Ask the Car People.SM


Inconsiderate Drivers (share your stories, etc.)

21734 messages,  Last post on May 17, 2013 at 6:46 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum.

What is this discussion about? Car Safety

Messages Page 2084 of 2174

#20830 of 21734 Re: Going 85 instead of 40 [backy] by xwesx

Nov 30, 2012 (11:08 am)

Replying to: backy (Nov 30, 2012 11:04 am)
using turn signals and lane-change signals appropriately (a lot of vehicles don't seem to have that feature, esp. luxury models, which is odd)
 
I hear that signals are optional equipment, but it's not advertised well so very few people option it.

#20831 of 21734 Re: Going 85 instead of 40 [xwesx] by fintail

Nov 30, 2012 (12:32 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Nov 30, 2012 11:08 am)
From what I can tell, side windows on Range Rovers and X5s are also options few choose - so what you see on the cars is usually just a painted disguise. You can only tell at crosswalks.
 
Now is the time of year to be in the 6pm dark in metro Seattle and count the cars with no lights.

#20832 of 21734 Re: Going 85 instead of 40 [fintail] by xwesx

Nov 30, 2012 (12:50 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Nov 30, 2012 12:32 pm)
No lights syndrome is pretty rampant here, too. We're down to about 5-6 hours of reasonable light, yet I still see vehicles driving sans headlights (though most of those have their running lights on, so you know that's a conscious choice!) well after dark.
 
Yesterday morning, I saw a Suzuki SX4 on my way into work that had what looked like headlights on, but, after it passed me, there were no other lights! No tail lights, side markers, etc. So, what was that? A near total failure of the electrical system, or just a single loose nut behind the wheel?

#20833 of 21734 Re: Going 85 instead of 40 [xwesx] by fintail

Nov 30, 2012 (12:52 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Nov 30, 2012 12:50 pm)
I've never understood the running light thing - people do that here too, especially pickup drivers. Do they think it looks cool, or that using the lights wastes gas, or?
 
Maybe the SX4 has dim DRLs that the owner thinks suffice?

#20834 of 21734 Re: Going 85 instead of 40 [fintail] by xrunner2

Nov 30, 2012 (5:45 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Nov 30, 2012 12:52 pm)
I've never understood the running light thing - people do that here too, especially pickup drivers. Do they think it looks cool, or that using the lights wastes gas, or? xcc
 
Exactly. Pickup drivers are the main offenders. Apparently this is an affliction across the U.S. A disease? I know some pickup guys but never asked them if they do this stupid practice.
 
Some pickup guys will mount additional running lights on their roofs.

#20835 of 21734 Re: Going 85 instead of 40 [xrunner2] by fintail

Nov 30, 2012 (7:53 pm)

Replying to: xrunner2 (Nov 30, 2012 5:45 pm)
I've often seen those on without headlights. Must be a "cool" thing I don't understand. Dodge trucks esp.
 
Jogged in the rain tonight, got to observe the dumb. Nothing too bad, but I saw 5 (!) cars with no headlights on. Landcruiser (parking lights), 2x Odyssey (1 parking lights, 1 DRLs), Civic (DRLs), Avenger (nothing at all). Pretty crazy in dark rain.

#20836 of 21734 . by fintail

Dec 01, 2012 (7:39 pm)

Out this evening, well after dark - 3 cars with no lights, alarming as traffic volumes were much less than on a Friday night. Offenders were a previous gen ML, a brand new Fusion, and a Focus - latter turned on their lights when I flashed my lights at them.
 
Traffic controls were inconsiderate today - got stuck in a light that wasn't going to change (I ran it), then on another road twice got to stop because the sensor was letting minor cross streets get green without even stopping, no matter the main street is literally 50x busier. 15-20 cars get to come to a random stop so one can proceed without stopping.
 
And got behind an XL7 that was going 20 in a 30, traffic flying by, busy commercial area a few weeks before Christmas. If you're too scared to drive at night in traffic, get someone else to drive you, hire a cab, or stay home.

#20837 of 21734 Re: . [fintail] by gogogodzilla

Dec 01, 2012 (10:01 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Dec 01, 2012 7:39 pm)
I've noticed a rapid increase in drivers around here that cannot handle the posted speed limits while driving at night.
 
I'm thinking that it's the beginnings of all baby-boomers retiring and becoming 'granny' drivers.
 
 

#20838 of 21734 Re: . [gogogodzilla] by fintail

Dec 02, 2012 (11:46 am)

Replying to: gogogodzilla (Dec 01, 2012 10:01 pm)
That generation, more attached to long since departed "youth" than others, probably won't hang em up easily when their faculties have diminished. In 20 years, we are going to have a lot more tragic oldster incidents
 
Speaking of old and slow, this morning I saw an old man in a very late model LS460L moving at a crawling speed in a dense 30mph commercial area. He was in a turn lane, and I was sure he would miss the light (only one other car in the lane, in front, who was long gone by then), but he made it through by a hair's breadth. Then crawled at about 10mph. Furrows my brow that some salesman probably talked him into that barge.
 
I also noticed that my lovely city has it so that if you press the "walk" button after the light has changed, you will usually have to wait for an entire sequence to get the green - even if there is no traffic (early on a Sunday morning). With this and the idiotic light management, it's like these esteemed "planners" and "engineers" with their comfy salaries and insane retirement perks are trying to make things both vehicle and pedestrian unfriendly.

#20839 of 21734 Re: . [fintail] by steve_ HOST

Dec 02, 2012 (12:11 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Dec 02, 2012 11:46 am)
Boom in number of drivers aged over 70 as 'baby-boomers' retire - and they're as safe as youngsters! (dailymail.co.uk)
 
Part of it is likely because we they don't know how to text or use a cell, so that's not a distraction.

Messages Page 2084 of 2174

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement