# DRIVING Pet Peaves **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524 "2013-02-16T18:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/21 "2013-02-16T20:23:51Z")
I would trade many things to eliminate the kind of driver that unconsciously locks onto your rear-quarter quadrant, usually in the next-slower lane, and can’t be shaken - you slow, they slow; you speed up, and up, and up, and they match you. You have to floor it to jump ahead to make a lane change, and right about then you pass the cop hidden in the median. ETA: And slowing way down is usually prevented by the guy behind you who’s going apeshit because you’re blocking a fast lane… that you can’t get out of. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/22 "2013-02-16T20:37:32Z")
FWIW, when I was taught how to drive (in Ohio) they told me not to enter the intersection if you weren’t sure you could go through it. My practice is to sit at the white line until I see a break in the opposing traffic, and then pull into the intersection. If you just pull into the intersection without having any clue if there’s _going_ to be a break in traffic, you very well may have to turn left on red, once the opposing traffic stops. 15 years ago that was fine, but now there’s red light cameras everywhere. So now my “sit at the white line until you can go” rule is firm. I also don’t begrudge people who don’t turn right on red. Driver’s ed (again, Ohio) made it very clear that you’re not _required_ to turn right on red, and if you don’t feel comfortable, don’t do it. Buses are prohibited (either by law or school policy) from turning right on red where I live. I’d rather sit and wait for 5 minutes than for some octogenarian to feel pressured into driving outside of their comfort zone. For #4, I will push the button on the gas chamber if you round up all of those assholes for me. ---
**Author:** ![NormalDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7993a0/32.png) [@NormalDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NormalDude)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/23 "2013-02-16T20:37:37Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > I would trade many things to eliminate the kind of driver that unconsciously locks onto your rear-quarter quadrant, usually in the next-slower lane, and can’t be shaken - you slow, they slow; you speed up, and up, and up, and they match you. You have to floor it to jump ahead to make a lane change, and right about then you pass the cop hidden in the median. > > ETA: And slowing way down is usually prevented by the guy behind you who’s going apeshit because you’re blocking a fast lane… that you can’t get out of. Funny and true. Have seen that! ---
**Author:** ![NormalDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7993a0/32.png) [@NormalDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NormalDude)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/24 "2013-02-16T22:09:15Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > FWIW, when I was taught how to drive (in Ohio) they told me not to enter the intersection if you weren’t sure you could go through it. My practice is to sit at the white line until I see a break in the opposing traffic, and then pull into the intersection. > > If you just pull into the intersection without having any clue if there’s _going_ to be a break in traffic, you very well may have to turn left on red, once the opposing traffic stops. 15 years ago that was fine, but now there’s red light cameras everywhere. So now my “sit at the white line until you can go” rule is firm. > > I also don’t begrudge people who don’t turn right on red. Driver’s ed (again, Ohio) made it very clear that you’re not _required_ to turn right on red, and if you don’t feel comfortable, don’t do it. Buses are prohibited (either by law or school policy) from turning right on red where I live. I’d rather sit and wait for 5 minutes than for some octogenarian to feel pressured into driving outside of their comfort zone. > > For #4, I will push the button on the gas chamber if you round up all of those assholes for me. Kind of funny hypothetical scenario again for #1, but if a car waits behind the line and for some reason the oncoming traffic is continuous (and there’s no arrows)with every cycle, you could be siting there for a \*really \*long time. That’s why they have this “pull into the intersection” allowance. Also in NY you cannot get a red light camera ticket if you enter an intersection while the light is green or yellow. This is very logical to me, having grown up with this view all my life. At least this enables at least one car from exiting in each cycle if traffic is really that bad. But again here where it is allowed, I find it frustrating when people do not know this. Sometimes while they are comfortably asleep at the wheel behind that line I may even go around them and take their place in the intersection. Ya snooze, ya lose. I know, probably wrong but… ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/25 "2013-02-16T22:17:53Z")
> [@echo7tango](#): > > Yes, **GaryM** , technically you are right. But it’s at least inconsiderate, if not being inattentive, to do so. > > Unless you’ve got a legitimate reason for not noticing the merging car and empty lanes to your left. > > Like digging deep in your nose for that annoying and persistent booger. Yeah, it’s “polite” to do so. However… If the highway is that empty, and there are no other cars on the road, it’s PERFECT opportunity for seemingly otherwise clueless mergers to practice merging onto the highway. As one is coming down the on ramp it’s simple and easy to look over the shoulder, properly adjust the car’s speed and glide into place either before, or after, the car in the highway lane. NOT freaking remain in an exact holding pattern precisely beside the already-on-the-highway car for the entire length of the on ramp. People who can’t or won’t merge should be taken out back and shot. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/26 "2013-02-16T22:23:07Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > Yeah, it’s “polite” to do so. However… > If the highway is that empty, and there are no other cars on the road, it’s PERFECT opportunity for seemingly otherwise clueless mergers to practice merging onto the highway. > > As one is coming down the on ramp it’s simple and easy to look over the shoulder, properly adjust the car’s speed and glide into place either before, or after, the car in the highway lane. NOT freaking remain in an exact holding pattern precisely beside the already-on-the-highway car for the entire length of the on ramp. > > People who can’t or won’t merge should be taken out back and shot. True enough. I agree with what you say. Not sure I’d shoot them, though. Some onramps don’t provide long sight lines while also having short merge lanes. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/27 "2013-02-16T22:28:25Z")
I might get some flack for this but…people who drive EXACTLY the speed limit on the highway. Omfg. It’s slow enough as is at 55, at least go 60. No cop in this state is gonna ticket you for going 60 in a 55 so get your ass in gear. It’s especially annoying when the highways are only two lane and passing opportunities are few and far between. Also, in Oregon, it’s legal to turn left onto a one way street if you have a red light. It’s a wonderful law and I love it. But it seems like half the freakin population doesn’t even know about it. I hate sitting behind someone at a red left turn light, the cross road free and clear, and the idiot in front of me just sits there. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/28 "2013-02-16T22:36:21Z")
One of my (many) driving pet peeves are people who are afraid to pass big vehicles. They will be in the lane next to a bus or semi truck, but they will refuse to pass them. They will stay one half car length behind the back of the big vehicle for miles on end, despite the fact that the big vehicle is barely doing the speed limit. I’ll also quickly add Honda Accord sized vehicles that think they are a big vehicle and must make wide turns. So a small car making a right turn will drift into the lane to its left in order to negotiate that wide turn. I better stop, I could do this all night. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/29 "2013-02-16T22:41:28Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Here in California for one. I don’t know how many others but I’ve seen similar threads with posters from other states with similar rules. Which is funny, because in Los Angeles this is the standard way to drive if you actually, you know, want to get anywhere. If you don’t pull out into the intersection, you will never be able to make a left turn if there’s no arrow (which there aren’t, on probably 75% of streets that need them). This means you will back up the left turn lane, which will in turn back up the leftmost thru lane as the turn lane runs out of space, which will back up everybody else as people try to get around it. I’ve lived in LA for 6 months. The accepted practice seems to be for 1-2 cars to pull out into the intersection. When the light turns red, they turn left, often along with 1-2 cars who were behind the white line. The people in the thru lanes just wait. There aren’t any red light cameras unless you’re in an Orange Line busway. LAPD doesn’t seem to care. So goes it. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/30 "2013-02-16T22:44:20Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > Which is funny, because in Los Angeles this is the standard way to drive if you actually, you know, want to get anywhere. If you don’t pull out into the intersection, you will never be able to make a left turn if there’s no arrow (which there aren’t, on probably 75% of streets that need them). This means you will back up the left turn lane, which will in turn back up the leftmost thru lane as the turn lane runs out of space, which will back up everybody else as people try to get around it. > > I’ve lived in LA for 6 months. The accepted practice seems to be for 1-2 cars to pull out into the intersection. When the light turns red, they turn left, often along with 1-2 cars who were behind the white line. The people in the thru lanes just wait. There aren’t any red light cameras unless you’re in an Orange Line busway. LAPD doesn’t seem to care. So goes it. The same is true for San Francisco. ---
**Author:** ![the\_apples\_fell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@the\_apples\_fell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_apples_fell)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/31 "2013-02-16T23:31:22Z")
Mine is going to sound harsh, but it’s when really old drivers are on the road who cannot keep up with the speed limit. If you cannot keep up with the speed limit or don’t want to under the premise you’re “too old”… then you DON’T belong on the road. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/32 "2013-02-16T23:49:38Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’d be surprised if there were states where this actually is legal. I think (just speculating here) you may have fooled yourself into thinking it’s legal because everybody does it. The [New York driver’s manual](http://www.dmv.ny.gov/dmanual/chapter05-manual.htm) actually tells drivers how to do it: > [@](#): > > You want to turn left at an intersection ahead. A vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction, going straight ahead. You must wait for approaching traffic to go through before you turn. You may enter the intersection, however, to prepare for your left turn if the light is green and no other vehicle ahead of you is preparing for a left turn (see “Turns” later in this chapter). When you enter the intersection, stay to the right of the center line. Keep your wheels straight to avoid being pushed into oncoming traffic should a rear-end collision occur. When approaching traffic clears or stops for a red light, complete your turn. > [@chizzuk](#): > > There aren’t any red light cameras unless you’re in an Orange Line busway. Are there red light cameras that would even catch that? The cameras around here have the sensors buried in the stop line, so someone going past on green couldn’t trip it. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/33 "2013-02-17T00:06:11Z")
Re: #1 I don’t always pull all the way up because it seems I am always plagued with a high profile vehicle facing me in the opposite left turning lane, and I simply cannot see around him, esp. the lane just to his right. I am in a regular sedan, and don’t have the comfort to pull up when I can’t see-I actually see better hanging back. When the light turns yellow, I will pull into the intersection, but sorry, all you behind me, I ain’t going to chance it when I can’t see. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/34 "2013-02-17T00:14:14Z")
Oh wait, this thread is about _driving_. ---
**Author:** ![NormalDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7993a0/32.png) [@NormalDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NormalDude)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/35 "2013-02-17T00:16:53Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > Re: #1 > > I don’t always pull all the way up because it seems I am always plagued with a high profile vehicle facing me in the opposite left turning lane, and I simply cannot see around him, esp. the lane just to his right. I am in a regular sedan, and don’t have the comfort to pull up when I can’t see-I actually see better hanging back. When the light turns yellow, I will pull into the intersection, but sorry, all you behind me, I ain’t going to chance it when I can’t see. Suggestion?? Don’t chance the turn, but still make room, pull up and wait. ---
**Author:** ![NormalDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7993a0/32.png) [@NormalDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NormalDude)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/36 "2013-02-17T00:23:55Z")
Maybe this is yet another one?? I know it is safe driving practice to leave adequate space between your car and the one in front of you. No problem with that. But how about those people who leave a ridiculous amount of space, not in inclement weather. I’m talking HUGE wasted real estate and holding back a whole lane of traffic and you can’t switch lanes. Everytime I see this I think if every driver did this, you would be literally miles back on the road. Tailgating isn’t good either, but if I am choosing a lane to be in, I’d almost rather be behind someone who seems to be keeping up with traffic. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/37 "2013-02-17T00:29:25Z")
> [@NormalDude](#): > > But again here where it is allowed, I find it frustrating when people do not know this. Sometimes while they are comfortably asleep at the wheel behind that line I may even go around them and take their place in the intersection. Ya snooze, ya lose. I know, probably wrong but… There’s no probably about it. What you’re describing is illegal and dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/38 "2013-02-17T00:49:35Z")
People who overtake like old cats jumping. You know how cats get when they’re old and want to jump. They spend ages beside something, eyeing it up, moving a little this way and that, and then after several minutes they jump and only get halfway up it. Reminds me of those people who sit right on your tail, edging out and back in and out and back in and finally they decide to overtake but decide to crawl past you, barely getting infront of you and pulling in before a driver coming in the opposite direction has to slow and flash its light. ---
**Author:** ![desertmonk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@desertmonk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desertmonk)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/39 "2013-02-17T00:54:16Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > One of my (many) driving pet peeves are people who are afraid to pass big vehicles. They will be in the lane next to a bus or semi truck, but they will refuse to pass them. They will stay one half car length behind the back of the big vehicle for miles on end, despite the fact that the big vehicle is barely doing the speed limit. > > I’ll also quickly add Honda Accord sized vehicles that think they are a big vehicle and must make wide turns. So a small car making a right turn will drift into the lane to its left in order to negotiate that wide turn. > > I better stop, I could do this all night. Exactly, once a car decides to just hang out behind the semi everybody starts to pile up; that section of highway is now going slow. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524/40 "2013-02-17T00:59:05Z")
People who drive slow and then when you go to pass them they speed up, preventing you from passing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-pet-peaves/650524.md?page=3)