Why? Driving observation

rhagfo wrote:
Well after the commute home, dinner, and while walking the dogs my mind wandered back to the daily commuting grind.

This may or may not apply to your local, I live and drive in the greater Portland area. Yea, this is a bit of a rant, but just my mind wandering while walking the Dogs.

None of these are unique to Portland.

rhagfo wrote:
WHY?
Do drivers when turning left from a multi left turn lane, use the inside lane then cut across three lanes to take a right at the next intersection?

Probably because they weren't familiar with the intersection or don't go that way often and didn't realize there were two left turn lanes (or forgot) until it was too late.

Another possibility is that they are familiar with the intersection but not their destination and didn't realize the place they wanted to go to was the immediate right turn.

rhagfo wrote:
WHY?
Is it that when the roads are dry and the weather nice drivers putt along at 5 to 10 mph below the speed limit on local roads (35 to 45mph limits)?

They're not in a hurry, and there's nothing wrong with driving 5 or 10 mph below the speed limit (especially 5 mph, which is within the allowable accuracy of speedometers - their car might be telling them they're driving the speed limit).

It is annoying though.

rhagfo wrote:
WHY?
When the weather is nasty, rain and wind, wet roads, they drive like Mario Andretti, speeding and cutting in out of traffic.

The question presupposes it's the same people as above that are doing this. There's a really good chance it's not. Everyone is an individual and every action is an individual action.

rhagfo wrote:
WHY?
Is it that a driver will run a stop sign to get in front of you and then proceed to do 5 to 10 mph below the speed limit (nice weather)?

I'm not quite sure I get the scenario of how they ran the stop sign and that allowed them to get in front of you, where presumably they would have been behind if they hadn't, but possible value reasons for appearing to run the sign would be if they were under the impression that they got to the intersection first or were to your left, and therefore had right of way, which is independent of speed. They might also have been in a hurry and the perceived value of getting ahead of you won out in their head. (This comes up again below.)

It is annoying when people will zip around you (somehow) and then slow down though.

rhagfo wrote:
WHY?
Will they drive 50 to 55 in a 35 mph arterial in a residential zone, but only do 45 mph on a 55 mph divided state highway?

This question again presupposes it's the same person doing both, where it might not be. See above. Sometimes it is the same person though, and in those cases I usually figure they don't know what the speed limit is or where it changed.

rhagfo wrote:
WHY?
Will they race up to cut in front of you with a another car about two car lengths ahead, doing the limit or a bit better, to take the exit 100 yards up the road. When there was at least a 10 car length space behind you?

A few possibilities:
- They just noticed the exit (perhaps not being familiar with the area) and weren't in the right lane, so had to get over. They were already lined up with you to some degree. To get over they had to either get in front of you or behind you by speeding up or slowing down. If they were going faster it could have seemed easier to speed up than to slow down, or they could have been in a hurry and the perceived value of getting ahead of you won out in their head.
- Even if they are familiar with the drive or do it every day, the same thing really applies. They could have been lost in thought or really into what was on the radio and not realized they were coming up on their exit. Then the same as above applies.
- If they had kids, they could have been distracted by something the kids were doing and not realized they were coming up on their exit, then the same as above applies.
- They could have been shaken up by the guy two miles back that cut them off and not realized they were coming up on their exit ...
- They might have looked over and noticed you, found you really super attractive, been distracted by this and not realized they were coming up on their exit, then wanted to be noticed by you. :D

rhagfo wrote:
Just wondering WHY?

Russ

:B

Just some semi-reasonable possibilities, mostly based on things I myself have done knowing that whoever was around me was cursing me for doing it. :) (Fortunately, not too often I hope.) Apologizing to them in my head while understanding why they would curse me isn't something they can see.