Driving habits of rural folk

[Industrial Toys]

Sounds like that movie with Dennis Weaver!

No this German guy had nothing against the other driver. I think it might have had more to do with poor vision and distance judgment.

I'd like to think, I never had much macho male ego when driving. I have always been the first to stop and ask for directions. Even today. Although surprisingly few people seem to know where they are, or how to get anywhere.

 

[Jstpssng]

Sounds like that movie with Dennis Weaver!

No this German guy had nothing against the other driver. I think it might have had more to do with poor vision and distance judgment.

I hate to say it yet as I get older, I can see the advantage of some of the "Smart car" advantages, to help older folk maintain their driving privileges… AKA independence.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My Elderly mother has smashed into the rear of several people now, totalling two cars. Seems to think that's OK and when criticized for it, mentions that I had one at-fault accident twenty years ago!

 

[dragoneggs]

To me... tapping or I should say flashing my brakes lights is not playing games. I do not slow down. It is my way of telling the driver behind me that I see him, to back off, and be safe. I will move to the right when I can and this is exactly what I did. I get frustrated with drivers not moving to the right for faster cars behind them regardless if it an HOV lane or whatever lane you are in. This is the safe way of driving and overtaking.

I wish some of these clueless drivers here in the USA, learned to drive in Europe where it is known by all to move over to the right (or left depending) and yield to overtaking vehicles. This results in safer roadways and less road rage.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That would have no effect here at all. Can't believe how many people back off when I start doing the speed limit when they are tailgating me. Then I speed up again, and many, in no time will be right on my azz again! I thought they got the message, but apparently something else must be going on.

 

[Jstpssng]

To me... tapping or I should say flashing my brakes lights is not playing games. I do not slow down. It is my way of telling the driver behind me that I see him, to back off, and be safe. I will move to the right when I can and this is exactly what I did. I get frustrated with drivers not moving to the right for faster cars behind them regardless if it an HOV lane or whatever lane you are in. This is the safe way of driving and overtaking.

I wish some of these clueless drivers here in the USA, learned to drive in Europe where it is known by all to move over to the right (or left depending) and yield to overtaking vehicles. This results in safer roadways and less road rage.

We will never see eye to eye on this because- To many drivers do take that as aggressive behavior. Your incident yesterday is just one example.

Never mind driving in Europe, people should just learn how to read. All of the 4 lane highways I've ever driven have signs which say "Keep right except to pass" or "Slower traffic keep right."
Yet I have never, ever seen a sign which said "That doesn't apply to you" or "Help us to enforce the speed limit. Don't allow anybody to pass you."

I've said it before; most traffic laws are merely enforced courtesy.



We will

 

[MossRoad]

To me... tapping or I should say flashing my brakes lights is not playing games. I do not slow down. It is my way of telling the driver behind me that I see him, to back off, and be safe. I will move to the right when I can and this is exactly what I did. I get frustrated with drivers not moving to the right for faster cars behind them regardless if it an HOV lane or whatever lane you are in. This is the safe way of driving and overtaking.

I wish some of these clueless drivers here in the USA, learned to drive in Europe where it is known by all to move over to the right (or left depending) and yield to overtaking vehicles. This results in safer roadways and less road rage.

Don't tap your brakes. Just keep driving and move over when you can. If they hit you, it's their fault, and tapping your brake lights is like gas on a fire to an already angry person.

 

[MossRoad]

Another reason I like Indiana.... if you're in the left lane and someone comes up behind you, no matter how fast you are driving, you must move over as soon as safely possible and let them pass. Doesn't matter what speed you're driving. You could be going 20-30 over the speed limit, and you still have to move over.

The only exceptions are if you're going to be turning left shortly, or there's an obstruction in the right lane, or a vehicle pulled off the side of the road, stuff like that.

 

[goeduck]

Holy cow guys...... it is just not worth a confrontation..
Enjoy your county drive/transport and let the city jerks be city jerks and let them pass or whatever.

 

[MossRoad]

If I'm not mistaken, an accident investigator can tell if your brake/turn lights were on when you got hit. Therefore you could very well be found at fault for playing games when you should be paying attention to your driving.

I think that probably depends on the year of the vehicle.

My wife got in an accident with our 93 chevy G20 conversion van. When we got it back from the body shop, the anti-lock brake warning light was on, and half the dashboard lights were hanging under the dash. The force of the impact knocked them out of their sockets, and the ABS system got damaged. The insurance company refused to fix the anti-lock brakes. They said the impact of the accident could not have caused it, and the guy actually said he thought I was trying to get them to pay for something that was broken before the accident. I assured him I was not. He said he'd been investigating accidents with this specific vehicle for years, he's an expert on the subject, and could pull the data logging computer from the van and prove that the ABS system was broken before hand and I'm not telling the truth. I told him to go ahead and do it. He came back saying it would cost something like $800 to do that and they weren't going to pay for it. So I came back and said tell you what, you pull it and analyze it. If it shows I'm lying, I'll pay for the diagnostics. If it doesn't, you'll fix the brakes. He told me I'd be sorry.

Called me back an hour later and said that year van doesn't have a data logging computer. Unfortunately, that's when I said something about him being a %^&$@#!!! expert, yeah buddy. Well, they never paid for the ABS. And as soon as the accident cleared off the insurance I dumped them. My agent asked why, and I told him it was for several reasons. 1, my agent never went to bat for me. 2. I don't like being called a liar by a liar. 3. KMA and another choice acronym.

I got another ABS module from the junkyard and repaired it myself for a couple hundred.

Anyhow, data logging doesn't exist on many older cars.

I don't know if they could tell from burnt filaments if your brake lights were on or not when you go hit. That would be an interesting subject to discuss.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have been down this road on here before. I do the speed limit or a bit higher usually. Tailgating is dangerous, disrespectful and just plain stupidity. And totally unnecessary. Serves no usefull purpose at all except to create chain reaction crashes and drive up insurance costs. I'm not slowing down and pulling over onto gravel constantly and then try and get back into traffic (as some suggested a long while ago here) because that is exactly what it would entail. Constantly, because almost everyone without exception just drives that stupid here! City or country. Even the 18 wheelers! No sense at all!

I was just thinking about this. I also think it just drives some people behind me mental, seeing that no one is in front of me (despite me lets say going 95 KM in a posted 80) and they want me to drive faster, which I won't on account of increasing the chances of getting a ticket substantially beyond that speed.

 

[dragoneggs]

Don't tap your brakes. Just keep driving and move over when you can. If they hit you, it's their fault, and tapping your brake lights is like gas on a fire to an already angry person.

I've been on the other side of the situation and I always back off. If that person feels I am tailgating, I try to respect that. Likewise, I have no problem if I or someone flashes their high beams to pass. Is that aggressive???

 

[tallyho8]

I have had people honk at me to get going at a light and I calmly got out went back and said "what's up" as if thinking they wanted my attention.

Years ago I was stopped at a red light and got sidetracked tuning my radio and didn't notice the light turn green right away. I always look for oncoming traffic before going on the green but since I was about a second late in going I just started to take off. I hadn't moved 3 feet when I heard a loud horn honk and immediately realized I had not looked for oncoming traffic and thought I was going to get t-boned and jammed on my brakes.

Then I felt a slight crash as the guy behind me hit me. Only then did I realize he was the one honking at me for not moving immediately as the light turned green. My truck had no damage as my trailer hitch went through his grill doing hundreds of dollars of damage. When he asked me why I hit my brakes I explained that someone blew their horn just as I started to move and I thought I was going to get t-boned, then I said I wish I knew who the ahole was who blew that horn. He scratched his head, looked at the damage to his car, saw I had no damage to mine and asked if we could just drive off and forget about it. I agreed and he went on his way. Maybe he won't be so quick to blow his horn next time.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I heard a story a long time ago about someone driving in city traffic behind someone that would become preocupied at a red light and would only go, when someone behind them honked. So someone honked when the light was still red and the person drove into traffic!

 

[Sigarms]

HAND SIGNALS! I don't hesitate to use them, especially if I am towing and not sure if everything is working like after submerging the boat trailer, making a turn that might be unusual, driving a buddies beater pickup that I know is suspect, and in my tractor if I am crossing the road we live off of.

I would be pleasantly surprised if most people nowadays actually know how to do a right turn or slowing / stopping hand signal.

 

[lman]

Years ago I was stopped at a red light and got sidetracked tuning my radio and didn't notice the light turn green right away. I always look for oncoming traffic before going on the green but since I was about a second late in going I just started to take off. I hadn't moved 3 feet when I heard a loud horn honk and immediately realized I had not looked for oncoming traffic and thought I was going to get t-boned and jammed on my brakes.

Then I felt a slight crash as the guy behind me hit me. Only then did I realize he was the one honking at me for not moving immediately as the light turned green. My truck had no damage as my trailer hitch went through his grill doing hundreds of dollars of damage. When he asked me why I hit my brakes I explained that someone blew their horn just as I started to move and I thought I was going to get t-boned, then I said I wish I knew who the ahole was who blew that horn. He scratched his head, looked at the damage to his car, saw I had no damage to mine and asked if we could just drive off and forget about it. I agreed and he went on his way. Maybe he won't be so quick to blow his horn next time.

Now there are even more people not paying attention at stoplights because they are playing with their cell phone.