As for my non-statistically accepted research as discussed in a previous post, my purpose is this: to study the number of what I loosely describe as "dip-s**t" errors made, broken down by category. These are usually mild offenses, ones that likely do not cause accidents, but ones that usually aggravate (me) situations, or are at least a general sign that the driver is, in some way, not on his/her game. The rest of this post is defining my study such that it's at least almost kinda-close-ish to resembling a scientific study. More of a guidelines than anything interesting.
Offenses include (but are subject to addition):
- Attempting to enter a highway at 5 mph or more lower than the flow of traffic. This offense is particularly grievous to me as it is the cause of the majority of traffic I encounter on the way to work, often doubling my commute. Gotta love the accordion effect.
- Letting off the gas/braking before the highway exit. Going 55 mph on the highway before the exit is going to cause traffic problems. Again, accordion effect.
- Non-use of a turning lane or not fully entering a turning lane before slowing down and turning. Especially common on 2-lane roads with a center turning lane.
- Cutting corners unnecessarily short and end up running the rear tire over the curb, usually found in parking lots.
- Often in fear of committing the above offense, turning WAY too far out into the road/isle and winding up blocking both lanes.
- Parallel parking at an angle (nose in), parking more than a foot away from the raised portion of the curb, or parking outside of the lines by more than an inch or two.
- Parking in normal spaces over lines, at an angle (usually cars who's fronts are centered but forget that the back doesn't line up automatically), or parking with the butt of the car sticking way out into the isle.
- Driving unnecessarily slowly. This comes in many forms including slow parking, overly slow reactions to green lights, stopping at a green protected turn or other right of way/clear yield turn.
- Leaving more than 3/4 car length in front of your car when traffic is thick enough for some cars to be stuck in an intersection. I am picky, yes, but this is a thoughtless action that can result in an intersection being blocked or partially blocked.
- Blocking the box (entering an intersection when there are stopped cars in front of you already at least halfway in to the intersection.
- Pulling up to a drive-through window more than a foot away from the curb, or scraping tires against the curb.
- Not moving/adjusting to allow someone to merge smoothly onto the highway
- Merging into the wrong lane at a double left or double right turn
- Improper use of left/right lanes on the highway
I will conduct this study by bringing a tape recorder with me in the car and calling out pertinent information when seen. Yes, this is a horrible way to perform a survey, but I'm not going to take this any farther. I will report back after the end of April.
What do I call pertinent information? The categories of data to be collected. As stated, I'm mostly concerned with make of vehicle, however I also will be calling out (only when it happens) a few particular classes of cars. These include small SUV or SUV-like in stature vehicles that I deem to be ill designed for off-roading (think Hyundai Santa-Fe and Scion XB). Also included are mini-vans and pickup trucks. Admittedly, I only know what I already expect in regards to style of vehicle, also that this is, again, horribly un-scientific. I hope that my point 1 month from now will show itself.
I admit to a bias going in. I will reveal the answers when I complete the study and I plan to be honest as to whether or not my bias was correct then and only then.
Again, all very unscientific and picky. Lets meet back in a month.
