Driving Rants

[protege]

Yeah, that wouldn't go over well in court. Locally, you'd get busted for "failure to control one's vehicle" and/or reckless driving

Seriously though, I try to keep both hands on the wheel. But, considering my car's a five-speed, there are times when my right hand is busy shifting gears

[Flyndaran]

Funny how a two armed man would get arrested driving one handed, but a one armed man wouldn't for doing the same damned thing.

[powerboy]

1. Driving one handed. This gets on my nerves cuz some people round here seem to think that the way to drive is to have one hand on the wheel while their other arm hangs out the window like a big fat slug. Of course, in an emergency situation, they won't be able to stop in time so will inevitably hit that child/tree/other car/pedestrian.

I drive one handed, but only because I am more comfortable doing that.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Just as long as you realise that it's dangerous. Maybe not along a quiet country lane, but I'd be a bit concerned if you were doing it along a motorway or intersection.

In any case, this is my opinion; I happen to find it obnoxious when people almost kill me cuz they have just one hand on the wheel, or are too busy yacking on a phone to pay much attention to the road.

[Flyndaran]

...
In any case, this is my opinion; I happen to find it obnoxious when people almost kill me cuz they have just one hand on the wheel, or are too busy yacking on a phone to pay much attention to the road.

But that's more about inattention and divided attention than any particular arm position.

[Bloodsoul]

Not one week ago I was forced to drive 50mph on the express way due to having lost a tire (and being stuck with a smaller emergency). Yep, quite a few people angrily passed me by, but what else could I do? Drive faster only to risk losing the emergency tire, too?

Speaking of one-handed driving, I've a tendency to drive on the straight-away of an express way with just my left hand because the right arm tires out after some time. I place both back on the wheel for curves, but I feel giving a tired arm a slight rest is more prudent than risking a possible cramp and who knows what that might lead to. While driving locally such problems have yet to occur, so any one-handed driving I tend to do ends up being at night when I end up being the only or one of the few cars on the road.

I will attest to hating people driving while yacking on their cellphones. Working in a parking lot I've nearly been run over several times because people don't pay attention, either do to cell phones or simply ignoring the street signs in our garage (such as the three signs that say "One Way").

I'll also add that I'm not too terribly happy with pedestrians jaywalking. Yeah, I know, the crosswalks in my town suck, but if you run out into the middle of the street with traffic going both ways then don't get angry if you get hit.

[Greenday]

My car wouldn't even start today. I couldn't even freaking drive. DAMNIT

[Flyndaran]

...
I'll also add that I'm not too terribly happy with pedestrians jaywalking. Yeah, I know, the crosswalks in my town suck, but if you run out into the middle of the street with traffic going both ways then don't get angry if you get hit.

It's not jaywalking if there are no crosswalks within something like 50 or 100 feet. We need to get to the other side, and shoudn't have to walk five miles just to get to a marked crosswalk.
But the lazy young jaywalkers, I dislike as well.

[Boozy]

We need to get to the other side, and shoudn't have to walk five miles just to get to a marked crosswalk.

Agreed. I will jaywalk if the alternative is ludicrous, as it so often is in North American cities. Pedestrians should not have to add ten minutes to their journey just because their city refuses to put in a suitable number of crosswalks (so as not to inconvenience drivers).

People in cars get so annoyed about being slowed down for even a split second. Meanwhile, I see them fly by pedestrains at 40 mph, sitting down in their heated vehicles, while the pedestrian is trudging through a snowbank freezing their butts off.

[Lace Neil Singer]

But that's more about inattention and divided attention than any particular arm position.

And you know this how?

Besides, agree or disagree with me, I happen to think that driving onehandedly is dangerous and doesn't give the driver much room for manouvre if they have to do an emergency stop. Not to mention that if you were involved in an accident, you can bet that it will be brought up in the insurance case afterwards. When I was knocked off my motorbike, the other driver tried to claim that some of my injuries were due to me not wearing proper protection, but witnesses scuppered that by saying I was wearing full bike leathers.

Yes, I would be more comfortable, especially in boiling hot weather, if I wore shorts and t-shirt on the bike; I just don't believe that it's safe. You're welcome to disagree with my view, I just prefer to stay as protected as possible whenever I ride my bike on the roads. The road doesn't get any softer just cuz it's summer.

Regarding pedestrians on the road, one road I drive down to get to work has no pavements. I often see pedestrians walking by the side of the road; the only ones that annoy me are those who are either walking right in the middle of the lane; walking in the wrong direction (you're meant to walk towards traffic, not away from it) or with loose dogs and/or young children with them.

[DesignFox]

The jaywalkers who bother me are the ones who are not less than 15 ft from the nearest crosswalk, and they refuse to use it. Seriously, if there's an intersection with crosswalks and you are ten feet away, there's a reason the crosswalk is where it is- use it.

At least in my area, crosswalks tend to be placed in the areas with best visibility. For instance, certain intersections, you can't see pedestrians who cross in certain areas- the crosswalk forces you to cross the street twice, but it's waaaaay safer than booking across four lanes of traffic on the wrong side. I very nearly creamed a biker this way (or I should say, he almost creamed me when he flew up on my right hand side as I was turning).

I also hate when bikers and pedestrians ignore the signals. The aforementioned biker was breaking both rules.

Oh and I also hate when people are walking and they cross the street on a diagonal, thus spending more time in the middle of the road. OR people who see you coming, step into the street, and then crawl. Stop picking your ass and get the hell out of the way for god's sake!

I am a courteous driver, though. I always stop for pedestrians in shitty weather (often even if they are violating traffic laws). I mean, I'm in my nice warm, dry car. I can wait for the poor person out in the driving rain to get into the store/across the street whatever.

Around here it is unusual for anyone to be courteous, driving or otherwise. So pedestrians get confused when cars let them go, and drivers get confused when random people don't just dash in front of their cars.

We also have to be careful here because people are so discoureous that, while I may have stopped to let someone go, or let a pedestrian cross, the asshole behind me will pass me on the right, the left, or the shoulder because they can't see what's going on and they are too impatient to wait and see.

I tried to be nice to someone one day, and they almost got run over for my efforts. And I've had people try to be courteous to me, only to have it happen that someone else ran around them and almost hit me.

Walking in my state, I don't trust drivers as far as I can throw them (which is why I hussle across, and go straight across and out of the road as soon as possible, and only use crosswalks!)

[Lachrymose]

I'm not saying it's good or bad (well, actually, I do realize it's kind of bad), but the norm is to drive one-handed around here.

Those who tend to drive two-handed are the elderly or the ones who are deathly afraid of being behind the wheel of a car.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Not round here it's not; and if you do, you're likely to end up on the business end of a speeding lorry/tree/lamp post. O.o

[Flyndaran]

And you know this how?

Besides, agree or disagree with me, I happen to think that driving onehandedly is dangerous and doesn't give the driver much room for manouvre if they have to do an emergency stop. ....

Oh, so you do say that one-handed people shouldn't be able to get drivers licenses. I'm sorry I thought everyone disagreed with that.

The jaywalkers who bother me are the ones who are not less than 15 ft from the nearest crosswalk, and they refuse to use it. Seriously, if there's an intersection with crosswalks and you are ten feet away, there's a reason the crosswalk is where it is- use it.
...

Of course I agree. But so many otherwise great drivers couldn't judge 15 feet with tape measurers stuck to their hoods. I've seen some that misjudge over 50 feet as something I should be able to just hop over.

Walking in my state, I don't trust drivers as far as I can throw them (which is why I hussle across, and go straight across and out of the road as soon as possible, and only use crosswalks!)

There are so many sucky drivers that could kill me. Since sucky walkers are more likely to get killed, I have less animosity toward them.

[BroomJockey]

Oh, so you do say that one-handed people shouldn't be able to get drivers licenses. I'm sorry I thought everyone disagreed with that.

They're usually required to get a vehicle specially constructed to work with whichever hand they have, and need frequent retesting. Why should they be subject to that if it's perfectly safe to drive with one arm hanging out your window?