1. As a function of the speed limit, how fast do you typically drive? <5 mph over.
2. If you generally keep at or below the speed limit, do you do so because you want to save on gas, because you want to drive defensively, because you’re afraid of getting ticketed, or some other reason? I got a ticket. I’ll be good girl for another couple of months, just in case, before getting brave and going at least 15 over on the open highway as usual. I always obey the speed limit on side streets, always, and do my very best to avoid them.
3. When turning right on red, do you come to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection? Yep.
3. Should I bitch-slap this trainee, and if so, how? Why bother? Just don’t hire the mouthy little shit, and put him on your Flying Monkeys to-do list. He’s a snotty little by-the-wrong-book dipshit who shows no interest in tact, and has already tried to pee in his boss’s cornflakes.
Do you have any need at all for a snotty little by-the-wrong-book dipshit? Hiring him and then making every moment of his life an affliction could be entertaining, if you’re so inclined.
Around here, that’s what you need to drive to keep the other drivers off your tail.
Yes, full stop.
Don’t hire him unless on some off chance he absolutely rocks B2B sales. In this economy, the job you give to him is taking the job away from someone else who needs it just as badly and deserves it more.
1. As a function of the speed limit, how fast do you typically drive?
On the interstate, usually about 5mph over the posted limit. On city streets, just under the limit.
2. If you generally keep at or below the speed limit, do you do so because you want to save on gas, because you want to drive defensively, because you’re afraid of getting ticketed, or some other reason?
All of the above. Probably safety and gas economy are the main reasons. Also, I generally drive cars that are probably not designed for extended high-speed driving. I feel like I’m pushing my poor little Corolla too hard if I’m going warp speed. Maybe it doesn’t reduce the life of the car, but I feel like it does.
3. When turning right on red, do you come to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection?
Yes. I have always been under the impression that you are legally required to stop first, then proceed if a right-on-red is allowed. (At least I think that was the law where/when I got my license.)
3. Should I bitch-slap this trainee, and if so, how? (If he’s hired, his job will be B2B selling.
I have no idea. He sounds like a tool, though. I’d probably mark that against him if I were evaluating potential hires. I don’t put a lot of value on impulsiveness and inabilty to follow simple directions.
As a function of the speed limit, how fast do you typically drive?**
5-10 km over if not right on the limit
**
2. If you generally keep at or below the speed limit, do you do so because you want to save on gas, because you want to drive defensively, because you’re afraid of getting ticketed, or some other reason?**
mostly I don’t want tickets, but also I’m not crazy about breaking the law and I’m an old, unfun driving bag
3. When turning right on red, do you come to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection?
Yes
4. Should I bitch-slap this trainee, and if so, how? (If he’s hired, his job will be B2B selling.)
Give him shit jobs until you fire his ass - he sounds like an asshole.
Caveat: I learned to drive in NoCal, moved to Chicago and Madison WI before spending 10 years on Long Island, and have recently (blessedly, blissfully) returned to the PNW – so you’re going to get a variety of answers below.
1. As a function of the speed limit, how fast do you typically drive?
In NoCal, Chicago, and Madison: with the flow of traffic. Generally about 5 mph over in a city, about 10 mph over on the freeway.
On Long Island: as fast as possible without hitting the person in front of you. The speed limit on the Long Island Expressway is 55 mph, but past exit 68 it wasn’t unusual to see the slow lane doing 75.
In the PNW: less than 5 mph over in town, less than 10 mph over on the freeway, and at-or-less than the posted speed limit in a school zone – and no one rides your tail in the school zone.
2. If you generally keep at or below the speed limit, do you do so because you want to save on gas, because you want to drive defensively, because you’re afraid of getting ticketed, or some other reason?
Because it’s courteous and because driving is, after all, collaborative. The only way you get that many people going that fast, that close together, is if we all agree that we’re in this together.
3. When turning right on red, do you come to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection?
Always. Red lights mean “stop!”
3. Should I bitch-slap this trainee, and if so, how? (If he’s hired, his job will be B2B selling.)
So… this guy is going to be representing you? Attitude, inability to take direction, and ignorance of common courtesy (and, lest I forget, law) would put him on my “do not hire” list.
As a function of the speed limit, how fast do you typically drive?
City: with the flow of traffic which tends to be below the speed limit
Highway: 20 Kilometres per hour over (give or take)
If you generally keep at or below the speed limit, do you do so because you want to save on gas, because you want to drive defensively, because you’re afraid of getting ticketed, or some other reason?
Generally I drive at a speed at which I’m comfortable given where I’m driving, the time of day, and the flow of traffic. Sometimes it dictates I go the speed limit. So no, I’m not all that concerned about getting tickets. I’ve been driving 15 years and have 2 tickets (within the span of about a week).
When turning right on red, do you come to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection?
Yes, absolutely. Other than speeding I’m pretty conscientious about following the rules of the road.
Should I bitch-slap this trainee, and if so, how? (If he’s hired, his job will be B2B selling.)
No, just don’t hire him. He’s clearly not all that bright.
I generally drive a few km/hr over the speed limit unless the road conditions require more conservative speeds. I tend to be about 3-5km above the limit (roughly) once I hit an 80km speed zone or higher. I never travel *under *the posted limit, because that pisses people off (well, it certainly pisses me off when other people do it, so I’m admittedly extrapolating from the smallest of data samples); however, this is mainly because most of the roads 'round here are single-lane, with very few overtaking opportunities.
I don’t care in the least if someone’s doing less than the speed limit on a 2-or-more lane road. Unless they’re in the right-hand (we drive on the other side here) lane, which is clearly marked ‘Keep left unless overtaking’. I think in those instances I should be permitted to use lethal force.
Oh, and I wouldn’t be hiring that guy. If he can’t keep his opinionated trap shut while he’s trying to get into your good books, he’s going to be completely intolerable once he’s hired. I’m as opinionated as they come, but I’d never tell a boss with whom I had yet to establish a rapport that his driving sucked; this tells you pretty clearly that he’ll almost certainly say something equally tactless to a customer. Very, very bad sign.
ETAA (edited to add AGAIN): Actually, even if I’d established a good rapport with my boss and could razz him about his driving skills, I’d still never do it in front of other co-workers. Tactless and politically unwise.
I generally drive 5-10 mph over the limit if I’m all alone on the road. I go faster if there’s other traffic. In that case, I go with the general speed.
Tickets mostly.
Always. Visibility isn’t great at most at many of the intersections I routinely encounter. I have to stop to give myself a chance to make sure no one is coming. That would be even more important if someone were following me since I’d have to make sure there was an opportunity for me plus them to make the turn.
Your trainee is a dork. He didn’t have to worry about being late, since you were leading the group. What was the hurry? Unless you were driving so slow as to be dangerous (which you weren’t), I don’t know why he cared.
1. As a function of the speed limit, how fast do you typically drive?
In residential areas with a 25 limit I drive 25-30 out of respect for the people who live there (it really pisses me off when I can’t leave my street because of the stream of people doing 40 in a 25). On main roads I drive between the speed limit and 10 over. On interstates I drive 10-20 over, depending on local custom and enforcement.
2. If you generally keep at or below the speed limit, do you do so because you want to save on gas, because you want to drive defensively, because you’re afraid of getting ticketed, or some other reason?
Keeping below the speed limit does not save gas except on the highway. Going 25 probably uses *more *gas than going 35 since you are most likely in a lower gear. The most efficient speed is usually the one where your car hits overdrive, which is generally highway speeds.
3. When turning right on red, do you come to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection?
Yes, almost always. The law requires it. It is also prudent. Sometimes if it’s screamingly obvious that there is no opposing traffic I might not.
*3. Should I bitch-slap this trainee, and if so, how? (If he’s hired, his job will be B2B selling.) *
I would drop him like a hot potato. If he gives you shit he could give your customers shit. He showed a lack of judgment and maturity in that some of the stuff he said is just wrong, he criticized someone in a position to make a hiring decision, and inconvenienced everyone with a blatant show of impatience.
Actually, I think it’s *exactly *the point. He showed a disrespect for authority for no good reason, and amazing cluelessness. Do not hire him out of sympathy; you will be deeply sorry later.
And I join **Dangerosa **in my confusion over whether you are considering “firing” vs. “deciding whether he gets an offer.”
Depends, in a school zone (when children are around) at or below the speed limit. Other surface streets, up to 5 mph over, conditions permitting. On the open highway, from the speed limit to 15 over depending.
in town, safety mainly, sometime for gas savings. On the highway, I may drive slower for gas savings, or fast due to being in a hurry, or it is what the flow of traffic demands. On the highway, it is the flow of traffic that determines safe. If the flow of traffic is 55 and you are driving 80, that isn’t safe. if on the other hand the flow of traffic is 80 and you are driving 55, that isn’t safe either. Particularly if you are doing 55 in the left (fast) lane. If people are passing you on the right, you are going too slow for that lane, mover over to your right. This is one thing I love about driving in Sweden, on the highway, everybody drives in the right lane except to pass.
In California stopping before a right on red is required, and you can be cited for rolling a stop sign, or red light. I’m too lazy to look up a cite, but I did get cited for this once, so my cite is my cite.
Lose the guy, unless you need fodder for another idiot cow-orker thread.
As a function of the speed limit, how fast do you typically drive?
In a built-up area, generally no less than the limit, and no more than posted limit +7. On the open road, as fast as I can while retaining the ability to stop if previously unforeseen circumstances require it, which will typically be below the speed limit, because in the UK nearly all country roads are not wide enough for a centre line but the posted maximum is 60mph. On dual-carriageways and motorways, 95mph (speed limit +25) wherever possible.
If you generally keep at or below the speed limit, do you do so because you want to save on gas, because you want to drive defensively, because you’re afraid of getting ticketed, or some other reason?
To avoid an accident. The limit is there for a reason and I think it makes sense.
When turning right on red, do you come to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection?
N/A in the UK, but I imagine I would proceed without stopping if I could clearly see far enough to be safe.
Should I bitch-slap this trainee, and if so, how? (If he’s hired, his job will be B2B selling.)
Probably not worth it, but I think entitled to lower your opinion of his intelligence, based on what you reported. It depends on your personality type, I guess. I’m quite non-confrontational, but I can imagine someone who isn’t making the point that how they drive is up to no-one but them (provided it’s legal).
Obviously if you let people go on their own they will go to the wrong gate. Having people follow you when you’re starting from the same place and you’re the only one with authority to get them in is SOP, not controlling. And criticizing someone you’re following for making it easy to follow them is just flamingly rude.
I once had the opposite problem, trying to follow someone through Philadelphia who had a tendency to speed and run red lights. Impossible.
How much driving will this person’s job entail? How much liability is the company exposed to if he flies through a red light at 80 and totals a school bus full of children whose parents are personal injury lawyers?
I wasn’t trying to be controlling. The guards at the gate only let through people with IDs. The trainees don’t have them yet, and I’m not the one who gives them out or schedules giving them out. My car sits four adults, five if they’re friendly and one is very small; there were too many people for me to take all in my car.
As fast as traffic will allow on major streets, an infinitesimally bit slower than the fastest car in my general area on freeways, the posted speed limit on residential streets, and about 10 mph in school zones (I live close to two pre-schools and one children’s dance school).
In residential neighborhoods and in places where children may congregate, I assume that every pedestrian I see is actually trying to kill themselves in order to ruin my day, so I should expect them to dive in front of me when our paths meet. I adjust my speed and distance from other cars accordingly.
I only stop at red lights when turning right if there’s some chance that I can’t see someone I may hit; around here, that’s bicyclists going fast in the wrong direction or rollerbladers. I’ve actually seen a teenager coasting across Pacific Coast Highway (in a place where it’s really just a 40 mph street) while staring down at a hand-held game of some sort, apparently oblivious to the rush-hour traffic surrounding him. I previously tried to be very careful about police cars, but they don’t seem to be bothered by “California Stops.”
He sounds like a go-getter with a possible future in politics, so you shouldn’t hinder him by offering him a permanent job.
I’ve got a theory (which has yet to be disproven) that the police don’t care if I go fast and that they’re really only concerned with people who drive obnoxiously or dangerously, which is frequently correlated with their speeding. I sometimes speed up to get out of the way of a police car behind me, since my theory also involves their being irritated at people slowing them down by driving the speed limit.
(If he’s hired, his job will be B2B selling.