Stuff you hate (aka: the new f. you thread)

[yesno]

In my view, when one lane is merging into another lane, the proper protocol is for each car in the lane being merged into to allow one or two cars from the merging lane in, before continuing on his way.  The two lanes thus smoothly lace together like folded hands.

Last night I was driving and I let 4 cars merge ahead of me--their lane couldn't continue.  I think this was considerate.  The right thing for the cars behind those cars to do was wait for the same courtesy to be extended by the cars behind me.

But car number five--he had to get in, too.  He wasn't going to be some sucker, merging behind me.  He saw the opportunity to get a car length ahead, and he was going to take it.  Well, I never let him in.  He almost rammed me like 5 times, before slamming on his brakes.  This went on for a while.  I really would rather have let this guy hit my car, then make space for him. He was trying to be a merge-cheater.  I hate them.

Well, this guy eventually sped up and merged in front of the car in front of me.  (Oh, this was at a toll plaza, so he was rapidly running out of time.)  I bet he think he won.  I think I won, though.  I never made room for him and I refused to succumb to his bullying tactics.

What gets me is that he probably thinks I was being an asshole.  I probably was.  But sometimes you need to be an asshole, to teach an asshole an imaginary lesson.

This was on the way back home from the Asbury Park Titus Andronicus shoot, which was very fun.

Relatedly, you know the people that zoom ahead and try to merge at the last minute when a lane is ending, despite all their road peers merging in the proper way? Fuck them.

[Alex_from_the_woods]

It's nothing against Israel in particular; I just always hear conservatives refer to it in that way and at this point I think it's the only country really referred to as such in English.

Maybe the real problem lies in always putting yourself in a position to hear conservatives. I myself, have never, ever, heard anyone refer to Israel as "she" until reading this thread.

And maybe I should stop leaving my TV on when I go to bed so I wont have to wake up to Biblical prophecy talk shows.

Now we're making progress!

[Bryan]

In my view, when one lane is merging into another lane, the proper protocol is for each car in the lane being merged into to allow one or two cars from the merging lane in, before continuing on his way.  The two lanes thus smoothly lace together like folded hands.

Last night I was driving and I let 4 cars merge ahead of me--their lane couldn't continue.  I think this was considerate.  The right thing for the cars behind those cars to do was wait for the same courtesy to be extended by the cars behind me.

But car number five--he had to get in, too.  He wasn't going to be some sucker, merging behind me.  He saw the opportunity to get a car length ahead, and he was going to take it.  Well, I never let him in.  He almost rammed me like 5 times, before slamming on his brakes.  This went on for a while.  I really would rather have let this guy hit my car, then make space for him. He was trying to be a merge-cheater.  I hate them.

Well, this guy eventually sped up and merged in front of the car in front of me.  (Oh, this was at a toll plaza, so he was rapidly running out of time.)  I bet he think he won.  I think I won, though.  I never made room for him and I refused to succumb to his bullying tactics.

What gets me is that he probably thinks I was being an asshole.  I probably was.  But sometimes you need to be an asshole, to teach an asshole an imaginary lesson.

This was on the way back home from the Asbury Park Titus Andronicus shoot, which was very fun.

Relatedly, you know the people that zoom ahead and try to merge at the last minute when a lane is ending, despite all their road peers merging in the proper way? Fuck them.

Yes!!! to all of this. This is the kind of stuff that makes me crazy. I find myself trying to "teach a lesson" to other motorists, too. I suspect it doesn't work, but it makes me feel a teensy bit better.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

on the motorists merging thing, i would like to add pedestrians who cross the street while traffic is perpendicularly barreling towards them- with no incentive to speed up their pace for their safety. 

people, the road is lava, you've got to across as quickly as you can.  i, the driver, am at the wheel of an anti-lava mobile- get the fuck out of my way.  or at least look like you care about the hood of my car soon being the new place for your knee caps.

also, quit trying to be a wise guy and beat the crosswalk light while it's blinking- you know you missed it, take the back seat on this one.

[cavorting with nudists]

In other words, I own a car and am therefore King Shit.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

In other words, I own a car and am therefore King Shit.

hardly.

all i'm saying is (and i'm pretty sure it's not partial to this region), that stepping off the curb when you see a car coming and practically daring me to hit you...fuck you.

that's all.

[Alex_from_the_woods]

Don't pedestrians have the right of way over cars in pretty much every state?

[iAmBaronVonTito]

Maybe im not making myself clear.

I'm not against pedestrians; I'm against pedestrians who gamble their life with my car.

Maybe this is a regional thing I'm talking about?

[Christina]

I know what you mean, IABVT. Me and Kiemzi were driving home thru the lower east side on Saturday, and people were crossing the street whenever they wanted, whether they were on a corner nor not, whether there was a window between cars to run across. One bunch of dudes ran right in front of us on purpose, and one guy put their hand out to stop us.

There's right of way, and then there's willful shit-ass behavior ... like, "if you hit me, it's your fault no matter what I did, so I'm just going to act like a total cock & and run out in front of you."

[yesno]

I get annoyed as a driver and as a pedestrian and as a biker at people who are not following the law.  There's an easy way to determine who should have the right of way:  Find out what the rules are, and then follow them.

There are several pedestrian crossings near my house, where your choice is to either risk your life or not cross.  There are always cars and they will never stop like they're supposed to.  Also, nothing bugs me more than cars that get all pissy that I delay their vital errands, when I dare cross an intersection when I have the walk guy.  I can't let even one car turn in front of me when I have the right of way, because if I do, then the car behind him will just follow, not necessarily even knowing there's a pedestrian.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

AC, I knew there was a reason I designated you as Grandpa's guardian upon my death- sound mind with great language to boot. At any rate, you completely got my point across.

I'm all for following the law, and I'll stop BEFORE the crosswalk of an intersection when taking a right turn, knowing people in midtown memphis are primarily bikers and walkers. It's only courteous.

[dudep]

I'm all for following the law, and I'll stop BEFORE the crosswalk of an intersection when taking a right turn, knowing people in midtown memphis are primarily bikers and walkers. It's only courteous.

A truly lovely sentiment.  I've gotten used to the idea that cars on cross streets will not stop until they are half a car length over the line, but the one that really gets me (as a cyclist) is when someone comes hurtling towards an intersection still going the speed they were clocking on the straight stretch, and then begins applying the brakes when they are within a few feet of the crosswalk.  That way they not only end up stopping well into my lane of traffic, but also cause me to seriously question whether I am about to die.

I also hate flat tires.

[Sarah]

Back to shopping carts.  I just got back from the grocery store where I had occasion to curse lazy shoppers not once, not twice, but thrice:  (1) Entering the store, pushing one cart I'd found outside, which I intended to use, and hauling another that I'd brought in out of the sheer goodness of my heart, I found three carts all helter-skelter in the vestibule.  Naturally, I put them in their proper places, along with the extra I'd just brought in.  (2) Shopping done, I had to put away three more carelessly abandoned carts before I could take my groceries out of my own cart and slot it into its proper spot.  (3) As I was doing this, a woman exited the store proper, grabbed her bag, and gave her cart a push in entirely the wrong direction before she left the store altogether.  Of course, I had to put that one away, too, but that time I muttered cantankerously while doing so.

I know this is not as gripping the life-and-death three-way struggles of cars, cyclists, and pedestrians, but, damn, this casual antisocial brattiness gets my goat.  I quail to think of how it must manifest itself in the larger towns/cities where most FOT live.

Grumble concluded.

[TheeChrisDee]

Baby Knee Pads!?!?!?!



Actually I hate most of the babyproofing section of Babies R Us.

[Alex_from_the_woods]

Maybe im not making myself clear.

I'm not against pedestrians; I'm against pedestrians who gamble their life with my car.

Maybe this is a regional thing I'm talking about?

Baron, it is a regional thing. Every time I walk around another city with people not from the NY/NJ metro area I'm always accidentally leaving them behind at every street crossing. It's my habit to just cross unless something is going to stop me. Like being flattened. The color of the traffic light or what the little cross-walk sign is doing is a nice information point but if I can keep going, I do. People in other cities actually stand there and wait for the light with no traffic coming. We're not known for our patience in this part of the country.