Driving and Car Etiquette

[Stanwyck]

Turn into your own lane.  Don't turn from the inside lane to the outside lane, especially when someone else is trying to turn from the outside lane into the outside lane.

If the intersection is labeled as No Turn on Red, don't honk at the person in front of you because they aren't turning right on red.  I'm not risking a ticket so you can get to where you're going 2 minutes sooner.

Rule of thumb: if you need to put your windshield wipers on, your lights should be on also.  It's actually the law in some judisdictions. 

Driving fast to get all the snow to blow off your car into the car behind you is not only rude, but dangerous.  It's called a snow brush, use it.

[Lisbeth]

If you're giving someone a ride, drop them off as close as practical to their destination-don't drop them off a block or two away because it's out of your way to take them where you promised to take them.

[Hawkwatcher]

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. 

I agree that clear and simple directions are important.  Give the real street names and do not use nicknames for streets. You should also use proper and current names for landmarks.  For example: I live in a city that changed the name of one of its parks over ten years ago.  The name change was controversial so many people insisted on using the old name.  This was confusing to newcomers who did not know the history of the park.  Initially, I thought that there were 2 different parks.

As for the treatment of passengers, if your passenger tells you that he or she gets motion sickness easily, do not try to find out how easily your passenger gets sick.  Do not take tight turns fast just to see your passenger turn green.  If he or she asks you to pull over, pull over.  Yes, you may be inconvenienced but at least you will have a clean car.

[Black Delphinium]

Don't take "we've always met at X" to be a universal truth. Even if you do always mean at where ever, it never hurts to double check with the person you are meeting.

If someone has offered to help you move things with their car(be it animal, vegetable or mineral), the onus is on you to provide the proper boxes/ties/tarps/etc, unless you have made arrangements with the driver beforehand.

[caranfin]

I agree that clear and simple directions are important.  Give the real street names and do not use nicknames for streets.

But that can backfire if your driver doesn't know the real street name.
"Take Highway 49."
"What?"
"You know. The Downtown Expressway."
"Oh, right."

[Black Delphinium]

Rentals should be treated with as much respect and care as a car loaned to you by your most cared for BFF. Just because it might be a bit beat up, doesn't mean you can treat it casually.


And on the topic of borrowed cars- if you bump/ding/spill coffee/etc, own up as soon as you return it. Lying, covering up the problem, and arguing it was like that when you got it are disrespectful.
If you can fix the mistake, please do so.

[gadget--gal]

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.

quoting for emphasis, as this is acutally illegal in UK.

[rhirhi]

I didn't see this, and if I missed it, let me know...

If you are a passenger in someone's car, and you smoke, but they don't, DO NOT assume you can smoke in their car, even if their spouse smokes.

<DH smokes, I don't- however, he does not use my car enough for anyone to be able to tell that he smokes in my car. I have a cousin that does smoke, and will light up without asking if it's okay and gets offended if I ask her to put it out.>

[ginlyn32]

If you borrow someone elses vehicle for any length of time, please remember to do the following:

*return the vehicle with a full tank of gas

*clean out the vehicle of any trash. consider also running the vehicle through a car wash.

Remember that the person loaning you the vehicle is still paying the monthly payment and insurance on the vehicle. If you need to borrow a vehicle for longer than a couple of days, consider other options or asking the owner of the vehicle if you could help pay the payment or insurance (this is because of a LONG backstory involving DH's worthless sister. She was in a car accident that ended up totaling her car. He decided, without discussing it with me, to loan her our "good" car so she'd have a way to work. We had to drive a run-down pick up truck. She had the dang car for a MONTH and returned it on an empty tank AND garbage all over the backseat)

ginlyn

[ginlyn32]

If you are carpooling or ride-sharing with someone:

*Please call them if you are running late or unable to ride that day. Do not wait until your ride has shown up at the door and has had to exit their vehicle to knock on the door.

ginlyn

[matf]

Know what your area's laws are regarding things such as:

Yellow lights (for example, in DC, it's actually illegal to enter the intersection after the light has turned yellow)
Bicyclists
Motorcyclists
Pedestrians (do they automatically have the right of way?)
Turning on red (right in US, left in Australia/UK)
HOV lanes
etc.

[Twik]

More regarding driving music:

If your passenger has been hit by a blinding migraine, and is curled into a ball with a bottle of cold water pressed to her temples, do not play Alanis Morrissette CDs for two hours straight. In gratitude for your consideration, your passenger will do her best not to throw up in your car.

[geordicat]

More regarding driving music:

If your passenger has been hit by a blinding migraine, and is curled into a ball with a bottle of cold water pressed to her temples, do not play Alanis Morrissette CDs for two hours straight. In gratitude for your consideration, your passenger will do her best not to throw up in your car.

If giving someone a ride home and they do have this horrible migraine, go straight home.  No side trips.  No stops at the grocery store for milk.  No stops at the mission to drop off the blankets.  No stops at your office to check on Frank.

Once they are home, leave them alone.  Do not force them to take pain meds, then go to the store and come back with a CARPET STEAMER and then proceed to clean the carpets because you feel the are dirty.

Are you listening, mother???

[Hawkwatcher]

There are also rules for parking. 

If you see a spot reserved for disabled people: do not park there.  It does not matter if you are only going to be in the store for a minute or an hour.  You are still breaking the law and possibly inconveniencing someone who really does need the spot.

Be careful when parking in apartment complexes.   Do not park on the street and block other cars.  You should also be careful not to park in a tenant's designated spot. 

You should also be careful not to take up more than one spot when you park your vehicle. 

[caranfin]

If you're riding with others, you are in a small, enclosed space. This is not the time to get out the heavily scented hand lotion and rub it all over. Or paint your nails. (Yes, these things should go without saying, and yet somehow they don't.)