# Survey: Who can't stand their S.O.'s Driving? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 14, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478 "2003-01-14T06:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/21 "2003-01-14T18:39:18Z")
Pretty much anybody’s driving, other than my own, drives me crazy. My wife doesn’t think ahead about which lane to be in, my first son follows too closely, my second son is too interested in the radio, and everybody drives too far to the left. I usually end up driving, because everyone hates having me as a passenger (and because I’m a better driver). ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/22 "2003-01-14T18:50:28Z")
Peanut and I kind of joke about this. He’s an old fart behind the wheel. Always in the slow lane on the freeway, never above the speed limit. He’ll even stay in the slow lane when he’s behind a slow moving truck - even when the next lane is clear and he could just go around. He must have LOTS of patience. I, on the other hand, cruise in the next to the fast lane, am always driving at about 70, but am not nearly by any stretch the fastest or most dangerous driver out there. I think we both are fairly safe, we just have different outlooks. I can’t be in a hurry to get somewhere when he’s behind the wheel. ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/23 "2003-01-14T22:44:03Z")
Thanks for your replies. I knew I wans’t the only one but I guess its pretty common… ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/24 "2003-01-14T22:47:51Z")
I love my wife so much, I can relax when she drives, and she can relax when I drive. We are good drivers, with very similar habits and attitudes. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/25 "2003-01-14T23:56:10Z")
No problems hear, at least as far as I know. I sometimes think I give too many directions when he’s driving and we’re in the Chicago area, as I know the area a lot better, but he says no. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/26 "2003-01-15T00:07:02Z")
I think there’s something about being in a relationship that make’s other’s driving seem worse. I have an ex-girlfriend that I’m now very close with on a purely platonic level. we bitched at eachother nonstop about driving when we were together, but we don’t really do it at all anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/27 "2003-01-15T00:30:22Z")
My girlfriend’s a good driver. And I’m a terrible passenger. I’m much more relaxed in the drivers seat. And yeah, I’m guilty of making remarks when she tailgates. I really shouldn’t, it accomplishes nothing, and since she’s used to LA traffic, tailgating (as in: not being able to maintain a decent distance since there’s just too many freakin’ cars on the road, 24/7) is pretty much part of the territory. And Lord knows I tailgate from time to time, so I should keep my mouth shut. Like I said: a terrible passenger. Aenea, Zette: the bike thing? It’s simple. Once you ride a bike, a car just feels SO much safer. I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that whilst I’m a very careful rider, my driving has become a tad more reckless since I’ve got my motorbike license. I’m in a big metal box! What could POSSIBLY happen? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/28 "2003-01-15T00:33:55Z")
Now, my EX-girlfriend, that’s another thing altogether. She just couldn’t drive. Lacked the concentration, the togetherness, I suppose. She’d try to engage reverse at 120 km/h when shifting from 4th to 5th. Reverse and fifth are _opposite_ one another in my car, fercryingoutloud, you’d have to make an n-shaped move to get from 4th to reverse. What the hell? We’re still in touch, good friends actually. She recently asked to borrow my car for the weekend. I declined, she borrowed another friends car… and totalled it. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/29 "2003-01-15T00:44:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Coldfire > She’d try to engage reverse at 120 km/h when shifting from 4th to 5th Thats one sure fire way to completely shred your gearbox! ---
**Author:** ![Angkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Angkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angkins)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/30 "2003-01-15T00:44:43Z")
What I want to know is why the hell does my imaginary brake not work on the passenger side? I really need one of those driver’s education cars with controls on both sides. 😃 I am however and excellent passenger when driving with hubby-kins…IF I’m asleep. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/31 "2003-01-15T01:05:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samarm \* > \*\*Thats one sure fire way to completely shred your gearbox! \*\* Yeah. Luckily, it’s got some sort of safety or something, it doesn’t actually enter reverse when going forward anywhere over 4 km/h or so. Well, it audibly crunches. Loudly. It’s enough to make you stop pushing the lever in that direction. Having said that, my reverse engages kinda awkwardly on a cold engine, so who knows, maybe she DID damage it. ---
**Author:** ![zimmdogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@zimmdogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimmdogg)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/32 "2003-01-15T01:41:54Z")
I actually don’t mind his driving, though I would go faster. When I drive, he does the “maybe I can stop the car with the floor on my side” or points out all the pedestrians. [We live in DC - there are a LOT of pedestrians.] I _may_ tailgate a little. [Okay, a lot], but I drive 50 minutes to and from work every day - think how much I’m saving timewise! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/33 "2003-01-15T01:45:31Z")
My wife hates the way I drive. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/34 "2003-01-15T01:55:20Z")
Mrs. Blue Sky has the annoying (and potentially expensive) habit of resting her left foot on the clutch pedal and her right hand on the shifter. In the rare occasions when I’m a passenger (she always insists I drive), I ask her if she has an extra $300+ lying around to replace the clutch when she burns it up. When I’m driving, she uses her invisible brake pedal. Her mother did it to her all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/35 "2003-01-15T02:40:43Z")
I was driving into town with the hubby the other day when I almost went in to the ditch when I poked myself in the eye with my sunglasses. I swear to _God_ that never happens. I switch from glasses to sg’s while I’m driving all the time without any problem. (Yeah, I know, but it’s balancing a couple seconds of fuzzy vision vs. being blinded by the Sun or not being able to see at dusk.) I almost never drive with my hubby, and I’m so embarassed. He must think I suck. Next few times I drive with him in the car, I’m going to be totally paranoid. (I complain about his driving all the time. He follows too close and he’s too impatient. And he drives too fast when the road conditions are iffy. But overall he’s a great driver.) ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/36 "2003-01-15T05:08:02Z")
My SO in college was AWFUL! Couldn’t keep in one lane to save her soul, constantly speeding up and slowing down while veering from one side to another… And despite having a small car, never mastered the U-turn. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to be in an Escort making a three-point turn to get turned around on a four lane road? AGH! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/37 "2003-01-15T05:48:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samarm \* > \*\*I think most guys would agree that women are more hesitant and nervous drivers than men. My SO is so busy talking that she doesn’t pay attention to what lane she’s in, doesn’t really understand what gear she should be in, annoys other drivers without knowing it etc etc. > > (What is it with women and talking: I swear she could talk at competition level.) > > Other guys will agree with this: you must NEVER criticize her driving: world war III would break out. \*\* I think most guys would agree that generalizations this large and unfounded are just asking for trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/38 "2003-01-15T12:57:13Z")
For all those interested, I’m thinking of manufacturing and selling, on a world wide basis, affordable passenger side brake pedals. There will, of course, be both functional and ornamental versions available. The Mrs. and I are both pretty decent drivers, though I find that my “Sunday Driver” comes out more often when our daughter is in the car. Go figure. OTOH, Mrs. Skeezix is a **lousy** front seat passenger, no matter who is driving. She works the aforementioned imaginary pedal like a butter churn, some days. And yet most of our friends/family agree that she’s the worst of us for last minute stops. True Story (That she hates my repeating.) 😃 There’s a 35 or 40 degree bend in the road, on the main drag through our part of town. She takes this a **tad** too fast, fairly often. The practice has almost completely stopped, however, since the day our (at the time) 1 1/2 year old daughter threw both her arms in the air, and yelled, “Whee!” as mommy took the said bend in the road at speed. I swear I never coached the kid on this behavior, nor can anyone figure out where she learned it. A Sesame Street segment on roller coasters, maybe? [sub]The Mrs. is gonna murder me in my sleep on the day the little one repeats my most common criticism to her, “Easy there, Mario.” (Andretti, of course.)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/39 "2003-01-18T23:18:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Aenea, Zette: the bike thing? It’s simple. Once you ride a bike, a car just feels SO much safer. I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that whilst I’m a very careful rider, my driving has become a tad more reckless since I’ve got my motorbike license. I’m in a big metal box! What could POSSIBLY happen? You’re absolutely right, Coldie. He is SO in control and safe on the bike. I was on the back of the Harley once (shaddup) and a deer ran out in front of us. We came to such a fast, but controlled, safe stop I was absolutely in awe. That’s a lot of bike to take from like 50 to 0 without losing control or hitting the deer. When I’m on the bike with him, I’m so relaxed I’ve actually nodded off. In the car? Green from wanting to puke and tense. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Kru-baby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6bbea6/32.png) [@Kru-baby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kru-baby)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478/40 "2003-01-19T00:27:31Z")
My SO is such a horrible driver!! Of course he thinks he is the safest/best driver on the road - since he doesnt ever go over 35mph on city roads. He actually puts on breaks, totally turns around behind him to make sure he can change lanes!!!. I am definately not the best driver in the world, but geeezzzz, are we gonna get there today??? He is probably gonna kill me or come back with some harsh words regarding my driving when he sees this post, but I had to share. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-who-cant-stand-their-s-o-s-driving/148478.md?page=3)