I do not understand people (well, NJ drivers)

stop honking, the horn is to warn other drivers of pending emergencies. then move out of NJ, but dont come here..lol..

 

Don't you know that in this country, we take a very self centered view on things? If someone's driving along, it's not their responsibility to make sure their actions aren't dangerous - it's everyone else's responsibility to get out of their way!

 

I used to get irritated by such things. Now I just waive at people so as to let them know I see them and how close they are to my bumper. More often than not, people will end up waiving back to me.

I just happened to me today when someone was a couple inches from my back bumper while I was doing 5 over the speed limit. I waived at him while he's on me and when he raced into the left lane to make a turn he looked at me and waived back.

It's because of this that I now understand that most people have no clue when they're driving like jerks. I guess it makes it a little more forgiving than if intent was present.

 

ive experienced this too, and i swear its mostly people in gas guzzling suvs and trucks that get all pissy.

i mean i would be too if i was getting 9mpg and destroying the environment. lol

 

This is one more on the list of bad things I've heard about New Jersey. Technically, the horn is supposed to be to warn someone of your presence when they're about to hit you or be hit by you, but I'll admit to using it to say "What you just did was effing stupid!!!" in extreme circumstances.

People who give you the finger in return are saying "I couldn't care less that I drive like a jerk."

I guess I'll be staying away from NJ. Not that I ever had any intention of going there anyway.

 

In 1.5 years of Prius ownership, my driving has changed toward caution & (IMHO) courtesy. I've attributed it to: having a new car, trying to maximize mpg's, and the aging-maturity-whatever.

Of course, in NJ, that places me at the blow-eee end of the horn. And the fingers. And the irrational yelling. And fist-shaking. And the cut-off's from both left & right.

I just smile, b/c 45 sec. later, there we are at the next traffic light ... together again ... and all that rage got the dope nowhere fast.

They seem to want to "start something," and are disappointed when I don't respond.

Funny thing -- I just got my "play car" ('90 Miata) back on the road after sitting in the garage since I got the Prius. I found that I drove the Miata like I drive the Prius ... and the honks keep on coming.

Lora, were you honking too?

 

Of course, NJ is the armpit of the nation. I just recently made a few trips to my birthplace, Newark NJ, and it has not changed. The name of the game is to try to hit other drivers, either by avoiding stopping at red light or stop signs, or just driving so fast that you can't stop in time. Your mission is to maneuver around all that without getting hit. And if you do hit someone, the goal becomes to try and drive away as fast as possible and go hit someone else. There are no good or bad drivers there.

 

Imagine the look of surprise on their face if the next time they acted violent, one of these popped out the roof of your Prius

But seriously, stop leaning on the tooter. You're lucky you haven't been shot

 

I agree, but I take it to the NEXT level...I actually look at them and smile and give them a wave just like their my best buddies. Seems like most of them can't figure out why they wasn't able to get a "raise" out of me. It sometimes gets the best of them....HA!

 

Can't blame it on SUV's & pickups. This week I was run off the road by a "gentleman" in a white Buick who thought he had a God given right to drive 70mph on a 50mph highway. Maybe it's time to start filing police reports.

 

Since I live on Staten Island I am a stone's throw from New Jersey. When people think of NJ, they think of the opening scene of the Sopranos and the industrial look of I95 as it bisects the Meadowlands. NJ is actually a very pretty state. Okay... now the bad part. Their drivers are a bunch of schmucks!! Anytime I drive in NY and some putz drives like a moron, they have a Jersey plate. When I drive in Jersey I HAVE to become aggressive (yeah.. more so than NY) to keep from getting run off the road. As to horn use, I NEVER use my horn unless it is an emergency. I don't even toot someone when the light turns green. I like to see how long the idiot is going to wait before he or she proceeds. If you honk , the driver takes offense to it and drives slow and may even show aggression. Bottom line, try and remain invisible. Keep a safe distance, don't honk and you'll find your blood pressure is 120/80 when you get home SAFELY. Speaking of NJ, I have to pick up my little maltese who is down near Freehold. Oiy Vey!!!!

 

Wait for karma. A few weeks ago there was a backup at a light. Two lanes of cars were stopped, one lane to go straight or left, the other to go right. Idiotboy who is much more important than the rest of us pulled zoomed by everybody by driving in the oncoming lane. Idiotboy then made a right hand turn in front of two lanes of traffic just as the light turned green. Idiotboy got plowed into, so I guess the time he thought he would save never happened. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but he got a nice dent in the passenger door that he won't soon forget.

 

It's not just NJ, it's like that all over the country. People
get so self-righteous and turn into total animals behind the
wheel, and it's the fault of virtually nonexistent drivers' ed,
hardline licensing/testing requirements, and the way they've
had speed and power and beat-the-other-guy stuffed down their
throats by the automakers from babyhood. All the automakers,
Toyota included. The motoring public is ironically both victim
to this ongoing idiocy, and turning themselves into bands of
terrorists who think nothing of putting their fellow citizens
in harm's way when they should really be fighting the common
enemy. And the more "save the troops" and little flags plastered
on the back of their gas-guzzlers, the more likely they are to
be serious pains in the nice person on the roads. Yeah, that's America
for ya.
.
_H*

 

Similar thing happened here about a week ago, mr. "I'm too important for traffic laws" couldn't wait for the light rail train to pass. So he drives around the crossing arm, as he was wraped around the front of the train and shoved about 100 yards down the track he realized that "light rail" really isnt that light. Oh well, Darwin at work.

On the horn thing, I have to chuckle when I hear about people getting upset by someone honking at them. If they would experience driving in the Philippines, they'd get over that in a hurry. There car horns are an active communication device. For example, if you are waiting to get onto a busy street, it's two quick beeps, the response from the moving traffic, they open a spot for you to merge in or respond with a long beep, meaning "after me". And I believe (though not certain), a car without a functioning horn is considered inoperable.

 

IMO it's a shame Idiotboy didn't get hurt. NY has its share, too. A woman just wiped out a carload of her family by driving on the wrong side of the road. Unfortunately she took someone else with her.

 

Yes that story made national news because of the loss of life and human tragedy. It was learned after an autopsy that the woman who had kids in the car was twice the legal limit on alcohol AND had smoked pot within a few hours of getting behind the wheel. Unfortunately, these stories happen every day and just don't make the headlines.

 

let them hit you! eventually they will learn. I don't honk. I just stand my ground. maybe a trip to NJ is in order. Can get this clunker totaled and possibly get into a prius quicker.

All Jokes aside, Although I do stand my ground and don't honk my horn, I have found on long trips that if I honk, or quickly move to avoid a collision, ppl continue to do it. One day I had enough and started standing my ground. I really like seeing the looks on teenagers faces when out in mommy and daddy's car and are showing off to their friends only to see me coming at them full force with no signs of me slowing down!!!!! (going the speed limit of course.)

Now, I will slow, safely swerve etc, when I have my munchkins in the car with me though.