I had a bad day, people. Twice today - once on the way to work, and once on the way home - I almost got hit by drivers who were either on the phone or distracted by other crap. One driver was in a big land-yacht-type car, maybe a Caddy, chatting on the phone while veering from lane to lane without signaling - a pet peeve of mine. He cut in front of me with about 3 feet to spare in rush-hour traffic, and then slammed on his brakes. This afternoon, a woman in a BMW sedan almost fed me her rear bumper while switching lanes and applying lipstick - not looking at the stoplight, of course, since that would MAKE SENSE.

Feel free to post your worst horror stories here - I'd love to hear them. Plus, this topic gives me an excuse to post a great photo. There's nothing like a little humor to round out your day, so enjoy!




Stupid driver gets what's coming to him (or her?)

 

I feel ya! That kinda stuff happens to me all the time! Just the other day I was driving home from school, I was in the middle lane on the freeway and someone in the slow lane tried to push me out of my lane! He changed lanes and almost clipped my right rear fender, I saw it comming so I switched over into the fast lane before he hit me. I honked and held my horn for a good 10 seconds. The guy totally ignored me as he sipped away on his boba ice tea...

There are some seriously stupid people out there! :evil:

 

My most recent memorable moments :

The week before I got my MCS an elderly person that was in front of me stopped halfway into the intersection at a red light...talk about SLOW reflexes.

A month or two later, a younger girl in front of me on the freeway was looking at herself (rearview mirror aimed at her, not out the back window) and playing with her hair while cruising in mild traffic.

About a month ago an elderly woman (also in a large sedan) started to merge into my lane (WITHOUT SIGNALLING...pet peeve) while I was in the process of passing her...I had to swerve into the center (double yellow) lane to avoid her. Then she gave me a look like I'm some sort of troublemaking whippersnapper. Worst part is that this happenned on a curve in the road and just as soon as I had managed to merge back into the normal lane, a cop came around the bend from the opposite side...if he'd seen me in the center lane without seeing the part with her coming half into my lane, I probably could have ended up with a big fat ticket.

A couple weeks later, I stop at a 4 way stop and the driver coming on the cross street slowed down a bit, looked at me..noticed I was stopped and just rolled right through the intersection without ever stopping...I'm not even talking about the typical California Rolling Stop either.

A week after that, I'm driving down the same street where the aforementioned old lady merging incident took place...as I was approaching an intersection (with my light being green) a guy in a pickup truck on the cross street got impatient and just ran the red light! He was sitting at the intersection and then just suddenly gunned it across the street. Luckily I was still about half a block away, but it was unbelievable nonetheless.

Unfortunately, where I live right now has a LOT of very elderly retirees which is a whole extra worry above and beyond the typical mix of bad drivers.

 

About a week ago, I pulled up to a stop light with about 2 cars in front of me and one lane (same direction) on my left. Had this weird preminition that I'd better watch the car in front of me so that I don't run into him (I was changing tunes on my iPod). Then BAM, CRASH CRASH.... The stopped cars in the lane next me started piling into each other. Some OLD guy with a Handicap sticker in a huge cadilac forgot to stop! Damn OLD PEOPLE!

Thank god I had just changed lanes or that would have been me scrunched betweeen two cars!

I tell you, the older I get, the more I realize how dangerous it is to drive on the streets!

 

Hey coopchick

I know where you coming from because I get that everyday on L.A traffic. Many people don't really know how to drive and add cell phone, news paper, lipstick, etc.

If we ever get rain so many of them will cost an accident. That is sad

 

Sometimes I wonder why we don't all end up in an accident, every day!!!

Is it just me, or do these near misses all happen during daylight hours?

God speed.

 

Yeah, I think most of these near-misses do happen during the day. Mostly peak-traffic times that lure a lot of people onto the roads - people with slower reflexes or vision problems, teenagers getting permit practice, or people who *have* to drive (to get to work, make deliveries, etc.). People on the road late at night/early in the morning have fewer potential victims to hit. They could also have more driving experience, but that's hard to prove.

Some drivers also seem to view the "buffer zone" between you and the car ahead of you as an invitation to insert their big-assed car! If you're supposed to maintain one car-length worth of space, how can you do it without being constantly cut off? I have yet to discover that secret.

Anyway, I've got to get ready for work! Later! :smile:

 

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!

Yes it's annoying/dangerous when it happens to you, but we are human. At some point we have all been distracted by something.

Cell phones are no excuse, but who hasn't fumbled with the radio or a CD in the past?

I believe the key to safer driving is awareness of your surroundings, like the woman applying makup or the guy reading a map on the steering wheel (we can't ask for directions you know!).

Just my .02

 

My most recent:

Coming home from the Flat Rock British car show on one of our lovely inter-state by pass style roads built to handle far less cars then currently on it. At one of the many spots where merging traffic comes on to this road and into the left lane, my wife and I are in our MCS in the right lane when another Cooper comes onto the road and fails to see us in the right lane. He/she continues his/her merge, without a turn signal by the way, and pushes us off the road and on to the shoulder.

Guess they couldn't hear my horn that was blowing for the event.

In a town that I haven't seen more then 2 other MINIs on the road for the last 15 months and the 3rd one I see tries to take me out. Figure the odds?

 

I've strived to accomplish one thing in my driving. No one sharing the road with me should be forced to alter speed or direction as a direct result of something I do. Mind you, I do work to make sure I'm not taken advantage of. The concept is to be polite and vigilant.

 

Hasn't happend to me yet (knock on wood) but I've heard of several people who have been rear-ended by idiots who aren't paying attention. This is one of the problems with having a small car that has the shortest stopping distance of any model. Maybe the rear fog light to brake light mod has helped me out, but I still look in my rear window and around for "escape paths" from idiots, especially those freakin SUV drivers, who don't stop in time.

 

I personally believe that I should have gone with my first instinct several years ago and mounted that machine gun on the front of my car. Although I swear I'd be doing about 2,000 life sentences by now.

My son bought me a bumper sticker out of his own money that said, "Why is it that I am the only one on the road who knows how to drive?". Truer words never said.

Seriously though...I think if we eliminate cell phone users who still haven't bought a hands free set, and take out everybody over the age of 70 we'll be well on our way to an accident free world.

Ken

 

As a defensive driving instructor "in house" at a large utility company, driving defensively is more important now than ever before. The increase in vehicles on the road simply increases our odds even more. Statistically, you have a 1 in 5 chance of being involved in an auto accident of some kind. Luckily for us, the Mini has superb safety features. Yes, this includes fender benders in parking lots (very dangerous because of speed and backing). Let me share some tips to help keep you and your Mini out of trouble:

*Aim High in Steering (Look 12-15 seconds ahead of where you will be down the road)

*Get The Big Picture (Be constantly aware of all objects and obstacles around you)

*Keep Your Eyes Moving (scan all three mirrors every 5-8 seconds)

*Leave Yourself An Out ( Very important! Leave a 3-4 second space cushion on the highway between your front bumper and the rear bumper of the car ahead of you. don't let yourself be boxed in, leave a car length in front of you at stoplight for a space cushion)

*Make Sure They See You ( eye contact, headlights on, horn, turn signals, tap brakes)

Also, when slowing for a stoplight or need to slow down; foot to the brake, eyes to the mirror every time! MAKE THIS A HABIT!!! A local Corvette driver was mowed down and killed at a stoplight by a tractor trailer driver who fell asleep at the wheel.

NEVER BACK! Use pull through parking at the store. If you must, back in when parking your Mini. The only exception would be a parking lot that uses a "herringbone" parking lot layout (those one way parking zones with arrows)

Never follow a cement truck, sand truck, tractor trailer hauling construction equipment, or any vehicle carrying anything that is not enclosed. It may fly off!! Many people have no clue on how to strap anything to a vehicle. The amount of wind generated on your roof at 65 mph is huge.

I hope this helps. Let's drive our Mini's defensively and have fun at the same time !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I feel your pain! Luckily I have been graced by the MINI gods and all of the mentally challenged drivers seem to avoid my MINI. I rode a SuperSport motorcycle for 7 years though... And Im hear to tell you, If you think it's bad in your MINI, Ride a motorcycle for awhile.... People REALLY dont pay attention to you then....

 

Ugh, if I had a dime for every encounter I had similar to these I could buy another MINI.

Most recent one that I avoided was a dimwit using a phone while sorting through some sort of papers on his steering wheel. The road made a sweep to the right but Mr Paper Collator did not follow it, instead he practically pushed me off the road. A blast of the horn woke him up whereupon he swerved back into his lane, overcorrected, and nearly took out another car. The kicker was that HE got very upset and started gesturing to all who called him on his stupid move in rather rude ways. It's times like this that I wish I could magically produce a stopped tractor-trailer in his lane a mere ten feet from him and rid the world of such an ignoramus.

:evil: :evil: :evil:

 

<<*Aim High in Steering (Look 12-15 seconds ahead of where you will be down the road) >>

I've got really good eyes, but even I can't see 3-4 miles ahead.


Ken

 

Or look as far down the road as you can until it disappears........You will now be aware of road consruction, flashing arrow boards, accidents, lanes merging, traffic lights, etc..

 

Or look as far down the road as you can until it disappears........You will now be aware of road consruction, flashing arrow boards, accidents, lanes merging, traffic lights, etc..

 

I was actually in an accident because some old guy driving a company truck towing a tree chipper cut me off and ran me into a siderail. Damaged my front fender. It's repaired now and good as new!

 

Avoiding bad drivers is one of the most frustrating things. Most of my run ins are from motorcyclists. Some (not all) think that everyone should look out for them and they don't have to look out for anything. I had my last truck 1 year I'm driving home on a city street and pass a cycle doing about 15 in a 30 zone riding off to the right to stay out of traffic (respectful) I go about 2 blocks and turn on signal to turn right into my complex this cycle was too impatient and sped up to pass me ON THE RIGHT and hit square into my rear quarter panel. I pull the rest of the way into my complex to get off the road and he took off.

A few years later we were having a conversatoin about splitting traffic at work. A girl said what if I had to open my door in an emergency and you hit me??? thats dangerous( I don't buy the OMG I have to open my door routine) But a good friend of mine(who rides) said more people have to look out for cycles. I disagree more cycles should look out for cars. The next day at the stop light pulling into work I nearly hit him because he was splitting traffic the light turned green I go to step on the gas and from between all the cars He passes and cuts in front a second later and I would have hit him.

Not to mention every MINI run I've been on I seen a cyclist laying in a pool of blood around curvy roads. We share the roads and look out for each other, if your passing infront of someone looking forward while driving forward ( a really good idea) don't be surprised when you get hit because they weren't watching there back the whole time they were moving forward. I know cyclists get hit all the time from morons in cars not paying attention and it needs to stop. But cyclists need to take their actions into account too.

 

>>Seriously though...I think if we eliminate cell phone users who still haven't bought a hands free set...

I totally disagree - hands-free has NOTHING to do with it. The problem with drivers on cell phones is lack of focus and concentration, not the fact that one of their hands isn't on the wheel.

Using a cell phone while driving should be illegal, hands-free or not.

And before I get flamed by anyone saying "I can talk on a phone and drive safely just fine", let me say this. Maybe you can, or maybe you just think you can, but that's irrelevant because most of the morons out there can't. Just like a lot of us can safely drive higher than the posted speed limit, but most can't so they set the limit to address those people. That's why talking while driving should be illegal.

 

In a way I agree with scooterboy, but ultimately I will disagree because people get into accidents taliking to passengers, changing the radio station, yelling at kids in the back seat, eating, and reading( thay actually make a book stand that fits on steering wheels, who is the idiot that came up with that). But most of these aren't brought up at the time of the accident. Even if we remove all of these from a car there still will be accidents. The cell phone is just the current witch we are trying to burn

 

I of course wouldn't argue that all of those things can also distract the driver and cause accidents.

But there is something very different between talking on the phone and talking to a passenger. I can't explain it, but it seems to take more focus from the road and direct it to the conversation. I have a long commute (75 miles each way - mostly highway) and I literally see it every day. Someone who can't stay in their lane because they're on a cell phone. Drivers talking to a passenger don't seem to have that problem, but again I can't explain why there's a difference.

And I did read of a study recently that showed that hands-free doesn't help - the driver's focus was reduced in either case.

 

My name is Francis and I don't like being touched.

You touch me and I'll kill you.

You talk to me and I'll kill you.

You look at me wrong and I'll kill you.



Lighten up Francis


With apologies to the cast of STRIPES

 

By all means I do agree with you. But I have grown attached to my cell phone (I spent 5 mos in the desert without a phone or e-mail my god I didn't realize how attached I was until then, with only communication was letter mail It was a wake-up.)
I try to use minimally in the car. I have avoided an accident while talking on the phone( noticed that something might happen before it did and then it did) thanks to responsiveness of the MINI and I stopped talking with the person on the other end going whats going on whats going on. But I'm not fool enough to believe "I" can do it everytime so I keep it to a minimum.