Driving is one of my favorite things to do. There’s something about it that is calming, fun, and even therapeutic to sit back in your driver seat and drown all your feelings in the blaring music. However, there are some exceptions that ruin my typically-enjoyable driving experiences: annoying drivers. Now, notice that I didn’t say bad drivers, because I understand that everyone makes mistakes so if you do some of the things listed below then it doesn’t automatically define you as a bad driver. So, please don’t be too offended by my list if you are guilty of being an annoying driver.
For some background information, I created this list by taking note of every instance in this past month when I felt inconvenienced due to the careless or amateur driving of others. Without further ado, I present to you, The List.
- When the other car sticks out too far on the left turn lane at a stop sign. Then you, as a car in the right lane, can’t see the incoming traffic when you’re trying to turn right. If you inch out more past the left lane car to try to see better, then you’d be endangering yourself by being too close to the incoming cars rushing past on the main road. So you’re stuck waiting for the left lane car to turn and leave so that you can finally see.
- When other cars don’t use their turn signals when they’re shifting lanes. Not only will that catch other drivers off guard, but if you do that then you’re probably a bad communicator in real life because you don’t bother telling people when you’re going to do something. Ultimately, you will cause a gap in understanding between you and the other person.
- When a car cuts a long line of cars (e.g. exiting a highway) by speeding to the front and aggressively trying to push their way in, begging other cars to let them in to the line.
- When a car is in front of you and they take forever to start driving when the light turns green. Especially when the light is a left turn light that only lasts about 3 seconds (e.g. the one outside NNHS turning left onto Mill St.) and then the cars behind the slow car don’t make the green light because of the slow car driver’s inconsideration.
- When a car drives under 30 mph on 25 mph roads. There are people who are trying to get to places so it’s very annoying when some people actually drive the speed limit and there’s only one lane so you can’t pass them. It’s quite frustrating to be stuck behind a slow car when you are running late or just want to drive at a speed you consider comfortable instead of inching forward… then braking… then adding a little pressure on the gas–then braking again, because the car in front of you is still at like 26 mph.
- When two cars drive the same speed in both lanes so no one behind them can pass either one of them. This situation can also be translated to walking in high school hallways during passing period: when there’s a group walking very slowly but they’re spread out across the hallway, blocking anyone behind them from passing them.
- When a car turns from a side road onto a main road and times it badly, causing you (as a 40-50 mph driver) on the main road to have to slam the brakes to avoid crashing into the car that decided to turn leaving little room for you to react.
- When you’re on the highway and there are slow cars driving in the left lane. It’s an unwritten rule that the left lane is supposed to be the fast lane, so it’s extremely inconsiderate for someone to be taking their time in that lane instead of moving over to the right lane.
- When you and the car in front of you could have both gotten through the yellow light but the car in front either didn’t go through the light or went too slowly so you couldn’t make it through. Now you’re stuck waiting for another minute or so for the light to turn green again.
- When cars in front of you take forever to stop at a light so you’re just slowly…creeping…forward. This wastes your time because you can’t stop right away and you must accommodate the car in front of you otherwise you’ll end up with a big, unsettling gap between the front of your car and the back of the other car.
- When a car in front of you actually stops completely at a four-way stop sign intersection where there aren’t any cars at the other stop signs. It’s a tad bit unnecessary and a waste of your time to roll to a stop for a complete 3 seconds when there obviously aren’t any other cars coming from the other directions.
Ultimately, this list encompasses my thoughts about the annoying drivers that we have all had to face at one point while out on the roads. I hope you were able to relate to some of these things and if you think of any other annoying things that drivers do then please share them in the comments below!
NUMBER TWO THO!!!! I seriously cannot stand when people don’t signal. It makes me so angry and my mother is very guilty of this. Every time she doesn’t signal I point it out and tell her that it’s bad for the cars behind her because if I was behind her I would be so pissed off at that point. I literally signal if I’m the only car at a stop sign just because it bothers me that much when other people don’t signal. I also completely agree with number seven, especially down Chicago. Oh my gosh it’s so awful. I have to say though, I am guilty of number five. But the only time I ever do this is if the car behind me is riding my a** and it’s pissing me off, so then I slow down to the speed limit just for spite. Otherwise, yes I would agree with your entire list.
Number 3 literally happens ALL THE TIME when exiting from the NPAC parking lot. It makes me want to run my car down a ditch. Admittedly, though, I tend to be number 5 and 6 more often than I probably should. I’m not a good driver, and even now I still pay way too close attention to the speedometer because I straight up cannot tell the difference between 25 and 35 miles per hour if I’m just looking out the windshield. I think your whole list is really accurate. Thank you for giving me a laugh.