The Ranting Thread

[McAvoy]

I have to say, a lot of people moan about young motorists but I find that generally its the middle or elderly women that are the worst. Either they don't know the dimensions of their car, they are afraid to actually use the accelerator peddle, or they are mad women who drive at the very very edge of what would be considered legal.

Plus people in 4x4's who think they own the road, disregarding right of way and other such rules. Mum likes to play chicken and see who flinches. Watching a Range Rover dive into a bush (its not their right of way mind you) is so enjoyable.

I agree. Generally yound motorists are exactly that: young, lack of experience and so forth. I am sure every generation has said that about the youth. The problem with the elderly is the fact their relfexes are much slower so they usually take everything more slowly, intentional or not. I think those elderly who are the verge of killing themselves probably think they are excellent drivers and so forth and don't realize that.

Me personally, I perfer cautious drivers vs. the careless ones. I like to keep my life and at least my car intact. So far all of the cars I have owned over the years have a huge ass bullseye on the rear saying 'rear end this guy, he loves it'.

[mwhittington]

Couple of weeks ago, an elderly lady in a Toyota Corolla decided that the gas pedal was the brake and plowed over the curb, through a flower box, and smash into a wooden support pole at the shopping plaza I work at, very close to my place of work. I didn't actually see the crash, but we at work felt and heard it. At first I thought it might be the gym next door, perhaps someone dropping their weights, but then we saw people outside looking and pointing in the direction of the crash. She was alright, but I started hearing some people saying she had diabetes, and some people saying she had Alzheimer's. Personally, I think she just got confused. This is exactly the reason why I believe people age 65 and older should start being retested on a yearly basis as to their ability to drive. People should realize that driving is a privilege, not a right. If it were a right, no one would need testing.

[kostmayer]

Not just old people either. Maybe everyone should retake every 5 years, knock out some of the bad habits we pick up.

[Deepcrush]

Fuck that, I could out drive most adults by the time I was 18. By then I'd only be driving for 4 or 5 years.

[mwhittington]

And I'm not being prejudiced, I mean EVERYONE, including me! If I can't drive when I'm 65, I'll turn in my license so I won't end up smashing through a farmer's market at 70 mph because I mistook the gas pedal for the brake.

[Reliant121]

Problem with retesting a lot of long term drivers now is that 1) they were NEVER taught half of what goes into tests now (I took a practice theory test and my parents were completely stumped on half of it. I mean, the test includes fuel economy questions, rules about new road types that simply didnt exist in 1982 and other things) and 2) most people develop driving "habits". Something as turning a steering wheel. Its an instant fail on our driving test if you steer by putting your hand on one side of the wheel, and using that hand to turn the wheel completely over to the other direction. You have to feed the wheel through your hands at the bottom. Most people I know don't steer like that.

However, since my step nan almost ran me over a year ago, I think retesting over 65 should be a good idea. Not just testing their ability, but their eyesight and hearing as well. Both are vital elements to driving (although being Deaf isnt as much as a handicap as being totally blind).

[Mikey]

Caltrops would be funnier.

You're all wrong - what you need if a fifty-cal behind the radiator and a deployable oil slick at the back.

Of course, those accessories really only look right on a mid-'60's AM, and we can't all have those you know.

Latest tourist/benny traffic peeve (Sorry, Kendall) - the Quebecois. Holy hopping snot, they're down here in droves and they drive on the highway like a) they're still getting used to the conversion from canoe and dog sled to automobile; and, b) they have the same regard for other motorists that they do for citizens of other Canadian provinces - i.e., zero. I mean, I thought Boston drivers were bad, but they look like Helio friggin' Castroneves comapred to these Frog-Canucks.

[Deepcrush]

We need to bring back lynching, its a lost art form and this forum is in need of a cleaning.

[stitch626]

The problem with lynching (in a historical sense, not simply as a form of execution) is it usually occurred due to misunderstandings and irrational thought. Or racism.

[Tyyr]

irrational thought.

Yup.

[stitch626]

Is that an oxymoron...

[Deepcrush]

That's okay... I'm a little to drunk to care at the moment.

Can you believe I had to spell check that 2 times before I could post?

[Angharrad]

Rants for today:
1. People who speed through parking lots.
2. People who talk on their cell phone while in line so they don't hear the "I can help the next person" call.
3. People who pull in front of you (driving rant) and don't speed up.
4. People who don't move when the light turns green.
5. People who meander from the register to the door when leaving the store.
6. People who don't realize that when there are two lanes out of a parking lot the left one is for turning left, the right one is for turning right. And if you are pulling out to turn left, you shouldn't leave your car sticking out half way into the right lane.
7. People who stop at a green turn arrow, then turn.
8. People who don't know that a green turn arrow means you can turn in the direction of the arrow.

[McAvoy]

That's okay... I'm a little to drunk to care at the moment.

Can you believe I had to spell check that 2 times before I could post?

Yep I can.

[Sionnach Glic]

Where the fuck are all these wasps coming from?

I swear to God, I can't open a fucking window without one of these damn things flying in and making a nuisance of themselves.