What is some of your Pet Peeve's

[Oaktree]

I stopped at a roundabout today because the driver in front of me decided to let the two loaded tractor trailers at the next road enter first. I don't usually use my horn, but today let him know that he needed to get moving before the second truck entered. We then proceeded to follow the first truck for 10 miles at 5-10 mph under the speed limit. Nothing was accomplished by his pseudo courtesy. In the time it took him to let the truck know to proceed we both would have been through the intersection.

I'd file that under "timid driver", the same ones who need to see no oncoming traffic for at least 1/4 mi. in either direction before pulling out of a stop sign. Most of them are completely lost when it comes to navigating a rotary.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'd file that under "timid driver", the same ones who need to see no oncoming traffic for at least 1/4 mi. in either direction before pulling out of a stop sign. Most of them are completely lost when it comes to navigating a rotary.

This was stoopid. There was nobody on the rotary itself. Just him and me at one yield sign, and the two tractor trailers at the next. Nobody even had to stop... if not for him.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

They probably also stop in the middle of the acceleration ramp to a highway to wait for an opening big enough to land a 747!

 

[dnw64]

True courtesy is knowing the rules of the road and following them... while leaving yourself a way out when somebody else doesn't.

My wife tends to be hyper-courteous. The problem is that 99% of people are so unexpectant that they don't take advantage of it, and so both end up delayed. When you have the right-of-way, take it!

 

[kenmbz]

I'm a giant by Tokyo standards. I can't see many of their tiny waif-like population choosing to bump into me, there.

They have gotten much taller since my first trip in the 90's though after introducing milk/meat into their grade schools.
I saw many people around average US height last time I was their. But most of the infrastructure is still based on them being much shorter :-0

 

[kenmbz]

People who don't stop for stop signs, at all.
We have one intersection that added blinking lights and signs on the posts that say "stop means stop" and still people drive right through that intersection, usually 2nd car.
I guess they figured if they stopped when the car in front of them stopped, they are now good to go. So 2 cars go through and accident numbers go up.

 

[WinterDeere]

People who don't stop for stop signs, at all.

Agreed.

...usually 2nd car.
I guess they figured if they stopped when the car in front of them stopped, they are now good to go. So 2 cars go through and accident numbers go up.

The problem regularly occurs for me when I'm the second car, and the first car stops a full car length past the sign/line, damn near into the intersection. He goes... now what? I'm already stopped at the stop sign. Should I creep up a car length past the sign, stop again, just to go?

So yes, I'm often the guy going with the one ahead of me, because he didn't stop at the sign as he should have. I did!

 

[NoTrespassing]

All the ABS talk reminds me of when I first bought my property. I have a very steep driveway and it had snowed. I was pulling a 2 horse trailer behind a 93 Bronco with one horse in it. We started down the hill which has a sharp righthand turn at the bottom. All of a sudden we were sliding down the hill and the antilock brakes were pumping like mad. It was a scary situation to say the least! When we got close the turn, I just let off the brakes and turned sharp left. To my amazement the Bronco and horse trailer just whipped right around the corner like it was dry road. Those tires had much better side bite than stopping ability. Had we not made the turn we would have been nose down in junk trees about 30 feet.

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

The last town we lived in was very big on giving traffic warnings instead of tickets. You had to do something egregious to get a ticket but a few years ago they went on a no-tolerance kick for people who roll through stop signs. It seems to have worked.

 

[scootr]

Stop signs are just a suggestion to some like the red colored light after the green turn arrow. To them Red means only 2 maybe 3 more cars can go. Meanwhile you risk your life if you jump at the green light across from them . People drive like idiots. Other day I came to a stop sign. I stopped and the car behind me pulled around at speed and passed. Nevermind that there was a car on my right that actually had the fight of way. Idiots.

 

[Tinhack]

The occasional notice that one of my posts is being reviewed before being posted. The **** Review Board must picking on me for some reason.

 

[WinterDeere]

Nevermind that there was a car on my right that actually had the fight of way. Idiots.

My decision to just blindly go when it's my turn, and let those folks hit me, depends on a quick multi-variate calculation in which the relative cost and mass of each vehicle is taken into consideration. Or put more simply... if I'm in my pickup truck and the other guy is driving a Porsche, you'd better believe I'm just pulling out.

 

[dnw64]

People who don't stop for stop signs, at all.
We have one intersection that added blinking lights and signs on the posts that say "stop means stop" and still people drive right through that intersection, usually 2nd car.
I guess they figured if they stopped when the car in front of them stopped, they are now good to go. So 2 cars go through and accident numbers go up.

In Europe, there are very few STOP signs. Mostly they are YIELD. Which works great over there because they are actually taught how to drive. They also (usually) have the Yellow light come on in addition to the Red, about 2 seconds before the Green. This gives drivers a chance to put their (manual) vehicles in gear and be ready to move when it's time. Again, because they are taught how to drive, there are no Red Light Runners...

 

[Jstpssng]

The problem regularly occurs for me when I'm the second car, and the first car stops a full car length past the sign/line, damn near into the intersection. He goes... now what? I'm already stopped at the stop sign. Should I creep up a car length past the sign, stop again, just to go?

So yes, I'm often the guy going with the one ahead of me, because he didn't stop at the sign as he should have. I did!

Ditto here. I'm watching the traffic anyways so already know that it's clear.

 

[Oaktree]

People who don't stop for stop signs, at all.
We have one intersection that added blinking lights and signs on the posts that say "stop means stop" and still people drive right through that intersection, usually 2nd car.
I guess they figured if they stopped when the car in front of them stopped, they are now good to go. So 2 cars go through and accident numbers go up.

Seems like most of those who pull out of side roads without stopping will then poke along at 10 under...

In Europe, there are very few STOP signs. Mostly they are YIELD. Which works great over there because they are actually taught how to drive. They also (usually) have the Yellow light come on in addition to the Red, about 2 seconds before the Green. This gives drivers a chance to put their (manual) vehicles in gear and be ready to move when it's time. Again, because they are taught how to drive, there are no Red Light Runners...

I dunno. I've heard plenty of stories about European drivers who'd make American bad drivers look like pikers.
Europeans seem to think every aspect of their culture is superior to ours.

 

[Jstpssng]

because they are actually taught how to drive

With all due respect, most people here are also taught to drive. It's just that once a license is given* entitlement sets in and the rules don't apply.


*Some people bypass the license requirement, or continue to drive after losing the privelege.

 

[WinterDeere]

I've spent most of my adult life traveling back and forth between USA and various European countries, and will say that any claim of "Europe does this" is bound to be wrong, as these countries are far more varied than even our own 50 states.

For example, Germany is a "rule follower" culture, as if it's baked into their DNA. When they say "you can't do this" regarding some aspect of motor vehicle regulation, and I respond "but what if I do?", it almost breaks their brains. Aside from some of their relatively new speed limits, most of them just can't even imagine intentionally breaking a traffic law.

Italy is near the far opposite end of the spectrum, with regard to adherence to driving regulations. Things like traffic lights and stop signs are "merely a suggestion", in that country.

Likewise with regard to permit and training requirements, they are not uniform across the continent. So, which culture is "Europe"?

 

[kenmbz]

I've spent most of my adult life traveling back and forth between USA and various European countries, and will say that any claim of "Europe does this" is bound to be wrong, as these countries are far more varied than even our own 50 states.

For example, Germany is a "rule follower" culture, as if it's baked into their DNA. When they say "you can't do this" regarding some aspect of motor vehicle regulation, and I respond "but what if I do?", it almost breaks their brains. Aside from some of their relatively new speed limits, most of them just can't even imagine intentionally breaking a traffic law.

Italy is near the far opposite end of the spectrum, with regard to adherence to driving regulations. Things like traffic lights and stop signs are "merely a suggestion", in that country.

Likewise with regard to permit and training requirements, they are not uniform across the continent. So, which culture is "Europe"?

And French and Italians drive using the horn to warn people they are there or for no apparent reason
I drove an old Fiat 500 through Rome a few years ago, very entertaining.
In the UK watch for buses which seem to have their own unwritten rules.

 

[masseyrider]

I've spent most of my adult life traveling back and forth between USA and various European countries, and will say that any claim of "Europe does this" is bound to be wrong, as these countries are far more varied than even our own 50 states.

For example, Germany is a "rule follower" culture, as if it's baked into their DNA. When they say "you can't do this" regarding some aspect of motor vehicle regulation, and I respond "but what if I do?", it almost breaks their brains. Aside from some of their relatively new speed limits, most of them just can't even imagine intentionally breaking a traffic law.

Italy is near the far opposite end of the spectrum, with regard to adherence to driving regulations. Things like traffic lights and stop signs are "merely a suggestion", in that country.

Likewise with regard to permit and training requirements, they are not uniform across the continent. So, which culture is "Europe"?

My parents neighbor was from Italy.
One summer he had a cousin visit for a month.
The cousin was totally amazed how people obeyed the rules of the road here.
Rocco said the cousin stood at a 4 way stop for a couple of hours watching people stopping and taking their turn.
He was totally in awe.
Never would work in Italy.

I've driven the portions of the Autobahn that have no speed limit.
Mexericans assume it's just a lawless wild west.
No it's not.
No speed limit but all sorts of implied rules that are strictly observed.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

A friend went to Germany a few years ago and rented a car. Back home he gets all these letters from Germany, a fine with his picture caught on camera. Going through these towns at night he thought these "35" signs meant mph not kph...so no traffic buzzed through at 50.
I told him if he's never going back just don't pay. He never heard any more about it.