Bad Driving Habits

It was one of those days where I was haunted by bad drivers! You know those days - the ones where it seems like bad drivers are everywhere and there's a magnetic bullseye on your car.

Getting back home unscathed by the bad driver encounters of the day, it did get me thinking about the different scenarios that many of us face each and every day making our way to and from our destinations courtesy of our automobiles.

In my musings, I decided to highlight, in no particular order, some bad driving habits of bad drivers that annoy me and I'm sure have caused you to raise an eyebrow (or perhaps something a bit more pointed) when your travels have left you defenseless to the bad driving habits of the worst drivers out there!

1.  Bad Drivers and Cops

It simply does not matter what a cop is doing on the side of the road. If you can see a cop, you will be swamped in a sea of red brake lights.

Some bad drivers are braking because they're speeding and don't want to get a ticket. Other bad drivers are braking because they want to see what's going on.

The worst drivers are braking because that just seems to be the innate thing to do when you see cops!

A cop, sheriff, highway patrolmen, or any law enforcement officer could be out of their patrol car or away from their motorcycle and bad drivers will still fall into the bad driving habit of dangerously slamming on their brakes.

In no time at all, an accident will develop or, at minimum, traffic will begin to backup.

2.  Bad Drivers and Car Lengths

Weren't we all taught in driving school to keep a safe distance between us and the car in front of us? Remember the three car length rule?

Since when did the three car length rule refer to hot wheels? I don't understand the obsession of bad drivers wanting to hug your bumper. Whether you speed up or slow down, these bad drivers are nearly sharing your back seat, even at high highway speeds. Nothing seems to phase these bad drivers. In fact, I think these bad drivers, in a twisted way, seek comfort in being able to literally reach out and touch someone.

Knowing that the driver in front of them might have to hit their brakes, unexpectedly swerve for one of the many unknowns that may occur, experience a tire blowout, or a myriad of other potentially dangerous auto accident scenarios, doesn't seem to even enter into the thought process of the worst drivers.

3.  Bad Drivers and the Merge

Whoever engineers a way for cars to merge without having to actually merge will be enshrined in the automobile hall of fame.

Bad drivers are especially bad at merging for various reasons.

Many drivers are simply scared. They don't know whether to brake or to speed up, they have a tough time gauging distances, and then the stress of the situation causes them to behave even more erratically while behind the wheel of their automobile.

Other drivers will speed up, slow down, or do whatever it takes to prevent you from getting in front of them. It's like a right of passage that brings out the worst behavior in the worst drivers.

Anger, road rage, you name it, they've got it and, like a peacock, display their colorful feathers.

4.  Bad Drivers and Blinkers

How many times have you been driving on a highway or busy street and you simply need to get over a lane as you meander your way along to your destination? All of us who drive, of course!

Do you ever notice that when you put on your blinker it's like a signal for every bad driver to crowd the space you need to pull into rather than providing a cushion to enable you to transition lanes?

Not only will bad drivers not create a cushion, but the worst drivers will actually go out of their way to speed up to prevent you from moving over unless playing bumper cars interests you!

On the flip side, you'll find that some bad drivers actually don't mind playing bumper cars with you.

When they want to move over, they do whether you're there or not. A game of chicken they're willing to lose some paint to win!

5.  Bad Drivers and Parking Spots

The worst drivers who never use their blinkers are religious in using their blinkers when trying to secure (sneak into) the next open parking spot in a parking lot or parking garage.

As I'm sure you can relate, I've been in some parking lots that leave you feeling as if you need to seek psychological counseling after being subjected to this automobile circus.

You go round and round waiting for someone to pull out of a parking spot. Bad drivers swerving here, bad drivers swerving there, the worst drivers swerving everywhere!

Waiting your turn, having respect for others, and any common courtesy towards your fellow man goes out the car window.

Truly an incubation ground for road rage consisting of screaming, bad looks, the use of certain fingers, you name it. Bad drivers and parking spots are like oil and water.

6. Bad Drivers Using Cell Phones While Driving

My first bad driver encounter today occurred while I was heading down the freeway. Of course, I was in the process of passing a semi-truck when the bad driver of an over-sized four wheel drive truck decided to share my lane courtesy of being sidetracked by their cell phone.

I was pinched in between the bad driver using a cell phone while driving and a semi-truck. Fortunately, I had just enough room and just enough time to brake to avoid the auto collision.

Of course, the driver of the truck using the cell phone while driving was still using the cell phone when we happened to get off the freeway together at the same off-ramp. Of course, the bad driver was completely unaware that a collision nearly occurred!

There's endless stories to tell about bad drivers using cell phones while driving! We've all been subjected to drivers using cell phones while driving.

Texting while driving, talking while driving, writing emails while driving, the list of offenses by bad drivers using cell phones while driving goes on and on.

Let's here your worst driver story. Sound off in the comments regarding your experience with bad drivers using cell phones while driving or any other bad driver situations that you've encountered and want to share!