The everyday driving "bumps" we experience

[joesteph]

Just yesterday, a boy of ten who was "watching" his sister (kindergarten age) was more interested in his skateboard than her running up and down the sidestreet we live on. It's a good thing I look around like mad before backing my car out of the driveway; I just saw that bit of blonde hair behind my car and hit the brake. I spoke with the boy without raising my voice, and he was politely nodding his head, but, then again, he's just ten.

The law in NJ is that, to make a right turn on red, you put on your directional and have to bring your car to a full stop, then make the turn. There are so many, too many, who pause at that red light instead of stopping, but will swear that they made a legal turn. A lot of close calls occur.

I mentioned using the directional in the above paragraph. I'm surprised at how many drivers switch back and forth, lane to lane, even turns on city streets, without using that blinking light.

I also mentioned coming to a full stop in that paragraph. When coming to a stop sign, it's surprising how many drivers just pause, and the danger of having an accident (such as that the stop sign is at an intersection the driver wants to cross) goes way up. A friend of mine had his car struck while he was on the main road and a woman ran the stop sign. When she got out of her car, she was annoyed that she'd had an accident at that same place in the same way the year before.

Anybody else with any observations or stories?

[bushido_man96]

I think that there just aren't many courteous drivers out there anymore. People follow to close, especially when they are in a hurry, and I swear that there aren't many who know the rules on navigating a 4-way stop intersection. People just go, and some don't care if it was their turn or not. Rolling stops are the norm anymore, too, and signaling is just an option. It sucks.

[Tiger1962]

This is one of my major pet peeves, so much so that I really dislike driving now.

Please tell me WHY some people do NOT:

-signal when making a turn

-signal when they want to pull over and park

...and why do some people:

-talk on a cell phone and drive (I can ALWAYS tell when someone is talking on a cell phone while driving).

Jeez! Pull over and answer your phone and if you're planning to be on a highway then use the hands-free set. It's worth the cost.

Another annoying situation: I'm looking both ways and backing up out of my driveway...no cars are coming. Suddenly a car turns the corner and I'm already half way out of my driveway. Instead of stopping and waiting for me to finish backing out, the driver in the other car keeps driving up close and gets ANNOYED because I'm blocking him and then expects that I will have enough room to continue backing out while he/she is right up on the front of my car. I hate driving.

People just don't follow the rules or they don't care. The motor vehicle department should make people re-test every few years.

[JusticeZero]

if you're planning to be on a highway then use the hands-free set. It's worth the cost.

Actually, it isn't; whether or not people are holding a receiver to their ear or using a hands-free set has consistently been demonstrated in test after test to have no effect on safety; the fact that you are listening to someone who can't see the traffic situation you are in is the important factor, and is as impairing as driving drunk.

[DWx]

I posted this on another thread but it illustrates JusticeZero's point quite well: http://www.dft.gov.uk/drivingchallenge/

[Patrick]

I actually don't know about that test and it's applicability to actual driving. The object of driving isn't so much to count numbers as it is to be aware of your surroundings. I don't really count knowing what people are wearing and assigning them points based on their color as being aware - actually, I think it might be the opposite.

If you spent all day counting people or focusing on what they were wearing and simply starring straight ahead, you'd miss what was going to to your left, right and behind you, which is just as important.

Patrick

[DWx]

I suppose so but I guess its main reason was just to demonstrate that listening to a conversation and being able to concentrate on whats happening in front of you is hard. Maybe they should have done it similar to the hazard perception test we get on our theory tests over here. You get shown a video from the driver's perspective and have to pick up on any potential hazards like people crossing the road or a car pulling out.

[Patrick]

It's more of a test of watching TV and talking on the phone.

Patrick

[DWx]

It's more of a test of watching TV and talking on the phone.

Patrick

I struggle with that

[sensei8]

I get a kick out of the drivers who go around me to get off at...the very next off-ramp instead of waiting 1 or 2 seconds.

Also, I get a kick out of the drivers who pull up to a tractor-trailer inside a parking lot or something doing a delivery and the driver of the car wants the truck driver to back up. Most, if not all truck drivers won't back up for safety reasons. It's easier for the car to turn around than it is for a tractor-trailer. Honking is for safety, not inconvience.

Maybe some drivers don't use their turn signals is because their particular car doesn't have any because they were options on their cars model for that year, if so, turn that car in for different car with signals that are included...but...these drivers are just to lazy to flick a switch up or down. Wow, that's so hard.