Posted on 05/29/2011 12:00:23 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
There are variations in driving styles on our roads and most motorists will fall into a distinct characteristic type depending on how they approach the task of driving. As you read through this list, you are likely to recognize yourself or someone you drive with.
Which driving character are you?
Nervous Nick: This driver lacks confidence in their driving abilities and is intimidated by traffic and highway speeds. The “Nervous Nick” will always drive at the speed limit or lower and will not accelerate enough to merge safely with highway traffic. They will display moments of indecision when it comes to driving options such as making left turns and when to proceed and how fast.
The Danger: They cause traffic to “rat pack” around them on highways. This leads to multiple lane changes and drivers becoming impatient and making dangerous choices or lane changes. Driving slower than the “flow” of traffic can cause traffic mayhem behind the slower driver as others must negotiate a way around the slow moving vehicle.
Middle Lane Mike: Will head from the on-ramp directly to the middle lane and plant them selves there no matter how slow they drive or who is sitting on their rear bumper. They are convinced this is the best lane to drive in and they are the safest drivers on the road.
The Danger: Traffic will pass on either the right of left sides of this driver causing traffic flow chaos. Large trucks will sit impatiently on their rear bumper trying to intimidate this driver into moving over. They are in danger of causing a crash or being rear-ended. Vehicles moving slowly in the middle lane are like a rock in a stream. They cause turbulence and in this case traffic turbulence.
Overconfident Owen or Arrogant Andy: These drivers are usually driving in an aggressive manner as they are very sure of their capabilities. They are usually speeding and changing lanes often. This aggressive driver feels they are more important than everyone else on the road. All other drivers are just in “their” way and should not be on “their” road.
The Danger: This driver has the confidence and sometimes even the driving talent that will allow them to handle their vehicle while speeding, but when things go wrong they lack the skills to recover or avoid an incident. This driver has confidence that far out strips their “driving smarts” and they make poor choices in their driving situations. They are usually driving too fast for weather and traffic conditions. They often drive an SUV or other large vehicle that adds to their sense of superiority. This driver will tailgate others and try different means of intimidation to get others out of their way. These drivers have been known to pass on the shoulder and lane hop. During the winter months, they are often found in the ditch.
Bored Bobby or Busy Betty: Usually found talking on a cell phone or chatting with passengers. Their mind will be focused on anything but driving safely. Even though they know the distraction of talking on the cell phone is dangerous, they feel their business is more important.
The Danger: This motorist is not paying attention to driving and invariably will end up crashing or cutting someone off. The “Bored Bobby” is just as dangerous as the other drivers on this list. They are not processing all their driving information that will help them make wise driving choices. They are driving distracted which is the leading cause of crashes. After being involved in a crash, they usually cannot figure out what happened.
Solo Sandy: This driver believes they are the only one on the road. They rarely check their mirrors and have no idea other vehicles are near or beside them. You may see this motorist heading down a highway with the only other vehicle in sight directly beside them or in front of them. Also known as “Blinder Billy” as they appear to have blinders on allowing them to only see directly in front of them.
The Danger: Not knowing what is around you in your driving environment is very dangerous. Each driver needs to know what vehicles are in their immediate vicinity to make intelligent lane or avoidance choices. This driver is often hoping others will yield to their lane changes. If they encounter a “Bored Bobby” or a “Busy Betty” the results are usually costly.
Immortal Ivan: Believes no matter what they do behind the wheel, nothing bad will happen to them. When people die in car crashes, it is always going to be someone else, not them. This driving symptom tends to come in the teenage years and can last into middle age if the driver makes it to that age. Too many car crashing video games can exacerbate the problem.
The Danger: Their fearlessness leads to very poor driving decisions and reckless driving. Many younger drivers and their passengers succumb to this syndrome. If “Immortal Ivan” survives, they often age to become an “Arrogant Andy”.
Dangerous Don or Silly Stevie: These drivers believe they know it all about driving. They have been on the road for a number of years and have survived. To them, their experience means they are the best drivers on the road. All those around them are morons or crazy. For drivers like “Dangerous Don”, their frustration with other motorists can lead to high risk driving and poor decisions.
The Danger: Their survival in many ways was a product of luck and not so much skill. One day that luck will run out and the resulting crash will be anyone else’s mistake and not theirs. They will blame the other driver, black ice or anything else since they could not possibly be at fault. Their closed minds mean they will never learn the skills that could keep them from that future crash.
Smart Susie: The rarest of drivers. Understands that driving is the most dangerous daily task they will face and prepares for it. This driver realizes they need to upgrade their driving skills to be prepared for the perils of driving. They focus on the task of driving and are always making driving easier for those sharing the road with them.
The Danger: There are not enough of these drivers on our roads!
I try to tell my wife that the interstate is the safest place to drive...because that is the truth. But I agree with you: if you don’t/can’t drive properly on the interstate, please stay off it.
Whomever or whatever has the most lug nuts gets the right of way.
“First, they view daily driving as a competitive venture. It isn’t.”
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Ha! Piker. :)
I am The homicidal limo driver for the Elder Gods. When you have Nyarlathotep as your copilot, and non-Euclidean geometry for your road map, chaos just comes naturally...
Get rid of the liberals and Smart Susie will prevail on the roads.
ok
At high speeds that's attempted murder and should be met with deadly force.
Look at the second line of your profile. That is a correct use of the word “its”.
In Iowa we have what I call The Sandwich. The person in front of you wants to drive 5 miles under, the person behind wants to drive 15 miles over. That differential in speed makes for a a damn dangerous situation.
The other one I hate is the guy that WON’T pass you no matter what, 2 or 4 lane, and rides 2 or 3 car lengths off. Invariably this happens at nite with a big truck with bright lights. 10 miles of that and you are near blind with a splitting headache.
We have passing lanes up the bigger hills for the trucks, you pull in the right lane while the faster vehicles pass on the left. I have had people ride me till the second I hit the pass lane to let them by and the REFUSE to pass.
I usually hit the brakes, make the go around me, and ride them all the way to town.
One more I forgot: The Phaser. Cannot keep the same speed even if they were on the Bonneville salt flats. It’s as if cruise control does not exist. Phases between 5 miles over and 5 miles under constantly.
It’s the rolling roadblocks that drive me crazy. There’s one residential street in my area that has a lot of older people driving on it. It’s a divided street with two lanes going in two directions. These old people invariably ride side-by-side going under the speed limit, and I just want to pull my hair out of my head.
Ditto for me.
I was always taught that when you’re driving on an expressway in the right lane, and there’s a car entering from an on ramp, you should move to the left lane to let them on, if it’s safe to do so.
I’ve seen plenty of that in my locale, too. Do these people call each other and coordinate this?
Your name shall be...Victorious Vinnie!
I’m good about that. What pisses me off is when they don’t overtake me after I move, they just hang next to me. So many times, it’s not about passing, they just don’t want anybody in front of them.
A woman?
Which leads us, of course, to People who are Capable of Passing us, but Prefer to Stay on our Asses Instead.
CO passed a law making that kind of driving illegal.
It's actually enforced, and has improved driving conditions on the interstate considerably.
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