Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

I thought I knew the rules of the road but I'm not so sure anymore.
 
I remember being taught that when you are making a left turn and there is a median used for this purpose you are supose to turn into the median and slow down immeadiatly. When traffic allows you my then complete your left. You should travel only the minimum distance in the median that is required to slow for the turn. You can't use the median/turning lane as a driving lane.
 
Twice in the past week people have done things that make me doubt my training.
 
First I was turning left to go into my work place. I noticed a minivan riding in the median for such a distance that I assumed that it was turning left way before I was. Later at work a co-worker came up to me and said I cut her off. I said if she was planning on making a left turn in the median she should not have been driving for a half mile in the median before she did. She seemed to think that driving for a long distance at the speed limit down the median was just fine.
 
A few days later I was preparing to make a left turn off a 4-lane highway that had a median/turn lane in the middle. I usually signal and about 100-200 feet before the turn merge into the median/turn lane. Just enough space to come to a stop if traffic is coming the other way.
 
This time I see a car traveling towards me, from the opposite direction, in the median signaling for a left also. He was maybe a half mile up the road traveling the speed limit. There were many side streets he could have turned into and I assumed he would take one of these. I started to move into the median/turn lane to make my left.
 
To my shock, this guy continues to come straight at me at full speed causing me to swerve back into the travel lane. He blew past me and continued another 500 feet down the road and made his left.
 
Now I have to ask, were these people inconsiderate drivers or have I been misunderstanding the rules all this time?

Replies to this message:
• ruking1 (Jul 05, 2009 2:20 pm)
  • steve_ (Jul 05, 2009 2:23 pm)
    • ruking1 (Jul 05, 2009 2:44 pm)
    • fintail (Jul 05, 2009 3:19 pm) and 7 more...
    • oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:30 am)
  • oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:27 am)
• snakeweasel (Jul 12, 2009 7:30 am)
• snakeweasel (Jul 22, 2009 6:51 pm)
  • oldfarmer50 (Jul 23, 2009 8:41 am)
    • tallman1 (Jul 23, 2009 8:56 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jul 05, 2009 2:09 pm)

Replies to this message:
• steve_ (Jul 05, 2009 2:23 pm)
  • ruking1 (Jul 05, 2009 2:44 pm)
  • fintail (Jul 05, 2009 3:19 pm)
    • oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:35 am) and 6 more...
  • oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:30 am)
• oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:27 am)

Replying to: ruking1 (Jul 05, 2009 2:20 pm)

A friend of mine got a ticket for driving in the middle turn lane here a couple of years ago. He was under the impression it was for merging, no matter how far you had to go to get a break in traffic.

Replies to this message:
• ruking1 (Jul 05, 2009 2:44 pm)
• fintail (Jul 05, 2009 3:19 pm)
  • oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:35 am)
    • fintail (Jul 06, 2009 9:19 am) and 5 more...
• oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:30 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Jul 05, 2009 2:23 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Jul 05, 2009 2:23 pm)

I see that happening around here all the time, especially in areas where our beloved public sector fails to implement effective traffic controls, so cars from side streets have to make a left turn a two-step process.
 
In the sticks where I spent my weekend, people also like to use street parking areas as turn lanes (luckily when no cars are parked there)...they will get into the parking lane about 1/3 block before their turn, and complete it as normal

Replies to this message:
• oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:35 am)
  • fintail (Jul 06, 2009 9:19 am)
    • euphonium (Jul 06, 2009 11:24 am) and 4 more...

Replying to: ruking1 (Jul 05, 2009 2:20 pm)

"...You may only drive for 200 feet..."
 
Thank you for confirming that I have not lost my mind...yet.

Replying to: steve_ (Jul 05, 2009 2:23 pm)

"...He was under the impression it was for merging..."
 
I see that a lot too. People trying to merge and driving along side of you in the median.

Replying to: fintail (Jul 05, 2009 3:19 pm)

"...people also like to use street parking areas as turn lanes..."
 
To make a right on red without stopping right? I see that often around here where they use the shoulder to pass a dozen or more cars on the right and then blast around the corner without stopping.
 
I see more and more examples of people using "lazy" driving habits.

Replies to this message:
• fintail (Jul 06, 2009 9:19 am)
  • euphonium (Jul 06, 2009 11:24 am)
    • ruking1 (Jul 06, 2009 11:26 am)
    • fintail (Jul 06, 2009 11:42 am) and 2 more...

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jul 06, 2009 2:35 am)

Replies to this message:
• euphonium (Jul 06, 2009 11:24 am)
  • ruking1 (Jul 06, 2009 11:26 am)
  • fintail (Jul 06, 2009 11:42 am)
    • davethecarnut (Jul 06, 2009 9:02 pm) and 1 more...

Replying to: fintail (Jul 06, 2009 9:19 am)

With a cup of steeming hot coffee between their legs, all men will turn slowly to protect Big Jim and the twins from being scalded.

Replies to this message:
• ruking1 (Jul 06, 2009 11:26 am)
• fintail (Jul 06, 2009 11:42 am)
  • davethecarnut (Jul 06, 2009 9:02 pm)
    • fintail (Jul 07, 2009 7:52 am)