That wasn't a space for you

[bhskittykatt]

So I was sitting in traffic today. It was backed up and I was stopped so that I was not blocking a driveway. I feel it's best to just illustrate what happened.

I was in the white car, keeping clear of the driveway that leads to a decently busy convention center/restaurant/shopping center.



Red car sees a gap in the lane...



And goes for it!



NononononoNO! That space is NOT for you to just swoop in and nab!

And yes, the car did this just as an oncoming car wanted to turn in there. Because of course.

[Food Lady]

This is why I don't miss driving.

[raudf]

I'm teaching my oldest the basic rules of the road, including don't block private drives or worse, intersections... just as the car in front of us blocks the intersection at the red light. "See, son. Don't do that. Don't be that asshole."

This is something that happens all the time in the bigger city near me. Of course, it's a bit daftly laid out, but on one road, there's a chain of lights and intersections. What happens is that car in front of me thinks, "Hey, it's a green light on our end!" and pulls into the intersection, even though the lane in front of them isn't moving, due to a red light there. Our light turns red and idiot is blocking the oncoming traffic... And this happens all the damn time.

Rule is, if the lane in front of you doesn't have enough space for you to not block traffic.. stop at that green light! Stay there until there IS ENOUGH ROOM.

Oh, and I also had to explain safe breaking space to him... and tell him, "During rush hour, all bets are off. These people can and will crawl into the tiniest space that you leave in front of you. Sometimes, they'll do it even if there IS no space. After you have experience in driving, you'll probably be sitting your front bumper on the back bumper of the car in front of you. Just know.. they will try to crawl into it!"

[RealUnimportant]

I had someone pull into the parking space I was trying to back into the other day. Bloody ignorant... They then proceeded to walk off to parts unknown, while I had to find another space further away & hobble back as this was right outside my block!

[An Haddock]

If I was in the car waiting to turn down the driveway I'd have layed on the horn and not let up until the idiot moved his car.

Or just call the city and have him towed for blocking a driveway.

[notalwaysright]

Rule is, if the lane in front of you doesn't have enough space for you to not block traffic.. stop at that green light! Stay there until there IS ENOUGH ROOM.

I've had people honk at me if I don't move up. I'm driving a low to the ground car with non-tinted windows, they can absolutely see that I have nowhere to go. Sheesh.

Also, I'll be waiting in traffic, leaving room at a side street. Then there's enough room to pull forward, so I do. The car behind me also pulls up, blocking that street. Congrats, you suck.

One more irritation. I'll leave room to let some poor car out of a parking lot. The light changes and I wait for him to go, waving him on. Then I realize. He wants to turn LEFT but has no blinker on.

[Kogarashi]

I've had people honk at me if I don't move up. I'm driving a low to the ground car with non-tinted windows, they can absolutely see that I have nowhere to go. Sheesh.

Also, I'll be waiting in traffic, leaving room at a side street. Then there's enough room to pull forward, so I do. The car behind me also pulls up, blocking that street. Congrats, you suck.

I had both of these happen SO many times in Connecticut, it wasn't funny. Especially the main intersection outside of Walmart. Nowhere to go, but cars insisted on pulling into the intersection even though they couldn't go any further, meaning cars trying to leave the parking lots for Walmart and Lowes couldn't go anywhere for most of their green light. And when I'd hang back on the main road so as not to block the intersection (because I couldn't get all the way across the intersection at the moment), invariably someone behind me would honk. Yes, moron, I see the green light. Doesn't mean I can go anywhere right now. Stop honking.

[Minflick]

Here in California you can get a hefty ticket for blocking an intersection. They started that back in the 1970's when I was in high school, and some of those tickets even back then hit low to mid triple digits. Worse now!

[Kogarashi]

Here in California you can get a hefty ticket for blocking an intersection. They started that back in the 1970's when I was in high school, and some of those tickets even back then hit low to mid triple digits. Worse now!

You can get tickets for it in CT (where I was at the time), as well as NY and GA both last I checked. It's just that we never seemed to have police at that one terrible intersection when it really mattered.

[raudf]

You're suppose to get a ticket for it here in Arkansas, but try finding a cop to give 'em the ticket. Admittedly, it's more to do with the fact that it's hard for the cops to get through the traffic too. I've seen them give tickets to the blockers, when they can catch 'em.

I've had ijits honk at me when I follow the laws. Guess what? I ain't moving until it's safe for me to do so, since these are the same ijits who love to fly through intersections well beyond the upper speed limit. And my oldest did hear me once say, "Just suck on your gear shift and wait your turn, ijit."

[bainsidhe]

I've had someone pull this on railroad tracks. Uh, there was a reason I didn't pull forward, and that's because I don't want to die. Traffic wasn't moving and these tracks had frequent trains. Not very smart.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I've had someone pull this on railroad tracks. Uh, there was a reason I didn't pull forward, and that's because I don't want to die. Traffic wasn't moving and these tracks had frequent trains. Not very smart.

That's called chlorinating the gene pool. Idiot was doing the human race a favor on the genetic level.

Or would have been, had things gone differently.

[WishfulSpirit]

It's a bad idea to block someone in. You might end up blocking a nutcase like my uncle, who once moved a car parked behind him by putting his car in reverse and flooring it. Repeatedly. Uncle did end up in court for that, so I wouldn't recommend trying it (plus, forum rules). But you never know what's going on in the head of someone who is now unable to move their car because yours is in the way.

[wolfie]

It's a combination of "me first!" attitude and lack of situational awareness. Car stops a couple lengths back from a red light? Idiot pulls around them to get ahead. Meanwhile, the semi that the first car was making room for has started its turn, and idiot block it from completing the turn on a tight corner. Result: whole intersection is blocked in both directions.

I encountered a situation a few years back. I was waiting to make a left turn on my way to a shipper. The corresponding right turn coming out is crazy (obstacles right on the point of the corner), with trucks frequently needing to use the start of the left turn bay in order to complete it. There was no way I was going to be able to get through on the current green light (3 vehicles ahead of me) so I stopped roughly a length (mine) behind the last car. He COULD have made the light, but didn't. He also didn't back up into the space I left. The truck waiting to make the right turn had a lot of difficulty, but he made it. I saw the "WTF?" look on his face as he went by me. Would have been so much easier if the car had either completed his turn (clearing space for the truck) or backed up (again clearing space for the truck)

[bunrotha]

Ah, we have the additional joy of roundabouts with trucks over here.

If it's that long, it's not going to be able to go right round there in the one lane. It needs both.

Which means, O Audi driving person of ill repute, questionable parentage and undoubtedly deficient mental process, that honking at me, encouraging me to charge up alongside of the truck and get mashed between it and the island, is not your best option. You can get stuffed.