Driving Habits?

[doublevanosrc]

If I'm just cruising I'll stick to the middle lane and go with the flow. If I'm in a hurry or having some fun i will stay in the fast lane all the way.

[FJUNO78]

Originally Posted by mschrube

So I find myself having (what i think) interesting driving habits.
For one: I hate being behind a car on the highway whether they are going just as fast as I want or not. Id rather be first.
two: I always look at someone when I pass them
three: I think of other people on the road as my competition so I always have to catch them and pass them

What kind of interesting driving habits do you have?

Number 1 is stupid, if an exotic is doing 140 on a highway, I want to be far away from him, not trying to get close.


Number 2 is really odd, almost in a gay way.


Number 3, what exactly are you competing for? I don't even consider our cars super fast. With that said, pulling on a Nissan Maxima or a volvo is not going to make me feel any sense of accomplishment.



Grow up before you hurt someone.

[Nitroxide]

Originally Posted by FJUNO78

Grow up before you hurt someone.

+1

[mschrube]

Originally Posted by FJUNO78

Number 1 is stupid, if an exotic is doing 140 on a highway, I want to be far away from him, not trying to get close.


Number 2 is really odd, almost in a gay way.


Number 3, what exactly are you competing for? I don't even consider our cars super fast. With that said, pulling on a Nissan Maxima or a volvo is not going to make me feel any sense of accomplishment.



Grow up before you hurt someone.

Okay well in the rare case that someone is driving an exotic car down 35 in texas near waco Im not going to try and pass them since I probably wont catch them if they fly by me 80 over.
2. its just a habit, Im not saying Im checking them out, But several times Ive rolled up to a cop in uniform driving a random car so Im just on the look out.
3. Im competing for life, theres shitty drivers out there and I dont want to be behind them. If they crash Im stuck behind them, but Ill be in the clear if they cant catch me.
Im very good at how I drive so Ill stick with it.

[Nitroxide]

Originally Posted by mschrube

3. Im competing for life, theres shitty drivers out there and I dont want to be behind them. If they crash Im stuck behind them, but Ill be in the clear if they cant catch me.
Im very good at how I drive so Ill stick with it.

You're being such a wanker. Get off the road.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by mschrube

Im very good at how I drive

Didn't know that - carry on!

Tom

[bimmerfile]

Originally Posted by Nitroxide

You're being such a wanker. Get off the road.

Best post of the day..

[FJUNO78]

Originally Posted by Nitroxide

You're being such a wanker. Get off the road.

mschrube, the bmw community doesn't need another guy like you to fulfill the douchbag stereotype. Carry on.

[ksparks]

Did you ask your parents if it was okay to drive your car like an idiot?

I'm sure they pay for your insurance too. I pray for the youth, they need it.

[mschrube]

Im a douchebag because I dont want to be stuck behind accidents? What do you pay for power for if you dont use it?

[KingOfJericho]

I get insane with rage when people are given a quarter of a mile to merge onto the highway but they drive all the way to the end then try to shoehorn in while honking the horn. Stupid fucks. Don't you understand that you're CAUSING traffic to slow down when you do that!?!?

[JimD]

One reason I spent the additional money for a convertible and not for a turbo is I figured if I had the power, I would have to use it, at least sometimes. My little 128 is capable of getting over 100 mph before I cool down a little and back off. So I know the feeling. But the track is the place to use the full speed capability. The street is not. The same idiots you are trying to get away from are fully capable of lane changing when you do not expect it and putting you in a situation beyond your skill level. If you continue to believe this is not possible, that makes it almost certain to happen.

My mental equation is that it is occasionally justifyable to go a bit fast to get from behind trucks who can't maintain speed and other annoyances on a trip because you can have to follow them for hours. But it is not justifyable around town when you will be off that road in a few minutes. I am not saying I never pass anyway, I am only saying it is not justifyable. The benefit is too small and the risk is too great (tickets and wrecks). Even on the highway I've had an annoying truck turn off right after I passed them many times. Best to distract yourself looking for a better song or something.

Jim

[FJUNO78]

Originally Posted by mschrube

Im a douchebag because I dont want to be stuck behind accidents? What do you pay for power for if you dont use it?

pretty much.

there is nothing you can say that will make me believe driving agressively will lower your chance of an accident. Insurance companies give discounts for the polar opposite, driving defensively. I'm sure the insurance industry has better statistical data to determine this than kid who drives a 135i that's modded to look like a honda civic.

I'm sure you will have some lame story on how your blacked out tail and break lights are making you safer too.

[Ash83]

I cut off slow people on the highway.. espically old people who drive 45 on I-95

[mschrube]

I didnt say I use my full speed capabilities. I just dont like going 60 in a 65. I dont fly by people carelessly I pay close attention to other cars but if I have the open road Ill use it. Yall are getting me wrong, if Im in traffic Ill be safe but I hate people that are so inconsiderate to other drivers like ^^^ using the entireeee on ramp to get a couple cars ahead, or yielding on a turn that isnt a yield cuz you have your own lane. Or when people are going the same speed as the lane next to them but wont get over to let you pass. I am a very safe but fast driver thats all. I know the "rules of the road" may not follow all the laws but thats a different story.
And my tail lights I already took off. I did love them but I had to take them off but they dont look so bad now.

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by mschrube

So I find myself having (what i think) interesting driving habits.
For one: I hate being behind a car on the highway whether they are going just as fast as I want or not. Id rather be first.
two: I always look at someone when I pass them
three: I think of other people on the road as my competition so I always have to catch them and pass them

What kind of interesting driving habits do you have?

You need to lay off the steroids. Excessive aggression and over-confidence are the reasons why men under 25 cause twice as many fatal accidents as anyone else.

[BuddhaPilot]

A bit of a thread resurrection and thread jack in one...what about other people's driving habits? I spent a couple of days driving from SC to OK and here are some of my pet peeves and observations. I'll never claim to be a perfect driver or always follow the rules, but I sure do a lot better than most of the American public. I hope I don't set some sort of 1Addicts post length record in the process.

//RANT SWITCH ON//

-I don't need mutual support or company while I'm driving on the highway. Just go ahead and pass me since you had to be going faster than I was to end up beside me in the first place. Instead, they just hover back and forth right beside my car. If I slow down or speed up, it means this little rendezvous is over and my car doesn't want a date from yours either.

-Left lane is for passing and right lane is for driving...period dot end. I really wish some of the European mentality on this would catch on in the states. When I lived in Germany and drove the A6 pretty much daily, I could almost always count on the left lane being empty unless I was passing or being passed. The only time it wasn't was when I was trucking along at about 210km/h and someone driving a car with a yellow plate cough, cough French a$$hole would pull over into the left lane for absolutely no reason. They would of course be doing all of 100km/h. Back to the U.S. and sorry for the sidetrack. There's plenty of signs posted about slower traffic keep right, but no one gives a sh!t. I've gotten driver's licenses in 3 states and had to take a knowledge test each time. I'm 99.69% sure that the drivers manual in each of those places stated it as state law that you only pass in the left, then return to the left lane.

-If you're not prepared to drive at least 10 mph over the speed limit and potentially receive a ticket, don't even acknowledge that the left lane is there. It's not for you and I don't care if it's smoother than the right. Just stay the hell away. This goes doubly for people in Priuses, other weak hybrids, and minivans. Well, unless you're my wife who drives her Odyssey and wishes they came with a 6 speed manual. There was a good reason I put speed rated tires on it when we lived overseas

-People driving Uhauls and towing trailers- most of you probably never tow a trailer or drive something bigger than your family sedan. You always look white knuckled and on the verge of losing control when i pass you. Guess what that means...going anything over the speed limit probably isn't smart either.

-If I'm cruising along in the right lane it means I'm at a comfortable speed and I've found a spot that keeps me from being in the midst of a cluster of cars that are continuously vying to get ahead of each other. If the left lane is clear when you come screaming up behind me at something well north of the speed limit, go the fvck around me before you've run up on my bumper, honk your little weak sounding import horn, and make obscene gestures. This goes back to one of my first complaints about knowing which lane to drive in and which lane to pass in. If this is how you were taught to drive, you and the person you learned from should have your driver's license and your car keys shoved up your anal sphincter sideways. Yep, that gesture you give as you scream around me might actually equal more than your IQ.

-Turn signals, one of the great automotive safety inventions of the previous century. Just use them, please. If you want over in front of me or want to merge in, just take the microsecond to turn it on I'll probably even adjust my speed to make that happen. Hey, I'm not a mind reader and I'm sure some car manufacturers are covering the bulbs if they burn out while the car is still in warranty...just sayin'.

-Passing me is no big deal. Passing me, pulling into my lane, and then slowing down is. Especially when I look in my rearview and see there wasn't another car behind me for oh...infinity. It's a real jerk move and you should choke yourself as penance.

- (from a previous trip while I still had the 135i)People in your little turbo Civics and S2000s, I'm not up for a race on the highway or in street traffic. I bought my car because it was great combination of everything I wanted in a sports car. Not to race you or give you the chance to feel like you "got one up" on a German automobile. Do what I do and go find a track day or nice twisty road in the sticks BY YOURSELF. I think you'll find it's pretty damn fun and alot safer.

-Gawkers- what's going on over at the side of the road is none of your business and slowing down (therefore slowing down all the traffic behind you) to see isn't necessary or safe. Just be thankful that you're not getting the ticket they dude on the side of the road is and keep driving on. And by the way, that Smokey is fully involved handling and checking out the person they have pulled over as it's one of the most dangerous things they do. They could care less that you may be doing 5-10mph over and it's also not necessary to slow below the speed limit until you've passed. I'll caveat this with I know most places have "safe passage" laws now and you're required to move to over a lane when you pass law enforcement/emergency service parked on the side of the road. Again, that also mean when you can safely do it. It doesn't mean you must everytime, at the detriment of other traffic or when it's unsafe. Get a frigging clue and check those flashy, reflective things called mirrors before you do you pull in on right on my bumper as I'm feeling the anti-lock cycling.

-Tailgaters, I can't stand you and you exhibit what is statistically more of a factor in auto accidents than speeding ever is. If you have an avenue around me and don't go, expect a flash of the brake lights to let you know I'm uncomfortable. If that doesn't work, then expect a little brake check. If you end up making contact, it's your fault. do I want that to happen, absolutely not. Unless you've got video to prove it, you don't have a leg to stand on. I've also probably held up my phone before then and documented that I can't even see your headlights because you're so close. Considering the edge of my trunk sits pretty low, that's really close. I've actually measured it and found that most cars are within 8 ft of my bumper when I can't see your headlights. Just accept that no one wants a 2 ton metal hemmorhoid and back off!

-Get off your cellphone, PDA, etc, and sure as hell don't text. The average and even above average driver drops in skill to the equivalent of a 15 year-old with about 10.69 minutes of driving experience. I include myself in that and that is why I use one of those gay-looking bluetooth headsets when I'm in the car. I was a big fan of how Germany gave bigger tickets for using a non-hands free device than for speeding. A guy in my squadron got one of the infamous traffic camera tickets in the mail. When they reviewed it, it also revealed he was on his cellphone. He was double banged to the tune of nearly 500 Euro over that one. A bluetooth headset isn't that big of an expense if your car isn't equipped to link it through the speakers. Texting is just suicidal to you and those around you. Thanks to a texting driver, I'll permanently live with neck and upper back pain and was almost disqualified from flying. Believe me, if I ever lose my ability to provide for my family because you couldn't wait to fire off that message, it will haunt you as long as I live. She ended up with a suspended license, 12 months probation, and a felony charge under Colorado's distracted driving law. I can't wait till more states implement those.

-Aggressive vs. spirited drivers...difference is one of you feels a need to compensate for something.

-Trucker issue #1- it's better for you to slow down 2-3 mph in the left lane because you're getting closer to the car in front of you than it is for me to have to slam on my brakes and slow down 15-20 mph as you wait until the last damn second to move to the left lane. There was no one else around for miles and I'm sure I was visible for quite awhile in your side mirrors. I then spend an eternity while you inch by the offending car at such a slow rate that I may be close to applying for Social Security by the time you're done. Having a couple of family members who are truck drivers, I know that your truck's GPS will tell on you for breaking the speed limit and some companies will even call and fire you while you're driving.

-Trucker issue #2- quit thinking it's your job to keep everyone doing the speed limit or less. The little games you play by blocking both lanes only serve to make people mad at the least, induce roadrage in some, are illegal in probably about every state, and are dangerous. Know a little bit about aerodynamics? Two trucks beside each other create a venturi. This causes each of your 30,000+lb, 60 ft long hurtling collections of aluminum, fiberglass, rubber and steel to want to suck towards the center of the lanes into each other...not good. Lets not mention how it's also outright illegal for you to be in the right lane in most of the parts of I-40 and I-20 where I witnessed it. I guess you can't read the signs that are prominently posted in many places along those highways.

-Trucker issue #3- don't even think about trying to pass when an uphill slope is coming. I know that Cummings or Cat Diesel under the hood has a boatload of torque, but it's got the power to weight ratio of 1974 Caddilac Deville with a Geo Metro 3 cylinder under the hood.

-And the A$$hole Award of this trip goes to the retired Marine in the fairly new burgundy Cadillac. You had placed a multitude of stickers all over it proclaiming your affiliation with that fine service. I passed you while you were doing about 65 mph in a 70 and properly used the left lane while you were in the right. I was doing about 78 so it's not like I "rocked" your car as I passed. You proceeded to pass me several minutes later doing in excess of 90 and then decelerated to stay beside the car in the right lane and block me from passing you again. This ensued for the next twenty minutes until the car you were providing mutual support to (see definition at the beginning of this post) exited the highway. I then passed you at a reasonable rate whereupon you rolled your window down and threw your cup of coffee at the side of my rental car. Wow...just wow. Hey, Gunny, why don't you pull off at the next rest stop, pop a Zanax, and pound a fifth of cheap gin.

//RANT SWITCH OFF//

Well, I'm about exhausted after that one. Feel free to add, critique, or make fun of me.

BP

[mschrube]

Originally Posted by BuddhaPilot

A bit of a thread resurrection and thread jack in one...what about other people's driving habits? I spent a couple of days driving from SC to OK and here are some of my pet peeves and observations. I'll never claim to be a perfect driver or always follow the rules, but I sure do a lot better than most of the American public. I hope I don't set some sort of 1Addicts post length record in the process.

//RANT SWITCH ON//

-I don't need mutual support or company while I'm driving on the highway. Just go ahead and pass me since you had to be going faster than I was to end up beside me in the first place. Instead, they just hover back and forth right beside my car. If I slow down or speed up, it means this little rendezvous is over and my car doesn't want a date from yours either.

-Left lane is for passing and right lane is for driving...period dot end. I really wish some of the European mentality on this would catch on in the states. When I lived in Germany and drove the A6 pretty much daily, I could almost always count on the left lane being empty unless I was passing or being passed. The only time it wasn't was when I was trucking along at about 210km/h and someone driving a car with a yellow plate cough, cough French a$$hole would pull over into the left lane for absolutely no reason. They would of course be doing all of 100km/h. Back to the U.S. and sorry for the sidetrack. There's plenty of signs posted about slower traffic keep right, but no one gives a sh!t. I've gotten driver's licenses in 3 states and had to take a knowledge test each time. I'm 99.69% sure that the drivers manual in each of those places stated it as state law that you only pass in the left, then return to the left lane.

-If you're not prepared to drive at least 10 mph over the speed limit and potentially receive a ticket, don't even acknowledge that the left lane is there. It's not for you and I don't care if it's smoother than the right. Just stay the hell away. This goes doubly for people in Priuses, other weak hybrids, and minivans. Well, unless you're my wife who drives her Odyssey and wishes they came with a 6 speed manual. There was a good reason I put speed rated tires on it when we lived overseas

-People driving Uhauls and towing trailers- most of you probably never tow a trailer or drive something bigger than your family sedan. You always look white knuckled and on the verge of losing control when i pass you. Guess what that means...going anything over the speed limit probably isn't smart either.

-If I'm cruising along in the right lane it means I'm at a comfortable speed and I've found a spot that keeps me from being in the midst of a cluster of cars that are continuously vying to get ahead of each other. If the left lane is clear when you come screaming up behind me at something well north of the speed limit, go the fvck around me before you've run up on my bumper, honk your little weak sounding import horn, and make obscene gestures. This goes back to one of my first complaints about knowing which lane to drive in and which lane to pass in. If this is how you were taught to drive, you and the person you learned from should have your driver's license and your car keys shoved up your anal sphincter sideways. Yep, that gesture you give as you scream around me might actually equal more than your IQ.

-Turn signals, one of the great automotive safety inventions of the previous century. Just use them, please. If you want over in front of me or want to merge in, just take the microsecond to turn it on I'll probably even adjust my speed to make that happen. Hey, I'm not a mind reader and I'm sure some car manufacturers are covering the bulbs if they burn out while the car is still in warranty...just sayin'.

-Passing me is no big deal. Passing me, pulling into my lane, and then slowing down is. Especially when I look in my rearview and see there wasn't another car behind me for oh...infinity. It's a real jerk move and you should choke yourself as penance.

- (from a previous trip while I still had the 135i)People in your little turbo Civics and S2000s, I'm not up for a race on the highway or in street traffic. I bought my car because it was great combination of everything I wanted in a sports car. Not to race you or give you the chance to feel like you "got one up" on a German automobile. Do what I do and go find a track day or nice twisty road in the sticks BY YOURSELF. I think you'll find it's pretty damn fun and alot safer.

-Gawkers- what's going on over at the side of the road is none of your business and slowing down (therefore slowing down all the traffic behind you) to see isn't necessary or safe. Just be thankful that you're not getting the ticket they dude on the side of the road is and keep driving on. And by the way, that Smokey is fully involved handling and checking out the person they have pulled over as it's one of the most dangerous things they do. They could care less that you may be doing 5-10mph over and it's also not necessary to slow below the speed limit until you've passed. I'll caveat this with I know most places have "safe passage" laws now and you're required to move to over a lane when you pass law enforcement/emergency service parked on the side of the road. Again, that also mean when you can safely do it. It doesn't mean you must everytime, at the detriment of other traffic or when it's unsafe. Get a frigging clue and check those flashy, reflective things called mirrors before you do you pull in on right on my bumper as I'm feeling the anti-lock cycling.

-Tailgaters, I can't stand you and you exhibit what is statistically more of a factor in auto accidents than speeding ever is. If you have an avenue around me and don't go, expect a flash of the brake lights to let you know I'm uncomfortable. If that doesn't work, then expect a little brake check. If you end up making contact, it's your fault. do I want that to happen, absolutely not. Unless you've got video to prove it, you don't have a leg to stand on. I've also probably held up my phone before then and documented that I can't even see your headlights because you're so close. Considering the edge of my trunk sits pretty low, that's really close. I've actually measured it and found that most cars are within 8 ft of my bumper when I can't see your headlights. Just accept that no one wants a 2 ton metal hemmorhoid and back off!

-Get off your cellphone, PDA, etc, and sure as hell don't text. The average and even above average driver drops in skill to the equivalent of a 15 year-old with about 10.69 minutes of driving experience. I include myself in that and that is why I use one of those gay-looking bluetooth headsets when I'm in the car. I was a big fan of how Germany gave bigger tickets for using a non-hands free device than for speeding. A guy in my squadron got one of the infamous traffic camera tickets in the mail. When they reviewed it, it also revealed he was on his cellphone. He was double banged to the tune of nearly 500 Euro over that one. A bluetooth headset isn't that big of an expense if your car isn't equipped to link it through the speakers. Texting is just suicidal to you and those around you. Thanks to a texting driver, I'll permanently live with neck and upper back pain and was almost disqualified from flying. Believe me, if I ever lose my ability to provide for my family because you couldn't wait to fire off that message, it will haunt you as long as I live. She ended up with a suspended license, 12 months probation, and a felony charge under Colorado's distracted driving law. I can't wait till more states implement those.

-Aggressive vs. spirited drivers...difference is one of you feels a need to compensate for something.

-Trucker issue #1- it's better for you to slow down 2-3 mph in the left lane because you're getting closer to the car in front of you than it is for me to have to slam on my brakes and slow down 15-20 mph as you wait until the last damn second to move to the left lane. There was no one else around for miles and I'm sure I was visible for quite awhile in your side mirrors. I then spend an eternity while you inch by the offending car at such a slow rate that I may be close to applying for Social Security by the time you're done. Having a couple of family members who are truck drivers, I know that your truck's GPS will tell on you for breaking the speed limit and some companies will even call and fire you while you're driving.

-Trucker issue #2- quit thinking it's your job to keep everyone doing the speed limit or less. The little games you play by blocking both lanes only serve to make people mad at the least, induce roadrage in some, are illegal in probably about every state, and are dangerous. Know a little bit about aerodynamics? Two trucks beside each other create a venturi. This causes each of your 30,000+lb, 60 ft long hurtling collections of aluminum, fiberglass, rubber and steel to want to suck towards the center of the lanes into each other...not good. Lets not mention how it's also outright illegal for you to be in the right lane in most of the parts of I-40 and I-20 where I witnessed it. I guess you can't read the signs that are prominently posted in many places along those highways.

-Trucker issue #3- don't even think about trying to pass when an uphill slope is coming. I know that Cummings or Cat Diesel under the hood has a boatload of torque, but it's got the power to weight ratio of 1974 Caddilac Deville with a Geo Metro 3 cylinder under the hood.

-And the A$$hole Award of this trip goes to the retired Marine in the fairly new burgundy Cadillac. You had placed a multitude of stickers all over it proclaiming your affiliation with that fine service. I passed you while you were doing about 65 mph in a 70 and properly used the left lane while you were in the right. I was doing about 78 so it's not like I "rocked" your car as I passed. You proceeded to pass me several minutes later doing in excess of 90 and then decelerated to stay beside the car in the right lane and block me from passing you again. This ensued for the next twenty minutes until the car you were providing mutual support to (see definition at the beginning of this post) exited the highway. I then passed you at a reasonable rate whereupon you rolled your window down and threw your cup of coffee at the side of my rental car. Wow...just wow. Hey, Gunny, why don't you pull off at the next rest stop, pop a Zanax, and pound a fifth of cheap gin.

//RANT SWITCH OFF//

Well, I'm about exhausted after that one. Feel free to add, critique, or make fun of me.

BP

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful!

[F1Flagger]

Originally Posted by mschrube

So I find myself having (what i think) interesting driving habits.
For one: I hate being behind a car on the highway whether they are going just as fast as I want or not. Id rather be first.
two: I always look at someone when I pass them
three: I think of other people on the road as my competition so I always have to catch them and pass them

What kind of interesting driving habits do you have?

As a professional Driver Trainer;
unsafe, immature. Hate to be harsh but....
I teach people to drive professionally. Patience on the road is a big part of it.
Direct your competitive impulses to Track days or Solo Events. Not the highway.

[chachacha28]

i spun my old e30 out on the autobahn because i thought i was a racecar driver. 2 lanes merged to one, i was tripling the speed limit, and i did a 180 before i knew what was going on. i barely missed two cars, slid right in-between them. It could of been a bad day. fortunatly it was a 40 euro ticket and 50 euro tow out.

[Ash83]

Originally Posted by fboutlaw

Get this out of you at the track. You give us a bad name (and high insurance rates).

Highways = defensive driving. There are already enough idiots out there.
Track/AutoX = get the crazy out.

well said..

[propkaPT]

Nice thread and ill be happy to contribute some of my pet peeves and driving habits

1. DONT F@#king drink and drive. I know too many young smart people die or nearly get killed by a drunk driver. This is so selfish and irresponsible and even though you may be young and not understand how it will mess you up emotionally and financially if you take someones life...it will. Take a goddamn cab...they even do it on Jersey Shore

2. Stop riding my ass. When someone does this i purposely slow down and when you finally pass I will laugh at you. One of these days im going to slam on the breaks and take you to court just for spite.

3. This goes along with the first point...If you think you are a racing driver...take it to the track...drag strip...auto x. Its so much more fun and cheaper than speeding tickets.

4. I notice that i dont use turn signals when theres no one around me but i do use them as a courtesy to other drivers. Its kind of like asking permission to merge.

5. I hate how lax the drivers license tests are. In europe you have to prove you can drive a car...not just park, 3 point turn, etc. If we make the test harder and provide more driver training...we will prevent accidents/ deaths