Monkey See, Monkey Do Driver Behaviour

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Early morning, lightly travelled city road. I have to turn right at the intersection and it is a long wait at the intersection for the lights to go through their cycle because the lights for the intersecting street are staggered and the opposing traffic has an advanced green. When I am in the right lane, what invariably happens is that if the light turns red the blue car sees me in the right lane and will invariably switch over to the right lane and then I end up delayed by a whole traffic light cycle. Not sure why drivers do that but my conjecture is 1) Copy what other drivers do and 2) Get ahead of the other driver, thus establishing your dominance.

It took me a long time to figure this out but the thing to do is to come up to the intersection in the middle lane. I find that this way the blue car stays in the middle lane. I only change over to the right lane to make my turn after the blue car has stopped for the light. Last week I had the blue car in the right lane and he actually switched over to the middle lane when he noticed me in the middle lane. Of course that was exactly what I wanted and I made my turn without delay.
 
Last week I had a younger female get on my bumper in the slow lane. Jeep only does about 65 comfortably. She hung there about 10 ft of my bumper staring straight ahead with no other traffic around. She finally passed us and gave me the finger as she passed.
 
That's because she's from San Bernadino, Chris. I've noticed driving into San Bern all the slow traffic clogs the left lanes, and if you want to go fast, you stay in the (clear) right lane.
You were clogging up, what is to San Berdo people, the passing lane.
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I notice a similar behaviour in parking lots. I tend to park in the back 40, as I would much rather walk an extra few feet than have my vehicle dinged. When I do this, it almost invariably attracts someone else to park near me.
 
Originally Posted By: fsdork
I notice a similar behaviour in parking lots. I tend to park in the back 40, as I would much rather walk an extra few feet than have my vehicle dinged. When I do this, it almost invariably attracts someone else to park near me.


I would park next to you. I assume the person who parks off on their own is careful with their vehicle, and so am I. Also I won't leave a buffer space because THAT is where some idiot will park.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Last week I had a younger female get on my bumper in the slow lane. Jeep only does about 65 comfortably. She hung there about 10 ft of my bumper staring straight ahead with no other traffic around. She finally passed us and gave me the finger as she passed.


Seems all too common around here...I guess it's because there are a lot of 2 lane country roads that don't allow for passing. If I'm going the speed limit or 5 over, too bad, touch my bumper, I could use a new one. Jeeps aren't designed to go fast. You can do that all day and I'm not going to speed up. Tired of doing the brake checking I've decided to install a high wattage LED light bar for a "backup" light. My finger might accidentally flip it on during certain situations...
 
I had a post here many years ago about a Home Depot parking lot. My credit card had slipped in between the seats, so I parked away from where the other cars were parked. I am half in, half out of my truck rummaging under the seats for my credit card when I hear a beep - this guy in an Aerostar wants to park next to me and wants me to close my drivers door. I could not believe it! All the spots around me were empty but this guy decides he must park next to me. I ignored him and continued looking for my credit card and after waiting for over a minute he finally got the message and decided to park somewhere else.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Last week I had a younger female get on my bumper in the slow lane. Jeep only does about 65 comfortably. She hung there about 10 ft of my bumper staring straight ahead with no other traffic around. She finally passed us and gave me the finger as she passed.
I had that last night in my Jeep. I just let off the gas pedal, which on my Jeep makes it slow down quite a bit. At 45 mph on the interstate they finally passed.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Last week I had a younger female get on my bumper in the slow lane. Jeep only does about 65 comfortably. She hung there about 10 ft of my bumper staring straight ahead with no other traffic around. She finally passed us and gave me the finger as she passed.
I had that last night in my Jeep. I just let off the gas pedal, which on my Jeep makes it slow down quite a bit. At 45 mph on the interstate they finally passed.
Exactly. Slower and slower until they get the idea. I usually shake my finger back in forth in the back window in a no no no manner.
 
Originally Posted By: umungus1122
I usually shake my finger back in forth in the back window in a no no no manner.

I shake a finger too, but I think I'm sending a different message...
 
Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Originally Posted By: umungus1122
I usually shake my finger back in forth in the back window in a no no no manner.

I shake a finger too, but I think I'm sending a different message...


LOL!
 
Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Last week I had a younger female get on my bumper in the slow lane. Jeep only does about 65 comfortably. She hung there about 10 ft of my bumper staring straight ahead with no other traffic around. She finally passed us and gave me the finger as she passed.


Seems all too common around here...I guess it's because there are a lot of 2 lane country roads that don't allow for passing. If I'm going the speed limit or 5 over, too bad, touch my bumper, I could use a new one. Jeeps aren't designed to go fast. You can do that all day and I'm not going to speed up. Tired of doing the brake checking I've decided to install a high wattage LED light bar for a "backup" light. My finger might accidentally flip it on during certain situations...
On a 2 lane I will pull off and let them pass. This was on a multi lane freeway with very light traffic.
 
Originally Posted By: George7941
When I am in the right lane, what invariably happens is that if the light turns red the blue car sees me in the right lane and will invariably switch over to the right lane and then I end up delayed by a whole traffic light cycle. Not sure why drivers do that but my conjecture is 1) Copy what other drivers do and 2) Get ahead of the other driver, thus establishing your dominance.

You're over-thinking this and taking it too personally.

Is there someone in front of the blue car? Will moving over into the lane you're in allow them to be first at the light? There's nothing more to it than that. I doubt you're even on their radar and could not care any less that they are blocking anyone from making a right turn.

'establishing your dominance'? Really?
 
Originally Posted By: JamesBond
Originally Posted By: fsdork
I notice a similar behaviour in parking lots. I tend to park in the back 40, as I would much rather walk an extra few feet than have my vehicle dinged. When I do this, it almost invariably attracts someone else to park near me.

I would park next to you. I assume the person who parks off on their own is careful with their vehicle, and so am I. Also I won't leave a buffer space because THAT is where some idiot will park.

I try to park next to other nice cars too, passenger side to passenger side.
 
No one in front of the blue car. It is just that when they see the only other vehicle is in the right lane, then that is where they want to be. Once I changed my habits and now come up in the middle lane I can turn right unimpeded more frequently. Works for me, over thinking or not.

Re the "dominance" comment, to a lot of drivers, driving is a competition and they just HAVE to be in front of the "other" driver, else they have lost.
 
First off, "establishing your (their) dominance" is totally true AND, frankly, to be expected.

There are many examples of recurring, less-than-efficient driving.

One of my faves is when a fool climbs up your back bumper. You slow down and they don't pass.
You put on your blinker and it frequently takes 'em a LONG while to pass you.
Often, they have a look on their face as if they're fearing retribution of some sort.

There are 2 things I "fear" now-a-days when driving.
1) Some dope texting or playing a video game and driving into my rear end at a stop light.
A pal in N.C. was creamed in this way and his body is damaged for life.

2) Some paranoid person deciding to call the cops because I'm driving too slowly for them.
Way too many people have angry ants boring through their brains.
Much of my existence is in small towns where the local cops have very little to do. You don't want any of these doughnut eaters deciding to play "protector of the public" in any way.
 
Originally Posted By: Kira

There are 2 things I "fear" now-a-days when driving.
1) Some dope texting or playing a video game and driving into my rear end at a stop light.
A pal in N.C. was creamed in this way and his body is damaged for life.

2) Some paranoid person deciding to call the cops because I'm driving too slowly for them.
Way too many people have angry ants boring through their brains.
Much of my existence is in small towns where the local cops have very little to do. You don't want any of these doughnut eaters deciding to play "protector of the public" in any way.



The first one is why i got rid of my motorcycle.
 
Originally Posted By: George7941
No one in front of the blue car. It is just that when they see the only other vehicle is in the right lane, then that is where they want to be. Once I changed my habits and now come up in the middle lane I can turn right unimpeded more frequently. Works for me, over thinking or not.

Re the "dominance" comment, to a lot of drivers, driving is a competition and they just HAVE to be in front of the "other" driver, else they have lost.

George,
didn't you had a thread about stopping in the right-most lane so you can make a u-turn?
And one about the left turners blocking your intersection and you cutting them back?

By your admission you are 60. If you want to make it to 70+, how about you stop making other people's problems Yours?
It's clear you live in a populated area with (it seems) a lot of clueless drivers...
I think the important thing is get home each and everyday in one piece...

Be safe out-there. Have a nice weekend!
 
Originally Posted By: George7941

Re the "dominance" comment, to a lot of drivers, driving is a competition and they just HAVE to be in front of the "other" driver, else they have lost.


I love it when they pass me so they could drive right behind the gravel truck. Helps a lot with protecting my hood and windshield
laugh.gif
 
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