Top seven pet driving peeves
People are peeved, and letting me know about it. Based on early returns, there are seven major miffs making Spokane drivers mad enough to sound off. Some peeves are worthy column topics on their own. In fact, I’ve covered a couple of them in past weeks. But for now, let’s have a look at our top seven sources of driver disenchantment.
1. Loving the left lane. I wrote about this malady three weeks ago, as it ranks in my personal top three. Back then, I gave all the laws governing left lane use — in short, you should only be there for passing, preparing to turn left, or letting traffic merge from the right. According to my e-mails, you who dominate that lane are making many others irate — plus you are out of accordance with the traffic laws! The “rolling roadblock” that occurs when you get out there and duplicate a right-lane vehicle’s speed raises driver dander too — please don’t do it.
2. Following too closely. I gave this one a big write-up last week, and mentioned the Washington State Driver’s Handbook’s recommendations for determining space ahead. Mainly, according to the law, your following distance must be reasonable and prudent — which means, at the very least, allowing enough distance to stop short of hitting the car in front of you if it suddenly comes to a halt.
Please take note, offenders — even if intimidation is not your intent, it is taken as such. And don’t forget, you are always at fault when you are at the rear of a rear-end collision.
3. Moving slowly on the ramp. Admittedly, some of Spokane’s freeway on-ramps are a bit short. Still, when you are committed to one, you should be running close to the posted highway speed limit when you merge with traffic. This should be a common-sense maneuver for a competent driver, but many of you creep up the ramp, and sometimes even stop at the edge of the freeway to check traffic. If 60 mph is too exhilarating for you, then stick to the surface streets. When you get on the ramp, please punch it!
4. Operating unaware of speed. There are many variations on this one — like not knowing the speed limit, not knowing the speed of your vehicle, or not being able to maintain a steady speed. Drivers who go 20 mph in school zones when children are not present annoyed one reader. Traffic moves best when all the vehicles in proximity are approximating the same speed. If you maintain your vehicle speed around the posted limit, plus or minus 2 or 3 mph, you will contribute to optimum traffic flow.
5. Pulling out on roadway. I haven’t seen this one in a while, but a couple of readers revived the painful memory of past experiences. Often occurring in our rural areas, a driver about to enter the highway decides to pull out in front of us, even though we are driving the only other car in sight. This works well for the driver pulling out, but only if the driver on the highway accommodates by applying the brake. These looking-for-trouble types seldom pull out and get up to speed either — then we follow for miles, waiting to pass. Please look (and think) before you leap.
6. Not using signals. Washington State RCW 46.61.305 states that a driver must signal the intent to turn not less than 100 feet before turning. So no signal, or a last-second one, is not acceptable. The law further states that no vehicle may make a sudden decrease in speed without signaling their intentions. It does not take much effort to be in compliance with this law — please try. You can even use your arm if your blinkers don’t work.
7. Forgetting free turns. Another reader describes taking the free right or left on red as a duty, and not a choice. I agree, and as with all precision driving, it is a duty that keeps traffic flowing, increases safety and reduces rage. Unless a sign prohibits it, make those free rights and lefts when traffic allows. And don’t forget that a left from a two-way street to a one-way is allowed at a red light, along with the more obvious free right turns, and the free left from a one-way to a one-way.
That’s the current top seven, but the aggravation doesn’t stop there. Other e-mailers are hacked off about shrubbery blocking the view at intersections, red light runners or behavior at construction zones. One driver is even steamed because he regularly runs afoul of the rules of the road, and never gets stopped; in his mind, there is too much tolerance by law enforcement!
Whether unintentionally or habitually, if you commit these driving acts, you are adding to the ire of many. This space is devoted to improved driving — please continue to send in your pet peeves and other driving thoughts — we’ll all benefit from your efforts.