Everyday I run into the same problem driver. It does not matter whether I am on the highway or some country back road, there is always a driver who can not seem to read simple speed limit signs. The DOT has made them as bright and as clear as possible, so why can’t these oblivious commuters of the road pay attention to them? It’s really not that hard! There are several types of the extreme time wasters that create annoying traffic jams in their persuit to kill all that is happy in the world…
- 2 lane 45 mph zone – The lucky drivers across these great 45 mph, 2 lane roads have one real annoyance that pokes their head out on every drive. You will always run across one driver…backing up traffic…because they believe that the area is a 35 mph zone just because it is two lanes. They don’t bother actually reading the plain white sign on the side of the road that plainly states “SPEED LIMIT 45 MPH“. They instead…make an assumption that is completely wrong and go about their oblivious life believing they are in the right. The crazy part…they will do this over and over again on the same road without ever actually looking at the stupid speed limit sign. To make matters worse…they get irritated with other drivers riding their ass and passing when they are in fact in the wrong!
- The slow highway driver – So you are cruising along on a 65 mph highway (so you are really doing 80 mph, but that is besides the point), you start seeing cars dart all over the place in an attempt to get around one lane. Why are they performing these highway acrobatics? Because one car has taken it upon himself to do under the speed limit on a crowded, fast highway. Who is the worst offender of highway misconduct? The white van with ladders stacked to the sky hanging out in the fast lane doing 10 under the speed limit. For added bonus points, the ladders are just seconds away from spilling out all over the highway.
The slow driver always has a multitude of excuses to justify their bad road behavior…
- I didn’t know – Great…another I didn’t know or I didn’t see the sign excuse. Maybe if you would pay attention to what you are doing…YOU WOULD KNOW!
- It is safer – WRONG! If you are going much slower than everyone else on the road, you are no better than the guy that is doing 20 over. You are creating problems around yourself. The only difference here is that you may not see the accident you caused!
- Everyone should drive slower like I do…then there wouldn’t be a problem – Ha! Another “make the 99% cater to the 1% America it is all about me” mentality. Let’s make everyone do it exactly the way you do, when you are the minority! It makes no sense at all…
I am convinced that it is far too easy to get and keep a license in the United States. There should be scheduled driving tests at certain age brackets to make sure that the drivers are capable of driving on PUBLIC ROADS. If you are deemed unfit…then you can’t drive! I would hate it as much as anyone else, but if it meant there were less accidents and annoyances during the day…the benefit would vastly outweigh the cost.
In the meantime…READ THE ROAD SIGNS!
Yes, they are annoying, but honestly, I am more annoyed by those who pass bikers with a half inch distance with 80 mph in a 35 mph zone….. The first ones are only annoying, the second ones threaten my life!
@Martina
Had one of those last night. If only I could spin out 50 mph…I would have given them a real piece of my mind!
Left lane hogs are the worst. I can’t figure out if they’re just totally clueless, or just don’t care/selfish. If someone comes up behind you in the left lane, get the f*ck over! Slower traffic keep right!
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
@Kevin
I tend to believe it is a complete lack of awareness (or care) of what is going on around them. Didn’t you know it was all about them?
slow drivers irritate me and I don’t even drive yet. I’d rather get a speeding ticket than a ticket for obstructing the flow of traffic…
@Tom
Just wait…it will all make sense once you are on the road for a day…
What is more annoying is that municipalities intentionally set speed limits low for the purposes of revenue generation. Studies show that by raising the speed limit to the speeds that the 85th percentile travels at generally results in greater compliance to posted limits. Additionally most states do say that slower traffic should move right regardless of their speed, in other words, it doesn’t matter if the other guy is speeding and your going the speed limit, you are supposed to move right when possible. As I see it, you can be upset a people who travel what they perceive as an appropriate speed, or you can be upset at your local municipality who set the limit to tax people who travel at what they perceive as an appropriate speed. Either way, the remaining 15% of drivers are going to speed and any energy burnt on being upset at them is better directed at the people who don’t set timing on lights appropriately. IMHO
@Clifford
The government is all about revenue generators!! What do you think those red light cameras are! Not that I condone running red lights…but if someone else is driving your car…you still get the ticket in the mail!
Timing on traffic lights is a whole other argument and annoyance!
go the speed limit you damn lawbreakers