Thread: Driving habits- what are yours?

I drive according to road conditions, weather, traffic (including pedestrians), the limits of the vehicle I'm operating and visibility. In Ontario, the speed limits are so ridiculously low that it's almost always safe to routinely go 15-20mph over the limit. Generally speaking, the limits are more reasonable south of the border, especially as one heads west, so I rarely drove more than 10mph over the limit (usually at or around 5 over, while operating a lightly loaded Silverado).
What really annoys me while driving are people with no sense of lane-discipline. It's pandemic here, so I hate seeing Ontario plates when I go out of province. An Ontario driver is the one most likely to hog the passing lane, going side by side with a car in the right (or middle) lane. If I am passing slower traffic and see someone catching up to me in the passing lane, I find the first safe place to move over. Other drivers.. 1 in 10 if we're lucky. That's why I give them a honk as I'm passing them from the right (which is, thank God, legal here).
One other note about driving in Ontario. Signalling here is a lot different than in other parts of the world.. An Ontario driver will usually signal after he's made a lane change or turn or not at all. Some eager beavers will signal while changing lanes or turning. Signalling before making a turn is so unpopular here that you'd think it's illegal.

I go with the flow of traffic, I tend to pick a lane and stay in it. Above all I try to be as courteous as possible to other drivers. I will say that those that try to change lanes without signalling won't get a buffer from me, but if they do signal I slow down to make room for them. There's a reason the DMV makes sure that you use the signals properly, please do so.

Granted, I also make sure and leave so tat I can get to my destination well ahead of time.

I think first and foremost, being a cooperative driver is most important. Everyone is trying to go somewhere and everyone is comfortable at different speeds and different conditions and I think we all owe it to each other to work together on the roads. If someone behind me is moving up on me, I feel the right thing to do is either speed up or find a way to let him by. I drive pretty fast, so I'm usually in the "fast" lane, but if someone wants to go faster than I do, he shouldn't have to pass me on the right.

If there's a sign that the lanes are merging ahead due to construction or any other reason, everyone is supposed to merge and that means trying to get over early and letting others in early. It doesn't mean using the cleared out lane to speed up and go as far as you can and then force yourself in front of some sucker. If everyone thought like I did, archeologists would find the bleached out bones of that SOB inside the remains of his rusted out car right there because he'd never get over after pulling that stunt.

In heavy commute traffic, I don't mind if someone finds room in front of me to pull into my lane and does so. But I wish I drove a hummer for the sake of those guys that pull in front of you WITHOUT enough space, forcing you to hit the brakes in order to avoid mixing paint with them.

Originally Posted by PapaBull

I think first and foremost, being a cooperative driver is most important. Everyone is trying to go somewhere and everyone is comfortable at different speeds and different conditions and I think we all owe it to each other to work together on the roads. If someone behind me is moving up on me, I feel the right thing to do is either speed up or find a way to let him by. I drive pretty fast, so I'm usually in the "fast" lane, but if someone wants to go faster than I do, he shouldn't have to pass me on the right.

If there's a sign that the lanes are merging ahead due to construction or any other reason, everyone is supposed to merge and that means trying to get over early and letting others in early. It doesn't mean using the cleared out lane to speed up and go as far as you can and then force yourself in front of some sucker. If everyone thought like I did, archeologists would find the bleached out bones of that SOB inside the remains of his rusted out car right there because he'd never get over after pulling that stunt.

In heavy commute traffic, I don't mind if someone finds room in front of me to pull into my lane and does so. But I wish I drove a hummer for the sake of those guys that pull in front of you WITHOUT enough space, forcing you to hit the brakes in order to avoid mixing paint with them.

Amen. I often wonder if drivers Ed. covers the topic of merging in these parts. I don't think so.

Jordan

I never knowingly break the speed limit. If I see that I am going a bit faster, I will slow down. If that pisses the guy behind me off, I shift right. I guess I'm just not in enough of a hurry to speed.

Not that it really matters, I commute to Dallas every morning, if I'm doing 30mph it feels like being in a racecar much of the time, I'm moving so slowly my speedometer does not register movement.


Most of the speed limits here in Texas are reasonable, I really don't think there is ever a legitimate need for breaking them. (given the traffic in dfw, there usually isn't even the opportunity to break them) If you have to speed to get there on time, you left late.

My employer requires a clean driving record. I've driven company-owned vehicles for a total of 15 years now. I drive a big billboard for my company, so operating their vehicle properly is a big deal. I typically do 5mph over the posted speed limit on the interstate, and in Oklahoma that's not very much. City streets I follow speedlimits as closely as possible.

Originally Posted by Quick Orange

The whole morality thread got me wondering what kind of drivers we have here. Do you speed a little, a lot, occasionally, never?

I'm a fast, cautious driver. We have wide open interstates with little traffic here, so average speed for me is 80. I stick with the speed limit inside town but try to get around as fast as I can (without being reckless of course). I am NOT a sunday driver by any means. I take the German point of view- cars are meant to be driven, so drive it like you mean it. I know some of you are thinking "man, I bet he has a ton of tickets", well, I don't. The last speeding ticket I got I was let off of

Same here. I think the biggest problem with US drivers is the lack of training. I used to argue with the "traffic stop" cops on my shift (the police who love to do traffic) that speed does not kill; lack of skill in handling the vehicle kills. Susy Suburb, yacking of the phone, sipping her latte, screaming at the kids, all while driving a vehicle twice the size of her Corolla at 20 mph over the limit - an accident waiting to happen:

"I don't know what happened...I was crusing along and it just rolled over!"...

Hmmm....did we sleep through the section of Physics class where they covered center of gravity and inertia? Hmmm?

Yup yup yup. I live in a university town that is FILLED with people who have no business driving the vehicles they have (or probably any at all). It's very typical to see someone in a huge SUV or truck, yakking on the phone, and going all over the place. I've had to avoid many accidents with these sorts.

This is no exaggeration, I have to avoid someone driving on the wrong side of the road at least once a day. I shit you not. I've actually gotten out and yelled at these kids before. The disparity between driving ability and vehicle type is breathtaking. It's common to see some city kid in a huge, jacked up diesel dually that can't drive or park the thing to save his life. Or these little sorority girls with 5 conversations going on inside an Escalade or Mustang.

Another amazing thing is the lack of intelligence on a college campus. You'd think busy road+pedestrians=use the crosswalk that's 10 feet away. Nope, these people will just strut across and expect you to slow down. I think I've made a few people mess themselves so far

I drive pretty fast on highways which I am familiar with, if the road conditions allow for it. However on local roads or on unfamiliar ones I generally adhere to the speed limits.

I've heard that in the States, you can get a ticket for disrupting the flow of traffic by going too slow on a highway. While there is a law like that in Canada, I've never actually met anyone who's gotten one for doing so - especially when it's not uncommon to find someone who does only the speed limit on the passing lane.... UGH.

I've read quite a bit about being courteous
to other drivers. I try to do the same and
let people who are trying to get in my lane go.
Don't you just love the a holes who
speed up so that you can't get into the lane?
Gotta love mans generosity to others.

John