The Personalities Behind the Wheel
From the speedster to the parking rookies, you're bound to meet dozens of different personalities on the road, some of whom may make the driving experience more entertaining or—more likely—stressful for you. After all, we all have our own quirks and habits, so you'll probably identify with a few of the characters on this list, too. Curious about the cast of people you encounter every day behind the wheel? Here are 20 drivers you're bound to meet—whether you like it or not.
1. The Speedster
You've definitely met this type of driver on the road: the one who speeds past everyone like they're constantly late for work and don't care if police could be hot on their trail. Even when the posted limit states a maximum of 30 mph, you can guarantee the speedster is zooming by double that.
2. The Slow-Poke
Then you have the speedster's opposite: the slow-poke. This is the kind of driver who's slowly inching along, uncaring if everyone behind them is blasting their horn in an effort to tell them to hurry up. You're probably (safely) passing this person whenever you encounter them on the road, unless you're okay with being late everywhere.
3. The Lane Swerver
The lane swerver is similar to your speedster, but the difference is that this one doesn't just zoom past everyone—they hop from lane to lane. They don't care how dangerous it is, either, which is why they're always speeding and swerving through like they're in Grand Theft Auto.
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4. The Signal Forgoer
Ah, who could forget the signal forgoer? This is the driver who either flips their blinker on right at the last second (to the horror and frustration of everyone behind them) or stalls traffic by not turning their signals on at all. You've probably been stuck behind this type of driver more times than you can count.
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5. The Tailgater
The tailgater is the one who, well, tailgates. This can be nerve-wracking if they're the driver behind you or slightly entertaining if they're the car in front following another vehicle hot on their heels. You can only hope they've got good brakes and a quick reaction time.
6. The Road Rager
The road rager is the driver who's perpetually angry at everyone, all the time. It doesn't matter whether they're actually late for a function or not; sometimes, they'll blast their horn and scream expletives at you just because they want to.
7. The Cut-Offer
Found an opening to merge in? Psyche—never mind, the cut-offer just sped up to block your entry. Thanks to them, now you'll need to wait for another opening. How lovely. We don't know what compels these types of drivers to feel like they own the road, but it is what it is.
8. The Learner
We were all student drivers once, so we shouldn't judge amateurs on the road too harshly. But then again, it can be hard not to judge when some learners drive at a snail's pace and take forever to complete their maneuvers.
9. The Smartphone User
Even though you hear the stats of how distracted driving kills, somehow this information doesn't faze the smartphone user. In fact, they seem to only be glued to their device even more, which often results in them nearly colliding with other drivers, putting themselves and everyone else in constant danger.
10. The Forgetful Driver
You have the signal forgoer—the one who consciously decides not to turn their blinkers on—and then you have your forgetful driver: the one who seems to never know what they're doing on the road. They might signal that they want to change lanes, but then they never actually do. They might leave their hazards on. They might forget which exit they were supposed to get off, and now they're aggressively cutting across the highway to make it. As you can see, forgetful drivers are a handful.
11. The Parking Rookie
You likely encounter a parking rookie at least once every day on the road; heck, you might be the parking rookie. And that's no surprise, given that parking is a skill you either have or you don't. Which means you may sometimes be stuck waiting behind someone as they make their 35th attempt at backing into a spot.
12. The Music Enthusiast
The music enthusiasts—or to put it more bluntly, the noise pollutioners—are the drivers who have their volume cranked all the way up so everyone can hear their favorite playlist. It also means that you'll be treated to their lovely tunes when you're stopped beside them at the red light, which is always a treat.
13. The One Who's Always Lost
When you're stuck behind the driver who's always lost, be prepared to have your foot above the brake at all times—you never know when they're going to stop or hesitate next. GPS might be a built-in function in almost all new cars, but you'll still encounter people who can't follow directions to save their lives.
14. The Red-Light Runner
Yikes—you've probably seen this kind of driver once or twice, although we hope it's extremely rare. As it says on the tin, the red-light runner is someone who blows through the red light. This might happen for two reasons: their mind is elsewhere as they speed through the intersection, or they don't care about the consequences they might face.
Muhammed Zahid Bulut on Pexels
15. The Directionally Challenged
You have the drivers who are perpetually lost, and then you have the drivers who are directionally challenged. You might see them make a right on a left-turn lane, switch their blinkers, or drive on the opposite side of the road. In other words, you definitely don't want to come across them.
16. The Shoulder Check Forgetter
The shoulder check forgetter is the kind of driver who'll make a turn, only to realize there's a pedestrian crossing at the last second, and now a car is speeding down the intersection toward them. There's a reason why you were always drilled on shoulder checks as a student driver, so don't forget about them once you get your license.
17. The Blind Reverser
Given that most new vehicles have cameras and sensors installed all around to ensure ultimate safety, you'd expect that people are generally fairly careful when moving their car, especially in reverse. But nope—every now and then you'll still come across drivers who back up without a care in the world, meaning they always almost hit something or someone.
18. The Litterer
Ah, the litterer. Who can forget them? This is the type of driver who constantly tosses trash out the window like the road is their garbage bin. Not only is this bad for the environment and wildlife, but it can also obscure the driver behind them if the litter hits the windshield. Why people still do this is mind-boggling.
19. The Entitled Driver
The entitled driver is the kind of driver on the road who thinks they're allowed to do anything they want. They don't care if there's not a safe gap to merge—they'll do it anyway, and they'll expect that you let them. In their minds, they're the king of the road.
20. The Normal One
And finally, you have the normal driver. This is the person on the road who drives defensively and safely, who follows the rules of the road, who's always scanning the environment and staying diligent. In other words, this is the driver everyone should be on the road.
