I like to think I'm a good driver. I'd even go so far as to say I'm a great driver. I've never gotten a ticket or been in an accident, and I passed my driving test on the first go. That's why when I see people driving poorly, it frustrates me to no end.
There are some extremely common driving habits that a lot of people follow, even though they make everyone else batty. I know that we all have different ways of driving, and that some people interpret rules differently than other, but some things...well, some things are just unforgivable.
Ready to find out what they are?
1. Being Polite
Sounds crazy, right? How could anyone be upset that other drivers are being polite? Easy - when your politeness slows everyone else down. For example, stopping while you're in a traffic circle to let someone else in may be polite, but now you've stopped the flow of the circle.
Yes, it's nice to be polite, and it's always important to slow down to allow pedestrians to cross, but when you deviate from the rules to be too kind, it can cause a chain reaction that the other drivers on the road aren't too fond of.
2. Blinker Misuse
It's great that you're using your signal, but if you signal too far in advance, you're going to confuse the other drivers. Don't turn that blinker on until there's no other place to turn except the road you plan to go down.
Another blinker foul is not turning it off after you've merged lanes. First of all, how can you not hear the blinker in your car? Second, PAY ATTENTION. When you leave your turn signal on as you drive down the highway, no one knows if you're about to merge or are just plain forgetful.
3. Merging Improperly
Use your blinker. Just do it. That's the biggest thing.
But also don't wait until the last minute to merge out of an ending lane. Racing to the front of the line, only to cut people off once you've run out of lane is a pretty lame move, not to mention unsafe.
4. Your Highbeams
Yes, you need to be able to see when you're driving. But leaving your highbeams on is both annoying and unsafe. The brightness of your highbeams are great for when you're driving solo down a country road, but when there are cars coming towards you in the other lane, your bright lights completely blind them.
You also don't really need your highbeams on a place like the highway. There are other cars around and lamp posts guiding the way. With your bright lights shining in someone else's rear view mirror, it could lead to dangerous driving conditions.
5. Going Too Slow
Now I'm not encouraging anyone to speed, here. But going below the posted speed limit without a legitimate reason is just plain wrong. School zones are a different story, of course. I'm talking about people who drive 55mph on a 65mph highway are the worst. If you don't feel comfortable or safe driving at the posted speed, perhaps you should not be driving.
6. Tailgating
Even if you hate slow drivers, and who doesn't, that's no excuse to tailgate. This is especially true if you're the one who's trying to speed. Keeping a safe distance between you and the car in front of you is one of the first things they teach you in driver's education, and for good reason.
If you tailgate me while I'm going the speed limit, there's a 100% chance I will hold steady with my speed just to annoy you even more. I'm in the right, you're in the wrong. Deal with it.
7. Traffic Circles
Traffic circles are supposed to keep traffic moving, but people who don't know how to use them slow everything down. You don't stop in the circle to let other people in. You don't jump across lanes to exit. You don't keep circling until you figure out when you want to exit.
It's understandable if you don't use traffic circles that often, but you have a responsibility as a driver to educate yourself on the way things work.
8. Blind Spots
When you're changing a lane or making a turn, CHECK YOUR BLIND SPOT. It's just common courtesy. The whole reason it's called a blind spot is because you can't see it with your mirrors. It's dangerous for you to start changing lanes without seeing if the coast is clear.
You wouldn't cross the street without looking both ways, so you shouldn't change lanes without looking over your shoulder.
9. Fast Lane
If you don't want to speed, you don't have to. No one is forcing you to. But it's a well-known fact that the left lane on the highway is for people who do want to go faster than the posted limit. It's called the fast lane for a reason.
Some people go slowly in the fast lane as a way to "police" other drivers on the road, but guess what? No one likes that. Mind your business, drive the speed you want to drive, and don't intentionally hold back other drivers on the road.
10. Texting
This one is annoying, dumb, unnecessary, and extremely dangerous. If you REALLY need to send a text message, pull over and do it when the car is parked. You may think it's not a big deal to shoot that text off while flying down the highway, but 1.6 million accidents occur each year because of distracted driving. That's way too many.
Some driving habits are harmless, while others may end up costing someone's life.
