[Irelands child]

I have a thing about observing car owners and what they drive - and as a group, how they irritate me. There are a couple of observations that I've made in the past few years and some of it depends on where I am at the time. The first area that I'll pick on is Vermont (if you are from there, I'm not picking on you personally) and the 'trumpets blare, drums roll' at this point. Subaru drivers. They have "that tree hugger, bunny lover little or no carbon footprint" mentality. 35mph in a 55 speed zone in their, often, clapped out Sube. There are other physical characteristics, but wont go into them here These Subes - they supercede the old 3 cylinder, 2 cycle Saabs of years ago.

Now, if I'm here and in my home NY Capital District area, the Beemer owners are my irritant. Several years ago (1997 to be exact) I decided that I really wanted one. The local dealer had a 2 year old M3 coupe with low mileage that I really liked - windshield asking price was a little bit more then what I thought it was worth, but - asking price vs. selling price are seldom the same. I couldn't even get a single salesman's attention to even discuss the virtues of the car - they were too busy BS'ing. I bought a '97 T'bird instead for about the same money. Today, running at about 5-10 mph over the limit, this idiot in a 780i is trying to encourage me to go faster by tucking up so tight all I could see was the back half of his roof. I had to make a fairly hard stop - ABS will still allow BMW brakes to lock . I then stopped at the bank, there's a 745i - parked across 3 spaces.......my comment to the owner was not nice!! Then to p1$$ me off, my ex has one - that I evidently am paying for with that part of my pension she gets. There are many other Beemer occurrences that have and do irritate me, but these are the ones that come to mind after some nudging this morning.

Of course, there are those folks in the luxury cars, regardless of the make that always have a cell phone glued to their ears - they seem to want to be the next with brain cancer now that it is becoming more evident that those phones are being found to be a big contributor.

Now - anyone else have pet peeves like this??


Dave W

[wretched ratchet]

You kinda touched on my pet peeve, Dave, which is the "SUV" Soccer Mom with the Cell Phone in her ear ! They are always running late and driving irresponsibly Especially in big parking lots where it is so important to drive carefully because of the children and pedestrians ! I have been known to curb them and confront them but I am much wiser and older now.

[4 Jaw Chuck]

I am always amazed when I come across a pickup truck driver that can park in one space or doesn't speed up when I am about to pass, for some reason the late model Chevy versions are the worst offenders...and if it says Escalade or Avalanche on the side the chances double for possibility of infraction.

The soccer mom/retired female minivan driver seems about the same for inability to drive safely in one lane or respecting the rules of the road.

Just something I notice travelling all over the country in all kinds of rentals.

[MARTINSR]

I had a job for a few years where I drove about 40-50 thousand miles a year mostly around the SF bay area, at least through it getting to the other areas. Anyway, we have just about ever ethic, political, and income level on the streets around us every day. Honestly, really, this is honestly, I came to the conclusion that there was NO pattern what so ever!

Brian

[stimpy]

Don't get me started I drive A Semi for a Living ..... the worst femal drivers on there way to work in the minivan multi tasking , applying makeup , talking on the cell phone while reading work they should have done at the office , and why is it when I turn on my turnsignal it means some nitwit has to take the space I am signalling for ( but I love throwing them into the scale lane when I get the green light from my prepass)

[killerformula]

I think hybrid drivers piss me off the most. I usually don't give a stink about what people drive, but hybrid drivers tend to drive like morons. I notice that they accelerate, many times, PAINFULLY slowly from a stop. I drive a lot of 55-60 mile per hour roads, and they're always the ones doing 50 to save gas, I presume. A friend of mine (who actually doesn't happen to drive this way) just got a prius and when riding in her car I found out the reason. The stupid "Eco" meter on the dash tells you how hard you can push the gas before you stop running on an amount of power the electrical motor alone can handle. Well that just happens to be about 1/16th of the travel of the accelerator. I noticed when she drove the thing was always in the "non eco" zone.

I hate the hybrid itself, too. Of course you're going to get good gas mileage when your car influences some plecebo affect of driving more cautiously. If you are in a car that you spent 25-30k on for the purpose of getting 6 more miles to the gallon, of course you're going to be thinking about mileage every second you're on the road.

I'll bet if you could artificially install an "Eco" meter on a regular, cheap, econo car you'd get close to the mileage of the hybrid. Hell, case in point I think the prius does a best of 47 or 49 and my mom has gotten a best of 42 or 44 with her civic (driving at what I can assure you is a frustrating pace).

K

[Blazin72]

My commute is roughly 35 miles to work on a twising two lane high way. The people that always drive nuts are the ones that drive 45 in a 55 for 10 miles, when they enter a 35 zone they drive 45. And when the speed limit goes back to 55? They drive 45...??? Then there are the people with a dozen or more cars behind them while they are doing 10 under the speed limit that drive right past signs that say "Delay of 5 or more vehicles illegal. Use slow vehicle turnouts"

[Irelands child]

I sure am glad that others have the much of the same thoughts about drivers. To follow up Stimpy - the worst multi tasker I ever saw was a guy I pulled up next to at a light one morning about 0630 - cigarette in the steering left hand , cell phone tucked under his ear, coffee in the other hand, laptop on the seat next to him, and papers on his lap - I do drive a very high 4x4 F350 off road version pickup so can see lots of "interesting" happenings in cars around me

Brian - in your part of the country - I do agree - no set pattern

Dave W

[1ownerT]

My pet peeves,
Those whom you catch up to on the highway/interstate but can't seem to pass as their speed increases.
Those who camp in the left lane on a divided highway/interstate.
Those who pass you only to dive back in and promptly put on the brakes to turn.
Those who would/should miss their turn only to cross three lanes of traffic in one move, instead of going around the block or having to turn around.
Those who have followed a slower vehicle for several miles that suddenly dive in front of you as you are passing.
Those who tailgate when the 50 other cars in front of me are moving no faster than I can.
Those who drive economy cars that take two miles to get up to speed from a stop.

[trees]

In summary: those that drive as though they are the only one on the road and it all belongs to them.

Trees

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by trees

In summary: those that drive as though they are the only one on the road and it all belongs to them.

Trees

Exactly.........I have been in Az for the last month......So many of these people just stop their cars anywhere and sit, either waiting for someone or just shooting the breeze with someone. This is generally in the middle of the aisle in a parking lot, but I have seen it in the streets too.

[shine]

people who drive on my road...................

[Hippie]

Originally Posted by Irelands child

- the worst multi tasker I ever saw was a guy I pulled up next to at a light one morning about 0630 - cigarette in the steering left hand , cell phone tucked under his ear, coffee in the other hand, laptop on the seat next to him, and papers on his lap -

I wondered whatever became of that guy, he moved to your area! I have a 50 mile a day commute, I could rant for hours.

[shine]

my daily commute is hard on me . walking 50 ft is getting harder all the time........
i just fueled up my truck last week. first time since mid December. damn life is good on the farm.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by shine

my daily commute is hard on me . walking 50 ft is getting harder all the time........
i just fueled up my truck last week. first time since mid December. damn life is good on the farm.

Yep, we CHOOSE what we do don't we. I have had people say "your lucky" about my 4 mile commute. LUCKY, HUH? I PLANNED it! And it is damn nice thank you!

Your walking out in to the shop from your house, that sounds even better! Good plan!

Honest guys, you need to open your eyes and you will see that ACTIONS are what ticks you off. Forget about what kind of car they are driving and all that crap, ACTIONS are what bother you. And if you are honest with yourself you will see that there is NO pattern. People multi tasking, it will be men, women, big car, little car. People going slower than traffic, it will be men, women, big car, little car. People cutting in and out of traffic. it will be men, women, big car, little car. People who tailgate, it will be men, women, big car, little car. There is NO pattern, ZERO.

George Carlin had this routine but I have thought about it often while driving, which one am I? Which one are YOU? We have been BOTH to other drivers nearly every time we get out on the road.

You know, there are two different drivers out on the road, azzholes and manics, that's it, just azzholes and maniacs. Here is this guy minding his own business driving down the road when a guy who wants to go faster comes up behind him, "WHAT IS THIS AZZHOLE THINKING OF DRIVING SO SLOW?" so he passes him and as he does the guy minding his own business says "MANIAC!".

Which one are WE when we get out on the road today?

Brian