Pet peeves – we’ve all got them. And since we tend to spend more than just a little bit of time in our cars and driving, it stands to reason that our list of car and driving pet peeves would be long and exhaustive. It doesn’t help that we often spend a lot of time fighting traffic or commuter-type jam ups, so our extra cranky dispositions might lead us to find more to be annoyed about. Vicious cycle, that. Outlined below are 5 of the most common car and driving pet peeves that I hear from people, but feel free to add yours to the list in the comments below.
Tailgaters – Oh yes, car pet peeve lists start and end with tailgaters – those pushy, impatient, bumper-riding jerks, who just can’t wait to convince you to pull over into the right lane so that they can speed on by. Yes, these people apparently lead such busy and important lives, that the typical rules of civility and road safety do not apply to them, and they are thus excused from the rules of engagement. Lucky them. I tend to tap on the breaks as a little warning to these reckless folk, although I don’t advise passive-aggressive behavior on the road.
Gas Tank Woes – This is one of my biggest personal car pet peeves, and it happens every time I get a rental car or drive a friend’s ride. I never know which side of the car the gas tank is going to be on, so I drive around and around the pump like a dog chasing its tail. Once I determine which side it’s on, then I have to Easter-egg hunt around, rummaging underneath the seats and in dark corners of the dash until I find the gas tank release button. And then some cars now just have the kind you can push on to open, so there is not button at all. And maybe you don’t find that one out until you pull out the owner’s manual in frustration. Can’t car companies just standardize this stuff? We’d all be appreciative.
Slow Driver, Fast Lane – I’m all about meandering – sometimes it’s the only thing you want to do once you’re in the car. Just take your time driving around to wherever it is you’re going. And that’s fine, we all support that, but what we don’t support is you doing your peaceful wandering in the fast lane. This is a car pet peeve I’ve heard from so many people that I’ve begun to think it’s universal, and probably even the people who are doing the slow driving in the fast lane feel the same way. They just don’t realize they’re the culprits. Left is for passing, right is for slower drivers – c’mon people, this is basic Driver’s Ed stuff, here.
Dirty Feet – Okay, I understand that sometimes you and your friends go hiking, and they really can’t help climbing into your car and tracking mud all over your tan carpeting. That can’t be helped. But one of my car pet peeves, is when people get into the car with dirty feet, and then pop them right up on the dashboard like they were raised in a barn. I don’t know where your feet have been, please leave them on the floor, where I am not forced to inspect their undersides.
Seat Positioning – It takes such an incredibly long time to find the perfect position for your seat – how close, how high, the angle of the steering wheel, the setting of the mirror, and even the height of the seat belt. It’s all carefully calibrated. So when someone comes it and haphazardly readjusts the seat to drive my car, it drives me crazy. Not that they have to drive scrunched up, but a major car pet peeve is coming in and readjusting without any regard for the seat’s former position. Luckily, some car manufacturers have recognized this issue, and have created seat memory buttons, which you can program to remember your exact seat adjustments. I’m sure that saves a lot of couples from a lot of brutal fights.
Got any pet peeves of your own? Add them to the comments!
