Commuting…The strange. The Odd… And the FUN

[slartidbartfast]

On my way to a work assignment in Grand Rapids, MI this morning, I passed a rather bemused-looking old lady who had somehow got herself the wrong side of a very long line of large, closely spaced road cones (the ones like upturned trash cans) and driven the front wheels of her minivan into an excavation. She must have driven right through the midst of the large road crew.

Which reminds me of a couple of incidents a few years ago: One where I was in a gas station forecourt in Phoenix that was completely blocked off with flagging tape and cones while pump testing and maintenance was underway. A blue-haired old lady in a big Lincoln came straight through the tape (which was right across the middle of her windshield) and over the cones. Once she realized the station was closed, she drove away, hitting a large concrete planter on the way out. She was still dragging the cone and trailing a length of flagging tape when she drove out of sight.

At another gas station on a corner in New Jersey, also barriered off with numerous cones. A young businesswoman in a Ford Explorer came charging through the station, tires squealing as the swung in, apparently trying to bypass the light on the corner. She scattered several cones, and four or five people in orange vests who were working or observing the testing taking place (including myself) all had to leap out of her way. She didn't even slow down. I have no idea what she would have done if we hadn't all moved smartly or the station has been in use with no way through. We just stood there and stared at each other in shock.

[garandman]

Originally Posted by xcgates

I'm reminded of every time I bitch about some dumbass moving right to turn right, then swinging left before turning right, like they are hauling some huge trailer, and are not in a normal car.

Around here we call those "Tractor Turns." Used to see it throughout New England when there were lots of small farms around, now only in a few areas.

[DR Donk]

I was following a car pulling a boat on a trailer through town the other day. The speed limit is 25 mph and he started at that speed then slowly went down to 15 mph looking for a certain house. I was being a well behaved rider, keeping a safe distance behind and making sure he could see me in his mirror, but then he suddenly stops right in the middle of the road. I sit there for a few seconds then see there is room to slowly pass on the right. I start to do that but then he pulls to the right cutting me off. Then he starts to back up totally oblivious to the fact that I am back there. So I jumped the curb and went around him. Kind of a lame story but typical of how some people drive, like they are the only ones on the road.

[ThatOtherGuy]

Originally Posted by DR Donk

some people drive, like they are the only ones on the road.

I hear ya. The ones that kill me are the people that are driving behind you and dive down the turn lane early and you have to wait on them to pass before you can enter the turn lane.

[pretbek]

Originally Posted by ThatOtherGuy

I hear ya. The ones that kill me are the people that are driving behind you and dive down the turn lane early and you have to wait on them to pass before you can enter the turn lane.

I felt the need to not wait and shove my old Camry in front of Herr Asshole's new BMW 3 series car, 6" from his front bumper, when he tried to do what you described.
Yeah, he backed off, and gestured quite angrily, probably pissed that I waited all the way until the actual start of the right turn lane to actually get into that lane.


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- Sent from my iPhone

[garandman]

Originally Posted by pretbek

I felt the need to not wait and shove my old Camry in front of Herr Asshole's new BMW 3 series car, 6" from his front bumper, when he tried to do what you described.
Yeah, he backed off, and gestured quite angrily, probably pissed that I waited all the way until the actual start of the right turn lane to actually get into that lane.

Around here it's different. There will be a line of cars, all following at a reasonable distance, in the right hand lane prior to an exit.

Then someone will zoom up looking for a "hole" to cut in front of the line. At that point you either close up the safe following distance, or risk that they will simply pull into the gap.

I drive a WRX and it's usually easy to do the exact same thing to them - move into the center lane, zoom ahead, and pull into the gap in front of them.

You can be certain that the very same folks who pull this stunt are the ones that object the most vociferously when someone does the exact same thing to them. I'm certain that thought never crosses their mind.

[ttpete]

Driving down the superslab in the left lane, there's a line of cars working their way past several slow trucks. Mr. Asshole in his Mark 8 comes flying up the right lane thinking he'll just force his way into the left lane. Two guys ahead of me slam the door on him, then he tries to intimidate me. I drive a 4X4 E350 van with a 6 inch suspension lift. So I slam the door on him and lay on the truck air horns. I wave and smile, and he comes back with the single digit salute.

I also notice the car's got a manufacturer's license plate. Next day when I got to work at Ford Engineering, I dialed up the company snitch hotline. Guy picks up and says "World HQ Security". I told him what happened and gave him the tag number, and said that it wasn't real good PR for someone in a test vehicle to be an inconsiderate asshole shooting everyone the bird in public. He called back in a couple of days and said that it was a grade 14 manager, and that they took away his overnight/weekend drive home privileges for a year.

[LuciferMutt]

Originally Posted by ttpete

I also notice the car's got a manufacturer's license plate. Next day when I got to work at Ford Engineering, I dialed up the company snitch hotline. Guy picks up and says "World HQ Security". I told him what happened and gave him the tag number, and said that it wasn't real good PR for someone in a test vehicle to be an inconsiderate asshole shooting everyone the bird in public. He called back in a couple of days and said that it was a grade 14 manager, and that they took away his overnight/weekend drive home privileges for a year.

That is frakin' awesome! NICE!

[PT Rider]

Originally Posted by garandman

Around here it's different. There will be a line of cars, all following at a reasonable distance, in the right hand lane prior to an exit.

Then someone will zoom up looking for a "hole" to cut in front of the line. At that point you either close up the safe following distance, or risk that they will simply pull into the gap.

I drive a WRX and it's usually easy to do the exact same thing to them - move into the center lane, zoom ahead, and pull into the gap in front of them.

You can be certain that the very same folks who pull this stunt are the ones that object the most vociferously when someone does the exact same thing to them. I'm certain that thought never crosses their mind.

Yes, sometimes, and sometimes that "someone" is me without the local knowledge that I need to get in the right lane in advance of the turn lane and in advance of the road sign telling that my turn is ahead. What would you have a driver do who doesn't know where to turn until he sees the sign, and traffic is already lined up for the turn? The Washington State Department of Transportation could do a better job with locating many signs.

[King_Panther13]

It's strange here....nobody will get into the turning lane until the line is a solid white line -.-. Then they drift over into it slowly. I always cut into the turning lane at my very first chance, as I don't like having to cross the white line, especially with the morons who will enter the lane before it even is a lane and try to pass everybody. I keep very wary though...since nobody uses their turning signals here I slow down a lot in the turning lanes, and only speed up once I'm certain everybody else is going straight....even though they shouldn't be switching into the lane that late anyhow -.-.

[Tall Man]

Originally Posted by PT Rider

(S)ometimes that "someone" is me without the local knowledge that I need to get in the right lane in advance of the turn lane and in advance of the road sign telling that my turn is ahead. What would you have a driver do who doesn't know where to turn until he sees the sign, and traffic is already lined up for the turn?

Stay in the right lane. That's what I do, esp. when I know there's a (right) turn or an exit, somewhere, up in the distance, that I need to take.

Look, I agree that the aforementioned won't work every time. There will be days when you have to bank on the courtesy of others to let you in. Hopefully, not all of these folks will pull a garandman on you.

[xcgates]

Originally Posted by PT Rider

Yes, sometimes, and sometimes that "someone" is me without the local knowledge that I need to get in the right lane in advance of the turn lane and in advance of the road sign telling that my turn is ahead. What would you have a driver do who doesn't know where to turn until he sees the sign, and traffic is already lined up for the turn? The Washington State Department of Transportation could do a better job with locating many signs.

Or when I see this in the course of my regular commute, in places where the only reason to be there is because you work there (industrial park, no public businesses like stores or restaurants, so with VERY few exceptions, you know the people are familiar with the route.

[D R]

Originally Posted by PT Rider

Yes, sometimes, and sometimes that "someone" is me without the local knowledge that I need to get in the right lane in advance of the turn lane and in advance of the road sign telling that my turn is ahead. What would you have a driver do who doesn't know where to turn until he sees the sign, and traffic is already lined up for the turn? The Washington State Department of Transportation could do a better job with locating many signs.

I would ask the driver to do what is safest for traffic at that particular place and time versus doing what the errant dirver feels is most convenient for them. If that means go around the block or to the next exit, then so be it.

It's hard to believe the unsafe things I've seen drivers do because of a navigation error (regardless of the cause of the error).... reversing out of a off-ramp, back down to the interstate, because it's the wrong exit..... sitting at a red light in the right lane and then realizing they need to go left, then forcing their way across three lanes of traffic... etc.

[IheartmyNx]

Originally Posted by D R

I would ask the driver to do what is safest for traffic at that particular place and time versus doing what the errant dirver feels is most convenient for them. If that means go around the block or to the next exit, then so be it.

X2.

Originally Posted by D R

It's hard to believe the unsafe things I've seen drivers do because of a navigation error (regardless of the cause of the error).... reversing out of a off-ramp, back down to the interstate, because it's the wrong exit..... sitting at a red light in the right lane and then realizing they need to go left, then forcing their way across three lanes of traffic... etc.

Or ppl making a left across 2-3 lanes of traffic that made a gap for them, only to slam into the guy running down the right turn lane b/c his light was green 1st, but couldn't see the car of the person that had to nose it out to see past all those that stopped.

When they just shoulda went down and turned around where it was safe.

I've seen it here... And won't fall into that trap.

[Rcrx21]

Originally Posted by D R

I would ask the driver to do what is safest for traffic at that particular place and time versus doing what the errant dirver feels is most convenient for them. If that means go around the block or to the next exit, then so be it.

It's hard to believe the unsafe things I've seen drivers do because of a navigation error (regardless of the cause of the error).... reversing out of a off-ramp, back down to the interstate, because it's the wrong exit..... sitting at a red light in the right lane and then realizing they need to go left, then forcing their way across three lanes of traffic... etc.

+1 You may lose a few minutes but it is better than causing an accident.
Whatever the reason may be that you were unable to move into the lane you wanted doesnt matter, this is the appropriate action.