Dealing with Extremely poor/rude drivers

[Sherlock77]

Quick story, leaving a hip hop/electronic music event in the inner city where I live...

I had to turn left across traffic onto a busy street, it took a few minutes for a gap to open up and I was a little careful to be safe when I thought it was safe... There was a vehicle behind me the whole time

Turns out it was a fancy BMW ( I drive a tiny under-powered subcompact car), immediately the BMW blew by me on my left at very high speed, possibly into oncoming traffic lanes, I don't remember exactly...

I laid on my car horn, hard! Possibly the hardest I have ever done ever...

But should I? When I feel violated as a driver I have done it before, yet I've heard stories of how a reaction like that can cause the other driver to come back at you with road rage, possibly extreme road rage... I just feel like when I do nothing I'm just rolling over and playing dead, that I need to do "something"

This is by far the worst example I think I've ever experienced as a driver, no it doesn't scare me from driving, just slightly rattled....

 

[Progster]

BMW - doesn't that stand for 'bad man's wheels'?

Yes, there definitely seems to be a kind of vehicle pecking order and people with the bigger and flashier expecsive cars seem to think that they are entitled to push smaller vehicles around. Narcissistic a-hole.

 

[Xerces Blue]

I've seen a lot of stupid driving - I live in Utah.
Been cut off multiple times when I was driving an armored LMTV - 14' tall (van type) something along the lines of 5 tonnes.
People are stupid.
I calculated how much speeding would "save" me time on the way to drill with the national guard some years back 35 miles each way speed limit was 65 mph at the time I figured for every 10 mph over the limit I cut my transit time by ~3 minutes - not worth the risk of accident or speeding tickets.
After I did the calculation I would just call my squad leader and tell him I was going to be late - the @ss chewing was lower risk.

 

[Mary Terry]

BMW - doesn't that stand for 'bad man's wheels'?

Yes, there definitely seems to be a kind of vehicle pecking order and people with the bigger and flashier expecsive cars seem to think that they are entitled to push smaller vehicles around. Narcissistic a-hole.

Actually, I see the opposite here. Most people who can afford a high priced luxury vehicle just try to stay out of the way of bad drivers.

Although I may be mentally raging when I get cut off by another vehicle, I try to ignore it because people do get shot and run off the road in road rage incidents here. There is a subculture of resorting to violence because think they are being 'dissed' - disrespected - by other people.

And the most dangerous drivers of all, IMHO, are those whose faculties have deteriorated. I wish our state had mandatory retesting of the elderly for drivers licenses.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

The issue I see with using your horn in this situation is that it can surprise and distract other drivers, potentially causing an accident. The car horn isn't meant to be used to express anger or chastise idiot drivers, it's meant to alert other drivers to your presence when there is risk of an accident.

 

[Mary Terry]

I've seen a lot of stupid driving - I live in Utah.
Been cut off multiple times when I was driving an armored LMTV - 14' tall (van type) something along the lines of 5 tonnes.
People are stupid.
I calculated how much speeding would "save" me time on the way to drill with the national guard some years back 35 miles each way speed limit was 65 mph at the time I figured for every 10 mph over the limit I cut my transit time by ~3 minutes - not worth the risk of accident or speeding tickets.
After I did the calculation I would just call my squad leader and tell him I was going to be late - the @ss chewing was lower risk.

When I lived in Utah, I discovered that many drivers there do not know how to drive in rain, I suppose because it rarely rains there. The same situation exists in the deep south where I now live when it snows. People freak out over a few flurries.

 

[Pats]

I happen to be a good driver. I'm a courteous driver, I don't text and not on my phone when I drive and I pay attention to what's going on in front of me, beside me and behind me.
Impatient drivers are the worst and I used to be a little impatient driving, but not as bad as some I've seen that have to get around you at all costs. I do admit I have a hard time driving the speed limit but I try to keep it within 5-10 mph or just drive with traffic, so there's really no reason to try to speed around me and risk that head on collision but there are some that still do.
And few people in the south know how to drive in the snow, too. Driving across black ice when car in front of me hits dry road and suddenly stops. I'm like "Nooooooo".

 

[Judge]

I had to turn left across traffic onto a busy street, it took a few minutes for a gap to open up and I was a little careful to be safe when I thought it was safe... There was a vehicle behind me the whole time

Turns out it was a fancy BMW ( I drive a tiny under-powered subcompact car), immediately the BMW blew by me on my left at very high speed, possibly into oncoming traffic lanes, I don't remember exactly...

I laid on my car horn, hard! Possibly the hardest I have ever done ever...

Driving prudently at such a low velocity with such a faster car directly behind you. Do you realize how stressful that must have been for that poor BMW driver? You may have given him apoplexy! His suddenly darting past you may have simply been a spasm to his accelerator foot. For shame!

For people who think and drive in such a manner (as @Progster posted above), there's really nothing you can do. Once such people with their status cars are in a perceived fast lane, they just see other slower vehicles much like blades of grass to be mowed down. For all we know the same guy did that with other drivers also merging into the upcoming intersections just like you. Maybe they're used to driving Germany's Autobahn. Where faster drivers in the fast lane flashing their high-beams literally rule the road. Porsches, Audis, BMWs...und so weiter.

I still recall riding with a cousin in her BMW in Southern California. God help any drivers who didn't get out of her way. However on that particular day, the CHP caught her tailgating someone at 75mph. An expensive lesson that she learned absolutely nothing from. Except when she'd get into her more modest Honda and drive somewhat more normally in comparison. Go figure.

I know here in Nevada you really don't want to resort to road rage, even if you feel you are in the right. In many such cases both parties had firearms in their vehicles and used them to settle their differences. No joke.

I suppose there are a few owners of Beemers who don't drive like this. I just haven't seen any on the road.

 

[Mary Terry]

I'm a courteous driver, I don't text and not on my phone when I drive and I pay attention to what's going on in front of me, beside me and behind me.
Impatient drivers are the worst and I used to be a little impatient driving, but not as bad as some I've seen that have to get around you at all costs. I do admit I have a hard time driving the speed limit but I try to keep it within 5-10 mph or just drive with traffic, so there's really no reason to try to speed around me and risk that head on collision but there are some that still do.
And few people in the south know how to drive in the snow, too. Driving across black ice when car in front of me hits dry road and suddenly stops. I'm like "Nooooooo".

I'm 65 y/o and a good driver, too. I'm talking about the 80+ year old people whose reaction times, mental acuity, judgment, vision, and skills are dimmed by time and age. They should be retested to ensure the public is safe from them. I don't even use my cell phone when I'm driving unless it is an emergency because it is not worth the risk, and I never text or read texts while driving. It is hard to fathom a phone call or text so important that it can't wait till a driver can stop the car!

Those drivers who must get around you at all costs are often on crouch rocket motorcycles here. They tend to have short lives and are a good source of organs for transplantation. I've heard cardiologists call them "heart donors".

And, yeah, I'm one of few southerners who knows how to drive in snow (spent 10 years in Utah, driving the roads in the Rocky Mountains year round) and has the wisdom to stay off the roads when they are icy.

 

[Sherlock77]

Here in Canada there is far less chance of people carrying a gun in their car... I know that I wouldn't honk like that in some other places of the world... I know I probably shouldn't have done it, the BMW was in front of me by that point anyway, a simple reaction I suppose...

And there are idiots in the world, nothing I can do about it but deal with it

 

[Judge]

And there are idiots in the world, nothing I can do about it but deal with it

Let such drivers go past you, being reassured that it's far safer for you that they are well ahead of you rather than directly behind you.

 

[Mary Terry]

LOL. I was telling my husband about this thread and he said that the worst drivers in his experience are young female drivers who think they are entitled to preferential treatment by all other drivers. He said they will shoot the one-fingered salute if you don't get out of their way so he always makes a grossed out facial expression and shakes his head NO at them when they do that. His way of showing there ain't no way he'd accept their one-fingered invitation.

 

[Judge]

The one thing that has aggravated the situation is that our state lawmakers made it an infraction to drive any slower in the fast lane than what the present rate of traffic may be. Even if it exceeds the posted speed limit.

Brought to you by the same legislators who selectively raised the speed limit to 80 mph on certain parts of the freeway.

 

[Pats]

I'm 65 y/o and a good driver, too. I'm talking about the 80+ year old people whose reaction times, mental acuity, judgment, vision, and skills are dimmed by time and age. They should be retested to ensure the public is safe from them. I don't even use my cell phone when I'm driving unless it is an emergency because it is not worth the risk, and I never text or read texts while driving. It is hard to fathom a phone call or text so important that it can't wait till a driver can stop the car!

Those drivers who must get around you at all costs are often on crouch rocket motorcycles here. They tend to have short lives and are a good source of organs for transplantation. I've heard cardiologists call them "heart donors".

And, yeah, I'm one of few southerners who knows how to drive in snow (spent 10 years in Utah, driving the roads in the Rocky Mountains year round) and has the wisdom to stay off the roads when they are icy.

Actually, I had a geriatric patient once with dementia. She was finally stopped while driving down the interstate having hit 3 cars and didn't know it. License and keys should be removed from those with dementia.
And I agree with the crotch rockets. But equally irritating are the dressed out bikes that pass you on a 2 lane highway then on the curves doing about half the speed limit because the bikes don't lean enough to do the speed limit in the curves. It's like speed up, slow down, speed up slow down. Not all - but bikers can get that same 'the road belongs to me' attitude.
And living in Georgia - the worst were bicyclists who peddled their bikes near the middle of the road and will not move over for cars to get around them.

 

[Judge]

Actually, I had a geriatric patient once with dementia. She was finally stopped while driving down the interstate having hit 3 cars and didn't know it.

"Out of mind, out of sight."

And living in Georgia - the worst were bicyclists who peddled their bikes near the middle of the road and will not move over for cars to get around them.

One thing that weirds me out about Nevada is how they arrange formal bike lanes on roads. Most of the time these lanes parallel the shoulder of the road which is fine by me. However at intersections they force bicycle riders to be directly adjacent with cars on the road rather than just next to the sidewalk. Where some are empowered to attempt to ride and attempt to keep up with slower automobile traffic. Bad scene, baby!

 

[BraidedPony]

I'm used to bad drivers and the only time i get angry at them is when their driving frightens me.
My solution is to give them the finger but where no one can see it and mumble curses quietly in case they can read lips.
I don't really understand road rage, it isnt personal.
Just want to mention a road rage type thing that happened near here a few years a go between Las Vegas and California. A biker was riding between two big rigs, yes, he wasnt supposed to ride on the white line, but the truckers both swerved towards the biker and killed him.

 

[tlc]

It's the worst here right now. From about Memorial Day to Labor Day is stage 1, but stage 2 is getting almost as bad which is Labor Day until the leaves turn brown and fall off the trees. Tourists with pockets full of money come here and take over the area, and drive like they own the place. Whether it's extreme speeding and running other cars off the road, or creeping along or suddenly stopping or doing a u-turn to see the lake or visit a fruit stand. It also doesn't help that the number or breweries and wineries in this area has exploded in recent years, so it's a high possibility people are driving around after consuming alcohol. Cops won't do a thing about it because they don't want to discourage the money coming into the area. We put up a fight when industry and jobs want to come to town, then we put on a pretty facade so people will come and treat us like dirt and leave their trash laying everywhere, while we accept wads of money. To me this commercialized tourism is no different than prostitution.

I just avoid certain places in the summer. To me and many people I work with, having to cross town in the summer is the #1 factor on choosing where to live, so we all bought our houses on this side, even driving 30 miles one way is better than having to cross town. And to do any business, it's easier to drive 15-20 miles to any neighboring town than to drive a mile or two across town.

Bikes are another thing. It's huge here in the summer, and we have tons of bike paths. I enjoy going out and riding. But the people who ride down the road and block traffic when there is a perfectly good (and marked) bike path running parallel to the road, really irritate me. Not only because they are creating a road hazard, but my hard earned tax dollars went to building that path.

 

[Autistamatic]

I live in an area where there are a stupid amount of very rich people driving Bentley's and the like. It's also near Bristol which is frankly a terrifying place for a nervous driver. I am neither, but I do stick to the rules. Whenever I get cut up or tailgated it's always by an expensive, usually German car.

The article below about the cars most likely to break UK speed limits backs it up too. What I like about this article is it was not based on numbers of speeding tickets, which could be biased by overzealous police targeting posh cars (the usual excuse that gets trotted out) but was drawn from the black-box data by the driver's insurers who use it to determine premiums.
The top 10 cars most likely to speed

Drivers over 70 in the UK have to reapply for their licenses every 3 years. The biggest cause of accidents in this age group? Forgetting to wear their specs, wearing outdated specs or refusing to get their eyes tested (despite free eye tests).

 

[tducey]

I don't drive but there are some bad drivers around. It's not you you have to worry about in the car, it's the person in the other car.

 

[Fino]

Whenever a car speeds around me, I cheer them on, figuring they must have something really important going on, even if that important thing is a resolution to their irrational impatience.