Eight Pet Peeves About People Who Own and Drive Cars

Yes, I do expect you to obey the law when you drive your car. No, I don't expect you to be the perfect car driver all the time. If you occasionally roll through a red light or don't wash your vehicle quite as often as you should, so be it. However, if you're the kind of driver who bullies their way into a long line of slow moving cars or thinks the fast lane on the freeway is just another lane in which to drive the speed limit, you're on my short list.

Owning and driving a vehicle obligates you to maintain it in good condition (notice I didn't say pristine) and to know the rules of the road. With that in mind, here are my eight pet peeves when it comes to car owners.

Turn Signal...What's a Turn Signal?

You know there was a time when automatic turn signals weren't part of your vehicle. You literally had to stick your arm out the window (come snow, rain, heat and gloom of night) and indicate if you were turning left (you would just stick your left arm straight out pointing in that direction) or if you were turning right (in which case you would bend your left arm up as if to point over the roof of your car).

Now all you have to do is give the indicator arm a little flick. And sure as shooting, there are still drivers out there too damn lazy to even do that.

Faster than a Speeding Bullet

Personally, I often drive a little too fast. So string me up by my thumbs. The problem is when drivers zip in and out of traffic at a rapid pace and put other drivers in danger. You want to kill yourself speeding? Fine. I don't want to go along for the ride.

However, going too slow, especially on the freeway, irritates me just as much. People who get in the fast lane (historically called the passing lane) and chug along at the speed limit don't seem to understand that it's called the fast lane for a reason. The original intent was to provide faster drivers a lane for passing.

There's a Reason You Should Keep Your Eyes on the Road

Just because you have the ability to multi-task, doesn't mean you should do it while driving. That's why many states have laws against talking on the phone or texting while driving. However, don't stop there. You should also not apply makeup, read, shave or do anything else that will distract you from the road. And it's not because I said so. But because when you're distracted you are more likely to have an accident. It's just logical.

Laws...I Don't Need No Stinking Laws

While driving home the other evening, I saw a paramedic unit, lights flashing and siren blaring, headed in my direction. Naturally, I did what every law-abiding driver does. I pulled over and stopped, along with, I am glad to say, a few other knowledgeable drivers. Apparently someone forgot to notify the woman in the black compact who almost caused a chain reaction rear-ender that this is the appropriate response in the state of California.

People who don't know the laws for driving in their state should not get behind the wheel of a car. Yielding to the right at a stop sign, stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk and pulling over when you see approaching emergency vehicles are all basic laws of driving.

Linus Interruptus

You're in a hurry and you don't want to wait. Well, you know what, neither do I; but I've been sitting in this line of cars for 10 minutes.

When drivers pull up to the front of a long line of cars waiting in a turn or exit lane and expect to be allowed entrance, it peeves me when someone lets them in. Yes, it is the courteous thing to do. But while they're getting out of having to sit through the headache I just sat through, I'm going to take advantage of my right to fume.

Zipping Through the Intersection

Here's a new one that I've observed several times lately: drivers who honk their horn and flash their lights as they race through the red light at an intersection. What's that all about? Do they think honking and flashing will protect them like some magical spell from Harry Potter?

Once again it's all about being in a hurry. For some reason when certain drivers see the yellow caution light they mistakenly believe that means hurry up. And the red light that follows just means "jam it to the floor."

One from Column A AND One from Column B

Can't make up your mind which lane to drive in? Lane straddlers are the drivers who start to change lanes (generally without signaling), but never quite get there. They hover between the two lanes as if trying to decide which one is moving faster. These are likely the same people who frequently change lanes when standing in line to buy groceries. I say if you're going to change lanes, then just get to it.

Pigs in a Blanket

I hate to say it, but these are usually people with children. Their cars are filled with fast-food wrappers, toys, clothing, animal fur and who knows what else. If this is how they treat their car, I would hate to see the inside of their home.

Unfortunately, these are also some of my friends. So to avoid sitting on something I'm sure to regret later, it means I have to drive. Do you think that could be their ploy all along?

Granted there are probably plenty of other things that some drivers do that irritate other drivers. But these are my gripes. What are your pet peeves when it comes to people who own and drive cars?