[karenlovessnow]

So, I was wondering if anyone else is like me. Depending on whether or not there are any other cars around on the road, I practically NEVER stop at stop signs. I do the rolling through thing. Of course, I only do it at intersections that are totally visible from all angles so you know no one is coming.

If you are already in a lane that automatically turns into a 'turn only' lane, do you feel the need to put on your blinker? I don't. I feel like it's self explanatory. And I never use my blinker if I am alone on the road.

I almost always try to run the yellow light before it turns red if I'm late getting somewhere.

I will go 10 miles over the speed limit on a highway but only 5 over on a local road. Unless it's residential. I usually go the limit or slower.

Putting this is print, I feel like I am a terrible driver. However, I am almost always curteous to other drivers. I will yield to the right of way; stop to let someone in front of me in traffic or if someone is trying to make a left turn on a busy street.

So, I was wondering about you guys and how you are on the road.

Oh, yeah, I forgot to add that I will, occasionally, make my own parking space as long as it doesn't interfere with the other cars that are parked and their ability to maneuver in and out.

 

[Sevenseas]

It's hard to be good at following traffic rules when you* don't remember all of them and when you're a pretty bad driver.

*(I'm talking about myself.)

 

[evilvegan]

I try really hard to obey all the rules, but sometimes that gets me in more trouble than if I hadn't. For example, I've been rear ended 5 times for stopping when a light was yellow. And once for not turning right on red CUZ THE OTHER LANE WAS TURNING LEFT ON AN ARROW!!! Gr.

 

[isowish]

I haven't passed my test yet so I'm anal about following rules in order to get into good habits. I'm not going to manouvre and drive good on my test in order to be failed on something stupid like not indicating or going 2 miles above the speed limits.

But I do other stupid things like drive 4-5 miles below the speed limit, or stay behind a car doing 50 on the dual carriageway in order to avoid overtaking.

 

[Elena99]

I live in a province where there's a very high rate of accidents and deaths by motor vehicle, so I'm very cautious about my driving.

I always make a complete stop at stop signs. I also had a friend who did that rolling stop thing for a while. Once when he did it, he was POSITIVE that no one else was around. 1 minute later, he was pulled over and given a ticket for it. Getting into the habit of doing a rolling stop is really not a good idea. Accidents happen from things like that; at the very least, tickets can happen.

I thought you didn't need your blinker in the turn-only lane? I don't put it on there. Otherwise, if I'm alone on the road, I still use my blinker. It's a good habit, if I don't do it in certain cases, I might forget it when I need it.

I ONLY go through the yellow light if it just recently turned yellow, and it looks safe. If I'm at a busy intersection that has more than one lane on each side, I don't go for it. Those take longer to cross, and it's riskier.

I don't go more than 5km over the speed limit. On the highway, though, where people sometimes go up to 20km over, it's hard to remember to keep close to the speed limit, since you want to keep up with traffic.

 

[bstutzma]

Its hard to believe because I AM a Bostonian, but I follow traffic rules to a T. In fact, my only serious driving problem (I get VERY angry when I drive) is because of seeing so MANY other people break the law. I have seen more accidents, mangled cars, etc, than I need in my lifetime. I'll do everything in my power to avoid that for myself.

I agree on the rolling stop thing. That's just really dumb. I know so many people who have gotten tickets for that. Its not worth the 3 seconds you save.

 

[GhostUser]

I drive like an 80 year old.

Okay, not really. But I am pretty obsessed with following traffic rules that most people don't follow. I don't roll at stops, and I don't even drive 5 over the speed limit. I use my turn signal no matter what, and I don't speed up when I see the light turn yellow. I actually slow down.

With that said, I haven't driven in about a year - when I moved to Pittsburgh. I'm too afraid to drive here.

 

[Blue Plastic Straw]

I used to be a speed demon, but I realized that my time savings were minimal and not worth the trade off in fuel expenses. When I was commuting 80 miles round trip to school, I figured out that if I stayed in the right late and went 60 mph instead of 70+ mph I could save about $10 per week in gas. On average the trip took me about four minutes longer, each way. I'm willing to sacrifice eight minutes of my day to be safer, use less fuel, and save money.

If I can stop at a yellow light without slamming on the brakes, I do it. I've had a couple very near misses at intersections with people trying to shoot the yellow and not making it.

I'm of the opinion that the rules exist not to inconvenience me, but to keep me and others safe. I would feel horrible if I hurt or killed someone (or myself) because I wanted to save a minute or two getting to my destination.

 

[kpickell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by karenlovessnow

If you are already in a lane that automatically turns into a 'turn only' lane, do you feel the need to put on your blinker? I don't. I feel like it's self explanatory. And I never use my blinker if I am alone on the road.

Yes I do. And I sometimes get mad at people that don't. People that don't use turn signals are my biggest driving pet peeve, especially the ones that weave in and out of lanes without using them. I feel like chasing them down and informing them that their blinks must be broken. I wish I had large "Caution: I make unannounced turns" stickers to tape onto their cars.

Anyways, the one road rule I don't follow always is the speed limits. What I drive depends on the road and the flow of traffic at the time. I don't want another speeding ticket, so I rarely go more than 10 over anymore, unless I'm getting really tired of driving and I'm on a fast highway, then I'll find a chain of speeders to follow after in the disillusioned hope that there's safety in numbers.

 

[GhostUser]

I think it is very important to turn on your blinkers. There may be unseen drivers who will come by in a split second if they're driving fast or perhaps when you're not paying attention. Or even emergency vehicles.. they need to know where you;re going. Even if you're in the lane designated to be a "right turn only" lane, you may be going straight and didnt even realize it. Opposite traffic can not see or may not know that it is a lane to make a right turn and probably assume it is a lane to go straight.

I usually dont stop at stop signs either if there is no incoming cars that I will have to wait for them. Usually in a residential area or shopping centers. Keep in mind, there ARE cops who hide and you cant see them. They'll pull you over. Just make sure that its an open area so you can b prepared.

So, about me?... No one is a perfect driver.. But EVERYONE loves the way I drive.. =) Hehehe.. Im such a good driver..

I just wish there were public transportation everywhere instead.

 

[SeaSiren]

I go about 5 miles over the speed limit and have been known to pick up speed when a light turns yellow to make it through. Other than that, I use my blinkers, stop at stop signs, ect.

 

[GhostUser]

oh.. forgot to mention.

By law, a yellow lights remains on for every 10 mph posted for that street.

For example...

If its a 50 mph zone. The light will be yellow for 5 seconds before it turns red.

So if the cop pulls you over for going thru red light and you were trying to get thru... you can go back to that intersection.. record the time by videotaping or whatever and then present it to court.

I have done it couple of times and I win.. the city loses a lot of money for not obeying the law.

 

[GhostUser]

and california law states that you have to be driving more than 15mph than the posted speed limit in order to get a ticket.

 

[Blue Plastic Straw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProudVegan

and california law states that you have to be driving more than 15mph than the posted speed limit in order to get a ticket.

Uh, no.

Quote:

22348. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 22351, a person shall not drive a vehicle upon a highway with a speed limit established pursuant to Section 22349 or 22356 at a speed greater than that speed limit.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22348.htm

There's no mention anywhere of this "more than 15 mph" business. Why would they have a maximum speed limit if it's not illegal to drive faster than that? In practical application, you may have 5 mph leeway, because anything less than that could be easier to contest, but technically, they could give you a ticket for going 1 mph over the posted speed limit.

 

[Cissy]

I'm just learning to drive. I go the speed limit, I try not to ride in the left lane, I stop at all stop signs and such, and I definitely don't go through red lights.

 

[karenlovessnow]

Ok, so all you good drivers have guilted me into trying to do better!

 

[WonderRandy]

I'm fairly uptight about which laws I'll break and which ones I won't.

on the highway, I'll drive up to 5 mph over the limit.

I ALWAYS use my blinker. It's one of my big pet peeves as well. Mostly from being hit by cars while on my bicycle. I use my blinker in left-turn only onto a one-way street lanes. I use my blinker in parking lots. I use them when NO ONE is around. It's a habit I don't mind being anal about.

I always wear my seat belt. It feels weird not to.

I (almost) never do the rolling stop thing. Again, it's the bicyclists I'm concerned about. You often don't see them coming, and they're not always in the car lane where they're *supposed* to be.

I will stop at a yellow light IF IT'S REASONABLY SAFE TO DO SO. that's what I was taught years ago in driver's ed, and it stuck.

I don't drive aggressively. There's no need.

HAVING SAID ALL THAT... I currently don't have insurance on my car, the tags are expired, the safety check is expired, and I don't have a valid license on me (I lost mine, and haven't gotten around to replacing it). If I get pulled over, I can count on about $300+ in tickets. Another reason I drive modestly...

 

[ynaffit]

When I drove, I, er, wasn't perfect with speed and stop signs if I was running late, but I always signalled, and whenever time wasn't an issue I did my best to drive legally.

 

[Cissy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WonderRandy

I ALWAYS use my blinker. It's one of my big pet peeves as well. Mostly from being hit by cars while on my bicycle. I use my blinker in left-turn only onto a one-way street lanes. I use my blinker in parking lots. I use them when NO ONE is around. It's a habit I don't mind being anal about.

so many people I know never use their blinker.

 

[MZCsmpsns]

I tend to speed on highways, and especially interstates. Highways that I know that aren't curvy I usually go 5-10mph over... interstates if ppl are going fast I usually go like 15 over, ya know just to keep up. I don't always come to complete stops at stopsigns at night/when turning right at red lights. If there's hardly any/no traffic I gun it to make it through a yellow light. I always use my blinkers, I feel weird when I don't even when nobodys around. My worse driving thing would be my road rage. Bad drivers tick me off and I let them know it.

Of over 6 years of driving I've never had a ticket or been pulled over, so I'm trying to keep that record going.