What drives you nuts, riding in someone else's car?

"Chairman Kaga" (mike-mckinnon)
09/06/2013 at 11:10 • Filed to: Dumbasses

I don't often let others drive, but on occasion it happens.

Do people just not pay attention? Rhetorical question, I know.

I can be riding with someone who's lived in Austin for 15 years, but they still act angry and surprised when they get stuck behind a bus that's making a long stop. Dang man, just keep an eye ahead, and if you see a bus, and the bus puts on its yellow flashers, it's about to stop. Be prepared. Freaking 13-year old Boy Scouts get it, why don't you? Move over and you won't get stuck!

And do you not pay attention to traffic patterns? Do you not drive this stretch of road or interstate with SOME regularity? Do you not know that the merge onto southbound I35 at Woodward ALWAYS backs up, so move into the middle? Or that the 6th Street exit on northbound I35 is so short that you can't get over if you're going east, so take the 4th Street exit instead?

Where are you going? Are you going to need to exit the highway? Where is the exit? Should yo go ahead and get into the right lane so you're able to safely and easily accomplish this? Yes. you should.

I mean seriously. You could cut down on your commute times, fuel expenses, vehicular wear and tear, and eventual insanity by just fucking paying attention and exhibiting a modicum of situational awareness, dumbass! Yeesh.

DISCUSSION (18)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:14

When the person insists at looking at me while talking to me.

You're DRIVING!

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:15

I hate it when the person driving you has owned this same car for 6 years and they still don't know how to modulate the brakes.
Case in point: my grandmother in her Hyundai Genesis... had the car since '09, drives it every day, still slams on brakes.

Stiggy > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:16

I do like to drive, but whenever someones driving me somewhere I'm always thankful. When they drive an accidents caused by their bad driving are their problem, traffic, parking, any other nuisances become their problem. So I just sit back and enjoy the ride. However the 1 thing I absolutely can't stand is when they start texting while rolling down the parkway at 70.

ttyymmnn > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:16

In addition to all the things you listed, what drives me nuts is more about the style, if you can call it that. I have a friend who can't keep the accelerator at a constant point. He's constantly goosing it, only a bit, just to either side of his desired speed. So unless I keep my head against the headrest, my head goes back every damned time he does it because I don't know when he's going to do it. It drives me absolutely crazy. I tried to come up with a polite way to bring it up, since he's not a good enough friend to be completely frank and caustic with (as in, "Dude, WTF?"), so I suggested that he might get better mileage if he tried harder to maintain constant revs. It didn't work.

maximillious > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:17

I totally agree with all of that. I hate it when people follow too closely. When I was younger I rear ended someone because I was tailgating and it hurt.... alot. Every time i am the passenger in a car that is tailgating I don't tell people to stop riding someones ass, i just let them know how badly it hurts to rear end someone...physically... its painful as hell.

ttyymmnn > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
09/06/2013 at 11:17

At least she's stopping.

Dusty Ventures > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:21

When they spend the whole trip ranting about other drivers

DasWauto > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:22

I have a minor fundamental issue with being a passenger in general and it's the lack of control. If I'm in the passenger seat and we're driving in less than ideal situations, I sometimes get a slight nervousness from not being in the driver's seat. I like to have full control of such situations and when I'm not driving, I just feel like such a ... passenger, I don't like it. I guess I'm just weird that way.

This issue doesn't really get to me but I do find it goes away if I'm sitting in the second [or third] row. :/

itsnothere > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
09/06/2013 at 11:24

this bothers me....why must you constantly try to look me in the eye when your talking to me while your driving, cant you see the look of terror in my eyes? Ohh, no your cant because I'm watching the road and not looking at you. Fool.

This and people who feel just because they have 2 or 3 peoples in the car that its ok to just drive 55-60 in the commuter lane during non commute hours. Slower traffic keep right, passing in the left lanes.

BJ > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:30

What bugs me is when I'm riding with someone who doesn't anticipate overtaking on four-lane highways, and thus is always changing speeds.

Drive quickly, approach a slower-moving vehicle.

Slow down to match other vehicle's speed.

Hey, we're going awful slow. Oops, no room in the left lane right now.

Ok, pass and get back up to regular speed, approach another slow moving vehicle.

Repeat

Jagvar > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 11:39

Compulsive. Lane. Changing. Every. Ten. Freaking. Seconds.

Seriously, my brother does this. If he's not constantly weaving between lanes, he doesn't feel like he's getting anywhere.

BarryDanger > ttyymmnn
09/06/2013 at 12:10

This is the way my mom drives too, she has thick skin so I just blurt out at her haha

Klaus Schmoll > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 12:20

Just went from Munich to Berlin (600 km) and a friend of mine was driving. He barely used the indicators when changing lanes. And the way he held the steering wheels...

It took a lot of restraint to stay calm.

Chris Clarke > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 12:55

I really hate it when I ride with someone who weaves in and out of traffic, cuttings others off, just to race up and stop at a red light.

Sethersm > ttyymmnn
09/06/2013 at 13:28

I consider myself above average at maintaining a constant speed. One of my first driving instructors complimented me on it.

That said, I cannot maintain a constant speed in my parents' 2003 Camry worth a shit. I don't know if it is the drive by wire system in it or something associated with that, could be the air conditioning compressor cycling, I don't know, but it just doesn't seem possible to not surge in that car unless you use the cruise control. I've noticed other people (dad, borther) driving it have the same problem. I hate that car for other reasons too, but that is one of the big ones.

Sethersm > Chairman Kaga
09/06/2013 at 13:31

Driving down the edge of the lane. I love her, but when my wife drives, the left side of the car hugs the left side of the lane no matter what lane she's in. It just freaks me out to be the passenger and have the center of the lane dead ahead of me.

My coping mechanism is to look out the side window instead of looking ahead. She's always asking if there's something wrong because of it. "Nope, I'm just lookin' out the window."

Chairman Kaga > Sethersm
09/06/2013 at 13:55

Ha. I do the same...

945T > ttyymmnn
09/07/2013 at 14:43

My girlfriend has driven stick every day for a year and a half or more now. The ride home I just had was very rough, my neck is sore literally as I write, and she's pissed that I had to remind her to be 'smoother'.
Better yet, she then drove more erratically on purpose after me saying that. Sure 'showed' me.