I rarely drive the Charger, because I'm too scared to. It hardly ever leaves the shed and for weeks on end just sits gathering dust.

This afternoon, I'm feeling pretty good because it's Friday and all. I bring the Charger outside and wash the inch thick dust off her. So I'm thinking she looks pretty good with her new shoes on shining there in the sunshine. There's a bit of fuel in the tank so I think, what the hell, I'll take if for a quick putt around the block just give her a run.

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/7904/z122ey.jpg
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/5163/smallcharge11ts.jpg

Incase you didn't know, I'm on my P plates so my car can look pretty appealing to hoons and bogans I guess, who try their hardest to do stupid crap around my car.

Now I'm not one to get attention, for the wrong reason. I don't hoon around, speeding and doing burnouts. I just enjoy driving my car which is something I don't do very often. Not 5 minutes away from my house I'm sitting at a T-junction patiently waiting for it to be clear because the roads are very narrow. (read: just wide enough to fit two decent sized cars) Keep in mind this is a residential area where kids play on the road.

This P-plater comes zooming round the corner in some clapped out hatchback and I think "Jeez, he's taking that a little wide!" I also think to myself "Perhaps they (The Police) should actually target stupid drivers and drop this old/modifed car = HOON mentality because you can obviously see anybody can be a potential hazard on the road, nomatter what you drive."

Then this bogan with a stupid smile on his face driving a VN Commodore which is not far off the scrap yard, packed with Habib and all his stupid friends comes screaming sideways around the corner. I just grip my 3 spoke twirler with white knuckles and pray that he doesn't hit me. After almost having a heartattack I realise how close he is and watch him narrowly miss my front fender by no more than 8 inches or so.

This scared the hell out of me so I drove straight home and put the Charger back in the shed for maybe a few more months until I'm game to go for another drive.

I just can't believe how some people don't think when they're driving, it's not just a car they might damage, they could take somebody's life.

Does anybody here feel the same way I do?

Totally, Stupid people do Stupid things.... not just in cars...

to help me get through some days (where stupid people are doing stupid things) i play a song by Insurge called.... "I hate stupid people"...

btw: I work in IT and do Support when needed

Yes.

Nice car BTW

I know what your saying.

When you have a nice car u get all kinds of dickheads trying to impress you.

Missed your car by 8 inches?

Try being tailgated when you're doing 90km/h in a 70 zone and the guy wouldn't have been 8 inches from my rear bumper.

I still had the nerve to brake check that bastard though Twice....

Sometimes you just need to realise that crap drivers are everywhere and amazingly enough, you come to both accept it AND anticipate it. I've had cars change lanes, whilst turning right on multi-carriage roads, in the middle of an intersection, and I don't even hit the horn anymore because I expect it.

Live, learn, and just get on with driving. It's not worth caring.

By definition, half the people in the world are stupid.
Considering how smart some people are, just imagine how stupid an equal number of people are.
although because stupid people tend to multiply quicker, maybe the stupid people outnumber the smart people.....

You've noticed that too huh? I swear its almost a contest for who can be the most unfit/useless parents down here.

Who said that any of us replying were somehow "smart" or "above average"?

This thread is not about intelligence, it's about commonsense, which are two very separate measurements.
This is about people who are lacking the necessary commonsense to be safe and aware drivers.

That doesn't mean they're stupid. You'd be surprised how few opportunities there are to find out someone's "intelligence". I spent an entire Wagga Wagga weekend with people from all around the country and not a single person I met either leaped out as being a genius, or seemed like an idiot. The only person I thought was perhaps especially intelligent was shiny_car, and that is ONLY because I had prior knowledge that he was a doctor. Otherwise I met a lot of "people" and there is no way I could pass judgement on their intelligence.

I think it is time that you all took a step back and stopped talking about IQ, and started talking about commonsense (which increases as you grow older, hence why people usually wise up around 25, the age at which the male brain is fully developed. intelligence, on the other hand, should not increase naturally, it should only increase with extra effort)

If you wish to start an intelligence debate, start a new thread and be ready to bring it on...

Sorry but I don't let threads that start getting elitist.... because as you (partially) rightly say half the forum will be "stupid" (80 - 120 is considered normal range but anyway) but that doesn't automatically pre-dispose them to fits of bad driving or any other such behaviour.

Acting like an idiot is entirely different to being one.

... what are you, world genius of everything????

Actually, if you look at all the race drivers (rally, v8's, etc etc) most of them aren't actually smart (IQ wise) but are smart (common sense) wise.

Intelligence has no real play when driving. Skill, maturity level, and agility plays a major part when it comes to driver skill.


I do know about the situation that charger is in though, it must be something in the air or that time of month. I've had plenty of assholes try and cut me off by changing lanes, also fools that are doing like 50 in an 80 zone.

As stazed said though, you learn to read idiots and stay away from them or expect from certain type of drivers.

Unfortunately it's a fact of life in all sorts of fields.

point taken

ok, so irresponsible people are everywhere - you don't even have to be stupid.

hahaha yeah there are a lot of stupid drivers on the road.

I drive a WRX so I attract more of these drivers than most. However I also have fun in destroying a lot of them

In the end you bought the charger because you love it. So go out and drive it. You can sit back for years with the fear that your car will be written off if you drive it and then on that first time that you take it out it could be gone.

Several years down the track you will wish that you drove it more.

Take it out whenever you want, have fun while you can and if something bad happens then deal with it if it comes up.

There is no point in living your life in fear of losing your car which in 20 years time you will think wasn't really that great anyway.

Have fun while you can!!!

the guy that wrote that song also wrote Bardot's first song haha

Not officially ( ), but my mum is a counsellor, so she works with all different kids, delayed, etc, and you soon learn that intelligence isn't the reason for all the chaos being discussed....l

I think anyone here from WA with any road savvy will share you're angst charger. I have absolutely no doubt we have the worlds worst drivers being born & bred here. The National stats for auto insurance claims on a per capita basis prove it. And god the inability to merge on freeways is simply frustrating. I'm no saint, but if everyone was a little more attentive and used more common sense & courtesy on the roads we would all be a lot less stressed b4 & after work

I am only a Learner but the thing that craps me (and it IS mostly females doing this to me) is when I need to merge in on the highway and if I speed up to get infront of them they'll speed up but when they see I have given up they slow down again so I still can't get in.

Ohh, and as a learner. Use your f***ing indicators on round-a-bouts. No one bloody does and it is fustrating as hell when you are only a learner.

that only happens in QLD Midol....
most ppl here use indicators on roundabouts, just not for changing lanes

Yeah, I have noticed it is actually the older peeps not using them on roundabouts here. I indicate to change lanes and everything. I have to, or I won't pass :>

I mainly hate the people who don't keep left on double lane roads and I wish the police would enforce that law more because it causes traffic problems.

Word. My ex used to tell me how it isnt illegal if you are doing over 60km/h or something but its just bad road manners.

meh...what are you guys whining about

You should try commuting in Melbourne on a bike...I think somethings wrong when people dont...merge into your lane, see you coming and pull out in front of you, see you lane splitting through stationary traffic and pull over almost into the adjacent lane so you can't get through...the list goes on.

The government is to blame for poor driving practices...no training, no enforcement and a revenue rasing attitude to road safety means you and i have to share the roads with absolute morons...it seems it's ok to do all those things above with impunity but speed by 3k's and it costs you $165 and anywhere from 1 point and up...is it just me or is this a bit f***ed up?

Amen brudda

a huge amen.

More patrols, less cameras. What the f*** are they doing with all this money anyway? Theres less patrols now than 5 years ago!

Make sure you don't come to NSW.
I have never seen anyone other than myself indicate out of a roundabout, unless they were on their L plates.

And definitely not Red or Green P-Platers, who should know better. Most people I remind say it is just too many things to do at once when leaving a roundabout.

You indicate out of round-abouts? I see the odd person do that in VIC now and then, but it's not law here. I find it pretty annoying.

I just don't like people at all...

They're the worst

a) Yes, it's a road rule...
B) When people actually bother to do it, you know when someone is leaving the roundabout and it helps traffic flow faster. Someone who is indicating right... you don't know if they are turning right or doing a U-turn and I frequently see the person doing a u-turn have to stop because the other person "expected" them to just be turning right.
Whereas if they indicated on the way out, they know....What's annoying about indicating?

Because it's confusing when 1 in 1000 people do it. It's not a road rule in Victoria.

So if im interpreting you right stazed...if you were doing a u-turn, you wouldn't have your indicator on until you were going to exit? That sounds like a disaster in the making.
If a car is turning into the road that your on, you won't see their indicator if they were indicating left to exit it anyway, and if they were doing a u turn they wouldn't have their indicator on, making you think they were going straight.
But just as I said, thats my interpretation of what you said. Feel free to correct me.
Theres a pretty big roundabout here near my house with 5 possible exit paths. I only indicate exiting on one of the roads, to help ease any confusion with anyone maybe behind me.

You continue to indicate right at all times whilst you are going right.
As you start to straighten up to leave the roundabout you indicate left.

Maybe people don't do it properly in Victoria, but whenever I do it in NSW, people instantly recognise that I am indicating my intention to leave the roundabout (a full metre or two before I am actually leaving) and they use that opportunity to enter.

If you are turning left, you indicate left.
If you are going straight, you don't indicate until you are about to leave (not so useful here since no-one can see your indicator anyway, but it doesn't hurt)
If you are going right, you indicate right, as you are past the "dead-ahead" road and have turned through about 290 degrees (because the roundabout is curved) you indicate left.
If you are doing a u-turn, you indicate right the entire way, and left at about 370 degrees.

Because of the radius on roundabouts, the cars leaving the road you are entering can always see you indicate and can use that to then enter the roundabout.

Obviously though, indicating is only useful on large roundabouts, it is rather a waste of time on small surburban roundabouts.


Stone if it's done properly I can't see what's confusing about it. The indicator is clearly switching from right to left which should leave you in absolutely no doubt that the driver must have done that intentionally, hence allowing you to take a gap where you should have otherwise waited until the driver was actually committed to leaving the roundabout.

stazed... I know how it works, it's just unexpected seeing it once a month, if that.

From what I was taught, our laws are that you're not to enter a round-about when another car is on it, so there is no need to notify someone you are exiting it as they're not meant to enter while you're still on it anyway.

Although, no one follows that law.

Anyway, around here it's hard enough to get people to indicate once at a round-about let alone twice

Indicating out of the round about is f***ed up its like a normal cross roads intersection you indicate if your going left or right and not if your going straight ahead...

but who gives a sh!t.

There are allot of wankers on the road. At some stage i would have to think that nearly every single one of us has been thought of as a wanker. Be alert thats all you can do.
Charger I know exactly what you mean esp with the Charger. I have the same issues when driving dads HQ SS and im betting when the monaro finally gets on the road i'll also have the same issues. But you own the car to enjoy driving it. every time you drive the car you have the same chance of it being taken out by a dickhead so you might as well take it out as much as possible

I still fail to see how anyone can say indicating on roundabouts doesn't work... or isn't helpful.

The one on wises road here is a bitch. It is so busy and it takes me ages to get on it since I never know what people are doing.

I guess we haven't used any round-abouts that would benefit from it.

I guess, the not so busy ones or smaller ones don't really need it but this is a main one linking heaps of roads and highways and stuff.

I thought that when entering a round-a-bout you have to indicate if you are turning left, turning right and doing a u-turn at a round-a-bout. But also when you are exiting unless you are going straight.

If you are so scared about driving your car on the road charger, make sure you insure it, and generally if your car is registered (most are) you get third party, so if you do get involved in a dickhead crashing you, you are covered, and is a matter of getting a police report and taking the idiot to court!

The only thing that will happen is that you don't get to drive it for a while... and don't get all ur lil personal mods back...

I thought you had to indicate off the roundabouts even if you are going straight??? My driving instructor makes me anyway.

I never did on my test... *shrugs* but it makes sense to anywayz... Generally spending that lil bit of energy and time to make everyone's life a lil bit easier should be done i reckon but eh... who does that these days...

fkn rude fks!

there is a solution to the bad driver problem... make everyone sit a driving test every 5 years =)

and as for the roundabout thing... I always indicate off (no matter what exit you are using, I indicate left at least once) if I go past more than 1 exit, I indicate too (left or right, whatever the need calls for - also takes into account 5+ exit roundabouts)

I thought about insuring it but I'm too scared to see what the quote would be for somebody like me.

I allways indicate on and off the roundabouts.

Atleast I have the ute to drive, I can't wait till some prick tries something stupid and ends up feeling my roo bar through his door.

I have nothing constructive to add I just want to yell about the idiots on the road yesterday when I was heading to SAS:

1. The P plater in the green Lancer who was doing 90 in a 100 zone until I overtook him, then decided he'd doing 150 to catch up to me and cut me off when the lane ended, forcing me onto the shoulder. What did this achieve ? Nothing. Inicidentially, I caught up with him again out Penrith way, and has gold on black plates starting with NC. If he's a member on here, you're a dickhead and deserve to lose your liscence. If you know him, tell him he's a dickhead and deserves to lose his liscence.

2. The stupid fat cow in a green Lancer who was too busy stuffing her face to hold onto the steering wheel, check her mirrors or blind spots whilst MERGING on the M4. Not only did she almost side swipe me, but the car behind me as well because she lost control trying to grab the wheel. She is a menace on the roads and needs to lose her liscence before she runs over someones kid 'cos a Krispy Kreme was more important than watching the road.

3. The idiot in the green Excel (WTF is it about green cars ?) on his P's that cut across 3 lanes on the M4 tolls and almost side swiped me because he didnt check his blind spot. Its not like my car doesnt stick out like a dogs proverbials, if you're that blind not to see it DONT DRIVE.

4. The kid who on Friday night rode his black BMX bike, wearing a black shirt, black shorts, black shoes and no helmet across the 4 lane highway at 10:30 at night infront of traffic with no lights and no reflectors. I almost creamed this guy and it gave me the shock of my life. He should have his feet confiscated.

Finally...
5. The idiot, who after been told by my spotter to get out of the way as I was reversing at SAS, ran behind me as I was rolling back. Everyone who saw this tells me I missed him by no more than 10cm. I cant see out the back of a walled car, hence the spotter. I can't react that fast 'cos I dont see a whole lot out my mirrors. This is how accidents happen, use your brain next time or dont come.

Be thankful nothing actually happened there mate!

Haha gold.

Quote BlackIce

4. The kid who on Friday night rode his black BMX bike, wearing a black shirt, black shorts, black shoes and no helmet across the 4 lane highway at 10:30 at night infront of traffic with no lights and no reflectors. I almost creamed this guy and it gave me the shock of my life. He should have his feet confiscated.


Ive had it happen to me years ago but he stopped in the middle of the road, i did not see him to last minute, slammed my brakes on, and i notice he was a drunk with his bottle in one hand, i was to scared to do anything so i just took off. But was my heart pounding for a while after it.

its not a green car thing blackice its largely a lancer thing

was driving behind my missus when an idiot in a lancer changed lanes no more than 6 inches infront of her without checking his blind spot or even looking in his mirrors i guess. some people just cant drive for crap

I learnt long ago not to get frustrated in traffic... I came to realise that most people cannot drive perfect 100% of the time. You *do* occasionally lose concentration, and every now and then, there might be a close call.

This though, does not excuse the fact that some people are damn outright dangerous drivers and should not be let on the roads at all!

Still, what is the point about getting angry at people who do stupid things... just be thankful that nothing bad happened and continue on.

No point in stressing when a tool does something stupid... call em a f**kt**d and keep on driving... let it go...

If you are a bad driver... please - either stop driving or get better at it! Common sense and courtesy will get you a very long way!

yeah. I dont even get on the horn when stupid things happen nowadays, because nine times out of ten, i've seen it happening a fair way back. Classic example. 3 lane road, parked cars in the leftmost lane up ahead. Soccer moms in expensive 4wds WILL happily cruise right up to those parked cars at 60, then try and "edge in" to the next lane over, without indicating, thinking somehow their BIG F*****G 4wd will squeeze into the half lane they have left. Its fun in peak hour. Thats why i got air horns fitted. I tend to sound them a solid 10 seconds before the "merge" event. 9/10 times, people wake up to the sound, look ahead, and merge early.

Pet hate, though.

For all those occasions above it would be handy to have Air Horns from a prime mover even
Problem is I'm not sure horns that loud would be a good warning / deterent or cause a broader state of kaos & mishaps from the panic.

Well boxie... you experienced my road rage first hand on sunday's meet. heh that was fkn funny... stupid woman driver fkn not indicating and just turning at last minute.

Not only that.. some tard turning onto the road then trying to cut in to my lane.... damn fools!

oh well... these days i try and drive safely as it's my only car... don't want nothing to happen to it... heh!

In victoria, the law states that the only time you HAVE to indicate on a round-a-bout is when your leaving it. You can drive around it 10 times without your indicator on untill you choose to leave, then you indicate out. This is because other people are not supposed to be on the round-a-bout at the same time you are. Also there is no 'u-turn' on a round-a-bout because by law, if your doing a u-turn you have to give way to everything else, so its been called a 'loop turn' or something similar to that, meaning that you don't have to give way....

The reason i know this is i used to always get up my mum about not indicating right on a round-a-bout and only indicating out, telling her that it was wrong not 2 indicate, she told me it was how she was taught. And with her work she does a defensive driving course every 3 years which involves a driving school and traffic police, she asked about the round-a-bout and they said you only have to indicate out by law, you don't have to indicate any other time, only when you are leaving. Weird huh?? I wasn't taught that at all when i was getting my licence, it was just indicate like you were at a crossroad...

ush