Biggest Driving Pet Peeves

My main pet peeves revolve around stop signs:

1. People who don't know or ignore the rules at a 4-way stop sign

2. People who ignore the fact that I stop at the big fat white stop line (they assume I haven't arrived at the intersection yet)

3. People who don't even slow down at stops, because the car in front of them stopped for both of them ?!? or they are turning right?!? or they are going straight or they drive a bigger vehicle than you

4. People who honk, flash their lights, pass me at stop signs because as a driver, I am rude and inconsiderate of them, making them wait all this time by actually stopping at all stop signs and god forbid, let pedestrians cross the street.

Bienvenue à Montréal: Around here, you have to wave to pedestrians to indicate you will not run them over if they dare cross the street. The only safe pedestrians are those who stay on the sidewalk, or are pushing prams.

Other pet peeves (highways):

5. People going 50 km/h on the on-ramp

6. People who sudduly brake at the end of the on-ramp

7. People who honk or flash their lights behind me on the highway, in the right lane (at any speed), I try to drive at 90 km/h or in the left lane when going 110 km/h or more (the speed limit is 100). Read Larry's rules nos. 4 and 11 for more

I do brake tests (my rear bumper cover is scratched and wouldn't mind getting one for free).

Other pet peeves

8. People who pass me on residential streets, because by following the rules and speed limits (50 km/h or 30 km/h near schools and parks), I am rude and inconsiderate of them, wasting all their precious seconds.

True story: I was followed by an empty school bus once, he was on my bumper for several minutes ans thirough several intersections. At the first straight strech or street, he passed me, in front of a park in a 30 km/h zone. I took his license no., pulled over and reported him to the police.

9. People who stop (not a stop signs!) for no apparent reason, they are either lost or on their phone, and can't bother pulling over

10. People who stop without pulling over, to chat to a friend in the opposite direction or someone on the sidewalk.

11. People who stop, without pulling over, near the entrance of a store or mall, to let off young, able bodied people, all on a beautiful sunny day.

Disclaimer: My hair is not blue. My Corolla is not beige.

I just remembered one of my biggest annoyances. Driver's who have the advanced green and follow others through the light even after it has turned solid. I sure wish we had cameras at major intersections like they do in neighbouring cities.

They named a driving motion after our state, it is called a "California stop".

Basically it is a roll -thru of a stop sign. No actual stop.

It is practiced by many California drivers.

1. people who don't signal

2. people who don't signal cos they're on the cellphone!

3. people who get on the highway ramp while on cellphone

4. people who 'race' at a 4-way stop, and thus don't stop before they proceed - even though you stopped and had the right to go first!

Defensive driving kept my little Corolla off the injury list today. I have a habit of watching the rear view mirror while at a red light and it has kept me out of a couple of accidents. Today...idiot on cell phone while fidling with his hair in the rear view mirror while approaching light and the only thing that saved me was swerving into the left turn lane (which I knew was empty).

I usually keep the idiots off my backside at lights by putting her in reverse as the backup lights get their attention. I hope, though, that I don't forget to put it back in drive before I move off. I'm still tempted to hook up my spare horn somehow under the rear bumper for occasions like that.

1. Drivers who stop at a red light past the white line and across the crosswalk causing a. A pedestrian to walk into traffic to cross the street, and b. Someone making a right turn on red to pull into the intersection to see around him/her.

2. Drivers who don't signal their intentions.

3. Drivers who park their car in their driveway across the sidewalk.

BICYCLES.... 99.5% of them here in Canada actually think they have more rights than an automobile. If you drive behind them for ten minutes...I guarantee 199/200 will break the law. I didn't care before, but...because of this "no fault" insurance here I have to watch out as my insurance may go up.