Most Annoying Things that Other Drivers Do

[AF News Desk]

This is a list that is near and dear to my own heart: The 10 most annoying things done by other drivers.

I'm sure we all have things that we can add to this list - and I encourage you to - because we've all had those moments on the road when we've other stared in disbelief, wave a one-finger salute, yelled at someone who can't hear us or laid on our horn until it stopped working.

One particular pet peeve of mine is when people don't know how to merge onto the interstate/expressway. Instead of picking up speed to merge with traffic, they toodle down the ramp at 35/40 miles per hour and then mess up the traffic flow for everyone else and put themselves - and others - in potentially dangerous situations.

Well, you are not alone. Because Cars.com knows how you (and I) feel.

Their recent article:

Originally Posted by Tom and Ray Magliozzi, Car Talk - Cars.com, 6/16/11

Top Ten Most Annoying Things Other Drivers Do

Texting and driving has quickly becoming a serious offense not only from driver
to driver, but between drivers and the police due to accidents it can cause.

It's a known fact that everyone reading this is an above-average driver — and that each of us always displays deep and abiding civility toward our fellow travelers. So we're sure you won't recognize yourself in any of the items listed below.


But what about all those other jerks on the road?

What things do other drivers do that annoy you most? Here's our list, with an invitation to share your pet peeves below.

Yours in Pounding the Steering Wheel,

Tom and Ray Magliozzi
Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers


1. Talking on a cell phone


When you're talking on your cell phone, you're as likely to cause an accident as when you're legally drunk. Now, what's your excuse? What's more annoying than a driver who's willing to risk your life so he can pick up his General Tso's chicken without waiting? Even when distracted drivers don't cause a wreck, they weave from lane to lane, create confusion in intersections and generally drive slower than other drivers around them while they're trying to do two things at once, leaving a gang of irate drivers in their wake.

Don't Be a Jerk: Put the phone down while you drive. You know about voice mail, right?


2. Driving too fast for road conditions


Just because a speed limit is 65 mph doesn't mean that's always the right speed. Snow, ice or rain can dramatically reduce your car's braking and handling abilities, as well as limit visibility. The right top speed for those conditions is that at which you feel safe and in control and able to react in time to anything that happens up ahead. That could be 40 mph. Or zero mph.

Drivers who fly past you at 50 mph when conditions call for 15 mph are not just risking their own lives — they might take you with them. If they lose control, they could easily spin into you, knocking you off the road and down an embankment. Or, at the very least, they could cover your windshield with a thick film of slush or rain, leaving you temporarily blinded. Annoying? We'd say so.

Don't Be a Jerk: There's always someone driving like a jerk in bad weather. And if you notice you're passing everybody, you're the jerk.


3. Not cleaning snow off their cars


How would you feel if someone heaved a 3-foot-diameter, 40-pound dinner plate at your windshield? Not too swell, we're guessing. Well, that's exactly what happens when a rooftop of snow and ice on the car in front of you goes airborne. In addition to soiling your trousers, such unwelcome crash-landings have been known to shatter windshields. In some states, it's even against the law. In all states, it's a sign of thoughtlessness.

Don't Be a Jerk: Take five minutes to clean the snow off your car before you drive away. You'll see better, and you won't inadvertently launch an attack on the cars behind you.


4. Not signaling when turning or changing lanes, or leaving a signal on


Signaling your intentions is one of the most basic acts of courtesy one can engage in. If we can't predict what other drivers are going to do, we can't make informed decisions about what we should do, and the result is mayhem. And insurance claims.

But besides being dangerous, not signaling is also downright obnoxious. It says, "Your safety doesn't matter to me, and I'm more important than you are." It's rather telling that signaling one's intentions is pretty much universal in the animal kingdom. And if hyenas can manage it, can't you?

By the way, leaving a turn signal on, while an act of omission, can be just as dangerous.

Don't Be a Jerk: Use your turn signals, Bub.


5. Leaving high beams on


Driving at night introduces a variety of risks, all related to the fact that our vision becomes limited. The less well you can see, the less well you drive. So when someone oncoming cruises past you and shines the equivalent of a 100,000-candlepower lighthouse directly into your retinas, he's definitely being more than a little annoying — he's compromising your ability to drive safely.

If that's not reason enough for you to remember to switch off your high beams when there's traffic headed your way, here are two more reasons: 1) If you blind an oncoming driver with your high beams, he might not be able to judge where your car is and might crash into you. Wouldn't that suck? 2) The driver coming toward you might have been interrogated by the CIA under bright lights, and you might trigger a flashback. Do you want that responsibility? Didn't think so.

By the way, poorly aimed headlights can also be dangerous. If oncoming drivers are flashing their lights at you and you don't know why, first make sure your headlights are on, and then check that the high beams are off. If those two items check out OK, have your mechanic check the alignment of your headlights. It takes five minutes, and it's a thoughtful gesture to future oncoming drivers.

Don't Be a Jerk: Understand that your high beams are a dangerous weapon when aimed at oncoming traffic. Remember when you've turned them on, and always be prepared to turn them right off.


6. Faulty equipment


Saving money by putting off repairs is a noble act of cheapskate-dom, but when deferring maintenance means that you're starting to compromise your own safety, or others around you, that's when we get annoyed.

It's not uncommon for us to see customers' cars at our garage with bald tires, bad shocks, a turn signal or headlight that's burned out, or poor wiper blades. Blowing off those repairs isn't just dangerous — it might also cost you more money in the end. Look at it this way: Which bill would you rather pay? Four new tires or having to replace 50 of the botanical garden's prized Asian thorn bushes and doubled insurance premiums for the next five years? We rest our case.

While it's less immediately dangerous, driving a car that's burning oil to beat the band is also obnoxious. Ask my brother how many otherwise sweet old ladies give him the finger when he pulls up next to them at a light and surrounds them in a thick cloud of smelly, blue smoke.

Don't Be a Jerk: Maintenance is not just for you. You'll improve your own safety and that of your fellow drivers by keeping up on necessary repairs.


7. Taking two spaces in a parking lot


Is there anything more obnoxious than announcing to the world, "My BMW paint job is more important than your ability to park?" Of course, if the car is a '66 Plymouth Valiant and the driver is currently wearing adult diapers, the issue may be driving ability rather than obnoxiousness. So consider the circumstances.

Don't Be a Jerk: When my brother comes across an expensive car that's taking up two premium spaces, he likes to squeeze his 20-year-old heap right in next to the car. Not only does he get a space, but also he knows the owner of the offending trophy car is going to stroke out when he sees it. Of course, my brother has also had his nose broken a few times. So consider parking elsewhere, and think about leaving a note on the offending vehicle instead, suggesting that the driver kindly not hog two spots in a busy lot the next time they run errands.

Also, if you have a car that's so precious that it can't be parked close to anyone else's, park it at the far end of the parking lot. That way, you inconvenience yourself rather than everybody else.


8. Staying in the far left lane


We all need to work together if we're going to get home in time to watch "Jeopardy!" That includes pulling back over to the right after you've passed a slower-moving vehicle. Staying in the left lane forces everyone to go at exactly your speed, or pass you unsafely on the right. It also raises the blood pressure of those who want to go even a little bit faster. You're going the speed limit? Fine. Let the police enforce the law. And remember, some drivers might have very good reasons for driving faster than you on any given day. They might be trying to make sure their mother-in-law catches her plane home.

Don't Be a Jerk: Use the passing lane for passing. And when you're in it, always keep an eye on your rearview mirror and be aware if someone is coming up faster behind you so you can get out of the way in time.


9. Not acknowledging making a mistake or overreacting to an honest mistake


Driver A makes a stupid mistake, causing Driver B to swerve. Driver B, having just planted his beak directly into his Starbucks Frappuccino, delivers Driver A the one-finger salute. Driver B is offended, and responds in kind.

We all make mistakes. Remember that when someone pulls out without seeing you. Sure, honk if you need to for safety. But do you really have to follow it up with an Al Swearengen-like diatribe? If the person is decent enough to hold up a palm and indicate "Sorry!" can't you say, "That's OK"?

And similarly, when you make a boneheaded move, don't slink off as if you didn't notice that you almost caused a five-car pileup. Acknowledge that you screwed up. Mouth "Sorry." Look a little sheepish. Hold up a palm asking for forgiveness.

If more people apologized for their lunkheadedness and more people accepted their apologies, the roads would be a lot more humane.

Don't Be a Jerk: Remember the golden rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you when you pull out of your parking space without looking.


10. Dangerous loads improperly secured


The laws of physics are immutable. So, unfortunately, are the laws of stupidity. If you're driving at 75 mph, twine, a bungee cord and your left hand will not keep a Sealy Posturepedic from setting sail above the interstate. Trust us on this.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of people who — through impatience, laziness or lack of schooling — don't understand the basics of force, leverage and wind loading. As a result, those of us who follow them have to drive with our hearts in our throats until we can get around them and hope the load doesn't let out at that moment. And what about the guy behind you?

Oblivious as they may be, these drivers can leave a trail of chaos behind them. And if their load comes unhinged, they're going to have a bad case of survivor's guilt.

Don't Be a Jerk: If you're carrying something that doesn't fit inside your car, get professional help or advice in securing it before driving. And have all mattresses and 4x8 sheets of plywood delivered.


11. Picking your nose


Let's be perfectly clear about this: We've got nothing against picking one's nose. According to fossil records, it's a habit that dates back to the Stone Age. But, being forced to watch someone up to the second knuckle in a mining operation is enough to cause anyone to lose his breakfast burrito.

Don't Be a Jerk: Don't assume nobody is watching — especially at stoplights where people tend to survey their surroundings.

[[[[[[[[OUR VIEW]]]]]]]]

I've already shown you what we think about this up above, but it never hurts to share a little more:

I REALLY hate it when people don't know the speed limit and don't follow it when they're in an obvious flow-based traffic setting. If you've got 15 people behind you and you're going five to 10 mph under the speed limit, perhaps you should consider moving aside and letting them go by. It creates a dangerous situation that can be easily avoided by either going the speed limit or moving over so traffic can bypass you.

Anyway, we want to know what YOU think about this topic. Make sure you let us know what your pet peeves while driving are!

[Oldengineer]

I'll add a few to your list that I've witnessed time and time again:

1. Racing somebody in rush hour traffic on an interstate. I've see pairs of cars trying to zig-zag through heavy traffic at 100 mph. Good way to get somebody killed.

2. Not moving over to let somebody merge when they're coming on to an interstate. Its simple courtesy.

3. Running red lights. Its gotten worse of late. Is you cell phone conversation really so important that you're willing to get t-boned while sailing through a red light.

[lexus123]

One should avoid all these kind of annoying things while driving a car.

[James Denizo]

i agree with what you said. drivers who do those things are really annoying. somebody must teach them some roadway ethics. i had this experience where i almost got into an accident because a TRUCK DRIVER is using his cell phone while driving.

______________________________________
James Denizo is one of the relationship manager of Motorforza. Motorforza is a site which compares cheap auto deals.

[danielsatur]

Picking there nose while they are driving!

[jon@af]

It really drives me crazy when you get people who end up driving side by side down a two lane road and neither will pass the other one.

I'm also a really big hater on people who tailgate. How unsafe can you be? "well, I'm going to follow as closely as possible, just in case this guy gets out of my way, that way I can go around him sooner than if I hung back by a few more feet."

[777stickman]

Definitely "tailgaters". We live on rural mountain 2 lane 55 mph roads. The worst are women. I'll put the 4 ways on and pull the tranny into 2nd (the 4 ways won't work with the brakes applied) 'till I get to 40 mph and then hold it there, pull over slightly and wave them on (full hand, not just a finger wave). Who knows, maybe they have a bigger emergency than me.

Also, "nose pick'n" can drastically reduce your road stress level. What better thing is there than to pull a big 'ol bugger out and let it fly back to that tailgat'n windshield 15 feet behind you??

[Alphabravo]

Left lane hogs rank up there in my list of peeves. But even higher on my list are people that stop at the top of on-ramps, instead of getting up to speed with the traffic flow. very very bad.

[gmtech1]

Everyone here makes valid points. The one I see most are the left lane hogs. If you want to drive below the speed limit thats fine, just don't do it in the left lane. What really gets me going are the people that throw their trash out the window. I'm not talking apple cores, I'm talking entire bags of fast food trash! C'mon people, show a little respect.

[P_A_B]

mostly two things:
1. left lane hoggers. Especially if they finally pass right before the two lanes become one, meaning I'm stuck behind them.
2. high beams. people love trying to get me blind and to crash into something.

[ashusood]

its really all facts are true i agree with you

[TheFrozenTundra]

Not to long ago, during the morning commute, I saw a woman driving 73 mph with a Jethro Bodine size cereal bowl on her lap. She was busily muching away with a spoon in one hand and the wheel in the other. I don't want to know what would have happened if she had gotten a text or phone call just then.

[sirloy]

Originally Posted by Alphabravo

Left lane hogs rank up there in my list of peeves. But even higher on my list are people that stop at the top of on-ramps, instead of getting up to speed with the traffic flow. very very bad.

I so agree with this. Failure to use the merging lane properly is guaranteed to make me pound the wheel. Match the speed of the traffic and slot in, what's so hard about that?

[randsin]

Not signaling while taking a turn and keeping the high beam on the most irritating thing drivers do.

[bobolink24]

Number One: on my list is the idiot that slows down on the interstate to let a merging driver in. Holy crap! it's the merging drivers responsibility to "merge" with traffic.

Number two: on my list is the driver executing a left turn from the left turn lane that has to turn a little bit to the right b4 turning left. You know, like ya had to do when you were driving a tractor pulling a farm wagon. Some of these wheat whackers are still "down on the farm".