It happened again this morning - another driver completely baffled over an open lane.

Leaving for work I need to turn right on a T street, with me being on the vertical leg turning right onto the horizontal leg. The street I turn onto starts as two lanes, then goes to one, then gets marked off for a left straight through lane and two right turn only lanes, one of which is for turning onto the street I am on (the vertical leg). Right after my street the horizontal legl street reverts to two lanes again. So in theory if I want to make a right turn I can do so into the right lane without any traffic because through traffic is moving in the left lane and any right lane traffic is turning off before me. In theory. In actuality 99.99% of drivers in front of me sit and watch the cars drive by in the left lane and won't budge until the lane is clear. Then they will turn into the left lane or, even more irritating, turn into the right lane anyway. What is wrong with these people? The right lane is wide open and they could have used it at any time. In all of the years I lived here I've only seen maybe 3 or 4 other drivers turn onto the right lane with oncoming cars in the left. As for the others, I use to wait them out but I don't have the patience for that anymore. Now I give them two seconds and I'm on the horn.

Oh, and the driver in front of me this morning turned into the right lane after everybody passed by in the left. Why do they do that?

Much like the above scenario, at other intersections someone in front of me wants to turn right but then needs to make a left turn further up the street. Now what I do is wait for the right lane to clear, turn right, speed up and merger into the left lane, then move into the left turn lane. I have never seen anybody else do this. The standard operating procedure is to wait until both lanes are clear, then turn into the left lane, speed up, and move into the left turn lane. Is the extra step I do too much overload for other drivers?

Then there are the drivers who want to turn right, but are too far from the intersection to feel comfortable getting completely over into the developing right turn lane. No problem, they just move over half way. Way to go, Sparky, you've managed to block the right turn lane AND the through lane you are still half sitting in. Here's a suggestion - either move over completely to the right or stay in the through lane. Now is that so difficult to do?

This is a San Diego exclusive: Picture if you will a highway onramp that is long and downhill. Perfect for getting up to speed for merging onto the highway. Except in San Diego there is an unwritten rule that onramp speeds can not exceed 45 MPH. Now picture trying to merger onto the highway at 45.

Is drivers ed taught anymore? Never mind, I know the answer.

 

I am annoyed by these habits as well. Like the guy who turns left behind me but straight into the right lane, and then speeds up to prevent me from moving over from the left lane I legally entered.

And here in Missouri, we still have people who stop, yes stop, on the entrance ramp. You are gauging your slot to enter the traffic stream, looking back or in your mirror only to look up at three blazing brake lights, two hands and a small blue haired head framed in the steering wheel of a big, old, Mercury Marquis. Now she, and you, must enter the high speed traffic from a dead stop.

But...., here in St Louis, we don't actually stop at stop signs. It is a RULE!
Go Figure!

roadster with a stick

 

And the answer is :

Air horns for me, they are going to know that they are going 15 - 20 below the limit or that I am next to them, the stock just is not enough to get them to look up from that cell phone or text message.

Waldig the agressor, in this case.

 

Driving down the road and I'm the 4th car in a line of 4 cars. We approach the entrance to a parking lot and the first car signals his intent to turn into the lot, slows and drifts a bit to the right as if to open up the lane so the 3 cars following can easily go around him. I drift ever so slightly to the left, staying in my lane of course, so that I can clear him if need be. The other two cars? Yeah, they drift right with the guy turning into the lot, yet ultimately continue on without entering the lot. They never intended to enter the lot, but they apparently just play follow the leader when they drive.

Some people are just sheep.

Most people don't bother to plan, or are incapable of planning, any further ahead than the tail lights in front of them. I see this all the time:

Approaching an intersection there are two lanes designated as left turn only lanes. There are two or three cars in each of these lanes waiting for the light to change so they can complete their left turns. The light changes and we proceed in an orderly fashion. Good. Until some bonehead in the left of the two lanes decides he needs to move over immediately in order to make the right turn into the first driveway. He couldn't have thought about that a couple of minutes ago and just gotten into the right hand lane of the two turn lanes? He really isn't capable of thinking that far ahead?


I moved to California in 1990. I took a written test before receiving my CA Drivers License - I guess they wanted to make sure new residents know what a STOP sign looks like, to turn headlights on at night, etc. Since that time I just give the state a few bucks every few years and they give me a new license. The state of CA has no idea whether or not I, or anyone else, actually know how to handle a motor vehicle.

 

Sissy.

Here in Ala-by god-bama, real men don't even HAVE brake lights. A sure sign of weakness.

 

Yeh, and they expect others to slow down and let them in. All while she's talking on her cell phone! Woops, did I say "she".

Are we begining to sound like our parents?

 

Max - You just don't notice the brake lights because badgers always see red.

 

This is scary - I asked my friends 15 yr old daughter the other day about her hobbies and interests, and the first one she mentioned was talking on the cell phone. I didn't know that counted as a "hobby."

 

LOL, that's one to remember. At least she's honest

 

Max, Real Real men have brake lights but you don't know it because they never use them

A slightly related subject, we have this game called "green light". The rule is you can't stop no matter what. So if you were to see a red light, you can slow down and creep until it turns green so long as you don't stop. You may have to turn to avoid the red light, or take a cruise around a parking lot if it's a line up of cars. It best to play this at night as well. Now we have a updated "masters green light" version. This is done with a manual transmission, so that not only are you not stopping, but you have to consider shifting as well. The best times are when you are laughing and having a great time and haven't had one drop to drink, which is important if you get pulled over.

Now could these poor drivers have been playing Green Light?

 

Actually true - it's the alcohol, keeps your eyes red at all times !

 

Brake lights hell, a lot of my southern cousin's cars didn't have brakes!!!

Yikes!

Whenever they wanted to stop they just hit a Waffle House. Plenty of them around. Have breakfast while waitin' for Cooter to show up. Konveeeeeeinent!


roadster with a stick

 

Years ago I would head out to my National Guard weekend drills at Oh Dark Thirty in the morning military time. Even at that ungodly hour the lights would be timed to be red at each intersection. After three or so in a row I got tired of this and went through the next red after stopping and checking for any cross traffic. A driver behind me followed me through the light. I bet he paid no attention to traffic light at all.

Driving skills plummet at the California border. On vacation last year I drove 4000 miles through the midwest and was amazed at the driving discipline of the locals. Everybody, and I mean everybody, stayed in the right lane except to pass. Most drove at or slightly below the speed limit and all demonstrated an understanding on how to use their turn signals. The cities were a little more hectic but never gave a feeling of a free for all. Then I returned and the insanity started at Las Vegas. By the time I was across the border I had to get around a slowpoke going 10 under the prevailing speed in the fast lane. Granted everybody else was doing 80 in a 70 zone but common sense should kick in and the slowpoke driver should realize that he/she was lane blocking regardless if his/her speed was legal or not.

I don't understand the mindset of these drivers. I don't know if they are truly stupid, ignorant, stubborn or just enjoy screwing with other traffic. It would help if the police would pull them over and fortunately that is beginning to happen in several states.