I Hate When Other Drivers _____!

[WSUCougar]

Well, after a recent series of near-misses and staggeringly stupid incidents by other drivers, I've had to move "drive while talking on a cell phone" to the top of my own list. Numbers 2 & 3 rank right up there close, though.

[JeeberD]

...don't use their turn signal.

[TredWel]

...stop at an intersection when they don't have a stop sign, and then impatiently wave you on.

[GoldenEagle]

Toss up between take forever to turn or drive too slow.

[Eaglesfan27]

I've had two different close calls from cars running a red light.. almost got plastered last night by a car that flew through a red light a full 2 seconds after it turned red.. the car appeared to be doing at least 50 and missed my front end by a foot or two only cause I was looking and slammed my brakes. Fortunately no one was behind me. So, this is currently on the top of my list, along with driving intoxicated.

[GoldenEagle]

Oh yea and also takng their turn at a stop sign when it is not their turn. I hate that.

[WSUCougar]

I've had two different close calls from cars running a red light.. almost got plastered last night by a car that flew through a red light a full 2 seconds after it turned red.. the car appeared to be doing at least 50 and missed my front end by a foot or two only cause I was looking and slammed my brakes.
This has become a chronic problem in the St. Louis area in recent years. There are several intersections where you can bet money someone will run it every damn time.

Fortunately no one was behind me. So, this is currently on the top of my list, along with driving intoxicated.
I intentionally left drunk driving off the list because that's in a category by itself, IMO.

[primelord]

Well, after a recent series of near-misses and staggeringly stupid incidents by other drivers, I've had to move "drive while talking on a cell phone" to the top of my own list. Numbers 2 & 3 rank right up there close, though.

I was thinking about this a lot the other day as a guy was screaming at me from his car because I was driving while on my cell phone. (It was odd considering it's not like we even almost had an accident or anything. He was sitting at the light in the lane next to me. Glanced over and noticed I was on the phone and just started yelling.)

Anyway I don't even like talking on the phone while I am driving, but my job requires it. We have emergencies and customer situations that demand I deal with them sometimes right away regardless of where I am. So I could take the moral stand that I will not talk while driving, but then they will just find someone who will.

So then people usually give me the argument that I could pull over to the side of the road while I am talking. Again this not always possible with the work I do. So I guess what I am saying is I didn't appreciate you cursing at me out the window Coug. What do you want me to do? :D

[primelord]

This has become a chronic problem in the St. Louis area in recent years. There are several intersections where you can bet money someone will run it every damn time.

Like every damn intersection on Manchester Rd.

[sabotai]

Where is the "All of the above" option?

How about this scenario. You're waiting at a red light, it turns green and you start to go, but the idiot coming the opposite way turns in front of you (to make a left turn). I swear, I feel like just pressing on the gas and if we hit, we hit. I hate when they can't wait the few seconds for me to pass them for them to make their turn.

I see this and other cases where people turn in front of traffic (or despite it) because they want to shave a few seconds off their commute. Why are people so impatient? I swear, one of these days I'm just going to go head first into one of these idiots. It'll probably wreck my piece of crap car, but then I'll just say thanks for the new car with the money from my insurance and I hope you enjoy your insurance at triple the rate (and I live in NJ, insurance is sky high as it is).

[sabotai]

So then people usually give me the argument that I could pull over to the side of the road while I am talking. Again this not always possible with the work I do. So I guess what I am saying is I didn't appreciate you cursing at me out the window Coug. What do you want me to do? :D

How about getting one of those hands-free devices for your phone?

[primelord]

How about getting one of those hands-free devices for your phone?

I have one. This guy was still pissed. Although is that really the issue? I have never understood how they help. I always thought the problem was the talking distracting you. Not having to hold the phone.

[heybrad]

I'd like to take the opposite look at your 4th choice. There are idiots who refuse to let anybody in when a lane is merging.

[WSUCougar]

Like every damn intersection on Manchester Rd.
Yup.

Well, prime, with all due respect...you're making excuses for driving what amounts to a deadly weapon while distracted by emergency work business? I would flip-flop the scenario then and say that you shouldn't be driving while talking on the phone, rather than not talking on the phone while driving. That's just not a valid reason to endanger everyone else on the road.

Nothing personal. Don't road rage my ass. :D

And that wasn't me. I was the one behind you with my arms in the air going "WTF?!?"

[primelord]

Well, prime, with all due respect...you're making excuses for driving what amounts to a deadly weapon while distracted by emergency work business? I would flip-flop the scenario then and say that you shouldn't be driving while talking on the phone, rather than not talking on the phone while driving. That's just not a valid reason to endanger everyone else on the road.

I'm not so much making excuses as I am just stating facts. If I am not willing to do that then my employers would find someone who is and I have to make a living. So it is what it is. I don't know that I have much choice.

[Scoobz0202]

Nothing pisses me off more then sitting at a busy intersection and there is a small gap that I could have made if the bastard had used his turn signal. Instead I sit and watch this bastard turning knowning I could have made it if I saw he was turning.

[sabotai]

I'm not so much making excuses as I am just stating facts. If I am not willing to do that then my employers would find someone who is and I have to make a living. So it is what it is. I don't know that I have much choice.

*cough*hands-free device*cough*

[primelord]

As far as the things that annoy me go. The running red lights is a big one with me as well. A good friend's sister died in a car accident when a guy came barrelling through a red light. After that point I immediately start to slow at yellow lights even when I know I can easily make it (which also pisses people off. :)). I just realized I am never in so much of a hurry that I have to run a red light and possibly kill someone.

[ScottVib]

I was thinking about this a lot the other day as a guy was screaming at me from his car because I was driving while on my cell phone. (It was odd considering it's not like we even almost had an accident or anything. He was sitting at the light in the lane next to me. Glanced over and noticed I was on the phone and just started yelling.)

Anyway I don't even like talking on the phone while I am driving, but my job requires it. We have emergencies and customer situations that demand I deal with them sometimes right away regardless of where I am. So I could take the moral stand that I will not talk while driving, but then they will just find someone who will.

So then people usually give me the argument that I could pull over to the side of the road while I am talking. Again this not always possible with the work I do. So I guess what I am saying is I didn't appreciate you cursing at me out the window Coug. What do you want me to do? :D
Pull over to the side of the road to take the call. The studies have shown the hands free devices are only marginally safer then talking on the regular hand held phone. The real problem stems from the driver being distracted or engaged in the conversation.

[primelord]

*cough*hands-free device*cough*

Apparently you missed my first response to you where I stated I have one. :)

[primelord]

Pull over to the side of the road to take the call. The studies have shown the hands free devices are only marginally safer then talking on the regular hand held phone. The real problem stems from the driver being distracted or engaged in the conversation.

Again easier said than done when you are resolving one issue on the phone while driving out to resolve another one on site.

[sabotai]

Marginally safer is still safer. :D (And in some states, it's the difference between legal and illegal)

[ScottVib]

The one I hate most is when there is a right turn lane complete with seperate turn off. And the idiot in front of me leaves a two car length gap in front of them, resulting in their blocking of the turn off so I can make my turn. Simply pulling up would open it, but they don't. :mad:

[sabotai]

Apparently you missed my first response to you where I stated I have one. :)

....yes I did. I'll go flog myself now as punishment.

[ScottVib]

Again easier said than done when you are resolving one issue on the phone while driving out to resolve another one on site.
Point your company to the lawsuit that an accident victim won against a different company when it was shown the women who hit the victim was on her cellphone on a work related call at the time of the accident.

[primelord]

Point your company to the lawsuit that an accident victim won against a different company when it was shown the women who hit the victim was on her cellphone on a work related call at the time of the accident.

I just may have to do that. :)

[jeff061]

Turn signal. You'd think it would be easy, but apparently this is one of the most difficult operations to master. I guess i'm a natural.

[sabotai]

Another thing I hate is when you're driving and in the distance you see someone stop at a stop sign at in interesection and they wait...and then when you get close, they decide then that they can make it and go, usually resolting in you having to hit your brakes and hope that the person behind you is quick with their reflexes.

And I hate when I'm driving in the right lane on a highway, already doing a little over the speed limit and someone speeds up behind me, proceeds to stay behind me at about 0.25 car lengths for a good minute before finally deciding to pass me.

[ScottVib]

I just may have to do that. :)
Here's an article that touches on one settlement 500K from the business to the victim.

http://www.berrymoorman.com/articles/1199dmfcellphone.html


And another more costly one (30 million)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-12-25-cellphone-usat_x.htm

[WSUCougar]

The one I hate most is when there is a right turn lane complete with seperate turn off. And the idiot in front of me leaves a two car length gap in front of them, resulting in their blocking of the turn off so I can make my turn. Simply pulling up would open it, but they don't. :mad:
Oh yeah. That would qualify under "Uses lanes improperly." Along with someone in the regular lane slowing down to turn left and ignoring the left turn lane. Grrrr.

[JeeberD]

And I hate when I'm driving in the right lane on a highway, already doing a little over the speed limit and someone speeds up behind me, proceeds to stay behind me at about 0.25 car lengths for a good minute before finally deciding to pass me.

There's no excuse for that.

However, I hate it when idiots are driving two over the speed limit in the fast lane and won't move over so that I can pass them. If you're in the fast lane and someone is coming up behind you, move over to the other lane. I don't care how fast you're going, or if you think the person behind you is driving too fast, just switch fucking lanes!

[primelord]

Here's an article that touches on one settlement 500K from the business to the victim.

http://www.berrymoorman.com/articles/1199dmfcellphone.html


And another more costly one (30 million)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-12-25-cellphone-usat_x.htm

Well I won't really need the information now as it was actually my last job that required me to talk while I was driving. I am not in that situation anymore, but it seemed easier to make the point as if I was still in that situation. :)

[Fonzie]

Out here in Tucson, retirement-community extraordinaire, we have so many different ways of getting pissed at drivers that it boggles the mind. One of the worst, however, is that of the obviously demented/ having- a-stroke / falling-asleep-at-the-wheel / probably-legally-blind-but-will-be-damned-if-they'll-submit-to-a-vision-test elderly driver careening wildly from one lane to another. It really gets scary out here sometimes.

Layer on top of that the fact that his is a college town, so we've got more than our share of careless youngsters zipping about. And the native Tucsonans don't have much experience driving in poor weather, so when it does rain they have no clue how to handle it (besides simply driving faster, apparently).

At least the snowbirds and college students go away during the summer. :)

[primelord]

However, I hate it when idiots are driving two over the speed limit in the fast lane and won't move over so that I can pass them. If you're in the fast lane and someone is coming up behind you, move over to the other lane. I don't care how fast you're going, or if you think the person behind you is driving too fast, just switch fucking lanes!

Again reversing the situation I can't stand when I am in the fast lane, but not going particularly fast because it is rush hour traffic and there is nowhere to go. And some guy comes flying up behind me within a quarter car length and stays there like if I managed to squeeze into the other lane he would have open road the rest of the way home.

[WSUCougar]

I tend to think of them as "point of least resistance" drivers - they press ahead as much as they can, changing lanes only if they can proceed another car-length, and tailgate at all times. Hate 'em.

[Fonzie]

I tend to think of them as "point of least resistance" drivers - they press ahead as much as they can, changing lanes only if they can proceed another car-length, and tailgate at all times. Hate 'em.

Certainly makes one long for a trunk-mounted bazooka, doesn't it?

Bazooka. That's fun to say. Say it - ba-zoo-ka. BA-ZOO-KA!

Hehe.





I need a nap.

[WSUCougar]

I'd prefer a sh*t cannon. Drive like a twit? Have a barrage of dog turds.

[tucker342]

I wish we could pick more than one option...

But I hate it when people run red lights or stop signs...

[sabotai]

However, I hate it when idiots are driving two over the speed limit in the fast lane and won't move over so that I can pass them. If you're in the fast lane and someone is coming up behind you, move over to the other lane. I don't care how fast you're going, or if you think the person behind you is driving too fast, just switch fucking lanes!

Sometimes I find myself in the left lane. Usually when I'm in the middle lane and use the left to pass someone. A lot of the times there will end up being someone behind me that needs to go fast. Because of this need, they don't give me an f'n chance to move over. I'll get passed the guy I'm passing, put my right turn signal on to indicate that I will be moving over, but before I can the guy behind me slams on the accelerator and goes into the middle lane and passes me. Usually almost hitting me and the guy I just passed.

[sabotai]

I love it when I see someone in heavy traffic changing lanes a lot, while I'll just sit in one. Usually I end up passing the guy and leaving him behind as he searches for ways to get into a different lane.

[Cringer]

I could go on and on and on and on....i would be here a week if i got into this. Unfortunetly i must leave in 30 minutes to spend the week putting up with all this shit. But number 1 for me is people never use thier turn signal anymore. Because this combined with other things is just dangerous and atleast very rude:

Talking on cellphone w/o hands free so they can't use signal

Change lanes without using signal, or try to and get pissed because you didn't let them in, even though you never knew they wanted to get over because they didn't use thier signal

Take forever to turn, and they don't signal when doing it. I can't stop very well in my truck, if you are taking forever to turn off a highway, and i can't tell what you are doing or which way you may go, it can end up bad.

ok, i haven't stopped yet! i gotta go to work. see when i pass through, use you frickin signal!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Well, after a recent series of near-misses and staggeringly stupid incidents by other drivers, I've had to move "drive while talking on a cell phone" to the top of my own list. Numbers 2 & 3 rank right up there close, though.
Unless you were mentally including it under #4, I don't know how you managed to leave out "tail-gating".

That, more than any other single thing, is why I stopped carrying a gun regularly -- sooner or later I was going to snap completely & kill some bumper-riding asshole who desperately needed it.

[gstelmack]

Well I won't really need the information now as it was actually my last job that required me to talk while I was driving. I am not in that situation anymore, but it seemed easier to make the point as if I was still in that situation. :)
Was your job really worth risking the lives of the people around you?

[gstelmack]

My main annoyances with modern drivers falls into the "my 3 seconds is worth far more than the 60 seconds I'm going to cost the 15 other people nearby" attitude. For example:

You're in the left lane, they come flying up behind, zip into the right lane, zip back in front of you, and immediately zip over into the turn lane, risking an accident to save 5 seconds.

They miss a turn and decide to stop, blocking traffic, so they can make a left turn across incoming traffic to get where they are going, rather than driving up to the light, making a turn, and doubling back.

Using a lane closure (or better yet the emergency lane between highway exits) to move up 10 spaces in the line. Don't they understand that this just makes the backup worse? Since this is the only one on the list it's the one I voted for.

Pull into a crowded parking lot (the University of South Florida Credit Union lot is the inspiration for this), but instead of hunting for a spot you pull up to the curb, park, and run up to the ATM. Bonus points for opening your door just as the person behind you starts to go around you so they can park legally...

Those are my favorite driving peeves. The cell phone one only bothers me when I see them having trouble staying in their lane, going about 10 miles per hour under the limit, etc.

[Maple Leafs]

Here's one I hate...

Busy, multi-lane road. Traffic moving reasonably well. Some poor schmoe is hoping to make a left out of a driveway, but he's basically screwed because there's no chance for him to cut all the way across oncoming traffic. So he waits.

And then... some hero in the right-hand lane decides to slow down and let this guy go through. Now it's bad enough that this good samaratin has decided that everyone behind him will have to wait while he does his good deed for the day. That's annoying, but not so bad.

But... with more than one lane, it's downright dangerous. I've seen it happen too many times. The guy who wants to make the left realizes what's happening, pulls out while doing that nice guy "thanks buddy" smile, and inevitably edges right into the next lane which hasn't stopped. Of course, he doesn't think of this because he's being waved along. And the guy doing the waving apparently doesn't realize that he doesn't control all the lanes. Let's hope the guy who's zipping along in the fast lane, minding his own business, has good reflexes when the side of a car appears in his lane without warning.

Folks, we all want to be nice guys, but please don't take it upon yourself to direct traffic. If someone can't make a left, that's their problem. Let them make a right and find a light to turn at. Your little feel-good traffic cop moment can get someone killed.

[MJ4H]

I hate it when I'm passing someone and they speed up. Dammit it's not a freakin race.

[dawgfan]

Tailgating is my biggest pet peeve. This is a far more dangerous activity than speeding, yet receives a fraction of the attention from policemen.

Another one that bugs me are people who insist on driving in the far left lane at the same speed as the rest of traffic. Look folks, the rule is keep right except to pass. It's not your job to play civilian speed patrol and prevent people behind you from speeding. Simply pull over and let those that wish to drive faster go by rather than slowing down the whole freakin' freeway.

As for the cellphone use while driving thing, IMO this gets a much worse rap than it deserves. Are there jerks that can't handle doing both? You bet. Are there responsible drivers that can do both reasonably well? Yep. I don't doubt that talking on the phone lessens your attention while driving, but there are any number of other things that do the same thing but are perfectly legal, like getting really absorbed by what's on the stereo/radio, talking with passengers in your car, removing a tape/CD from your stereo, etc.

I think part of the demonization of cell-phone use while driving stems from an overarching dislike of cell-phones in general by certain people. I'm sure many can point to anecdotal examples of some idiot driving badly while talking on a cell-phone, but never really notice those that are driving competently while talking on a cell-phone, and I doubt any of these people agitating for restrictions on driving while talking on a cell-phone are also agitating for laws restricting things like shaving while driving, applying makeup while driving, talking with passengers while driving, etc.

The bottom line is this - there' no need to put another law on the books specifically dealing with cell-phones. If someone is driving like an idiot while talking on a cell-phone, hit them with a reckless driving charge or whatever gets applied in any other case where a driver is obviously allowing themselves to be dangerously distracted while driving. I'll end my rant now - flame away...

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'll end my rant now - flame away...
If my own experiences online are any indication, you'll definitely get blasted ... but it won't be by me.

I agree with your post darned near completely.

[Tigercat]

Turn signal. By far. HOW HARD IS IT? My god. It takes a split second, and it can save you from a wreck. Other people have to know what the hell you are up to. The worst part is its a huge portion of the population that goes out of its way not to use the turn signal.

[sabotai]

Are there responsible drivers that can do both reasonably well? Yep.

All of the studies done on cell-phone use and driving I have seen do not support your answer to this question.

[Dutch]

Exploit a lane closure before finally merging

I don't understand this one, if there is a smooth flow of traffic, it's dangerous to wait for the last option to merge. If it's stop and go, it makes more sense to use up as much real estate as possible and take turns merging at the last moment.

When I was in Turkey, the Turks had this really cool rule in their otherwise chaotic street enviroment. Whomever is in front, has the right of way. If a car has a bumper in front of you, it's your responsability to break. We would literally line up 8 cars across at a red-light and when it would turn green, we all had to somehow fit into a 2 lane road. Never once did I see an accident because of the "You lose, you break" unwritten law.

Of course, I did hear a lot of pedestrians got his by speeding cars for not ever FREAKIN' looking when they cross the streets. Hell, the stray dogs would look both ways and once I even saw a dog use a crosswalk (as I've got my breaks locked up, tires screaching.....and right when I was about to bitch about all the stray dogs, I see it's on a faded cross-walk. I was stunned. :)

[Buccaneer]

All of these choices (including what I voted for, talking on phones while driving) can be summed up simply:

NOT PAYING ATTENTION

[vex]

Toss up between take forever to turn or drive too slow.

Same here.

[vex]

There's no excuse for that.

However, I hate it when idiots are driving two over the speed limit in the fast lane and won't move over so that I can pass them. If you're in the fast lane and someone is coming up behind you, move over to the other lane. I don't care how fast you're going, or if you think the person behind you is driving too fast, just switch fucking lanes!

I believe this is called road rage, JeeberD:)

[vex]

All of the studies done on cell-phone use and driving I have seen do not support your answer to this question.

Then watch me drive.

[WSUCougar]

As for the cellphone use while driving thing, IMO this gets a much worse rap than it deserves. Are there jerks that can't handle doing both? You bet. Are there responsible drivers that can do both reasonably well? Yep. I don't doubt that talking on the phone lessens your attention while driving, but there are any number of other things that do the same thing but are perfectly legal, like getting really absorbed by what's on the stereo/radio, talking with passengers in your car, removing a tape/CD from your stereo, etc.

I think part of the demonization of cell-phone use while driving stems from an overarching dislike of cell-phones in general by certain people. I'm sure many can point to anecdotal examples of some idiot driving badly while talking on a cell-phone, but never really notice those that are driving competently while talking on a cell-phone, and I doubt any of these people agitating for restrictions on driving while talking on a cell-phone are also agitating for laws restricting things like shaving while driving, applying makeup while driving, talking with passengers while driving, etc.
I strongly disagree. While I'm sure there are many examples of responsible cell phone drivers, the majority I see on a daily basis are obviously hazardous. They're like a plague. I have no deep-seeded desire to pick a fight with cell phone users - all I see is a clear cause-and-effect between cell phone use and very poor driving.

[Sun Tzu]

.....dont give rectal trout the right of way.

[Fonzie]

.....dont give rectal trout the right of way.

Is there a wrong way for a rectal trout?

[21C]

I hate it when I'm driving right at the speed limit and someone passes me and then proceeds to slow down! Stay behind me if you want to go slower than me! Oh yeah, they also get upset if I dare and pass them again.

Exploit a lane closure before finally merging
When I travelled in New Zealand recently, I was absolutely amazed to see the most considerate or well-trained drivers I've ever seen. In Australia when there's an accident or roadworks and two lanes merge into one, there will always be a huge bottleneck when drivers try and squeeze into the merged lane at the last minute. In NZ, I was stuck on a two-lane road with an accident ahead and every car stayed in the one lane since they realized there was no real reason to change lanes and bugger things up.

Made me feel a bit guilty for racing up the inside . . . :D

[Craptacular]

Q: "I Hate When Other Drivers _____!"

A: are born

[Sun Tzu]

Is there a wrong way for a rectal trout?

hmm...orbital?

[dawgfan]

I agree with your post darned near completely.

Heh, that doesn't happen very often... :)

[primelord]

Was your job really worth risking the lives of the people around you?

Well certainly you say no to this question. However it is very easy to say I am going to take the high moral ground and walk out on a job that requires me to do that. It's an entirely different thing to actually do it when you have a family to support and a tough job market. That being said I don't work there anymore. :)

[dawgfan]

All of the studies done on cell-phone use and driving I have seen do not support your answer to this question.

Oh, I agree that cell-phone use while driving reduces your ability to focus on driving. Despite the efforts of driver education courses, there is currently a wide disparity in the ability level of drivers on the road. Some are damn-near a hazard with no distractions. Others are very good drivers. My point is that I think some drivers can afford the distraction and still be relatively safe, or at least no worse than the questionable non-cell-phone users, while there are obviously others that shouldn't use them under any circumstances while driving.

My larger point is that I don't think cell-phones warrent special laws ruling out their use while driving - if a someone is driving in a hazardous manner while using a cell-phone, there are existing laws that cover citing them for poor driving. I don't see the need to punish those who can use a cell-phone while driving and not become a major road hazard.

If you're going to specifically outlaw cell-phones in cars, then you'd better outlaw use of shavers, makeup kits, books, any music headphone use (already a law in some parts), and possibly ban stereos altogether and ticket drivers for talking to passengers - these are all examples of activities that distract the driver from their primary task.

If you want to regulate usage to require hands-free devices, I can go along with that. But the idea that simply talking on the phone should be outlawed strikes me as ridiculous when there is no outcry on drivers talking to passengers - what's the difference?

[dawgfan]

I strongly disagree. While I'm sure there are many examples of responsible cell phone drivers, the majority I see on a daily basis are obviously hazardous. They're like a plague. I have no deep-seeded desire to pick a fight with cell phone users - all I see is a clear cause-and-effect between cell phone use and very poor driving.

I don't want to pick a fight on this topic, but it's a widely known phenomenon of human psychology that we tend to notice things that support a belief we have and not so much evidence to the contrary. I suspect you noticed some bad driving by cell-phone users at some point, came to a theory on it, and take note every subsequent time you notice poor driving to see if they're on a cell-phone and add to your examples of evidence supporting this conclusion. I'm guessing you don't notice every driver that is using a cell-phone while driving, especially the ones that are doing a competant job of driving while on the phone.

[Craptacular]

If you want to regulate usage to require hands-free devices, I can go along with that. But the idea that simply talking on the phone should be outlawed strikes me as ridiculous when there is no outcry on drivers talking to passengers - what's the difference?

I'll admit I'll occasionally talk on my cell phone while I'm driving if someone calls me, although I try not to make calls when I'm driving and encourage others to do the same. I don't answer calls when I'm in heavy traffic. However, I do believe there is a big difference in attention levels between talking on the cell phone and talking with passengers, listening to the radio, etc. When you're on the phone, not only are you listening closely, but you're thinking about what they're saying and what you're going to say next. Generally, when you listen to the radio, you're not concentrating on the broadcast. The biggest difference between talking on the phone and talking with your passengers is that there are no other sensory cues when you're on the phone. Even if it's in your peripheral vision or in the rear-view mirror, it's much easier to connect with someone when you can see them and get a sense of body language. Often times, you're talking about something that both of you can see, which doesn't require you to use your imagination or memory.

The most convincing thing to me is just my personal experience. Often times after a phone call, I'll try to remember things that happened or scenery/locations I drove by when I was on the phone. Almost every time, I don't remember nearly as much as I normally do when I listen to the radio, talk to passengers, etc. I may not be a noticeably "worse" driver when I'm on the phone, but I admit that my attention is not focused on what it should be ... driving.

[dawgfan]

You make some interesting points; I'd love to see a study that compares hands-free cell-phone use with talking with passengers. While acknowledging your theory, I still suspect there's very little difference in effect though.

[sabotai]

Well, also one difference is you can still have both hands on the wheel when talking to someone in the car with you. I don't think you can argue that you have just as much control over a car with one hand on the wheel as you do with two.

And I think shaving or applying makeup while driver, reading the newspaper while driving and about a dozen other things people do while driving are worse than talking on a cell phone. But then again, I never see anyone do thises things. I've seen someone apply make up once every few months. I've seen someone reading while driving once. I see people using cell phones and driving all the time. At least 2 or 3 on my to work and 2 or 3 on my way home. The reason people focus on the cell phones isn'tbecause they hate them or want to ignore all of the others, it's because it happens frequently while the others rarely do.

[Fonzie]

Apologies for the academic tone of the following, but I think this topic is important enough to risk sounding pedantic:

The attention literature is fairly clear-cut on the issue of cell phone use while driving: attentional resources end up being divided between the visuomotor task (driving) and the verbal task (conversation). When attention is divided, performance on complex tasks such as driving decreases markedly, regardless of whether the phone is manipulated manually or is used via a hands-free headset. In fact, the phone itself is irrelevant - any conversation will divide attention in this way, and result in poorer driving performance. Further, the intensity of the conversation is irrelevant - any idle chit chat will decrease performance just as much as a heated argument. However, driving performance is not affected by listening to the radio or to a book-on-tape, which are much more passive tasks and require fewer attentional resources.

Bottom line - don't talk while driving, no matter how good of a driver you think you are, as your driving performance will suffer. At the very, very least, end all conversations while in moderate-to-difficult driving conditions (heavy traffic, poor weather, etc.) that require focused attention.

On the plus side: feel free to use this evidence to end unpleasant conversations with significant others while either of you are driving. :)


Research citations for those interested (be warned - these are from academic journals, the reading of which has been found by the surgeon general and myself to immediately induce coma):

Cell phone-induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving. Strayer, David L.; Drews, Frank A.; Johnston, William A.; Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Vol 9(1), Mar 2003. pp. 23-32.

Mental workload while driving: Effects on visual search, discrimination, and decision making. Recarte, Miguel A.; Nunes, Luis M.; Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Vol 9(2), Jun 2003. pp. 119-137.

Interference of cellular phone conversations with visuomotor tasks: An ERP study. Garcia-Larrea, Luis; Perchet, Caroline; Perrin, Fabien; Journal of Psychophysiology, Vol 15(1), 2001. pp. 14-21.

Effect of the intensity of wireless telephone conversations on reaction time in a braking response. Irwin, Marcia; Fitzgerald, Chris; Berg, William P.; Perceptual & Motor Skills, Vol 90(3,Pt2), Jun 2000. pp. 1130-1134.

[dawgfan]

Thanks for the input. Are none of these studies published online for reference? I'd like to know a few things:


What was the methodology used to measure this? Did they use some kind of driving simulator? If so, what was the setup, i.e. how realistic was the simulator to actual driving? Were the simulated driving experiences the same for every driver? Did the tests measure the same people with and without cell-phones? If so, did they get the same simulated driving experience each time? Also, did they all do the test in the same order, or was it evenly mixed? How were the subjects selected?
In analyzing the results, was there any attempt made to compare the range in peformance within each group, and looking at the worst of the non-cell phone group compared to the best of the cell-phone group? Did they attempt to quantify possible differences in performance based on the complexity of the driving task?


I'd also like to see the exact quotes from the study results and conclusions.

My own experience suggests to me that the blanket description of driving as a complex task may be overgeneralizing - I believe that certain elements can become so habitual and practiced that they reach a level of something akin to muscle memory. For example, I make a habit of keeping a safe following distance. The decision of whether to press the accelerator, lift my foot off the accelerator and coast, or to press the brakes has become what seems very much an unconscious, automatic response - a direct connection between my visual cortex and my leg muscles. This is an example of what I would describe as a pretty basic driving task. Situations where quick reactions are necessary, such as an object or another car veering into my path, or a sudden slow-down/stop in front of me are instinctive reactions - so long as this is happening within my vision, the response is automatic.

More complex tasks would be things like changing lanes or turning. If you are a smart driver, you'll be extra careful to check your mirrors and blind spot and look for a larger than normal opening to change lanes, and to shift down your attention on the conversation as you do so. Also, if you are in situations that are unfamiliar to you, you'll either shift most of your attention on the driving or end the conversation altogether.

I liken it to this example - dribbling a basketball is a skill that can become second nature, muscle memory. For someone that is good at dribbling a baskeball, talking on a cell-phone (or with a friend walking with you) is going to have only a moderate effect on your dribbling. You can probably even shoot OK while doing so (again, a practiced muscle memory). However, if you were having a conversation on the phone or with your buddy and you tried to write a cohesive paragraph about dribbling a basketball, you'd fail.

And the contention that listening to the radio or book on tape (or presumably music) has no effect on driving I also expect is an overgeneralization - it is possible to let your attention drift when doing these activities. Hell, it's possible to start daydreaming while driving without any outside stimulus.

I remain unconvinced that good drivers can't safely navigate their cars while holding a conversation.

[Fonzie]

Thanks for the input. Are none of these studies published online for reference? I'd like to know a few things:


What was the methodology used to measure this? Did they use some kind of driving simulator? If so, what was the setup, i.e. how realistic was the simulator to actual driving? Were the simulated driving experiences the same for every driver? Did the tests measure the same people with and without cell-phones? If so, did they get the same simulated driving experience each time? Also, did they all do the test in the same order, or was it evenly mixed? How were the subjects selected?
In analyzing the results, was there any attempt made to compare the range in peformance within each group, and looking at the worst of the non-cell phone group compared to the best of the cell-phone group? Did they attempt to quantify possible differences in performance based on the complexity of the driving task?


These were all published in peer-reviewed journals, most of which I believe have an online presence but probably require a subscription for access. I have the articles in PDF format, and as such can't easily copy and paste large swaths of the articles for you. However, I can address a few things:

- some of the studies used basic reaction-time type tasks in an automobile setting, such that if the subject saw a red light they needed to depress the brake pedal as quickly as possible. Others used very sophisticated driving simulators complete with the entire cab of a vehicle and multiple computers modeling automobile handling properties and displaying a 180 degree visual field. Thus, the tasks ranged from simpler-than-normal-driving to standard driving experiences - none, that I can recall, used anything like an "emergency" type of driving scenario (although those studies are out there).

- some of the studies I cited used a repeated-measures design, with all subjects experiencing all conditions, while others used a random assignment design, where each subject was randomly assigned to one of several conditions. Those who saw all conditions had the order of condition presentation counterbalanced.

- in some studies undergraduate students were recruited - in others community dwellers were recruited. In none of the studies did I see any indication of compensation, so I can only assume they're volunteers/did the study for course credit.

- I don't recall any of the studies attempting to explore individual difference variables that might render some folks more or less susceptible to the effects of divided attention, but I suspect that's a question addressed better by the broader literature on divided attention, and not this subset of that literature. So, I don't think they attempted to identify exceptional performances in the way you described.

- The studies all, as I recall, maintained equivalent driving scenarios while varying the presence/absence of a cell phone, the intensity of the conversations, and so on.

I should also add that these were just a few studies that I cited - there are many more, which come to similar conclusions.

I'd also like to see the exact quotes from the study results and conclusions.

Here're a few tidbits from the abstracts:

From the Recarte study: "The effects of mental workload on visual search and decision making were studied in real traffic conditions with 12 participants who drove an instrumented car. Mental workload was manipulated by having participants perform several mental tasks while driving. A simultaneous visual-detection and discrimination test was used as performance criteria. Mental tasks produced spatial gaze concentration and visual-detection impairment, although no tunnel vision occurred. According to ocular behavior analysis, this impairment was due to late detection and poor identification more than to response selection. Verbal acquisition tasks were innocuous compared with production tasks, and complex conversations, whether by phone or with a passenger, are dangerous for road safety."

From the Strayer article: "Dual-task studies assessed the effects of cellular-phone conversations on performance of 48 Ss (aged 18-30 yrs) on a simulated driving task. Performance was not disrupted by listening to radio broadcasts or listening to a book on tape. Nor was it disrupted by a continuous shadowing task using a handheld phone, ruling out, in this case, dual-task interpretations associated with holding the phone, listening, or speaking. However, significant interference was observed in a word-generation variant of the shadowing task, and this deficit increased with the difficulty of driving. Moreover, unconstrained conversations using either a handheld or a hands-free cell phone resulted in a twofold increase in the failure to detect simulated traffic signals and slower reactions to those signals that were detected. The authors suggest that cellular-phone use disrupts performance by diverting attention to an engaging cognitive context other than the one immediately associated with driving."

From the Garcia-Larrea article: "The use of mobile phones has been shown to increase drivers' reaction time (RT), but whether this results from interference with attention, stimulus identification, or response production remains unclear. The authors recorded RTs and event related potential (ERP) reflecting speed of stimulus processing, attentional allocation, and preparedness to respond during a visual reaction task performed with or without the concomitant use of a mobile phone, in either "hands-free' or "phone-in-hand' operating modes. There were 10 Ss (aged 24-42 yrs) who participated in this study. As expected, maintaining a phone conversation increased RTs to visual targets, this effect being associated with complex ERP effects. Results suggest that two mechanisms contributed to degrade performance in this experiment: first, a general decrease of attention to sensory inputs, characteristic of "dual-task' situations, probably acting through a delay in sensory-motor transfer times. This effect was independent of whether the phone was handled or "hands-free.' Conversely, the second factor was specifically sensitive to manipulation of the phone and caused a weakening of the readiness to respond with a motor act."

And the contention that listening to the radio or book on tape (or presumably music) has no effect on driving I also expect is an overgeneralization - it is possible to let your attention drift when doing these activities. Hell, it's possible to start daydreaming while driving without any outside stimulus.

The key element here is that talking on a cell phone usually involves talking, and verbal generation, which usually draws upon long-term memory stores and semantic knowledge networks, places much greater demands on attention than simply listening. And I agree that there are certainly many other ways one's attention can be influenced and lead to poor driving, as by your "daydreaming" example, but I'm not sure how they bear on this discussion.

I remain unconvinced that good drivers can't safely navigate their cars while holding a conversation.

Oh, they certainly can, as evidenced by the fact that they do it all the time. The point here is that their attention is still by definition divided when they engage in both tasks, and that division reduces the attention that can be allocated to the driving task regardless of driving ability. Fortunately, the margin of error in normal driving situations is such that they can get away with having slower reactions times and occasionally missing important visual cues - thanks in part no doubt to the defensive driving abilities of those around them. But they should not be fooled into thinking that doing so is safe just because they get away with it much of the time (though, clearly, not all of the time, even under normal circumstances), as "normal" driving situations can rapidly and unpredictably become abnormal, it is at those critical times that attention is most necessary.

I agree with you, though, that "good drivers" are probably the folks who modulate their attention at important times - they will slow or disengage from conversation when turning, changing lanes, approaching intersections, noting a traffic slowdown, etc. It would be interesting to see a study selecting those folks and exposing them to the types of experimental conditions noted above. One cautionary note, however: the vast majority of people view themselves as "good drivers" when, in fact, they are quite average (by definition). Thus, the findings described above are going to bear on the vast majority of drivers.

[Desnudo]

I was thinking about this a lot the other day as a guy was screaming at me from his car because I was driving while on my cell phone. (It was odd considering it's not like we even almost had an accident or anything. He was sitting at the light in the lane next to me. Glanced over and noticed I was on the phone and just started yelling.)

Anyway I don't even like talking on the phone while I am driving, but my job requires it. We have emergencies and customer situations that demand I deal with them sometimes right away regardless of where I am. So I could take the moral stand that I will not talk while driving, but then they will just find someone who will.

So then people usually give me the argument that I could pull over to the side of the road while I am talking. Again this not always possible with the work I do. So I guess what I am saying is I didn't appreciate you cursing at me out the window Coug. What do you want me to do? :D

Studies have shown that talking on a cell phone while driving reduces your reaction times as much as driving drunk.

[RPI-Fan]

I hate it when someone makes a RIGHT-hand turn directly in front of you off of a sidestreet, cutting you off, then drives significantly under the speed limit.

[WSUCougar]

This thread has gone off in a direction I did not foresee (or intend), but let me add a couple more admittedly unscientific comments:

> In response to dawgfan, I too do not want to pick a fight (really! just discussing), but I must again disagree with your reply to me. What holds for me is that I see erratic driving, and a vast majority of the time subsequently identify that the individual is using a cell phone. I'm not feeding some foul hatred of cell phone users. To contradict your point, where are all the instances where I should see erratic driving behavior WITHOUT a cell phone involved? Why am I not thinking to myself, "Well, at least it wasn't a cell phone user?" It just doesn't happen that way of late. It's almost always a cell phone user.

> I think there is a different kind of attention given to a phone coversation than a regular conversation. I can sit here typing on my computer and hold a discussion with someone in the room, but if I'm talking on the phone my attention is much more focused. I'll leave it to the scientists to break that down further.

[Fonzie]

> I think there is a different kind of attention given to a phone coversation than a regular conversation. I can sit here typing on my computer and hold a discussion with someone in the room, but if I'm talking on the phone my attention is much more focused. I'll leave it to the scientists to break that down further.

Actually, several studies (cited above) show that the effects of both types of conversations on attention are comparable. Any time attention is divided among multiple moderate-to-seriously taxing tasks performance on those tasks will suffer. My guess would be that the difference that you're perceiving likely has to do with the consequences and noteworthiness of subtle errors in a driving context versus the consquences and noteworthiness of subtle errors in a typing context (much wider margin for error on the latter than the former). In addition, one could argue that a driving scenario places much greater demands on attention-moderated cognitive processes (visual perception, object tracking, visuomotor planning and execution, etc.) than does typing at a computer (although that would depend on the topic!), which would make any attentional reduction that much more critical.

[Fonzie]

I hate it when someone makes a RIGHT-hand turn directly in front of you off of a sidestreet, cutting you off, then drives significantly under the speed limit.

Hey now, what's with this attempt to get the thread back on topic?!

;)

[WSUCougar]

Actually, several studies (cited above) show that the effects of both types of conversations on attention are comparable. Any time attention is divided among multiple moderate-to-seriously taxing tasks performance on those tasks will suffer. My guess would be that the difference that you're perceiving likely has to do with the consequences and noteworthiness of subtle errors in a driving context versus the consquences and noteworthiness of subtle errors in a typing context (much wider margin for error on the latter than the former). In addition, one could argue that a driving scenario places much greater demands on attention-moderated cognitive processes (visual perception, object tracking, visuomotor planning and execution, etc.) than does typing at a computer (although that would depend on the topic!), which would make any attentional reduction that much more critical.
Is NOT.

;)

[Fonzie]

Is NOT.

;)

Touché!

;)

[dawgfan]

Fonzie - thanks again for the info.

A few more comments in reply:

- It appears that most of these studies were done using a driving simulator of some kind. Presumably subjects were solicited in some way, and then introduced to the simulator and given some form of instruciton on what to do. As a proxy for normal driving conditions, this is already a flawed setup. Human psychology is such that subjects brought into a study like this are going to tend to treat these situations like a test; after all, they're being observed and/or measured in whatever it is that they're doing - human nature will dictate that people try to do the "best" job they can under these situations, whatever it is they assume the best job to be is. My point being, for those who are proxying drivers not engaged in a conversation (with a passenger or on the phone) will be giving their full attention to the driving task. Those with passengers or a phone engaged in a conversation are more likely to focus heavily on the conversation and much less so on the road. No matter how realistic the simulator, human nature is such that the element of self-preservation is lost - at a basic level, the subjects know that nothing bad will happen to them if they get into a simulated accident, and won't suffer the same amount of guilt at driving poorly.

- If any of these studies were performed under actual driving conditions, it would be instructive to know what the methodology was for measuring performance. Was it by an observer making objective measurements? Was there some type of equipment installed that attempted to measure visual cues and tie them into driving reactions? How were conditions controlled to present comparable data? Again, I suspect that whatever means were used would heighten that tendency in human nature to perform well under observation, leading to a greater degree of focus on the driving task in the no conversation control group than is normally the case with actual drivers in normal conditions. Those asked to hold a conversation with passengers or on a phone while driving would probably not be as prone to focusing on the conversation as those in the simulator studies because of the presence of actual physical danger if the driving suffered, but there would still be a greater average drop in performance than is actually the case if indeed the control drivers were more focused on the driving tasks than they would otherwise normally be.

Essentially, my argument is that it would be very difficult to design a study using driving simulators that actually yielded representative data on baseline driving - for many people, driving is very routine and attention isn't 100% focused on the task, relying instead on muscle memory and defensive driving principles (i.e. keep a safe following distance, give enough clearence when changing lanes, check mirrors and blinds spots before changing lanes, etc.)

I agree that the difference between someone giving 100% focus to their driving task will perform markedly better than those that are holding a conversation, and reading those results it would be easy to conclude that driving while talking to a passenger or on the phone is dangerous. My counter to that is that I don't think most people drive with 100% focus, so the actual difference in driving ability is not as great as these studies might suggest.

I also contend that some drivers are smarter about they multitask, i.e. increasing their following distance while talking on the phone, not being as aggressive in changing lanes/double-checking their mirrors and blind spots, shifting focus to driving when faced with more difficult tasks, etc.

I have no problem with regulations that would require drivers to use a hands-free device while driving, and I'd welcome a safety campaign that encourage drivers to only use cell-phones while driving when absolutely necessary, and to promote safe, defensive driving techniques while on the phone.

But any attempt to place a blanket ban on driving while using a phone is going overboard IMO.

[Desnudo]

People used to wink at drunk driving also. Studies have shown that the distraction isn't completely related to having the phone in your hands. Additionally, a specific grievance I have, is how do you drive well using a stick and a cell phone? You can't. You need both hands. Also, I can't tell you the amount of times I've seen someone fail to signal for a turn due to having one hand on their cell and the other on the wheel.

Apparently humans have great difficulty talking to air and concentrating at the same time. I also think it's bit daffy to think that someone doing two things at once can do it as well as one. But time will tell I suppose.

[dawgfan]

People used to wink at drunk driving also. Studies have shown that the distraction isn't completely related to having the phone in your hands. Additionally, a specific grievance I have, is how do you drive well using a stick and a cell phone? You can't. You need both hands. Also, I can't tell you the amount of times I've seen someone fail to signal for a turn due to having one hand on their cell and the other on the wheel.

Apparently humans have great difficulty talking to air and concentrating at the same time. I also think it's bit daffy to think that someone doing two things at once can do it as well as one. But time will tell I suppose.

Let me be perfectly clear here - I have no doubts that talking while driving reduces your reaction times compared to talking while not driving. My contention is that most drivers are not giving full attention to the road even without any conversation going on. The actual difference between the average driver on the phone/talking to a passenger and that same driver in normal conditions is likely not as great as the studies are suggesting, because in normal driving conditions drivers are unlikely to be giving 100% focus on the task at hand.

As for talking on the phone while driving a stick, there are 2 options - use a hands-free device, or only do so in either free-flowing freeway traffic (when you're in 4th or 5th gear and have no need to shift) or in stop and go traffic (where you're unlikely to need to get out of 1st).

I also seriously doubt that talking while driving is as bad as driving drunk. In the one case, your attention is distracted from the task, but the motor skills are unaffected. In the second, attention is not only easily distracted, but the motor skills are impaired, so even if the drunk sees the car ahead of him slamming on the brakes, he is physically incapable of reacting as quick as he would were he sober. This impairment of motor skills increases with the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream.

[HornedFrog Purple]

All I can tell you is when I go out on a call with lights flashing and horns blaring and there is a car that doesn't pay a bit of attention and keeps on cluttering up the lane refusing to move over for 2 seconds, that person is 9 times out of 10 on a cell phone. I see it all the time.

[dawgfan]

All I can tell you is when I go out on a call with lights flashing and horns blaring and there is a car that doesn't pay a bit of attention and keeps on cluttering up the lane refusing to move over for 2 seconds, that person is 9 times out of 10 on a cell phone. I see it all the time.

Sounds like the moron cell-phone drivers are going to ruin the privilege for those of us that are careful in our use.

[Easy Mac]

I hate when they have sex and then get in a wreck and the girl gets stuck in the steering wheel.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Sounds like the moron cell-phone drivers are going to ruin the privilege for those of us that are careful in our use.

I should be fair about that, the other 9 out of 10 cell phone users are fine.

The other 1 out of 10 that don't move over are usually mom with kids and vans/trucks with limited range of vision.

[AgPete]

I voted for slow drivers. I believe in that old George Carlin monologue: "There's no such thing as a leisurely f*cking drive! I get in my car and go from Point A to Point B!"

The way I see it, the people causing accidents are the slow drivers. The fast alert driver sees a crash occuring and swiftly veers around it. Meanwhile, the slow cautious driver sees the same crash and freaks the f*ck out, slams on the brakes, and causes a 52 car pile-up. As far as I'm concerned, the slow lane in the highway should be 70mph minimum.

[Easy Mac]

Just so everyone knows, the legislature in South Carolina intends to make it a fineable offense to drive in the left hand lane without passing people. So if you are holding up traffic, even if you are going the speed limit, you can get up to a $150 fine.

This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Yeah, I hate the fuckers who ride on the left slower than I am, but there shouldn't be a law, just educate the fuckers.

[HornedFrog Purple]

As far as I'm concerned, the slow lane in the highway should be 70mph minimum.

If that happens I am retiring. :D

The natural speeder will go 75, the showoff speeder will go 80+. Of course there is no cure for the showoff speeder anyways, but adding even more mph to the natural speeder is the danger there. You would be surprised what 5-8 mph difference does in an accident. Not just for the car(s) involved but the reduction of reaction time for everyone behind them.

[AgPete]

If that happens I am retiring. :D

The natural speeder will go 75, the showoff speeder will go 80+. Of course there is no cure for the showoff speeder anyways, but adding even more mph to the natural speeder is the danger there. You would be surprised what 5-8 mph difference does in an accident. Not just for the car(s) involved but the reduction of reaction time for everyone behind them.

I believe in reaction time. Preach on! ;) That's another thing that ticks me off about drivers - speeders that don't know how to speed. If you're going to hit the highway at 85 mph, don't freaking drive ten feet behind the car in front of you! I usually find myself in the fast lane and I hate when someone sees that there's enough room between me and the car in front to fit in when in fact I'm doing that on purpose in case something were to happen. It's not NASCAR, there's no need to be bumper to bumper.

[sabotai]

I believe in reaction time. Preach on! ;) That's another thing that ticks me off about drivers - speeders that don't know how to speed. If you're going to hit the highway at 85 mph, don't freaking drive ten feet behind the car in front of you! I usually find myself in the fast lane and I hate when someone sees that there's enough room between me and the car in front to fit in when in fact I'm doing that on purpose in case something were to happen. It's not NASCAR, there's no need to be bumper to bumper.

This happens to me all the time. You're supposed to leave a few car lengths between you and the car in front of you so you have time to react to their actions. So many drivers don't realize this...GET OFF MY ASS!! I find myself yelling a lot while driving. :)

[corbes]

This thread is too long to read.

My only (well, one of two) accident was a direct result of using my cell phone. Actually, it was the first day I had it!

I was driving a company van, and following another company van down to the Philadelphia airport. We were in 0-20mph stop and go traffic. They stopped, I didn't.

I just bruised up the front right of my van and the back left of their van. Fortunately, we didn't have to stop and compare insurance information. They knew where I lived. ;)

As a side note, it makes a good impression when you go to pick up VIPs from the airport in dented courtesy vans.

[Mustang]

I always enjoy 1 of 2 things.

1. I'm going eastbound and I need to make a turn and pull up past the left turn lane. Westbound is making a left turn but, doesn't pull up and effectively blocks my line of sight of the westbound traffic. (Usually a bigger vehicle..)

2. I'm making a right hand turn and waiting for traffic to clear. Someone pulls up to my left to make a left hand turn and they pull up even or ahead of me and block my line of sight so, I inch forward to see over their vehicle.. and then THEY pull up a little.



"Everyone driving slower than me is an idiot and everyone driving faster than me is a maniac." - George Carlin.

[rkmsuf]

I hate it when other drivers........drive. Traffic sucks...

[Craptacular]

Just so everyone knows, the legislature in South Carolina intends to make it a fineable offense to drive in the left hand lane without passing people. So if you are holding up traffic, even if you are going the speed limit, you can get up to a $150 fine.

This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Yeah, I hate the fuckers who ride on the left slower than I am, but there shouldn't be a law, just educate the fuckers.

Have you ever seen the signs that say "Keep Right Except to Pass" or "Slow Traffic Keep Right"?? Notice how they look like speed limit signs ... rectangular, white background, black text, black border. That means they are regulatory signs, and are enforceable by law, just like the speed limit. Perhaps SC doesn't have those yet, but I believe that most states do.

[sabotai]

And they are promptly ignored, just like the speed limit. :D

[Craptacular]

I always enjoy 1 of 2 things.
2. I'm making a right hand turn and waiting for traffic to clear. Someone pulls up to my left to make a left hand turn and they pull up even or ahead of me and block my line of sight so, I inch forward to see over their vehicle.. and then THEY pull up a little.


I especially love this at a traffic signal, with left turners and through vehicles. Often times they pull up well past the stop bar. I wish they would have their window down so I could yell "Where the f%& do you plan on going during this red light?!?!"

[condors]

for me without a doubt the #1 thing (although i can relate to most of them) is when a person making a left turn on yellow/red and they have no actual room to make that turn and block the intersection(hey if i wanted to i could have blocked the intersection 5 minutes ago) Then the chain recation happens the people who now have a green light and can't move are furious and proced to block the intersection when the light turns green for me again. There are some terrible intersections at rush hour that can take 10-20 minutes to move 500 feet. If there is no room for you to go then don't freaking go!

just for the record i was a defensive driver until i started having to drive in philadelphia every day. If you drive defensivley you will constantly breaking because everyone and his brother will cut you off for no apparent reason. People will use shoulder,bikelines,turning lines(when they are not turning) I am forced to leave less than a car length for defensive reasons. I also have been rammed into while sitting still in a turning lane waiting to turn and the person behind me was very upset i wasn't going straight and tried to go around me very quickly hitting my car and instead of breaking hitting the gas and proceding to push my car into traffic while slow working over the entire side of my car. If i could have opened my car door i would have been sent to prison that very day. just an fyi it was a 68 gto that i spent countless hours and lots of dollars into it making it a freaking dream car and i am still looking for another to replace it

[Airhog]

heres another one. How about when people are turning left, and its a light with a green turn signal and a regular green light. So they decided to pull all the way out into the intersection. Of course traffic is bad enough that they are forced to wait until the light turns red before they can turn.

[Craptacular]

heres another one. How about when people are turning left, and its a light with a green turn signal and a regular green light. So they decided to pull all the way out into the intersection. Of course traffic is bad enough that they are forced to wait until the light turns red before they can turn.

I'm not sure if I totally understand you. Do they have a green turn arrow and a green ball illuminated. If they have an arrow, there shouldn't be any opposing traffic. If you're just talking about someone who pulls out on a green ball and has to wait for the yellow / red to actually complete the turn, that's different. Just so you know, signal timings are usually designed assuming two vehicles can do that every cycle. They are called "sneakers". Vehicles should pull out into the intersection on green, and wait and turn on yellow if necessary. Of course, stopped cars that haven't entered the intersection yet shouldn't gun it when it turns yellow and red.

[WSUCougar]

Bump, since it's become a hot topic again. ;)

[GreenMonster]

I am having a hard time voting for just one option.

[Radii]

Cell phones without question. In my experience people talking on their cell phones are concentrating more on their conversation than their driving.

In my lifetime i've gotten two tickets and been in one minor accident. Two of my three offenses were not due to me being an asshole driver, but rather to not paying attention. One of my speeding tickets and my minor accident were both due to me trying to find a new CD to listen to. That's admittedly worse than driving while talking on the cell phone b/c you're spending a signifigant portion of your time not even looking at the road, but the affects are similar, lots of time when you're not paying attention tot he road and swerve or jerk the steering wheel to stay in your lane. Scary scary stuff, when I drive by myself now I never, ever go poking around the car for anything, and if someone calls me I either don't answer it or inform whoever it is that I'm driving as soon as I find out its not an emergency and call them back later.

[thetrilogy]

All of those driving infractions take place after the ASSHOLES start talking
on their cell phones while driving. Their days are numbered. It will be outlawed
in this country soon. State by state.

[Emiliano]

For me, the winner is "Run red lights or stop signs". It drives me absolutely crazy, especially because here 90% of the people do it. It seems they don't even know the signals. "Throw trash out of their car" and "Use a turn signal improperly (or not at all)" are on the "podium".

[oliegirl]

Maybe this is an Atlanta thing, but this drives me CRAZY:

Rush hour traffic, traffic light turns yellow...people will run the light and block the intersection so the people trying to cross that busy street can't get across when their light turns green. I encounter 2 intersections like this pretty frequently, and have gotten to the point that when someone does this and I am in the first in line (which is pretty frequently b/c the cross street usually isn't too busy) I just sit there and keep my hand on the horn continuously until they creep forward enough for me to get through, or until my light turns red and they aren't in front of me anymore.

Radii will claim that there are lots of things that make me crazy about other drivers (lack of turn signals, people who drive the wrong way down the one way lane at the grocery store, etc...) - but it's not true. There are a couple things that drive me bonkers and Atlanta drivers are just so bad that I am always irritated when I am driving :)

[JPhillips]

Drive.

Seriously, it would far more convenient if I had the roads to myself. I'll maybe let people drive on the roads I'm not planning on using that day.

[QuikSand]

While I have a lot of things to vote for, I will mention that Mrs. Q recently read somewhere that our state of Maryland is, by someone's accounting, #1 in "road debris," whatever that means and however it's measured.

So, when driving down the road here, when we see something dumped onto the shoulder (doesn't seem like an untoward amount of the time, but maybe we're just inured to it around here) we have taken to chanting "We're Number One! We're Number One!" It's good for a few yuks every time.