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Vindolanda posted:People seem to be under the impression that you NEVER stop at one - not even if there's a car you'll hit. You know how you get that line of people at a 4-way. Then when someone goes, the guy right behind him just decides to say 'gently caress it' and goes through the intersection, courtesy and traffic laws be damned? When you change that "STOP" to a "YIELD", suddenly it isn't just the 2nd guy, but basically everyone behind him goes as well until someone almost has an accident with somebody who is going through the roundabout. Or you get that idiot that doesn't understand you don't stop in the circle, and will stop. at. every. exit. to wave the drivers through, which leads to the first point, so now you're stuck in the middle of a traffic circle, behind someone who was being "nice" while a train of cars fly by because "YIELD means if the guy ahead of you is moving you can just follow him through and never at anytime means STOP." CovfefeCatCafe fucked around with this message at 14:17 on Sep 9, 2013 |
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Sep 9, 2013 14:14
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If dead brained driving is par for the course here, there is an intersection near my work (which shares an entrance with the local Wal-Mart), which I've had probably 90% of my close calls in the last 6 months at this one intersection. This one: Basically, two left turn lanes, which immediately lead into a left right 's'. Problem? That first entrance in the bottom corner there goes to Wal-Mart, so half of the dopes around here will sit in the outside lane, and either swing into the inside lane while making the left, or just barge over into the right hand lane in the middle of the 's' so they can make the turn into Wal-Mart. Since my work is at the other end of this plaza, I usually stick to the outside lane, but I've had countless near-misses of people just barging over and not knowing they're suppose to stay in their lane. One of particular note was a lady who I honked at for nearly putting me up the curb, who then proceeded to stay in the left lane all the way to the end of that road, then turn around and go all the way back to get to Starbucks (in the plaza on the corner in that picture). Terrible Ohio drivers aside, that intersection is poorly designed. It's impossible to see people coming around that s bend if you are trying to pull out of the Wal-Mart parking lot from that entrance (which is why I avoid it). Oh, and no, you can't just turn right and go out that way, because this intersection is the only way in and out of the shopping complex.
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Sep 10, 2013 03:17
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azflyboy posted:The same thing used to happen with airplanes, and still does occasionally. It's called the "Hoover Nozzle" and "Hoover Ring", named after Bob Hoover who became a big promoter of using them after some deck ape put Jet-A into his piston-powered Shrike Commander. Apparently there was just enough avgas to run the engines until they shut off shortly after rotation.
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Sep 10, 2013 21:31
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Geoj posted:The stupidity of ricers never ceases to amaze me. Who the gently caress not only chases someone down for flashing their highbeams, but then proceeds to follow someone onto private property to defend their early-2000s Kia's honor? The same kind of rear end in a top hat who gets out of his truck that is parked in your driveway to pick up his kids from their mother next door. Because apparently they don't have functioning legs?
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Sep 15, 2013 02:26
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opengl128 posted:This thread needs less bitching about lovely drivers and more of 14 inch's stories My brother just got promoted to assistant manager at his Brand Name National Chain Lube 'n Garage branch. I'll see if I can pick some stories off of him.
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Sep 16, 2013 00:49
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KozmoNaut posted:As completely brainless and idiotic as the average driver is, a truck (and especially a semi) is friggin' huge and very obviously not a car. I don't believe for a second that people would overlook them just because they weren't running lights. You'd think something the size of a small house driving down the road would be hard to miss, but you underestimate the obliviousness of some people. I've driven commercial trucks in Ohio, trust me on this.
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Sep 23, 2013 13:54
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Really, the only thing I can say the SUV driver did that was "stupid" was to get off the highway and get caught in traffic with no exit route. But, I don't know the roads in NYC, so it may have been unavoidable.
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Oct 1, 2013 01:28
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Phone posted:This is really precious. I know, it's like, why can't rape victims learn to not dress like total sluts. rear end in a top hat shouldn't have been driving that stupid SUV, poo poo wouldn't have happened. If he'd just learn to pull over to the side of the road any time he sees a motorcycle, dude wouldn't have gotten his rear end handed to him in front of his kid. Now she'll grow up and become a whore because daddy is a road hogging pussy. Geoj posted:It says in the news article above that when they initially stopped the SUV one of the bikers slashed a tire. Probably wasn't possible to maintain highway speed with a flat and disintegrating tire, I'd guess he was trying to make it to a well-populated area to ensure there'd be witnesses. I missed that before posting but read that in the CA picture/video thread after the fact. I don't expect any average joe to know "ambush tactics" any more than I would expect them to engage in evasive driving on a flat tire in a roll-over prone vehicle with their 2yo daughter in the backseat. Just arm chair coaching I guess.
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Oct 1, 2013 03:57
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Cocoa Crispies posted:Here in Miami people love to use their hazard lights as "Status: it's raining and I am scared" indicators. Doing 55 in a 55 and the rain is barely affecting visibility? Hazards even though you're not scared enough to get off the road. Stopped at a light in low visibility? Hazards. In a confusing multi-lane multi-exit-entrance merge area in the rain? Forget signaling, it's rainy and you need to use the "I'm scared" lights of your luxury crossover to let me know that it's raining instead. Wow, they actually use hazards in Miami? When I was living in Daytona I only used the hazards once, because the rain got so bad that I couldn't see the silver car five feet in front of me, and I was in a silver car, and it's Florida drivers. Speaking of rain though, yesterday in the midst of the weather, I got cut off by a F350. I was in the right lane and ahead of him, but instead of merging behind me he had to speed up and cut me off, because Also about t-boned someone right in front of my work. One of those "me too" stop sign runners. Guy at the stop was stopped and had room to make the left hand turn out, this guy I saw speeding through the parking lot didn't even bother to touch the brakes as he zipped behind the first guy. Gave me that dirty look for honking at him, because I guess I'm the one who is suppose to yield to him?
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Oct 4, 2013 15:14
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KozmoNaut posted:Hazard lights are basically "traffic's stopped up ahead and I'm about to brake pretty hard, watch out" to me, and nothing else apart from actually being broken down on the side of the road, which has only ever happened to me once. They can also be used to indicate a vehicle which is moving at an otherwise unsafely slow pace compared to speed limit/traffic. I had to run a commercial truck back and forth on a 200 mile (one way) route which involved running up steep, long hills on the interstate in a truck that was probably on its last leg and barely had any power. I took a cue from seeing fully laden dump trucks running through the Appalachians and threw on the hazards anytime I dropped below 15 under (usually by the time I got to the top I could be going as slow as 20~30 mph under the speed limit, so it was pretty imperative to not be rear-ended by an oblivious driver). Of course, people will still tail gate you or wait until the last minute to switch lanes, and conversely, will cut you off and slow down so you can't pick up speed on the down hill.
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Oct 4, 2013 15:48
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KozmoNaut posted:I believe newer Mercedes cars will flash their brake lights at like 120hz when you brake really hard. BMW and Audi have been toying with similar things, such as extra-powerful brake light LEDs that only light up under emergency braking or brake lights that become bigger the harder you brake. I think there's some MIT outfit vying for a larger center-light in the US. It's suppose to be a three stage set up, center red, outer amber (I think), and then flashing (basically, brake, hard brake, emergency braking). I was under the impression they were either lobbying for their technology to be implemented, or were wanting to demo it for congress/NTHSB.
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Oct 6, 2013 09:51
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Huge_Midget posted:When did it ever become acceptable for people to use the center turn lane as a merge lane? Just because you might have to wait a few seconds more to safely turn left from a side street doesn't mean "Hey, I'll just use the center turn lane as my own personal acceleration lane. Somebody will let me in eventually!" No. In fact, if I see someone doing that I'll make it my own personal mission to make sure they know the fact that the center turn lane is for traffic that is already on the street trying to decelerate and turn left. I swear to god oncoming SUV, I'll play loving chicken in my shitbox 1992 Accord. And guess what motherfucker? I ain't gonna be the one that blinks. Oh I'm sorry did I inconvenience you and your mewling crotch spawn because you had to slow down for someone using the center turn lane for it's loving god given intended purpose? Good, I hope you roll that loving monstrosity and it kills your entire brood. God knows the gene pool needs a little bleach in it around here. Rage much? Like it's been said, plenty of places allow it and some places encourage it. I don't agree with making the left turn and just sitting there waiting for a break, or taking a mile to merge. But if you see a gap coming, I'm totally cool with jumping into the suicide lane and using it briefly to get yourself up to speed to meet the gap. There are one or two intersections here locally where that is the only way to make a left hand turn (they suck because it's a semi-blind intersection, but to be fair, there is no legitimate legal left hand turn for opposing traffic to make at those spots). What is unacceptable to do with a suicide lane is (and I've seen all of these): 1) Passing 2) Getting into it to make a turn that's still 1 mile down the road (usually used by someone who is too impatient with current traffic flow) 3) Riding it to get into a left turn lane (and conversely, honking/raging at someone who is keeping you from doing so because their left turn happens before the intersection) 4) Merging against traffic turning left 5) Blocking someone from making their turn 6) Using it as a break-down lane and/or standing to read your google map directions 7) Cut off someone's turn 8) Making a right turn into a suicide lane, then attempting to merge
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Oct 7, 2013 20:04
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Geoj posted:I'd rather see a broken-down car in a center turning lane than a normal traffic lane (gently caress the google maps person though.) Yeah, I meant more the "instead of pulling off the road/into a parking lot I'll just sit here and fumble with whatever bullshit I need to do," rather than an actual broken down car. I don't think I've actually seen a broken down car in the suicide lane, unless you count accidents.
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Oct 7, 2013 20:51
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Jared592 posted:Well, not exactly "legitimate", but the PPA leaves you alone there. It's been that way forever, and it's sort of just a quirk of South Philly. There's a bunch of different theories as to what precipitated the beginning of the practice and when it started. I'm wondering if it's one of those 'locals' things. There are small towns all over NoDak, where you go into one and everyone parks in the middle of the street, but go to the next one over and you'll have your car towed for doing that. It's just one of those oddities I think. Disgruntled Bovine posted:Frankly I think quiet zone laws are a stupid idea, but then, I like the sound of train horns. Quiet zone laws are one of the worst things I've ever heard of, and whoever passed that legislation should be mentioned here so we can all go on about how their stupidity will lead to people being killed.
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Oct 9, 2013 17:42
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Awesome "road rage dick waving nearly causing an accident" not but 10 minutes ago on my way home from work. My drive home from work involves travelling on a main thoroughfare somewhat like a b-road, but with actual traffic lights up to the intersection I turn off. Where I turn off is the last traffic-light regulated intersection for about another 10 or 20 miles, and most traffic will turn off here. The light prior to is about 1.5 miles before it, and there's a sign at warning of the intersection 1/2 mile before. For you Canton/Massillon area goons, I was on 21 at Cherry, with Lake as my turn off. For those not in the know, this stretch inevitably becomes something of a drag race merging cluster gently caress at the best of times. So, light at Cherry turns green, I'm in the left lane, accelerate, SUV in right lane accelerates away a bit faster, and I get the feeling he's going to be that guy that will try to race me if I attempt to pass him before getting over, so I just file in behind him. A Ford Focus behind me decides he's Speed Racer, zips past me, and gets in front of the SUV at about the 1/2 mile sign. SUV feels he has been insulted and must prove his status as the dominant or lose honor. So, he jinks over into the left lane and races the Focus. There's a red light ahead, with the protective arrow just activating for both directions. The cowardly Focus in the right lane brakes for the light, while the mighty SUV uses this opportune show of weakness to cut off the Focus, and blitz the red light while making his right turn onto Lake. Against opposing traffic which has the protective arrow. The cowardly Focus about followed suit, but hit his brakes, afraid he'd collide with traffic. He quickly attempted to save face by zipping up to the next intersection and turning left, I assume to chase the SUV which had just dishonored him. Yeah, I don't know what the hell, it's Thursday night and not even a full moon.
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Oct 11, 2013 03:36
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Geoj posted:Haven't been down there in a while - do they still have all the lights timed so they turn red just as you reach the next intersection? I hated that stretch of 21 every time I had to work at Wal-Mart at the shopping center just before US 30. Yeah, pretty much, though the timing of 21/Lake and Lake/Eire usually change at night, so typically it should be green if you aren't speeding (but then you'll get stuck with a red light at Lake/Eire if you make that turn). And short of driving through downtown, I have to run that leg every day to work.
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Oct 11, 2013 04:23
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Re: Left Turns. Really depends what part of the country/what country you're in. I say follow local norms (as long as they are safe) and unless what you're doing is safer, then you're the rear end in a top hat. In Fargo, ND, there are more intersections without protective arrows than with. So, typically you approach the situation by pulling into the intersection (taking "command" of the intersection as they say up there), but not enough to block opposing traffic turning left, and either wait for a gap, or wait for the lights to change. Typically the faux pas is more than one car in the intersection at a time or someone who will wait behind the line and then try to jump the intersection when the light changes, effectively running the "orange"/red light and using the person who was "in command" as their shield against any cross traffic that would begin moving. In most of the Florida Panhandle, having more than half your car in the intersection, or past the crosswalk is generally not kosher. Sometimes local mounties will tag you for "taking command" like you can in NoDak. Daytona Beach seemed the same way, but during tourist seasons you'll see more of the former behavior because it's just hard to get around any other way. Here in the CAK area, you get a mix. There are usually plenty of protective arrow intersections, but you'll still get people creeping into the intersection, and there are a few intersections (especially in Akron) where this is the only way to make a left turn. The big problem is, of course, people in this area are the worst at actually stopping their cars behind the lines, and I've seen people "creep" halfway through an intersection before the light turns green (often done at night, because I guess they want to scare the poo poo out of an unsuspecting driver?) Basically, in Florida I would never have thought to crawl into the intersection, but having spent a year in NoDak and now in NE Ohio, I will typically judge the intersection and traffic before I decide whether pulling into it is a good idea or not.
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Oct 13, 2013 18:26
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GOD IS BED posted:I dodge it, then watch them take it in the rearview. No way for them to dodge when I barely avoided it. Alright, these two anecdotes come from my brother who is an assistant manager at a national brand tire and lube shop. Guy comes in with a AWD Ford Explorer. The right rear tire has been making all sorts of racket ever since he had a flat on that tire and bought a new one. Well, since then, he's replaced the bearings, the struts, pretty much a once over on everything mechanical. He was in for four new tires that day. The noise stopped. (I know, this is probably one of those things that's not very well known to the general public at large, but I can still imagine how the guy felt knowing the issue was simpler, and probably cheaper, than everything else he tried to fix). Guy comes in for new brake pads. Rotors are worn down to the pegs. Doesn't understand why he needs new ones.
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Oct 30, 2013 12:56
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There is only one multi-lane roundabout I know of in my area (or at least that I've run across). I think someone figured Ohioans would screw it up, so there's a ton of signage, wide lanes, lots of markings that you can actually see in that Google maps image that direct traffic around. Still doesn't prevent a few idiots from being in the inside lane cutting over to the outside lane, traffic be damned.
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Nov 4, 2013 11:59
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davebo posted:I'd be happy just seeing youtube or whatever links to anything capture-worthy posted in this thread. Or if it's not about terrible drivers you encounter just the AI youtube thread? Yeah, let's try not to make too many threads about the same thing. The mods got angry when AI was approaching something like two dozen separate threads about car photos. I agree , stupid driver videos here, youtube worthy stuff in that thread.
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Nov 4, 2013 20:29
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Boomer The Cannon posted:I've been in Ohio for 3 years now, and I've come to the realization that between Stark, Tuscarawas and Coshocton counties, people in this state can't drive for poo poo on a multi-lane highway. It gets worse the closer you get to the lake. Unfortunately, I must say I am guilty of passing on the right, but that's because of the idiots who ride the left. They're like the Rock of Gibraltar when it comes to getting them to move over. Though that bad habit seems to disappear in favor of other bad habits once you get North of I270/I80, but Clevelanders will turn the Interstates up there into a racetrack, even in blizzard conditions. Right now, locally, they've repaved Lake between Amherst and Wales, but haven't completely remarked the street, and it's like people who have been driving on this stretch of pavement for years have suddenly forgotten how to drive down it.
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Nov 5, 2013 11:37
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Snowdens Secret posted:Ever since the first freeze, the railroad crossing gates in my area haven't worked right. The one outside my office was down and signalling for about 36 hours, the cops left an unattended car with the lights going in front of it, and after not very long people were driving around the cruiser and snaking through the gates to get by. Apparently it was enough of a mess that the solution was to disable the gates entirely, at least for a few days. I had the joy of riding the train this weekend, and got to see the workaround: the train stops at every crossing, one conductor gets out and walks into the street trying to wave down the cars, and once it looks clear, the train pulls out. They're not given a vest, a flag, a sign, little flashlights with glowy cones, nothing. Are people in your area mentally handicapped or something? Also, does the train have a horn or are they not allowed to use it in the city limits? Though considering how willingly the traffic seems to take themselves out of the gene pool that would probably be a futile effort anyways.
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Nov 5, 2013 12:17
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NoWake posted:In the case of a reported crossing malfunction, it'll be noted on the engineer's dispatch form with the milepost location and the engineer should be familiar enough with the territory to prepare to stop for it. Operating rules (on CSX territory) state that all trains have to stop before the crossing and have the conductor get out to block traffic before the train can enter it. Hopefully he'll light a red flare, hopefully he'll have his vest on. Hopefully the signal maintainer can get out there before this goes on for too much longer. Okay, this makes sense. I mean, I wasn't expecting rail operators to have a devil-may-care attitude about malfunctioning signals, but the anecdote made it seem like the death-wish drivers of that area were going out of their way to make a bad situation worse.
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Nov 5, 2013 21:31
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Two real winners tonight on my way home. First, I end up behind someone doing 40 in a 50, and the guy behind me starts tailgating because he's turning off the next exit. Guy in front starts to turn into the turn lane, but straddles the line so he's in both my lane and the turning lane, then realizes he's at the wrong intersection, so he slams the brakes and swings back into traffic, forcing me to slam my brakes, and thankfully the guy behind me riding my rear end was turning there or I'd be getting a new rear bumper. So, with the left lane clear, I get around this guy and at the next loving intersection there's a dumbass who comes to a complete stop at a green light. What. the. gently caress. CAK goons, drive carefully, the mouth breathers are out tonight.
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Nov 11, 2013 04:01
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Saw someone in the right hand lane, with right turn signal on, turn left into a neighborhood yesterday. There is officially 1 inch of snow on the ground and I need to run errands. I wish I had a dash cam like you guys.
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Nov 12, 2013 15:24
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| # ¿ May 1, 2024 21:45 |
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Sitting at an intersection to cross a major road (6 lanes, 3 each way, divided, with further divided single lane frontage/feeder roads). Traffic pattern for the road I'm on has opposing traffic move first. Box truck comes around to make a left, lays on his horn just in time for me to see a lady in a Nissan March panic stop past the line (she looked like she was trying to make a left hand turn against a red light). But where she's at doesn't seem right. The box van and all the other cars after him make it around, then it's green light for me, and I realize what happened. She wasn't in the left turn lane, she was actually travelling down the wrong side of the divider. What she was trying to do was cut across the intersection to the correct side - perhaps she thought she could get the timing right and get through between the lights changing. Her right side of her car, naturally, looked like it had participated in the NTHSB's low-speed off-set testing. With the way she was driving at the box van (and her Mary-Kay reject style of fashion) I'm curious if she was looking to get the left side to match.
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Jun 19, 2015 13:31
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