The Human Brain and the Motor Vehicle

[UVaWahoo]

I routinely drive through a construction area on the local beltway. There is a sign over a mile prior to the construction that states "merge left, the right lane is closed". When I see such signs, I and others follow the instructions, I merge left. Unfortunately, there are many, that will stay in the right lane, cause a bottleneck and then force their way in. Does getting behind the wheel of a vehicle cause them to percieve that they are somehow special. I cross a toll bridge just about every morning and use an EZ pass. Often someone will not see the EZpass Only sign, and will just stop wondering were the toll taker is. While I tend to wait because eventually they figure it out and move, someone behind me will continuously blow their horns. On this same highway, sometimes those entering will need someone to let them in. Being a Southern Gentleman, I'll create an opening for them to enter. Sometimes, that seems to upset someone behind me. I must think that many of those that become impatient and agressive behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, probably are very nice people in other circumstances. I often wonder if some people experience a chemical reaction in the brain when getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

 

[blugold]

yup. People can't drive.

 

[Hawk]

As a general rule, people are idiots and not just when it comes to driving.

They actually tried to do the zipper method here over the summer - basically forcing people to stay in two lanes until the very end and then alternating. It's proven that it's faster and eases congestion I guess. Regardless, people couldn't handle it.

 

[blugold]

As a general rule, people are idiots and not just when it comes to driving.

They actually tried to do the zipper method here over the summer - basically forcing people to stay in two lanes until the very end and then alternating. It's proven that it's faster and eases congestion I guess. Regardless, people couldn't handle it.

Should we start talking about Round Abouts? Specifically elderly drivers and round abouts?

 

[Agent Jay]

As a general rule, people are idiots and not just when it comes to driving.

They actually tried to do the zipper method here over the summer - basically forcing people to stay in two lanes until the very end and then alternating. It's proven that it's faster and eases congestion I guess. Regardless, people couldn't handle it.

I don't think there is really a good way to handle this for most idiot drivers out there. I don't think this will work itself out until cars are driving themselves and we just have to sit there and play on our phones as the car drives us from A to B.

 

[Hawk]

Should we start talking about Round Abouts? Specifically elderly drivers and round abouts?

LOL. Last minute panic sets it and all bets are off.

 

[tequila4kapp]

The garage I park at for work is the closest parking garage to the county courthouse. Every day I encounter idiot drivers coming into town to appear in court, presumably for a driving infraction. In my experience each and every one of them earned whatever citation they got.

 

[Callawaygolfpro]

I'm the guy who nods to another guy and we block both lanes of traffic so that idiots can't bottle neck the end of the construction zone because they don't want to wait in line. Everyone sees that it works when you form the single file line but there will always be those people who want to go to the front and not wait. Patience isn't a virtue for those people...and they annoy me to no end.

 

[Smallville]

I hate the people who drive to the front and cut in as well.

But the one I see more often is the guy who is going to go through the intersection, but gets into the right hand lane so that all those people who are turning right have to wait for the light to change so Mr. Impatient can go through.

 

[blugold]

My biggest pet peeve driving is a driver that doesn't plan ahead and get into the proper lane. When the sign says, "Left Lane Closed 800 Feet." do not driver 799' and just swing on into the lane.

I cannot express how much I hate when people do that sort of thing.

 

[Space Bandito]

I don't mean to start a war with any of you who drive one, but almost everyday I am nearly killed by someone in a Toyota.... I can't explain it, but my wife and I have started to record these instances.

I'm not saying that there aren't stupid people in all makes and models, but this appears to be my fate.

 

[golfinFF]

People are idiots and can't drive throw in distractions such as phone, GPS and the radio and they are done!

I'm the guy that straddles the line to keep people from running up the lane that's closing when traffic is backed up. I'm also the guy that will not slow down or speed up if your too dumb to let you in if you can't plan how you will get over(I will put you into the barrels).

People that go left for lights and sirens is my biggest annoyance. I'm driving a 40k pound vehicle you idiot it does not stop or steer like a sports car.

 

[fairband]

As a general rule, people are idiots and not just when it comes to driving.

They actually tried to do the zipper method here over the summer - basically forcing people to stay in two lanes until the very end and then alternating. It's proven that it's faster and eases congestion I guess. Regardless, people couldn't handle it.

We have been on the zipper merge system for two summers now and people are finally starting to figure it out. I don't think it is all that much faster but it seems to limit how far back the logjam goes.

 

[SaffaClint]

Bad drivers make me mad! I'm mindful of my place on the road and others too. I'm polite and indicate before I change lanes etc etc. I drive a fast car and nothing makes me angrier than coming up to a passing lane and some who's been sitting well below the speed limit suddenly finding another gear and putting their foot down and pulling into the passing lane and trying to overtake someone. This ends up holding up god knows how many people trying to overtake THEM and makes everyone involved angry as hell. Driving should be a calming thing but it's becoming less and less so and will only get worse thanks to the number of terrible drivers on the road.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Oh man what a thread! I spend so much time in traffic I've had a lot of time to ponder the complete asininity of humans behind the wheel. We have all types here in Vancouver and somehow they always seem to be in front of me and behind me. A few of my favorites:
1) I'm in the right lane and turning right. Signal is on well in advance but I've got some 'roid monkey in a lifted truck behind me laying on the horn as if I'm committing some capital sin by having the audacity to turn right while in front of him. Meanwhile, the left lane is empty.
2) I'm doing 60mph in the slow lane when the speed limit is 50. There is nobody in the fast lane yet some jackwad is riding my tail like he's trying to read a bumper sticker.
3) Team idiot. These are the guys occupying the left and right lanes right beside each other going significantly slower than the limit.

 

[J4U]

Turning right? See that empty lane just to your right with a solid white line on the left with NO traffic able to get to it? That's for you Mr/Mrs I have to wait for all traffic to clear so I can get as far left as possible as quickly as possible. That is a big one for me.

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

[Wake]

I agree with everyone else, I hate the people who run to the front, but more than that I hate the idiots who sit there and let them. They will back off 80 feet in 10 mph bumper to bumper traffic and let car after car get in front of them.

I can be polite, if you plan ahead, signal and try to come over ahead if time, but if you wait til the last second due to rudeness or ignorance... You can forget it.

My other big pet peeve are the morons who try to merge onto the interstate at 50 mph, the whole point of that long Lane you are in is to get up to speed.

 

[Grins]

I'm the guy who nods to another guy and we block both lanes of traffic so that idiots can't bottle neck the end of the construction zone because they don't want to wait in line. Everyone sees that it works when you form the single file line but there will always be those people who want to go to the front and not wait. Patience isn't a virtue for those people...and they annoy me to no end.

I worked with guys that did this, Very effective. I watched one time as they kept pace with one a**hole who kept trying to fly by & jump the line - they funneled him right off the expressway into the exit for the next interstate lol!

 

[Grins]

Sometimes drivers are too nice/timid & cause problems by NOT being more aggressive/assertive. There's a 4-way stop on my way to work. It gets a lot of traffic, and it really steams me when someone (or 2-3 people) sit at the intersection waiting for everyone else to go - like they're hoping it will be completely clear before they go through. Are they even looking? There are 30 cars in each direction - the spot is never gonna be clear lol! I always figured this should go smoothly - just pay attention & you know who's turn it is to go next, edge out a bit to establish that "I'm next" & go. With experienced drivers, you almost don't need to stop & it looks like a dance (or a 4rth of July parade with the Shriners weaving in their little cars).

I'm waiting for the time when all 4 people try to wave each other through & then all decide to go at once lol! I think that was in a Steve Martin movie once (can't remember which one)

 

[Wake]

Sometimes drivers are too nice/timid & cause problems by NOT being more aggressive/assertive. There's a 4-way stop on my way to work. It gets a lot of traffic, and it really steams me when someone (or 2-3 people) sit at the intersection waiting for everyone else to go - like they're hoping it will be completely clear before they go through. Are they even looking? There are 30 cars in each direction - the spot is never gonna be clear lol! I always figured this should go smoothly - just pay attention & you know who's turn it is to go next, edge out a bit to establish that "I'm next" & go. With experienced drivers, you almost don't need to stop & it looks like a dance (or a 4rth of July parade with the Shriners weaving in their little cars).

I'm waiting for the time when all 4 people try to wave each other through & then all decide to go at once lol! I think that was in a Steve Martin movie once (can't remember which one)

That frustrates me to no end, people always go one at a time, if I'm going north and you are going south, there is no reason we shouldn't go at the same time.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

In my career as an engineer in road construction I have just about seen it all in construction zones, some of which resulted in death to both drivers and workers. It all comes down to the me me me world we now live in. Everyone is in a big hurry and most could care less about the safety of the workers. Value on life is at a all time low and it will only get worse. I'll take a job in new construction any day over a rehab job where traffic must be maintained during the construction. Interstate road jobs are ten time more dangerous than jobs on regular roads because of the higher speeds, but both can be deadly to the traveling public as well as the workers.

In Indiana the state police is involved in all high profile projects and their presence helps but there is no clear answer to making work zones safe.

 

[Smallville]

That frustrates me to no end, people always go one at a time, if I'm going north and you are going south, there is no reason we shouldn't go at the same time.

Even worse, someone going south gets there, then you going west and then someone going north. The guy going south goes, and then on your turn the guy going north goes! Or even if it is technically his turn and he didn't go when he should, I might decide he doesn't really want to go, so I'll take his spot!

 

[kmanc]

I'm the guy who nods to another guy and we block both lanes of traffic so that idiots can't bottle neck the end of the construction zone because they don't want to wait in line. Everyone sees that it works when you form the single file line but there will always be those people who want to go to the front and not wait. Patience isn't a virtue for those people...and they annoy me to no end.

yep. Met an idiot just like yourself. Blocking traffic so no one could pass. I performed a PIT maneuver on put them in the ditch.
Oh. By the way, the lady I was taking to the hospital was in labor and just had an abruption and was bleeding to death, as a child was being born.
I had lights flashing, hazards flashing and was meeting an ambulance in route.
Oh. And the cops filed charges against the 2 drivers for endangerment, reckless and careless driving, obstruction of traffic.
so. Maybe instead of being intolerant, think about what might be happening in the other vehicle.
And did you ever stop to think, maybe what you are doing, because ( you are right, they are wrong) is the problem and not the solution.

 

[ArmyGolf]

yep. Met an idiot just like yourself. Blocking traffic so no one could pass. I performed a PIT maneuver on put them in the ditch.
Oh. By the way, the lady I was taking to the hospital was in labor and just had an abruption and was bleeding to death, as a child was being born.
I had lights flashing, hazards flashing and was meeting an ambulance in route.
Oh. And the cops filed charges against the 2 drivers for endangerment, reckless and careless driving, obstruction of traffic.
so. Maybe instead of being intolerant, think about what might be happening in the other vehicle.
And did you ever stop to think, maybe what you are doing, because ( you are right, they are wrong) is the problem and not the solution.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think he's saying he blocks traffic. He prevents people from flying up a lane that is going to end in order to cut in front of hundreds of cars.

Either way, that sounds like a crazy ordeal that you were in. Wow.

 

[Wake]

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think he's saying he blocks traffic. He prevents people from flying up a lane that is going to end in order to cut in front of hundreds of cars.

Either way, that sounds like a crazy ordeal that you were in. Wow.

I think he understood, I never have understood what makes those people feel like its their responsibility to set the flow of traffic.

I remember as a kid having something similar happen. There was a crash, so traffic was stop and go, mostly stop. We were towing a trailer, and the engine and tranny was getting quite toasty. There was an exit a few hundred yards ahead, well before the accident. We hopped onto the shoulder, and headed for the exit to pull into a gas station. One of the drivers waiting in line apparently took offense to this, and pulled out just in head of us to block us, forcing us into the grass, where the trailer started to jackknife and nearly ran us right back up into the idiot who thought it was his job to patrol the road. He could have killed or injured himself, plus the family in the other car. Was my dad in the wrong for running up the shoulder, maybe, but he nearly caused an accident because he didn't like what was happening.

It's not your job to patrol the road, pick your lane and drive.