Which Traffic Transgression Bothers You The Most on The Road?

foxpants on 01/12/2021 - 16:24
Last edited 01/12/2021 - 17:08 by 1 other user

Wether its a calm "what's this cabbage up to?" or vein busting anger outbursts at the wilful dangerous stupidity you just witnessed, what is it that people do when driving / sharing our roads that annoys you the most?

Hoons? Speeding? Driving too slow? Drivers on phones? Right lane hogs? Inattention? Failing to stop, give way, indicate? Cyclists?

Riding a motorcycle, not stopping/giving way winds me up, I always feel like they haven't seen me but it seems to be intentional most of the time. And bloody mobile phones.

Automotive

Comments

    • GG57 on 01/12/2021 - 16:49

      You should share your experiences from traffic in India with @CrispyChrispy above. I've never heard so many car horns at one time.

      • CocaKoala on 01/12/2021 - 23:49
        +4

        I've never heard so many car horns at one time.

        You'll realise it's more of a means of communication once you visit India and be on those roads. Most of the honks are to let other drivers know something like "Hey, I'm coming around this corner - anybody on that side take note".

        • factor on 02/12/2021 - 08:26

          In China the road rules actually require you to honk! It's used to let another driver know you are there - why rely only on their mirrors.

          • CocaKoala on 02/12/2021 - 16:48
            +1

            @factor: Wow, that's interesting to know. I suppose with that kind of traffic density and roads it might actually make sense.

    • snooksy on 02/12/2021 - 08:36
      +3

      Indian drivers impress you? Wow. Indian cars are covered in dents and scratches. Indian drivers use the horn constantly and it’s deafening. Not sure I would ever want that here.

      • Caped Baldy on 02/12/2021 - 09:17
        +5

        They've got one of the highest road mortality rates too.

        • slow on 02/12/2021 - 10:59
          +5

          I didn't say they were good drivers, or that I felt very safe on the roads. The point I was making is that people are patient and don't get angry with each other. I have never seen road rage in India even though people do crazy things on the roads. Here I see road rage just about every day.

          • pharkurnell on 03/12/2021 - 10:17
            +1

            @slow:

            I have never seen road rage in India

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukznXQ3MgN0 /s
            nsfw

            • Archi on 03/12/2021 - 10:35

              @pharkurnell: to be fair

              road raging indians isn't the same thing as road rage in india.

              but still funny as hell…

            • snoopster on 04/12/2021 - 20:24

              @pharkurnell: Little known fact about that meme, its England not India.

              Someone said it in the YT comments, but other the things I noticed from the video are that they are saying 'innit' and the buildings don't look Indian.

    • Brianqpr on 02/12/2021 - 20:43

      Bali is kind of like this too.

    • iDroid on 03/12/2021 - 22:37

      India, no one would bother road raging - you couldn't be heard over the horns!!

      I don't think the extra minute is what matters to rage drivers up. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's typically the feeling of inconsideration or an act of intentional annoyance that get's people raging.

      None of these acts are acceptable on the road (inconsideration, acts of intentional annoyance or road rage) - they're all childish.

  • GG57 on 01/12/2021 - 16:48
    +7

    Phones, definitely. It is usually the cause of the other transgressions you see.

  • Bid Sniper on 01/12/2021 - 16:48
    +9

    Why are people constantly looking for things to be "outraged" over?

    • GG57 on 01/12/2021 - 16:50
      +3

      To be fair, OP didn't mention 'outraged'.

    • pharkurnell on 01/12/2021 - 16:50

      to get LIKES on their social whinging pages…

    • Brianqpr on 02/12/2021 - 20:42

      Do you mean like you getting outraged over this thread?

  • freefall101 on 01/12/2021 - 16:51
    +20

    People who just shouldn't be driving a car. I get in a car with some people and they're distracted, don't know how to go through intersections, wind up in the wrong lane and almost hit people changing lanes because they panic, drive at erratic speeds, don't signal changing lanes, drift over lines and think they're a perfectly fine driver. I've been flat out terrified getting a lift home from some people I work with.

    I can't wait until automated cars are the norm. People worry about how an AI would decide what to do in a complex scenario, I know people who would be staring at their phone through that complex scenario, oblivious to it all.

    That and people who don't use cruise control on freeways. Go to overtake them and they suddenly speed up, drop back behind them and they slow down again.

    • pharkurnell on 01/12/2021 - 16:58
      -5

      I can't wait until automated cars are the norm

      not everyone is a shit driver.. and some people enjoy driving and touring. Like most things, why should so many suffer due to so few.?

      • freefall101 on 01/12/2021 - 17:07
        +4

        I never said anything about banning driving, I expect most people will let the convenience take over and never touch the wheel again. Then we can bring in stricter licensing requirements as the risks will outweigh the benefits of letting anyone have a license (i.e. right now we still give drunk drivers their licenses back after a short time, because cars are seen as a necessity. Eventually we can just take it off them and know they can still drive to work).

        People who enjoy driving will be able to drive, bad drivers can play on the mobile phones while the AI drives, we all win.

        • BobLim on 01/12/2021 - 23:15

          Not really. IMO more automation will inevitably just lead to more cars on the road, meaning more congestion and worse outcomes for everyone.

          While the disinterested sit in their automated cars having a nap or doing work, those who need to get places and have to drive themselves (let's be honest -
          the less wealthy) will be wasting their lives stuck in traffic behind the people who would've usually taken public transport.

          Just as there would presumably be more parking spots available when the incompetents can't park their favoured large SUV, before self-parking features get so cheap and so good that any idiot can squeeze their massive shitbox into any spot without being able to drive.

    • papachris on 02/12/2021 - 02:35
      +8

      I was with you until you said:

      people who don't use cruise control on freeways

      1. A lot of cars don't have cruise control.
      2. You can easy overcome cruise control to "suddenly speed up" and "slow down again", so it's irrelevant.
      3. The problem isn't NOT using cruise control, it's just that a lot of people are a*holes…
      • freefall101 on 02/12/2021 - 09:31

        Good point. I guess I'm thinking of modern cars that clearly have it and a driver whose brain is disconnected from their foot because it's all over the place. I couldn't imagine needing to touch the cruise control on the freeway (except to deal with other cars) but I guess some people do.

        I just want them to drive consistently, regardless of the process they do that.

    • Bren20 on 02/12/2021 - 09:19
      +1

      I much prefer the rare cruise control leap frog, where you overtake them, then they overtake you, then you repeat this process 10 times as they can't keep a constant speed

  • tsunamisurfer on 01/12/2021 - 16:56
    +20

    I am a cyclist, I love riding as an exercise.

    I abhor cyclists riding in groups 2 or 3 abreast, when there is only one lane.

    Then have the WTF look when people get upset.

    • WhyAmICommenting on 01/12/2021 - 22:13
      -1

      Not a cyclist (for > 20 years) but 2 abreast is legal in qld.

      • Morphio25 on 02/12/2021 - 08:39
        +10

        Just because it's legal doesn't mean you should do it. Anyone who cycles 2 abreast on a one lane road is pretty naive if they expect that cars are going to sit behind them as they cycle along 2 abreast at 25km/h. They're just putting themselves in danger.

        • Kivharo on 02/12/2021 - 14:03

          I think there's plenty to be said here for how many cyclists.
          2 lines 20 riders long is far safer for the cyclists, and much quicker / easier for cars to overtake than row of 40. Let's not fail to mention that by law you still need 1.5 meters to overtake. So it's not like you can just sneak past because they're single file.

          I of course acknowledge, that we should all be mindful of our surroundings, and in smaller groups we should endeavour not to "be in anyones way"

      • plasmog on 02/12/2021 - 18:48
        +3

        Its legal to drive 45km/ hr in a 60 zone too, let's all do whatever we can legally get away with regardless of how stupid it is.

  • Archi on 01/12/2021 - 16:57
    +22

    when someone speeds up in the left hand side to cut in because there is a blockage there.
    - they can clearly see the blockage
    - they can clearly see other cars are merging earlier
    - they have plenty of opportunity to merge further back in the queue.

    but choose to speed up past everyone that was in front of them to cut in.

    • Mike88 on 01/12/2021 - 19:37
      +6

      It is generally more efficient to merge at the end of the lane rather than early on.

      • tiernanv on 01/12/2021 - 22:34
        +4

        Yep thats right. It's actually proven that merging later is more efficient than merging later in heavy traffic. See Zipper merge

        In flowing traffic it doesn't matter where a car merges in the other lane

        • BobLim on 01/12/2021 - 23:20

          In flowing traffic it doesn't matter where a car merges in the other lane

          Great, with this logic, therefore if you tear up the left lane and get stuck behind the obstruction for 2 hours unable to cut in, then the flow wasn't impacted and everyone's happy

        • Hoofee on 02/12/2021 - 11:25
          +3

          It might be more efficient but it is disrespectful to those that have been waiting in the queue.

          Most of the time the queues aren't super long that you need the efficiency of zipper. Therefore, they are just disrespectful queue jumper aholes.

          Their time isn't any more important than mine.

          For those that do this queue jumping, you know that 99% of the time the zipper argument is just you trying to justify to yourself that you aren't the ahole, but alas.

          • ConsumerAffairs on 04/12/2021 - 12:19

            @Hoofee: I'm sorry but if you're going to merge 500 metres before the lane ends when the traffic is already at a stand still I'm going to zip past you along with the 20 cars behind me and merge ahead of you. People that merge earlier than they should be are the ones creating the traffic behind them.

        • nomadspartan on 04/12/2021 - 10:21

          What if it's not in flowing traffic?

      • cameldownunder on 02/12/2021 - 08:33

        Agree, but most people don't. They speed down the left lane, and if they see an opening they get in, or if they have a ute, they force their way in, resulting in 3 cars from the left, and one from the right to merge.

        My resolve to that, is to exit middle lane, into to the left, and then keep level with the car who was in front of me, till we merge, then fall back and get in behind the car.

        Yes, pisses most of the left lane speeders off

    • snooksy on 02/12/2021 - 08:39

      It depends on whether the getting ahead and merging will contribute to further slow down. If it will then I wouldn’t do it. It it would cause others to slow down then I wouldn’t. There needs to be enough room to get far enough ahead not to cause any slow downs.

    • tomlikesbeetroot on 05/12/2021 - 00:01

      For me that's a mild irritation, what really gets on my nerves is when other drivers come to a complete stop in the left hand lane several hundred meters before it ends in order to wait for a gap to merge.

      Seems to occur regularly in Perth, but never seen it in any other city in Australia or other parts of the world.

      • loki niflheim on 17/12/2021 - 22:02

        It comes with experience I think, and knowing the kind of traffic you deal with. It's not one of those things they test you to get your licence (how to merge in a traffic jam/road construction/accident slowdown).

        When I first started driving because I was anxious to merge I try to merge as soon as, when the cars won't let me in I'll start driving slower ahead to find other cars that would let me in. I know now that in most cases drivers would let you merge in, one car at a time, and I know to judge just when I need to absolutely stop before I hit the cones and balance the two. That said, since the last time I drove in Broadie and Campbellfield I refuse to drive there now as the cars there won't let you merge if you end up on the wrong lane so I ended up on the right lane of through traffic in unfamiliar area.

  • John Kimble on 01/12/2021 - 16:57
    +7

    All of the above?

    • Kangal on 01/12/2021 - 22:25
      +1

      One thing not mentioned, are drivers in an accident.

      Especially if they caused it. I found a lot of times I almost got into an accident, through other party, but avoided collision through perception, anticipation, and using good olde common sense.

      Most accidents are avoidable.

  • JTTheMan on 01/12/2021 - 16:58
    +10

    Moving into the left lane to turn right, as if they are driving a semi-trailer
    Treating a give-way sign like a stop sign
    Treating a form one lane sign like a merge lane

  • battler on 01/12/2021 - 17:01
    +4

    Indecisiveness.

  • SF3 on 01/12/2021 - 17:01
    +14

    People intentionally jumping a queue.

    • John Kimble on 01/12/2021 - 18:53

      I change my answer to this

    • factor on 02/12/2021 - 08:50
      +1

      And then getting antsy when they need to obey the merge yield line at the end!

    • Gnilgorf on 02/12/2021 - 13:17
      +2

      This has definitely been my driving peeve of late, especially when the queue extends so far back it crosses a traffic light intersection, and they use the break to cut in.

      A lot of the time it ends up with the lights changing, and they end up blocking the perpendicular traffic too.

  • Archi on 01/12/2021 - 17:05
    +1

    just let go…

    nothing you can do can change the way some people are on the road. don't lower yourself to their level by raging, getting angry or mimicking their behaviour.

    enjoy your ride you'll be a happier person.

  • zanlation on 01/12/2021 - 17:09
    +27

    Tailgating is my pet hate. It puts me and the driver behind me at risk of an accident if I need to brake suddenly.

    • FLICKIT on 01/12/2021 - 17:41
      +4

      Tailgating is my #1 annoyance also, it distracts me and puts me on edge…

    • Ryanek on 01/12/2021 - 18:27
      +3

      Next time, give your windshields a squirt of water.

      • esosite on 01/12/2021 - 23:14
        +26

        lol what are you smoking?
        you sound like a serial tailgater blaming others for it.

        tailgating is real, and I agree with the above, its a stress inducing thing that won't get either me or them to their destination any quicker

      • pegaxs on 02/12/2021 - 08:17
        +12

        Hahah, pull your head in, @elixe. Your inability to budget your time is not my problem.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/12/2021 - 16:51

          haha harsh words from the volvo/prius driving accountant

        • snooksy on 05/12/2021 - 09:46

          My time is precious so get out of the way. If you want to drive slow in your Camry then merge to the left hand lane. I often work 7 days a week and have to get across the city from one side to another to multiple work sites. Don’t be a fool and drive 10km under the speed limit, play on your phone or be too busy talking to the person beside you and instead focus on your driving at the speed limit.

      • downbythecreek on 02/12/2021 - 09:12
        +2

        Anybody who drives AT the speed limit on the motorway regularly, regardless of lane, will be tailgated with reasonable frequency. There will always be chumps who want to speed and weave in/out of traffic. I guess these kinds of drivers probably don't ever get tailgated though….

        • snooksy on 05/12/2021 - 09:47

          This is because speedometers are down rated by about 5% at 100km/h. If you drive 103 according to the meter then it’s closer to 100km. So if you drive on 100 get in the left lane. So 105km/h on the speedo is more like 102. You won’t get a ticket doing 2km over the actual speed. 106km/h upwards on the speedo is actually over the speed limit to a point where you may get a fine if the cops can be bothered with the paperwork.

          I generally sit on 110km/h by the speedo and I haven’t had a speeding ticket in over a decade of daily driving. I’ve even had police cars with me driving at 110km and not gotten a fine.

          I think most people know and accept this about the speedometer.

          If you want to drive slow then get in the left lane. I hardly tailgate because I don’t like it when someone does it to me but I will do it on the freeway if someone is driving below 95 in the right hand lane on the freeway and I can’t get around them.

          They simply should not be there. The rules are to keep left unless overtaking.

          • downbythecreek on 09/12/2021 - 13:28

            @snooksy: I use the GPS to measure speed and always stay left if not overtaking, I still get tailgated reasonably frequently, so unsure what the point of the essay is.

          • loki niflheim on 17/12/2021 - 22:13

            @snooksy: I repeatedly speed check my car coming out of Geelong, I know 100km is 1mm over the 100km line on my speedometer. Whatever standards everyone else is going, if I ever get ticketed I'll show them my speed check results from that!

      • cashless on 02/12/2021 - 09:57

        Oh my, I really don't want this guy following me on the Freeway, he sounds angry and he's not even driving (or maybe he posted from his car?)

        • [Deactivated] on 02/12/2021 - 12:02
          -5

          Nah country driver who hasn't had to deal with city expats whose only experience is driving to Westfields and dropping the kids off since covid. They ride the brake all the time and have a myopic perspective on country roads failing to perceive and respond to predictable driving events when faced with higher speeds and more varied driving conditions.
          NOTED: 'freeway' don't do much country driving do you

      • UFO on 05/12/2021 - 02:02
        -1

        @elixe

        Damn it… I've run out of negs due to the ridiculous comments already posted above/before you, but I really really really want to give you one too! (so very much deserving)

        It's your type of driving attitude that causes so many problems on the road. YOU are the reason police are so busy doing traffic. I hope they catch up with you soon, as you need a major adjustment to your driving manner.

      • Praer on 10/12/2021 - 09:55
        +1

        Not sure why you got so many negs. The driving tips are spot on.

        Generally ive found people that do get tail gated are oblivious to being tail gated, or exceptionally thick skinned , or maybe deliberately trying to provoke others?

        Also i dont get the stress thing. If i happen to get tail gated (generally on the highway when there's 5 cars in front of me and the retard behind me seems to think they'll magically shoot past every one), ill just move out of the way. I can only control my actions and considering the safety of my family ill let these guys go ahead.

        I'd much rather these guys in front rather than behind me where i have limited visibility.

    • papachris on 02/12/2021 - 02:41
      +3

      ^^^ WARNING: TAILGATER ABOVE ^^^…

    • Morphio25 on 02/12/2021 - 08:43
      +3

      I suddenly find my windscreen is in urgent need of excessive washing when I have someone tailgating me.

      • twinbag on 02/12/2021 - 18:42

        I get the urge to turn my lights on, makes them think you're braking.

      • snooksy on 05/12/2021 - 09:51
        +1

        How about focus on your Speedo and the road in front instead of washing your window. I’m not sure what that achieves anyway besides a clean window.

        • Morphio25 on 05/12/2021 - 19:34

          Judging by your comment you sound like a tailgater.

    • loki niflheim on 17/12/2021 - 22:25

      I've learnt to ignore tailgating. I treat them as someone who need to get somewhere RTFN. When I can merge back to left (usually I'm on the right lane because there's a conga of slow cars on the left so I have to find a gap I can safely merge back) I would and let them through, but if I can't I just ignore them. My safety is #1, everyone else's safety is #2 and the safety of the tailgater behind me who don't even care about his/her own safety is dead last. Sometimes I see a car panic being tailgated and would merge back to the left when there's little gap, causing all the cars behind it to brake. Dude, why would you compromise yours and everyone's safety for the a-hole behind you?

      One thing though, I drive a low car so when I get tailgated by higher car (like a UTE) at night, their headlights reflects off the rear mirror and often reduces road visibility to the left. In these cases, even if I want to merge back to the left lane to let them through sometimes I can't see if the left lane is clear or not, so I just stay on my lane where I can see the road barrier on my right side and the rear lights of the cars ahead. One time I flicked the rear mirror to rectify this problem but found changing it back once they've driven past was too difficult so I don't do that anymore.

      These things don't happen to me too often thankfully.

  • takloohaivan on 01/12/2021 - 17:13
    +4

    If he is driving faster than you then he is crazy, if he is driving slower than you then he is stupid and if he driving along with you means the bugger wants to race with you.

  • bongom on 01/12/2021 - 17:22
    +2

    Queue jumpers and mobile phone use.

  • darshu on 01/12/2021 - 17:26
    +8

    Not giving way when changing lanes, not indicating when turning/ or changing lanes, not stopping at stop signs, trying to squeeze their vehicle when there is not enough space and I have to hit brakes.

  • jizmo on 01/12/2021 - 17:41

    Council stupid planning.
    Before 1 lane service road next to freeway had a slip so someone turning left had 100meters of new braking lane to slow and turn left.
    Council close that so now everyone has to slow to 20Ks while the car a head turns left.
    Same deal getting on a main road they closed the speed up and slip in lane so now you have to give way to cars coming at you at 80KLH instead of having a 200 meter merge lane.

    • cameldownunder on 02/12/2021 - 08:35
      +3

      People slowing down on the freeway, even if there is an exit lane.

  • [Deactivated] on 01/12/2021 - 17:43
    +12

    people not doing the speed limit , i can't stand it …really makes my blood boil.

    this isn't just L or P platers either but fully licensed drivers, i am very lenient towards L and P platers, i find myself having to overtake and get away from them before some idiot rear ends me because he's in a hurry or i end up in a car pile-up on the highway.

    there's a huge difference between being in a rush and actually being held up by incompetent drivers , i just want to traverse my journey in the most efficient way possible without being put at risk because someone doesn't have the confidence just to maintain their speed …especially in dry weather , wet weather i can understand the need for a reduced speed in general.

    my issue isn't that i am pressed for time (bad time management) , or that i don't maintain a safe gap (which i do given the expensive car i drive). my issue is these drivers who are incapable of doing the speed limit become a hindrance and safety hazard to those around them , geriatric people i can understand.

    it also goes without saying that it slows the flow of traffic as well and delays peoples travel time significantly , the sooner you are off the road (pull into wherever you needed to go) congestion gets eased slightly. if everyone did the speed limit and were competent drivers it would also reduce overall driver stress and fatigue caused by traffic as a whole.

    what makes matters worse is so many people don't even know how to check their own Tyre pressures or have a general understanding of basic car maintenance items until something bad happens or someone else points it out.

    Defensive driver training should be a compulsory item before even obtaining your license , period. ( i have done both Advanced and Defensive driver training in addition to frequenting the race track on both my cars and motorbikes )

    • cameldownunder on 02/12/2021 - 08:39
      +6

      In "Speed Limit" they forgot "Maximum", because they thought it was obvious, so let me explain that to you: it is "Maximum Speed Limit" as in don't go faster than.

      If everyone observes the 3 second rules, a lower speed allows for more cars to pass through a bottleneck.

      • akashra on 02/12/2021 - 19:20
        +1

        It's crazy the way people treat the absolute maximum signposted limit as a speed obligation.

      • ctg on 03/12/2021 - 08:09
        +2

        The three second rule doesn't directly relate to people driving the speed limit. Someone driving at 45km/h in a 60 zone is going to cause higher risk of an accident due to buffering, overtaking and remerging than someone driving close to the stated limit.

        • cameldownunder on 04/12/2021 - 08:38

          If everyone would drive 45 km/h there would be significantly less accidents, and obviously less severe. Why do you think the speed in school zones is 40km/h. Lot of other countries have 30km/h zone for side roads. The buffering, overtaking and remerging risks are because of the road cowboys, trying to save 2 minutes of a 30 minute trip.

          • snooksy on 05/12/2021 - 09:57

            @cameldownunder: If everyone drove 45km/h there would be no point in driving. Plus I would refuse to go back into the office because my journey of 150km per day would take around 6 hours to complete. Gees, lowering speed limits is the worst.

            • cameldownunder on 05/12/2021 - 21:43

              @snooksy: 45km/h in the city / suburbia. 80 countryside and 100 highway. ( happy ? )

              • snooksy on 06/12/2021 - 10:16

                @cameldownunder: No. I live in suburbia. Speed limits need increasing not decreasing. Cars are safer than ever. Roads are safer than ever. You can’t stop the 1% being fools and plying with their phones or drink / drug driving. Instead we all have to suffer lower speed limits for the minority.

    • Grunntt on 02/12/2021 - 10:30
      -1

      i find myself having to overtake and get away from them before some idiot rear ends me because he's in a hurry or i end up in a car pile-up on the highway.

      So, once you have managed to escape to safety these numerous times - when you look back in your rearview mirror, how many of these rear-end/car pile-ups have you actually seen happen right there and then? My guess is you haven't seen any happen to that space you just vacated but you still feel justified in speeding away 'just in case'.

    • 900dollaridoos on 02/12/2021 - 14:29

      One way to solve this would be to have speedo quality regulations more standardised and compliance checked more often/easily. Half the time slow drivers are just following their faulty speedos rather than gps speed. The other half they are not using cruise control and lack the discipline to stay steady.

  • El cheepo on 01/12/2021 - 17:53
    +10

    Lack of understanding of roundabouts, especially multi lane ones.

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 01/12/2021 - 18:10
    +7

    Turning left at roundabouts, without indicating.

    • The General on 01/12/2021 - 23:42
      +3

      … When you are waiting to give way to them when you didn't have to.

    • Caped Baldy on 02/12/2021 - 09:17
      +2

      Turning without indicating…

  • TEER3X on 01/12/2021 - 18:13

    Drivers wearing thongs instead of appropriate footwear

    • John Kimble on 01/12/2021 - 18:39
      +3

      How do you even know, do you have xray vision?

      • TEER3X on 01/12/2021 - 19:02
        +4

        If I did, I'd play black jack for a living

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