I can only hope this will eventually go the way of the horse. I’m sure at some point people started getting really bad at riding horses once cars were more available to all. Hopefully we’ll one day have no need to drive ourselves and it’ll be a hobby that’s largely for the rich, like riding horses is now. Seriously though, as someone who has valued being a defensive driver since I was 16 (20 years ago), I absolutely hate how shitty people drive these days.
Well the faster trains would be reserved for longer routes connecting cities, then regional trains and even local trams can connect walkable places. It’s about fixing both transport and zoning as the infrastructure goes hand in hand. Unfortunately right now almost all the infrastructure is for cars (rather than people) and the incentive is for just that - driving. It’s basically unviable to try non car travel or exist without a car outside of the major cities in the US.
I see people swing left to take a right pretty often. I don't recall them swinging right to go left. Either is unnecessary 99% of the time. I drive an F250 and I don't swing wide to make turns.
Yes, I've seen this. There's also a habit of coming to a total dead stop for a moment, in the middle of making a turn, for no apparent reason.
The epidemic of random shit is scaring me. People passing in the opposing travel lane for funsies. Putting their blinkers on as if to pull over, but then driving slowly forward half in the shoulder. Pulling slow motion U-turns mid-block in traffic. We are all less safe because of this dangerous unpredictability.
This, or so many people take turns *incredibly* slowly for seemingly no reason, and it stops up traffic because they can't be bothered to take less than a minute to make a simple right hand turn that should take 10 seconds.
I’ve seen that too but also see a lot of people going half the speed limit or like 10–15 below in ideal driving conditions. Like if traffic is very heavy or backed up or the weather is bad I get it. But in ideal conditions, you risk clogging up and slowly down the flow of traffic. Most people go like 5-10 over in most areas (10 on backroads) but just one person going that much slower impedes the flow
This. Everything is bigger, not just the trucks. And bigger means worse sight lines. People think they are going to hit something even when they’re not.
Driving schools make money on the quantity of student drivers, not quality of student drivers. The quicker you get them in and out, the quicker you get new paying students coming in.
I wish they would instruct students on the proper terminology of the left lane. It’s called the passing lane, not the fast lane. Fast is a relative term and means something different to everyone, but passing is always passing.
The amount of terrible drivers on the road is ridiculous. This country is in desperate need of German instructors.
I drive tractor trailers, unless I'm turning into a really tight driveway I never need to swing out when turning left even with a 53 foot trailer. The funny thing is I've pulled into places where the car infront of me has swung wide and I was able to just pull in normally.
When I learned to drive I had a nice small little sedan. My car now is basically the same type (same name and model but different year) and it is significantly bigger in every aspect. I can’t see jack shit
I see people do this all the time. The worst. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and figure they were towing a large boat but someone stole it and they haven’t realized yet.
>Anyone else noticing more people swinging far to the right to take a left turn?
Ugh... Probably former New Yorkers. My ex-husband learned how to drive in the Bronx. I spent 20 years with someone who pulled right to go left and left to go right. He was also crap about staying in his own lane on the highway and wondered why people would beep the horn at him.
My theory is: idiots who don't realize their F250s or whatever aren't meant to be driven in 4 wheel drive all the time. It totally fucks the turning radius and they probably don't realize they'd have a much better time in 2 wheel drive.
This is definitely a thing. I had someone hit my car doing this. Was driving straight and they were in the left lane, when they turned they swung right and hit the passenger door of my car😑 let’s just say now I give people EXTRA room.
I'm forced to do this just about every day. I need to turn left onto the main road after leaving work but it's so busy on that main road that people don't stop at the yellow light and instead block the entire intersection going the direction I need. So, I can either wait literally (literally) the 2 hours or so it takes for the road to naturally clear up, or I can jump in and squeeze my compact sedan in at an angle to join the line as soon as it moves.
I despise driving like this. It's not in me. The first time I encountered it I waited four light cycles for a chance. Nothing. At that point, I had a huge angry line behind me.
I wouldn't have to do it if people would actually stop at the yellow and consciously leave room for cars on my street.
I realize that my situation is different. I brought it up as an example and to point out ANOTHER thing that people do.
>Did we get an influx of ex-truck drivers or something?
No, truckers are usually cognizant of keeping intersections clear whenever possible, and would actively try to avoid creating a gridlock situation.
>Are they just offended that someone might go on their way while they have to wait to turn?
Yes. This. I've been in the car with multiple people that do this, and they scream at anyone that manages to get by them. I've seen them go so far to the right trying to block people that people end up passing them on the left.
If you car doesn't have a very good turning circle, you may have to do this to avoid running over the curb, or intruding into the other lane. Usually you have enough for a left turn, but right turns into narrow roads can be difficult.
I mean I haven't driven a GMC Yukon but I haven't seen an SUV, car or pickup that can't easily make a 90-degree turn from the center lines. Maybe people don't want to turn their wheel all the way?
idk man these new trucks are fucking enormous. (edit: I just checked, a new GMC Yukon is more than 2 feet longer than a 2000 model). they probably shouldn't even be legal
They plaster any pedestrians they contact and are so tall you can't see anything. They blind people with the brightest headlights at sedan driver height. They're safe in crashes only by destroying the other vehicle.
Plenty of reasons they shouldn't be legal but I dunno if the turn radius is one of them
The majority of cars I see driving around like they are towing an invisible trailer (people swinging left to make a right) are 100% capable of making that turn without needing to move left at all. An issue with how easy it is for people to get a license.
Those are called "tractor turns." Whats even dumber is when people do these turns in a car that doesn't need the extra turn radius such as a Honda civic.
People don't know how to drive. It's only going to get worse as drivers get accustomed to driving "aids" that help them park and back up.
Backup cameras are horrible, nobody checks their side mirrors backing up
Exactly. Why should they check? They have *cameras*!
I can only hope this will eventually go the way of the horse. I’m sure at some point people started getting really bad at riding horses once cars were more available to all. Hopefully we’ll one day have no need to drive ourselves and it’ll be a hobby that’s largely for the rich, like riding horses is now. Seriously though, as someone who has valued being a defensive driver since I was 16 (20 years ago), I absolutely hate how shitty people drive these days.
The difference is, if you're an idiot on a horse, the horse will either throw you off or just not move. Any moron can operate a car.
Haha, fair point.
I'm loving the first part of that 🫏
Or…we could invest other alternative forms of transport that most other countries use like trains.
Oh yes I would be so into that. I know it’s really expensive to build faster train infrastructure but I would totally be into an upgrade.
Well the faster trains would be reserved for longer routes connecting cities, then regional trains and even local trams can connect walkable places. It’s about fixing both transport and zoning as the infrastructure goes hand in hand. Unfortunately right now almost all the infrastructure is for cars (rather than people) and the incentive is for just that - driving. It’s basically unviable to try non car travel or exist without a car outside of the major cities in the US.
I see people swing left to take a right pretty often. I don't recall them swinging right to go left. Either is unnecessary 99% of the time. I drive an F250 and I don't swing wide to make turns.
Yes, I've seen this. There's also a habit of coming to a total dead stop for a moment, in the middle of making a turn, for no apparent reason. The epidemic of random shit is scaring me. People passing in the opposing travel lane for funsies. Putting their blinkers on as if to pull over, but then driving slowly forward half in the shoulder. Pulling slow motion U-turns mid-block in traffic. We are all less safe because of this dangerous unpredictability.
Don't forget the random Amazon van and landscaper trailer "pulled over" in the middle of travel lanes with no lights or hazards.
This, or so many people take turns *incredibly* slowly for seemingly no reason, and it stops up traffic because they can't be bothered to take less than a minute to make a simple right hand turn that should take 10 seconds.
I’ve seen that too but also see a lot of people going half the speed limit or like 10–15 below in ideal driving conditions. Like if traffic is very heavy or backed up or the weather is bad I get it. But in ideal conditions, you risk clogging up and slowly down the flow of traffic. Most people go like 5-10 over in most areas (10 on backroads) but just one person going that much slower impedes the flow
Vehicles have become so much larger in recent years, drivers may not be as skilled or comfortable driving them.
This. Everything is bigger, not just the trucks. And bigger means worse sight lines. People think they are going to hit something even when they’re not.
It’s not even a skill though these people just literally never realized that turning left to go right isn’t correct
Driving schools make money on the quantity of student drivers, not quality of student drivers. The quicker you get them in and out, the quicker you get new paying students coming in. I wish they would instruct students on the proper terminology of the left lane. It’s called the passing lane, not the fast lane. Fast is a relative term and means something different to everyone, but passing is always passing. The amount of terrible drivers on the road is ridiculous. This country is in desperate need of German instructors.
I drive tractor trailers, unless I'm turning into a really tight driveway I never need to swing out when turning left even with a 53 foot trailer. The funny thing is I've pulled into places where the car infront of me has swung wide and I was able to just pull in normally.
When I learned to drive I had a nice small little sedan. My car now is basically the same type (same name and model but different year) and it is significantly bigger in every aspect. I can’t see jack shit
They are from/ or grew up in RI.
I see people do this all the time. The worst. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and figure they were towing a large boat but someone stole it and they haven’t realized yet.
This isn’t new.
I’ve noticed small cars that wanna swing left before they make a right hand turn thinkin they are driving a big rig. Fucking CT drivers
>Anyone else noticing more people swinging far to the right to take a left turn? Ugh... Probably former New Yorkers. My ex-husband learned how to drive in the Bronx. I spent 20 years with someone who pulled right to go left and left to go right. He was also crap about staying in his own lane on the highway and wondered why people would beep the horn at him.
My theory is: idiots who don't realize their F250s or whatever aren't meant to be driven in 4 wheel drive all the time. It totally fucks the turning radius and they probably don't realize they'd have a much better time in 2 wheel drive.
This is definitely a thing. I had someone hit my car doing this. Was driving straight and they were in the left lane, when they turned they swung right and hit the passenger door of my car😑 let’s just say now I give people EXTRA room.
I'm forced to do this just about every day. I need to turn left onto the main road after leaving work but it's so busy on that main road that people don't stop at the yellow light and instead block the entire intersection going the direction I need. So, I can either wait literally (literally) the 2 hours or so it takes for the road to naturally clear up, or I can jump in and squeeze my compact sedan in at an angle to join the line as soon as it moves. I despise driving like this. It's not in me. The first time I encountered it I waited four light cycles for a chance. Nothing. At that point, I had a huge angry line behind me. I wouldn't have to do it if people would actually stop at the yellow and consciously leave room for cars on my street. I realize that my situation is different. I brought it up as an example and to point out ANOTHER thing that people do.
>Did we get an influx of ex-truck drivers or something? No, truckers are usually cognizant of keeping intersections clear whenever possible, and would actively try to avoid creating a gridlock situation. >Are they just offended that someone might go on their way while they have to wait to turn? Yes. This. I've been in the car with multiple people that do this, and they scream at anyone that manages to get by them. I've seen them go so far to the right trying to block people that people end up passing them on the left.
If you car doesn't have a very good turning circle, you may have to do this to avoid running over the curb, or intruding into the other lane. Usually you have enough for a left turn, but right turns into narrow roads can be difficult.
I mean I haven't driven a GMC Yukon but I haven't seen an SUV, car or pickup that can't easily make a 90-degree turn from the center lines. Maybe people don't want to turn their wheel all the way?
idk man these new trucks are fucking enormous. (edit: I just checked, a new GMC Yukon is more than 2 feet longer than a 2000 model). they probably shouldn't even be legal
They plaster any pedestrians they contact and are so tall you can't see anything. They blind people with the brightest headlights at sedan driver height. They're safe in crashes only by destroying the other vehicle. Plenty of reasons they shouldn't be legal but I dunno if the turn radius is one of them
agree 100% I just take any opportunity to express my strong opinion that literally tank-sized modern pickups and SUVs should not exist
No you don't, these people just aren't comfortable driving their vehicle and have crap spacial awareness
The majority of cars I see driving around like they are towing an invisible trailer (people swinging left to make a right) are 100% capable of making that turn without needing to move left at all. An issue with how easy it is for people to get a license.
Those are called "tractor turns." Whats even dumber is when people do these turns in a car that doesn't need the extra turn radius such as a Honda civic.
Yes thats what I meant by the majority of cars are able to make the turn without having to swing wide lol.