Calm attitude to driving? What's it like where you are?

[TheKman76]

I live in Australia and we have a system for young drivers to learn which includes two years of only accompanied driving with a fully licensed passenger/instructor. I've been watching Youtube dash cam videos with my 16yo as they're *very* instructive in the art of what *not* to do behind the wheel. Putting side the utter stupidity of some people, it appears to me that a lot of the trouble we've watched could be saved with the judicious application of patience.

Where I live we're accustomed to the constant slow movement of traffic and through five days a week of two-way peak-hour I could go weeks as a time without observing a single aggressive driver. Personally I seek out the nearest and largest trucks to follow, just because they tend to move at a more consistent speed. If I had 10 gears to sort though I'd be consistent too! Respect to the truckies (truckers for you Americans) out there by the way.

The very few things that get me worked up are usually around basic courteous... merging badly, idling in the fast lane, lack of indicators, simple stuff that everyone should be able to do well.

What's it like where you are?

 

[JeffMcLeod]

Completely horrible where I live, although I'm sure the fact that I'm old and bitter makes it even worse.

Now get off my lawn!

 

[paul-e-mann]

Retards on the road here, native Marylanders are the stupidest drivers. They stop at green lights, go at red lights, dont stop at stop signs and dont use their blinkers, not to mention they drive slow as $h!t. My theory is they dont have mental hospitals here, that they put the mentally ill in a car with a full tank and let them drive round and round! Its just mind boggling for the wealthiest and most educated state in the country!

 

[PelliX]

On a bit of a tangent; I'm convinced there's a correlation between warmer weather and poor driving. The warmer it gets here (continental Europe) - the worse people behave on the road. A fair deal of that is just "being dozy" rather than aggression, but I'm positive this correlation exists. As your driving (despite what some claim) does not affect the weather, I'm sure it's the weather causing it. I understand an elevation of aggrevation if you're hot and sweaty but most people have AC here. It seems global, too - not just cars; mopeds, cyclists, pedestrians...

@TheKman76 do you witness the same? Anyone else?

 

[Deftone]

I'm in California. People using their phones while driving, all the time. It's ridiculous. Lots of road rage, drivers are very rude. Then there's a handful of idiots who yield the right of way to someone, thinking they are doing a good deed while simultaneously blocking multiple drivers behind them. It's insane.

 

[mirrorman]

On a bit of a tangent; I'm convinced there's a correlation between warmer weather and poor driving. The warmer it gets here (continental Europe) - the worse people behave on the road. A fair deal of that is just "being dozy" rather than aggression, but I'm positive this correlation exists. As your driving (despite what some claim) does not affect the weather, I'm sure it's the weather causing it. I understand an elevation of aggrevation if you're hot and sweaty but most people have AC here. It seems global, too - not just cars; mopeds, cyclists, pedestrians...

@TheKman76 do you witness the same? Anyone else?

I tend to agree with you, but will add that in my observation this mostly happens with younger, less experienced drivers. They are out of school for the summer and are therefore on the roads a lot more.
There are occasions though where I wonder if somebody is suffering from a fried brain due to the heat...

 

[BlueX]

Its just mind boggling for the wealthiest and most educated state in the country!

I'm convinced there's a correlation between warmer weather and poor driving.

So we not only have a correlation with weather, but also with wealth and education. Are we revealing a well hidden thruth?

Swedish dash cam compilations are the most boring in the world, and so is the traffic, luckily. We have our problems, but I never see the crazy stuff recorded in other places. There is actually some degree of cooperation in the most crowded places. Smaller cities can have worse attitude.

Hopefully the conclusion is not that we have bad weather, are poor, and without education.

Edit: I can add that "Ghost Rider" is Swedish, before anyone else comments.

 

[purpleplexi]

In Spain people drive very non-aggressively but standards are low. No-one knows how to use a roundabout for example.
Back in the UK everyone is on the last lap of their home grand prix every minute of the day.
It'll be interesting if anyone anywhere in the world chimes in and says their drivers are calm, skillful, polite and aware.
I'm told drivers in Scandinavian countries are very good.

 

[PelliX]

So we not only have a correlation with weather, but also with wealth and education. Are we revealing a well hidden thruth?

Well, I see the logic behind those who lack experience making mistakes - that applies to anything, I guess. Wealth and education? I don't know. I did read an interesting article about the best drivers and those who learn it the fastest having lower levels of education, as the 'higher educated' individuals overthink things and thus may be hesistant. I sure like to use that excuse to my advantage, despite not being educated on paper.

Typically the two 'types' (or stereotypes) of people that piss me off are the 'ignorant' kind like a 30-40 y.o. lady the other day; the parked her car on the right hand side of the street, got out and while checking her phone walked backwards into traffic (me) intending (presumably) to cross the road. I saw it coming and stopped. Try that with a frigging lorry next time...

The other type are generally men of about 30-40 who insist on pushing past you at an amber light and then give you the finger because you did the right thing. Or push you off the road because they decide that 79 is not acceptable in an 80 zone. [mumbles, shakes fist, more mumbling]

 

[chocol8]

In the rural areas around here people tend to drive with more patience and little aggression. In the city, it is more of a mix, but even the worst days are nothing like I see in NYC, Boston, Philly, Atlanta etc. We also don't have the driving corpses you find in Floriduh.

 

[Dogs of Doom]

On a bit of a tangent; I'm convinced there's a correlation between warmer weather and poor driving. The warmer it gets here (continental Europe) - the worse people behave on the road. A fair deal of that is just "being dozy" rather than aggression, but I'm positive this correlation exists. As your driving (despite what some claim) does not affect the weather, I'm sure it's the weather causing it. I understand an elevation of aggrevation if you're hot and sweaty but most people have AC here. It seems global, too - not just cars; mopeds, cyclists, pedestrians...

@TheKman76 do you witness the same? Anyone else?

the only problem w/ that, is, here, in SoCal, some of the worst driving starts on black friday & lasts a week or so into the new year...

I'm in California. People using their phones while driving, all the time. It's ridiculous. Lots of road rage, drivers are very rude. Then there's a handful of idiots who yield the right of way to someone, thinking they are doing a good deed while simultaneously blocking multiple drivers behind them. It's insane.

yep...

used to have driver's ed, in public school. They don't anymore. In that class, they used to stress, that, when you are driving, that is your only task at hand. Drive & do nothing else. Do not be distracted. Your job is to drive safe. Not to be the DJ, the main source of entertainment in the car, talk on the phone, play video games, watch movies, text, eat a 3 course meal, read a newspaper, do your make-up, have sex, etc... DRIVE!

Nowdays, people get behind the wheel & do everything but drive... while they are driving...

also... courtesy. If you turn on your turn signal to change lanes, that triggers the car, in the lane next to you, to floor it, so they can ride the bumper of the car in front of them & block you from changing lanes - so, in many cases, the only way to make a lane change is to not use your indicator light. You just have to barge your way over & muscle your way into the lane...

Too many people are in a hurry... so much so, that they pass to the right. You can be going 80-90 MPH & want to start working your way to the right & they'll be passing you non-stop on the right, so you can't get out of the lane you're in, to move over...

Trucks. SoCal are on a mission to be a logistics hub, residents be damned. Traffic laws say truckers are only supposed to occupy the slow 2 lanes, but, there's so many trucks these days, they often occupy all lanes on the freeway. They make it difficult too, because when you are in a normal car, stuck between 50 trucks & trying to get over, or maneuver around them, can be quite dangerous.

Some truck drivers act like they are driving a small sport's car, weaving in & out of traffic, not really caring about trailer length, so, you better watch out.

Motorcyclists... ride like bats out of hell & w/ their demanding of lane-splitting, they are a danger to everyone, mostly themselves, but, when they come riding up, to pass you in your lane, going considerably faster than you & you do not know, that they are invading your space, then act like you owe them the right of way - they blame you for their reckless riding...

 

[circles]

Folks didn't used to drive 'like they do now' in my area. With the massive influx of people, combined with their lack of driving skills, it's gotten to the point where I avoid driving unless I absolutely have to.

 

[PelliX]

Too many people are in a hurry... so much so, that they pass to the right.

My instructor told me something that stuck; "there are people who are in an authorized hurry. You can recognize them by the flashing lights and siren. The rest... are just impatient."

 

[TXOldRedRocker]

In Texas, people drive very fast here, and aggression is pretty normal in the big cities. Though not in the rural areas. I live on the outskirts of Houston. We have a giant loop called "The Grand Parkway." But it's commonly referred to as "The Grand Raceway."

The thing is huge. This article has a bunch of maps with the Grand Parkway overlayed on them. Shows how big and spread out the Houston area has gotten.

Grand Parkway is almost as big as some countries So you think the 88-mile Beltway 8 loop is impressive? Well the Grand Parkway toll road... www.chron.com

 

[Deftone]

the only problem w/ that, is, here, in SoCal, some of the worst driving starts on black friday & lasts a week or so into the new year...
yep...

used to have driver's ed, in public school. They don't anymore. In that class, they used to stress, that, when you are driving, that is your only task at hand. Drive & do nothing else. Do not be distracted. Your job is to drive safe. Not to be the DJ, the main source of entertainment in the car, talk on the phone, play video games, watch movies, text, eat a 3 course meal, read a newspaper, do your make-up, have sex, etc... DRIVE!

Nowdays, people get behind the wheel & do everything but drive... while they are driving...

also... courtesy. If you turn on your turn signal to change lanes, that triggers the car, in the lane next to you, to floor it, so they can ride the bumper of the car in front of them & block you from changing lanes - so, in many cases, the only way to make a lane change is to not use your indicator light. You just have to barge your way over & muscle your way into the lane...

Too many people are in a hurry... so much so, that they pass to the right. You can be going 80-90 MPH & want to start working your way to the right & they'll be passing you non-stop on the right, so you can't get out of the lane you're in, to move over...

Trucks. SoCal are on a mission to be a logistics hub, residents be damned. Traffic laws say truckers are only supposed to occupy the slow 2 lanes, but, there's so many trucks these days, they often occupy all lanes on the freeway. They make it difficult too, because when you are in a normal car, stuck between 50 trucks & trying to get over, or maneuver around them, can be quite dangerous.

Some truck drivers act like they are driving a small sport's car, weaving in & out of traffic, not really caring about trailer length, so, you better watch out.

Motorcyclists... ride like bats out of hell & w/ their demanding of lane-splitting, they are a danger to everyone, mostly themselves, but, when they come riding up, to pass you in your lane, going considerably faster than you & you do not know, that they are invading your space, then act like you owe them the right of way - they blame you for their reckless riding...

I ride a motorcycle and I ride faster than the speed of traffic. But it's mostly out of sheer terror. I've been run over, run into, and run off the road more times than I can count. I lane split because I don't want to get rear ended and run over.

Towing my Toy Hauler home on Monday from Monterey, A guy pulls into my gap between me and the car in front of me and slams on the brakes. Happens all the time. I only have a car and a half length of space and that's not nearly enough. But if I hang back any more than that cars will constantly pull into my safety gap. I'm pulling a lot of weight and I can't stop that thing like a car, I have so many horror stories towing it's absurd.

Slow cars in the fast lane. In California the law is stay out of the passing lane unless you are passing. Slower traffic move right, regardless of speed. But people just camp out in the passing lane and impede traffic. Then people get engraged and try to pass on the left and it causes havoc. I've seen people reading in the fast lane while driving. Many times.

 

[TassieViking]

People never understand that the speed signs besides the road is indicating the maximum limit.
There is a large sign I drive past sometimes that says :

"80, its a limit,
not a challenge"

The writing is red and the word challenge looks like it has blood dripping from it, in all fairness it is placed at the bottom of a curvy hill that can have black ice any time of the year across the top.
Way too many people have had accidents on that road over the years.
Some years back they installed reflective markers between the lanes that have solar powered LED's in them that start to flash if it is cold enough to have "Black Ice" on the road.

I live in Tasmania at the bottom of Australia, I always say the easiest way to pick out the worst drivers in Tasmania is look for the cars with interstate number-plates.

 

[BlueX]

Well, I see the logic behind those who lack experience making mistakes - that applies to anything, I guess. Wealth and education? I don't know. I did read an interesting article about the best drivers and those who learn it the fastest having lower levels of education, as the 'higher educated' individuals overthink things and thus may be hesistant. I sure like to use that excuse to my advantage, despite not being educated on paper.

Typically the two 'types' (or stereotypes) of people that piss me off are the 'ignorant' kind like a 30-40 y.o. lady the other day; the parked her car on the right hand side of the street, got out and while checking her phone walked backwards into traffic (me) intending (presumably) to cross the road. I saw it coming and stopped. Try that with a frigging lorry next time...

The other type are generally men of about 30-40 who insist on pushing past you at an amber light and then give you the finger because you did the right thing. Or push you off the road because they decide that 79 is not acceptable in an 80 zone. [mumbles, shakes fist, more mumbling]

There are definitely differences between different places, but maybe bigger differences between individuals. When driving on the free-speed sections of DE Autobahn, most drivers drive well, but not all of them. Traffic in IT and ES can be confusing, although most drivers seem to pay attention, but again not all of them.

I know well educated people who have an arrogant attitude that others should get out of their way, and they act accordingly also in traffic. I know others with just basic, mandatory school behind them that have well developed sense of respect and cooperation (still with integrity).

I don't see any real conclusion here. One thing that bothers me though is the constant attention to screens that is taking over daily life. I don't want auto-driving, but maybe it will be necessary.

 

[PelliX]

One thing that bothers me though is the constant attention to screens that is taking over daily life.

...if only the *wind*screen and what lies beyond it would count for these people...

I don't want auto-driving, but maybe it will be necessary.

I think I'd rather take my chances between the suicidal, homicidal, sociopathic nutcases on the road rather than an automated system. Fortunately, there aren't that many where I live or go. Auto-drive or whatever you want to call it would just make people complacent and less skilled to recognize a dangerous situation arising on time. Strange as it may sound, I prefer being in the passenger seat of someone who's had an accident than someone who hasn't. To be fair, I've never had one on four wheels, but a fair few on two. Nothing too serious, but enough for me to understand what's at stake.

 

[Vinsanitizer]

Where I live, no one knows that:

An automobile is not your personal office or living room on the highway.
Stop signs are not suggestions.
Speed limits are not suggestions.
Turn signals are not optional.
Initiating your turn signal WHILE you're making the turn means you're doing it all wrong.
Merge signs mean YOU do NOT have the right of way.
"Jumping the gun" by taking a left in front of oncoming vehicles the second the light turns green, is illegal.
No one knows what to do anymore at a 4-way stop sign. I should record 15 mins of it sometime, it's hilarious.
Driving while using electronic devices is illegal.
Other drivers exist.
They aren't the sole owner of the highways.
The only person your $80K leased truck or sport car with vanity plates matters to, is you. (No, really - nobody else cares.)
Your $80K leased truck or sport car with vanity plates doesn't make you "special".
On a 3-lane highway where the speed limit is 60mph, the speed LIMIT is indeed, 60. That means if someone is driving anywhere below that in the right lane, you don't beep at the driver in front of you.
On a 3-lane highway where the speed limit is 60mph, the left lane is not the "Autobahn" lane: it's the passing lane. If you're not passing someone, GTFO of the lane.
No one knows what to do at an intersection circle (... or is that just me?).

And everyone knows that:
You were texting when you bash the hell out of the back of someone's car who was at a stop light.
You are texting when 5 cars make it through the green light and you're still sitting there like an @sshole.

 

[Lo-Tek]

It's not too bad around here. Some agressive drivers and speeders. The occasional minor road rage incident. Tourist season is obviously worse just because roads get crowded. Decent all in all.
TBH- I have been a pretty bad speeder at times in my life but am getting to be a little easier going.

Pet peeve around here is people refuse to turn their brights off. Metro Detroit people dimmed lights immediately but around here I'm always flashing people.

On a bit of a tangent; I'm convinced there's a correlation between warmer weather and poor driving. The warmer it gets here (continental Europe) - the worse people behave on the road. A fair deal of that is just "being dozy" rather than aggression, but I'm positive this correlation exists. As your driving (despite what some claim) does not affect the weather, I'm sure it's the weather causing it. I understand an elevation of aggrevation if you're hot and sweaty but most people have AC here. It seems global, too - not just cars; mopeds, cyclists, pedestrians...

@TheKman76 do you witness the same? Anyone else?

We get over-confident drivers in winter. Frequently somebody in a pickup/suv- wheels get out of the snow ruts and they go off the road or into oncoming traffic. People don't realize how important tires are for winter driving.
The flip side is we also have some drivers trying to navigate with two wheel drive and balding tread.