DirtRider . Net MX, SX, Arena Cross, Off-Road Community

This is the text version of DirtRider.Net
Click Here for the Full Version

Pages: 1

driving distractions?
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: cr25096er---------------------

What bothers/distracts you the most when driving?

Posted by: JWW---------------------

bother = car going 55 in the 70 mph fast lane.

distraction = playing with the gps.

Posted by: stumblinpete---------------------

The people that ignore lane closure signs on the highways. They always continue down those lanes till they can't possibly go any further and then cause more of a mess when they have to finally get out of that lane. I see this every day and it never ceases to amaze me that these fools are always in such a hurry. When it is safe, I will block the lane with my trailer just to screw them up!

Posted by: fatty_k---------------------

Dirtbikes in the back of trucks.

Posted by: BigBore---------------------

Slow/stupid/clueless/crummy drivers in general bother me. Distractions? Hot girls. Also any kind of field, hillside, etc, that looks like it'd be fun to shred on.

Posted by: gwcrim---------------------

Lemmings who insist on moving into the 'merge' lane for construction ect. at the very first sign. 10 miles from the actual place to 'merge' these folks think everyone should immediately get out of the lane that's closing. Thus creating a line of traffic backed up for miles and miles. This leaves a perfectly open stretch of road unused.

And then there's the semi drivers who actually block both lanes miles from the point of merger just to be rude. I'm sorry... when did the DOT ask you to direct traffic?

Some states (PA?) now have laws that require people to use the "zipper" method. Both lanes are to be used right up to the point of merger. Makes sense to me. :thumb:

Posted by: Danman---------------------

Quote:

The people that ignore lane closure signs on the highways. They always continue down those lanes till they can't possibly go any further and then cause more of a mess when they have to finally get out of that lane. I see this every day and it never ceases to amaze me that these fools are always in such a hurry. When it is safe, I will block the lane with my trailer just to screw them up!

I am that guy! The one that merges last.

Quote:

Lemmings who insist on moving into the 'merge' lane for construction ect. at the very first sign. 10 miles from the actual place to 'merge' these folks think everyone should immediately get out of the lane that's closing. Thus creating a line of traffic backed up for miles and miles. This leaves a perfectly open stretch of road unused.

I see this everyday. It only takes 10 minutes to get home when there is no construction. If people would learn to use both lanes and actuall merge instead of not letting people over it would not be so bad. The people that get all offended because you had the fore site to actually take advantage of that unsued road piss me off. I usually get stiffed buy the people that merge 10 miles early just because I happen to be in the wrong lane at the time they merged. If somebody is going to be pissed at me for merging into the line at the back would it make more since to piss somebody off at the front?

How come everybody else in the world does not know how to drive?

Distractions = The video screen in the dash. I get realy pissed off when I can't play the X-box while cruising 75 in a 65.

Posted by: Okiewan---------------------

Merging lanes? Yup, the "my time is more important than your's people".

I merge, then ride down the middle of both lanes to block 'em. They honk, I ignore

Something about a F250 bumper at their eye level stops the erge to run into me.

Posted by: gwcrim---------------------

It's not a matter of who's time is more important. It's a matter of using the system that is more idiot proof. If everyone merges immediately, then the traffic gets backed up twice as far as it would have to. Eventually, the line goes WAY back beyond the "Merge" sign and then no one has a clue why so they venture forward. It's human nature.

That's why some states are moving toward promoting the 'zipper' method of lane merging. It uses all the available road and has an orderly way of letting people merge. Kinda idiot proof.

Posted by: Danman---------------------

Its not that my time is any more inportant than anybody elses. I just don't see they point of letting all that space go to waste. The construction zone that I'm in is just set up horribly wrong. Its set up so there is an freeway entrance and a one lane merge within a couple hundered feet of each other. Then a couple hundred feet after that there is a is another entrance for people coming the other direction. They are re-doing the that whole area. I see at least three to four fender benders a week at that spot. Most of them are due to people not paying attention and bumping into one another Of course everybody has to look to and backs things up even farther. It just kills me. I think that if they pushed the merger back farther is would work much better IMO (I think that would bring up a whole new set of problems and maybe they just went with the lesser evil). The city did not hire me as a traffic engineer though :whiner: The extra time it takes just gives me an excuse to justify the new MP3 player I just put in the truck. If anyone honks I'll just dround them out

Posted by: keith500r---------------------

"And then there's the semi drivers who actually block both lanes miles from the point of merger just to be rude. I'm sorry... when did the DOT ask you to direct traffic?"

the reason they do this is because if people would pay attention, and get over when they see the signs instead of waiting until the last minute, traffic would flow better and it wouldnt get backed up as much..

drivers on phones bug me the most, along with people who wait until the last minute and expect traffic to stop so they can get over into the open lane.

Posted by: Danman---------------------

Quote:

That's why some states are moving toward promoting the 'zipper' method of lane merging.

That is they way I would envision it should work.

Posted by: ktmboy---------------------

People that feel they have the right to pull out in front of me at half my speed because they can't wait until it's clear, and their time is obviously more important than mine.

Posted by: dead---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by cr25096er
What bothers/distracts you the most when driving?

Girlfriend

Posted by: Highbeam---------------------

I am a bit of a traffic engineer and I can tell you that the flow of traffic through a construction zone does not change whether folks use the zipper method or move over early and leave a lane open. The flow is regulated by the one lane opening. The people who move over early and get in a long backup will not get to the bottleneck as soon as the people who run to the zipper point. You snooze you loose.

I have a problem with the long tapers at the zipper point. This long taper encourages the "run up front" crowd to push their luck to go further. When this happens I ride halfway with my fullize truck to block them. The zipper point should be clear and the taper should be a 45 degree angle. The only fair way to do it is to have a zipper.

Standard taper rates are the speed limit (in feet) of length per foot of width change. Too long and gradual.

I am distracted to the point of wreckage by wild animals near the road. I get a big kick out of looking at deer and elk. Ladies, bikes, and sewage treatment plants are my other distractions.

Posted by: gwcrim---------------------

Quote:

I am a bit of a traffic engineer and I can tell you that the........ only fair way to do it is to have a zipper.

So the next time you feel the urge to direct traffic with your vehicle, just remember that what you're doing IS NOT in the best interest of other motorists.

I wonder what a State Trooper might have to say on this issue? I'd wager that intentionally blocking lanes is illegal as well as rude.

Posted by: n8MX---------------------

What bothers me most while driving is rain, especially at night... just makes driving a lot tougher (braking distance, visibility, general slipperiness).

Most distracting - other people in vehicle. Maybe it's because I'm a pretty new driver (19). I just don't think it's right to have a car load of 16 yr olds who are new drivers... I only have a truck and depending who it is, one person can be bad enough, especially girls...

Electronics don't distract me much, usually I have enough self control to mess with GPS/2-way radio/car radio when it's safe. Right now I'm working on a hand-on-wheel control system that should help more.

Posted by: Okiewan---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by gwcrim

So the next time you feel the urge to direct traffic with your vehicle, just remember that what you're doing IS NOT in the best interest of other motorists.

I wonder what a State Trooper might have to say on this issue? I'd wager that intentionally blocking lanes is illegal as well as rude.

Funny, it was a trooper who I learned it from.

Posted by: dirty~d~---------------------

A State Trooper isn't going to care one way or the other as long as he/she doesn't have to sit there and direct the traffic. They have more important things to deal with... like people SPEEDING through construction zones.

My number one distraction in traffic... SPORTBIKES.

Here in Chicago, it's more specifically sportbike riders with NO HELMET on.

I'm never going to get used to seeing that.

Posted by: keith500r---------------------

"I wonder what a State Trooper might have to say on this issue? "

yeah who knows he might even say do what the sign says - MERGE

the signs arent there for decoration.

Posted by: cr25096er---------------------

Thanks for all the input guies and gals! THis is for a Drivers Ed class so we need to make posters, videos all that "Fun" stuff. The best thing about this class all year so far was when my teacher asked what destracts us. THere was a "radio" Stupid drivers" etc etc...then "BOOBS!" I guess u had to be there though. Anyone ever do a project/presentation about this subject in school?

Posted by: Highbeam---------------------

A presentation about BOOBS? Oh... I must have been distracted.

Posted by: stumblinpete---------------------

"So the next time you feel the urge to direct traffic with your vehicle, just remember that what you're doing IS NOT in the best interest of other motorists.

I wonder what a State Trooper might have to say on this issue? I'd wager that intentionally blocking lanes is illegal as well as rude. "

Rude.... that's why I love Boston traffic. Courtesy is a sign of weakness in traffic around here and that's just how it is. It's funny because the Trooper that could have ticketed (or could have had me ticketed) me for doing that last week yelled out to me " There you go!" smiled and gave me a :thumb:

Posted by: scooter1130---------------------

The ones that get me are the people who think the shoulder was put there as an express lane just for them when traffic is backed up.  Thats when I get half way over so they can't pass.

Posted by: gwcrim---------------------

Ya know.... after further consideration on this 'merge' issue.....

I recall the same discussion with a civil engineer. He put forth that in theory, the 'merge early' strategy is faster for traffic. Because there is a single file line that can proceed through the area w/out having to slow down even more to 'zipper'.

Now this works great in light traffic and in theory. But in the real world and moderate or heavier traffic, the line gets tooooo long and some people don't or can't merge in time. That's when the cluster f*^$ begins.

So, I'll concede that the 'merge early' strategy is great in theory. But when you throw 'people' at that theory, it tends to not work as well.

Posted by: jaction125---------------------

I could be wrong but I thought when you saw two semis putting along next to each other it was so they could stay in one gear. I imagine it would get kinda upsetting to drive a 10 to 18 speed truck in traffic

Posted by: 490Dave---------------------

I'll tell ya what aggrevates me, are these egomaniacs in their jacked up 4WD SUV things that think they own the road and prove it by running everybody else off the road, drive over the centerline, never dim their headlights, pass in a No Passing zone, never go the speed limit just to name a few. But i always find ways to piss'em off.

Posted by: gxdragon---------------------

Well nothing bothers me, especially not the people that slow down to 2mph to look at a minor finder bender on the side of the road because it's not like I have to get to work in the morning or want to get home at the end of the day because I know that if they slow down to look at the people which are exchanging paper work on the side of the road the people will know that others are watching them and they will be sure to exchange paper work correctly and I wouldn't want them to pass by too quickly BeCause THat WOuld BE DANGEROUS TO BE MOVING SO FAST WHILE NOT LOOKING AT THE ROAD BUT RATHER MINDING OTHER PEOPLES BUSINESS WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU EXCEPT THAT OF COURSE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN A MINOR ACCIDENT BEFORE SO YOU JUST HAVE TO SEE THIS ONE BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE I HAVE AN HOUR DRIVE TO GET HOME ON A GOOD DAY AAANND!!! 10,9,8,7,6...... Excuse me I think I have to take my medication now.

Posted by: bsmith---------------------

Funny, I can't stand those little car peeps with their Coffee can mufflers that swerve in and out of traffic like it's Nascar out there

Posted by: zio---------------------

Ghosts, UFO's, pickle juice spilled in my lap, and that damn Loch Ness monster when he won't shut up on a road trip. Otherwise, I'm a pretty focused driver.

Posted by: dirty~d~---------------------

Quote:

Originally posted by gwcrim
So, I'll concede that the 'merge early' strategy is great in theory. But when you throw 'people' at that theory, it tends to not work as well.

No theory works the way it's supposed to when you toss people into the mix. Merging is nothing special.

Posted by: gwcrim---------------------

Quote:

.....and that damn Loch Ness monster when he won't shut up on a road trip.

Yup.... he stopped at my house last night and hit up my wife for tree fitty.

Text Version Home

This is the text version of DirtRider.Net Click Here for the Full Version

driving distractions?

This is the text version of DirtRider.Net
Click Here for the Full Version