Driving rant: PLEASE stop this!!

[MeanDean]

Retired people should not be allowed to drive between 7:30 to 9:00, and 4:30 to 6:00.

The first one is no problem. I don't get up until 9:00 anyway. But not the second... Happy Hour!!

JK - actually we have to get up early for our doctor appointments that are always at 8:00.

And I don't drink.

 

[besserheimerphat]

I get why some can’t go faster but they are constantly whipping out in front of you and making you slam your brakes on or hit them like they own the road.

There are sooo many semi’s on 80 that it really needs to be expanded to 3 lanes with semi’s restricted to the right 2 lanes.

I think I-80 between DSM and Iowa City is one of the worst stretches of road in the country. The drivers are just bad the whole way.

 

[MeanDean]

This. I agree it can be frustrating but they have a pretty thankless job.
What really pisses me off are the passenger vehicles that take 5 miles to make a pass. just speed up for 10 seconds to get around and go back to your cruisning speed.

It's the ones that don't even look. Last minute they decide they need to whip out right in front of me and block the left lane for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, there were no other cars anywhere close behind either of us, so if he'd waited 30 seconds I'd be around and past and then he could pull out and take his sweet time and not block any traffic.

 

[DSM4Cy]

I think I-80 between DSM and Iowa City is one of the worst stretches of road in the country. The drivers are just bad the whole way.

This is the stretch where some people take the 80 on the signs to be the speed limit while one person sets their cruise at 65 in the left lane and never moves out of the way. Then the weavers appear, the people who have zero patience and see this as an obstacle course challenge to be conquered.

 

[MeanDean]

This. I agree it can be frustrating but they have a pretty thankless job.
What really pisses me off are the passenger vehicles that take 5 miles to make a pass. just speed up for 10 seconds to get around and go back to your cruisning speed.

I do that as a courtesy if someone is coming up behind me. I also pull over even if there's only a relatively short gap before the next vehicle ahead I want to pass. I would hope people would notice that courtesy and kind of speed up to get past me so I could come back over and pass the next vehicle. But most are so unaware they just camp there in the left lane and you end up slowing way down because they won't get past to let you in.

 

[Clonehomer]

The people in regular vehicles annoy me more. Most people can't drive.

Tailgaters blow my mind as well. Will 1 second more distance make you late for something?

I get very passive aggressive with tailgaters. I will slow down (no brake lights) and speed up to get them off of me. After a few cycles of this they usually get the hint.

 

[Clonehomer]

I think I-80 between DSM and Iowa City is one of the worst stretches of road in the country. The drivers are just bad the whole way.

I35 from Ames to DSM isn’t much better. The amount of cars that are driving at 75mph with 3 inches of space to the car in front of them would leave NASCAR drivers impressed. Of course, it just takes one tap of the brakes and you’ve got a pileup of 10+ cars.

 

[Gonzo]

Diagram for reference. When I read @Gonzo's description, this is the way I would do it.
View attachment 172092

YES. That's what I've been trying to tell her for years. She still thinks whoever gets there first has the RoW. So I then ask her, "ok, so what if there's a line of 3 or 4 cars at each stop sign? Do the second cars go based on which one got in line first? The third cars? Are they all supposed to pay attention to who arrives at the stop sign first? If it applies to the first cars in line at the stop sign, it should apply to all the cars in line, shouldn't it?"

Yes, we've been married a long time, we're boring and these are the things we talk about.

But, based on your diagram and @AllInForISU 's post re: Iowa DOT, it looks like I've been proven right.

 

[Clark]

I cut those guys a little break because the trucks are often electronically limited to between 65 and 70mph. They'd go faster if they could. The other issue is Iowa's rolling hills don't allow them to maintain speed differences long enough to actually pass quickly.

this is true but then they shouldn't be in the passing lane in that situation. While driving in Pennsylvania several years ago and it seems semi's aren't allowed in the left lane at all and in 3 lane roads only allowed in middle lane to pass (plus a speed limit that was 5mph slower than other vehicles)

It'll never happen because there is a **** ton of freight that gets shipped out of and through Iowa but man a law like that even just for the interstates would make travel far easier

 

[Clark]

YES. That's what I've been trying to tell her for years. She still thinks whoever gets there first has the RoW. So I then ask her, "ok, so what if there's a line of 3 or 4 cars at each stop sign? Do the second cars go based on which one got in line first? The third cars? Are they all supposed to pay attention to who arrives at the stop sign first? If it applies to the first cars in line at the stop sign, it should apply to all the cars in line, shouldn't it?"

Yes, we've been married a long time, we're boring and these are the things we talk about.

But, based on your diagram and @AllInForISU 's post re: Iowa DOT, it looks like I've been proven right.

lol yeah good luck with that.

 

[MeanDean]

this is true but then they shouldn't be in the passing lane in that situation. While driving in Pennsylvania several years ago and it seems semi's aren't allowed in the left lane at all and in 3 lane roads only allowed in middle lane to pass (plus a speed limit that was 5mph slower than other vehicles)

It'll never happen because there is a **** ton of freight that gets shipped out of and through Iowa but man a law like that even just for the interstates would make travel far easier

Same in designated (more rural) parts of Florida and/or Georgia where there are 3 lanes.

They do keep adding 3rd lanes near IC on 80. Need it all the way between Davenport and Des Moines.

 

[Clark]

This is the stretch where some people take the 80 on the signs to be the speed limit while one person sets their cruise at 65 in the left lane and never moves out of the way. Then the weavers appear, the people who have zero patience and see this as an obstacle course challenge to be conquered.

lol this is 235 every single day. I can't tell if it's people in a real big hurry or if they do it for sport but every time I see it I wonder how many accidents that person has been involved in.

 

[Paz23]

My wife and I have been having this traffic debate for years. It's about the right-of-way protocol at a stop sign...

- Two cars are traveling in opposite directions, one north one south, approaching their respective stop signs at the intersection with a busier street.
- The car traveling south intends to continue heading south after passing through the intersection, the car traveling north intends to turn left at the intersection.
- The car traveling north, which intends to turn left, reaches its stop sign 5 seconds before the car traveling south reaches its stop sign.
- There's a steady flow of traffic on the busier east/west street, which does not have a stop sign at the intersection, prior to both of the north/south cars reaching their stop sign.
- The steady flow of traffic on the busier east/west street continues for 20 seconds after both of the north/south cars reach their stop signs.
- Traffic on the busier east/west street clears, and the north/south cars can now make their move.
- Again, the car traveling north that intends to turn left got to its stop sign first, before the car traveling south that intends to go straight, but they both sat there at the stop for 20 seconds.

Which car has the right of way?

One of us believes the car traveling north turning left at the intersection has the right of way, because it got to its stop sign first and has the right to make its left turn before the other car crosses.

One of us believes the car traveling south heading straight through the intersection has the right of way, because they both sat there for an extended period of time, making who got there first a moot point.

What say you?

What is this, the ACT test?

 

[Clone Head]

This happened to me twice today, so I have to rant...

When you are in a left turn lane, and you want to make a u-turn, you cannot "swing wide" into the adjacent traffic lane on your right to make your u-turn, especially on busy road!

In the first incident this morning, the driver pulled 1/4 into my lane while making the u-turn. It was unbelievable. Thankfully nobody was right beside me and I was able to slow down and swerve into the next right lane to avoid her. The driver coming up on my right was able to slow down to let me over. The incident tonight wasn't quite as bad.

You aren't a semi tractor pulling a 53-foot trailer. If you can't make the u-turn without pulling into the oncoming traffic on your right, then don't make the u-turn. Find another option.

I see this happening more and more. Is this maneuver being taught in driving school now or something???

Reminds of a call made to NPR's Car Talk, the caller mentioned following a car driving in the right hand lane looking for left hand turn. Whenever I see a confused driver I frequently make that comment.

My wife has a saying, "Stupid car, stupid driver" Whenever we see a wreck of a car going down the road, that comment will come out. Usually the car has an expired temporary plate and we assume the car is not insured. We give those cars a wide berth.

 

[BACyclone]

YES. That's what I've been trying to tell her for years. She still thinks whoever gets there first has the RoW. So I then ask her, "ok, so what if there's a line of 3 or 4 cars at each stop sign? Do the second cars go based on which one got in line first? The third cars? Are they all supposed to pay attention to who arrives at the stop sign first? If it applies to the first cars in line at the stop sign, it should apply to all the cars in line, shouldn't it?"

Yes, we've been married a long time, we're boring and these are the things we talk about.

But, based on your diagram and @AllInForISU 's post re: Iowa DOT, it looks like I've been proven right.

That example looked to me like 'if both cars arrive at the same time'. In that case, straight has ROW.

If the left-turning car arrives first, it has the ROW, assuming both cars don't have a really long wait at the stop sign. Then, it could be common courtesy for the straight car to go first as they might have an easier go of it. But I think the left-turn car still technically has ROW because they arrived first.

The best course is to use your judgement, be courteous and probably also signal or communicate to the oncoming car if you can that you are either going or letting them go first.

 

[BigTurk]

You really have to practice defensive driving skills these days. Stopped at a red light, do not just fly through when it turns green, wait a split second to make sure that someone is not running the light from another lane.
It's very easy to get sloppy while driving and forget that for most of us, driving a vehicle will be the most dangerous thing they will ever do.

I consider myself to be pretty safe but I almost took out a motorcycle on Saturday. I was driving in Ankeny, had my windows down, I tried merging and I totally didn't see the guy on the bike. He was driving an older Honda so it was quiet. I didn't see him or hear him. I did check my mirrors, wasn't messing with the controls nor phone, but just missed him. Sorry buddy. I do feel bad about that. So, what I am saying is sometimes things can happen no matter how careful we are.

 

[Gonzo]

That example looked to me like 'if both cars arrive at the same time'. In that case, straight has ROW.

If the left-turning car arrives first, it has the ROW, assuming both cars don't have a really long wait at the stop sign. Then, it could be common courtesy for the straight car to go first as they might have an easier go of it. But I think the left-turn car still technically has ROW because they arrived first.

The best course is to use your judgement, be courteous and probably also signal or communicate to the oncoming car if you can that you are either going or letting them go first.

View attachment 172095

 

[Cyhig]

Heck - I see people swinging wide on a regular right turn. They are fully in the turn lane and right before making the right turn they swing left into the adjacent lane. WHY???

 

[coolerifyoudid]

The max speed is something that gets specified by the customer during during the sale. It can be reprogrmmed by dealers when people buy used. Most fleet owners want to limit max speed for fuel economy and insurance premiums. A "push to pass" feature could certainly be implemented, but we can't force owners to buy it. I'm sure the owner/operators and small fleets would, but for sure the big fleets would not.

Correct. The fuel and insurance benefits to having trucks governed are significant, especially in large fleets.

Also, many trucks are actually governed higher with cruise activated than on the pedal to encourage consistent driving. So, contrary to what would make sense to most people, trucks are not able to go into a passing lane and accelerate during a pass. Pressing the accelerator will often slow them down depending on how companies have them set up.

This is not to say that there are not a-holes driving trucks. The percentages likely line up with everyone else on the road.

 

[Cyrealist]

According to Iowa DOT, the car going straight has the right of way in that situation. “Arriving first” only applies to All Way stops.

If I'm waiting to make the left turn, I usually wave the other guy to go ahead. He can clear the intersection quicker and that way everyone knows what's going on. But after he goes, it's my turn if there's another behind him.