Driving Pet Peeves

[irish_buffalo]

I see something similar where by the person is following me close enough (while I'm in the passing lane) that I move over to let them go by. Only to find them going slower a few miles down the road, and they are now "blocking" the left lane. I see a lot of women do this. They seem to be just following along in the left lane, once you move out of the way, they don't know how to keep driving fast.

It is called the passing lane for a reason. If I'm doing 90 and someone is coming up behind I get over. The lane should be empty minus passing. Nothing is worse than two cars playing back and forth at 65 and 66 mph while a convoy is behind them.

 

[eastisbest]

People who stop the traffic behind them, in order to let someone in, say from a gas station or something. If you want to let someone in front of you, you need to wait for a red light, when the people behind you cannot move forward anyway, and then let that person in.

The real dangerous nice people: line of traffic stopped at light. Nice person leaves a space so people coming out of the gas station to their right, can make the left out of the station and not have to wait for traffic to clear. Vehicle makes left out of station even though they cannot see the upsteam of that lane and they get slammed on their passenger door. Slammee generally ends up in the lap of nice person.

 

[bob99]

Rows are too close together, so too difficult to pull in.

The rows get wider when you back in? Do you care if the driver parked beside you has to do the limbo to get past your mirrors to get to his driver's door?

 

[eastisbest]

The rows get wider when you back in? Do you care if the driver parked beside you has to do the limbo to get past your mirrors to get to his driver's door?

Turning radius going forwards or backwards should be the same but the pivot point is still the rear wheels. It should still work either way. I imagine it's more of a perception thing or an easier to exit thing, regardless it's an inconvenience to others.

 

[Hammerdrill]

Turning radius going forwards or backwards should be the same but the pivot point is still the rear wheels. It should still work either way. I imagine it's more of a perception thing or an easier to exit thing, regardless it's an inconvenience to others.

You are steering from the rear, effectively, it is a lot easier.

 

[Hammerdrill]

The rows get wider when you back in? Do you care if the driver parked beside you has to do the limbo to get past your mirrors to get to his driver's door?

My mirrors are no bigger than anyone else's. If you approach your car from the front, you have the same issue. So people shouldn't be allowed to pull through a parking space? Pulling forward out of a space avoids them backing up, there by it is safer.

 

[eastisbest]

You are steering from the rear, effectively, it is a lot easier.

Eh, if there's a pivot point like in a semi but not in a pick-up. You're steering from the front regardless. Your pivit is in the back regardless. The only difference is line of sight on approach.

If distance between the rows were really the issue, then pick-up truck drivers wouldn't be able to pull out forward. If maneuverabilty was better in reverse than what better way to exit a parking spot?

Easier to reverse park? That's just something someone decided because it's easier to exit forward. Anyone can park even a large pick-up just as easily forward as they can in reverse. It's just what they choose to do. The radius is the same. As I already posted, the pivot being the rear wheels just changes how it is done.

 

[bob99]

. So people shouldn't be allowed to pull through a parking space?

Who are you interfering with by pulling forward from the parking space? Several people can't backup. They end up going in crooked or end up parking on the line making one parking space to small to be of any use. What I have a hard time understanding, you are going to have to backup one time or the other.

 

[Hammerdrill]

Who are you interfering with by pulling forward from the parking space? Several people can't backup. They end up going in crooked or end up parking on the line making one parking space to small to be of any use. What I have a hard time understanding, you are going to have to backup one time or the other.

You are conflating 2 things. Backing in due to it being easier with a long vehicle. And just any ole vehicle who pulls through a spot.

 

[eastisbest]

You are conflating 2 things. Backing in due to it being easier with a long vehicle. And just any ole vehicle who pulls through a spot.

I don't notice any long trucks having problems driving forward into the slot between two vehicles at the grocery store when they can continue on to opening on the otherside that will allow them to drive straight out after picking up the six pack. Let's call it what it is, some myth probably started by some ya-hoo country DJ living in manhattan pretending to be a good-ol boy just looking for clicks and giggles.

Not easier to reverse in. Neither from the physics of the vehicle nor from the driver that now needs to look at rearviews and over the shoulder (pre camera days). It's easier to forward out for that quick exit. This is why it's done. In general. Not speaking for you. And it's a pain for the neighboring cars.

If it is all that hard to pull a truck into a parking spot, maybe that driver could consider parking further out by their lonesone and walk a few extra steps? Rebellion is coming people! Truck mirrors will be endangered.

 

[Hammerdrill]

I don't notice any long trucks having problems driving forward into the slot between two vehicles at the grocery store when they can continue on to opening on the otherside that will allow them to drive straight out after picking up the six pack. Let's call it what it is, some myth probably started by some ya-hoo country DJ living in manhattan pretending to be a good-ol boy just looking for clicks and giggles.

Not easier to reverse in. Neither from the physics of the vehicle nor from the driver that now needs to look at rearviews and over the shoulder (pre camera days). It's easier to forward out for that quick exit. This is why it's done. In general. Not speaking for you. And it's a pain for the neighboring cars.

If it is all that hard to pull a truck into a parking spot, maybe that driver could consider parking further out by their lonesone and walk a few extra steps? Rebellion is coming people! Truck mirrors will be endangered.

You might want to tell that to the people who design fork lifts. They are steered from the rear wheels for a reason. Seems clear too that you have never driven a truck.

 

[oxat622]

I believe that the law in Ohio, maybe just Cincinnati, states that drivers must yield to pedestrians waiting to cross at a crosswalk. I personally would not step into the street until I knew that it was completely safe due to the fact that most drivers do not yield.

I don't know if my example counts as a crosswalk. It's a bike path first and foremost and given that it has stop signs and the main road doesn't, it seems to me it is treating bikes as any other vehicle (as it should IMO).

 

[oxat622]

Trying to “out nice“ me at a 4 way stop…

You got there first. Stop waiving me on. There are rules. Go! This is not a test of manners. I’m just as nice as you…well, probably not

 

[eastisbest]

You might want to tell that to the people who design fork lifts. They are steered from the rear wheels for a reason. Seems clear too that you have never driven a truck.

It loses the argument when you presume something about the others' motivations or experience in order to find reason in their opposing view. Now we just presume you're desperate and have no defense for why you do the dumb thing of reversing into a parking spot and don't want to admit your faults. Come-on man, everyone has driven a pick-up at one time or another. Don't be desperate. Stand your ground like a man that actually needs a large pick-up truck for something other than dollar-store visits.

Fork-lifts? Can you apple and oranges a bit more for us? How about bringing in zero-turn lawn-mowers to justify your insanity?

 

[utsherman]

If you are driving a pick up sometimes it is necessary. Why are you in such a hurry anyway?

It's a pet peeve of mine. You know, the title of the thread? Lol. And I'm not generally in a hurry, no. But I've found that the vast majority of people that entertain this ritual take way too long to do it. They could have just pulled in.

 

[Hammerdrill]

It loses the argument when you presume something about the others' motivations or experience in order to find reason in their opposing view. Now we just presume you're desperate and have no defense for why you do the dumb thing of reversing into a parking spot and don't want to admit your faults. Come-on man, everyone has driven a pick-up at one time or another. Don't be desperate. Stand your ground like a man that actually needs a large pick-up truck for something other than dollar-store visits.

Fork-lifts? Can you apple and oranges a bit more for us? How about bringing in zero-turn lawn-mowers to justify your insanity?

I really think you don’t understand how things work. You are simply wrong. Do you happen to have a floor jack? Notice how the rear wheels are castors, while the front are fixed.

 

[Hammerdrill]

It's a pet peeve of mine. You know, the title of the thread? Lol. And I'm not generally in a hurry, no. But I've found that the vast majority of people that entertain this ritual take way too long to do it. They could have just pulled in.

Agree. I wouldn’t hold anyone up. If someone were behind me I would circle around, or park somewhere else. I’m not the person looking for the best parking space. I’ll park further out and walk.

 

[utsherman]

Agree. I wouldn’t hold anyone up. If someone were behind me I would circle around, or park somewhere else. I’m not the person looking for the best parking space. I’ll park further out and walk.

I read something years ago that measured the time to grocery from a person who arbitrarily parked in one of the first empty spots encountered and immediately began walking, versus a person who sharked the rows for a close spot. The latter typically took longer to actually arrive inside the store. Again, this could have changed over the years, but something I've always randomly thought about when parking at the store.

 

[eastisbest]

I really think you don’t understand how things work. You are simply wrong. Do you happen to have a floor jack? Notice how the rear wheels are castors, while the front are fixed.

So now you're bringing a floor jack into the discussion?

Again: pick-up drivers have NO inhibitions to pulling in forward when they can continue on to be facing forward in the next aisle. It's only when that path is blocked, a few refuse to acknowledge the reality of why they suddenly decide reverse is the only possible option provided by euclidean physics.

You're making the point that ALL single pair turning wheels vehicles should be driven in reverse of the turning wheels, regardless where they are placed relative to the pivot? lol

Desperate times for desperate people.

Turning radius. Pivot points. Levers. You don't understand the basics and you want to say others "don't understand how things work." smh A large pick-up can be parked in the forward direction physically every bit as easy as in the reverse and practically much easier. People park their vehicles in reverse, whether they admit it or not, in order to make a quicker exit.

Now PARALLEL parking, you'd at least have a reason supported by the physics of the situation and that wouldn't be reserved for pick-up truck yahoos.

 

[irish_buffalo]

Agree. I wouldn’t hold anyone up. If someone were behind me I would circle around, or park somewhere else. I’m not the person looking for the best parking space. I’ll park further out and walk.

I still do not use my backup camera. Years of using mirrors and pulling and backing in trailers have me coached up.

 

[Irwin20]

Maybe I’m not paying attention but I haven’t noticed a bunch of drivers smoking pot on the road. Nor have I smelled pot at a stoplight even in the summer with the window down.

 

[CedarBuck92]

When I back it it is to make it safer for me to exit later. Also, I tend to back in at concerts and other places where there is likely to be a line when leaving. Much easier (and better accepted) to nose your way out instead of sitting in my car for 2 hours waiting for traffic to clear so I can back out.

 

[Qcity]

People who remain at the stop bar in the left hand turn lane instead of moving up a car length or two.

Some even just stay there when the light turns red and don't even make the turn.

Bingo ......................get in the intersection for God's sake

 

[Walt]

I agree with most of the peeves listed and will repeat a few but here's my list (I have a bunch)...

#1. Without a doubt... people who drive slowly in the left lane or people who just cruise in the left lane on a highway. The left lane is the passing lane not the cruising lane. I feel like Ohio drivers are the worst about this. It's become a joke when I'm out of state, I'll come up on a car cruising in the left lane and say "bet they're from Ohio" and 8 out of 10 times they are. Doesn't matter if I'm in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, etc.

2. People who drive at dawn, dusk, in fog, and/or rain without their headlights on. It's 2022. Aren't most cars equipped with automatic headlights? I drive to work shortly before sunrise and am often on the road around sunset. I can't believe how many cars drive without headlights. If your car is gray, black, navy, etc. and you don't have your lights on most people probably can't see you.

3. People who slam on their brakes to make a turn BEFORE they activate their turn signals.

4. People who almost come to a complete stop to get into a turn lane. Isn't part of the reason a turning lane exits is to give you time to decelerate before making a turn but not slow down the cars going straight behind you?

5. Mentioned early in the thread but people who pass you on the highway and then slow down when they get in front of you. I almost always use cruise control when driving on the highway. Every long trip there will be a car or two that passes me, then i pass them, then they pass me, etc. I'm going the same speed the entire time so it's you!

Finally.... for the last 5-10 years I have been actively trying to build good road karma. I will let people over, let people out, let people turn in front of me, and let people merge. Trying to live by the treat others as you want to be treated rule. I'm still waiting for the good karma to come back to me. I live in Central Ohio and I feel like no one will ever let you have an inch or let you merge. Everyone wants to be an a__ hole.

End rant.

 

[LELL]

Those who do not know how to drive/approach in a round about.

 

[LELL]

Lowlifes who smoke weed while driving. I smell it almost daily on my way into work now. I really don't care if you want to smoke weed when you get home, whatever. But it's become almost accepted now after the effective decriminalization of weed that you can toke and drive and nothing will happen to you. Has gotten much worse in the past 3-4 years. This is in addition to the pervasive smell of weed in virtually every urban public area after about 8pm.

Also, I hate people who drive around with no headlights on at nighttime and are to oblivious to notice.

What's your route? Wow.

 

[Hammerdrill]

So now you're bringing a floor jack into the discussion?

Again: pick-up drivers have NO inhibitions to pulling in forward when they can continue on to be facing forward in the next aisle. It's only when that path is blocked, a few refuse to acknowledge the reality of why they suddenly decide reverse is the only possible option provided by euclidean physics.

You're making the point that ALL single pair turning wheels vehicles should be driven in reverse of the turning wheels, regardless where they are placed relative to the pivot? lol

Desperate times for desperate people.

Turning radius. Pivot points. Levers. You don't understand the basics and you want to say others "don't understand how things work." smh A large pick-up can be parked in the forward direction physically every bit as easy as in the reverse and practically much easier. People park their vehicles in reverse, whether they admit it or not, in order to make a quicker exit.

Now PARALLEL parking, you'd at least have a reason supported by the physics of the situation and that wouldn't be reserved for pick-up truck yahoos.

Odd that you can't seem to see the sinilarities, yet at the same time know more about this than I do. lol

 

[eastisbest]

Odd that you can't seem to see the sinilarities, yet at the same time know more about this than I do. lol

Odd that you don't see how they're not similar yet the engineer/mechanic/guy-who-can-park-a-truck does yet you know nothing about this and don't realize it. lol lol

oh what the heck

lol Turn radius, pivot point.

 

[NothingButTheTruth]

Lots of good and legitimate peeves on this post.

Here are some more:

1) Sign for "right hand turn only" coming out of parking lot onto street....person in front of you ignores the sign and wants to go left....so you sit there for awhile. There is a reason for that sign. This happened to me recently in New Philadelphia trying to exit Sheetz.

2) Line of cars at protected left hand turn and cars in front of you leaving huge gaps before they go. So instead of 10 cars making it through, maybe only 6 do.....happens all the time. This is somewhat related to those that run already red light protected turns causing those going straight to hit their brakes to avoid a accident.

3) Driving at night on a road that has one lane on each side with yellow lines down the middle. You are following behind a car and every time that a car approaches from the opposite direction, they hit their brakes and slow down dramatically.....why???

4) Cigarettes or garbage out the window....especially if it hits my car because the litterer doesn't understand where that object will land relative to the speed of other vehicles.

BTW, people cruising in the left lane of the freeway not passing, and backing up traffic, is by far my biggest peeve.

Okay, I feel better now. Thank you to the OP.

 

[eaglesfan216]

I realize that not many people have experience driving in dense urban areas, and it can be intimidating for those people. But just keep moving, and more importantly pay attention to signage and other unspoken rules.

Urban traffic moves faster than you think, and you need to go when you have the chance. Don't be a maniac, but one small thing usually leads to a big backup.

At my parking garage there is a sign that rolls out that reads "LOT FULL: MONTHLY PASS ONLY". At least twice a month there's someone at the gate trying to pull a daily ticket in a garage that is full at 8AM, leaving several angry and now late for work drivers behind them as they try to pull back out.

I may just be crazy, but when driving in an urban area I'm unfamiliar with, I check Google Street View before to better understand how things work. It makes everything less stressful.