Blind Spot Drivers

[Mitchell3]

I thought about starting this topic last month (seeing as it seems to be at least a monthly occurrence for me). I'm still a newish driver, only having my car for a year and a half. But does no one check their blind spot? Not literally, most people who drive tend to have a brain, but more people than I expect don't look, and after they don't look and cut me off, they still don't know they cut me off. Blind spots are just one of my driving pet peeves :complain and I fail to understand why you wouldn't look.

This months occurrence, which was today, is probably contender for the worst cut off I've avoided. Driving down the expressway, there's a slow truck followed by a black golf in the right lane, and me in the left, in the golfs blind spot. The slow truck begins to merge over into the exit lane, the golf (which had plenty of time and space to pass the truck before) cuts me off to pass the truck, i hit the brakes pretty hard so he clears me and give him a toot of my favourite stock 3 horn. Then what really got me was he then cuts back over 2 lanes in front of the truck to take that same exit. :sad Risks his safety, and mine, so he can take the off ramp a bit faster.

I feel a bit better now after ranting a bit :chuckle. Anyone else frustrated by these people?

[shu5892001]

lol... got use to it already. Just have to get use to driving defensively... learn to dodge lol

[hit26k]

i hear ya man! I haven't been cut-off that many times but i see it a lot driving down steeles in the morning. ppl are so anxious to get past the trucks and switch lanes as if nobody else is on the road. It pisses me off when other drivers don't care about other ppl's safety but have the nerve to honk the horn when they get cut-off.

[froggy]

avoid driving in other people blind spots is the best advice I can give you. Other than that always try to maintain an "escape" route somewhere where you can weave out of the way safely.

[shu5892001]

avoid driving in other people blind spots is the best advice I can give you. Other than that always try to maintain an "escape" route somewhere where you can weave out of the way safely.

+1 know your surrounding and know where you can back off safely at all times

[MistaChin]

Yup, know your surroundings and escape routes at all times........





and buy hellas

[SirWanker]

avoid driving in other people blind spots is the best advice I can give you. Other than that always try to maintain an "escape" route somewhere where you can weave out of the way safely.

It works until the idiots merge into your escape route.

[Mitchell3]

I agree with driving defensively; Young Drivers graduate I am :winner. I consider myself to have good driving habits, just one main weakness I need to work on which happens to be a blind spot situation.. which is checking my blind spot when making a left turn for pedestrians crossing the road. I think I've had enough bad experiences with that though that I've learned to look lol.

but Defensive driving is good to have, but in some situations you may have nowhere to go.

[BMWWW]

Love my bixenon retro for this particular reason.

RIGHT as they start to show all the tell-tale signs of merging in front of me, a few pumps of the hi-beam stalk, and my presence is known. One has got to be blind to miss the 55w's of highs and lows!

[MistaChin]

Love my bixenon retro for this particular reason.

RIGHT as they start to show all the tell-tale signs of merging in front of me, a few pumps of the hi-beam stalk, and my presence is known. One has got to be blind to miss the 55w's of highs and lows!

Careful, that could be giving them a sign that you're letting them get ahead of you

[PCLoadLetter]

I took the 400 on-ramp from the 401E a few weeks ago (where the express and collectors go down a hill and eventually merge after the rumble strips). I was on the inside (express) side of the turn when some douche nearly sideswiped me. That section is the absolute worst area you can switch lanes in. Hella's got installed pretty quick after that incident.

Also, I've noticed that drivers are progressively getting worse as the years go on. Within 1 minute yesterday, I counted 4 people who switched lanes ahead of me without signalling. It's becoming a free-for-all out there and sadly, it surprises me when I see good driving. :flaming

[rob3]

ive been highway driving for a lot of years now. Going to toronto everyday for work from milton. You should never drive in someones blind spot unless, you're stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, or if you're passing them. Always make especially on highways to either speed up if your in the slow lane or slow down to allow traffic to merge. Both partys need to accomadate to allow traffic to flow smooth. Although i do agree that when merging the one merging if its not a heavy traffic situation should always be the one who slows down or speeds up. One last thing, let people in in almost all situations, as long as they use a signal first. We arent getting there any faster by never allowing people to merge. Ive played both games, and its always taken the same amount of time to get to work.

[froggy]

It works until the idiots merge into your escape route.

Then either speed up or slow down (change lanes yourself) I like to stay on a lane next to a shoulder so I know I always have at least 1 way out.

[Mitchell3]

I never try to drive in someones blind spot, its usually when I'm passing.When theres two lanes, 80% of the time I'm in the left one. Believe it or not I've never been cut off in heavy traffic from a missed blind spot. Always low volume situations and lazy people who think theres no one there.

There are a few spots in town where its specifically bad just because of the design of the roads in Kitchener-Waterloo. If you've been here, or live here, you probably took Highway 8 onto the expressway heading towards Ottawa st. Its a 2 lane entrance ramp from 8 then shortly after an off ramp onto Ottawa. People merging both ways 2 or 3 lanes over in estimated 3/4 of a km. I can only imagine in Toronto. only driven there twice on my own.


..Within 1 minute yesterday, I counted 4 people who switched lanes ahead of me without signalling...
+1 Most times I've been cut off, they don't use their signals either. In todays situation, the golf at least signaled so I could anticipate what he was going to do before he did it and react.

[Default User]

I took my driving lessons during winter time. Instructor would take me to a parking lot and tell me to gun it, crank it, and brake - then show me how to maneuver and pump the brakes. The following summer I spent in Chicago driving my uncle around the core. Sharing the road with a bunch of idiots that don't have insurance and don't give a Shiz about their car is scary as hell!

Driving in TO has been a walk in the park ever since LOL

[prinsesa]

You're not even supposed to go the same speed as the driver in the next lane beside. I hate it when people do that >=( (only applies when there's an open road in front, when you're in traffic, it obv going to happen)

[Iceman_F1]

I can agree with most of this. I've done both...early on I was pretty passive as I was a new driver, then I became slightly more aggressive...not weaving in and out like a maniac but getting pissed off at the stupid drivers and slow people and not giving up space unless I had to...but I've since calmed down again and am less aggressive. Every day I see stupid people that either just don't care or just want to get ahead. I'll see the same drivers each day come up to the same construction area or area they KNOW reduces down a lane and they'll speed down the lane that's about the end until the LAST POSSIBLE SECOND then have to slam on their brakes and try to merge in. Even worse when they are in the proper lane, move out into that lane just to gain one or two car spaces like that's a huge help...then they end up in the same spot they would have if they had just waited like everyone else.

With time you start to become good enough to see what's happening and can guess with a good percentage what the person is going to do before they do it which helps you to stay safer.