Scared – what do you do?

[jphanna]

We all feel in best when we are behind the wheel driving, but what are you like when you are a passenger, and the driver is making you uncomfortable, you feel in danger. They may be tailgating at high speed, not watching the road, changing lanes dangerously, etc. this person may be your best mate, workmate, wife, g/friend, relative etc. Do you keep your mouth shut and hold on tight, or do you say something?

[SB076]

Say something - its your mate g/friend relative etc, if they are good about it they will take your comments on board and who knows you may save a life

[Paddyboy]

This is a tough one, coz obviously the answer is to say something, but its not always easy, coz some people are insecure about their driving and can take it that your calling them a bad driver. If they are driving dangerously deliberately to show off then I definetly say something. But if its their normal day to day driving that freaks you out then its tough, I lost my liscence about 2 years ago for 3 months and got my gf to drive me around everywhere and she drives crazy, I had to tell her about it and it got bad, like we would fight everytime we got in the car, haha. All good now though but I know how you feel.

[XR Martin]

Tell them 'if you dont slow down, can you please stop and ill get out'

[stippa]

Yea just go off at the person if they are driving stupid for no reason.. I have been in 2 car accidents that were not my fault and i really never want to experience it again. as above i either tell the person to drive normally or I will get out

[Road_Warrior]

If it's wifey I'll go off, if it's a mate I'll more than likely say something.

If it's a person other than wifey who makes a habit of driving like that, I'll just boycott going in their car if the behaviour continues.

[RG]

Easy, man up and tell them to stop acting like a clown.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Tell them 'if you dont slow down, can you please stop and ill get out'

Yep, done it a few times.. avoided being involved in a nasty accident by doing it once too.

[Mr Brooksy]

Yeah, dont stay silent! The only time I didnt say something and a mate was driving stupidly, he wrapped his 2 week old XY GTHO replica round a big tree. Since then I have always said something!

Even when I get grief for it. At least they back off a bit.

[MickyG]

Yep when mates are driving like dicks and I tell them to slow down the first thing they say is 'Are you Scared' my reply is that I have a great fear of not being able to use my legs again and shitting into a nappy for the rest of my life so yes I am very scared.

[XR6_661]

My mate is a shocking driver, foot to the floor everywhere, lane swaps, etc etc. I now flat out refuse to get in a car with him at the wheel. And I still think to this day he is gonna have a big crash and kill someone innocent and walk away scott free.

Like RG said, man up and just tell them. If they don't like what you have to say, then let them deal with that.

I myself, only drive harder at times when I am by myself in the car. My mates and g/friend say I'm a grandpa behind the wheel. Told the missus straight up I drive like that because I don't wanna risk her safety.

Comes down to the individual at the wheel I spose...

[balthazarr]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

...
I myself, only drive harder at times when I am by myself in the car. My mates and g/friend say I'm a grandpa behind the wheel. Told the missus straight up I drive like that because I don't wanna risk her safety.

Comes down to the individual at the wheel I spose...

I agree. If I am driving and there is someone else in the car, or other cars/pedestrians/bikes/whatever are around me then I am responsible for their safety, so I grandpa it up.

If I'm alone and nobody else is around, I'll sometimes push the boundaries. If I screw up and hurt myself, well, I only have myself to blame.

I can think of nothing worse than maiming or killing someone and having to live with the fact that that person's life (or that of their loved ones) will never be the same again.

[jphanna]

One of my best mates for last 20 years is NATURAL tailgater. I have had 2 accidents with him as passenger. once I told him ‘you will hit the car in front’..he laughed, and then hit him. Another time he hit a tree with me (wasn’t tailgating that time!!!) because it was wet and didn’t drive to conditions. Lucky both times was at slow speeds. He has bought many cars and all were in good nick when he got em.

HQ - dented
XA - dented
Mazda 929 - dented
Mazda 626 – dented badly (tree car)
Toyota Van - dented
Corrolla - dented
AU - XR6 (3 weeks old) see how long this lasts without a dent.

[sgt_doofey]

The wife is always telling me what to do.

[BlackLS]

"Slow down I feel sick" and "Don't lose your licence" work well.

Although the ones I feel scared with are usually the ones that don't speed.

[Nappa]

I've been in that position a few times. when i was younger and before I started in the car business i never used to say anything, just grit my teeth and pray we'd make it to our destination. Now days i will say something, however i always try not act like i'm scolding them, just a gentle reminder to take it easy, or whats the rush.

Luckily i won my GF's daily driver so I dont hesitate to tell her off if I dont like the way she is driving my car.

[james22]

^^^ lol, yeah anyone that cares about their car will slow down for the "I feel sick line", cause they dont want to clean up a mess. Strange thing though, they are just as happy to put the car into a tree causing a lot more headache, money, time etc.... got me buggered

[TZH]

Originally Posted by RG

Easy, man up and tell them to stop acting like a clown.

lol,this is funny.

[F6T]

My wife has no trouble telling me how to drive. But if she is feeling uncomfortable then obviously, I listen. She's good insurance for me in terms of being able to keep my licence. I simply don't break speed limits or go unexpected WOT with her in the car.

For me, it depends alot on the driver. My best mate and another forum member on here I'm mates with have never made me feel uncomfortable when I'm a passenger with them and some spritited driving is happening. That's because I have complete faith in their abilities (both can seriously drive).

On the other hand, my brother is an accident waiting to happen. He tailgates, speeds, overtakes in ridiculous places, is verbally aggro at the wheel, impatient and seriously overestimates his abilities. With him, I am right on the jesus bar and telling him to slow down before he kills us both. This usually makes him angrier though! He doesn't slow down either for my parents whenver they get a lift with him. My parents pull over to let MTT buses pass them!

[imugli]

I'm forever telling the missus to back off from the car in front.

One day she comes home and tells me she didn't hear her phone ringing (she uses hands free) because she was listening to her iPod :

That was the last time THAT happened...

I also have no qualms in winding down my window and telling the person on their phone in the car beside me that it may not be themselves that they kill - it could be someone else's kid. That normally get's them thinking...

[jphanna]

it may sound silly, but if i am feeling insecure as passenger, i roll the seat back as far as it will go and recline it more than normal, then i pull down the sun visor so that if we have an accident there may be a chance of a softer 'blow' instead of hitting the glass. sometimes you can get stuck with a person that if you tell em to slow down...they speed up.

[ZA-289]

I can be a nervous passenger with someone I haven't been in a car with before and if they are driving iracticaly (spelling) i sure as hell tell them to take it easy and watch what they're doing, but i've also got mates that i'll let do whatever coz I trust them, after years of being in a car with them doing stupid stuff. (offroad of course)

[nutter_x]

My brother is a shocker for driving at his cars limits, and it's the first thing everyone notices when they get in the car with him. Unfortunately he inherited Mum's stubborness, so he can't be told anything. Hell, I can even remeber on his L's, I took him out for a lesson, he didn't indicate around a corner and I pulled him up for it, he turned around and said "I'm driving, don't tell me what to do". ON HIS L'S, TO HIS SUPERVISING DRIVER :togo:

As for me, well, on my own I drive how I want, with mates I tone it down quite a bit, and with any of the girls or relos I baby the car everywhere, and if I'm going to drive aggressively everyone is warned well and truly before.

[balthazarr]

Originally Posted by jphanna

it may sound silly, but if i am feeling insecure as passenger, i roll the seat back as far as it will go and recline it more than normal, then i pull down the sun visor so that if we have an accident there may be a chance of a softer 'blow' instead of hitting the glass. sometimes you can get stuck with a person that if you tell em to slow down...they speed up.

Actually, that's the worst thing you can do... if you're reclined too far, depending on the collision, you can be thrown back, slide out of the seat and end up through the rear window.

Better is to have a proper seating position, with the seatbelt worn properly.

Best is to not ride with such a driver.

[mcflux]

it may sound silly, but if i am feeling insecure as passenger, i roll the seat back as far as it will go and recline it more than normal, then i pull down the sun visor so that if we have an accident there may be a chance of a softer 'blow' instead of hitting the glass.

This reminds me of Lano & Woodley

<Colin standing on kitchen table, screaming at Frank> I'M NOT OVER-REACTING!!!

[LowEL2XR8]

My mum hates driving with me or is uncomfortable at best. Always telling me what the limit is and using her invisible brake pedal when I'm slowing for traffic and lights.
Mum being old she drives quite slow and very defensive almost to the point where its dangerous. I drive at or near the limit and brake normally etc. She freaks.
I bet there are a few other forum members mums like that. God bless their soul.

[XRSIKS]

If someone new gets in the car with me, i set the rules. they are simple, If i do anything that makes them feel uncomfortable, anything at all, they should speak up, and i will stop, or alter my driving to make them feel more comfortable.

Yeah, i care THAT MUCH!

[Feathers]

I have a friend that is a very 'nervous' driver.

You name it, she does it. Tailgating, not driving to conditions, braking too late...
Twice I have been in her car (Toyota Echo full of stuffed toys), and have been genuinely scared, even after telling her to back off the car in front/stop fiddling with the air-con/that the light coming up was red (she wasn't going to stop), and I've instructed her to pull over into a side street.
Once stopped I have opened the door and got out of the car. (Then continued yelling at her on the footpath) before telling her that I would be driving the rest of the way and to get in the passenger side.

She also has no sense of direction at all, and relies on her TomTom to get her everywhere, which allows her to continue to putter along in her own little world, and not pay attention to anything happening around her until she has to change lanes or merge.

She used to see a guy that lived at Seven Hills, and she'd highlighted the route from her place to his in her street directory (before her GPS). She worked out it was the 4th exit after she entered the M4. This was fine for 12 months, until the M7 ramps opened.
On her way out there after work one day she got 600m up the 4th exit as usual, until she decided that it didn't look familliar. She stopped, got out the map, and then because she had no idea how to find her way around once she was off the M4, she reversed back down the exit ramp - in peak hour traffic - and rejoined the M4.
She will joyfully tell anyone who listens that story. Because she thinks it's funny. No matter how often her mother/sister/brother/friends tell her she is doing something wrong and to be more observant/careful, she just laughs it off saying she hasn't had an accident "this year", so she must be getting better.

She ran up the back of a car near home last year, and rang her mum in hysterics saying the brakes had failed. (It was a cold, rainy day, and she was travelling downhill)
30 minutes later she turned up at my place, and when I asked how she got there she replied "I drove, how else?" Brakes didn't fail. The driver did.

[FPV+fteT3]

My brother is a shocker I won't go anywhere with him driving it is just dumb luck he has not had a major yet. When I bought the FPV (He loves his fords) I did something very unusual and offered him a drive never again the car is quick but he undertook a 5 series beemer on a freeway entry ramp WTF something I could not ever consider doing we were flying, That was in a new $60k car that was not his. Some people are dangerous and should not be on the road at all. I am lucky I tend to drive myself rather than passenger it.

[FPV GT40]

Originally Posted by jphanna

We all feel in best when we are behind the wheel driving, but what are you like when you are a passenger, and the driver is making you uncomfortable, you feel in danger. They may be tailgating at high speed, not watching the road, changing lanes dangerously, etc. this person may be your best mate, workmate, wife, g/friend, relative etc. Do you keep your mouth shut and hold on tight, or do you say something?

Say something, as its too late when you are getting taken to Hospital in the Ambulance...its usually the passenger that gets killed or injured anyway...

I have a good mate of mine and I will not go in the car with him as he can not drive for , and now he actually thrown me the keys to bis car whenever we go anywhere....The last time I went in his car was a 1500km round trip, and I drove all the way, he picked me up from my placle and handed me the keys to his car.