a naked woman inside. (Get a Playboy, soiled azz-wipe.) The long red lights really, really irk me. I get so sick of having my fabric COVERED thighs stared at. There really are a lot of voyeurs in the world.

NEWSFLASH: All men (we) , with a few exceptions, do this. Don't you think it's great that men actually want to see your thighs? heck yea!

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

My friend who drives the Smart Car always jokes that people compensate for things with their cars and he's very proud that he drives a "small" car. He said it describes him to a "T" - it's short, white, and goes for a long time.

[rrrafael]

I spent four years living in a rural area, 50 miles from the city. Lots of mountains and "packed gravel" roads. The interstate ran through the Valley. An unusually high percentage of fatal auto accidents were SUV roll overs, usually after a blow out, but not always. A lot of those involved inexperienced drivers. I'm sure NoVa has had it's fair share of teenage SUV deaths. Often times, the good ole big brother government turns its back on statistics. Just like with the texting and mobile phone use. But God help you if you've had two beers after a hard day of paying taxes to the variolus government pigs. And those Firestone Tires. I was shocked when I was looking at Toyotas about 6 years ago to see a set of Firestones on a Toyo, what a disgrace. I told them they were going to have to knock another 300 off for putting Firestones on it. They agreed.

[oneasterisk]

Don't knock Firestone tires, they were not the cause of the blowouts a few years ago. It was FORD's fault for dropping the pressure on the trucks because of complaints of harsh suspension. The lower pressure caused the tires to heat up and blow, the same would happen to any tire put under the same stresses.

Feel free to hate on me. I drive a 4Runner. I'm a single male under 30. My windows are tinted too. Oh yeah, I've got a magnaflow exhaust too so it's also adding to noise pollution.

Who's going to make a thread on the modified subcompacts (civics/foci/etc) and why you them?