What is it that other drivers do that drives you crazy?? Road rage is almost understandable because ( I'll start with..):

Tailgaiting. In all it's forms. In Massachusetts you could be going 90 in a 65 and theres a car right on your butt everytime. I've had people tailgait me when I'm in a marked cruiser.

Tailgaiting when stopped: your at a stop sign and the jerk behind you is 1 inch from your bumper. You roll forward 4 inches and so does the jerk.

Your in the right lane ( maybe getting off at the next exit ) and someone merges, meaning they fly out and NEVER look over their left shoulder. I write accident reports for a living. Trust me: the mirror has blind-spots. People fly up ramps and NEVER look at the end!

How about the sign "left 2 lanes end"...cones, construction trucks, flagmen, cops and temporary signs are in place. So good drivers merge in carefully. Then some A-hole goes by on the left and passes 100 cars and cuts in at the end.

What drives you crazy?!?!

Man, you named them all! Especially that tailgating thing. I usually drive abuot 80 mph on a 65 mph highway because otherwise I'm going to get blown off the highway. But even at 80, people are still on my bumper, wanting me out of their way. So... valuing my life, I usually give way so the morons can then tailgate the next guy. I watch them zoom past me, and then hit their brake lights as they ride on his bumper.

People are so discourteous on the road today, and take a lot of chances.

And bad weather slows no one down; they are still on your bumper. Incredible.

***How about the sign "left 2 lanes end"...cones, construction trucks, flagmen, cops and temporary signs are in place. So good drivers merge in carefully. Then some A-hole goes by on the left and passes 100 cars and cuts in at the end.***

That would be it Shane!

Your both so right. I hadn't mentioned the bad weather. Snow storm. Hell, why should that matter. Go 75 mph with no traction because all the crazies do that.

When a car is off the road, rolled into the snow and 500 cars ride by and look at it the driver should look at the other cars and learn that maybe they didn't roll over because they aren't speeding like maniacs in a blizzard.

How about this one. You know your taking the next exit so you signal and get in the right lane, say a half mile early. As your 200 feet from the exit a jerk in the centerlane floors it and cuts in to take the exit in front of you, of course no signal either. Heres the killer: you look in the mirror and turn your head and there aren't any cars behind you! The jerk could have gotten behind you and taken the exit but in the game of chicken called driving that must violate some rule.

<<some A-hole >> Did my new daughter say that? Cynthia Ann!!! Remember, I'm watching you!

You know what really get's me? . . . Old men drivers! By God, they should take away their damn licenses, except Abe would be one of them! He drives me nuts riding w/him.

Now I won't mention "handicap", but when you get behind one of those license plates, might as well figure on staying there forever, hoping HE'LL turn off soon! Why if they have a handicap plate do they have to drive 20 in a 60 MPH zone? Their foot isn't handicap! Man, guess I catch it for that!

As my aunt used to say "You'll get old someday!!!". . .and she was right!

Of course, I have a lead foot! My daughter won't ride w/me anymore! Guess that says something-what I do not know!

She was quoting me! My problem is that even when picturing these events it gets my blood going. Example:

Ever walk out your front door and someone goes by at twice the speed limit! I hate that!!

Yes! The old folks can do it to you. They seem to back-up staring forward. Please teach me that trick some day. I mean, not even the mirror is used and that by itself is unsafe.

Speed is bad BUT yes that car going less than the speed limit in the far left passing lane is brutal. I'm with Kathy, get out of the way of the crazies.

How about a car filled with kids and none are in seat belts?

How about the young kids without handicap cards or license plates who are parked in the HP area!

Then shame on Shane!!!

<<How about the young kids without handicap cards or license plates who are parked in the HP area!>>

We also have a fine, $50.00 I believe, for the above, as well as getting caught not wearing a seat belt. I've been the mean old witch and reported several violaters. But by the time the town POlice arrive, these turkeys have vamoossed! We're just a little slow, or laid back, or simply don't care!

But I'm sure that's true everywhere! Ever driven in California or even Chicago? One word of warning -- DON'T!

My second peeve:

There is construction or an accident ahead and traffic is backed up (understandable) EXCEPT the reason the traffic is backed up is because everyone slows down to gawk! A real blood boiler!

[johnofphilly]

Most people on cell phones are either driving obstructively slow and one-handedly. Or are dartin' in and out without looking over their shoulder at their blind spot (particularly the right side).

Remember the L.A. freeway sniper? I'll bet he could list some good ones here too.

Good points here guys !

I hate bad drivers ! Especially those that cut in front of you without even looking ! Or the ones that cut infront of me and then hit the brakes --------- uuuuughh - they do that again and I'll call the cops !

Or the ones that can't seem to stay in their lane and swerve towards yours because they're talking on the cell phone or putting their makeup on ! In that case I'll blow my horn !

Or the ones that slow down while you're waiting to turn left onto the main road, then after letting you wait forever, they suddenly turn right without signaling !! No consideration !

Still, road rage is no excuse for anything, no matter how mad we get (although I felt like it several times). An older guy once told me at a customer service job that "the greatest challenge in life is to maintain sanity." I couldn't agree more.

Good point(s) about the cell phone use. The worst is that they look like "I'm too cool" yet everyone who looks at them thinks, "get off the phone stupid." How did we survive so long without the damn things. How about talking while not driving or using it for emergency purposes.

Not driving related but today at Papa Ginos ( pizza chain ) a guy treated me to a "two-fer". First he talked on his cell phone in that loud way nitwits do in restaurants. He then topped himself by clipping his fingernails. What is happening to society???

Why did the sniper do it? I've never heard why.

John, glad to see you mentioned blindspots too. It is a pet peeve of mine.

Also not related: but I was in a restaurant having breakfast a few weeks ago and a young woman at another table concluded her meal and then -- geesh! -- began to floss her teeth!!!

Unbelievable.

But I guess she has great teeth. I, however, saw more of them than desired.

At least she didn't try to do it behind the wheel of her car!

flossing teeth when you eat ? Disgusting !

Manners simply are not taught, either by parents or teachers. Let's face it, most of the parents are both working, the teachers hands are tied and cannot disapline, and who is going to teach them manners?

Grandparents, I hope, if they have any. But nine times out of ten the grandparents live far away!

Unkuth behavior seems to be cool and they get away w/it. I'm glad I didn't see that gal w/the floss. I'm afraid I would have tapped her on the shoulder and told her to use the ladies room! But sweet Kathy, you are too much of a gentile lady--that's one of the advantages of getting old -- no one talks back to you!

I love it how our forum turns!!!

Lux

In a way this is funny, but actually is isn't! Kathy talking about that lady flossing at her table after eating the other day, just this evening, a friend and myself took my Dad and Brother out to eat. Half way through the meal, a man two tables over blew his nose. Lovely!

Few minutes later, he did the same thing, I dunno if he had a cold or was just a pig, but after the third time, which made us all ill, I said Good God, do you mind we are eating over here!

His wife or whoever she was said, well for heaven sakes, he only blew his nose, why be so dramatic! He can't help it, I said maybe not, but he could leave the table, go outside or go into the restroom. She then put her nose up in the air and acted like we all were the pigs without any cooth!!

I looked over and said, hey lady, let's hope he does not have to pass gas, the whole damn place will blow!

I know I was tacky, but some people are so totally ignorant and rude! I guess I showed no class myself, but I could not keep my mouth shut! I guess I need to be more like Kathy!!!


What was this thread about anyway??? Sorry for the side-trip!!!


Lynda51

I just this evening returned home from a 4,837.4 mile round trip from Chatsworth to Galesburg and back.

Long ago, I decided not to do road rage. I don't get pissed at other drivers. Ever.

On this trip, I had no problems. I was cut off a few times, and sometimes there'd be somebody in the mirror closer than I drive behind the guy in front of me. But I don't let this piss me off.

I don't care whether or not anyone else signals or drives fast. If you want to talk on the phone - or floss your teeth, for that matter - knock yourself out. I was on the phone a few times, but I didn't do anything colorful.

One of the oldest clichés about driving is: Drive defensively. This also means keep a check on your own anger and attitude. If other people drive like *******s, let them.

I love to drive, and this trip across country was wonderful. I am happy driving. I let nothing spoil it for me.

[johnofphilly]

Driving - its joys shouldn't be dominated by getting irked at jerks.

But I'd still like to have a cattle plow on the front of my car to push certain ones out of the way. And a huge retractable spire/ice pick/stake on the bumper where the tow bar would go, in order to perforate tailgaters' radiators with a nice, quick, sudden stop. Perhaps a black paint loaded spraygun back there too.

And a lit up flip'um-da-boyd light in the middle of the back window.

• one little aside invention idea not rage-related - imagine a horn button with an octave of tiny piano keys, where you could play a little fanfare of horns to a short riff of any jingle at whim. Neat.

There's GOT to be an age where annual driving tests, especially formulated to test reflexes, hearing and sight of the aged, become mandatory.I manage a radiology practice, and about 66% of our no fault accident cases involve people over 70.
While their population ratio is far smaller.
Something is wrong!

Some of you may remember - we just had a terrible accident here in Santa Monica. An older man turned into a street which had been blocked off and turned into a pedestrian mall and outdoor market. He killed - I forget how many - about 10 people, and injured dozens. He didn't even know or realize what he was doing, and he drove for hundreds of yards, knocking people down and crashing through booths.

This man was obviously senile - or whatever the new, politically correct term for that is these days - and had already driven his own car through the end of his own garage, so he and others should have known he shouldn't be driving.

On the other hand: My mom is 92 and still passes the Illinois driver test every year. Her vision, reflexes, attention span, and hearing (with aids) are all fine.

True - she lives in Galesburg, and the driving demands are brief and pretty bucolic. But she is capable of driving herself to the grocery store and to visit friends and to her doctor appointments and such, and she stays within her limitations (she only drives in daylight) and has never had nor caused an accident.

NYC Frederic is right: We need to be on top of this problem, but it is always going to be about individual cases, not arbitrary ages.

here doctors are required to report certain ilnesses to the DMV, such as a stroke. If someone requests HP plates that generates a road test as well. Family members can also call the medical affairs bureau of the DMV.

It's no better, but at least elderly mistakes aren't done on purpose. I hate the OVERLY aggressive drivers. Mike is correct, saying drive defensively.

Burping and sneezing ( when it can be helped but no effort is made to hold back or to cover the mouth ) has got to go. I know there are times it can not be helped but...