Never Ending Traffic RANT!!!!

[McKBrew]

Actually, all traffic moves faster if people use both lanes to the merge point. The ones who move over a mile before are the ones causing the problem (even though they think they're doing the right thing). Many states have finally realized this, and now put up "Use both lanes to the merge point" signs along with the "lane closed ahead" signs.

I've never seen this as being the case at any merge point I've been in. Traffic will be moving fine and then people whip around and bring traffic to a standstill as they force their way into the correct lane.

 

[TexLaw]

Man, y'all need to calm down a bit. Listen to the radio or something while you're in the car. Much more often than not, a person's frustration is the result of an unfounded sense of entitlement and all the expectations that go along with it. If you really believe that you are entitled to go a certain speed in a certain lane and someone gets in your way, you become project blame onto some other driver because you are not able to do what you want to do when you want to do it. If you do not believe you are so entitled, it's no big deal.

A few years ago, I'd be fuming and griping right alongside you. Instead, one day, it hit me.

1 - I am entitled to break the law only under certain circumstances, all of which apply only very rarely.

2 - Speeding, tailgating, failing to use a signal, failing to yield right of way, etc. all are breaking the law.

3 - Typically, when I try to break the law while driving, I am not able to do so to the extent I want to, and I get frustrated, angry, and unhappy in all sorts of ways.

4 - When I become so frustrated, I project some sort of blame on the driver in my way, enhancing both my sense of entitlement and my frustration.

5 - Due to my frustration, I do not enjoy much of my time on the road. By the same token, I often arrive at home, work, or wherever in a bad mood which takes me some time to overcome. Overall, I am in a bad mood for significant portion of my day simply because of the frustration I feel on the road. At best, I save a handful of minutes each day from driving faster and more aggressively. However, I spend at least that much time in a bad mood due to my expectations associated with that aggressive driving. In other words, I'm getting nowhere fast.

6 - Life's too short for all that damned frustration. If I were not frustrated while driving, I would enjoy much more of my day.

7 - Nearly all my frustration on the road is due solely to the expectations that I, alone, set and control. If I lose those expectations, I should lose the frustration.

So, I chilled out. If someone got in my way, I went around them. If I could not get around them, I waited until I could. If they weren't going that much faster, I backed off and matched their speed. I took the time to enjoy what I was listening to on the radio or whatever else happened to be around me (of course, while still paying attention to the road). Almost immediately, I was much, much happier on the road. More than that, I was much, much happier during the day. My wife even remarked, a little while after I started, about how much happier I seemed and how much more she enjoyed spending time with me. I had already noticed how much more I enjoyed my time with her. I truly did not realize just how big of a pain I was and how much she was just putting up with me. I thought I was acting just fine, but I was not.

After a while, I found myself slowing down on the road, too. At first, I would go a good 15-20 MPH over the speed limit on the highway and a good 10-15 over on surface roads. Now, I'm pretty close to the speed limit. Over that time, I was pretty much forgetting how to be an EAC on the road, and I was a lot happier for it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not some robe-wearing, incense-burning, group-hugging, guru cruising down the highway on a magic carpet while puffing on a hookah with some serotonin smile on my face. I still get ticked off on the road now and then, but it does not happen every day, it does not last for long, and it does not affect the rest of my day or anyone else's (except, maybe, that guy who got all pissed off behind me because I got in his way for a moment).

So, chill out a bit of you want to be happier. Don't, if you don't.


TL

 

[Evan!]

EVAN! you run 7-10 over in Virginia? You are braver man than me. The first 3 times I went there I got popped for 71 in the 65 So after that I just set the Cruise at 65 of course I was at 25 at the tops of the Mountains. Does anyone else hate when you are getting off of one Highway and on to another and it is not a Reduced speed Get off rant but there is always that 1 ****** that slows down to 45 Mph on a 70 Mph ramp? I just want to beat them with my FlashLight.

As mich ire as I have for those state trooper SS bastards, the only time I've actually been pulled by one for speeding is doing 90 in a 65 (I was a dumb kid). Generally speaking, anything less than 10 over is acceptable and goes unnoticed on the interstates. They might get you for 78, 80 is more likely still, but I routinely go 7-10mph over the limit, and routinely see people go faster than me (like, 5mph faster), and watch as they roll right past the trooper in the median and he doesn't flinch.

Of course, this is unless it's during one of those crazy weeks like we had when I was going to Virginia Tech. The state was all preachy about traffic accidents, fatalities, etc., so one weekend, they gathered up seemingly every SS trooper and every patrol car, and put two at each median crossover for hundreds of miles of I-81 for a whole weekend. The crazy part was that it was highly publicized, so I can't believe anyone would speed. They were, quite literally, giving semi's tickets for going 3mph over the limit downhill.

All I could think while this was going on was, can you imagine how many real crimes are happening right now, while you jerkoffs are busy making a statement?

 

[Evan!]

Man, y'all need to calm down a bit. Listen to the radio or something while you're in the car. Much more often than not, a person's frustration is the result of an unfounded sense of entitlement and all the expectations that go along with it. If you really believe that you are entitled to go a certain speed in a certain lane and someone gets in your way, you become project blame onto some other driver because you are not able to do what you want to do when you want to do it. If you do not believe you are so entitled, it's no big deal.

A few years ago, I'd be fuming and griping right alongside you. Instead, one day, it hit me.

1 - I am entitled to break the law only under certain circumstances, all of which apply only very rarely.

2 - Speeding, tailgating, failing to use a signal, failing to yield right of way, etc. all are breaking the law.

3 - Typically, when I try to break the law while driving, I am not able to do so to the extent I want to, and I get frustrated, angry, and unhappy in all sorts of ways.

4 - When I become so frustrated, I project some sort of blame on the driver in my way, enhancing both my sense of entitlement and my frustration.

5 - Due to my frustration, I do not enjoy much of my time on the road. By the same token, I often arrive at home, work, or wherever in a bad mood which takes me some time to overcome. Overall, I am in a bad mood for significant portion of my day simply because of the frustration I feel on the road. At best, I save a handful of minutes each day from driving faster and more aggressively. However, I spend at least that much time in a bad mood due to my expectations associated with that aggressive driving. In other words, I'm getting nowhere fast.

6 - Life's too short for all that damned frustration. If I were not frustrated while driving, I would enjoy much more of my day.

7 - Nearly all my frustration on the road is due solely to the expectations that I, alone, set and control. If I lose those expectations, I should lose the frustration.

So, I chilled out. If someone got in my way, I went around them. If I could not get around them, I waited until I could. If they weren't going that much faster, I backed off and matched their speed. I took the time to enjoy what I was listening to on the radio or whatever else happened to be around me (of course, while still paying attention to the road). Almost immediately, I was much, much happier on the road. More than that, I was much, much happier during the day. My wife even remarked, a little while after I started, about how much happier I seemed and how much more she enjoyed spending time with me. I had already noticed how much more I enjoyed my time with her. I truly did not realize just how big of a pain I was and how much she was just putting up with me. I thought I was acting just fine, but I was not.

After a while, I found myself slowing down on the road, too. At first, I would go a good 15-20 MPH over the speed limit on the highway and a good 10-15 over on surface roads. Now, I'm pretty close to the speed limit. Over that time, I was pretty much forgetting how to be an EAC on the road, and I was a lot happier for it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not some robe-wearing, incense-burning, group-hugging, guru cruising down the highway on a magic carpet while puffing on a hookah with some serotonin smile on my face. I still get ticked off on the road now and then, but it does not happen every day, it does not last for long, and it does not affect the rest of my day or anyone else's (except, maybe, that guy who got all pissed off behind me because I got in his way for a moment).

So, chill out a bit of you want to be happier. Don't, if you don't.


TL

Yeah, that's what we need to do: lower our expectations regarding driving knowledge and quality. I see what you're saying, of course, and it's not like I ride around screaming epithets out the window at every ******* who forgets to use their blinker---but I don't think any of the expectations voiced here are unreasonable. And I think it's even more reasonable to voice your frustrations on a message board rather than on the road.

 

[uglygoat]

if everyone was packing heat there'd be no road rage right?

 

[rdwj]

I've never seen this as being the case at any merge point I've been in. Traffic will be moving fine and then people whip around and bring traffic to a standstill as they force their way into the correct lane.

That is the case - there are studies that prove it. If people would use both lanes until the end and then take turns merging, traffic the rate of travel would be much faster. The problem is that many people don't want to wait until the end because they're afraid they won't be let in. It causes the merging lane to be underutilized and then all you have problems with people blocking the ones trying to rush the front of the line.

 

[jezter6]

Yeah, that's what we need to do: lower our expectations regarding driving knowledge and quality. I see what you're saying, of course, and it's not like I ride around screaming epithets out the window at every ******* who forgets to use their blinker---but I don't think any of the expectations voiced here are unreasonable. And I think it's even more reasonable to voice your frustrations on a message board rather than on the road.

I dunnno, I find myself much calmer after whipping the bird and sreaming some great ones out the window. If I sit and fume, I get angry. If I vent, I'm ok.

However, recently in Baltimore a 'road rage' incident turned deadly when people got angry at getting the finger and killed 2 people in another car. Since then I've tried to keep my finger to myself.

I've flipped off priests, old people, young mothers, canadians, and you know what? I like it.

And whoever suggested guns would get rid of road rage - dude, seriously - if I had a gun when I was angry at the ass that cut me off, I'd probably shoot out his tires.

I'm from PA - we learn to shoot while driving drunk at 3am.

 

[Beerthoven]

Man, y'all need to calm down a bit. Listen to the radio or something while you're in the car. Much more often than not, a person's frustration is the result of an unfounded sense of entitlement and all the expectations that go along with it. If you really believe that you are entitled to go a certain speed in a certain lane and someone gets in your way, you become project blame onto some other driver because you are not able to do what you want to do when you want to do it. If you do not believe you are so entitled, it's no big deal.

A few years ago, I'd be fuming and griping right alongside you. Instead, one day, it hit me.

1 - I am entitled to break the law only under certain circumstances, all of which apply only very rarely.

2 - Speeding, tailgating, failing to use a signal, failing to yield right of way, etc. all are breaking the law.

3 - Typically, when I try to break the law while driving, I am not able to do so to the extent I want to, and I get frustrated, angry, and unhappy in all sorts of ways.

4 - When I become so frustrated, I project some sort of blame on the driver in my way, enhancing both my sense of entitlement and my frustration.

5 - Due to my frustration, I do not enjoy much of my time on the road. By the same token, I often arrive at home, work, or wherever in a bad mood which takes me some time to overcome. Overall, I am in a bad mood for significant portion of my day simply because of the frustration I feel on the road. At best, I save a handful of minutes each day from driving faster and more aggressively. However, I spend at least that much time in a bad mood due to my expectations associated with that aggressive driving. In other words, I'm getting nowhere fast.

6 - Life's too short for all that damned frustration. If I were not frustrated while driving, I would enjoy much more of my day.

7 - Nearly all my frustration on the road is due solely to the expectations that I, alone, set and control. If I lose those expectations, I should lose the frustration.

So, I chilled out. If someone got in my way, I went around them. If I could not get around them, I waited until I could. If they weren't going that much faster, I backed off and matched their speed. I took the time to enjoy what I was listening to on the radio or whatever else happened to be around me (of course, while still paying attention to the road). Almost immediately, I was much, much happier on the road. More than that, I was much, much happier during the day. My wife even remarked, a little while after I started, about how much happier I seemed and how much more she enjoyed spending time with me. I had already noticed how much more I enjoyed my time with her. I truly did not realize just how big of a pain I was and how much she was just putting up with me. I thought I was acting just fine, but I was not.

After a while, I found myself slowing down on the road, too. At first, I would go a good 15-20 MPH over the speed limit on the highway and a good 10-15 over on surface roads. Now, I'm pretty close to the speed limit. Over that time, I was pretty much forgetting how to be an EAC on the road, and I was a lot happier for it.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not some robe-wearing, incense-burning, group-hugging, guru cruising down the highway on a magic carpet while puffing on a hookah with some serotonin smile on my face. I still get ticked off on the road now and then, but it does not happen every day, it does not last for long, and it does not affect the rest of my day or anyone else's (except, maybe, that guy who got all pissed off behind me because I got in his way for a moment).

So, chill out a bit of you want to be happier. Don't, if you don't.


TL

Thank you TexLaw; that is great advice. It applies to all of life, not just driving. Especially the last sentence.

Peace! :fro:

 

[TexLaw]

Thank you TexLaw; that is great advice. It applies to all of life, not just driving. Especially the last sentence.

Peace! :fro:

I've discovered the same. :fro:


TL

 

[beergears]

TL is right.

Smooth, easy. Does not mean that you cannot go fast with the right conditions.

(Responsible) Motorcycle riding is actually a good school for this; smooth wins every time. And smooth translates into fast, safe with experience.

 

[TexLaw]

Yeah, that's what we need to do: lower our expectations regarding driving knowledge and quality. I see what you're saying, of course, and it's not like I ride around screaming epithets out the window at every ******* who forgets to use their blinker---but I don't think any of the expectations voiced here are unreasonable. And I think it's even more reasonable to voice your frustrations on a message board rather than on the road.

I don't think you do see what I am saying. It's not about hwo to vent your frustrations, it's about not getting frustrated in the first place because someone will not get out of your way or behave the way you want them to. The expectation I mentioned was a sense that I was entitled to travel the speed of my choice in the lane of my choice and that all the other drivers were to get out of my way and let me do so, and that expectation is not reasonable. It is self-centered, narcissistic, typically destructive, and nearly the exclusive cause of road rage and so many other frustrations in life. We all know that attitude applies much more broadly than on the road, but I found that curing one part of the ill leads to a more global cure.

However, since you brought up another point altogether, I have a few thoughts about it, too. You say that you don't think any of the expectations voiced here are unreasonable, but nearly all of those expectations are about someone yielding to speeders. What is reasonable about breaking laws designed to increase road safety, conserve energy, and reduce pollution? What is reasonable about demanding that someone else who wants to obey those laws (or, at least, come closer to doing so) get out of the way so that others can break them? What is reasonable about getting so worked up when they won't get out of the way that you even have to vent something off? Yeah, it seemed like it made sense back when I was smoking that dope, but I see the flawed reasoning now.

Now, I am all for using turn signals, staying off cell phones while driving, not closing gaps when someone wants to change lanes, and many of the other traffic rants around here, including staying out of the left hand lane. However, getting so frustrated about it does little to help and more to hurt the situation. If nothing else, it hurts the frustrated one, and it may even hurt the ones around that frustrated person.


TL

 

[Brewtopia]

Let me clarify something. I NEVER travel in the left lane. I use it as a passing lane only. As ETOJ mentioned earlier, it's when people flash me when I'm in the middle lane that pisses me off or when someone flashes me while I'm passing another vehicle in the left lane.

 

[McKBrew]

On the subject of chilling out and letting things go.... About six years ago I had an incident where a driver cut me off while I was travelling with my family. I honked at him and gave him the one finger salute. This guy followed us for the next 20 miles or so, every time I tried to shake him he would match speed or pull in front of us , slow down or follow. Could not get away and I did not want to lead him home. I turned off on a side road and he followed. By that time, we were scared enough that we called 911 and started to report what was going on.

Luckily, about that time I pulled into a town going about 15 miles over the speed limit and passed a cop coming the other direction. I could tell by the way the cop reacted he was going to pull me over. I immediately pulled to the side of the road, explained the situation, and told the cop if he wanted to give me a ticket he could go for it. I think the officer could sense how scared we were and noticed the other guy turn around and head back the opposite direction.

Probably one of the scariest events in my life, I knew not to stop and confront him, but didn't want him to keep following. Since then, I am very concious of when I honk at another driver, and I keep the one finger salute to myself.

 

[PeteOz77]

Texlaw:

You are a wise man! Your attitude towards driving (and life in general) should be an inspiration to us all. I am a much calmer person than I was 20, or even 10, hell 5 years ago.

I still get pretty ****ty with people who are inconsiderate, or who think they are more important than anyone else on the road, or the hallway, or wherever they happen to be, but I have learned to turn down the rage and just let them be arseholes.

My wife noticed this not long ago when some fool was acting like a dickhead at a pub, trying to start a fight with anyone who would look at him etc. He tried to take me on, and pushed me. I smiled at him and said "Mate, 5 years ago, one of us would have been going to the hospital, but just because you are having a bad night, doesn't mean I want to" He didn't agree and pushed me again (this guy is 1/2 my size and I could have easily put him in the hospital (and been charged with assault), but I just moved out of his way, smiled and said "Have a nice evening mate!" SWMBO was SHOCKED! She said "I can't BELIEVE you didn't blow up and nearly KILL him!" I replied "Yeah, and then ruin the rest of your evening? Don't think so.."

I will not give up my man card for quoting Eleanore Roosevelt: "No One can make you feel inferior without your consent" I twist that around a bit and say that no one can make you fell ANY way that you don't allow.

No one can make you angry.

You, and only you can choose to get angry, or not get angry.

RDWHAHB

 

[Orfy]

It's amazing how the big man in a big car can cut you up but at the next junction can not look you in the face when you are next to them at the lights.

Pricks.

 

[Pugilist]

On the subject of chilling out and letting things go.... About six years ago I had an incident where a driver cut me off while I was travelling with my family. I honked at him and gave him the one finger salute. This guy followed us for the next 20 miles or so, every time I tried to shake him he would match speed or pull in front of us , slow down or follow. Could not get away and I did not want to lead him home. I turned off on a side road and he followed. By that time, we were scared enough that we called 911 and started to report what was going on.

Luckily, about that time I pulled into a town going about 15 miles over the speed limit and passed a cop coming the other direction. I could tell by the way the cop reacted he was going to pull me over. I immediately pulled to the side of the road, explained the situation, and told the cop if he wanted to give me a ticket he could go for it. I think the officer could sense how scared we were and noticed the other guy turn around and head back the opposite direction.

Probably one of the scariest events in my life, I knew not to stop and confront him, but didn't want him to keep following. Since then, I am very concious of when I honk at another driver, and I keep the one finger salute to myself.

Read a book about the mafia hitman "The Iceman" Richard Kuklinski. A group of kids in a van messed with him down south once, just being kids. Well it was the wrong guy to do it to, he pulled over and they got out of the car. He got a gun from the trunk and executed all of them.

Extreme story? Rare chance of it happening? Sure it is...but why risk it?

 

[Evan!]

Read a book about the mafia hitman "The Iceman" Richard Kuklinski. A group of kids in a van messed with him down south once, just being kids. Well it was the wrong guy to do it to, he pulled over and they got out of the car. He got a gun from the trunk and executed all of them.

Extreme story? Rare chance of it happening? Sure it is...but why risk it?

Ah, I've got a better chance of being hit by lightning, but it doesn't stop me from leaving the house in the morning...

 

[cheezydemon]

I think that what Evan and myself are saying, is that people should at least be considerate. It is not OK to blindly cruise along in the left lane just because you are doing the speed limit.

Some day one of those self righteous ******** is going to hold up someone who is on their way to defuse a frigging bomb. Unlikely? About the same odds as cutting off a hit man.

I never tailgate anyone, I never flash anyone (finger, lights or otherwise). I just wish that people would get over to pass, and then get back in line.

This morning a guy in the right lane saw me coming up in the left lane and got over right in front of me because a semi was merging a 1/4 mile up. There was no one behind me and he would easilly have been able to get behind me before having to slow for the semi.
I got in the right lane and passed him. He tried to speed up to prevent me from passing him, creating a dangerous situation.

I am sure that if he was posting here, I would be the ******* in this situation who got in the right lane to pass him and cut him off.

No finger either way I am pleased to say.

Like George Carlin said (not exact words but here goes)" Anyone going faster than you is a maniac, anyone going slower is an idiot" It is all relative.

 

[Evan!]

I don't think you do see what I am saying. It's not about hwo to vent your frustrations, it's about not getting frustrated in the first place because someone will not get out of your way or behave the way you want them to. The expectation I mentioned was a sense that I was entitled to travel the speed of my choice in the lane of my choice and that all the other drivers were to get out of my way and let me do so, and that expectation is not reasonable. It is self-centered, narcissistic, typically destructive, and nearly the exclusive cause of road rage and so many other frustrations in life. We all know that attitude applies much more broadly than on the road, but I found that curing one part of the ill leads to a more global cure.

Well that hypothetical "expectation of entitlement" is all well and good, but I don't see how it's anything but a strawman in this case. I don't disagree with you argument against said strawman, but it doesn't apply to me, or cheezy, or most of the people here. I don't have unreasonable expectations; but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that people use their turn signal prior to cutting me off. I also don't think it's unreasonable to expect a baseline level of common courtesy on the road and in the rest of life. And when people are dicks, I ***** about it on an internet forum, as you see here. If you feel that my bitching about it is part of some kind of "global ill", then I respect your opinion but must disagree.

However, since you brought up another point altogether, I have a few thoughts about it, too. You say that you don't think any of the expectations voiced here are unreasonable, but nearly all of those expectations are about someone yielding to speeders. What is reasonable about breaking laws designed to increase road safety, conserve energy, and reduce pollution?

Most arbitrary speed limits are not really about safety as much as they are about revenue. I hate to break it to you, but multiple studies have proven that A) most speed limits, especially on highways, are 15-25mph below the "design limit" of said road, and B) it's much safer to travel at the average speed of traffic than to adhere religiously to that arbitrary number on the sign. So if you want to talk about safety, that's not really a good point to try to make. As for energy conservation...what if the gubmint set the limit at 25mph on the interstates. It sure would conserve energy...would I be an unreasonable planet-hater if I went 30mph? There are plenty of things we and our government can do to conserve oil. Keeping the speed limit arbitrarily low, when they know for a fact that most people are going to naturally go closer to the design limit, thus creating a more dangerous situation in the first place, is not the best way of saving the planet.

What is reasonable about demanding that someone else who wants to obey those laws (or, at least, come closer to doing so) get out of the way so that others can break them? What is reasonable about getting so worked up when they won't get out of the way that you even have to vent something off? Yeah, it seemed like it made sense back when I was smoking that dope, but I see the flawed reasoning now.

Again, it depends on what's more important to you: actual life-safety on the highway, or perceived life-safety from strictly obeying the arbitrary #'s on the signs. I appreciate your zen "don't let anything bother you, just go with the flow" attitude, tex, but the reality is that some things in life annoy me...and there are reasonable expectations to have of other people in a civilized society. And rather than just seeing this as a ***** session, perhaps you can also see its value as an example to people who may have committed some of these mistakes in the past.

 

[pjj2ba]

Phil's Golden Rule to drive by:

Thou shalt not cause others to apply their brakes. Both for highway and city driving.

If I'm passing somebody and a car comes flying up on my ass. I don't trust this kind of driver, so I'll do what I reasonalbly can to get myself out of their way.

When I pass someone, I like to do so quickly. If they are close to my speed I'll give it a little extra gas so as to pass them in a timely manner. I really dislike it when someone is just barely going faster than the car they are passing and it takes them a minute to pass them. I personally would prefer to get out of someone's blind spot quickly and put myself where, if the other driver does something stupid it is not going to affect me.

Please don't pull out in front of me and make me put on my brakes when there are no cars behind me for a good distance.

And please don't inconvenience me for your convenience. This one drives me nuts around here. Lots of students dropping other students off. Of course they have to stop in the middle of the road while 3 people pile out, then they have to grab their bags while 5 cars backup behind them. See, they just haaaaavvee to be left off right in front of the building they are going to. They can't possibly pull into the parking lot 30 ft away to drop people off. If you are going to drop someone off, please find a place that isn't going to block traffic. See the Golden Rule.

 

[JustDave]

I don't think it's unreasonable for someone to get frustrated. We all share the same road, and the same rules that apply to one person should apply to everyone else.

It bothers me when someone doesn't follow those rules, thereby putting my safety at risk. That's a dangerous piece of metal you're driving, so please respect the rules we all have to follow. That doesn't excuse situations of road rage, but I think it's perfectly justifiable to get upset when someone thinks they're above those rules.

It applies to everything -- doesn't it piss you off when someone who isn't handicapped parks in a handicapped spot, or when someone parks in those close spots that are clearly marked "for expectant mothers only"? If I can be a good citizen and follow the rules, why doesn't everyone else?

 

[Pugilist]

We all get frustrated and pissed off at people on the road, especially when some moron does something dumb and puts you at risk in the process. Flipping them the bird, giving them the old fist in the air? Whats it solving? Its going to piss you off even more and if you do get the 1 in a million lunatic who packs his pistol under the seat, in the end....was it really worth it?

 

[cubbies]

doesn't it piss you off when someone who isn't handicapped parks in a handicapped spot,

That's another rant in its entirety, and don't get me wrong, I don't park in those as I would feel terrible if an actually handicapped person had to park far away, but it does tick me off when you go to a store and there are 15 handicapped spots. If I go to the Lowes up my street there is EASILY 15 handicapped spots and not one is ever filled. And then on top of that, 9 out of 10 people that do get to park in handicapped spots got their stickers because their fat arses were too lazy to do any walking in the first place. They should have two types of handicapped spots. The ones up close for the truly disabled, and then ones that are as far away as possible for people who are so fat that they think they are disabled.

 

[cubbies]

was it really worth it?

Absolutely.

I hate this stigma of American culture today. Dont voice your opinion when you think someone is doing you wrong because it might come back to bite you. Pfft. Whatever. I am not going to hide in my shell living my life in fear because of some minuscule chance of conceivable danger.

 

[Evan!]

That's another rant in its entirety, and don't get me wrong, I don't park in those as I would feel terrible if an actually handicapped person had to park far away, but it does tick me off when you go to a store and there are 15 handicapped spots. If I go to the Lowes up my street there is EASILY 15 handicapped spots and not one is ever filled. And then on top of that, 9 out of 10 people that do get to park in handicapped spots got their stickers because their fat arses were too lazy to do any walking in the first place. They should have two types of handicapped spots. The ones up close for the truly disabled, and then ones that are as far away as possible for people who are so fat that they think they are disabled.

That. Is. An. AWESOME. Idea!!!!

I gotta agree...the local/state regs WRT handicapped spaces are absurd. I don't know what scenario they're basing those regs on, but ferchrissakes, it's rare to see even one of those things taken, unless you're visiting the handicapped supply store or somethin'. The way the write the codes, they're expecting some kind of horde of handicapped folks to descend on the bowling alley one day...it's madness. And you're right...most of the people who use those spaces are just grossly obese...and I'm sorry, but if you ate your way into a handicapped license, then you can walk or wheel your way across the parking lot like everyone else.

 

[Jester369]

doesn't it piss you off when someone who isn't handicapped parks in a handicapped spot?

I had an interesting twist on this one a few weeks ago. I was in a very busy parking garage, and I followed a car that had handicapped plates right past about 8 EMPTY handicap parking spaces, and took the only other empty regular spot available. I had to circle the structure for another 5 minutes before a spot opened up. Now, I get that the driver probably wasn't the one that needed the handicapped plates on the car, but damn that was frustrating seeing a tagged car pass all the empty spaces.

 

[cheezydemon]

AS LORD AND CREATOR OF THIS THREAD, I DECREE.....

But seriously, if this is to be neverending, any car+ pissed scenarios must be accepted.

At my old job, where there were NO customers coming in, all business done by net and phone, there were 4 handicapped spaces by the side door of this 3 story office.

One time this poor handicapped woman did come up to the door, fortunately I was going out, so I could let her in.....Turned out though, she was going to the third floor.

The elevators were only accessible from the front entrance a 1/4 mile away, which begs the question:"If someone is so handicapped that they need to park right by the door, How TF are they going to climb 3 flights of stairs?

WORTH READING

In these same spaces, there was a dick who parked his enormous Canary yellow Humvee. ( I called it the short bus, and I was soooo tempted to spray paint one of those wheelchair symbols in black on the side).

Eventually people had had enough of watching him park in those spaces and not one handicapped person ever parking there(except the one who shouldn't have above).

So people started parking there just so he couldn't, myself included.

This self important jack ass printed up notices not to park there that he signed FENLEY, the name of the management company. I happened to see him putting them on cars one day when his precious handicapped spaces were filled.

So I typed up a letter saying please don't pretend to be FENLEY. And I signed it GOD. It was frigging hilarious. ASSWIPE.

 

[RICLARK]

check put this non driving mental midget!

 

[CBBaron]

Today I am merely annoyed by people that slow down, stop, go out of turn, etc. because they think they are being nice.

You think it is bad while driving try riding a bike.
I bike to work through Cleveland daily. I never know what people are going to do at an intersection. It seems like at least 1/2 of them will wait for me to get through the intersection no matter if it is their turn. Ofcourse it takes a few moments to determine if they are serious and on a bike I do not want to guess wrong.
That would be bad enough by itself but there are a small majority who will ignore the fact that I am at the intersection and blast through as I try to take my turn.

Even turning left can be an adventure. Just last evening I was turning left at a light on a 4 lane road with no turn lanes. The traffic is slow because it is a neighborhood but still busy. The lady in the oncoming left lane decides to wait for me to turn left in front of her. Of course the rest of the traffic is not going to wait and so they go around her on the right. She was going to wait there until I started motioning her to go through the intersection. Then she rolled down the window to tell me something. I didn't give her the opportunity, I just yelled that "You have the right of way, GO!!!"

Sorry had to add my rants.

Craig

 

[shafferpilot]

Here's one that was a big PIA for me last night:

If you want to go light speed in the left lane on the highway, that's A-OK with me. I drive in the left lane a lot too. My flight training and motorcycle classes have taught me to keep a constant scan on the entire situation while operating any kind of vehicle. So, I keep an eye on all mirrors and gauges the whole time. When someone moving faster than me is approaching from behind, I'll move to the right as soon as possible..... So if you're the guy riding my ass and I get over, PASS ME!!! It happened twice last night. I'm cruising quickly up the left lane, and someone moves into the left lane and promptly up my a$$. I move over and the kock sucker just hangs right on my back bumper. I catch up to slower traffic and have to slow down since this ****** hasn't left enough room for me to get back to the left lane. Then I get over behind him and what does he do??? Well he slows down 8mph of course. Ya see, he wants to speed but he doesn't have the balls to be the guy in front. I could shoot him I really could!

 

[the_bird]

My biggest *****/peeve about traffic is when people will violate the rules of the road to try and be nice (hey, it happens - I live in the sticks). Real common would be, coming up to a four-way stop intersection, the other person gets there first, but waves me on. Or, we come to an intersection at the same time, they're on the right, but they won't take their turn first.

I mean, I appreciate you trying to be nice and all, but all that does is add confusion. I mean, are you GOING TO GO, or not? There have been countless times when someone waits for me to go, I wave them on because it's their turn, then they ignore me until I start to move. I mean, the rules for whose turn it is at an intersection are in place, we all follow them because it's safer if we all have a reasonable expection of who's going to go when, when you circumvent that (regardless of motivation), it makes it one big cluster****.

GRR! Freakin' NICE PEOPLE!

 

[Junebug]

The left lane is for passing. If you are not allowing someone to pass, I don't care how fast you are going, you are in the wrong. I would pass you on the right, cut you off and slam on my brakes and take you down well below the speed limit.

God, no kidding! I can't believe how many dim-bulbs drive the speed limit or UNDER in the passing lane and feel justified because, hey, it's the speed limit. Get a clue and move over. My other not exactly peeve, but more of a WTF? are the folks who reach a four-way stop way before me but politely wait for my arrival so we can do the whole four-way stop dance together. Doesn't make me mad, it just strikes me as odd.

 

[cheezydemon]

My biggest *****/peeve about traffic is when people will violate the rules of the road to try and be nice (hey, it happens - I live in the sticks). Real common would be, coming up to a four-way stop intersection, the other person gets there first, but waves me on. Or, we come to an intersection at the same time, they're on the right, but they won't take their turn first.

I mean, I appreciate you trying to be nice and all, but all that does is add confusion. I mean, are you GOING TO GO, or not? There have been countless times when someone waits for me to go, I wave them on because it's their turn, then they ignore me until I start to move. I mean, the rules for whose turn it is at an intersection are in place, we all follow them because it's safer if we all have a reasonable expection of who's going to go when, when you circumvent that (regardless of motivation), it makes it one big cluster****.

GRR! Freakin' NICE PEOPLE!

Hee Hee! I never read long threads either, but that was actually the brunt of the original post. I could not agree more.

 

[Beerthoven]

You know, I used to be a total a$$hole when I was behind the wheel. When someone would cut me off, be driving too slow, or make a dumb lane change I would get all pissed off, yell and scream, give the finger, all of it. All that anger and stress was having a real negative effect on my work, marriage, and health.

Then about 2 weeks ago I got me one of these:



Yeah, that's right, its a POCKET *****. I keep it in the glove compartment of my car. Now, whenever anyone pisses me off while I'm driving, I just whip it out, put it on, and PUMP PUMP PUMP 'til I'm happy again!!

I tell you what. It has made a HUGE difference in my life. I'm no longer the angry, uptight, driver I once was. Hell, I love being on the road now! Sometimes, I take the LONG way home just for fun.

So, my advice to all you angry drivers out there. Get yourself a pocket *****, you'll be glad you did!

[BTW, this is my 1000-th post. Hope y'all enjoyed it!]

 

[Orfy]

So today we have our big AGM at a posh country house in cheshire.
10:30 am start so I get to leave at 9:30 for the 45 minute 30 mile drive.
I normaly get up at 06:00 on a normal day but based on the fact I could get up 2.5 hours later I had a couple of ciders last night.

This morning at 04:30 I woke up thinking the window had been left opened and I could hear traffic. 05:00 I got up and checked. It was closed but the Motorway. (about the busiest in the country) had been shut in both directions and 100's of lorries where using my town to divert through. I live on the main route from the motorway into the town.

I left at 07:30 to make the 30 mile trip. 1 hour later I could still see my house. 2 hours later I was 3 miles from my house. Near total grid lock.

I live near several motorways a river a large industrial canal and 2 smaller cannals this means there are 4 bridges around the town for North South traffic and 1 major one was closed. 2 Major motorways had been closed.

It took me 4 hours to get 10 miles! It was clear after that, the next 20 miles only took me 30 minutes.

The traffic in this town gets grid locked around once a month!

</Rant over>.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

On the topic of merging, it pisses me off when you get up to speed, signal, and get ready to merge but can't, because the a-hole in the right lane couldn't move into the empty left lane to let you in.

Or what about when a lane is going to merge from two lanes to on the left (the signs announcing the merge started a mile back), and people continue to blaze past in the opposite lane trying to get ahead but end up bringing traffic to a standstill because they couldn't just merge back farther.

You know what I do in this situation??? A nice friendly game of freeway merge CHICKEN. Just keep merging in like you don't see them, but at a slow and steady pace. And you know what, as long as you keep moving in nice and steady the other guy will move.

 

[Orfy]

If I'm indicating and moving over then I'm moving over. If you try to overtake then you better be willing to hit me. I change lanes slowly with plenty of notice. So slow down or move lanes!

I'm pissed at the traffic today.

 

[TexLaw]

Beerthoven is my hero.

That doesn't make me weird, does it?


TL

 

[Orfy]

Beerthoven is my hero.

That doesn't make me weird, does it?


TL

YES...............

 

[Homercidal]

Rules of the road:

1. If you are not passing someone, stay in the right lane!

2. If you are passing someone, do so at a reasonable rate. +2 MPH faster is not that reasonable!

3. If you are done passing, move to the right (unless there is such a small gap between you and the next person to not allow someone to pass YOU.)

4. Don't pass on the shoulder! (on rural roads around here, many, many people go around someone making a left turn, and risk running into a car they can't see in the blind spot, or hitting gravel and losing it into a ditch or tree.)

5. At a 4-way stop, please take your turn when it's your turn!!! Don't be nice!! Don't wave people ahead of you! Just go! (cripes!)

6. On the freeway, don't be a traffic cop. If someone wants to blast past on the left lane, let them. You stay safe on the right side, out of the way. This way, everyone is happy, and the only ones gettign mad are the ones who just got a traffic ticket by blasting way over the limit!

7. When merging onto the freeway, please get up to the speed of traffic, or as close as you can. Then appply your signal, and begin merging into an opening. If there is no opening, keep merging slowly. Trust me, there will be one!

8. If someone is merging onto the freeway next to you, speed up, or slow down to allow them in, IF you cannot safely move to the left. Really, it's not that hard to do.

9. Use your signal. It's the best way of telling that person behind you that you need to move over, and can I please have a bit of space? It generally works. Either someone will give you room, or they will speed up to pass you, thus opening a place to merge. (WARNING: Do not bother using signals in the DC or surrounding areas. It is a complete waste of time. However, I do recommend using them in other areas, where drivers are NOT complete @ssholes).

10. Relax. Dont' Worry. Have a Homebrew when you get home!