Worst drivers in which vehicle?

[FIREd]

The scariest drivers for me: high schoolers in sports car or large trucks/SUV. I live near a major high school and you won't find me anywhere near that hell hole when they let the [-]savages[/-] kids out. The kids drive way over the speed limit, swerve in and out of traffic, race with each other, do stupid stuff to impress their friends, etc... You can see legs hanging out of windows and heads sticking out of sun roofs. The music is blasting, they are talking or texting on their phones, and generally too busy chatting with their friends to care about their fellow drivers. Driving safely is the least of their preoccupations.

 

[kumquat]

Our part of the world used to have different tax and registration rules for 'farm trucks'. They could be anything from a 1/2 ton to a 3-axle grain hauler. They had an identifying license plate.

An American tourist once said to me "you guys have a great system, the bad drivers all have a license plate that starts with an 'F'" and he was right.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I had a place in an area with a lot of retirees, and over the years I had to dodge two cars coming into my lane because the driver was dead or unconscious.


ha

I think we need to discount the dead and the unconscious. At that point, they are no longer drivers.

I think the most annoying drivers are people. My cat never drives, and she's never had an accident.

 

[CuppaJoe]

... My cat never drives, and she's never had an accident.

I learned a lesson real quick years ago when my cat jumped into the steering wheel and the car went into a ditch, at very slow speed, no damage done. Keep the cat in the box.

Most of the time I’m a pedestrian. I don’t care which kind of car it is, I take a good look at the driver’s face to make sure s/he is paying attention. I do not trust driver's signals or lack thereof.

 

[ziggy29]

I think the most annoying drivers are people.

I believe you're confusing drivers with Soylent Green.

 

[Danny]

right now the worst driver in america is a middle age hispanic woman named carla in a brand new f-150 4x4 that backed into my honda coupe at the post office earlier this month.."i couldn't see you!" like it was my fault. wouldn't give me her insurance "Oh, no they'll raise my rates!"
Gave me a phony address license and phone. I do have her plate number though..see if that helps..let me know if you see her..

 

[ls99]

Have not been able to pin the problem on type of wheels or gender. Had all sorts tailgating, riding my left rear blind spot for miles. Mostly grandma grandpa types I find doing the mosey on a single lane country road.

I like to deal with tailgaters by tuning on the parking lamps momentarily. They usually get the hint and back off a bit. Then if they don't get the message, I jam on the brakes real hard. Somehow with a lot screeching they menage to not scrape paint off my bumper.

It is a lot more fun playing tailgaters with the suburban, with 2 5/16" tow ball poking out about 10". Sure would look funny in their radiator.

To me the most terrifying experience is coming up on a full size Crown Victoria with no visible driver, somehow driving itself around turns, staying in lane (mostly), managing stop signs (mostly). Then seeing it park in front of a store or some such. As I go by, usually see a little old lady peering over the dashboard but under the steering wheel. I have now trained myself in such events to look for a little clump of white hair visible between the top od the seatback and the bottom of the headrest.
Then back off a good ways. The directions the car takes or the speed of it is usually independent of the turn signals or brake lamps.

Don't laugh too hard, you and I may eventually end being that magic white clump of hair.

 

[ls99]

right now the worst driver in america is a middle age hispanic woman named carla in a brand new f-150 4x4 that backed into my honda coupe at the post office earlier this month.."i couldn't see you!" like it was my fault. wouldn't give me her insurance "Oh, no they'll raise my rates!"
Gave me a phony address license and phone. I do have her plate number thought..see if that helps..let me know if you see her..

Yeah I met her too about 4 years ago. Good thing my Benz had bumpers rated for 5 mph impact. She had the gall to compliment my car's bumper, seeing that it stopped her before damage to the painted chromed stuff happened.

 

[bbbamI]

As I go by, usually see a little old lady peering over the dashboard but under the steering wheel. I have now trained myself in such events to look for a little clump of white hair visible between the top od the seatback and the bottom of the headrest.
Then back off a good ways. The directions the car takes or the speed of it is usually independent of the turn signals or brake lamps.

Don't laugh too hard, you and I may eventually end being that magic white clump of hair.

Ain't that the truth! The last time I went to the doc, I had shrunk half an inch. I guess those phone books will come in handy......

 

[calmloki]

... My cat never drives, and she's never had an accident.

Toonces!

 

[bbbamI]

Toonces!

My Hero!......

 

[harley]

I was having lunch with a couple of cop friends a number of months ago. At one point in the conversation they both said (almost in unison) "Not all A-holes are BMW drivers, but all BMW drivers are A-holes".

I never thought about it before, but my experiences since then have not disproved their saying. My anecdotal evidence since then shows the highest concentration of cell phone talkers/texters while driving are BMW drivers.

 

[RustyShackleford]

It's funny how much of a scapegoat/bugaboo drunk drivers are these days.
I'm WAY more scared of the harried yuppie housewife, the cell-phone talker,
or just the salaryman in a hurry to get away from work.

 

[Khan]

It's funny how much of a scapegoat/bugaboo drunk drivers are these days.
I'm WAY more scared of the harried yuppie housewife, the cell-phone talker,
or just the salaryman in a hurry to get away from work.

It was bad enough when they were just juggling coffee and a cigarette, now they've got the $%^& cell phone.

 

[Danny]

I was having lunch with a couple of cop friends a number of months ago. At one point in the conversation they both said (almost in unison) "Not all A-holes are BMW drivers, but all BMW drivers are A-holes".

I never thought about it before, but my experiences since then have not disproved their saying. My anecdotal evidence since then shows the highest concentration of cell phone talkers/texters while driving are BMW drivers.

audi range rover & lexus not far behind... except for those on the forum...

 

[brewer12345]

I went out for a motorcycle ride yesterday. In two hours of rural riding on mostly empty roads, I was tailgated VERY closely on three occasions by hyper-aggressive drivers: one pickup truck, one econo-box, and one sedan. Yeah, I was just out for a Sunday cruise, but in all cases I was between the speed limit and 5 over the limit. Two of them came within just a few feet as I slowed down to turn right and get out of their way (the econo-box crossed over the double yellow line, passing me and one other car, going about 70 in a 45 MPH zone, with a curve and a hill just ahead).

Personally, when I see a motorcyclist (lunatics, IMO, but it takes all kinds) I get as far away from them and give them the widest berth possible. Occasionally unpredictable drivers (especially the young guys), but mostly because even the slightest love tap from me in my 2 tons of steel, glass and rubber is likely to maim or kill someone. Wouldn't want that on my conscience.

 

[Walt34]

I was having lunch with a couple of cop friends a number of months ago. At one point in the conversation they both said (almost in unison) "Not all A-holes are BMW drivers, but all BMW drivers are A-holes".

Very true, but they're not the worst. 'Benz drivers believe that the laws of physics simply do not apply to their vehicles. The shock and awe they experience when encountering a trash truck or tree was a sight to behold.

Perhaps because their drivers have reached a point where time doesn't matter, Rolls' are always driven at a stately 5 mph under the speed limit. In 18 years on the road I never wrote a ticket to a Rolls driver. Never saw one do anything wrong.

 

[SC]

Personally, when I see a motorcyclist (lunatics, IMO, but it takes all kinds) I get as far away from them and give them the widest berth possible. Occasionally unpredictable drivers (especially the young guys), but mostly because even the slightest love tap from me in my 2 tons of steel, glass and rubber is likely to maim or kill someone. Wouldn't want that on my conscience.

We lunatics appreciate that. I wish driving schools could make all their students drive 1) a scooter, motorcycle, or moped, to experience how vulnerable they are, and 2) a large, heavy truck, to experience how hard it is to stop when a car pulls out in front or changes lanes into the "buffer space" in front of the truck at a red light.

This thread reminded me of a folk song by Bill Morrissey called "Car and Driver":

I’ve got a Mercedes Benz with M.D. plates,
I have no trouble finding dates.
I’ve got a 1980 Subaru,
one more semester, then I’m through.
A slant-six Dodge is no big thrill,
but it’s a car no atom bomb can kill.
I make a lot of dough in a high-tech job,
yah sure, you bet, I drive a turbo Saab.

Chorus:
I’ll bet you a ten, even a fiver,
you find a car, I’ll find the driver.
It really ain’t-a no big deal
to know who’s inside that automobile.

Well I’ve just airbrushed my Econoline,
“A friend of the devil is a friend of mine.”
I’ve got a 1962 Biscayne,
it won’t start if it looks like rain.
A four-wheel drive with extra chrome,
I keep it on the paved roads close to home.
A Cadillac the size of an Amtrak Train,
when I drive I take two lanes.

(chorus)

Now my Honda Civic is a real go-getter,
I look great in it in my crewneck sweater.
And my BMW draws applause,
I am not bound by traffic laws.
I got a Ranger truck, I’m for import quotas;
I won’t park next to no Toyotas.
And my Volvo wagon will seat six,
it can run on diesel or trail mix.

(chorus)

 

[DangerMouse]

According to my son who travels constantly it's anyone in a minivan.

What's the most dangerous road hazard you've experienced?


Without a second thought, it's minivans. Over the years I've been convinced that minivan owners/drivers are mentally off from the rest of the population. They can often be found driving 20 - 30 mph under or over the speed limit, and they just don't seem to understand basic traffic rules and courtesy. I'd like to see a special lane built for minivans so that they can annoy each other.
If one of my family members procured a minivan, I would seek professional counseling for that person.

Road Trip Rip - FAQs

Another vote for mini van drivers. They seem to think if they have a Baby on Board sign stuck in the back window it means the rest of the world has to accommodate their less than spectacular driving habits.

Second for me are the oldies who aren't in a rush to go anywhere and think it is ok to cruise on the freeway in the fast lane at 50 mph.

Last but not least are the Stepford Wives who drive the massive SUV's in a spectacularly bad manner whilst they text at the same time with their false nails.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We owned three minivans and it was almost impossible to maintain a constant speed in them (even using cruise control). So I apologize.

I vote for what the young men call milfs, in SUVs on the cell phone as the worst, because they are animated talkers and take their hands off the wheel to gesture for the person on the other end of their calls.

 

[Urchina]

Sheesh, this one is easy. The worst drivers on the road are:

1. Tourists. They're clueless about where they are, they're gawking at the sights, and they're in rental vehicles that they're not familiar with, so turning/stopping/accelerating/signals/lights are all haphazard at best.

2. New students at the University the first month of classes. They don't know where they're going, they haven't figured out the traffic patterns and most advantageous parking lots yet so they're always rushing, they're constantly texting or on cell phones or drinking coffee or chatting with friends (or three of the four), and they're all young drivers to begin with, with immortality complexes and limited real-world driving to begin with.

As for women being the worst drivers, it's my understanding actuarial tables state otherwise, especially for those under the age of 25, no?

 

[Janet H]

The scariest drivers for me: high schoolers in sports car or large trucks/SUV. I live near a major high school and you won't find me anywhere near that hell hole when they let the [-]savages[/-] kids out. The kids drive way over the speed limit, swerve in and out of traffic, race with each other, do stupid stuff to impress their friends, etc... You can see legs hanging out of windows and heads sticking out of sun roofs. The music is blasting, they are talking or texting on their phones, and generally too busy chatting with their friends to care about their fellow drivers. Driving safely is the least of their preoccupations.

I second this as I also live a few blocks from a high school. The ones with cell phones attached to the sides of their faces are the worst! Almost every day I hear the first responders sirens 5 minutes after the lunch bell rings.

 

[cantlogin]

...

I vote for what the young men call milfs...

I vote for them too but not because of their driving.

Do you know what is meant by that term?

 

[ziggy29]

The ones with cell phones attached to the sides of their faces are the worst!

I would agree with this regardless of age, gender or what type of vehicle they are driving.

When I'm supreme ruler of the universe, the only buttons that would work on a non-hands-free cell phone for a driver in motion are '1' and '9', as in '911'.

 

[FinanceDude]

I vote for them too but not because of their driving.

Do you know what is meant by that term?

I think she knows.......and it is hilarious.......