Road Courtesy
Oct 19th 2006 | 12:52 am
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,858
From: Mother Land.
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by Patrick Hasler
WELL, WELL, WELL ! ..... I had to answer this one 
Being a truck driver I can tell you the reason 90% of the truck drivers and going hell for leather is not that they are on the clock. Truck drivers here drive like maniacs because they are paid by the mile, the slower they go the less they earn. Every slight delay on the road costs them money.... Put that together with the fact that 80% of them are idiots anyway and the fact that car drivers here are not really given a real training or a test that lasts more than 10 minutes. Drivers over here have no idea how to merge, use a roundabout, keep to the right except to pass.... need I go on ?... How many times I have been driving at 65 mph along a highway with 4 lanes or more each way ina fully loaded 40 ton truck and seen some fool comming down an on ramp, I have pulled over to let the person on and the twat has just driven right across the first lane and into my path doing 50 mph :scared:
Do people actually think about the difference between being hit in the rear by a truck as oppesed to a car ? .... The car could do some damage to his rear, the truck would destroy him, his family and his car !
I had a row a few months ago with an abulance driver of all people !... I was driving in heavy traffic at about 50 mph on I-95 in MA, the ambulance came down an on ramp at normal speed, there was no emergency and his ligts were not flashing, he just started pulling into my lane as I was along side him, I looked in my mirror and he must have been a millimeter from my trailer before waking up and pulling away again, a few hundred yards later he came alongside me and signalled me to pull over. Ithought maybe he hit me and so I stopped ......... He started to go off because I didn't let him in ! I pointed out that it was his job to use his F**KIN MIRRORS, accelorate or decrease his speed to merge and above all TO F**KIN YEILD ! .... not my job ! as it happened that intersection is one of the very few I know with cameras and I pointed it out to the asshole. Knowing he could be in very bad shit for driving recklessly in a EMS vehicle he backed down and pissed off.
Being a truck driver I can tell you the reason 90% of the truck drivers and going hell for leather is not that they are on the clock. Truck drivers here drive like maniacs because they are paid by the mile, the slower they go the less they earn. Every slight delay on the road costs them money.... Put that together with the fact that 80% of them are idiots anyway and the fact that car drivers here are not really given a real training or a test that lasts more than 10 minutes. Drivers over here have no idea how to merge, use a roundabout, keep to the right except to pass.... need I go on ?... How many times I have been driving at 65 mph along a highway with 4 lanes or more each way ina fully loaded 40 ton truck and seen some fool comming down an on ramp, I have pulled over to let the person on and the twat has just driven right across the first lane and into my path doing 50 mph :scared:
Do people actually think about the difference between being hit in the rear by a truck as oppesed to a car ? .... The car could do some damage to his rear, the truck would destroy him, his family and his car !
I had a row a few months ago with an abulance driver of all people !... I was driving in heavy traffic at about 50 mph on I-95 in MA, the ambulance came down an on ramp at normal speed, there was no emergency and his ligts were not flashing, he just started pulling into my lane as I was along side him, I looked in my mirror and he must have been a millimeter from my trailer before waking up and pulling away again, a few hundred yards later he came alongside me and signalled me to pull over. Ithought maybe he hit me and so I stopped ......... He started to go off because I didn't let him in ! I pointed out that it was his job to use his F**KIN MIRRORS, accelorate or decrease his speed to merge and above all TO F**KIN YEILD ! .... not my job ! as it happened that intersection is one of the very few I know with cameras and I pointed it out to the asshole. Knowing he could be in very bad shit for driving recklessly in a EMS vehicle he backed down and pissed off.
I gave him a big wave and blew him a kiss, first time ever thats happened to me over here in four years.
Oct 19th 2006 | 12:57 am
#17
Thread Starter
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 60
Re: Road Courtesy
What makes me laugh is the "Report Aggresive Driving" or " How Am I Driving", you would never be off the phone. Aah' got it that's who they're all talking to!
Oct 19th 2006 | 1:18 am
#18
Slight chance of Showers
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,158
From: Norfolk,UK ->Memphis,TN
Re: Road Courtesy
There was a report on the radio this morning about "the flyover" which is the junction for I40 to I240 in Memphis. The dj was saying that it must be badly designed as there were allways accidents. It didn't cross his mind that perhaps its the fact that it's the assholes that try to queue jump and cut in at the last minute that cause the problem. Again, "not my fault" culture
Oct 19th 2006 | 3:11 am
#19
Maño-Americano
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 10,216
From: In the heart of the Ozarks
Re: Road Courtesy
I must say I agree with everything said so far- even as a Yank, American drivers drive me up the wall. I got my DL at 16 here, but my first car was when I wan in Germany in the USAF, followed by driving in Spain for 5 years, so I can say that I am European trained. Whenever I go back there I have no problems, and feel more confortable (OK...Spanish IN CITY driving can be a bit un nerving) on the highways there.
I drive a lot in my job- it is nothing to jump in the van here in central GA and drive to Detroit (going this weekend actually) or Cincy or wherever.
US drivers do not know NOT to hog the passing lane for miles and miles, do not know how to merge into fast moving traffic, do not know that common courtesy is to lane change left to allow traffic to merge in...or as said, just don't care. I see terrible moving violations ALL THE TIME, but I never see anyone pulled over...yet if you have a tail light out, or exceed the spped limit by 7 mph they do. We wont even talk about proper signaling or lane change procedures.
My biggest pet peeve is the hogging of the passing lane. If you did that in Germany or Spain, some big BMW or Mercedes would give you a "Madrid Kiss"...damn near touching your rear bumper at 100 mph, horn blaring, lights flashing, wipers wiping. I don't know how many times I have politely blinked my hi beams at an obstructing car... only to have the hillbilly redneck son of a whore flip ME the bird, and then block me even ore aggressivly. Then there are the idiots who refuse to use cruise contril, and while I have mine locked at 80- continue to pass me by, only to slow down and make me pass them, again and again.
I will say that for the most part, 85% of semi drivers are better than the average population... presumably because their lives depend on safe driving- though there sure are exceptions.
When on the road, I try to get into a vein of drivers who like myself KNOW HOW to drive safely, and are matching my speed (80-85 usually on the Interstate) and stay with them as long as possible.
*rant over*
I drive a lot in my job- it is nothing to jump in the van here in central GA and drive to Detroit (going this weekend actually) or Cincy or wherever.
US drivers do not know NOT to hog the passing lane for miles and miles, do not know how to merge into fast moving traffic, do not know that common courtesy is to lane change left to allow traffic to merge in...or as said, just don't care. I see terrible moving violations ALL THE TIME, but I never see anyone pulled over...yet if you have a tail light out, or exceed the spped limit by 7 mph they do. We wont even talk about proper signaling or lane change procedures.
My biggest pet peeve is the hogging of the passing lane. If you did that in Germany or Spain, some big BMW or Mercedes would give you a "Madrid Kiss"...damn near touching your rear bumper at 100 mph, horn blaring, lights flashing, wipers wiping. I don't know how many times I have politely blinked my hi beams at an obstructing car... only to have the hillbilly redneck son of a whore flip ME the bird, and then block me even ore aggressivly. Then there are the idiots who refuse to use cruise contril, and while I have mine locked at 80- continue to pass me by, only to slow down and make me pass them, again and again.
I will say that for the most part, 85% of semi drivers are better than the average population... presumably because their lives depend on safe driving- though there sure are exceptions.
When on the road, I try to get into a vein of drivers who like myself KNOW HOW to drive safely, and are matching my speed (80-85 usually on the Interstate) and stay with them as long as possible.
*rant over*
Oct 19th 2006 | 3:23 am
#20
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 30,102
Re: Road Courtesy
In NJ we have the infamous 'Jug Handles', you can't turn left on a major road, you have to turn right and do a loop. It's not uncommon to see motorists suddenly shoot across 2 lanes of traffic to get to them.
And pulling out of side roads in front of you, do they not get distance? Now I just accelerate and a big black truck appears on their bumper.
And pulling out of side roads in front of you, do they not get distance? Now I just accelerate and a big black truck appears on their bumper.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:00 am
#21
Maño-Americano
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 10,216
From: In the heart of the Ozarks
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by gruffbrown
In NJ we have the infamous 'Jug Handles', you can't turn left on a major road, you have to turn right and do a loop. It's not uncommon to see motorists suddenly shoot across 2 lanes of traffic to get to them.
And pulling out of side roads in front of you, do they not get distance? Now I just accelerate and a big black truck appears on their bumper.
And pulling out of side roads in front of you, do they not get distance? Now I just accelerate and a big black truck appears on their bumper.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:11 am
#22
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,763
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by Angry White Pyjamas
True story number 3... After Wilma last year every power line and every traffic light and virtually every tree was downed in Palm Beach County....4 million old snowbirds with no power, no Ice and nothing to do decide to hit the roads and cruise around in their caddies and Lincolns through all the wreckage. I have never, in all my working life seen such carnage on the roads.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:32 am
#23
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,196
Re: Road Courtesy
I'll say this for New Yorkers, they move over to let you pass when you flash the lights.
In VA, they are oblivious to anyone behind them if you try to get them to move over.
In VA, they are oblivious to anyone behind them if you try to get them to move over.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:32 am
#24
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 92,279
From: MA, USA
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by Angry White Pyjamas
You wanna see bad driving? And I mean seriously take your life in your hands bad driving....Come to Florida.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:40 am
#25
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 92,279
From: MA, USA
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by gruffbrown
In NJ we have the infamous 'Jug Handles', you can't turn left on a major road, you have to turn right and do a loop. It's not uncommon to see motorists suddenly shoot across 2 lanes of traffic to get to them.
And pulling out of side roads in front of you, do they not get distance? Now I just accelerate and a big black truck appears on their bumper.
And pulling out of side roads in front of you, do they not get distance? Now I just accelerate and a big black truck appears on their bumper.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:43 am
#26
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,196
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by Bob
they have them here too...well annoying, that and they use them to merge on to main roads all the time, but so tight that you can't go faster than a crawl or hit the barrier, well stupid.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:45 am
#27
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,271
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by gardnma
Yeah, and whats with all this driving on the right shit?
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:46 am
#28
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,196
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by Angry White Pyjamas
Well if they didnt then the shift stick would have to be nailed to the outside of the door obviously.
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:54 am
#29
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8,271
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by gardnma
When was the last time you saw anyone who actually knew how to use one?
Oct 19th 2006 | 4:56 am
#30
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,196
Re: Road Courtesy
Originally Posted by Angry White Pyjamas
Hmm let me see....there was time back in....Oh no hang on. Um....Early 2004? I was in Blighty at the time
