I thought Houston drivers were crazy... (San Antonio, Beaumont: how much, elementary school, DMV)

[L210]

Over the years, I have heard several stories in the news about studies ranking San Antonio low when it comes to drivers, so it just might be a fact we're worse than average. The people driving below or at the speed limit in the left lane are annoying, but they aren't dangerous. I think we also have an aggressive driver problem. I drive to work late at night, so I also encounter a lot of drunk drivers. Here are my pet peeves besides the drunk or slow drivers:

1. Not signaling when switching lanes or turning. Also, people using their signals at the last minute after I already had to slow down.

2. Tailgaters. Driving right up on my bumper is not going to make me go faster or the person in front of me go faster. Either switch lanes or deal with it. You aren't going to pay for my speeding ticket. If I'm in the front of the line, the cop is going to go after me. Before I got my first speeding ticket, I used to drive 10 or 15 miles above the speed limit and I still had tailgaters; even in the middle and right lanes. I have a CDL (3 tickets in 2 years completely suspends my license), so I rarely drive more than 5 mph over the speed limit. I now use a lot less gas.

3. Driving with distractions, especially cell phones. Someone hit me from behind because they were on their cell phone and I've had a lot of other close calls.

4. People who can't stay in their lane.

5. People who swing out to make a right turn. I drove a VIA bus and I rarely had to swing out, so you definitely don't.

6. People not yielding. I hear complaints from people who aren't from here about our drivers, but one really stands out. This man was from Beaumont and he said people here don't yield. Do you want to know why people stop when merging on to the highway? It's because people don't yield to the traffic coming in from the right. The sheriff who killed a lady because he failed to yield didn't face any serious charges because the woman didn't take evasive action. Yes he was supposed to yield, but you just don't drive right into an accident, so you slow down or stop. The man from Beaumont also said that as he's trying to let people in, he gets frustrated because they aren't up to highway speeds. It's probably because they aren't used to people yielding.

5. It seems like everyone except me takes forever to move when there's a green light. The man from Beaumont also noticed that.

6. People speeding and tailgating while it's raining and even when there's ice on the road.

7. People waiting until the last minute to merge into a land when there's construction. They are the reason for the hold up.

8. Excessive speeding and constant lane changing. I love meeting these people down the road at a red light, LOL. All of that speeding and we got to the same place at the same time.

9. Drivers not turning off their brights when they're approaching me.

We don't live in the desert; it rains a few times a month here. There is no excuse for why San Antonians don't know how to drive in the rain.

[HillCountryHotRodMan]

Originally Posted by meisha210

5. People who swing out to make a right turn. I drove a VIA bus and I rarely had to swing out, so you definitely don't.

So true! What is that all about?

Why do people in San Antonio turn out before they make the turn? I have a feeling most of the culprits probably don't have computers or are in the CD forum, anyhow.

[EmergencyOps]

Originally Posted by meisha210

7. People waiting until the last minute to merge into a land when there's construction. They are the reason for the hold up.

You would do well to read Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us). You would be surprised to learn that early mergers cause more congestion.

[adriver]

Ok, sounds like you all want a piece of me.... SO.. on behalf of all speeders/aggressive drivers on the road, Im going to try to help you understand our metality.

1. If I was not in your rearview mirror 2 minutes ago, and now I am. ITS BECAUSE IM GOING FASTER THAN YOU!!! You dont have to do anything but give me enough room to get around and pass you.

2. If you want to do 10mph under the speed limit, thats fine, just dont do it in the left lane, and if you are going to be in the left lane, (ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY) expect to be ready for 10 over.

3. I have learned about driving. I know that in san antonio, if Im gonna get a speeding ticket, as long as im not doing over 100mph, speeding in a school zone, or doing 25mph over the speed limit, then I can get the same defensive driving dismissal ticket for doing 24mph over as I would for doing 2mph over. Therefore if I feel the need to speed to whereever I am goin, guess which one I am going to do? If you don't have sirens on your car, and a badge on your shirt, seriously... What do you care?

4. QUIT #&%$ING TEXTING WHILE DRIVING, also, if you are on your phone, and you cant maintain speed, or stay in your lane while driving EXACTLY LIKE you would if you werent on your phone, THEN YOU ARE DISTRACTED. If you veer into another lane even if its for a few seconds or a few inches, Then you are driving worse than the rest of us speeders who at least are not interfering with you.

5. Steering is kind of like coloring, just stay in the lines. The roads here do suck in spots, but driving is work. Use a little bit of damn energy and turn your steering wheel. You dont always have a nice straight square to color. If you are taking the 50mph turn down by the zoo on 281 and doing 50 mph, you do NOT need to cut the lines by 3 feet, and again, you dont need to do it in the left lane.

6. To the idiots who stop on the on ramps, and to this person a few up who doesnt know how to number things. THE PEOPLE ALL READY ON THE HIGHWAY DO NOT YIELD. The drivers who are entering the highway are supposed to merge. It is a courtesy to move out of their way, but it is the oncoming drivers responsibility to merge in to traffic.

7. On ramps for getting on to the highway. If you know you are going to do about 60 in a 65mph zone why are you getting on the highway at 40mph. Use the room and your toes, and accelerate so you have enough decency to not slow every one else down.

8. "People waiting until the last minute to merge into a lane when there's construction. They are the reason for the hold up." NO, NO, NO. The construction is the reason for the hold up, and if there is 2 lanes that merge, and everybody is merging at the beginning of the lane and everybody but you merges and you try to speed past and sneak in, not only am I not going to let you in, im going to slightly swerve towards you and Im going to adjust my speed so I can help make sure the person in front of and behind me have less room to let you in.

9. "8. Excessive speeding and constant lane changing. I love meeting these people down the road at a red light, LOL. All of that speeding and we got to the same place at the same time." Yeah, just keep in mind that If I missed going through a yellow light by a few seconds, because I was stuck behind you for a half mile before that, because you were too busy talking on your phone, eating, putting on makeup to notice that the large truck next to you is slowly moving as fast as it can...... That would make you the bats turd.

I have more, but I feel my point has been made.

[pacific_trader]

I grew up in San Antonio, moved to Houston at 16, and love driving back to San Antonio when I can. Drivers there are positively complacent and restrained compared to the Katy Freeway or the Southwest Freeway here in Houston.

[L210]

In response to adriver, I made a few typos. Sorry that offended you so much; it's too late for me to edit that post. And I just said that distracted drivers are one of my pet peeves, so why are you assuming I'm driving under the speed limit putting on makeup or talking on the phone? I never drive below the speed limit. As a person with a CDL, I do not qualify for defensive driving or probation; I just get a ticket. If I'm doing 5 above in the middle or RIGHT lane, then there should be no one tailgating me; GO AROUND. I was hit by a person on a cell phone who was going so fast, he didn't have time to stop. My injured back and the inconvenience of having a wrecked car is why I'm concerned about aggressive drivers. One of my coworkers totaled his car because he was (guess what) tailgating someone.

P.S. Cops often ignore people going under 10 mph over the speed limit, especially under 5 mph over the speed limit because those tickets are more likely to get dismissed. SAPD is more concerned with catching aggressive drivers right now anyway.

[Orincarnia]

how about the people who stick to the bumper of the car in front of them when merging?

there was a yellow caliber this morning who didn't let the explorer in front of me merge at medical and I-10 (you know the bridge, then the light, then down to one lane immediatly.) i hate it when people don't merge properly, it backs up traffic.

oh and 281 south to 410 west , interchange, i try to be as courteous a driver as possible, but that always seems to be when people are the rudest. i always have someone who glares at me and doesn't want to let me in, now i've started ignoring courtesy and just going. no more honks, no more people holding to that bumper.

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by adriver

Ok, sounds like you all want a piece of me.... SO.. on behalf of all speeders/aggressive drivers on the road, Im going to try to help you understand our metality.

1. If I was not in your rearview mirror 2 minutes ago, and now I am. ITS BECAUSE IM GOING FASTER THAN YOU!!! You dont have to do anything but give me enough room to get around and pass you.

2. If you want to do 10mph under the speed limit, thats fine, just dont do it in the left lane, and if you are going to be in the left lane, (ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY) expect to be ready for 10 over.

3. I have learned about driving. I know that in san antonio, if Im gonna get a speeding ticket, as long as im not doing over 100mph, speeding in a school zone, or doing 25mph over the speed limit, then I can get the same defensive driving dismissal ticket for doing 24mph over as I would for doing 2mph over. Therefore if I feel the need to speed to whereever I am goin, guess which one I am going to do? If you don't have sirens on your car, and a badge on your shirt, seriously... What do you care?

4. QUIT #&%$ING TEXTING WHILE DRIVING, also, if you are on your phone, and you cant maintain speed, or stay in your lane while driving EXACTLY LIKE you would if you werent on your phone, THEN YOU ARE DISTRACTED. If you veer into another lane even if its for a few seconds or a few inches, Then you are driving worse than the rest of us speeders who at least are not interfering with you.

5. Steering is kind of like coloring, just stay in the lines. The roads here do suck in spots, but driving is work. Use a little bit of damn energy and turn your steering wheel. You dont always have a nice straight square to color. If you are taking the 50mph turn down by the zoo on 281 and doing 50 mph, you do NOT need to cut the lines by 3 feet, and again, you dont need to do it in the left lane.

6. To the idiots who stop on the on ramps, and to this person a few up who doesnt know how to number things. THE PEOPLE ALL READY ON THE HIGHWAY DO NOT YIELD. The drivers who are entering the highway are supposed to merge. It is a courtesy to move out of their way, but it is the oncoming drivers responsibility to merge in to traffic.

7. On ramps for getting on to the highway. If you know you are going to do about 60 in a 65mph zone why are you getting on the highway at 40mph. Use the room and your toes, and accelerate so you have enough decency to not slow every one else down.

8. "People waiting until the last minute to merge into a lane when there's construction. They are the reason for the hold up." NO, NO, NO. The construction is the reason for the hold up, and if there is 2 lanes that merge, and everybody is merging at the beginning of the lane and everybody but you merges and you try to speed past and sneak in, not only am I not going to let you in, im going to slightly swerve towards you and Im going to adjust my speed so I can help make sure the person in front of and behind me have less room to let you in.

9. "8. Excessive speeding and constant lane changing. I love meeting these people down the road at a red light, LOL. All of that speeding and we got to the same place at the same time." Yeah, just keep in mind that If I missed going through a yellow light by a few seconds, because I was stuck behind you for a half mile before that, because you were too busy talking on your phone, eating, putting on makeup to notice that the large truck next to you is slowly moving as fast as it can...... That would make you the bats turd.

I have more, but I feel my point has been made.

I realize there are dumb drivers out there, texting, talking, driving way too slow and what-not, but consider this: many of the dumb ones are the aggressive ones. Especially the speeders. Not necessarily talking or texting, but just speeding and not keeping their eyes on the road.

I'm sorry, what was your point again?

[svg210]

Originally Posted by meisha210

Over the years, I have heard several stories in the news about studies ranking San Antonio low when it comes to drivers, so it just might be a fact we're worse than average. The people driving below or at the speed limit in the left lane are annoying, but they aren't dangerous. I think we also have an aggressive driver problem. I drive to work late at night, so I also encounter a lot of drunk drivers. Here are my pet peeves besides the drunk or slow drivers:

1. Not signaling when switching lanes or turning. Also, people using their signals at the last minute after I already had to slow down.

2. Tailgaters. Driving right up on my bumper is not going to make me go faster or the person in front of me go faster. Either switch lanes or deal with it. You aren't going to pay for my speeding ticket. If I'm in the front of the line, the cop is going to go after me. Before I got my first speeding ticket, I used to drive 10 or 15 miles above the speed limit and I still had tailgaters; even in the middle and right lanes. I have a CDL (3 tickets in 2 years completely suspends my license), so I rarely drive more than 5 mph over the speed limit. I now use a lot less gas.

3. Driving with distractions, especially cell phones. Someone hit me from behind because they were on their cell phone and I've had a lot of other close calls.

4. People who can't stay in their lane.

5. People who swing out to make a right turn. I drove a VIA bus and I rarely had to swing out, so you definitely don't.

6. People not yielding. I hear complaints from people who aren't from here about our drivers, but one really stands out. This man was from Beaumont and he said people here don't yield. Do you want to know why people stop when merging on to the highway? It's because people don't yield to the traffic coming in from the right. The sheriff who killed a lady because he failed to yield didn't face any serious charges because the woman didn't take evasive action. Yes he was supposed to yield, but you just don't drive right into an accident, so you slow down or stop. The man from Beaumont also said that as he's trying to let people in, he gets frustrated because they aren't up to highway speeds. It's probably because they aren't used to people yielding.

5. It seems like everyone except me takes forever to move when there's a green light. The man from Beaumont also noticed that.

6. People speeding and tailgating while it's raining and even when there's ice on the road.

7. People waiting until the last minute to merge into a land when there's construction. They are the reason for the hold up.

8. Excessive speeding and constant lane changing. I love meeting these people down the road at a red light, LOL. All of that speeding and we got to the same place at the same time.

9. Drivers not turning off their brights when they're approaching me.

We don't live in the desert; it rains a few times a month here. There is no excuse for why San Antonians don't know how to drive in the rain.

#5 some swing because their invisible trailers they are hauling might run up the curb, or flip over.

#8 I love to see the look on their faces when they have to wait for the light, or when they are behind someone and think that hes also trying to beat the light but then stops LOL

[Buffyfan]

I drove to Houston this past Saturday. It's a speedway over there. SA drivers might be annoying in our own little ways...but we don't drive at WARP SPEED and risk dying a fiery, multi-car crash pile-up death!