Whenever I'm a passenger in someone else's car I can't help noticing their annoying habits. The one which really bugs me is when they apply the handbrake without pressing in the button and I have to listen to the click of every single notch on the ratchet.
What bugs you when you're a passenger?
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L\'escargot.
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The driver hogging the middle lane, or cutting roundabouts.
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Holding it on the clutch instead of the hand brake, trying to drive along unknown roads at night with only dipped beam, the heater set too high.
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The driver .... cutting roundabouts.
Oh dear, I do that when there is nobody else close enough to be affected ~ it smoothes out the manoeuvre.
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L\'escargot.
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Depends who's driving:
SWMBO - not too bad, feel qute comfortable. Talks too much but I've developed selective hearing.
Brother - dreadful. Wrecks a gearbox and engine in 40K. Lets the car grind along in low revs, thinks the thing will explode if it's doing more than 1500 rpm. Wouldn't buy any of his cars.
I can never totally relax unless it's me behind the wheel. I like to be in control of my destiny.
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My brother in law has a great habit. He?s a humourless, sour-faced, dull accountant so it?s funny to hear him make squealing tyre noises when he goes round bends. He does it very quietly under his breath so he thinks you can?t hear him.
My old man has a habit that drives me crazy. He won?t switch the windscreen wipers on until visibility is down to the end of the bonnet. And he won?t take the most direct route anywhere, he likes to prove he knows his way around the country.
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>> The driver .... cutting roundabouts. Oh dear, I do that when there is nobody else close enough to be affected ~ it smoothes out the manoeuvre. -- L\'escargot.
That's the correct thing to do!
My advanced driving observer would have a fit if I didn't do that!
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I hate being driven by my mother. She is queen of the late brakers, so I find myself stamping on an imaginary brake pedal for the whole journey! Oh for a set of dual controls.
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Cor, got my mother and father to a T!
Why do old people not use headlights properly. And do people not know how to use the ventilation system?
Several years ago, I read the handbook for my Golf - must be about 1988. It recommended keeping the fan on position 1 all the time at least. Excellent idea and keeps the car from fugging up! Yesterday in the pouring damp of Manchester and only about 5 degrees C, I got a lift from a guy in a 3-series. heater set to 17 degrees and kept swapping from feet to demist. How about setting heater to 20 degrees and leaving it on Auto?
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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>>What bugs you when you're a passenger?<<
The sniffy comments from the driver as I give them a running commentary on their inadequacies behind the wheel. Honestly, some people just don't appreciate being given good advice.
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I too, in a helpful spirit, sometimes advise people driving me not to slip the clutch to hold the car stationary on hills, a fault that can afflict otherwise skilled drivers who have never themselves had to change a clutch lining. But there is little point in chiding people for ham-fisted and ham-footed use of the controls unless they know they are learning. In most cases they won't even know what you mean. I once chided a friend for driving along a flat road in third gear and he replied that it was his car and he just 'felt like it'.
My wife who learned to drive late concentrates, is intelligent and goes reasonably briskly after steady encouragement to make full use of the right-hand pedal, but never exceeds speed limits and worries about the environment. My two older daughters are rapid and careless, frequently denting their cars but so far avoiding serious crashes. I myself have many driving faults of which the worst is scabrous and loud commentary (along with occasional murmurs of approval) on surrounding drivers in the metropolitan traffic. This is never apparent to its targets but is stupid if one is alone and offensive when there are passengers, unless they are of like mind. 'Died of an apoplexy following a Volvo up Primrose hill'. It would be poetic justice.
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I myself have many driving faults of which the worst is scabrous and loud commentary (along with occasional murmurs of approval) on surrounding drivers in the metropolitan traffic. This is never apparent to its targets but is stupid if one is alone and offensive when there are passengers, unless they are of like mind. 'Died of an apoplexy following a Volvo up Primrose hill'. It would be poetic justice.
Thereare not many people who would have the honesty to admoit to that like you have, or to be as humorously self-critical about it. Good on ya! :)
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>>What bugs you when you're a passenger?<< The sniffy comments from the driver as I give them a running commentary on their inadequacies behind the wheel. Honestly, some people just don't appreciate being given good advice.
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Some people just don't appreciate being given a lift!
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You need to realise that on some cars the handbook states that you should not depress the button when engaging the handbrake (presumably helps with the correct tensioning and stops people yanking it on and stretching the cable).
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My g/f is a great driver. My most cringeworthy drives have been with male friends...
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Entertaining thread.
As I read it, I thought of the long list of things that my wife would be writing about my driving.
Hers is fine, by the way. The only thing is that I do find it a bit disconcerting when she holds gears longer than I would when accelerating.
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For the ultimate passenger experience try teaching your kids to drive, or at least accompanying them for practice.
At least it's the one situation when the passenger experience gets gradually better the more trips you take.
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In general my Fiance is as good if not better than me. My only bug-bear is when people leave the fan on high pointing at the windscreen. As a contact lens wearer I find this extremely irritating as my lenses dry up in no time.
She thinks I drive too close to the car in front. I don't!
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What bugs you when you're a passenger? --
In general: Windscreen not being kept clean (!); heater too hot; stereo on too loud when trying to have a conversation.
My dad: driving around steadily in 3rd or 4th gear at a speed where the car would happily run in 5th.
My girlfriend: the opposite; driving her MX-5 like its a diesel. Trying to accelerate but changing up at 1800 revs. Trying to go up hills at 30mph in fifth. Rev the blooming thing!
I really try my hardest never to comment though, because IMO theres nothing more annoying than a passenger trying to tell you how to drive. ;o)
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My girlfriend: the opposite; driving her MX-5 like its a diesel. Trying to accelerate but changing up at 1800 revs. Trying to go up hills at 30mph in fifth. Rev the blooming thing!
My other half drives a Diesel and finds it very hard to adjust to my Impreza, and vice versa. In theory she knows the power band only starts at 3500, but in practice revving the engine feels like 'thrashing' it, whatever that means. I sit in the passenger seat egging her on to keep revving.
She's not alone. Many, many people just don't understand that modern multivalve petrol engines are designed to be & need to be revved so never take them above 3000. A Diesel would suit them so much better.
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I dunno - it seems like everybody who chauffeurs me now I'm getting on a bit seems to grab at gearchanges. Learning on an old Austin four-speeder with crash first teaches you a smooth action for life! Mind you I gave up changing gear for myself years ago...
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Fortunately, my wife is an excellent driver (traffic police trained). But other habits drive me mad.
People who sit too close to the steering wheel and then hang their arms off the middle of it.
Leaving the wipers on after it has stopped raining.
Not switching the wipers on when it has started raining.
Rear view mirror set to driver's face
Using the throttle like an on/off switch
car full of rubbish
aarrrggghhhh!
let me be the last to let you down....
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Tailgating and not dipping headlights.
One bloke I drive with will have his full beam on on the motorway.
Overtaking lorries on roundabouts.
Dawdling.
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Leaving the wipers on after it has stopped raining.
A guy in a Rover 600 was following me the other day, no rain, wipers on full speed, very disconcerting, I was a bit worried about his eyesite, that he would run up the back of me.
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I have a colleague who I now refuse to go out with unless I drive. Despite him having more letters after his name than his name, a doctorate etc etc it seems he is unable to multitask. If we go out in the car he will drive OK, but when he starts to talk his speed drops to frightening levels e.g. 15mph in a 40 resulting in a stream of traffic behind. He then stops talking, sees his speedo and speeds up! Despite working in the area for 15 years he still has no knowledge of the area and never bothers to find out where we are going until we get in the car. He doesn't have an A-Z, this has resulted in us performing some outrageous U turns and similar manouveres which he carries out as though he was the only one on the road. He says he's never had an accident, but I'm sure he has left many in hiw wake - what worries me is his annual hoilday is a trip around France!
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>>For the ultimate passenger experience try teaching your kids to >>drive, or at least accompanying them for practice.
>>At least it's the one situation when the passenger experience >>gets gradually better the more trips you take.
yep and youve still got one more to go, by the way i think your supposed to stop trying to teach when we've been driving for a few years!!! What annoys me is the driver tailgating or going to fast trying to show off!
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Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
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You need to realise that on some cars the handbook states that you should not depress the button when engaging the handbrake (presumably helps with the correct tensioning and stops people yanking it on and stretching the cable).
Eugh! All that ratchet clicking. It sets my teeth on edge. Nearly as bad as scratching a finger nail down a blackboard!
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L\'escargot.
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I've got a mate who is now a plod. He used to be a terrifying driver and if anything hes now even worse. I won't get in the car with him now as he drives almost in the middle of the road and flat out everywhere!
Must be because he can get away with it in his day job...
I must admit, I'm very happy when my wife drives. Probably one of the very people I feel relaxed being a passenger with!
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SWMBO is an okay driver, but what anoys me is her reluctance to use top gear until she has been cruising on the mway for miles..
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"Eugh! All that ratchet clicking. It sets my teeth on edge."
You'd hate to be in a car with me then! I love the sound and feel of running something over a ratchet....but that's just me.
As far as I'm concerned the button is only there to release the brake.
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"I must admit, I'm very happy when my wife drives. Probably one of the very people I feel relaxed being a passenger with!"
Same here! I'm so relaxed I often fall asleep on a 5 mile trip with her driving - and she doesn't drive slowly!
Ones I hate are those who talk all the time and have to look at you while talking - hence not watching road!
Phil
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I'm quite happy being driven by a good driver. By 'good' I mean safe and smooth. As long as the car is not mine I'm not too bothered if they mistreat the clutch or whatever as long as they drive safely.
Does anyone else remember how some drivers brought up on 4-speed gearboxes refused to use 5th gear on 5-speed cars? Presumably those drivers must have gritted their teeth and taken the plunge by now, some probably drive 6-speed cars even!
Cheers, Sofa Spud
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"Eugh! All that ratchet clicking. It sets my teeth on edge." You'd hate to be in a car with me then! I love the sound and feel of running something over a ratchet....but that's just me.
It puts unnecessary wear on the ratchet teeth and the pawl.
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L\'escargot.
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...and so it does. But why care, if I sit there and play with all day it will still outlast the car.
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...and so it does. But why care, if I sit there and play with all day it will still outlast the car.
Please yourself!
During my career as an automotive development engineer I've carried out endurance tests on handbrake mechanisms and, believe you me, if you "sit there and play all day" it will not "outlast the car".
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L\'escargot.
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OK, so I was being a little facetious, perhaps I even exaggerated (just a tad!) - I apologise. But my point stands - in the long list of things to worry about in car ownership, this ranks pretty low.
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Not feathering the brakes when stopping. Driver applies brake with steadily increasing pressure until car comes to an abrupt halt, then bounces back on its springs.
It's one of the few things that makes me carsick, and I usually have to get out and walk if a driver does that. Sadly, it's not just car drivers -- more and more of my local bus drivers seem to like this style of stop.
I reckon all drivers should have to learn to drive the way I read that chauffeurs are trained to do - with an imaginary glass of water on the dashboard.
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MiL in particular, always pushing at the car in front, accelerating and decelerating every few seconds.
As for myself, always going over the line at traffic lights, slipping the clutch and putting seat belt on 10 yards down the road.
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People that sit at traffic lights on a hill and slip the clutch to keep the car stationary. (Or, even worse, let it rock back and forth...)
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Sadly, it's not just car drivers -- more and more of my local bus drivers seem to like this style of stop.
You have a car and you still get on buses? :-)
My best mate doesn't have a driving licence and even he tries to avoid our local buses, he always complains if he has to catch a "peasant wagon". ;-)
Having said that it's probably 'cos he's addicted to MY car keys by now! Not that I blame him, given a choice between walking and the bus I would be hard pressed to come to a decision...
Blue
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You have a car and you still get on buses? :-)
I don't have a car at the mo -- but probably will soon.
I'm not going to stop using buses, tho. They are a much better option for some journeys.
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If I want a drink after work, I get the bus. If I want the excercise and time allows, I walk. If I'm being eccentric, I could use the train. If I'm being lazy I take the car. Horses for courses really.
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Most of these are things that will have me grinding my teeth except 1, 2 & 3 which are guaranteed to make me throw up
1) People who brake at the last minute
2) People who corner at the last minute
3) People who have the heater on full blast even though the inside of the car has now turned into a kiln!
4) People who are hesitant about overtaking on dual carriage ways and m.ways and don't keep up with the flow of traffic.
5) People who hog the middle lane when there is nothing to overtake for miles
6) People who don't clean the film of dirt off the inside of the windscreen so that when the evening sun hits it you can't see a thing (and they carry on driving as though the glass is crystal clear).
7) People who change gear so violently that if my headrest wasn't in the correct position (I checked earlier!) I'd be suffering whiplash by the end of the journey!
8) People who don't use their mirrors or check their blind spots before changing lane. Thanks for the lift but I don't want to die!
I can't think of any more at the moment...but I'm sure there are others!!
As you've probably gathered I don't make a very good passenger!!
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If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished
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My wife seems to have difficulty driving in a straight line on Mways: sort of sine wave motion. tugs at steering wheel, and over corrects. Prefers to get into 1st for entering minor roads off major. Two horrors: the poor gearbox, and the exposed tail of the car. As for me, apparently I don't like being overtaken:)
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My wife seems to have difficulty driving in a straight line on Mways: sort of sine wave motion. tugs at steering wheel, and over corrects.
Assuming the steering of the car isn't stiff it sounds as if she needs some more expert tuition. If I were you I would be questioning her competence to drive. I can't see her currently passing a driving test if she does that.
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L\'escargot.
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My sister, for some strange reason, seems to drive very close to the kerb. I point this out to her and she always dismisses my observation by saying, 'Rubbish,it's just a different perspective from the passenger seat.'
The problem is, she repeatedly hits every single drain that's adjacent to a kerb and assuming they are something like a foot wide at most, she's obviously that close.
Now I have to say in all honesty that she is a very good driver and never actually hits the kerb. In fact, to see her park in a smallish gap between two cars and land up within 3-4 inches of the kerb with both wheels - first go - is a revelation and she runs a Xantia, not a Mini, incidentally!
My point is she never takes on board the punishment she's handing out to her ns drop links and balljoints. If she would simply stay out a bit from the kerb when passing drains I would wince less!
Another thing that scares me is drivers who tailgate a car in front at speed just waiting for a chance to overtake.
Graeme
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SiL seems incapable of maintaining a steady speed on a motorway. She accelerates then backs off, accelerates, backs off...
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Do you remember being told, while learning, to look where you want to steer and you will naturally follow through? Try that in a Cinquequento at 50 while the driver looks at all the wonderful houses/horses in fields/etc. ........Oh - why is he blaring his horn/flashing/screaming ...... My husband and son will not get in this car for any reason!
To frighten you, this driver was an official Wimbledon and G8 driver and had all that training - which is, of course, why they drive in the middle of the road when not on the wrong side of the road. arrrrgh!!!
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>> My wife seems to have difficulty driving in a straight line >> on Mways: sort of sine wave motion. tugs at steering >> wheel, and over corrects. Assuming the steering of the car isn't stiff it sounds as if she needs some more expert tuition. If I were you I would be questioning her competence to drive. I can't see her currently passing a driving test if she does that. -- L\'escargot.
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Yes. Probably a good time to tell her would be as you are getting into bed! Please let us know what happens.
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Ha. Very dangerous area. I have to take it step by step, and as the right opportunity arises. However, gear box issue tackled after giving gold star to her for navigating well through Manchester. Re the steering, on reflection I think it may be related to the electrical power steering fitted to her Yaris, recently rid of. There is a "deadspot", which might make feeding in correction more difficult. I also wonder if I perform this minor weave (wouldn't be noticeable from outside) on the Civic which is similarly afflicted with electrical assistance, although it seems less sticky than it once was.
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The rachet is something I hear often at the bus stop I use which is at a junction. Nails down a blackboard to me!
I've got better at putting up with people than I used to be, though I have a friend who liked to labour his cars, but having been out with him tonight he seems a lot better. Maybe I have finally taught him the error of his ways?
As a bus passenger, I'll often observe the driving style of the drivers on my 50 minute trek onto campus. Some are very good brakers, and will pull up very gently. The worst driver was one who kept doing the rev... back off... rev... back off... every second or so, which just makes me dizzy.
Having said that though, I'd hate to be driving a car with me as a passenger, as I'm likely to fiddle with any new switches/dials I can see! :-)
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Mike Farrow
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I had to follow a car through some country roads recently (in New Zealand) They were travelling near the 100km/h speed limit, but whenever any kind of curve, even gentle ones, were encountered, on would go the brake lights. It seemed as if they had their left foot poised over the brake, ready at a moment's notice. Over here, there are reflectorised marker posts that indicate the direction and severity of corners. There is a white dotted centre line and (often) reflectorised cat's eye markers. Both sides of the road have a continuous white line. Every corner with a rating of less than 100k has a speed advisory reflectorised sign, thoughtfully installed by the Automobile Association. It couldn't be easier. There was almost no traffic on the road, so full beam was possible. Due to the twists and turns, I didn't want to roar past, but to see them braking for no reason, just out of habit, was particularly frustrating. SWMBO did remind me at the time that one of her brothers drives the same way, even in daylight. He seems to have no ability to judge the severity of a curve from its appearance, let alone determine a 'line' to follow. Over the years, I have managed to help SWMBO to use all the aids noted above, and her night driving is now very good. At the time, she said that it never occurred to her to use the marker posts for cornering, she hadn't realised what they were.
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