WHAT GRINDS 'YOUR' GEARS....?

[MIKA27]

WHAT GRINDS YOUR GEARS?

Hi all.

Just wished to post a thread where I hope people post and vent some of their daily frustrations regarding anything in life or about life you come accross or deal with that just p*sses you off.

For example:

This morning, I'm driving down Princess Highway, peak hour traffic, I'm in the far right side lane and this idiot is driving 40 Kph in an 80 Kph zone. Take into account this person is also in the far lane and shouldn't be there unless overtaking.

So.... I tail gate him, flash my high beams, use the horn and notice he looks at the rear view so I gesture for him to cross over to the left lanes with my middle finger. You can't get politer than that yet he ignores me!

I continue to use the horn and by now my blood is boiling, I can't over take this guy as there are loads of cars and trucks in all the left lanes (4 lanes in total), I flash the high beams and all of a sudden, I hear a police siren, not behind me but 2 lanes to my left. The Cop is gesturing for me to cross over and pull over! WTF!!??

It's peak hour, if I could cross over (Even with my Melbourne driving expertise) it is impossible to do so. The cop again continues to use his siren, I wind my window down and yell out at him that I can't cross to which he yells out, Neither can I, pull over where you can. (Is this guy f**king kidding!?)

Anyway, I continue driving behind this Nissan Micra at 40 Kph, the road eventually takes me to Albert park lake and I turn right toward St Kilda road, ignoring the Cop and go about my business. The Cop doesn't follow, I'm in the clear, right? NO!

Out of nowhere, the police car pulls out 50 metres in front, I pull over and get an earful from him about tail gating, flashing lights and not pulling over. A warning to which I in turn ask the officer;

'Why aren't slow people fined or bothered as that too is against the law and can cause accidents?" I also ask him; "Where does he suggest I pull over when I could not cross over to the left lanes to pull over and to my right is a concrete barrier being a Highway?"

I'm told to shut up and that next time I will be fined.

WTF!?

[khomeinist]

Ha. You might have gotten your car impounded in certain regions of the U.S. Bold actions. I don't drive aggressively as I have gotten older. You don't know who is packing or willing to slam the breaks to get a lawsuit.

[sandholm]

So.... I tail gate him, flash my high beams, use the horn and notice he looks at the rear view so I gesture for him to cross over to the left lanes with my middle finger. You can't get politer than that yet he ignores me!

Dont care if he was driving 5 MPH, I hate people that tailgate, flash beams or use the horn, people doing that are morons and should not have a license. Remember, a speed limit is the LIMIT and not the speed that you, under all conditions, have to drive.

Also, you say that you could not pull over when the police car wanted to stop you. If you cant do it, how should he then be able to do that?

If people just come down a bit in traffic and I bet that 99% of the accidents would disappear.

[bunburyist]

Dont care if he was driving 5 MPH, I hate people that tailgate, flash beams or use the horn, people doing that are morons and should not have a license. Remember, a speed limit is the LIMIT and not the speed that you, under all conditions, have to drive.

Also, you say that you could not pull over when the police car wanted to stop you. If you cant do it, how should he then be able to do that?

If people just come down a bit in traffic and I bet that 99% of the accidents would disappear.

I think to be fair, crawling along at half the speed limit on a freeway is certainly annoying. They are made knowing that most people will drive at or near that speed. Made worse by not getting out the way as well.

A few clues ( ) give away that he was somewhat on the warpath today.

Having a bad day Mika?

But most people know driving bumper to bumper horn blaring is out of order unless you've got someone dying in the backseat. Take it easy mate, there are lots of slow drivers out there, always will be so no point raging against the (oap) machine. Have a cigar

[sandholm]

I think to be fair, crawling along at half the speed limit on a freeway is certainly annoying. They are made knowing that most people will drive at or near that speed. Made worse by not getting out the way as well.

I am not saying that its not annoying, but people should remember and respect that you are not oblige to drive at the speed limit. As you say most people keep the speed limit, but also most people do this in cues or when there is a lot of traffic (as we have in the case here) and doing that is just dumb, because you are really start taking risk.

Another thing, its people who tailgate and swirling between lanes that create cues, because cars is better at breaking then acceleration, so this kind of behavier is just plain stupid and shows a huge amount on immaturity.

A few clues ( ) give away that he was somewhat on the warpath today.

Well, i would say its not a person on the warpath, but a moron that is playing games with other peoples life. I dont care if a person goes 250 mph on an empty road and hit a concrete block, please go ahead, but i hate when people act selfish and implement there own rights on the highway, they should not have a license, period.

Actually when a person start behaving like said in this post i always want to slow down, and at a right movement hit the breaks, i drive a land rover defender, feel free to hit me but i never do this. Instead what i do, is when the person is very close i push the break, but only so the lights goes on, but dont apply any breaking, this is usually really good and I personal think that the person in the car behind have to change there pants

At least they always keep there distance and stop tailgating.

just my 2 cents of crusades

[FlyingFossil]

Just to clarify its ilegal to be on the right lane and not doing the speed limit in Victoria

The law states " you must keep left unlees your passing another vehicle"

And yes I hear you too many idiots dont follow the road laws

[Kangaroo495]

I am not saying that its not annoying, but people should remember and respect that you are not oblige to drive at the speed limit. As you say most people keep the speed limit, but also most people do this in cues or when there is a lot of traffic (as we have in the case here) and doing that is just dumb, because you are really start taking risk.

Another thing, its people who tailgate and swirling between lanes that create cues, because cars is better at breaking then acceleration, so this kind of behavier is just plain stupid and shows a huge amount on immaturity.

Well, i would say its not a person on the warpath, but a moron that is playing games with other peoples life. I dont care if a person goes 250 mph on an empty road and hit a concrete block, please go ahead, but i hate when people act selfish and implement there own rights on the highway, they should not have a license, period.

Actually when a person start behaving like said in this post i always want to slow down, and at a right movement hit the breaks, i drive a land rover defender, feel free to hit me but i never do this. Instead what i do, is when the person is very close i push the break, but only so the lights goes on, but dont apply any breaking, this is usually really good and I personal think that the person in the car behind have to change there pants

At least they always keep there distance and stop tailgating.

just my 2 cents of crusades

I think if anyone had been to Switzerland and seen how the Swiss drive, you would sympathise with Sandholm. They are EXTRAORDINARILY safe and polite.

Living in Russia, where the road toll is around 30,000 per year, and the rate of injuries from road accidents is above 200,000, I can appreciate someone who drives with care.

But I can sympathise with Mika. Most people just want to get in their car and get where they're going. People pulling stunts like this (driving at half the speed limit in the over-taking lane) should be fined. They are creating hazards for other drivers, and are generally an aggravating presence on the road. No-one needs them. If they are so afraid of driving at the speed limit, then why the hell are they on the road, and how did they get a license??

But we should all exercise some patience. There are, after all, people waiting for us when we get home. The main thing is, we make it back to them.

[sandholm]

I think if anyone had been to Switzerland and seen how the Swiss drive, you would sympathise with Sandholm. They are EXTRAORDINARILY safe and polite.

Living in Russia, where the road toll is around 30,000 per year, and the rate of injuries from road accidents is above 200,000, I can appreciate someone who drives with care.

But I can sympathise with Mika. Most people just want to get in their car and get where they're going. People pulling stunts like this (driving at half the speed limit in the over-taking lane) should be fined. They are creating hazards for other drivers, and are generally an aggravating presence on the road. No-one needs them. If they are so afraid of driving at the speed limit, then why the hell are they on the road, and how did they get a license??

But we should all exercise some patience. There are, after all, people waiting for us when we get home. The main thing is, we make it back to them.

Swiss driving is carefull, becuase there is a lot of cameras and police officers, and very very strict laws. Thats not the point, i have been living and driving in many many countries, and i dont know what that has to do with anything.

The thing is that you cant blame the person driving slowly, there is now crime to do so. Second, people claim that they create dangerous situation, but they are not. Its (more or less) always the person who try to overtake them in a really stupid way who "pulling stunts".

I dont want to rant down on Mika, but he says "It's peak hour, if I could cross over (Even with my Melbourne driving expertise) it is impossible to do so". So we can assume there is a lot of traffic, and now if Mika cant change lane and pull over, how can he expect the other person to do so? I think that during peak hours, where there is a lot of traffic, to go ahead and and start blink there headlines, backtailing and honking is not what you would expect from a person with "driving expertise".

I live 1 km from two formel 1 drivers, i quite often see them in traffic and I have never ever see them speeding. I would call these people driving experts, but i guess they dont do that kind of **** because they know what can happen.

As you say, we all want to go home to our families, and I am sure that the person doing 40 wanted that also, without being overtaken by a hoking-headlight-flashing-tailgating driver who dont care that its "peak hours" but just want to save a couple of minutes on the commute.

If people just stopped and thought "Will this action help my situation" or "Is this smart", a lot of stupidity and accidents would be avoided.

For example, this is not what i call "good driving", more a person who try to compensate for something

[sandholm]

Just to clarify its ilegal to be on the right lane and not doing the speed limit in Victoria

The law states " you must keep left unlees your passing another vehicle"

And yes I hear you too many idiots dont follow the road laws

Well, I guess this only can be applied IF the left lane is free, if its not then people could only drive in the left lane and only overtake in the right lane, correct?

Now, MIKA27 state "I can't over take this guy as there are loads of cars and trucks in all the left lanes (4 lanes in total)" so if that is true he must have traffic on his left side, and therefore also is breaking the law.

And if all the lanes are packed you cant really expect another driver to change lane, and definite if you cant.

so i think the "keep left" only applies if not all the lanes are packed.

[Kangaroo495]

For example, this is not what i call "good driving", more a person who try to compensate for something

Compensating probably for a lack of desire to live.. Unfortunately this is quite common on the roads here.

[ChanceSchmerr]

I Have to sympathize with MIKA, but only because i'm a very aggressive driver, when I get on the road, i'm there to get where i'm going - I have LESS than no time for jackasses who seem to be smelling the roses (so to speak) from their cars. Walk in the park if you want to smell the roses!

Yes, I'm a weaver, I rarely deploy my finger but I will pass anyone who crawls along the road, slowing up traffic for everyone, as long as there is a 2nd lane for me to do so - I'm careful to follow driving laws, aside maybe from the posted speed limit.

What I like about Canadian Freeways is that there is often a minimum speed limit too - signs that sometimes state "vehicles incapable of driving 50 km/h stay out"......which is great! It is mainly in city streets that I get angry with other drivers!

What Grinds my gears? #$%&'s on Bikes. Here in Victoria, these unmentionables ride their bicycles as if they were in a car itself, I've seen them ride in the middle of a lane in a two lane city road. Or, they will ride close to the curb like they are supposed to, but still too far away from it that a car can't use the lane and pass them because the all-important bicyclist has taken up enough of the lane to prevent it. You want to help the environment and not use fossil fuel? Fine, just stay the heck outta my way and ride your toy where you're supposed to, on the SIDE of the road.

Sorry for the rant - hit a nerve with this topic!

[Onsto]

I only really drive in the winter, and use my motorbike the other 9 months of the year. What really 'grinds my gears' is the "might is right" attitude of some people in cars who don't respect my desire to survive. Tailgating me, dangerous overtaking and not giving me sufficient space to feel comfortable will get you followed home, and a lecture on save driving. On more than one occassion I have lane-split up to the offender at the next stop light and offered some 'carbon fibre knuckled coaching'. No-one has yet accepted

For everyone in the Northern Hemisphere - spring is here and there will be a lot more bikes on the road again. Please check your blind spots and offer as much room as you would to a car - it could be a friend of yours under that helmet!

I know a lot of bikers ride like morons. Don't worry about that - we face enough dangers that sooner or later fate will teach them a lesson, you don't need to.

[DrunkenMonkey]

What grinds my gears is people who feel perfectly justified in risking the lives of everyone around them because they are annoyed at being stuck behind slower drivers. I understand that this is an annoyance, but it doesn't give you the right to endanger the slower driver's life, in addition to all the other drivers who had nothing to do with any of it. Just grow up, get over yourself, and chill out.

[ChanceSchmerr]

I only really drive in the winter, and use my motorbike the other 9 months of the year. What really 'grinds my gears' is the "might is right" attitude of some people in cars who don't respect my desire to survive. Tailgating me, dangerous overtaking and not giving me sufficient space to feel comfortable will get you followed home, and a lecture on save driving. On more than one occassion I have lane-split up to the offender at the next stop light and offered some 'carbon fibre knuckled coaching'. No-one has yet accepted

For everyone in the Northern Hemisphere - spring is here and there will be a lot more bikes on the road again. Please check your blind spots and offer as much room as you would to a car - it could be a friend of yours under that helmet!

I know a lot of bikers ride like morons. Don't worry about that - we face enough dangers that sooner or later fate will teach them a lesson, you don't need to.

Motorbikes I have no problem with - they are powered vehicles and I respect them. My rant was more towards pedal-bikers who are daydreaming in the middle of a lane vice properly driving on the side of the lane as the law says they should.

What grinds my gears is people who feel perfectly justified in risking the lives of everyone around them because they are annoyed at being stuck behind slower drivers. I understand that this is an annoyance, but it doesn't give you the right to endanger the slower driver's life, in addition to all the other drivers who had nothing to do with any of it. Just grow up, get over yourself, and chill out.

I risk no lives - and I havn't gotten into any accidents driving the way I do, because I drive in control of my actions, and when I do pass people I do so safely without endangering contact with any vehicle. I don't want an accident any more than the next man.

I would submit that drivers content to clog up main city arteries by driving slower than the general flow of traffic ought to not be driving in those main roads - if they want to take 30 mins to get 3 km downtown, take lesser traveled roads, it'll be more scenic anyway!

There are times to relax and chill out, take things easy (sound familiar? Perfect frame of mind for a cigar) - and there are times to be alert, focused and aware of what's going on around you. Driving a car is the latter, NOT the former. If it is the former, there is a problem here, and you need to re-think the safety of your actions compared to the actions of those around you. If everyone else is going 60, and you're going 30 - WAKE UP!

[Onsto]

Motorbikes I have no problem with - they are powered vehicles and I respect them. My rant was more towards pedal-bikers who are daydreaming in the middle of a lane vice properly driving on the side of the lane as the law says they should.

I got that from your post - mine wasn't 'in response'. I'm actually more irritated by cyclists who INSIST on riding on the sidewalk and through red lights / stop signs. If you want to be treated as a road user, behave like one and follow the rules of the road...

[DrunkenMonkey]

Chris, my apologies; I can see how it looked like I was responding to your post; it wasn't. Driving aggressively, even changing lanes often in order to get where you're going faster--I don't see that as dangerous or irresponsible driving. I was referring to the actions described in the post that opened this thread. I've seen this type of driving often; the tailgating, etc. This is the dangerous driving I was referring to. And very often it's not someone who was at half the speed limit; more often it's a reasonable speed, but just a bit slower than the owner of the road wanted to go. Sorry for the confusion.

[ChanceSchmerr]

Hey boys, It's all good. I send PMs to you both - I think we're all cleared up now. For the record, I agree tailgaiting is unsafe and a terrible way to drive - just think, if you're tailgating and the guy in front just taps his brakes, its YOU not him that's on the hook for the damage. That knowledge alone should be enough to discourage anyone from doing it, but apparently it doesn't.......

On a hilarious note - when I first saw this thread, of course my thoughts went to this...

You know what really grinds my gears? This Lindsay Lohan. Lindsay Lohan with all those little outfits, jumping around there on stage, half-naked with your little outfits. Ya know? You're a... You're out there jumping around and I'm just sitting here with my beer. So, what am I supposed to do? What you want? You know, are we gonna go out? Is that what you're trying to - why why are you leaping around there, throwing those things all up in my, over there in my face? WHAT DO YOU WANT, LINDSAY? TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT! Well, I'll tell you what you want, you want nothing. You want nothing. All right? Because we all know that no woman anywhere wants to have sex with anyone, and to titillate us with any thoughts otherwise is - is just bogus.

[rckymtn22]

I got that from your post - mine wasn't 'in response'. I'm actually more irritated by cyclists who INSIST on riding on the sidewalk and through red lights / stop signs. If you want to be treated as a road user, behave like one and follow the rules of the road...

That grinds me too. I am a regular cyclist who follows the road rules and it pisses me off seeing cyclists blowing through red lights and stop signs. It is the motorist who gets blamed when they run down one of those jackasses.

I have to agree with Mika if a person can not follow the posted speed limit on a perfectly good road then maybe they should riding transit or taking the back roads where they can drive 40-50 km/h. They cause more problems than drivers going over the speed limit. In Canada, I have heard of people getting tickets for going to slow and driving in the left lane, wish it would happen more often!

[samb]

I'm told to shut up and that next time I will be fined.

POLICE BRUTALITY

Lol, does sound like a major pain in the ass.

One of my biggest peeves is the backseat driver... Im driving the f-ing car and if you dont like it, you dont have to ride with me. I have a little fender bender, that was technically my fault, but if assholes new how to drive, it wouldnt have happened, and no tickets or warnings whatsoever. I think I can handle myself behind the wheel!!!

[Colt45]

Man, I know how you guys feel. This morning, I rang down to my butler for breakfast - I chose eggs benedict. Some time later, he shows up and

sets the tray down on the bed before me, and as usual, stood to the side and waited to see if everything was satisfactory. I took the first bite - the

bastard tried to substitute mayo for scratch made hollandaise!

I think to myself, what was he doing down there the whole time - chatting up the maids no doubt. Needless to say, I gave him the proper thrashing

he so richly deserved. Then I gave him the sack. So now I have to call down and have one of the maids bring up a replacement breakfast. She shows

up a while later and setting down the tray, gives me the old wink and nod. So now I have to give her a thrashing of a different sort. With an hour or

so passed, my breakfast is, of course, now cold. I send the wench on her way, eat my cold eggs, then proceed to bathe and get dressed.

I'm now off to the polo, but with such a harrowing morning, I don't know that I'll be able to enjoy myself. All I can say is that my chauffeur had better

have the Roller polished - I'm in no mood.

[bassman]

Best to chill out. Forget getting p**sed driving. Over here, people have been shot & killed over parking spaces. Personally, what really grinds my gears is people who talk loudly on cell phones while in check out line at a store. I think they are talking to me & answer them.

[khomeinist]

The only thing that 'grinds my gears' is when my wife refuses to polish mine.

I always think of Spy Hunter (original version) when somebody rides my ass on the road. Let loose the oil slicks!

As a sidenote to Colt45's response....more people need to read P.G. Wodehouse. A great antidote to the raging jackass in most human males.

[Wiley]

What a load of horse crap. The idea that someone driving faster than traffic is somehow worse than someone driving slower than traffic is pure fantasy.

It seems perfectly plain to me that someone driving under the speed limit in the passing lane is just enjoying being a jackass, especially when he has multiple cars lined up behind him.

Around here cops can ticket a driver for it.

That being said, I don't think riding someone's tail is the answer. It's far better to wait until you get a chance to get in front of them and then go even slower. I love that one! (Don't get mad, get even!)

[jquest63]

Man, I know how you guys feel. This morning, I rang down to my butler for breakfast - I chose eggs benedict. Some time later, he shows up and

sets the tray down on the bed before me, and as usual, stood to the side and waited to see if everything was satisfactory. I took the first bite - the

bastard tried to substitute mayo for scratch made hollandaise!

I think to myself, what was he doing down there the whole time - chatting up the maids no doubt. Needless to say, I gave him the proper thrashing

he so richly deserved. Then I gave him the sack. So now I have to call down and have one of the maids bring up a replacement breakfast. She shows

up a while later and setting down the tray, gives me the old wink and nod. So now I have to give her a thrashing of a different sort. With an hour or

so passed, my breakfast is, of course, now cold. I send the wench on her way, eat my cold eggs, then proceed to bathe and get dressed.

I'm now off to the polo, but with such a harrowing morning, I don't know that I'll be able to enjoy myself. All I can say is that my chauffeur had better

have the Roller polished - I'm in no mood.

Well done!! Some things are intolerable and require the necessary discipline to maintain order in the universe.

[MIKA27]

Just to clarify its ilegal to be on the right lane and not doing the speed limit in Victoria

The law states " you must keep left unlees your passing another vehicle"

And yes I hear you too many idiots dont follow the road laws

THANKYOU!

You know, I appreciate everyones opinions, and Sandholm, you're right, unsafe driving is the wrong way to go about everything. Perhaps the couple of times I went closer to the driver and tailgated for brief periods was out of order but my intention was for this guy to get the hint he was holding everyone behind him up.

Please read my original post carefully, this person was in the far right lane and crawling at half the legal limit, THAT IS UNSAFE and against the law in Victoria for obvious reasons.

I live 15 km away from work and that morning I had to drive behind this slow driver (Not 10Kph below the limit but half the limit which is 80kph) and it took me 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to work.

I travel the same route every morning and it normally takes me 35 minutes. (Some perspective).

I didnt expect that driver to move into another lane (Impossible) but it is the fast lane for over taking and in front of that slow driver, there were no other vehicles so he could have sped up to the limit or somewhat closer.

If the Police officer only gave me a warning, that too also must mean he realised I wasn't completely in the wrong.

If one can not drive the limit and in this instance the driver was in 'la,la land' daydreaming and oblivious to everyone around him, they should not be given a license as far as I'm concerned.

To call one a moron without knowing them, is also somewhat rude mate. Mind your tone please.