What's with all these cars driving in or crossing the center yellow line?

In these parts, lane discipline isn't a thing. I frequently have to ellipse around oncoming cars drifting onto the center line and have needed to take emergency evasive action to avoid a head-on a few times. At least I can see it coming. What really creeps me out is being overtaken or passed by a car that is hanging a couple of tires on or over my side of the center stripe. Seriously, i had an eye exam to make sure there wasn't a problem with my macula and I didn't have glaucoma or anything (my eyes are fine).

ebonyandivory wrote: Now I regret not taking a picture of my Yukon XL parked literally within a 1/2" of perfect all around yesterday while a tiny-by-comparison Grand Cherokee was not only at a pretty severe angle but had its entire contact patch of the passenger front tire covering the dividing line. Bad enough that I had to squeeze into my door and bump it's mirror with my shoulder.

Is it bad that try to park as close as possible to people parked like that when I'm in my truck?

I've come out of stores to find people standing in front of their vehicle because they can't get into them, or sitting in the driver seat because they can't back out.

I dunno, I live in CT now, and I see this constantly. The driving out here is "exciting" and many drivers definately seem "okay with life". Maybe you're getting some of that where you're at?

In reply to Crackers:

Nope!

Just got home from work. 9 mile drive and saw 4 vehicles driving on my side or actually on the yellow line.

First was a utility truck, second was a lifted newer Dodge and third and fourth were the same(ish) year Accord.

That's 4 in 9 miles. The worst offenders were also the smallest.

Did you honk? Like I said, I honk all the time now. I drive up Highway 112 from Fay to B'Ville and back every weekday. For the rest of you, that's like 20 miles of up, down, twisty 2 lane highway, mostly with no shoulder. Also where the Elise was totaled by the dumb berkeleying kid in a Jeep. While some are just looking at their phone when they wander over, I think most are just berkeleying lazy and cut the turn.

In reply to Dr. Hess:

I most certainly did!

Since it's warm and sunny, they usually have their windows open and the echo off their car is damn loud so I'm guessing it wakes them up!

Dr. Hess wrote: Did you honk? Like I said, I honk all the time now. I drive up Highway 112 from Fay to B'Ville and back every weekday. For the rest of you, that's like 20 miles of up, down, twisty 2 lane highway, mostly with no shoulder. Also where the Elise was totaled by the dumb berkeleying kid in a Jeep. While some are just looking at their phone when they wander over, I think most are just berkeleying lazy and cut the turn.

Only honk if you are packing...seriously. I honked at a truck back in 2014 for being in my lane. Next thing I know, it was on my ASS. Blaring the horn, flashing lights and trying to get next to me on a single lane road. He was TICKED. Called 911 and 2 highway patrol cars pulled us both over. Explained the situation while the other guy did with the other officer. The officers conversed with each other and let me go. The offender was hostile to the officers so I guess he got a citation? Before I left, the officer asked if I had a CWP. I told him no and that I don't have any guns. He said I got lucky with this guy and suggested I get one! These days, I don't bother with the horn.

While we are complaining about things the other one that gets me are people in parking lots that seem to think they are one way lanes. Then get mad at me when I am coming the other way as far to the right as I can and they still can not get by even though they have 2/3 of the lane to work with.

I really think all this is a product of the generation of people that look at driving as just another task that they have applied as little learning to as possible to get a license. There is also a basic rudeness to people on the road now that I don't remember 20 years ago.

I'm gonna go with phones. Mine is always face down sound off in the center console when driving by the way. At work waiting tables I almost always have to raise my voice to get all the middle aged lawyers to hear my initial greeting as they're glued to their phones. Successful wealthy educated men and women acting liking the stereotype of a teenager. It has become wearying. 'Your waiter does not exist nor will he ever exist.' And in the city driving most drivers don't seem to cede back your narrow lane until they've almost hit you and you've come to a stop centimeters from the car parked to your right. Whilst walking I can definitely tell it's the phones especially rideshare drivers but most everybody walking and a majority of drivers. The 'Triumph of the Therapeutic' has become a 'Tyranny of the Therapeutic.'

What I mostly see is passing drivers putting right side wheels on or over the dividing line into my lane then completing the pass by almost taking my LF fender off. At first it was random but now ya need a scorecard. I've lost count. Truck or car, large or small, it's been getting worse and worse the last few years.

I'd attribute that to phone use also. Phone in ear = driver loses peripheral vision on that side. I'm staunchly against any hand held usage at all. If you can afford a few hundred dollar or more phone you can afford Bluetooth, factory or aftermarket. There oughta be a law.

In reply to Sine_Qua_Non:

I'm definitely with you in carrying concealed and I'll clarify with this: I don't any kind of horn honking or finger waving when I carry for that very reason. And I carry whenever I'm not going to and from work.

I have a limited distance that I can beep at these shiny happy people.

God hep me if I have to use a gun on someone I flipped off (even if they "started it").

That's not a position I'd ever want to defend.

In reply to dean1484:

Agreed on both counts!

meth

you guys are making me glad I live in NJ where open carry is not allowed and Concealed is extremely hard to get as to be almost impossible. Keeps the idiots from packing while driving

ebonyandivory wrote: I'm surprised I don't see two vehicles smashing each other's drivers' side headlights together sooner.

This is exactly the origin of the Small Offset Frontal Impact testing. These crashes are happening more often and before the testing and automaker response to safety improvements. They generated a large amount of damage to cars and people.

The issue is multifaceted but distracted driving is a big component. It is a toss up between driving while tired and driving while on the phone. Also, there is a lot of propaganda force behind the idea that the car tech will protect you and keep you in the lane.

On another topic. Poor constuction zone planning is not a reason to damage people's cars. Fix the zone.

In reply to mad_machine:

Well where I live, the people that carry like me respect the right and won't do anything stupid to lose it like allow themselves to get involved in traffic disputes.

Like I said, you need to let this stuff go when carrying. As much as you might want to beep and yell.

So, the one that I see more and more of is people who are at the pole position at a red light and they stop 15-20 feet from the white line. For that I blame the sightlines of modern vehicles combined with obliviot drivers.

Can we please turn this into a gun thread, please? Those are always fun here and the mgmt. here loves that kind of thing.

pres589 wrote: Can we please turn this into a gun thread, please? Those are always fun here and the mgmt. here loves that kind of thing.

Everybody run! Or at least block your ears and hum loudly. Someone mentioned guns!

Sine_Qua_Non wrote: You will see this on a parking lot as well. It's becoming rare to see a large vehicle parked inside it's white lines of a parking space however it is happening with other smaller vehicles as well but seems to be coming from a group not mentioned at the top of the first list which is the elderly. Again, this one is not really fair since quite a few retailers, churches, government, theme parks are still using the same parking dimensions from the 60/70's and vehicles today are much bigger as well longer.

you so sure of that? I remember laying across the backseat of my friend's old 73 Impala with my head on the arm rest and my feet just touching the other one. I have yet to sit in a modern car or truck that is wide enough to do that. That car was also just as large if not larger than most of the SUVs in the parking lots.

T.J. wrote: So, the one that I see more and more of is people who are at the pole position at a red light and they stop 15-20 feet from the white line. For that I blame the sightlines of modern vehicles combined with obliviot drivers.

So what ? Lighten up T.J. Are you in some kind of race ? re: pole position

Somewhat reverse to the creepers and you still have to wait for them when the light turns green.

In reply to iceracer:

In intersections where there's a turn lane that starts kinda late, cars sitting back too far can block cars from getting into the turn lane and cause more traffic.

Last week the Missus and I dragged the kiddos to a little toddler-centric thing at a local nature center. Parking was on a grassy field. Now, Mrs. VCH drives a big old battle-wagon of a Suburban, and knows to park far away from others so that she can get herself and the Little Ones into and out of the vehicle easily. So we pull up alongside the last parked car, and she left enough room such that there was about a foot between the fully-opened side door and that car. Plenty.

Well, the next vehicle comes along, Mrs Minivan, and parks her rig RIGHT NEXT TO Mrs. VCH's suburban. She was so close that I had to go over to that side and hold the door while Mrs VCH unloaded the infant from his car seat, so that the door didn't swing into and ding the minivan. A part of me really wanted to just let the door scrape, and berkeley the stupid berkeleying soccer mom who parked her berkeleying kiddie hauler too close to our vehicle, but I didn't really feel like starting something that would have ruined the whole evening. So the missus and I exchanged snarky remarks about others' (in)ability to park, unloaded our kids, and had a nice evening.

By the time we left, the minivan was gone, so we had no issue loading up, thankfully.

In reply to ebonyandivory:

I was trying to keep this thread from getting locked up under the patio. Not sure why, now that I think about it...