We live in a somewhat rural area, and must drive 20-30 miles for shopping or entertainment. It amazes me when someone passes me in no-passing zone, or weaves all over the road using their phone. Many folks in bike clubs will ride there Harleys in groups, and I know from experience that bike riding is fun. It worries me greatly when I see a group coming in columns of two especially when the inside rider is almost on the center line. I guess don't understand the lack of reason for driving behavior.
Drivers endanger themselves and others
- Thread starter TennVet
- Start date
I realize bikers must make themselves visible, too many times people don't take notice of them. I don't take issue with any of those realities. I see a lot of people whom I suspect are texting while driving edge on or over that center line. The two by two rider who edges the line puts themself and much increased danger. Big trucks win every time in an accident so an unsafe operator there is deadly. I give them room, but for the most part those guys are good drivers and go out of their way to avoid accidents.
PeppermintPatty
🐢. 🐳. 🐢
- Location
- Canada
I had a transport truck hit me while passing over a dotted line on the highway. The weather conditions were snowy white out. It totalled our van. I was taking my dogs for their walk
Naturally
Well-known Member
- Location
- Corner of Walk 'n Don't Walk
New vehicles seem to have MUCH brighter headlights than past new vehicles in general. It's either blinding or severely impedes my vision and obscures any obstructions that might could be in my path. No, my eyes aren't going bad. New vehicles just have extra bright lights these days.
Not only that but more people seem to drive around in town with lights on bright and often either refuse to dim them when flashed OR maybe they don't even know how to change from high beam to low beam. Idiots.
I now make a conscious effort to limit night driving because of inconsiderate headlights.
Not only that but more people seem to drive around in town with lights on bright and often either refuse to dim them when flashed OR maybe they don't even know how to change from high beam to low beam. Idiots.
I now make a conscious effort to limit night driving because of inconsiderate headlights.
I had a lady in a big SUV pass me today in a no passing zone. Odd thing is she had plenty of other opportunities to pass me in legal passing zones but never did, she would come right up behind me than drop back, repeated that a few times then passed when she shouldn't have. And yes I was doing the speed limit or just over.
As for motorcycles they really shouldn't be riding two abreast on rual roads, tho in most cases it is legal. They should stagger, that's the safest way. I'm a bicyclist and have ridden with guys who always push what's their legal right, like taking up an entire lane on the road because the law says they can. I see no reason to push boundaries, I ride defensably so I can get home safely.
As for motorcycles they really shouldn't be riding two abreast on rual roads, tho in most cases it is legal. They should stagger, that's the safest way. I'm a bicyclist and have ridden with guys who always push what's their legal right, like taking up an entire lane on the road because the law says they can. I see no reason to push boundaries, I ride defensably so I can get home safely.
Flarbalard
Senior Member
My personal favorite is watching someone pass on a two lane bridge with on- coming traffic. I'm sure there are many deserving people who could use that vehicle and use it more wisely. I would say the same for the driver's vital organs.
Remy
Well-known Member
- Location
- California, USA
Don't even get me started on bad driving. I feel like I see it almost daily.
Today I noticed a truck barreling through a construction zone with a lot of orange cones and workers.
Today I noticed a truck barreling through a construction zone with a lot of orange cones and workers.
fuzzybuddy
SF VIP
- Location
- The Sticks, Northeast PA.
When I got out of the hospital, I tried to drive. I live in the sticks. Everything is 20+ miles away. A cab to my Dr.'s cost $80. I figured if I drove really slow, I could drive. Got out on a 55m/h road. I was doing about 20. Cars were lined up behind me. Some started to pass me, and there were some near misses. Yeah, they were illegally passing me, but I was the cause of their recklessness. And it dawned on me that if I couldn't drive at the speed limit, I was unfit to drive. I would be the cause of someone maybe losing their life. I didn't drive for a year, till I got better.
OneEyedDiva
SF VIP
- Location
- New Jersey
My son is a trucker and he periodically complains about the idiots he encounters on the road. He's actually getting tired of it and is starting to feel he may literally be risking his life when he's on the road. He has gotten 8 safe driving awards from J.B. Hunt and was a trainer for a while, but didn't like doing that, so he stopped. He has posted videos of himself giving safe driving tips on Facebook.
Once he was on the highway and traffic had slowed to a near standstill. When it started moving again, very slowly...maybe about 10 - 20 mph, a man ran into the back of the 18 wheeler my son was driving. How do you miss a "mack truck"?! He was probably texting or maybe had dozed off. My son said he tore the high end vehicle up, which turned out to belong to his boss. Thank God there were no injuries. My son has told me several crazy driver stories that could have resulted in serious injury or death due to careless, thoughtless driving.
Once he was on the highway and traffic had slowed to a near standstill. When it started moving again, very slowly...maybe about 10 - 20 mph, a man ran into the back of the 18 wheeler my son was driving. How do you miss a "mack truck"?! He was probably texting or maybe had dozed off. My son said he tore the high end vehicle up, which turned out to belong to his boss. Thank God there were no injuries. My son has told me several crazy driver stories that could have resulted in serious injury or death due to careless, thoughtless driving.
Speeding and tailgating are the problems that I see on the roads almost daily. I figure that I’m never in greater danger than when I get behind the wheel of a car, but drive I must in a semi-rural area to get anywhere. My only objective is to arrive at my destination and return intact.
I’m generally forced to drive 10 mph above posted limits to keep up with the “slow” traffic, and then there are those who drive as if annoyed that others are on the road ahead of them, limiting their speed. Defensive driving practices have helped me avoid numerous accidents…
I’m generally forced to drive 10 mph above posted limits to keep up with the “slow” traffic, and then there are those who drive as if annoyed that others are on the road ahead of them, limiting their speed. Defensive driving practices have helped me avoid numerous accidents…
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
I had one yesterday...I was doing 70mph on a dual carriageway fast lane .. the guy behind me was tailgating me all the way, but I couldn't go faster and I wouldn't for him... or any tailgater, but I couldn't pull over either because the traffic was heavy on the other carriageway...
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
What's a Blown stop sign driver ?
Paladin1950
Still love 50's & 60's music!
- Location
- Mohawk Valley, NY
My sister and my supervisor at work, both had their cars damaged (my sister's was totally damaged), by truck drivers. I noticed among both truck and car drivers, there are some people that just shouldn't be driving anything on the road.
Paco Dennis
SF VIP
- Location
- Mid-Missouri
People are strange...all our habits are weird.
My husband was driving around a curve when a car was in the same lane coming toward him. Luckly he could get in the lane next to him to avoid the accident. I was in the car and my heart seemed to stop. We wondered if he was trying to get away fast from some criminal activity.
Drivers that either ignore or miss stop signs. Especially in residential neighborhoods because they drive like no one is watching or they are the only ones on the roadWhat's a Blown stop sign driver ?
Michael Z
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Wisconsin
Rural areas have their own risks. Several times I had people over the center line on a hill and had to take part of the shoulder. I always assume this might happen. And our recently resurfaced nice smooth county road that is the shortest route basically has virtually no shoulder so if you go off, you very likely will roll. Resurfacing was nice, but it raised the road a good 4 to 6 inches making a low shoulder even worse - I won’t let my daughter drive this road in icy conditions. Luckily, the road I had to take the shoulder to was not this “no shoulder” road!
On another county road with minimal shoulder and a big drop off the road crew mowed the shoulder (one year) so it looked like a shoulder and folks would pull over to make a call, only to have their car nearly tip over - one summer we helped two drivers get the local guy to pull them out - he said they were going in on a weekly basis. They stopped mowing like that and that seemed to stop that problem.
Then we have the “Country Turn” where one makes the left turn from the oncoming lane allowing those behind to pass by on the right. Not really a hazard, but a curiosity that is actually convenient although I can’t bring myself to do it, even after living here 30 years.
On another county road with minimal shoulder and a big drop off the road crew mowed the shoulder (one year) so it looked like a shoulder and folks would pull over to make a call, only to have their car nearly tip over - one summer we helped two drivers get the local guy to pull them out - he said they were going in on a weekly basis. They stopped mowing like that and that seemed to stop that problem.
Then we have the “Country Turn” where one makes the left turn from the oncoming lane allowing those behind to pass by on the right. Not really a hazard, but a curiosity that is actually convenient although I can’t bring myself to do it, even after living here 30 years.