Author Topic: Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers  (Read 3272 times)

TNGO

  • New Member
  • Posts: 29
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« on: April 26, 2005, 07:37:56 PM »
I commute 30 miles a day on a two-lane road. Every day I see people crossing the marked centerline, often in blind curves. I sometimes have to hit my horn and lights to encourage some oncoming buffoon to get back on his/her side of the road. And it's not just in my commute: I see it everywhere I drive.

WTH is wrong with these people? Are they too lazy to control their vehicles properly, or are they just too stupid to know better? They're accidents waiting to happen, and I'm sick of sharing the road with them!


Aaah, it feels good to get that off my chest.

Jamisjockey

  • Booze-fueled paragon of pointless cruelty and wanton sadism
  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 26,580
  • Your mom sends me care packages
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2005, 03:58:10 AM »
Quote from: TNGO
WTH is wrong with these people? Are they too lazy to control their vehicles properly, or are just too stupid to know better? They're accidents waiting to happen, and I'm sick of sharing the road with them!
.
Both.  
I bicycle alot.  I see alot of jackassery while I'm out riding.  People running red lights, cutting other cars off, pulling out into traffic without looking.  Sometimes the idiocy is because of me:  Trying to beat the cyclist because I might slow them down for 15 seconds, so they take an unecassary risk, like like pulling out of a parking lot when there isn't enough room in traffic for them.
People are getting more complacent, and imho dumber.  Its part of our wonderful fast food society...
JD

 The price of a lottery ticket seems to be the maximum most folks are willing to risk toward the dream of becoming a one-percenter. “Robert Hollis”

Leatherneck

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2,028
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2005, 06:02:14 AM »
That happens around here on the twisty cowpaths-turned-roads as well. I believe they are mostly preoccupied and don't appreciate the potential of an imminent crash. Also, there's an attitude of "YOU get out of MY way."

Couple days ago was coming home on a fairly new four-lane divided highway thats got lots of cross-streets with lights, making traffic bunch up as each light changed. In between bunches in the opposing lanes, I saw a woman that had completely stopped her Saab right in the travel lanes (speed limit 50). She was turned around inside the car with her head down into the back seat area as a bunch of a dozen or so cars and trucks approached her at speed. She would have died if one rear-ended her, the way she was all screwed around, heedless of the danger.

Screeching and swerving ensued.

TC
TC
RT Refugee

griz

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3,030
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2005, 06:18:02 AM »
Are they on the phone? That would be my guess.
Sent from a stone age computer via an ordinary keyboard.

TNGO

  • New Member
  • Posts: 29
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2005, 06:48:11 AM »
Some are on the phone, but most of them are not.

El Tejon

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3,641
    • http://www.kirkfreemanlaw.com
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2005, 09:13:29 AM »
TNGO, as part of my gig I see all kinds of the alleged behavior that you speak of--centerline, speeding, running red lights, passing school buses, not pulling over for emergency vehicles, inter alia.

Since I'm in a position to ask, I ask.  They say, "*shrug* I was in a hurry."  I think it is part of the Me Culture.  People have simply forgotten that they are not the center of the universe.
I do not smoke pot, wear Wookie suits, live in my mom's basement, collect unemployment checks or eat Cheetoes, therefore I am not a Ron Paul voter.

matt1911

  • New Member
  • Posts: 16
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2005, 03:05:08 AM »
What IS wrong with these people! Yesterday,i had to slam on the brakes as some gezzer decided to change lanes  RIGHT INTO MY FENDER! Barely missed a bender there,then just 10 minutes later,stopped at a red light,some lady decided the newspaper she was reading was more interesting than traffic,slammed into me,pushing me into the next car!! Cars messed up,(first "nice " car i've ever own!) missed work last night,and am sore as hell today!!
I do hope the lady that hit me is alright(air bag knocked her for a loop!) but part of me thinks she deserves what she got!

mfree

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,637
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2005, 04:38:44 AM »
I used to live on a country road and got oncoming lane squeezers all the time. What did I do? Usually i squeezed then right back (but never over or on the yellow). It's nice to see someone realize *just* how close they are to the yellow line and dart back over... what happened? THEY WOKE UP.

Moondoggie

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 523
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2005, 05:08:20 AM »
I drive an 18 wheeler for a living.

Don't get me started!
Known from coast to coast, almost!

crownvic

  • New Member
  • Posts: 13
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2005, 05:35:31 AM »
The people driving 18 wheelers are a part of the problem. I see plenty of these guys tailgating, driving 20-30 mph over the speed limit in bad weather, driving on roads their trucks are banned from and cutting off other drivers. Too many truck drivers seem to think they own the road.

TNGO

  • New Member
  • Posts: 29
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2005, 07:42:24 AM »
I see a few careless truck drivers, but most poor drivers are in personal vehicles, by far. I'm convinced that most accidents involving semis and cars are not the truck drivers' fault.

Some people seem to think that an 18-wheeler can stop just as quickly as their minivan, so why not cut in front of it?

Moondoggie

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 523
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2005, 02:27:00 PM »
The National Safety Council AND AAA statistics show that in collisions between 18 wheelers and 4 wheelers, the 4 wheelers are at fault 79% of the time.

Yes, some truckdrivers do drive in an unsafe manner, but I'm not one of them.  750,000 accident & moving violation free miles in the past 6 yrs.  Never even been pulled-over for a violation.  Highway safety is a matter of life and death to me...the highway is my workplace.  Tailgating tops my list of "things not to do."  Speeding is right after that.  When I see another big truck blow by me and then get pulled-over, I'm generally hoping that this ticket takes care of the last points on that nimrod's license.  

I get a little defensive on this topic...kinda like when the anti's lump all gun owners in with the Columbine whack jobs or others of their ilk.

If you paid the highway taxes that I fork over, you'd think you owned the road, too.
Known from coast to coast, almost!

grampster

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,435
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2005, 02:55:10 PM »
I'm with moondogie on this one.  I drive 70 miles a day, county 2 lane roads, to and from the job.  I rarely see stupidity on the part of truckers.  My pet peeve is the blissninnies in 4wd suv's and pkp's who drive too fast and too close in snowy conditions.  "Ah gots me far' wheeler and cun drahve as fayust ayus ah wont."  
Used to be a woman in a suv that used to tailgate me and pass me on a country road that I traverse in the winter.   There is a snow god, because I came upon her woefully trudging through the snow a few hundred yards from her suv buried in the ditch.  I slowed down, smiled, tooted my horn and kept on going.Tongue
"Never wrestle with a pig.  You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."  G.B. Shaw

wasrjoe

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 118
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2005, 08:07:55 PM »
A good majority of the 18 wheelers in Phoenix are nutso. Constantly swerving, driving in the far left lane 5 mph under the speed limit (not dangerous but very annoying), and the occasional "oops, I tried to merge into you." The swerving and the left lane problems are the most prevalent, though. Perhaps I'm just unlucky, or truckers know I'm coming and try to screw with me?
Disenchanted with the Libertarian party and seeking practical ways to promote personal liberty.

crownvic

  • New Member
  • Posts: 13
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2005, 08:34:25 AM »
"If you paid the highway taxes that I fork over, you'd think you owned the road, too"

And you would still be wrong.

Moondoggie

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 523
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2005, 12:26:57 PM »
That comment was meant as a joke.

My driving record speaks for itself.
Known from coast to coast, almost!

XLMiguel

  • Guest
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #16 on: April 29, 2005, 05:26:46 PM »
Cheers, 'doggie.  While I agree that the majority of OTR truckers are pretty professional, what I see around NoVA is a lot of  truckers end up doing some fairly inconsiderate stuff out of self defense, e.g. the 4 wheelers don't give them any room or respect, so they camp in the center/left lane or block a lane so they have a little room to maneuver, 'cuz if they leave anything like a bit of safety zone, the idjits just cut 'em off and fill in the slack space.  I wouldn't want to drive a big truck around here for all the tea in where ever.  Stay safe.

P95Carry

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 437
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #17 on: April 29, 2005, 06:18:32 PM »
Just a word of support for Moondoggie.  I am close to PA Turnpike - the 18 wheeler traffic is all but unbelievable.  When I use the Pike I see all sorts but - have to be fair.  There are boatloads of drivers - many are SUV's - unaware of their surroundings usually - who give the big rig guys a real hard time.

It is perhaps a bit like comparing me on my bike - there are folks out there who's sole purpose is to ''get me'' - or at least frustrate my efforts at sensible driving/riding.  Trucvk drivers cover the whole range - from total selfish idiots who hate anything with less than 18 wheels - to the most thoughtful and safe guys on the roads.

I just wanna be fair here - and remind folks that a good many big rigs ARE driven by great guys.  But - human nature being what it is  - we only really notice the idiots!
Chris - P95
Guns don't kill people - people kill people.
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.
Rohrbaugh interest/ownership? - Rohrbaugh Forum Rohrbaugh R9 FAQ Site

Moondoggie

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 523
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #18 on: April 30, 2005, 04:15:40 AM »
Thanks for the kind words.

I freely admit that truck drivers cover the spectrum from A-J Squared Away to total scumbag...the same as with any group of folks.

Driving a truck is no casual thing for me.  Every time I push the "start button" I pause and think to myself..."OK, nobody gets hurt today because of me."   I am acutely aware of the potential for disaster, and do everything I can to prevent it.  My Dad drove a truck locally when I was a kid, and I remember him frequently saying "You gotta be more careful than everybody else out there."

If I see another truck driver behaving badly, I've been known to key-up the CB and say something to them about it.  Never had a positive response, but that was to be expected from the behavior I saw.  If I were to witness an accident involving a truck, I'd tell the objective truth...no slant in favor of the truck driver.

The orientation of my instructors in driving school was "You're the professional driver, it's your responsibility to look out for the amatuers and make allowances for their lapses in attention/judgement."  BTW, 4 weeks of driving school cost $5,500 in '99. Then I spent 8 weeks with a trainer before I was allowed to drive solo.  After that, it was about 2 years until I really felt like I knew what I was doing.  If you've never been a 48 state truck driver, you can't imagine the myriad rules/regs we have to comply with.

I consider the responsibility of driving a truck to be very similar to CCW.  It's not a casual thing and should never be taken for granted.
Known from coast to coast, almost!

crownvic

  • New Member
  • Posts: 13
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #19 on: April 30, 2005, 06:20:14 AM »
Sorry Moondoggie. But after being almost smashed by truck drivers cutting into my lane more times than I want to remember I may be a little biased. Driving a truck is a huge responsibility, more so than even driving a car owing to their size and power and I wish more drivers of all vehicles would behave in a responisble manner.

grislyatoms

  • friends
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3,740
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #20 on: April 30, 2005, 08:31:40 AM »
I'm with the truckers on this one. When I was 21 I got my CDL and began driving locally, then OTR and then back to local. Before I started driving professionally, I was one of those tailgating, no turn signal using, jack - rabbit - squirrelly drivers.

Being behind the wheel of something that weighs 80,000 lbs. going 65 mph sobered me up quickly. And slowed me down. Seeing some of the things I saw from 4 wheelers and truckers alike changed me around in a hurry.

Now my driving style is "I'll get there when I get there, and I am not going to be perturbed by all the bone-headed things I see."

On the whole, IMHO, truckers are much better drivers as a whole than other drivers.

Also, on the whole, drivers are getting worse. Driver licensing is a joke. "Make four right turns and pass your written test with the minimum grade" doesn't cut it.

Glad I don't drive professionally anymore.
"A son of the sea, am I" Gordon Lightfoot

Azrael256

  • friend
  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2,083
Rant: Careless (Suicidal?) Drivers
« Reply #21 on: April 30, 2005, 09:53:41 AM »
I seem to recall my father teaching me that a mishandled car is far more dangerous than a mishandled weapon.  That psycho who pitched the grenade at his officers killed two, and that was with intent.  That fellow who plowed into the farmer's market in Santa Monica killed nine.

I won't get in a car with most of the people here at school.  I have had to tell a number of people that there is just absolutely no way that a human can control a car.  I can control a bicycle, and *maybe* a small motorcycle, but you are not in control of anything you can't lift.

I also won't drive on the interstate during the day if I can help it.  It's mostly trucks at night, and while they aren't all real professional drivers, they do seem to have a great deal more patience and are generally more careful.  I usually roll by them at an easy speed, and they don't do stupid things like jumping right out in front of me to pass somebody.