[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Steve Barcak

So, your are mad at people who cannot drive at " least " the speed limit? then you have a problem with obeying the law. A speed limit is a LIMIT, not a requirement. That is why there are passing lanes and multi lane roads.

It is not inconsiderate, it is prudent. I do not know anyone who wants to take longer than needed to reach their destination. No one is, or should be, purposely trying to slow anyone down. There are valid times and situations for driving under the limit. Bad weather, towing, etc.

Look up the defintion of the word 'limit'. It is not the same as 'requirement'.
Some people drive with a false defination of meanings in the english language.

I did not make up the language, did not make up the traffic laws but, I do follow them for the most part. sorry if that bothers some. Too bad.

X2 !!

[dstryr]

Originally Posted by Engine-Ear

I wouldn't call it road rage but "road SCHOOL"... you pass me and hang in the left lane and I then need to pass some jamoke who's going 10 under and you're in front of me, you have about 10 seconds to wake the F up and get in the next lane to the right... you sandbag me and I am on your rear bumper...still sandbag and the brights are on...STILL sandbag and, well... I turn into Mr. Richard Cranium.

Yep. Some people know what they're doing and like to exert control over others in some cases. Others are just stupid.

Its the guys who put their cruise control on 1/4 mph faster than me then sit in the hammer lane. Ok, I'll play and speed up and not cut that person off, jump in the left lane and get around the slow guy, then back in the right. A mile later, its the same thing, Mr. 1/4 mph faster is once again next to my rear quarter, and we're coming up on a slow vehicle... 2nd time I'll just pull over; you can either put your brakes on or put the gas on. C'mon, you can still use the gas pedal when the cruise is set.

Maybe not many people drive like I do, but I do speed up if someone's coming down the ramp slowly so I DON'T get stuck or have to do the brake/gas dance trying to figure out who's going to go first when the idiot is at the end of the onramp stilll going 50mph.

I pass 18wheelers quickly and then don't pull back until I've given the truck the 2-second rule space. Same with most cars/trucks. Knotheads cutting in front truckers 30-50' after they've passed has got to be irritating. I look for open spaces to drive. 55mph? Who cares if 20 guys are all playing bumper tag on two lanes? I'll take my chances with speeding ticket rather than play games with a bunch of idiots who only up the stakes 1mph at a time. You want to go fast? Then GO FAST. Put up or shut up.

[Greg Reid]

This thread reminds me of something I saw one early morning on my way to work on I-85 just south of the Atlanta airport.
VERY light traffic on this 4 lane stretch at 4am. Anyone could pass anyone else with no effort whatsoever. Speed limit in that area is 70.
I'm in the slow lane, where I drive mostly, doing about 65~70. There are a couple of cars in the fast lane passing me...I'd say doing about 75~78 or so and they've got decent distance between them. Nothing unusual going on.
Some guy comes up the fast lane behind them doing probably nearly 100. Rather than blowing right by them on the two wide open lanes between us, he runs right up on the rear car's bumper flashing his lights like crazy, like, "I'm king of the road and you WILL move your ass OVER!"...and the rear driver does move over immediately. 3 seconds later he's on the lead cars bumper doing the same thing...flashing his light like crazy.
Suddenly the lead car flashes HIS lights right back....and yeah, they were mounted on the package tray.....and yeah, they were BLUE!
It was hilarious how fast the speed demon backed off of that guy...lol

[Old Goat 67]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

This thread reminds me of something I saw one early morning on my way to work on I-85 just south of the Atlanta airport.
VERY light traffic on this 4 lane stretch at 4am. Anyone could pass anyone else with no effort whatsoever. Speed limit in that area is 70.
I'm in the slow lane, where I drive mostly, doing about 65~70. There are a couple of cars in the fast lane passing me...I'd say doing about 75~78 or so and they've got decent distance between them. Nothing unusual going on.
Some guy comes up the fast lane behind them doing probably nearly 100. Rather than blowing right by them on the two wide open lanes between us, he runs right up on the rear car's bumper flashing his lights like crazy, like, "I'm king of the road and you WILL move your ass OVER!"...and the rear driver does move over immediately. 3 seconds later he's on the lead cars bumper doing the same thing...flashing his light like crazy.
Suddenly the lead car flashes HIS lights right back....and yeah, they were mounted on the package tray.....and yeah, they were BLUE!
It was hilarious how fast the speed demon backed off of that guy...lol

Funny how some "Supermen" become "Clark Kent" so quickly!

[arbys]

Originally Posted by Old Goat 67

Funny how some "Supermen" become "Clark Kent" so quickly!

Or maybe Lois Lane. LOL

[fiedlerh]

Maybe the guy was used to driving on the Autobahn, driving fast and refusing to pass on the right.

[jhann42]

To get someone to stop tailgating you just turn your driving lights on momentairily. They don't know that the lights that come on aren't brake lights and will light up their brakes. Jon

[PonchoV8]

Blue lights lighting up. I love it when someone gets a correction like that.
I used to see an ambulance driver in an area I worked on do that to people. When someone would get confused and not get out of the left lane he would just pile up behind them with his lights and siren going until they finally got over. It didn't matter if the right lane was clear and the car in front stopped. He would just sit behind them until they got over. I hope nobody was really waiting on medical aid while he was playing traffic cop.

[Brian Baker]

Speed limit or not, the basic rules of the road are simple:

Slower traffic keep right
Pass on left only

I get most irritated when someone is in the fast lane, doing the speed limit, and riding right alongside other cars doing the speed limit, when there is nothing but clear road in front of them, all the while a procession of vehicles is getting backed up behind this car in the fast lane. They could be in one of the lanes to the right, doing the speed limit with the others.

Let's get real, nobody obeys the speed limit 100% of the time...nobody. So for those who insist on it, please stay in the far right lanes of traffic.

Another thing that pisses me off is timid people entering an interstate when the on ramp is on the left and dumps into the fast lane. You're not merging into the slow lane people, if the speed limit is 65 MPH, there are people running 75 MPH (or more) in the fast lane...let's get your finger out of your bum and accelerate, don't pussyfoot around at 50-55 MPH as you merge.

[PonchoV8]

IMO, the Federally mandated 55 mph speed limit made people hover in the passing lane and feel justified.

We had a super dangerous on ramp into the left/passing/fast lane on to I-40 here. It was in a curve (sight obstruction), right after a city overpass (sight obstruction) onto a 2 lane portion of one of the busiest interstates in the nation. There were so many wrecks there it was scary. My sister was in 2 there. My girl, one. I got barely rearended once by a guy riding in the left lane and he wouldn't change lanes. There was almost NO acceleration area and I told myself he'll just have to change lanes or brake because I'm going and I'm not stopping on the on ramp. He was driving an old 4 door Olds Cutlass and must've had drum brakes because he bumped me in the rear and we both just kept on going and never made eye contact.

[mikeb]

I used to work with a guy that was known for having a hair trigger road rage habit. We all went to lunch one day with him driving. Someone in front of us did something that set my buddy off, and lots of shouting and hand gestures took place. We were stopped so the guy in front gets out (big guy!), comes back, sticks his upper body thru the driver's window and wants to know if my buddy has a problem. No one said a word LOL.....

Nowadays I just roll along and let the people who want to get mad get mad. I'll even pull over or exit the road to get away from them. I do NOT road rage, there are too many idiots willing to pull a gun out these days.

[wytnyt]

Originally Posted by mikeb

there are too many idiots willing to pull a gun out these days.

precisely and the majority just look for excuses to use it

[Diego]

It's pretty interesting to read about the poor and ill driving habits from your experiences, but then you guys openly admit to brake-checking and so forth.

I'm not old enough to know if driving was any better 20 years ago. However, I do know that we have a lot of different driving conditions, such as more cars, safer cars, car phones, and the like. In the end, the average driver is ill-equipped to understand the rules of the road.

That means move out of the left lane except to pass. If someone is passing you on the right, that should be a clear indicator that you shouldn't be there. And if someone flashes you, just get the hell out the lane and spare me the attitude, okay?

Stop signs mean stop. They do not mean rolll through if you think the coast is clear. A stop sign means a complete stop. This also is true for red lights and for those who want to turn right on red - a red light means a red light!

When the electricity is out - like I often experience where I live - and the stoplights are out, that means everyone has to make a complete stop and go in sequence. It's unbelievable how many people think they have the right of way just because it's the main street - ya gotta stop, man!

And turn signals . . . why don't people use them? I use them even in my parking lot -creature of habit! And speaking of parking lots, just because the lot is empty doesn't mean you can cut across the parking spots and and make a beeline to the exit. Just follow the proper way so your lame ass doesn't hit my law-abiding one. And put the damn carts where they belong too!

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Suddenly the lead car flashes HIS lights right back....and yeah, they were mounted on the package tray.....and yeah, they were BLUE!

A guy on another board told a story recently - he was in heavy traffic and saw someone running up the shoulder of the highway, trying to get to the front of the line...unfortunately for him, he cut right into the middle of a Secret Service convoy. It didn't work out too well.

[dstryr]

Quite a few years ago the Omaha, NE PD bought and outfitted a bunch of unmarked cruisers. I spotted one in morning rush hour traffic that had the right lane practically bumper to bumper holding up traffic. I was in the hammer lane and saw him in plenty of time to reign it in a little. The hot rod Mustang that was practically kissing my back bumper didn't see so good. I missed my exit because the cars in the right lane were so bunched up but slid over after several took the exit. The 'stang went all in and passed the unmarked car going probably 90mph. The unmarked cop gave him at least 300 yards then was on him like white on rice. I made the next exit and gave the guy a wave on my way back down to the exit I missed. Couldn't have been a cheap ticket.

[bird72]

I don't get road rage anymore but I would like to drive a garbage truck with spikes welded all over it and 12 inch diameter steel pipe bumpers

[LeighP]

I've done a fair bit of driving in the US, and one thing that always surprised me is how bad a lot of your highway on ramps are. They're often really short, no merge lane...just dump you into traffic doing 65+.
You just don't see ramps like that here in Australia...takes a little getting used to. lol.

[Diego]

Originally Posted by LeighP

I've done a fair bit of driving in the US, and one thing that always surprised me is how bad a lot of your highway on ramps are. They're often really short, no merge lane...just dump you into traffic doing 65+.
You just don't see ramps like that here in Australia...takes a little getting used to. lol.

That really depends on the location and when the highway was built. Chances are what you describe are over 50 years old.

[Brian Baker]

Diego...driving WAS better 20-25 years ago. The worst distraction you had was the occasional woman doing her makeup in the car while driving...these days you have self-absorbed entitlement mentality a$$holes who are so lost when even doing the most menial task that they have to have their GPS turned on all the time, and they mount it right in their field of vision so everyone driving behind them can see it...AND...cell phones, bad enough people talk on them, they also text on them. Also, when I began driving in the mid-80's, cars didn't have cup holders...now they do...European cars don't, they still know that when you behind the wheel, driving is the most important thing, not your coffee, or your phone.

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by 69 DAYTONA

...as the saying goes, "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye"

...unsafe driving, provoking others into a rage, we're not school teachers, just get out of their way and hope they don't kill you in the process

...stuck on the interstate in an accident related traffic jam about 20 years ago and I saw a semi driver block the far right emergency lane (on purpose) on the interstate so a car couldn't pass him on the right side to get to the exit near by...the driver of the car was yelling and screaming for the semi driver to pull back over...the trucker kept crowding the car more and more and nearly ran the car into the ditch...I saw the same car on the news that night,, the driver was distraught, his small child was choking to death in the car and he couldn't get by the truck to get to a nearby hospital...the little boy died in the parking lot at the hospital...so, everytime someone presses me in traffic, I always remember that father crying over his dead son who quite possibly would have lived had another driver not decided to teach the father a lesson on the road

...I just avoid stupidity, don't try to school them, I just get the hell out of their way

AMEN!

Many of the posts on this thread are truly frightening.

Whatever happened to common courtesy, facilitating the flow of traffic, and just plain doing the right thing, regardless of what the other Aholes are doing?