What is your driving-related pet peeve?

Originally Posted by gjwilson

Related to that, I've been in the left turn lane (at a green light). Opposite direction car comes and wants to turn right. I'm anxious for him to turn so I can get in behind him and he stops and wants to let me in -he treats it like a 4 way stop when he has the Right of Way.

Actually, this kind of happened to me just about an hour ago. I'm at the intersection at the green light, wanting to turn left. It's the driving lane; there is no left turn lane here.

There's a guy on the other side wanting to turn left too--I'm waiting for the guy behind him, passing on his right and driving through. He does and I lurch a couple of feet, but then I see a car behind him looking like he wants to go through, so I have to stop and wait for him, too. The guy behind me gets impatient because he doesn't see what I'm seeing, so he honks at me.

Meantime, the guy I am waiting for starts slowing up, then drifting like he's going to turn right, but he doesn't have his turn signal on. After a second or two, I can see he's going to turn right after all. The guy behind me honks again. So I do what you did: I start drifting left, expecting to come in behind the guy turning right. But then, the right-turner stops for me--even though he has the right of way. The guy behind me honks a third time.

Finally I take control of the situation and zoom out in front of the right turner because it was clear that he is going to wait for me. But I hate doing that, because if anything happens and there's an accident, then it's my fault, because I did not have the right of way.

Originally Posted by Dave 330i

Some cities in TX (League City) have introduced a left turn flashing yellow light. My god, is it really necessary when on coming cars have the right of way anyway? A flashing yellow light will only add to confusion. Also, TX drivers unlike CA drivers, stay behind the intersection nervously waiting to make a left turn. They will not go through with the turn when the light changes from green to yellow because they do not think there is enough time. CA drivers enter the intersection on the green so other cars behind have enough time to make the turn before the green turns yellow, then red. Me? I enter the intersection, give way to on coming cars until it is safe to turn left. A little understanding and common courtesy can help keep the flow of traffic smoother.

I saw this one on the same trip an hour ago, different intersection.

When I plan to turn left I, too, go out into the intersection as a courtesy to the drivers behind me, so they can get through on the light, too. While I am waiting for traffic to clear so I can turn left, I see my left-turning counterpart across the intersection from me still sitting behind the stop line, even though the light is green. He did not go into the intersection himself. The car behind him was honking like crazy to get him to move up, but my counterpart was either clueless, or decided to keep sitting there in defiance of the honker.

Eventually, the light turned yellow, then red, and even though I completed my turn, I made a point of looking in the rear view, and sure enough, my counterpart did not make it through. I can only imagine the guy behind him wanted to come out and pummel my counterpart for missing his chance to turn left.

Here's another peeve: I'm on a street with two driving lanes. I approach an intersection I want to turn right at. The light is turning red, but turning right on red is legal. There are already a few cars in the left driving lane puling up to the light, but the right lane is all clear. Cool, I think--I got a clear shot at turning red at the light.

All of a sudden, just as I am reaching the light, one of the cars in the left lane pops out into the right lane in front of me, and it's immediately clear it's not because they themselves want to turn right--they still want to go straight--they just want to be lead driver at the light in that lane. So instead of turning right at the red light, now I have to sit there for an extra minute or more, waiting for the light to turn green so I can turn right, because this guy just wanted to be first at the light.

I know the guy had a right to do what he did. It still sucks.

All other drivers in my city!

I think that there ought to be a law that if a car's dashboard lights go on when the car is turned on, the auto on-off headlights feature should be mandatory. I see so many cars on the Parkway on my way home, when it is dark, whose headlights are not on. The driver just drives on, using his low wattage DRLs on, with no tail lights, oblivious to the fact that he is a real safety problem. You'd think he'd wonder why he can hardly see the car in front of him. More important, however, other drivers cannot see him. Moron idiot!

Originally Posted by Larry Schloss

I think that there ought to be a law that if a car's dashboard lights go on when the car is turned on, the auto on-off headlights feature should be mandatory. I see so many cars on the Parkway on my way home, when it is dark, whose headlights are not on. The driver just drives on, using his low wattage DRLs on, with no tail lights, oblivious to the fact that he is a real safety problem. You'd think he'd wonder why he can hardly see the car in front of him. More important, however, other drivers cannot see him. Moron idiot!

Auto headlights should really be a standard feature in all new cars IMO.

Originally Posted by bmwfan1964

Auto headlights should really be a standard feature in all new cars IMO.

It will probably never happen.

Originally Posted by Larry Schloss

It will probably never happen.

They probably said that about auto windows and intermittent wipers back in the day!

My biggest is when someone pulls out in front of you dangerously close and there is no one behind you for two miles. Especially on a 4 lane road.

A lot of people posting about slow left lane drivers. I dislike when I'm passing people in the left lane going 15 over and I'm being tailgated by some guy that expects me to squeeze between 2 cars to my right.

Cell phone drivers going 15+ over the speed limit.

cigarette butts being thrown on the road

People who use their signal at the last second and don't understand that turn signals are exist for more than just letting perpendicular heading traffic ahead know they are ok to make that turn.

People who make lane changes way too tight, especially 2 or 3 in a row so they can get to their off ramp 10 seconds sooner. On Christmas eve I was pulling up behind a car about 4th in line behind a red light. I was almost up to him and some DB slipped into the space between us. Slow speed, unlike that in my first sentence but it was still too tight, I had to pull up short. I lifted up my hands, no finger, just the gesture for exasperation and the punk gives me the finger. I give him the index finger stir next to the head (crazy) and he's gesturing do I want to get out and settle it. Punk layered upon punk. People who will not rest unless they get to their destination 1 minute sooner.

When I was a kid, Disney made some cartoons featuring goofy about good driving vs. moronic driving. We need those again.

Originally Posted by cmac2012

People who make lane changes way too tight, especially 2 or 3 in a row so they can get to their off ramp 10 seconds sooner.

Everyday after work I have someone do this to me on my exit. I do what I can to make them miss the exit, despite me trying to keep my cool.

I think I know what you mean and that IS irritating but it's not what I meant, I worded it poorly. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone move to the left and then back to the right, high speed, way tight lane changes and then take an off ramp about 1/2 mile later. I count the seconds until I get to the exit and it's usually 5 to 15 seconds.

Originally Posted by cmac2012

I think I know what you mean and that IS irritating but it's not what I meant, I worded it poorly. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone move to the left and then back to the right, high speed, way tight lane changes and then take an off ramp about 1/2 mile later. I count the seconds until I get to the exit and it's usually 5 to 15 seconds.

ok. this happens every once in a while. makes me particularly upset when they go from tailgating me to trying to get in between me and the car ahead of me. i hate particular situations where people behind me are upset because im not tailgating the guy in front of me.

Originally Posted by SCJon

My biggest is when someone pulls out in front of you dangerously close and there is no one behind you for two miles. Especially on a 4 lane road.

That irks me just reading this! Bothers me more when it happens while I am on my motorcycle but irritating either way.

Originally Posted by skibbySTFU

ok. this happens every once in a while. makes me particularly upset when they go from tailgating me to trying to get in between me and the car ahead of me. i hate particular situations where people behind me are upset because im not tailgating the guy in front of me.

Flip down your rear view mirror and brace yourself for a possible rearender.

Originally Posted by bmwfan1964

Auto headlights should really be a standard feature in all new cars IMO.

I would rather make the decision of turning on the headlights myself. Maybe one can select the option to be automatic or manual. Nevertheless, I do not believe in those daylight running lights. BMW made and got people to suggest those angels eyes look cool. There is nothing safe about them. In fact, they are annoying to me. "I relate the homeland security issue. We are not any safer, but many people believe that we are," Howard Adler, a professor at Purdue University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The purpose of turning the head lights on during the day is to allow opposing cars see that you are passing a slower car in their lane, ie, coming head on. Yes, I turn my headlights on when I am driving on a 2 lane highway.

1. People who do not accelerate when entering a freeway.
2. People who move into a lane with cars moving faster than they are going.
3. People who do not understand you can pull into a suicide lane and then merge when turning left. They wait until traffic is clear on both sides!!!!
4. People who will not drive between the curb and a car at a light to turn right.
5. People who do not turn on their lights in the rain
6. Any person with a Baby on Board sign
7. Bumper stickers
8. People on cell phones
9. Rubberneckers - if you are not slowing to help, then keep moving at the same speed. There's no need to look at the two idiots that swapped paint.

Originally Posted by Dave 330i

I would rather make the decision of turning on the headlights myself. Maybe one can select the option to be automatic or manual. Nevertheless, I do not believe in those daylight running lights. BMW made and got people to suggest those angels eyes look cool. There is nothing safe about them. In fact, they are annoying to me. "I relate the homeland security issue. We are not any safer, but many people believe that we are," Howard Adler, a professor at Purdue University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The purpose of turning the head lights on during the day is to allow opposing cars see that you are passing a slower car in their lane, ie, coming head on. Yes, I turn my headlights on when I am driving on a 2 lane highway.

Dave,

Sadly too many people when it's raining do not turn on their lights. This is dangerous for everybody. Tonight at dusk, in the rain we had a gray Altima near us that refused to turn on his lights. His car was nearly invisible.

As long as the driver has a way to turn the lights off while driving like a killswitch I am for having automatic lights.

Originally Posted by brkf

Dave,

Sadly too many people when it's raining do not turn on their lights. This is dangerous for everybody. Tonight at dusk, in the rain we had a gray Altima near us that refused to turn on his lights. His car was nearly invisible.

There will always be people who are not aware of driving unsafely. There are laws in place to punish those who do not drive in accordance to rules. Auto headlights is a feature that I don't need or care to have. I feel the decision when the headlights should be on is mine. Like other poster said, if it is implemented, let me have the option of bypassing that feature, which auto DRL feature that I have off in my car.

Originally Posted by brkf

1. People who do not accelerate when entering a freeway.
2. People who move into a lane with cars moving faster than they are going.
3. People who do not understand you can pull into a suicide lane and then merge when turning left. They wait until traffic is clear on both sides!!!!
4. People who will not drive between the curb and a car at a light to turn right.
5. People who do not turn on their lights in the rain
6. Any person with a Baby on Board sign
7. Bumper stickers
8. People on cell phones
9. Rubberneckers - if you are not slowing to help, then keep moving at the same speed. There's no need to look at the two idiots that swapped paint.

You must get super frustrated when you are driving.
Who am I? I like to drive fast. Licensed for 48 years, never been in an accident. I get tickets only because the other guys are driving too slow. The limiting speed on my 911 Turbo is the roads in the USA are ****ty.

1. Running red lights. People die from this behaviour. There is no rational reason for running lights.
2. Not stopping at lights or stop signs with the entire vehicle behind the white line. This places pedestrians and other drivers at risk. Being a runner, I would be dead a hundred times over if I didn't assume that drivers will not stop behind the line.
3. Not having lights on at dusk, dawn, on non-divided roads, when raining, etc. Left to a driver's discretion, the vast majority get it wrong. Thus we need to dumb this down for the average. Lights need to be on at all times, make this mandatory and automated. DRL's are not sufficient.
4. Distracted drivers: texting, pets on their lap, eating a meal with chopsticks (I saw this a few months ago).
5. Drivers using their fogs or extra lamps in addition to their regular driving lights.
6. Horns that honk doors are locked. Unlike my prior items, this is not a safety issue. However this is annoying. Flashing lights indicator is all you need.
7. Fart cans.
8. Use of entrance ramps on highways to pass people during heavy traffic.

Note that I rarely get frustrated when driving. I am just sharing some observations and opinions.

Oscar

Originally Posted by skibbySTFU

Cell phone drivers going 15+ over the speed limit.

I'm annoyed by cell phone drivers because in my experience, they act like they are high on marijuana: they drive more slowly, they tend to drift aimlessly across lane lines, tend to make sudden moves in front of other drivers, and are generally unresponsive to their surroundings, because they are paying more attention to the phone call than to the driving.

Originally Posted by skibbySTFU

People who use their signal at the last second and don't understand that turn signals are exist for more than just letting perpendicular heading traffic ahead know they are ok to make that turn.

This is related to a key pet peeve of mine: I am driving in the right lane behind a car, who starts slowing down for no apparent reason, then they start turning right into a driveway or a street, THEN they put on their turn signal.

Hey, mister, by the time you're turning right, it's too late to signal to me that you're turning right. The time to do that was a hundred yards ago, so I could have passed you before you started slowing down.

Originally Posted by SCJon

My biggest is when someone pulls out in front of you dangerously close and there is no one behind you for two miles. Especially on a 4 lane road.

YES! God, this just kills me. What, you had to pull out right NOW, right in front of me, making me slow down from 45 to 20 in under two seconds, when there was nobody in sight behind me?