Bad Road Etiquette
How respectful of a driver are you? Do you use your turn signals, make sure to leave a good following distance, and always check that you're parked within the lines? Or are you the type to think that the road is yours, and you can do pretty much anything you want? From unnecessary noise (read: your music) to incessant honking, certain behaviors are bound to gain you more than a few enemies. If you're guilty of a few of these, it may be time to reconsider your etiquette on the road.
1. Honking at Absolutely Everything
Honking is useful when you need to warn someone (say, when they nearly scrape you while changing lanes), but it's not a button for expressing every minor frustration you feel. Do it constantly, and don't be surprised if everyone on the road starts targeting you.
2. Blasting Your Music for the Entire Neighborhood
Enjoying loud music inside your car is one thing, but forcing every person to enjoy it with you is another. Even worse is if you roll all your windows down just so everyone can be privy to your playlist. People want to listen to their own tunes and focus on driving, so do everyone a favor.
3. Weaving Through Traffic
Constantly jumping from one lane to another is another sure-fire way to gain some enemies on the road—everyone around you has to react to your movements. Plus, sudden lane changes disrupt the natural flow of traffic and can force others to brake unexpectedly because of you.
4. Riding Someone's Bumper
Following right behind someone isn't going to magically make them go faster. Trust us. If anything, they'll only slow down more to try to get you off their back. It also just removes valuable stopping distance for you, so good luck trying to change lanes.
5. Driving with Your High Beams On
Banish that bright light! Unless you want other drivers to curse you out for blinding them, you'd best turn them off and save them for situations where you actually need them. High beams are helpful on dark, empty roads, but they should always be lowered when other vehicles approach or when you're following someone closely.
6. Taking Up Two Parking Spaces
Parking lines exist for a reason, so don't be that person. In a nearly empty lot, it may not be a big deal, but in a crowded one, you've taken a spot away from somebody else. Don't be selfish—park the right way.
7. Parking Right Against the Line
Another bad parking job? Sure, even if you're not taking up two spots, leaving your vehicle just inches from the dividing line can make the neighboring driver's door difficult or impossible to open comfortably. Again, don't be that person and park the right way.
8. Sticking Too Far Out of a Parking Space
Yep, we're still on parking. Not only should you make sure to park within the lines, but you should also make sure you're not sticking out on either end. If you do, that protrusion means the unused parking spot behind or in front of you is essentially dead space where no one else can park.
9. Offensive Bumper Stickers
A bumper sticker can show off your interests or sense of humor, but deliberately inflammatory messages are another matter. From crude wording to personal attacks, you can make an otherwise normal drive unnecessarily unpleasant for others. Your car may be personal property, but it's still traveling through shared public spaces, so stay respectful.
10. Blocking an Intersection
Entering an intersection when there's clearly nowhere to go means everyone's going to have to stop for you because no one can move until you do. Once the light changes, no one can proceed because your car is sitting directly in their path. You see the problem?
11. Refusing to Let Anyone Merge
Traffic would move much more smoothly if drivers were all considerate. But no, some treat it like a competition, meaning they'll speed up just so another vehicle can't enter their lane. If this is you, just know that you're everyone's least favorite person on the road.
12. Cutting Into a Line at the Last Possible Second
There's a difference between properly using an open lane before a zipper merge and deliberately bypassing an established line where drivers are waiting to turn or exit. You are not special. Forcing your way in at the front is basically like cutting the line at the grocery store—nobody is happy but you.
13. Crawling Along in the Passing Lane
Repeat after us: if the left lane is strictly for passing, don't stay there. If you sit in the lane while traffic piles up behind you, you're going to frustrate an enormous number of drivers. The longer you stay there, the more unnecessary disruptions you'll create, which will encourage impatient drivers to pass on the right.
14. Throwing Trash Out the Window
No one wants your trash. Tossing garbage from a moving car will only leave roads dirty and can create hazards for wildlife and other road users. If you need to throw something out, keep a mini trash bag in your car, or keep it until you come across a bin.
15. Revving Your Engine for No Reason
Your beefed-up engine might sound impressive to you, but no one else really cares. Repeatedly revving it in a parking lot or residential neighborhood will only gain you a lot of stink eyes; do it early in the morning or late at night, and people might just take revenge.
16. Leaving Your Turn Signal On Forever
Drivers behind you rely on your signals to understand what you're planning to do. If you leave one flashing after you've already made your merge or lane change, you're only going to put everybody on edge because they don't understand your intentions.
17. Not Using Your Turn Signal at All
If you really want to irk other drivers, not using your signals at all will usually do the trick. Drivers are meant to be predictable, so if you're making turns, merges, or lane changes without telling others your intentions, everyone's forced to guess what you're planning. Use your indicators.
Karen Radley Volkswagen on Pexels
18. Sitting at the Gas Pump After You're Done
Busy gas stations can develop lines quickly, so if you're done, don't linger at the pump. If you know you might need some time to reorganize things, pull into a parking space. This keeps the pumps available for people who actually need them.
19. Blocking a Driveway Because You'll "Only Be a Minute"
Parking across a driveway can feel harmless when you expect to leave shortly, but the person who needs to pull out doesn't know your schedule. Even a brief stop can prevent somebody from leaving or going back to their own property. Unless you're dealing with an emergency, find a legal parking space.
20. Splashing Pedestrians with Puddles
If there's a huge puddle on the road, change lanes. Don't drive through it. If someone is walking beside it, you'll soak them from head to toe in an instant. Even if you can't avoid standing water all the time, slowing down can still make a difference.
