Stupid Driver Stories

I also rarely have my signal on when I'm sitting in a dedicated turn lane. The ticking makes me absolutely crazy (I also won't own a single clock/watch that ticks). My car was worse before whatever it is that makes the signal thing imploded and they put a new one in, but it's still really, really annoying. If I'm in a turn ONLY lane, I see no reason what so ever to listen to the infernal ticking. If it's a turn also then of course.

We still have a lot of very dark roads here, even close to the city, so everyone is pretty good about dimming their brights. My issue isn't with that but with these new headlights that blind the hell out of me even on low beams. I was waiting at a median to turn left across traffic onto a side road and there was another car on the side road waiting to turn left into the road I was coming from (does that make any sense? I'll draw a pic later if desired.) Anyway, I had to flash my lights and get him to come out in front of me (there was room), even though I technically had turn priority because I could NOT see the road beside him as his lights were so damn bright. This has only been an issue for me within the past year or two when suddenly headlights seem a hell of a lot brighter. I don't know if it's the new HIDs that bother me or if everyone's suddenly a schmuck with aftermarket lights, but it's awful. They're so bright you can't even divert your eyes or anything. I've had to reduce my speed 20mph or more (from a previously safe, legal speed) sometimes. [/rant]
 
We still have a lot of very dark roads here, even close to the city, so everyone is pretty good about dimming their brights. My issue isn't with that but with these new headlights that blind the hell out of me even on low beams. I was waiting at a median to turn left across traffic onto a side road and there was another car on the side road waiting to turn left into the road I was coming from (does that make any sense? I'll draw a pic later if desired.) Anyway, I had to flash my lights and get him to come out in front of me (there was room), even though I technically had turn priority because I could NOT see the road beside him as his lights were so damn bright. This has only been an issue for me within the past year or two when suddenly headlights seem a hell of a lot brighter. I don't know if it's the new HIDs that bother me or if everyone's suddenly a schmuck with aftermarket lights, but it's awful. They're so bright you can't even divert your eyes or anything. I've had to reduce my speed 20mph or more (from a previously safe, legal speed) sometimes. [/rant]
I will and have turned around and followed them while I call the cops for lights that are too bright. Even cars that come stock with HID lights tend to blind people, due to them being mis-adjusted or something. Really pisses me off when I'm just doddling down the road, minding my own business, then suddenly BLINDING LIGHT!
 
Kudos to you for that. I can't help but wonder if there's going to be some regulation in the near future. It's not a small minority of people complaining. When the entire road disappears in front of you, that's just not cool. I hate that it's going to require the government nosing around, because the result WILL be more expensive and completely inferior, but geez car companies use a little common sense, please.
 
I will and have turned around and followed them while I call the cops for lights that are too bright. Even cars that come stock with HID lights tend to blind people, due to them being mis-adjusted or something. Really pisses me off when I'm just doddling down the road, minding my own business, then suddenly BLINDING LIGHT!

Stock Xenons/HID's are very rarely blinding (though if they are not auto adjustable it easy to fuck them up), usually its idiots thinking that putting a Xenon bulb into their normal projector/reflector light is fine. Even with projectors the cut offs and focus of the lense is COMPLETELY different for Xenons and Halogens. There is also light scatter, all headlights allow for a certain amount of scatter in order to illuminate signs and stuff on the side of the road (like a deer about to run into the road). If you look at normal halogens even the projector ones tend to have some reflective/chrome parts around the lens, this is for light scatter. When you put a xenon bulb in because it is much higher intensity the scatter is alot brighter and blinds people.
I also rarely have my signal on when I'm sitting in a dedicated turn lane. The ticking makes me absolutely crazy (I also won't own a single clock/watch that ticks). My car was worse before whatever it is that makes the signal thing imploded and they put a new one in, but it's still really, really annoying. If I'm in a turn ONLY lane, I see no reason what so ever to listen to the infernal ticking.
You need a better (louder) sound system :D
 
The ticker in my car is louder than my sound system at endurable volume levels.
I don't have a decibel meter but damn that thing must be 80dBs.
 
Stock Xenons/HID's are very rarely blinding (though if they are not auto adjustable it easy to fuck them up), usually its idiots thinking that putting a Xenon bulb into their normal projector/reflector light is fine. Even with projectors the cut offs and focus of the lense is COMPLETELY different for Xenons and Halogens. There is also light scatter, all headlights allow for a certain amount of scatter in order to illuminate signs and stuff on the side of the road (like a deer about to run into the road). If you look at normal halogens even the projector ones tend to have some reflective/chrome parts around the lens, this is for light scatter. When you put a xenon bulb in because it is much higher intensity the scatter is alot brighter and blinds people.

I see this FAR too often for it to be schmucks messing with their lights after purchase. It's dozens of times a night, every single night. Sure there are times you can tell (like the time I encountered a car with 2 different colored headlights, moron), but I really think this crap has to be coming ON the cars for me to see it as much as I do.
 
I pay very close attention to people in turn-only lanes with no indicators, because more often than not they just plow on straight. A better question is why shouldn't you indicate. No one is going to be 'blinded' by a turn signal. More communication is never a bad thing.

Besides, it's not always clear from other sides of the intersection that your lane is turn-only.

For intersections where it isn't clear I'll indicate in a turn only lane. But if I'm in an exit lane or any lane where the pavement doesn't even go straight I don't bother signaling. Just seems unnecessary.

I will and have turned around and followed them while I call the cops for lights that are too bright. Even cars that come stock with HID lights tend to blind people, due to them being mis-adjusted or something. Really pisses me off when I'm just doddling down the road, minding my own business, then suddenly BLINDING LIGHT!

Do the cops actually do anything? If the lights are stock I'd imagine they must be legal. In the small car I drive it seems like most suvs lights coming at me are too bright though.
 
I see this FAR too often for it to be schmucks messing with their lights after purchase. It's dozens of times a night, every single night. Sure there are times you can tell (like the time I encountered a car with 2 different colored headlights, moron), but I really think this crap has to be coming ON the cars for me to see it as much as I do.

My personal theory is that it's schmucks who have bumped into something with the front end and subtly bent it. The fact that affected vehicles usually have some contact rash on at least one corner (if not all four) supports this.
 
Do the cops actually do anything? If the lights are stock I'd imagine they must be legal. In the small car I drive it seems like most suvs lights coming at me are too bright though.
If you tell the dispatch that you are following someone until the cops show up, you can be damn sure that the cops will show up pretty quickly. They don't like being lazy, apparently. I have no idea if they guys ever get a ticket, as I just continue to drive on, but they must get at least a "Fix-it ticket."
 
flydiscovery: If you hate indicator ticks, then I'm pretty sure my mother's car would drive you utterly insane. Sometimes the indicator ticker thing ticks really really fast of it's own accord when you turn the wheel. It has driven me to yell 'shut up shut up shut up!!' while going around roundabouts etc. Just another one of it's many electrical gremlins, but then again it is a stupid Peugeot! :lol:
 
^ I hope you don't indicate while driving around a roundabout? You should only indicate when you exit one.

And either some of you are really weird or then I've had the pleasure to only travel in cars that indicate quietly, because I can't really imagine the sound pissing me off in any situation. :|
 
all cars i've driven make a clicking sound when indicating...
 
^ I hope you don't indicate while driving around a roundabout? You should only indicate when you exit one.
|
It's never wrong to make it easier for the traffic around you to learn where you are going, as such if you are going to turn left in a roundabout you are encouraged to indicate left until such a moment that you reach the exit before your intended exit, at which point you indicate right.

Going by the rule-book, you only need to indicate when exiting a roundabout, but it's encouraged to indicate both ways.
 
all cars i've driven make a clicking sound when indicating...

IIRC ALL cars make *a* noise.
Some are much quieter than others though

and besides, most of you peoples have music on, no? You either have your music on verrrry low, or your clicky thingies are hella loud...
 
Now this is proper noise.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-KJ6POdDcQ[/YOUTUBE]
 
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It's never wrong to make it easier for the traffic around you to learn where you are going, as such if you are going to turn left in a roundabout you are encouraged to indicate left until such a moment that you reach the exit before your intended exit, at which point you indicate right.

Going by the rule-book, you only need to indicate when exiting a roundabout, but it's encouraged to indicate both ways.

This is EXACTLY what my driving teacher told me:)

edit: only he said it in norwegian :p
 
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IIRC ALL cars make *a* noise.
Some are much quieter than others though

and besides, most of you peoples have music on, no? You either have your music on verrrry low, or your clicky thingies are hella loud...

The original device (which we shall call the ticker for lack of a proper term) on my car was so loud you could hear it no matter how loud the radio was. The new one isn't as bad. I think driving it with such an annoying noise for so many years made me extra sensitive.

Also, no issues with roundabouts or anything. We don't have any.
 
I have never seen anyone indicate to leave a roundabout. The odd one will indicate to enter, but never to leave.

Of course, this is Canada, where they are a novelty.
 
I haven't noticed the indicator tick being especially loud in my B6 Passat. In fact, it's one of the better ones I've heard, a nice solid sound. Could be that the B6 has more sound insulation, the noise is more dampened.
It could very well be that whatever you have in your B6 is what I have in my B5 right now as replacement equipment that doesn't annoy me nearly as much as what came with it. It's considerably more tolerable. I wish I could remember what all they replaced, but it was a while ago. I remember picking the car up and immediately thinking "oh wow this is SO much less annoying!" I hadn't expected the noise to change and was surprised. Or it could also be that I'm OCD and have huge issues with anything that makes a ticking noise which has led me to removing the batteries from 2 clocks and giving away a perfectly good watch because of the racket. :-D

After consulting the omnipotent Wikipedia it looks as if it's more accurate to call my car a B5.5
 
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