Do You Drive

[dadstillsurfs]

Kinda (I drive a lot in very rural areas, never more than +15 / 80 mph)
Yes
Yes
I back into parking spaces. You're welcome, because if you walked into my drawbar, you'd remember it! I also back in because I'm in a 4x4 and with my backup camara, and mirrors I can place my truck right where I want it. AND I get to make eye contact with any cross traffic when pulling out of the parking spot (Costco especially).

 

[Watertender]

I use my cruise control and drive above the posted limit from 2 to 9mph over depending on the traffic flow.
I stop for stop signs and red lights always and park between the lines as much as possible. More often than not I park farther away and walk across the parking lot for most things. The only place I try to park close is at work incase I need tools from the truck at some point during my shift.
My driving record is very good with only one seat belt violation in the entire time I have been driving. My head is always moving to look in my mirrors and to scan the road ahead including the sides and crossroads and driveways.
Many drivers suffer from a condition called driving HUA... They have their heads located up their backsides and do all sorts of stupid things like text and put on makeup and talk with the phone up to their ear... You have to drive to avoid them and their dangerous activities.

 

[el caminero]

I also back into most parking spaces. Apparently, to some people around here that makes me some sort of jerk. I guess those are the people that don't know how to back into the parking space...

My father taught that, "if you caint back-it-up, you aint drivin ANYTHING ah own!"

 

[Hertervillian]

Kinda (I drive a lot in very rural areas, never more than +15 / 80 mph)
Yes
Yes
I back into parking spaces. You're welcome, because if you walked into my drawbar, you'd remember it! I also back in because I'm in a 4x4 and with my backup camara, and mirrors I can place my truck right where I want it. AND I get to make eye contact with any cross traffic when pulling out of the parking spot (Costco especially).

I back in a bunch myself. I explain it is for the same reason forklifts are rear steered. 6 1/2' bed Super Crew pickup trucks just don't turn in like a car. Every parking spot must be treated like a parallel parking spot.

 

[Fox Mike]

My father taught that, "if you caint back-it-up, you aint drivin ANYTHING ah own!"

Years ago, when I was teaching my youngest son to drive I had a pickup. Near us is a school for the handicapped. It isn't used on weekends so I had him drive over and then start to leave. The driveway is a series of curves. I told him to stop, when he was almost to the main road, and back it up to the end. He turned his head to look out the back window. I stopped him. I told him to learn to use his mirrors and then he would be able to backup most anything.

 

[vito]

I generally keep it to no more than 10 over the speed limit on 70 mph roads (or lower limits) but when on 80 mph posted Interstates I rarely would go more than 5 over the limit. I just don't like getting bogged down in the right lane, having to pass and return to such every 30 seconds or so. But I almost always move out of the left lane if someone is coming up even faster behind me.

 

[Watertender]

My father taught that, "if you caint back-it-up, you aint drivin ANYTHING ah own!"

My late friend Roland was a truck driver for over 70 years. He used to tell younger drivers that he backed up farther than they have driven forward.

 

[rwp315]

I haven't had a driving citation in over 35 or so years. When people look astonished and ask how I managed that, I just tell them, "It's easy, just obey the laws".

Have a friend, State Trooper, who ended up pulling one of my coworkers over because as he pulled alongside my coworker on the interstate he was on the cell phone and ignored my friend.

Called me and told me and I had fun later asking my coworker if he was ever stopped for using his cell phone.

 

[turd]

I once had a solution for tailgaters. I rigged up a windshield washer bottle and pump. Filled it it with tranny fluid and ran the tubing down to above the exhaust pipe.

It was fun to watch them panic when the cloud of smoke erupted from the rear of the car. It doesn't take much fluid to create a pretty good smoke screen.

At least one fool pulled back in behind after the cloud dissipated and needed a second dose.

I knew a guy that had an older Jeep Cherokee. He turned the rear window washer such that if someone tailgated him he would give them a shot of washer fluid. Worked pretty well.

 

[pyth0n]

"Texas had a parallel parking portion of their road test "
When I took my drivers' test, the parallel parking test was on a hill. Try that in the old stick shift 6 cylinder.

Same here. Also had to be able to read & write in English for the NY license.

 

[Jeepnik]

Reality here is simple. Trucks are restricted to the two right lanes. With obvious exceptions for interchanges and such. Truck speed limit is never more than 55.

Now this is the largest and busiest port in the nation. The amount of trucks on our highways is astounding.

Cars are, with a few exceptions, limited to 65 and then only 70.

If you drive 65 and remain to the right to allow the 80 to 90 mph cars to pass on the left. You will be tailgated, cutoff by passing trucks and deal with trucker road rage by the trucks traveling at 75 to 80 mph.

You very, very rarely see cars being ticketed by the CHP. I haven't see a truck being ticketed in literally years.

But this just goes along with the lack of enforcement by police and sheriffs on surface streets.

Surface street laws are treated as mere suggestions best ignored. I've had people honk at me for stopping at stop signs. Road rage is rampant. About the only thing enforced are DUI laws. And that's pathetic

With all the bad behavior and lack of enforcement what isn't really surprising is the outrage at all of the hit and run accidents.

Oh by the way, if you are in an accident and the other driver flees, it's doubtful any attempt will be made by law enforcement to locate the vehicle or driver unless you are dead or serious maimed.

 

[Paul B]

Do you drive the speed limit? Stop before making a right had turn? Park within the lines in a parking lot?

Whenever possilbe. Sometimes traffic is such that you either go with the flow or get run over.

Depends. if there is an arterial stop sign yes. If not, it depends on both foot and vehicular traffic.

Depends. I try but a couple of the medical offices I go to your wheels if you're perfectly centered in the space will have your wheel exactly on the line. Their handicap spaces are a little better but still tight. And yes, I have legitimate handicap plates on both vehicles. Seems the lines were drawn with the idea that people only drive stuff like VW bugs and the like.
Paul B.

 

[Paul B]

Same here. Also had to be able to read & write in English for the NY license.

In San Francisco when I lived there, parallel parking on hills was a given. Try the 22nd street hill sometime. The steepest hill in town. Parking there now is illegal but Back in the late 1950s I was dating a girl that lived on that hill. You either parked there or somewhere at the bottom and walked up.
Paul B.

 

[turd]

Whenever possilbe. Sometimes traffic is such that you either go with the flow or get run over.

Depends. if there is an arterial stop sign yes. If not, it depends on both foot and vehicular traffic.

Depends. I try but a couple of the medical offices I go to your wheels if you're perfectly centered in the space will have your wheel exactly on the line. Their handicap spaces are a little better but still tight. And yes, I have legitimate handicap plates on both vehicles. Seems the lines were drawn with the idea that people only drive stuff like VW bugs and the like.
Paul B.

Parking space width is determined by your local government. Most areas are 9' wide by 18' deep. Some are 8.5 wide, some are as narrow as 8'. There are, however, many areas where they are 10' by 20' deep such as here where many folks drive pickups. Handicap spaces are mandated by the feds as far as I know.

When I was working as a consultant, I laid out many parking areas around the country. Some areas have compact car spaces (smaller) which are supposed to be signed as such, and mostly are, but a LOT of folks don't care and park their Lincoln Town Car or other motorized mattress in them.

Please note that there are always exceptions which may be permitted for an individual property building permit. What I have said here are of course generalities.

 

[el caminero]

In San Francisco when I lived there, parallel parking on hills was a given. Try the 22nd street hill sometime. The steepest hill in town. Parking there now is illegal but Back in the late 1950s I was dating a girl that lived on that hill. You either parked there or somewhere at the bottom and walked up.
Paul B.

And lombard has been one-way for a looooong time. They have even shut it down to hold the world's slowest bicycle races.
Cosby said the places they plant flowers on the side, are where people died in car crashes. Morbid boy, there, but he was a medic and landed on-beach in korea. Being able to laugh at the norks sniping medic helmets, can warp ya.

 

[Watertender]

I like the people who have a crew cab dual wheel pickup with a full length box and a carrier mounted on the trailer hitch. They will invariably pull into a parking spot and be hanging several feet out into the aisle causing a problem. I don't mind if they take up 2 spaces end to end but they will park as close to the building as possible causing a headache for everyone else.

 

[Jeepnik]

People sometimes don't park perfectly. So, if you see a space that's a bit infringed upon just park somewhere else.

The only parking I take issue with are those that take up two spots by straddling the line. Or, and I have seen this more than once four spaces. It's usually a car with dealer plates indicating it's new.

These types usually do it as close to their destination as possible. Usually they could do this at the rear of the lost and not generally impact others.

I figure folks like that are both lazy and stupid.

Okay as long as I'm ranting one more thing gets me above all the rest. People who park in handicap spaces illegally. If I see you I will, without fail, call the local cops.

 

[KIR]

If the title of this thread is a query, then...YES, so I am told...A lot of people crazy!!!