Angry and Lawless Drivers & Riders

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Just celebrated 50 years of motorcycle riding and since 1971, I’ve seen at least an eight fold increase in road traffic here in south-central Pennsylvania.. Over the first 40 of those years I had to deal with stupid drivers, drunken drivers and an occasional speeding motorist.

10 years ago, I began noticing distracted drivers with their cell phones and on board technology. Four years ago we traveled to and stayed in Asheville North Carolina. I noticed the drivers down there were much different. They were attentive, very courteous and they pretty much stayed close to the speed limit. I was very impressed because I had begun noticing a growing trend around here… Angry (drivers and riders) lawless behavior on the road..

Let me begin with distracted drivers. It’s not uncommon for me to wait three seconds or more at a stoplight for the driver ahead to realize it has turned green. My rule of thumb is I give them five seconds if they aren’t moving, I beep my horn. Several times recently I’ve been giving the finger. I am now careful to whom I beep my horn.

 I’ve been passed on double yellow lines many times in rural areas,  most recently in a rural area where the driver was passing on a double yellow coming toward me, in my lane at 75 mph!

TWICE we were in the city of York, PA recently and witnessed 4-5  riders in a 35 mph zone popping willies on their bikes traveling 60 mph through downtown. Speeding at 85 & 90 mph on 65mph highways is now common.

I have my own business so I travel around the area constantly and I’m seeing this type of behavior more and more. A woman from our area was gun down while she and her husband we’re celebrating their honeymoon and driving down through Virginia. They had made the mistake of unknowingly merging into an angry driver.’ lane.  The angry driver pulled out his gun and shot her dead through her side window as they were driving down the highway! You may have heard about that..

Maybe it’s the pandemic, maybe it’s the political upheaval, the economy, increased drug use, lack of policing but there’s a major change in behavior in our society and as riders who are vulnerable, we have to be very much aware of what’s going on around us.

So I’m having to deal with stupid drivers, distracted drivers, drunk drivers, tailgaters, angry drivers and lawless drivers.

Is this happening in your area where you ride?

[krglorioso]

Not where I live, in rural Burnet County Texas.  I tend to ride at 55 mph or thereabouts, as that speed just is a "sweet spot" for me and my '04 Breva 750.  Most of our rural roads are posted faster than that and what traffic we have generally wants to go faster than I do.  My solution is to pull onto the shoulder (where one exists) and wave the following vehicle(s) by. 

Last month began my 68th year of regular riding and I admit to always having been very wary on two wheels.  Having moved here from SoCal three years ago has been a blessing in many respects in addition to more courteous drivers.  I think rural drivers are more courteous, but that may reflect a much lower level of congestion.  I'm 15 miles from the nearest traffic light and 16 miles from the nearest town.

Ralph

[Ryan]

I live in a semi-rural area that gets a fair share of tourist traffic. Locals drive a lot faster than the tourist, and occasionally will pass in ill-advised spots to get around the gawkers, but for the most part are pretty safe. There was a terrible wreck here last week where someone crossed the line and caused a head-on wreck, but wrecks are very rare here (two I can recall over the past three years). I occasionally have to go into Portland, and the distracted and incompetent outnumber good drivers by 15 to one. And nobody is polite behind the wheel anymore. Watch a few of those videos on YouTube and you can see how many accidents were caused by two egos, one determined to merge and one determined to not allow anyone in front of them. Just left and let the idiot in. Won't cost you any time, and can save you a lot of money and perhaps your life.

[ampm7]

SoCal has the same problem. Having been born here I found in the past that the native Californians were very good, courteous drivers. But that has all changed with the domestic and foreign immigration ( a lot of it illegal) out of hand. Imagine coming from a country that does not have much in the way of roadway etiquette and what do you get? Also, all the people that are glued to their phones constantly; that is a recipe for disaster. I have seen every possible scenario. I was about to change lanes back into the very far right lane and here zooms by a McLaren at about 110mph. Good thing I looked twice.

[Gliderjohn]

Most driving "water" rolls off my back but two start making me mumble under my breath. First is people running in the left lane of interstates but not passing. Two is a combination of those that don't know how to merge and those that will not move out of an outer lane when they have plenty of room to let someone merge.
GliderJohn

[LowRyter]

dang

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Most driving "water" rolls off my back but two start making me mumble under my breath. First is people running in the left lane of interstates but not passing. Two is a combination of those that don't know how to merge and those that will not move out of an outer lane wg=hen they have plenty of room to let someone merge.
GliderJohn

Those drivers are “Clueless Drivers” I forgot to mention that group. Add another to that list.

As the OP, I wanted to mention that even while off the bike or out of the car, just walking around and observing people, I have sensed for the last two years a “Frustration & Anger” in some people that’s just under the surface. And it probably comes out when they get out on the road.

[cliffrod]

Well, here in the courteous south (sounds pretty ridiculous imho, I think less rude and arrogant is better..) there are places where the traffic is nearly as bad as up north with fast life or death stuff.  The other big if not bigger danger are the real crackheads or their social-equivalent kissing cousins driving their barely functioning disposable POS beaters.   They have noting to lose and no insurance to pay for it. If they wreck it, they've got another war story to brag about while they're at the ER again.    Now there's driveways popping up everywhere as houses are built EVERYWHERE to accommodate thousands of transplants who are so sick of where they used to live that they want to be here to make into their new version of that place they left- bad habits et al....

Many of the good roads are now like the other roads that weren't good.  Things change.   

[chuck peterson]

New Haven…

It seems the newest trend is passing crowded stoplights by going the opposite direction in the travel lane..

That’s right…4, 2 lane intersections everyone stopped..from out pf line behind you comes a noisy buzzbox bombed out street ride driving in the wrong direction thru all 4 red lights

If his buddy is playing race car driver they’ll follow along behind

They threaten by not stopping…everyone freezes while the lights change and the errant driver lays down donuts in the intersection, then goes top speed away

Rules…who needs them

[LongRanger]

Rules don’t apply to everyone, just to those who follow them. Everyone else is entitled to their own version of personal choice. Me? I’d like to see harsher penalties for those who ignore the laws that the rest of us try to live by.

[AH Fan]

Well, here in the courteous south (sounds pretty ridiculous imho, I think less rude and arrogant is better..) there are places where the traffic is nearly as bad as up north with fast life or death stuff.  The other big if not bigger danger are the real crackheads or their social-equivalent kissing cousins driving their barely functioning disposable POS beaters.   They have noting to lose and no insurance to pay for it. If they wreck it, they've got another war story to brag about while they're at the ER again.    Now there's driveways popping up everywhere as houses are built EVERYWHERE to accommodate thousands of transplants who are so sick of where they used to live that they want to be here to make into their new version of that place they left- bad habits et al....

Many of the good roads are now like the other roads that weren't good.  Things change.   

Yes........... thats it.

Ciao

[Two Checks]

Re:merging...if you are on the highway it is not your responsibility to move over to allow a car to merge. It is the merging diver's responsibility to match speed of traffing and safely merge. That is why on ramps have a yield sign.

[sib]

Re:merging...if you are on the highway it is not your responsibility to move over to allow a car to merge. It is the merging diver's responsibility to match speed of traffing and safely merge. That is why on ramps have a yield sign.

Yeah, you could be dead right, but it might be more prudent to let the other car merge anyway.

[Tkelly]

Seems like a lot of drivers of big pickups want to show off their horsepower on the interstates .

[Gliderjohn]

From Two Checks:

Re:merging...if you are on the highway it is not your responsibility to move over to allow a car to merge. It is the merging diver's responsibility to match speed of traffing and safely merge. That is why on ramps have a yield sign.

A lawyer could argue that, anyway it is just safe driving. Having you move into an inner lane sure beats me having to come to a complete stop or nearly so at the end of the ramp.
GliderJohn

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Seems like a lot of drivers of big pickups want to show off their horsepower on the interstates .

Around here, diesel pickups like to gun it a spew smoke at drivers behind them at stoplights!

[berniebee]

Re:merging...if you are on the highway it is not your responsibility to move over to allow a car to merge. It is the merging diver's responsibility to match speed of traffing and safely merge. That is why on ramps have a yield sign.

Obviously. But it costs you but a glance in the mirrors to move over and make the road a safer place for both you and the merging car. Seems like a bargain to me.

[Scout63]

I’m not required to move left to allow someone to merge in, but if I can safely do it I will.  It just seems right (or left).  I tell my daughter that her most important responsibility is to let other drivers know clearly what she is doing and will do. I think that here on the Cape there are some stupid drivers, but most are courteous and no one wants to actually hit or get hit. Now cell phones - they terrify me.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I live in farming region ,two lane roads and small towns for dozens of miles in every direction..Compared to what you guys mention most drivers here are not a problem..

[Tom]

It's up to the merging driver to either speed up or slow down to merge Not the driver in that lane to adjust for the merger.  Un-safe to think that a semi-tractor with a trailer to pull over for someone merging.  "Mass kicks a$$."  Simple physics.

Anecdotally, more of the idiot & rude drivers out here are recent transplants from the U.S. Mainland, mostly from California.

[Ryan]

It is not my responsibility to let you merge, but I am not going to risk my ride or my life to make that point. Too many people merge without looking, or wait till they get to the end of the ramp to look left and by then, they are out of room to accelerate and are moving 10mph slower than I am. As they floor it to lurch forward and swing left to avoid the shoulder of the road, I have anticipated their stupidity and taken steps (slowing slightly, moving left, or if prudent, speeding past their projected merge point) to protect myself. The right of way only matters in court- on the street, I am more interested in self preservation. My responsibility is to survive, not enforce traffic law or right of way.

[Tom]

Y'ep.

[Zenermaniac]

Columbus, Ohio drivers are one of the reasons I retired…and that was before - - hit.

[LongRanger]

Re: Merging

You have the right of way, but if the other driver runs into you and you could have prevented it by changing lanes and allowing him to merge, the judge will find both of you liable — the other guy violated your right of way but you had the opportunity to take evasive action but choose not to. It’s your responsibility to drive defensively.

[Tim Henry]

I also find more stoned drivers here in Florida since medical Marijuana became prevalent the most popular type around here smells like skunk to me this adds to the list of problems as a daily rider

[Two Checks]

If you move over as a matter of "allowing" the other driver to merge you are not avoiding a collision. You are ASSUMING if you don't move there would be a collision.
Using this logic means you should stop and allow drivers on side streets and parking lots to pull out to avoid a crash.
It is the merging driver's responsibility to yield.

[Kev m]

If you move over as a matter of "allowing" the other driver to merge you are not avoiding a collision. You are ASSUMING if you don't move there would be a collision.
Using this logic means you should stop and allow drivers on side streets and parking lots to pull out to avoid a crash.
It is the merging driver's responsibility to yield.

That's a horrible simile and an overall not a helpful attitude.

Moving over, while not compulsory is simple courtesy and increasing the margin of safety when possible. You can also speed up or slow down to achieve similar results.

A better comparison night be to say allow a driver from a side street to proceed before you when traffic is at a full stop or moving slowly. You don't have to do it, but when the opportunity arises everyone is better off for it and it cost you basically nothing.

[Sye]

There are three main types of driving and riding in the UK:

1) Point and squirt, where the driver/rider is looking at an area about 20ft in front of them, accelerates hard and brakes hard.
2) I have right of way, where they follow the highway code to the letter and assume that because they have right of way everyone will yield.
3) Defensive riding/driving, where they have good all round awareness and look as far ahead as they can see. They assume that no-one has seen them or will yield.

I have seen countless people in the gutter or trapped in their car from groups 1 and 2. Group 3 live longer, you decide.

[Two Checks]

Problem is, people merging have now come to expect everyone to move over and think when merging they have the right of way.
As a certain spoiled retired race car driver used to say, "they wouldn't let me pass today".

[adaven]

Well then, let them have the right of way. Who cares really? What does it cost you, maybe a little wear and tear on the brake pads. I think people forget they have brakes, too.