Top 10 Most Annoying Things Drivers Do

Sure, your car is full of mirrors, but still: do the smart thing and look behind you when you’re backing up. There’s always that one jerk that backs up without looking; then he or she ends up backing into someone else’s car, fence, or something large and stationary like a house or swimming pool. In addition to being annoying, it’s also super dangerous - what if that bumper you bumped or house you backed into was a person? Even if you have a backup sensor, at least take a look around; they're called “blind spots” for a reason.

Stereotypes say that old people are always driving below the speed limit - but we shouldn’t be so quick to judge, because anyone at any age can be guilty of driving too slow. You shouldn't drive faster than your skill level or the law will allow, but you also don’t want to drive so slowly that you hold up the folks behind you; people have places to go! This is especially annoying if you’re driving at a snail’s pace in the fast lane - there’s a reason it’s called the fast lane! And while not as common, slow drivers can, and will, get pulled over just like speed demons – so moderation is key.

One of the first lessons a preschooler learns is that a red traffic light means stop. So why do drivers still try to barrel through red lights? We get that they’re in a hurry, or maybe they didn't even notice - but if you drive past a red light, you’re asking for trouble. You think you’ll get away with no trouble, but then… BOOM! You t-bone another car, or you cause other cars behind you to crash! This applies to stop signs as well. Basically, if the light or sign is red, then STOP! If not, the 5-0 will make you stop, and they may not be nice about it.

Not only is this annoying, it’s just plain rude! You’re looking for a parking spot, and then what do you see? Some jerk has parked his or her car into two spaces at once. This pointless action is depriving GOOD drivers of a parking space. However, instead of getting angry, some frustrated drivers are fighting back the only way these space hogs can understand: good old-fashioned revenge! Not that we condone this kinda thing, but some angry drivers have been known to spray paint where the dividing line really is on the offending car, or to park their muddy jeep too close to a poorly-parked corvette. Do the right thing, and park between the lines.

Picture this: you’re driving alone at night, you can see just enough in front of you, when suddenly another car coming towards you is shining its high beams in your eyes! High beams can be very helpful if you’re driving in the dark, or to warn drivers during the day of oncoming speed traps; but just remember to lower them if you’re about to pass another driver so you don’t blind him or her. Be careful of who you’re flashing your high beams at, btw - you never know who might be in the middle of a gang initiation.

You ever get the feeling that you’re being followed? Well, there’s a good chance you ARE being followed …and he or she is too close! You’ll rarely be the only one out on the road, and you’ll eventually have to deal with a speed demon riding too close to your back bumper. It's a stressful situation because if you brake suddenly, he or she might just give you the chrome horn. Don’t be intimidated; instead just pull over and let the jerk pass, and hope that he or she gets caught by the cops. If you can't see the tires of the car you're following, you're probably too close.

A traffic jam when you're already late? It's a little too ironic, dontcha think? But whatever you do, DON’T try to sneak your way to the front. You’re not the ONLY one being held up, pal! We all have somewhere to be, so don’t make the situation any worse. If you try to force yourself in front of another driver, you could end up bumping him or her off the road NASCAR-style, but hopefully not on purpose. You’ll get to the merge eventually; driving like a meathead won’t get you there any quicker. Nobody likes long lines, but no one likes an idiot driver either.

When you’re driving, you should be paying attention to the road at all times - meaning no talking on your cell phone, and absolutely no texting! You may be able to see the road when you’re on the phone, but your focus on the task at hand is compromised. Texting, unsurprisingly, is even more dangerous and doesn’t always end well. You could be saving tons of lives if you just put down the cell phone until you’re out of the car. There will be plenty of time to text and tweet when you've arrived at your destination.

Do you know why they’re called TURN signals? Because you use them to let the other drivers know when you’re about to make a turn. And yet, some drivers still think it’s okay to turn into an intersection or a lane without signaling. This will not only confuse and annoy thedrivers behind them, but one false turn could end in a wreck. It only takes one push or pull of a lever, handily located on the steering column, to be a safer driver... but please remember to turn off your blinker when you've completed your turn.

Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few honorable, or in this case, dishonorable, mentions.
They Don’t Sweep Snow Off Their Cars
They Don’t Check Their Blind Spots
They Make Illegal Passing Moves / U-Turns
They Don’t Give the “Thank You Wave” When You Let Them Pass
They Take the Parking Spot You Signaled For

There’s no doubt that traffic jams are the scourge of all drivers – you’re trapped behind an ocean of unmoving cars and you could be late! Oh no! But that still doesn't make it okay to sneak into the intersection during a jam. You tried to sneak ahead, but now you’re blocking cars and trucks from the other direction and causing gridlock for everyone! Way to go, you just made the jam even WORSE! All it takes is one dummy trying to cheat the traffic jam to cause this chaos. Don’t be that dummy.

Do you agree with our list? Are you thinking about taking the train instead of driving? For more road-raging top 10s, be sure to tune into WatchMojo.com.