10 Things that Make You Look Like a Massive Idiot while Driving


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Whats wrong with 9?

Here, traffic is tight, so ride the ending lane alleviates traffic and prevents the need for a hard stop.

Howbout another one: put your turn signal before turning; does everyone here do that? Or do we turn, then momentarily activate the signal.

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1. Driving with your hazards on in "inclement weather"

Whether it's lightly snowing or raining, you don't need to put your hazards on, especially if you are going the speed everyone else is going. That's not what they are for, so don't use them unless you have an actual problem. Everyone can see you, and if you're smart, you've turned your lights on (it's the law in VA, at least). That's enough for people to know you're there.

 

The author must live where it never downpours, ever. This is pretty much the standard here when there's a flash flood or super heavy rain event. There's times when not everyone can see you, sometimes rain here makes visibilities worse than dense fog. Those new cars with LED taillights are great to see when they have their flashers on when things like this happen.

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#2 is stupid.  Looking at the four car fender bender yesterday on the way to work, it would have been limited to just two if there was more length between the cars.

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  • 1 month later...

I hate hate hate people who back into parking spaces just to get attention to them or their vehicle.  Dont know if this is an issue elsewhere - but you can see this everywhere around here.

There are reasons for some to back into a parking space - trucks for instance - 1.) Its easier to manuveur into a space with its long wheel base 2.) They have something in the back of their truck that they dont want to give everyone ez access too
Im talking about those who think their car is cool and feel they need attention....there is a certain group of people who are notorious for this... actually - this certain group of people needs attention so bad, that everything they do in life is just to say, "hey look at me !"  You know who you are....and I hate you !

[END OF RANT]

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Also, note. Please see that I wrote "Inclement weather" not inclement weather. I'm talking about things like light rain and light snow.

 

I'm confused what difference a pair of double quotes makes to the severity of the weather, it's the same pair of words.

 

I agree with all of your points though. Most are also a problem here in the UK, though I only ever see people use their hazards when they spot suddenly slowing traffic ahead or an accident.

 

Another one that gets me though is when in queue of traffic moving slowly, people dropping back a massive distance to the car in front.  Wasting massive amounts of road capacity. Sometimes I feel like putting my foot down, overtaking them, and filling the gap they have left. Grr

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I hate hate hate people who back into parking spaces just to get attention to them or their vehicle.  Dont know if this is an issue elsewhere - but you can see this everywhere around here.

There are reasons for some to back into a parking space - trucks for instance - 1.) Its easier to manuveur into a space with its long wheel base 2.) They have something in the back of their truck that they dont want to give everyone ez access too

Im talking about those who think their car is cool and feel they need attention....there is a certain group of people who are notorious for this... actually - this certain group of people needs attention so bad, that everything they do in life is just to say, "hey look at me !"  You know who you are....and I hate you !

[END OF RANT]

 

Actually, my dad always parks backs up to park. I don't think he thinks his car is amazing (because it's not) It's just a convenience thing for him. Makes sense to me to park forward especially when shopping because you can access the boot much more easily!

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Actually, my dad always parks backs up to park. I don't think he thinks his car is amazing (because it's not) It's just a convenience thing for him. Makes sense to me to park forward especially when shopping because you can access the boot much more easily!

 

Indeed. I back into parking spaces for one legitimate reason... reversing into a road when the visibility is reduced by the cars either side of you, is dangerous and pulling out forwards is safer. Unless I'm doing lots of shopping of course, then I want my boot accessible to load my bags.

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  • 10 months later...

I can see why people leave more than a car length between them and the car in front. Never know what idiot is not paying attention behind you and will ram in to you thus hitting you and the car/other obstacles in front of you. Remember when I was a kid and my parents were parked behind a school bus. Parents had a full sized van and someone rammed them from behind. The space saved them from hitting a bus full of kids.

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When you drive a supercar - everything is criticized and over-analyzed - it was so bad - I had to get rid of my Aventador and buy a normal car that blended in with my servants :D

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I think when it comes to lanes merging it matters more on what type of traffic there is.

 

When the traffic is moving smoothly, and there is lots of room, early merging should happen.

 

Otherwise, when traffic is slow and tight, late merging should happen, in a zipper fashion, with people leaving enough room for the whole car not just the front end of it. I recommend it this way also because when traffic gets slow and early merging occurs, all that happens is that the cars who merge early slow down the clogged lane pushing everyone further back as others push toward the end anyway.

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I drive like a jerk some times.  I admit.  Regardless of which car I am in.  My daily driver, if Im in a hurry - or in a "mood" I will drive fast, some times cut around people leaving inches from their car to let them know to get out of the fast lane.  However, most of the time - just happily going with the flow.  Turn signals, seatbelt, and letting people over, wave to people who do the same -

When Im in the weekend car... well - North Dallas Tollway isnt called North Texas NASCAR for no reason....

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Another one that gets me though is when in queue of traffic moving slowly, people dropping back a massive distance to the car in front.  Wasting massive amounts of road capacity. Sometimes I feel like putting my foot down, overtaking them, and filling the gap they have left. Grr

Then I'll just allow you the same space, and laugh at your efforts.  Changes in traffic speed seems to encourage many drivers to play the gas/brake game, rather than adopting a standard pace.  Its generally their 'zipping' to the next stop that creates many of those massive distances, not me dropping back.  Moving > Not moving

 

#2 is a fine line but I agree, a full car length is senior citizen territory.  Good list, #3 gets me.

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Then I'll just allow you the same space, and laugh at your efforts.  Changes in traffic speed seems to encourage many drivers to play the gas/brake game, rather than adopting a standard pace.  Its generally their 'zipping' to the next stop that creates many of those massive distances, not me dropping back.  Moving > Not moving

I'd agree with that, UK Truck Drivers hate stopping, so we trade speed for not having to go through gears.. (slow down from way back so as not to need to stop by the time they get to the red light)

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My favourite one is when people are deep in thought while they're picking their nose looking for gold... Everyone can see you buddy!

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I can see why people leave more than a car length between them and the car in front.

This bugs me. Modern cars have a start/stop option (I call it ASS - Auto Start/Stop), which shuts off the engine to conserve fuel at lights/stops. Anyways, when I pull up to a light, I pull up right behind a car, and ASS kicks in. I absolutely hate when people creep up at lights, and I look like an idiot leaving a gap between my car and the car in front of me.

 

Another feature cars also have these days is radar/adaptive cruise control, which lets you cruise behind a certain distance behind a car. I would hate if someone merged in front of me and caused my vehicle to rapidly decelerate.

 

TLDR = people need to change their driving habits, and not be idiots.

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i have spotted on several occasions what one might coloqually call a weaver around the Knutsford area of Cheshire.They are a very dangerous breed of animal that cares nothing for the  safety of others and can frequently be seen swerving between vehicles in conjested lanes of moving vehicles in the safe gaps drivers leave between themselves and the vehicles in front.

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This bugs me. Modern cars have a start/stop option (I call it ASS - Auto Start/Stop), which shuts off the engine to conserve fuel at lights/stops. Anyways, when I pull up to a light, I pull up right behind a car, and ASS kicks in. I absolutely hate when people creep up at lights, and I look like an idiot leaving a gap between my car and the car in front of me.

 

Another feature cars also have these days is radar/adaptive cruise control, which lets you cruise behind a certain distance behind a car. I would hate if someone merged in front of me and caused my vehicle to rapidly decelerate.

 

TLDR = people need to change their driving habits, and not be idiots.

That is an interesting dilemma when dealing with such automation but I don't think its near majority status yet.  The 2nd one is actually a great way to mess with someone going too slow in the passing lane.. ;)

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This bugs me. Modern cars have a start/stop option (I call it ASS - Auto Start/Stop), which shuts off the engine to conserve fuel at lights/stops. Anyways, when I pull up to a light, I pull up right behind a car, and ASS kicks in. I absolutely hate when people creep up at lights, and I look like an idiot leaving a gap between my car and the car in front of me.

 

Another feature cars also have these days is radar/adaptive cruise control, which lets you cruise behind a certain distance behind a car. I would hate if someone merged in front of me and caused my vehicle to rapidly decelerate.

 

TLDR = people need to change their driving habits, and not be idiots.

There is nothing wrong with leaving a car's length between you and another. That is called playing it safe and not assuming technology will be there to save your ASS (pun intended). At the end of the day, the motorist is responsible, not their technology. People who have been driving before such luxuries probably understand this more than others.

 

TL;DR: Blaming technology when you get into an accident won't save you.

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There is nothing wrong with leaving a car's length between you and another. That is called playing it safe and not assuming technology will be there to save your ASS (pun intended). At the end of the day, the motorist is responsible, not their technology. People who have been driving before such luxuries probably understand this more than others.

 

TL;DR: Blaming technology when you get into an accident won't save you.

I don't think you understand what ASS is...ASS (remember it stands for Auto Stop/Start) kicks in only when you're at a light, where cars should be at a complete stop. ASS isn't a safety feature, but a fuel saving technique. Why would you leave a car's length between you and the car in front of you when stopped at a light? 99% of the time, the car in front of you creeps up, thus making that gap between cars even larger. 

 

Now when you're driving, you should leave a car's length in between your car/car in front of you. 

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I don't think you understand what ASS is...ASS (remember it stands for Auto Stop/Start) kicks in only when you're at a light, where cars should be at a complete stop. ASS isn't a safety feature, but a fuel saving technique. Why would you leave a car's length between you and the car in front of you when stopped at a light? 99% of the time, the car in front of you creeps up, thus making that gap between cars even larger. 

 

Now when you're driving, you should leave a car's length in between your car/car in front of you. 

I don't think you understood what I meant, nor what a pun is.

 

I meant ASS quite literally.

 

You leave that space because, at least here in AZ, if you get hit and in turn are pushed into the vehicle in front of you, then you are legally at fault as well. I would never ASSume (not referring to Auto Stop/Start) that the person in front of you will creep.

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