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May 27th, 2011
06:09 AM ET
Question of the Day: What's your biggest pet peeve about other drivers?
It is estimated more than one in five drivers don't know the rules of the road. According to a study by GMAC Insurance, 36.9 million Americans would fail a driving test if they were asked to take one today.
Rules of the road: What's your biggest pet peeve about other drivers?
Let us know your answer here.
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My pet peeve is the same as Ron's. It is regarding people who enter a four or six lane road an move directly into the left passing lane and plant themselves there for the duration. The "drive right – pass left" concept is an old, established and pretty universal. I don't know if it's due to ignorance, inconsideration or arrogance but they need to be given a citation for "failure to yield the right-of-way/driving in the left lane". In my opinion, this one infraction generates much of the road rage that exists. I can see it as I observe other drivers. Part of the problem is that many of the patrol cars I see don't even drive in the right lane. Sure, speeding is an important infraction of the law but how often do you thing an officer pulls someone over for driving in the left lane? And it's only getting more prevalent.
*driving exclusively in the left lane – "KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS"
*on 3 lane highways, clogging up the center lane. again, "KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS"
*cell phone usage. the hype may be about texting these days, but talking on the phone is just as dangerous and way more prevalent. i'll vote for anyone who will lift the ban on cell phone jamming devices in the US, and happily install one in my car with a range great enough to knock out the reception of anyone near me on the road.
*eight passenger vehicles with a single occupant.
*maybe this is just a rural thing, but lane wandering. if you can't stay in your lane, you're going too fast.
In order:
1) People who are not paying attention while driving.
2) People who ignore red lights
3) People who ignore stop signs
4) People who have no idea what "Yield" means
5) People who tailgate
My biggest pet peeve is these idiots on their cell phones while driving. OMG! Get a bluetooth ear piece or use the corded earpieces that come with the phone. Why do you fel the need to talk on the phone with your head cocked to the side like you are at home doing the dishes or something? What could you possible be talking about that could not wait until you get to a stop?
people who drive at the speed limit in the left lane, thinking "I'm in the right, I'm doing the speed limit". idiots! move to the right! driving slow (relative to the flow of traffic) is not tolerated in europe, but is legal and apparently approved in america. there is a difference between what is "legal" and what is "wrong", and that is one example. (remember the guy in Queens, N.Y. several years ago was shot for that very same behaviour)
The biggest problem is that people in general fail to take their driving seriously; they are failing to realize that it is a person in, or on, the other vehicle.
People who can't understand why I leave some room in my lane in front of me-in case the driver in front of me slams on the brakes, I have time to react. It is NOT there for you to cut me off.
People who sit at a red light ready to go then when the light turns green they pick up a newspaper and start scanning over it or a female has to check her make-up.
Sorry I couldn't respond this a.m. But I believe the most insane thing that a large number of drivers are guilty of is 2 foot driving. They constantly ride the brake with their left foot and keep the rightt foot on the accellerator. Therefore the brake lights are on and the driver behind has no clue what is really going on and sets up for rear end accidents. I have actually been told that some drivers ed people teach this dangerous behaviour. How about some duct tape or velcro to the left foot on the floor board to diminish this tendency
I can't stand when people fly up to the stop sigh like there not going to stop. Or the think they own the road tail gating people pushing you.
Yeah, its amazing how many brand new cars seem to have broken turn signals. But the worst offenses have to be how many people just don't know how to be courteous to pedestrians or cyclists. Just because its a green light doesn't mean you go with out checking for others in the cross walk and you just CAN'T pull onto the sidewalk with out making sure there whether or not some one is on it!
Hope I'm not to late to get comment in.. I'm 61, a women, and I drive an 18 wheeler cross country. Biggest complaint... drivers that ignor our turn signals to change lane. We only do this when needed. ie emergency vehicles on the side of the road.. junk in the road., slow merging traffic onto highway, 4 wheelers on the side of the road changing a tire with their body parts hanging over the white line... Give us a brake. And please use the proper finger when showing us we are #1 for cutting you off. Thanks, I listen to CNN on Sirus
Where I live I see people running stop signs all the time. The only time they stop is when you are close to them ,then they have to stop. But, if you are not to close to them they run the stop sine as if it were not there. I have been driving road speed down the highway headed towards a traffic light and as it was changed from green to red and I was right at the white line before the light traveling at road speed and know the light has turned to red I have see behind me at least three cars come behind me know the light has already changed to red. I wonder where they got there driver's license from Sears and robuck catalog. Jim
Three things:
1. Tailgating
2. Constantly unsafely changing lanes to get ahead, even if it's one car length.
3. Holding up traffick by taking forever to get completely into the turning lane.
People who insist on multitasking while driving. Whether it's eating a drive through breakfast, putting on makeup, talking on their phone, etc. it's irresponsible, dangerous and disrespectful to other drivers.
Or how about the people that fail to accelerate while on the "On Ramp" to Highway speed and instead they stop, waiting for an opening! My mother is bad about that. She thinks accelerating and spped are synonymous. They are NOT!
Northern America should replace stop signs with round about and replace the traffic signs to the UK traffic signals. it is perfect and simple to follow. i.e. In UK the stopping point is the traffic sign while in North America the traffic sign is on the other side of the road making it unpredictable to keep an eye on the sign and the often washed out or snow covered road markings.
Ramzi from Canada.
My pet peeve is people texting while driving, as lot of us has seen in the graphic PSA from the UK from 2009 about the girl texting with friends in the car and gets into a wreck. SEEN HERE http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=ROLCmStIw9E
"Keep to the right except to pass" has been forgotten by many. Observing this would increase safety by not forcing drivers in the left lane to have to move right, pass, and move left again plus it would reduce bottlenecks and increase overall traffic flow.
But what really peeves me are those drivers who while in the left lane decide to exit and cross 4 lanes of traffic immediately to get off.
Oh, and we can't forget those who miss their exit and back up! What a safety hazard!
My biggest driving pet peeve is people who think they're too good to use blinkers. Instead they just weave in and out of traffic and you have no idea where they're going. I also can't stand people who drive while staring in the rear view mirror. When you drive you should be paying attention to where you're going, not who's behind you...
People that change lanes without looking to see if it is safe to do so, just because they put thier turn signal on.
Ok, when you are in the left turn lane waiting to merge right into traffic, some people will go past you and then pull to the left right in front of you then just stop in front, then wait for the oncoing traffic to go by, causing you to have to stop and wait for them to move.
I have several, but the biggest for me are those people that are too afraid to even do the speed limit! They drive 5-10 mph below the posted speed limit and if they approach a larger, slower moving vehicle, they pull into the left lane but don't accelerate to pass, backing up traffic behind them. Also, when they see a Highway Patrolman ahead alongside the road, they brake! Why? You're not even doing the speed limit!
When a driver finds his turn at the last minute and slams on brakes rather than safely turning around. People drive as if they are the only one on the road.
Goin the wrong way down a lane in a parking lot & not using turn signals when turning
While making a left turn, many people will swing out into the right lane.
Drivers on their cell phones! They're so distracted with their conversation they forget about the safety of other drivers on the road. They drive slow, don't look when they turn, suddenly press their brakes, and then they get mad when they're honked at. Get off your cell phones people!!
My pet peeve about other drivers are the one who don't know how a 4-way stop works.
People speeding through a yellow light. Seriously is stopping at a red light for 45 seconds gonna kill ya?
My biggest peeve is when someone is trying to jump a red light, and when the left green arrow turns on, they drive straight through the intersection unaware that they ran a red light. It never ceases to amaze me.
I get real upset when a driver in front of me is going slow, not making complete stops or turning when it's not their turn and I can see them on their cell phone. They need to pull over if they are going to be on the phone!!!
Drivers who feel they have ro come to a complete stop before turning right.
Certain ethnic drivers in Cleveland Heights who honk for you to hurry up and move BEFORE the light turns green.
A South Florida Report: Inability to judge distance and time. Majority of people are unable to move the vehicle at the right time. Either you wait forever behind them or you watch them pull cut someone off.
They NEVER use a blinker. Given the opportunity, I kindly pull up next to them and say, "Hello, if you don't already know, you're left/right blinker is not working. I would hate to see someone hit you by accident"
#1 – playing with the phone....they just can't do both. Wish I had a camera to record their driving, then show it to them.
My biggest pet peeves are drivers who decide to signal their turn two seconds before they make the actual turn or when drivers act as if a signal light didn't come with their vehicle.
Drving while distracted; wide turns;
slowing down, beginning the turn; then, "signalling.
Hi Keiran, My biggest problem with drivers is that they think that motorway lanes have different speed limits. The speed on each lane is the same,no lane has a different speed limit. The first lane that most people call the slow lane, is lnfact the fast lane. If there are slower moving vehicles on it like trucks, you use the centre lane to over take, and then move back into the first again. Second and third lanes are overtaking lanes only, they are not for you to stay in. thats why you get so many driver zig zaging in an out, which causes major acidents.
Left lane lollygaggers who won't move over, people who don't know what yield meanss, and making turns from the wrong lane. These are common occurences everywhere I drive.
Driving while distracted; wi-i-i-i-i-i-ide turns; slowing down & beginning turn & then "signalling".
Does anyone use their turning signal anymore? Why do people yield while merging onto a state route when there is no yield sign? I work at. A retail store and a lot of people don't ever stop at the stop signs in front of our store, I guess the ones with a white boarder are optional...
My complaint is that drivers of cars just don't seem to understand the physics of massive pieces of metal moving so fast. Getting tailgated by someone who takes 3 seconds just recognising the light is green ( having changed) scares me knowing that thier reaction time doesn't give them a chance to stop. To many people either think their superhumen or it won't happen to them , it's always going to happen to the "other" guy? Very scary!
I'd have to say my biggest pet peeve about other drivers is when they throw cigarettes out the window instead of using their ashtray. I cannot tell you how many times I see this while driving and, in my opinion, it's not safe and in adds to pollution of the environment. Stop it people!
Andrea
I don't like the driver who wants to go 10mph over the limit and expects you to go as fast. He won't pass! Why do I have to go as fast? I didn't leave the house late. Obviously these people never get anywhere ontime.
The left lane is the passing lane on the NYS Thruway and other two lane roads. The law states, :Keep right except to pass". The left lane is not a choice of I am here first, move to the right lane if you want to drive slow, but do nt block the flow of traffic. thank you.
I see this all the time and usually its people from that state not vacationers or visitors.
People who break and slow down on the interstate when they are going to exit down the road. PLEASE! Use the exit ramp to slow down!
People who do NOT spead up on the entrance ramp to get up to speed to merge in traffic!
People who break before they use their blinker or turn on their blinker AFTER they change lanes
Lane hogs. People who drive (slowly) in the passing lane.
Turning without signaling; merging into oncoming traffic at a much slower pace than the traffic flow; turning from the middle lane; driving way under the speed limit in a fast car in the fast lane.
Regarding driving habits. Never mind who is right or who is wrong. It's all about defensive driving. You can't change other people's bad habits. To insure your survival, show the example by displaying good driving skills. It may catch on.
Mike
The "Moses Complex" – by using the turn indicator on a highway, the driver thinks the waters automatically part and he can just change lanes without looking or waiting for a real opening.