Bad Habits You Have When Driving

[dazzleman]

I drive a bit fast, and am also bad about getting close behind someone if they're left lane camping. Other than that though, I'm not sure. I always use my signals and try not to tailgate or brake suddenly. Lack of patience (and how it's demonstrated through my driving) is probably my biggest vice.
I think it's more of a small town/retiree thing (having been around plenty, I feel justified saying that). In cities and on the interstate people still speed a decent amount. I like to speed and am rarely the only one (or even the fastest one). State highways drive me nuts though... one small town after another with 35mph speed limits and plentiful farm pickups or dump trucks/semis to slow things down... Louisiana also frustrated me, barely anyone speeds much there (apparently they have strict speed limit tolerances by police) on the interstate.

A bit fast? 

[CALL_911]

I accelerate really fast all the time. Not even speeding, I just get up to speed quick. The faster a car is, the faster I get up to speed.  Explains my shitty gas mileage.

+1

I speed a lot and sometimes (whenever there's a left lane camper), I weave a bit too much. I don't think I'm the smoothest driver in the world.

[hounddog]

I really have few bad habits when I am driving.  Worst is probably crossing my feet on long drives with the cruise on.

I rarely even realize I do it.

[Rich]

Hmmm.... let's see... from a perspective of the PoPo or senior citizens I

#1 I take corners fast.. intersection type corners, and then I'm hard on the gas after..  I imagine some giving me dirty looks after, oh well
#2 If I'm on a 2 lane and I'm coming up behind someone stopped at the light in my lane, but the other is empty, I'll move over to the empty one, because I know I'm going to blast off at the light... if there is someone coming up in the open lane car lengths back, I'm sure they are pissed when I pull over into their lane taking their open lane launch
#3  If I'm on an on ramp and have a car in front of me, I'll hang behind and do a ridiculously slow speed so I can take some of the ramp at a fun speed and be at merging speed on the highway.  I'm sure it pisses the cars off behind me.
#4 Sometimes if I'm on the highway and there's a guy not using cruise control and not keeping their speed, and I have to pass them a few times, I'll speed up, pull in front of them and then go really slow, to see if I can annoy them too.  Probably the most stupid/childish thing I do.

[TBR]

Outside of the major cities, yeah, but I have to remind myself that slow for Atlanta isn't slow for other places - it's not rare for me to be going 75 in a 55, drive by a cop clocking people and not even slow down.

Atlanta is pretty ridiculous. I once was going 90 in a 55 and was still with the flow of traffic (towards the upper end admittedly).

I am not so good with stop signs..the stopping bit is difficult for me...

I really don't speed too bad. I pretty much just stick with the flow of traffic, and normally that means ~5 mph over. I always signal and almost always check over my shoulder before changing lanes. I don't text while driving (illegal in NC!!!! Though I always see people doing it, and it pisses me off), and I avoid the phone in general as much as possible. I do pass on the right sometimes, but typically only in light traffic situations.

[TBR]

I really have few bad habits when I am driving.  Worst is probably crossing my feet on long drives with the cruise on.

I rarely even realize I do it.

I used to do that, but now I make a conscious effort to keep my left foot on the dead pedal and my right foot near the pedals (there's a little bump on the "transmission tunnel" that facilitates this).

[Raza]

Have you ever had an accident, Raza?

Nope. 

[Mustangfan2003]

I have the habit of texting and holding a beer can at the same time.    just j/k

[BimmerM3]

On a somewhat related topic, is it considered vandalism to put a bumper sticker on someone else's car without their permission? I've been seriously thinking about getting some of these.

http://iparklikeanidiot.com/

Since no one answered the first time, let me clarify: I'm not kidding. If somehow that's legal (can't imagine it is, but you never know), I'm gonna order a lot of those.

[Cookie Monster]

I have a bad habit of squeezing between cars when changing lanes, especially when I'm in the Miata.

[omicron]

Driving one-handed. Right hand lazily on the wheel, left hand nowhere in particular.

[Byteme]

Anything in particular?

I have no bad driving habits.


I do have some finely honed skills though.

I'm able to program the GPS while negotiating Houston freeway traffic.
I can steer with my left knee while I juggle a burger, fries and Diet Coke.
I can maintain a running commentary on the faults of other drivers while safely completing my trip.

[bing_oh]

Since no one answered the first time, let me clarify: I'm not kidding. If somehow that's legal (can't imagine it is, but you never know), I'm gonna order a lot of those.

Yea, that's called criminal mischief in Ohio..."move, deface, or tamper with the property of another." Misdemeanor of the 3rd degree.

[bing_oh]

On topic...I brake too hard. Of course, I accelerate too hard, too, so it all evens out in the end.

[Tave]

I roll through stop signs in my neighborhood when I can see no cars coming, especially the bullshit signs the city added last summer that serve no purpose whatsoever except to make through-traffic drive slower down our hill. Those I run on principle alone.

[hounddog]

I used to do that, but now I make a conscious effort to keep my left foot on the dead pedal and my right foot near the pedals (there's a little bump on the "transmission tunnel" that facilitates this).

I never even realize I do it, but I have at least been able to get my mind to put my brake foot in front now.  Or most of the time. 

It is a terribly dangerous thing to do and I have no idea how or when I started doing it even.

Did it tonight, as a matter of fact on my way back from Traverse City.

[hounddog]

On a somewhat related topic, is it considered vandalism to put a bumper sticker on someone else's car without their permission? I've been seriously thinking about getting some of these.

http://iparklikeanidiot.com/

On your first where you follow; Follow too closely, 2 point moving violation and probably in the $110 fine neighborhood in Michigan.

On the other; if you put it on and no requirement other than the owner pulling it off it is Criminal Mischief. 

If you put it on and it requires any professional repair where you have to pay its Malicious destruction of private property.

[Rupert]

I have no bad driving habits.


I do have some finely honed skills though.

I'm able to program the GPS while negotiating Houston freeway traffic.
I can steer with my left knee while I juggle a burger, fries and Diet Coke.
I can maintain a running commentary on the faults of other drivers while safely completing my trip.

[ifcar]

Yea, that's called criminal mischief in Ohio..."move, deface, or tamper with the property of another." Misdemeanor of the 3rd degree.

Does that also apply to messages written in dirt/salt of a car? I got one criticizing my parking when the car on my other side had forced me over to the edge of the space.

[bing_oh]

Does that also apply to messages written in dirt/salt of a car? I got one criticizing my parking when the car on my other side had forced me over to the edge of the space.

Suppose you might be able to charge for it if you reeeeeally wanted to get "creative" with the law, but I can't imagine ever being convicted of it. I really doubt that would even be consider "defacing" since it's dirt/salt. If somebody came to me and tried to get me to file it, I'd roll my eyes and politely tell them to go the fuck away.

[Rupert]

What if it scratched your new paint?

[hounddog]

scratched paint = MDOP

Depending on the dollar amount to repair it could be either a misdemeanor or a felony.

[Northlands]

Passing on the right. - Too many left lane campers here, so I simply must do it in order to get anywhere around here.
I brake a little heavy at times. Mostly in the winter.
I take cloverleaf ramps at entertaining speeds.

I don't speed much anymore. I used to when I was younger. I was pretty bad actually. Now I find myself going over on the highway, but that's about it. Speeding gets you nowhere in my city. Too many red lights, cameras, vehicle cameras...etc. Expensive and pointless when you'll either be fined or you just have to stop every 3-400 ft anyway.

[Speed_Racer]

Speaking of my bad habit, I got pulled over tonight. First time in a few years. Just a warning, thankfully.

[dazzleman]

Speaking of my bad habit, I got pulled over tonight. First time in a few years. Just a warning, thankfully.

Were you all worked up from your date?

[Speed_Racer]

Were you all worked up from your date?

Haha, i was distracted while heading to my date.

[dazzleman]

Haha, i was distracted while heading to my date.

How fast were you going?

This makes me think of when you ended up in the sin bin at the F1....

[Speed_Racer]

He clocked me at 52 in a 35, but I was definitely around 60 until I saw him and got on the brakes hard. It was a twisty canyon road, and he just appeared out of nowhere.

I live for the sin bin! Haha

[dazzleman]

He clocked me at 52 in a 35, but I was definitely around 60 until I saw him and got on the brakes hard. It was a twisty canyon road, and he just appeared out of nowhere.

I live for the sin bin! Haha

Haha, that was exactly my last speeding ticket....
I want to get in the sin bin next time I go to the F1.  I need to improve my driving skills to reach that goal.

[the Teuton]

I'm sometimes more concerned with my MP3 player (attached to the head unit via a cord) than with keeping my eyes on the road. That's probably my worst habit.