Driving and Car Etiquette

[Lisbeth]

Unless it's the only way to get the attention of someone who is either seriously backing up traffic or endangering others, don't honk your horn-especially for fun, at night, in a residential neighborhood, or near a hospital.  It seriously disturbs the peace.

If you are picking up a passenger or carpooler, don't honk by way of indicating that you have arrived if your passenger is not waiting for you outside.  Park, get out of your car, and knock or ring the bell.

[kareng57]

Unless it's the only way to get the attention of someone who is either seriously backing up traffic or endangering others, don't honk your horn-especially for fun, at night, in a residential neighborhood, or near a hospital.  It seriously disturbs the peace.

If you are picking up a passenger or carpooler, don't honk by way of indicating that you have arrived if your passenger is not waiting for you outside.  Park, get out of your car, and knock or ring the bell.

And for carpoolers - be there, waiting by the door, a few minutes before the expected arrival time.  No one else should have to exit the car in order to fetch you.

[Lisbeth]

Also, if your car alarm is set off inadvertently, please turn it off ASAP once you're aware of it.

[Tai]

I have to expand on the "passenger giving directions" one. 

Please, don't just tell me to "go straight till I tell you to turn".  I need to know where I'm going, so that I can be in the proper lane, not have to slam on the brakes because you told me 3 seconds after I missed the turn that "that's the turn". 

Maybe its just me, but I prefer, "We're going to XYZ, which is on Z street... The easiest way to go is to take A street to C street and turn left onto Z." 

And please, when I'm driving you somewhere, that is not the time to show off every single backroad you know of.  Please, keep it as simple as possible, especially if I'm going to drop you off and have to find my way back. 

[AprilRenee]

For drivers-
The signs are posted for a reason. Look for them, understand them.

I can't seem to get a diagram right, so I will describe it.

The north and south lanes are each one way. There is a turn lane to turn left, but you must pull into it and go straight until you cross over one set of lanes, into a "median" of sorts and then you can turn left.

Despite the FOUR no left turn signs, and the 4 signs with an arrow with a slash through it, the sign above the turn lane that points STRAIGHT people insist on turning into incoming traffic.



    {E}{E}{T}      {W}{W}
=======Southbound========
    {E}{E}{T}{T}{W}{W} 
=======northbound========   
    {E}{E}     {T}{W}{W}   


T=turn lane, E=east and so on. I can understand it looks sort of confusing here, but if you see the signs, it's easier.

[Virg]

AprilRenee wrote:

"Despite the FOUR no left turn signs, and the 4 signs with an arrow with a slash through it, the sign above the turn lane that points STRAIGHT people insist on turning into incoming traffic."

The flip side of this is to consider the layout.  If people regularly end up driving the wrong way down a one way street, then the intersection is badly designed.  Once a year is a driver error.  Once a week is a fault in the markings.  On a personal note, the intersection you describe is a disaster.  It sounds like an invitation to gridlock.  If the northbound and southbound lanes are that far separated, it should be replaced with an interchange, or a rotary, or at least a four-point so that there's less chance that someone will think turning into the oncoming lane is natural.

I'll use this to point out my entry for polite driving.  While it's true that you may drive the route every day, and you're very familiar with it and the vagaries of traffic flow, consider how it may be for someone who's not familiar with it.  If someone is obviously lost or confused, give them a bit of breathing room.  I agree that they should pull over if they're seriously impeding traffic, but slowing down earlier than you would or making you wait for three seconds so they can find the right sign isn't going to ruin your day.  If it takes you longer to take a deep breath then they take to get where they're going, be kind.

Virg

[snowball's chance]

If someone is picking you up, please be prepared and ready to go when they show up.  When they show up at your door is not the time to announce you still need to shower and get ready.

or to announce that you need to stop for cigarettes, gum, water, breath mints, soda, etc. before you get to your planned destination.  Take care of those things before your ride picks you up.

Also, if you agree to give someone a ride, don't hijack them into an unplanned stop or errand once you are on the road (beyond a short stop for gas).  It's one thing to ask your passenger if they would mind stopping briefly, but don't announce that you need to stop by a friend's house who's a stranger to your passenger for half an hour or decide you feel like driving to Best Buy to pick up a new CD for the party.

[caranfin]

If someone gives you a ride, offer gas money even if they were already going there. They are still doing you a favor.

Driver's rules apply. If the driver insists that everyone wears a seatbelt, put your seatbelt on.

If you let someone into traffic, and they do not give you a "thank you" wave, you are allowed to get up under them and drive them into the wall. (Nod to Jeff Foxworthy) 

And here's one for Marina... never assume you are going to able to install your child's carseat in someone else's car.

[Aeris]

If your friend is driving somewhere, and has offered you a ride, and your friends girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse will be riding with you, do not attempt to "call shotgun" as if you were in high school. If you do so, do not be annoyed when the GF/BF/spouse refuses to acknowledge your claim.

The significant other gets the front passenger seat, absent extenuating circumstances.

(In all likelihood, they are contributing the payment for an upkeep of the vehicle in which you are riding, so it's particularly bad form to complain that you have to sit in the backseat.)

[snowball's chance]

I have a question about the radio . . . what if the driver wants to listen to a radio program where the DJ makes homophobic/racist/sexist remarks on a regular basis?  Is it ok for the passenger to ask to switch to something else?

[gollymolly2]

Seems to me that's a situation where it's okay to ask and it's okay for the driver to say no.

[caranfin]

This is why I think "driver's choice for radio" is actually a poor rule that can lead to rudeness. I think the driver should pick something everyone can tolerate.

[Betelnut]

If your lane is ending and merging into another lane, it is your responsibility to signal and merge as efficiently and seamlessly as possible into the other lane.  The drivers that are already in the established lane are not really obligated to slam on their brakes to "let you in" especially when you are not signalling your intent.

[Virg]

caranfin wrote:

"This is why I think "driver's choice for radio" is actually a poor rule that can lead to rudeness."

I think this rule needs to be respun.  I suggest, "If you're a passenger, you should not alter the radio/CD/whatever without asking the driver.  If you're the driver, you should be considerate as to your listening choices."

Virg

[snowball's chance]

If you offer or agree to give someone a ride TO a destination, it's generally not an unreasonable assumption for the passenger to believe you'll drive him or her home as well.  If driving the passenger back home won't or may not be possible, it's polite to let your passenger know before you pick him/her up, or as soon as possible after you find out the plans changed.