Do people switch off their brains when driving?

[Dion]

Some of the worst drivers are the ones that do the California lane change thing. The other day some kid in a rice rocket was speeding down the fast lane of the Deerfoot. He decides at the last minute he wants off at 16th Ave so he does a triple lane change in a matter of seconds, nearly taking off the front end of my vehicle and 2 others. Anyhow I was turning off onto 16th anyway and followed the guy and wrote down his plate number. Phoned the police and passed on the info.

I suspect later that evening he got a knock on the door from the police

[Antithesis]

Trucks are scary because so many people think that 4x4 means they can stop more easily or control their driving better while in their monstrosity when that's actually untrue. To add to that, many people seem to have the idea that bigger tires (trucks, mainly, again) mean better traction on winter roads when again this isn't true because they produce less pressure on the road ... big huge tires like that are good for mud but Deerfoot doesn't seem to be covered in mud right now ...

Maybe I'm lucky because I haven't really had too many of the experiences posted in the thread except for the annoyances of people exiting a closing lane at the absolute last minute and the seemingly roided-up soccer moms with their "Baby On Board" signs. People with those signs in their cars seem to think that its your responsibility to drive safely around them rather than putting that load on their own shoulders.

[tussery]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

Trucks are scary because so many people think that 4x4 means they can stop more easily or control their driving better while in their monstrosity when that's actually untrue. To add to that, many people seem to have the idea that bigger tires (trucks, mainly, again) mean better traction on winter roads when again this isn't true because they produce less pressure on the road ... big huge tires like that are good for mud but Deerfoot doesn't seem to be covered in mud right now ...

Just so I can add to this, the average person who lifts a 4x4 and puts larger tires on there vehicle only do it for looks and do not know the half of what trouble they are causing by doing so.

A. You need larger brakes to stop larger tires.
B. Stock axles are not rated for the loads that larger tires put on them.
C. Stock steering parts do not hold up to larger tires and the larger operating angles they see due to the lift.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by tussery

Just so I can add to this, the average person who lifts a 4x4 and puts larger tires on there vehicle only do it for looks and do not know the half of what trouble they are causing by doing so.

A. You need larger brakes to stop larger tires.
B. Stock axles are not rated for the loads that larger tires put on them.
C. Stock steering parts do not hold up to larger tires and the larger operating angles they see due to the lift.

That's interesting. I didn't realize that larger tires were harder on the other parts of the car, though it makes sense the way you explain it. But shouldn't the shops where they get the work done give consumers some of this information?

Not that I disagree--I also strongly suspect that people who do this are doing it for looks and not because they believe it's a practical alteration.

[tussery]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

That's interesting. I didn't realize that larger tires were harder on the other parts of the car, though it makes sense the way you explain it. But shouldn't the shops where they get the work done give consumers some of this information?

You would think but the shops that do this work in our area do very unsafe work and seem like they don't think it is an issue either.

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

I also strongly suspect that people who do this are doing it for looks and not because they believe it's a practical alteration.

I know quite a few people who have done this to their trucks and I said it before and I'm gonna say it again - Overcompensation!!

[disco_inferno]

I was doing some work for an engineering firm this past summer, on my way home on the 22 north of Cochrane, I wasn't speeding, just a good crusing speed of 100-105 depending on traffic (A HUGE 1-800 # on the side of my truck doesn't promote speeding). Anyway, I'm crusing along and i come to a chain of vehicles doing 65. 65...on the highway (and this wasn't in the construstion zone that was there)!! Eventually, I get passed them all just north of Cochrane and turn onto the no. 1 into Calgary, the slowest driver in the front was this middle-aged lady in a HUGE diesel. I have a pretty good memory, and i noticed that once on that high way all the vehicles I passed were blowing by me at speeds of at least 135+. I don't get it.

Seperate Incident on the Deerfoot: I was crusing along at 110 or so (my truck, on my way to school, very little traffic) and this guy in a little car is going about 85 is sitting behind this semi going the same speed. I'm about 3 ft. behind him, in a different lane, and out of nowhere, no signals, nothing, he switches to my lane, so I'm basically driving through his rear window, AND I'm on the brakes. I obvioulsy was fairly close behind him as he s.l.o.w.l.y passed the semi. But this guy thought i was to close, so in his car he physically turns around, looks at me, fingers me, and then slams on his brakes. No reason, just a jerk. Then I got a dirty look from his wife and another finger once they finally passed the semi and moved back over and I passed them. I don't get it.

DEAR CALGARY DRIVERS: Think.

[Super-Rye]

It's not just the drivers, like someone else stated pedestrians also go without a care in the world, figuring they have the right of way and everyone will stop for them. Someone once put it to me in a very simple yet effective way, you only have the right of way if people give it to you and car > person. When I was in Montreal I've never seen so many people pay attention to the road. Someone actually said to me "Walk when I walk or you will get hit." needless to say I listened. But yes, the driver's are terrible as well. When it snows they go 30 on a highway and you wonder why they're going so slow, I mean, it's never THAT bad. When it's nice out everyones going 100 and cutting you off. People stop for no reason, my personal favorite is when they have the blinking arrow and sit there like someone else is coming the other way. The second I get behind the wheel of a car I focus more than I ever have. The fact that my life is not only in my hands but random idiot out there driving like a jackass scares me so I do whatever possible to lower chances of getting hit.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by pope04

So few people seem to know this traffic circle commandment:

Traffic entering into the circle must yield to traffic already in the circle.

Last year, I had to travel through a series of new traffic circles in Signal Hill to get my kids to school. It was an adventure, to say the least.

Inside or entering a traffic circle, the vehicle on the right yields to vehicles on the left. It's the golden rule of traffic circles.

[Philly06Cup]

My biggest problem with traffic circles is the large number who go for circles along the outside of a two-lane circle. Makes it damn near impossible to enter circles.

Adding more circles would force drivers to be more knowledgable, but the growing pains of people not understanding would be horrific.