Thread: What irritates me

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What irritates me?

Now that it is time for the “snowbirds” to arrive in Tucson for the winter, I decided to make a list of the stuff that irritates me…..

1. Left footed braking. The geezers keep their left foot resting on the brake pedal…probably because their reaction time is so bad they think they need the foot close. They bop down the road with their brake lights on, wasting gas and wearing out their brakes. I once did a tune up for an elderly lady who said her car was sluggish. After I finished, I rode with her on the test drive. Of course, her left foot was on the brake. I told her she was riding the brake, she said she wasn’t…..when she took her foot off the brake, the car surged forward. I asked if the brakes wore out often, she said yes. Left footed braking is for drag racers ONLY.
2. Key fob door locking. The dimwits honk their horn every time they do a remote locking of their car doors…..don’t they realize that they can program that feature to the OFF state? Are they so dumb that they can’t hear the doors lock? Flashing the headlights is bad enough….don’t need to honk.
3. Turn signals. The blue hairs leave their blinkers on for miles…but that isn’t the real irritation. Those who turn their blinkers on ¼ mile before the turn are the pain. Gee, if you blinker blinks more than five times before you turn, you’ve dropped the ball, grandpa.
4. Left lane turtles. The senile citizens think that, if they are doing the speed limit, there is no reason to move over. So they putt-putt in the left lane and hold up traffic. Eventually, someone has to risk his neck and pass on the right. And the senile citizen has no clue why the other drivers are flipping him the bird.
5. Slow reflexes. Ever see an oldster getting in their car and can barely get behind the wheel? They have to lift their legs into the car because they don’t have the strength to raise their legs…..and they are going to drive? My wife’s grandparents lived in Las Vegas. Grandpa couldn’t see but he could lift his legs. Grandma couldn’t lift her legs but she could see. Together, they tag-team drove. Grandma told grandpa when to stop, when the coast was clear, etc. And they never killed anyone to our best knowledge.
6. Blinders. Here in Tucson, many of the oldsters wear these huge plastic sunglasses over their regular glasses….kinda looks like oversize safety glasses. These dark glasses are cheap so they must have loads of distortion….maybe the distort the image back to a good one. In Phoenix, the oldsters bitched about the tunnel just north of downtown. When they entered the tunnel, they had to remove their blinders….because they couldn’t see in the dim light. Then, as they approached the exit, they had to get their blinders back on because the light was too bright. They wanted the lighting in the tunnel to simulate real sunlight so they didn’t have to take the sunglasses off. Go figure.

They can’t see, they can’t lift their legs but they can drive!!!!

And I'm glad to be rid of'em for a few months! It's your turn!

Originally Posted by robot

What irritates me?

Now that it is time for the “snowbirds” to arrive in Tucson for the winter, I decided to make a list of the stuff that irritates me…..

1. Left footed braking. The geezers keep their left foot resting on the brake pedal…probably because their reaction time is so bad they think they need the foot close. They bop down the road with their brake lights on, wasting gas and wearing out their brakes. I once did a tune up for an elderly lady who said her car was sluggish. After I finished, I rode with her on the test drive. Of course, her left foot was on the brake. I told her she was riding the brake, she said she wasn’t…..when she took her foot off the brake, the car surged forward. I asked if the brakes wore out often, she said yes. Left footed braking is for drag racers ONLY.
2. Key fob door locking. The dimwits honk their horn every time they do a remote locking of their car doors…..don’t they realize that they can program that feature to the OFF state? Are they so dumb that they can’t hear the doors lock? Flashing the headlights is bad enough….don’t need to honk.
3. Turn signals. The blue hairs leave their blinkers on for miles…but that isn’t the real irritation. Those who turn their blinkers on ¼ mile before the turn are the pain. Gee, if you blinker blinks more than five times before you turn, you’ve dropped the ball, grandpa.
4. Left lane turtles. The senile citizens think that, if they are doing the speed limit, there is no reason to move over. So they putt-putt in the left lane and hold up traffic. Eventually, someone has to risk his neck and pass on the right. And the senile citizen has no clue why the other drivers are flipping him the bird.
5. Slow reflexes. Ever see an oldster getting in their car and can barely get behind the wheel? They have to lift their legs into the car because they don’t have the strength to raise their legs…..and they are going to drive? My wife’s grandparents lived in Las Vegas. Grandpa couldn’t see but he could lift his legs. Grandma couldn’t lift her legs but she could see. Together, they tag-team drove. Grandma told grandpa when to stop, when the coast was clear, etc. And they never killed anyone to our best knowledge.
6. Blinders. Here in Tucson, many of the oldsters wear these huge plastic sunglasses over their regular glasses….kinda looks like oversize safety glasses. These dark glasses are cheap so they must have loads of distortion….maybe the distort the image back to a good one. In Phoenix, the oldsters bitched about the tunnel just north of downtown. When they entered the tunnel, they had to remove their blinders….because they couldn’t see in the dim light. Then, as they approached the exit, they had to get their blinders back on because the light was too bright. They wanted the lighting in the tunnel to simulate real sunlight so they didn’t have to take the sunglasses off. Go figure.

They can’t see, they can’t lift their legs but they can drive!!!!

Have we met before??.

Well, as my Grandfather used to say to me when I was a kid giving him a hard time, "Some day you get old too!" Life has a strange way of teaching us lessons and none more humbling than getting older.

I fit into most of the scenarios you listed and actually for the first time in my life see the end of my driving days approaching rapidly..........maybe not for a few years, but it is coming.

The one thing I have learned is that our necks and backs don't swivel like they once did so we have a hard time turning around to check behind us. I use my rearview mirrors more and more all the time. Reflexes also diminish and I take it slower and more cautiously than I used to, and let's not even talk about eyesight !

So, before we get too cocky about how older people drive we better think twice because MUCH faster than you realize it will be YOU that someone is bitching about.

Don

Oh, and yes, I do drive with my left foot on the brake, but that is so I can pull a holeshot on the guy in the lane next to me.

Don, I am old too BUT I realize what my limitations are and act accordingly. I DO NOT do things that infringe on others on the road. When I hit the shoulder occasionally (because of not paying attention), it bothers me...big time. At some time in the future, I will have to lay down my keys...I hope I have the mental clarity to realize when it is time.

mike in tucson

Statistics are, you will fight to the end about giving up your driving privilages. I know it will be a fight for me. It signals the end of your life pretty much and your independance, sort of like when you have to talk your parents into going into a retirement community. To them it spells "God's waiting room."

I get frustrated too about some of the drivers we get here in sunny Florida in the winter, but everyday I kinda get closer to understanding the reasons behind their behavior. Like I said, "Life has a funny way of teaching us lessons."

Don

Chris Karamesines is my hero.

You forgot.... always run 10MPH below the limit!

I always run 5 over... and the people around me are trying to do 10 over! ...or more!

Last night, finished up a sign job in the dark. On the way home a kid (early 20's I would guess) pulls out in front of me, only slowing down not stopping for a stop sign. Me in the 4x4 truck with a loaded tandem trailer. used my lightning fast reflexes to get stopped just in time. 1st time I've had the opportunity to try out the anti-lock brakes on the new ride. Score old man 1, kid 0.


That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ..............................kids.......

Peoples driving habits since the advent of the cell phone has gone in the toilet. they get on the phone and there speed drops 10 mph. they text and there all over the road. .I have seen a woman driving 70+ mph while reading a book. It was sitting on her steering wheel. Semi truck drivers going off the road while texting when you pass them they wave with the phone in there hand.Now you hear that the people that drive the SMALL cars are at a disadvantage while driving with the big bad pickups and SUV's. they should give the little cars a lane like they do bikes. Catch some one on the phone talking or texting 6 mo. no driver licence. Speed limits are that not speed sugestions, Now where was I before I got pi$$ed off at phones

How about people not slowing down for construction zones. I put it on 55 & feel like I'm going to get run over by most, not all, but most. The $375.00 MINIMUM FINE signs don't seem to have much effect, neither do the MANDATORY JAIL TIME signs for hitting a construction worker. And yes, more times than not they are on the phone when they blow by me.

I partly grew up in south Florida..................... So I know what you mean.............. Only! 10 mph under the limit, try 25.
And why is it that if she is over 80 and 5 foot nothing, she's driving a Lincoln town car or a big caddie, from the front all you can see is white hair and eyeballs stretching to see over the dashboard............................

She drives the linclon or caddy because her husband was overinsured

Charlie nailed it, re; cell phones. Between yakking on the phone and texting while driving I think the younger generation are far worse driver than a lot of us "seasoned citizens". Yup - I drive a bit slower than I used to - typically a few miles over as I hate to be an impediment - but I believe that I'm better than most on the road under 40 as they seem to have lost all concept of defensive driving and certainly lack the respect and courtesy that I hope I always display. Sure I get a bit impatient when I follow a blue haired gal going 38 in a 40 zone but as Don has pointed out - we'll all be there and sooner that we want to admit. I try and be nice and pass when safe and appropriate. And let's be honest here - does it really hurt us if it takes an extra few minuted to run an errand?

In my younger days, my buddy Darrel and I were in a hurry when a station wagon filled with boxes turned right in front of us. Darrel hit the horn and I yelled an obscenity while flippin' the bird as we passed and looked over at a car full on Nuns.. Boy was I embarrassed when that same station wagon pulled in next to us at the store a few miles down the road.. Rather than holler at me as I stammered an apology, the sister (an older Nun) smiled and said, this is between you and God young man as she smiled and patted me on the head... Wow - a lesson I never forgot.

Regards All,
Glenn

I'm with Glenn on how the younger drivers are worse than the old timers. I just drove over to my shop to feed the stray cats and I was paying attention to traffic around me because of this thread. What I saw was everyone in a huge rush, tailgating, no signals, cutting in an out of traffic, and a ninja type crotch rocket bike doing about 70 in a 45 zone, weaving in and out of lanes like he was at some mc race.

Give me a bunch of blue haired drivers around me any day.


Don