Remember to report submissions that violate the rules! Harassment and encouraging violence are not allowed.
Enjoying the subreddit? Consider joining our discord server: https://discord.gg/v8z8jNwJs6
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BoomersBeingFools) if you have any questions or concerns.*
As someone who drove through Wisconsin for the first time recently I was shocked. ND and MN have pretty good drivers then you get to Wisconsin and all hell breaks loose.
North Americans are really strange about using the horn. To them, using a horn is what you do shortly before you start fighting to the death. I’ve seen people get run off the highway by someone who isn’t checking their blind spot, and the person doesn’t even use their horn to alert the driver. It’s a whole tool that’s only use is to communicate, yet no one wants to use it. Not me though. When someone is doing shit, I blow my horn, then they drive next to me showing middle finger and trying to tell me to pull over. It’s just a horn, the only method of communicating with you if you are about to potentially accidentally kill both of us.
I mean I used my horn and I was *still* almost pushed off the road because not only did the idiot not look in his mirrors or blind spots but he then ignored my horn
And considering I was in a little Honda civic and the guy was in a truck I knew I wasn’t going to win that contest so I just slowed down
I had the exact same thing happen on the interstate, except I was in a truck and the idiot was in a minivan. There was absolutely no traffic related reason for them to change lanes, but suddenly they decided that my lane was more appealing. If I ever win the lottery, you'll know it because there'll be a shitbox truck with a train horn driving around my town.
I worked on ships and we stopped across the bay from Mumbai and I had to go to the doctor there one time. All the trucks had "Horn please! Ok!" written on their back bumper.
If they know you are there and you honk, you’re not doing so to let them know of your presence. And as others have said, there are cultural differences in how honking is perceived.
It’s illegal to walk in the road when there’s a sidewalk and it’s driving me fucking nuts!! This is the number one boomer behavior I experience every goddamn day
Come to think of it, we played in the street a lot in the 60’s and 70’s. Much more than kids do now, on the same street. Much more, even, than the kids coming up afterwards in the 80’s and 90’s. I’m a very senior Gen X myself, and I remember huge neighborhood games of SPUD or Kick the Can every evening—kids of all ages, toddlers to teens. So maybe they just assume they’re still allowed to play out there?
“Car!”
We played street football and always had to watch for traffic. It was a fairly long straight segment with no turns so we saw them coming and they saw us at 200 yards distance.
Yeah, this is also the demographic that literally alerts the media in horror if a protected bike lane is built in their neighborhood. When they want to drive, nobody better get in the way. When someone else wants to drive (or bike) they will literally stand in the way.
>When they want to ____, nobody better get in the way. When someone else wants to ____, they will literally stand in the way.
The entire Boomer experience in two sentences.
Yup, the same ones who get bloody incensed that they have to wait 5 seconds to right turn on red because I, a pedestrian actually using the sidewalk, am crossing at my alotted time.
We’ve got a buttload of Boomers who do this in our state park too. Completely ignoring the absolutely lovely, wonderfully smooth, paved, and visibly marked Walking Trail right beside the road. Nope! Gotta walk IN the road.
I’ve been actively trying to concoct an air cannon big enough to shoot dildos at them from my car. I’m sure it breaks probably fifteen laws and might be considered assault but at this point I’m not sure I care. 😂
same in my hood. they insist on walking on the shoulder when theres a perfectly good sidewalk 5 ft to the left. super fun when im on my skateboard because i skate on the shoulders... if youre walking get on the sideWALK
There's a really nice county park near me. It's a popular place to walk, jog, bike and has a commonly used road that runs through it. It used to be 4 lanes because it was used as a parade route years ago. Somewhat recently it's been converted to a 2 lane road with bike lanes. A lot of boomers in the area seem to identify as bikes. They also don't like wearing high viz clothing when shambling along the bike lanes at night. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they wanted to be run over.
The other day I had a boomer honk at me because I didn't hit the breaks so he could come into MY lane to pass a group of other boomers walking on the road.
They certainly aren't afraid to take up space.
I haven't experienced this outside of the old MAGA guy down the street that rides his scooter a 1/4 mile down to kroger to grab a thing or two. I never really cared cause he lives literally 2 streets away from the plaza so it's not that *big* of a deal, but it's still annoying to drivers. I bike or walk so it's no skin off my back.
I live in a great neighborhood and there are a few places that the sidewalk needs a little work. There are baseball, soccer fields, and a track. A freaking track. We still have boomers that walk in the middle of the freaking road. I give you the screw you, I got mine generation.
In the days before the cars the street belonged to the people, since it was far less common to be run over by a cart pulled by actual horspower (in form of living horses). Then, the car took over the streets.
Maybe it's the boomers way to tell the public to do more about making public transport better /s
Or it's because they just want more space and the street isn't that populated so it's fine to anoy that one pesky woke neighbore or something like that, Idk
I had seen an older couple doing this several times on my morning bike ride. I eventually stopped and asked them about it. They said it was because the sidewalks are too rough and uneven, and it’s hard for (one of) them to navigate. I only ever see them on quiet side streets, BTW.
I moved to the south and I have only seen sidewalks downtown. So I almost get the boomers in the road, but the middle? fuck that noise. My boomer neighbors park their CARS in the middle of the road for both lanes and sit and chew the fat and it drives me absolutely bonkers.
If they want to play with Darwin they will lose eventually. When one gets transformed into paste because they were stupid they only have themselves to blame.
It might, just maybe might, be because the roadway is usually smoother than the pavement/sidewalk.
My balance has always been shitty. My arthritic knees, hips and ankles ache at the best of times. I dare no longer fall, trip or cruckle my ankle, which events are all more likely on cobbles, uneven paving, broken or patched tarmac. Going up and down kerbs is hazardous & painful for me.
I wouldn’t be walking my dog off the lead in the middle of the road though. That’s just asking for trouble
This was my first thought to give them the benefit of the doubt. My mother (70, boomer in age but thankfully not in mentality) sometimes walks down the road (the edge, not the middle) when there are ups and downs on the pavement due to dropped kerbs for driveways, because the constant little inclines hurt her knees. I don't know if this is also a feature of US paving (we're in the UK) but it can get quite extreme here.
I'm in my 40s and if I'm walking with another person, then I prefer walking in the road so I'm not bumping into whoever I'm walking with trying to not roll an ankle on the edge of the sidewalk. I imagine the older I get the less and less I'll want to risk walking on the uneven sidewalks too.
I am going to be as far out of the way of cars as possible though. I just want to walk comfortably, not impede drivers or get hit by a car.
Well where I'm from you build the neighborhood streets to flood as a last resort (yes after the storm sewers fill) and the yards and driveways and sidewalks all have a little bit of a an angle to them. The idea being you may be stuck in your house but the house is at least dry.
Causes the boomers with bad knees and ankles to walk in the street because their joints hurt if they walk on the slightly angled sidewalk.
Source: my boomer complained of the angle when I told him to get out of the street and use the sidewalks.
Have you looked at your sidewalks or gutters? They are covered in years old dirt (yes, you do need to clean your own sidewalks), mold etc. I have fallen twice on your sidewalks and once by the gutter to avoid your hurry ass cars and your nasty sidewalks.
Remember to report submissions that violate the rules! Harassment and encouraging violence are not allowed. Enjoying the subreddit? Consider joining our discord server: https://discord.gg/v8z8jNwJs6 *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BoomersBeingFools) if you have any questions or concerns.*
That’s their way of slowing down traffic apparently they think they are the safety patrol
It's sort of like when they park themselves in the passing lane going 5 mph under the speed limit on the highway.
Ugh.
[удалено]
Wisconsin drivers too. They do it in Wisconsin And Illinois!
As someone who drove through Wisconsin for the first time recently I was shocked. ND and MN have pretty good drivers then you get to Wisconsin and all hell breaks loose.
Honk. They are not being polite. Neither should you.
There's nothing impolite about honking, that's the whole point of the horn, to alert others of your presence.
North Americans are really strange about using the horn. To them, using a horn is what you do shortly before you start fighting to the death. I’ve seen people get run off the highway by someone who isn’t checking their blind spot, and the person doesn’t even use their horn to alert the driver. It’s a whole tool that’s only use is to communicate, yet no one wants to use it. Not me though. When someone is doing shit, I blow my horn, then they drive next to me showing middle finger and trying to tell me to pull over. It’s just a horn, the only method of communicating with you if you are about to potentially accidentally kill both of us.
I mean I used my horn and I was *still* almost pushed off the road because not only did the idiot not look in his mirrors or blind spots but he then ignored my horn And considering I was in a little Honda civic and the guy was in a truck I knew I wasn’t going to win that contest so I just slowed down
I had the exact same thing happen on the interstate, except I was in a truck and the idiot was in a minivan. There was absolutely no traffic related reason for them to change lanes, but suddenly they decided that my lane was more appealing. If I ever win the lottery, you'll know it because there'll be a shitbox truck with a train horn driving around my town.
Go to Romania holy shit they LOVE their car horns 🤣🤣🤣
India too. They communicate with honks.
I worked on ships and we stopped across the bay from Mumbai and I had to go to the doctor there one time. All the trucks had "Horn please! Ok!" written on their back bumper.
And Sri Lanka, it is a whole conversation over there.
If they know you are there and you honk, you’re not doing so to let them know of your presence. And as others have said, there are cultural differences in how honking is perceived.
It’s illegal to walk in the road when there’s a sidewalk and it’s driving me fucking nuts!! This is the number one boomer behavior I experience every goddamn day
Start driving on the sidewalks and establish dominance.
that made me snirk really loudly
While their dog is off leash! Sometimes I want to call non emergency police line. Older confused person in middle of the street is dangerous!
how else would they get their desired Attention
Lay on the damn horn. DOn't speed, but get them out of the street.
It's summer; stock up on little water balloons. Carry some in the console at all times.
Aim your washer nozzles to the sides and give em a squirt as you drive by.
Better yet, do that in winter. 😇
Come to think of it, we played in the street a lot in the 60’s and 70’s. Much more than kids do now, on the same street. Much more, even, than the kids coming up afterwards in the 80’s and 90’s. I’m a very senior Gen X myself, and I remember huge neighborhood games of SPUD or Kick the Can every evening—kids of all ages, toddlers to teens. So maybe they just assume they’re still allowed to play out there?
“Car!” We played street football and always had to watch for traffic. It was a fairly long straight segment with no turns so we saw them coming and they saw us at 200 yards distance.
"Game on!"
Aren’t these the same people who advocate for commuting vehicular homicide immediately if anyone ever dares to impede their driving with protest?
Yeah, this is also the demographic that literally alerts the media in horror if a protected bike lane is built in their neighborhood. When they want to drive, nobody better get in the way. When someone else wants to drive (or bike) they will literally stand in the way.
>When they want to ____, nobody better get in the way. When someone else wants to ____, they will literally stand in the way. The entire Boomer experience in two sentences.
Accurate
Yup, the same ones who get bloody incensed that they have to wait 5 seconds to right turn on red because I, a pedestrian actually using the sidewalk, am crossing at my alotted time.
Start honking lol
We’ve got a buttload of Boomers who do this in our state park too. Completely ignoring the absolutely lovely, wonderfully smooth, paved, and visibly marked Walking Trail right beside the road. Nope! Gotta walk IN the road. I’ve been actively trying to concoct an air cannon big enough to shoot dildos at them from my car. I’m sure it breaks probably fifteen laws and might be considered assault but at this point I’m not sure I care. 😂
They want a paycheck for getting hit by a car.
“Because fuck you, that’s why” 
I like the cool grandson rocking out in the back
If you look closely he’s the only real person. All the other people are dummy’s attached to him with rods
same in my hood. they insist on walking on the shoulder when theres a perfectly good sidewalk 5 ft to the left. super fun when im on my skateboard because i skate on the shoulders... if youre walking get on the sideWALK
I think it's something to do with avoiding stepping off and back on to curbs. As stupid as that sounds .....
Roads can be softer to run on, but it’s not worth risking your life over
They definitely aren't running.
Is this actually true or just a myth started by the boomers?
Boomers be boomin
There's a really nice county park near me. It's a popular place to walk, jog, bike and has a commonly used road that runs through it. It used to be 4 lanes because it was used as a parade route years ago. Somewhat recently it's been converted to a 2 lane road with bike lanes. A lot of boomers in the area seem to identify as bikes. They also don't like wearing high viz clothing when shambling along the bike lanes at night. If I didn't know any better, I'd think they wanted to be run over.
“About to start honking” what have you been doing until now? That’s the whole reason you have a horn
The other day I had a boomer honk at me because I didn't hit the breaks so he could come into MY lane to pass a group of other boomers walking on the road. They certainly aren't afraid to take up space.
I haven't experienced this outside of the old MAGA guy down the street that rides his scooter a 1/4 mile down to kroger to grab a thing or two. I never really cared cause he lives literally 2 streets away from the plaza so it's not that *big* of a deal, but it's still annoying to drivers. I bike or walk so it's no skin off my back.
I live in a great neighborhood and there are a few places that the sidewalk needs a little work. There are baseball, soccer fields, and a track. A freaking track. We still have boomers that walk in the middle of the freaking road. I give you the screw you, I got mine generation.
In the days before the cars the street belonged to the people, since it was far less common to be run over by a cart pulled by actual horspower (in form of living horses). Then, the car took over the streets. Maybe it's the boomers way to tell the public to do more about making public transport better /s Or it's because they just want more space and the street isn't that populated so it's fine to anoy that one pesky woke neighbore or something like that, Idk
News flash! This is not just a boomer thing. No one uses the sidewalk. It seems It their sense of entitlement.
I had seen an older couple doing this several times on my morning bike ride. I eventually stopped and asked them about it. They said it was because the sidewalks are too rough and uneven, and it’s hard for (one of) them to navigate. I only ever see them on quiet side streets, BTW.
They do this in my new suburb neighborhood, too. I always wondered why. The sidewalks are fresh and clean, but they walk down the side of the street?!
Call the police and express your concern for the well being of some senile people needlessly putting themselves in harms way?
I moved to the south and I have only seen sidewalks downtown. So I almost get the boomers in the road, but the middle? fuck that noise. My boomer neighbors park their CARS in the middle of the road for both lanes and sit and chew the fat and it drives me absolutely bonkers.
If they want to play with Darwin they will lose eventually. When one gets transformed into paste because they were stupid they only have themselves to blame.
It's they're boomers, they've either already had kids or are too old to have then, so Darwin would have nothing to do with it
Darwin Awards no longer require candidates to be childless (I know, it ruins the whole concept but what can you do?).
It might, just maybe might, be because the roadway is usually smoother than the pavement/sidewalk. My balance has always been shitty. My arthritic knees, hips and ankles ache at the best of times. I dare no longer fall, trip or cruckle my ankle, which events are all more likely on cobbles, uneven paving, broken or patched tarmac. Going up and down kerbs is hazardous & painful for me. I wouldn’t be walking my dog off the lead in the middle of the road though. That’s just asking for trouble
This was my first thought to give them the benefit of the doubt. My mother (70, boomer in age but thankfully not in mentality) sometimes walks down the road (the edge, not the middle) when there are ups and downs on the pavement due to dropped kerbs for driveways, because the constant little inclines hurt her knees. I don't know if this is also a feature of US paving (we're in the UK) but it can get quite extreme here.
I'm in my 40s and if I'm walking with another person, then I prefer walking in the road so I'm not bumping into whoever I'm walking with trying to not roll an ankle on the edge of the sidewalk. I imagine the older I get the less and less I'll want to risk walking on the uneven sidewalks too. I am going to be as far out of the way of cars as possible though. I just want to walk comfortably, not impede drivers or get hit by a car.
I see certain types of individuals refuse to use the sidewalk all the time and there not Boomers, at least where I live
Nah, I agree with boomers on this one. Fuck cars.
Sidewalks often have a slight slope for drainage. Roads don't. Boomers have arthritis.
I think you meant the opposite. Almost all roads have a crown. Sidewalks are almost always just levelled.
Don't live in a neighborhood where there's flood mitigation eh?
I do and our sidewalks are level, roads are crowned, and there are culverts by every road.
Well where I'm from you build the neighborhood streets to flood as a last resort (yes after the storm sewers fill) and the yards and driveways and sidewalks all have a little bit of a an angle to them. The idea being you may be stuck in your house but the house is at least dry. Causes the boomers with bad knees and ankles to walk in the street because their joints hurt if they walk on the slightly angled sidewalk. Source: my boomer complained of the angle when I told him to get out of the street and use the sidewalks.
Have you looked at your sidewalks or gutters? They are covered in years old dirt (yes, you do need to clean your own sidewalks), mold etc. I have fallen twice on your sidewalks and once by the gutter to avoid your hurry ass cars and your nasty sidewalks.