Pathetic Drivers

[Arctic Owl]

I have been in Florda since November 2008. I have always found SOME drivers to be VERy poor in my previous trips here. This winter however, it seems to have become much worse. Now we have many of these idiots, & I mean idiots, unable to make use of the factory equiped turn signals on their fairly new cars & trucks. I cannot believe people can be so LAZY & STUPID not to use them properly. And it is not just the seniors. It must be too much sun. I don't know, but it is sure ticks me off. Since I cannot change the dumkoffs I gues I will just have to continue to watch for them & drive the correct way & keep out of their way.

[Dick & Pat]

I agree, Arctic Owl...it's as if turn signals are outlawed here in Florida. Actually I believe the Snowbirds are more courteous than the residents.

Defensive driving is a must anywhere, but even moreso here!!

[RedneckExpress]

Obviously, you've never driven in Washington, Oregon, or California .

[afrank1971]

Yup, in California when you turn on your turn signal in a motor home, everyone reads that not as, "please let me over", but "oh $#@!, I better hurry up and get in front of this big slow #$#!% before I get stuck behind it!" It can be VERY frustrating. There are certainly an abundance of idiots in this world...

[Bob O]

Just drive all over the country it's not just a Florida thing,we don't corner the market on that. Rude is becoming the law of the road most everywhere you go. As soon as a lot of people get in their vehicle they turn into a monster and all courtesy goes out the window. For them the rules don't apply that's for everybody else. For them it's hurray for me and the H#%# with you! Thank goodness for the courteous drivers,you know who you are.

Bob O

[FatDog]

good post Bob O

and it really must be generally considered cute for so many to make State-wide generalizations of drivers,
i just have never felt that way personally,

but even when i was in Colorado Springs last week I was sighing to myself when my brother and sister were driving us around and getting miffed at all "the Coloradoans who don't know how to drive when its snowing"
well i guess there it did seem like a fair amount of slow drivers seemed to hover in the fast lanes,
maybe there are some territorial differences ...

so is there a State which everyone in the Union commonly acknowledges is populated with absolutely nothing but courteous and nimble footed drivers?

[rjf7g]

The most courteous drivers I have ever experienced are in Lynchburg, VA. People signal, they yield, they merge, it's just amazing. I have been stuck in a pinch there several times and someone always lets me over.

[Route 66]

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[Happycarz]

The problem in Florida happens to be caused by the shortage of blinker fluid in the southeast, hopefully to be resolved soon.

[RV Wizard]

I have not been everywhere but I have got around some and Florida; Venice area especially was the worst. They even arrested a blind man while driving with his wife giving him instructions since she had never driven in her life and he lost his eyesight. They had been doing it for over a year. I am glad I don't live there any more.

[TXiceman]

Most of the drivers are too busy looking at and operating:
-cell phone
-text message
-GPS
-computer
-radio/CD player/MP3 player

You expect them to have time to drive too.

Ken

[chasfm11]

I haven't driven in Fl in the past few years and it has been many years since I was south of Tampa when I was there. I suspect the driving is as bad as advertised.

I long ago gave up expecting other drivers to signal their intentions or even act upon those intentions in time for those around them not to have to take some sort of evasive action. I can easily sigh and FIDO (forget it, drive on) in all of those cases.

What I mentally cannot get past are:
1. road rage, aggressive drivers, especially a seemingly increasing number of younger women(sometimes with kids in the car) who drive this way. Since their aggressive antics often slow them down rather than speed them up, dodging and weaving multiple lanes in heavy traffic, it isn't unusual for me to have to deal with them multiple times over a couple of miles. Sometimes it seems like they involved in a high speed police chase..except that there is no cruiser close behind them
2. Tailgaters As one who often lifts the accelerator pedal rather than slamming on the brakes to react to things ahead of me, I feel especially vulnerable. It doesn't seem to matter that there are multiple cars in front of me or how close I am to the vehicle in front of me. I get really nervous when, at greater than 40mph, I cannot see the headlights of the car behind me because they are NASCAR close.
3. Cell phone talkers. As bad as this is normally, there are an increasing number who cannot seem to talk without also gesturing with the other hand. THIS SCARES ME SILLY! With the phone in one had and gesturing with the other, there is no hand for driving and, I'm positive, little concentration for what is going on around them. I will not allow someone like this to follow me and will change lanes or even pull off to let them go ahead. There are many in this category who are also in #2 above and I view that to be as lethal as if they were pointing a loaded gun at me.

I used to enjoy driving. About the only time that I do anymore is when driving the RV on an interstate. I hardly ever move from the right hand lane. There, at least, it usually isn't as intense as the other situations that I described.

[hamguy]

Try driving in Colorado. 20-30 YO women are the most arrogant creatures in the universe. Oh, and any woman driving a car with a real estate magnetic sign. Instant danger.

[TXiceman]

Originally posted by hamguy:
Try driving in Colorado. 20-30 YO women are the most arrogant creatures in the universe. Oh, and any woman driving a car with a real estate magnetic sign. Instant danger.

And right after Young Women as for agressivness, comes young male drivers in fancy pickups or SUV.

Ken