batsh*t crazy drivers ... your experiences?

[Weather Spotter]

I just take it slow and simile at those who bug me, it keeps me on focus and I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, new in town, not feeling well, late for work, etc. I avoid taking their stress and making it mine.

those idiots who try the brake check trick/ scam skip me as I have extra crumple room and everyone knows I go slowly and am alert when driving. I also have zero traffic citations so if there was an incident who is the cop going to believe? Someone who has 4 rear ends in the last year or the driver with zero issues?

A big NRA sticker has the same results as the gun rack, crooks know who is likely to have a gun on them and therefor who is not an easy target.

[larrybuck]

Yeah! Labor Day weekend. We expect the crazies; right?
On Sat., I'm in town on my motorcycle. I come to the stop sign on a quiet residential street. At the same time a late model Camaro (not this last gen.) is pulling up to his stopsign opposite me flashing intent to turn left. I am going to turn right onto this busy 35mph. through the neighborhood main road.

Before I moved, I thought its a younger guy, maybe I'll just wait, and let him go first.
But I see he has 3 vehicles to pass by him, before he can turn, I'm clear with no hinderences, so I make my right. Nice mellow day; before I get a block, and one half, that Camaro swerves violently into the bicycle lane passing me on the right as if I'd been blocking him for 6 miles or something. I saw a girl at the bus stop one block further looking rather shocked as if to wonder if he might run her down!

I've seen so much nonsense, that I didn't even start to get upset. Just typical unfortunate normalcy!

[Mustang Dave]

Don't you love the drivers who pass you to get to a red light sooner? That happens to me quite frequently.

[Fat Charlie]

Well, sitting in line at a light makes you a victim of traffic. Being in front at the light makes you a cool drag racer in command of your fate. Planning ahead to hit the light when it's green so you can better get where you're going? That's for sissies.

[jalmir]

yeah I never understood that, when I see a red light up ahead I always let go of the gas pedal and just coast up to it.

But then you always have someone that wants to keep their "cruising speed" up to feet away from red lights or stop signs.

[bobo333]

In my area it seems as if the "keep (left in Aus, would be right in US) unless overtaking" law doesn't exist, i run into multiple people every trip doing 10-20kmh under the speed limit in the "fast" lane or matching the speed of the person next to them. Even in areas with signs pointing the law out every km...

even when i get closer to them (into tailgating territory) they don't realize they are in the wrong and move over, ive even had some suicidal people in small hatch backs "brake check" me, and im driving an F100 whos bonnet is level with their roofs! i dont think insurance fraud really works if your dead...

[Mustang Dave]

Originally Posted by bobo333

...even when i get closer to them (into tailgating territory) they don't realize they are in the wrong and move over, ive even had some suicidal people in small hatch backs "brake check" me, and im driving an F100 whos bonnet is level with their roofs! i dont think insurance fraud really works if your dead...

If they're going under the PSL in the "fast lane", I have no problem with passing on the right ("slow lane"). It's legal in Arizona.
I never tailgate other vehicles. It's dangerous, and it's illegal in Arizona. If someone is driving a few MPH under the PSL in the "slow" lane, I'm not averse to saving a few ounces of fuel by following him/her at a safe distance.
I must be mellowing with age....

[Frank Lee]

Waiting to get onto the highway, guy behind me is off in La La Land, thinks I've gone when I haven't (waiting for traffic), dumps his clutch and bumps me. Uhhh, yeah, ya know it's a good idea to watch where you're going before you drive there.

[jalmir]

Todays' scare :

I'm leaving work, leaving from a stop, accelerating, I'm at around 55km/h when a guy in his Astro van pulls out of a parking lot, 10 feet in front of me! I saw him pull out (so that gave me an edge) and he NEVER check incoming traffic!!!

Before today, I thought my brakes needed a little adjustments the pedal was feeling a bit soft ... but apparently not : I easily locked the front wheels for a fraction of a second! But nothing too hard and I was able to swerve away from this idiot!

That was a very VERY close one! I was still shaking from the adrenaline rush minutes ago (this happened 15 minutes ago). I'm chilling out at McDo with a 1$ drink leaching their free WiFi!

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by jalmir

I easily locked the front wheels for a fraction of a second! But nothing too hard and I was able to swerve away from this idiot!

Close call, and good job paying attention for the other fella.

I recommend choosing either to brake or to swerve, but not both at the same time. Anti-lock brakes were developed because most people attempt to do both, and there just isn't enough traction.