drivers who try to bypass the line and cut in

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I pulled into a turn lane today that had a huge separation from the lanes that continued on ahead (area marked with diagonal lines). I watched as the car I was traveling behind pulled up to the light and, completely oblivious to me being behind them earlier, assumed the turn lane was empty since it was when they had just approached it. The handicapped driver just changed his/her mind about going forward and decided to turn left without using the turn lane, stopping right in front of me when I had my opportunity to go. I could tell that the geezer was still oblivious to me and only focusing on the oncoming traffic that he/she was already perpendicular to. When another opportunity came up, I had to let this jerk driving a Cadillac take it even though I had plenty of room to go around. Why? Because I didn't know yet if the person was ultimately turning left or making a U-turn and we had not yet made eye contact. The person could have turned right into me and have never seen me, so I had to give up two opportunities and take the third. As expected, the jerk pulls into the same fast food place as me, but then stops the car right inside of the entrance, forcing me to stop again. Clearly, this idiot is still completely oblivious to anyone who might be behind. Because the spaces to the right were unoccupied, there was plenty of room for me to pass but the idiot started moving (well, creeping) as soon as I started around. I could see damage on the right side of the vehicle, so it is clear to me that this person shouldn't even be on the road. Now I had to beat this creeping person around the corner and to the drive thru entrance, so I dropped it in 1st year and chirped some tires to get back to my rightful place. So clueless was this idiot that he/she probably just thought I came in there driving force any like that out of nowhere. There was no indication what-so-ever that this person was ever aware of me until we were pulling in the drive thru, so he/she has no idea he/she cut me off and is probably fuming that some crazy person cut him/her off.

I can understand your frustration but, considering you were both driving multi ton vehicles and physics works regardless of driver intent, don't you think using the horn might have been prudent?

 

[mizzou]

I'm willing to admit that a traffic study can come to the false conclusion that cutters aren't cheaters.


This has been a confusing statement, brought to you by me!

 

[CZroe]

I can understand your frustration but, considering you were both driving multi ton vehicles and physics works regardless of driver intent, don't you think using the horn might have been prudent?

That would have distracted him/her into stopping again to assess the reason for honking. Ever honked at the elderly? It's invariable: Full stop followed by looking around confused. They never seem to figure out why you honked and everyone is held up that much longer for nothing. Ugh.

 

[inachu]

In my area in metro area VA,DC,MD area you can have bumper to bumper traffic and you can be the last one and have miles of empty road behind you.

Then a speed racer comes up from behind and refuses to be the last one and wants to cut off the original last guy in line as if to make some kind of cheap statement of sorts?

I never give these people the pleasure to cut in. If you want in the line get behind me since I was the last one now you can be the last one.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

That would have distracted hom/her into stopping again to assess the reason for honking. Ever honked at the elderly? It's invariable: Full stop followed by looking around confused. They never seem to figure out why you honked and everyone is held up that much longer for nothing. Ugh.

Since the situation took such a short time to resolve, perhaps your level of frustration is misplaced? Was an appointment missed, an opportunity lost or, resources destroyed? The biggest issue to me would be the possibility of an accident brought about by the driver in front not knowing you were there. Using the horn would have solved that and even if it caused a further small delay, it would not have impacted you in any meaningful way.

 

[CZroe]

Since the situation took such a short time to resolve, perhaps your level of frustration is misplaced? Was an appointment missed, an opportunity lost or, resources destroyed? The biggest issue to me would be the possibility of an accident brought about by the driver in front not knowing you were there. Using the horn would have solved that and even if it caused a further small delay, it would not have impacted you in any meaningful way.

I live right next to where I work and this place was literally right across the street. Rather than wait in the parking lot for several minutes every morning to make sure I have enough time for a drive through, I elect to skip it if there isn't enough time or it looks backed up. I was at the point where turning left is breakfast and turning right is work. This person was creeping. CREEPING. I can't imagine his/her order would go quickly either.

Anyway, the parking lot was almost totally empty and the person was practically stopped after being literally stopped, so you seem to think that speeds were higher than they actually were. The tires chirped because of the angle I needed to take in a small lot to maintain my distance from and hurry past this oblivious fool.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I love right next to where I work and this place was literally right across the street. Rather than wait in the parking lot for several minutes every morning to make sure I have enough time for a drive through, I elect to skip it if there isn't enough time or it looks backed up. I was at the point where turning left is breakfast and turning right is work. This person was creeping. CREEPING. I can't imagine his/her order would go quickly either.

Anyway, the parking lot was almost totally empty and the person was practically stopped after being literally stopped, so you seem to think that speeds were higher than they actually were. The tires chirped because of the angle I needed to take in a small lot to maintain my distance from this oblivious fool.

It's not the speeds I question, it's the time. Regardless of what it felt like, did it really take longer than 30 seconds? Are the demands on your time so critical that even 2 whole minutes would seriously impact your day? The old slow fart in the car ahead of you didn't get that way by turning the morning commute into a match race.

 

[CZroe]

It's not the speeds I question, it's the time. Regardless of what it felt like, did it really take longer than 30 seconds? Are the demands on your time so critical that even 2 whole minutes would seriously impact your day? The old slow fart in the car ahead of you didn't get that way by turning the morning commute into a match race.

"Two minutes?" I was less than thirty seconds from work. This idiot turned seconds into several minutes already and, no doubt, would have continued adding on if I allowed it to continue. Who knows how long I would have been stuck behind this genius in the drive thru, leaving the lot, and going through that intersection again.

To be clear: at no time was I in danger of being hit without honking. I was in danger of being hit if I took what should have been my opportunity. That wasn't even an option with or without honking. All that would have done there is slowed us down more by distracting the person into losing the next opportunity to turn. All it would have done later was make the person move and I would still have been stuck behind.

Things were already orders of magnitude longer than they would have been, so I don't consider it "such a short time."

Even better: there was a cop passing him/her when he/she started the illegal left hand turn. Like I said: oblivious

 

[reallyscrued]

Driving in the DC/Metro Area...

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

CZroe, I think we've established your "orders of magnitude" < 30 seconds.

 

[CZroe]

CZroe, I think we've established your "orders of magnitude" < 30 seconds.

Orders of magnitude are exponential. When a few seconds become several minutes with the potential for much longer, it is an order of magnitude longer by any definition.