[My442]

A friend of mine got a .45 automatic stuck between his eyes doing that. Thanks God the guy did not shoot him.

Too dangerous today.

[PonchoV8]

Agreed. Even then you had to pick your battles.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by My442

A friend of mine got a .45 automatic stuck between his eyes doing that. Thanks God the guy did not shoot him.

Too dangerous today.

That happened to my Father in Law as well....He said he never saw a gun that looked so big as that one did when it was pointed between his eyes.

Originally Posted by The Boss

I swear one day I will slam on my breaks for one of them - unfortunately (or fortunately) there's always somebody else in the vehicle with me when I'm tailgated, and I won't do it then.

I actually did that to a guy once...sort of...I just bumped the brakes...HE slammed his. It was years ago, I was in a '68 Beetle and wasn't going fast enough for this guy behind me. He was right on my bumper. He had plenty of room to pass...three lanes at least...I tapped the brakes once hard and he actually bumped me pretty good at about 55 mph. Scared the living sh!t out of him and his buddies! Probably was his Daddy's car as he was pretty young.
Didn't damage either car but the guy was going ballistic when he passed me...and I was lmao!
Now, I wouldn't do that again but one of my favorite things to do to a tailgater in that situation is to slowly reduce my speed while glaring in the rearview....

[PonchoV8]

I lost it one day. In my 20s I drove fast. All lanes that were available in one direction were free for the taking in my eyes. I didn't cut people off and I didn't brake on them (once I got out of my teens I didn't). Someone in a 3rd gen Firebird ran through the beginning of a red light and pulled out in front of me one day when I was hustling about 20 over the speed limit on a business boulevard. I piled up behind him because that's all I could do to keep from hitting him. He didn't see me until I was on his bumper and he slammed his brakes on thinking I was doing it on purpose. I waved him on as if to say, yeah, what ever, get on down the road now--and I was backing off due to speed falling from where he pulled out in front of me. He saw me wave him on and slammed his brakes on almost coming to a stop and that's all it took. He ran the light, violated my right of way and he's going to be an ass too? When he sped up and changed lanes to make his turn at the next light I got beside him with my right 1/4 on his left fender and swerved and hit him. He tried to avoid me but got hit and went up on the curb. Is that what you wanted butthole? And then I thought to myself, "Why'd I do that? Now my car has a dent."

One week to the day I was driving my boss down the exact road. I had to do the speed limit with him. It was at the same time of day, and behind me flies up what looks like the same Firebird and he's right on my bumper this time. I just went on my way doing the speed limit pretending that I wasn't who he thought I was and he just made his turn at the same place he was going when I hit him the week before. You'd have thought he would learn that I wasn't afraid to hit him once, I might do it again.

[bird72]

True story from the "old days". Like Age 19..... El Paso.... I had long hair (for the time in west Texas) in it was 1974 that year I believe. I was stopped at a red light on a four lane in the right lane. For some unknown reason either road rage or a redneck / "hippie" thing, I suddenly have this guy who got out of a car next to me at my door trying to open it, screaming he is going to kill me. Reaction was floor it. Old Country Squire sedan, haha. The damn fool hung on to the door handle until his feet couldn't keep up. I was freaked out, but I did get to watch his face go from homicidal rage to sheer terror. Watched his dumb @ss bounce off the pavement after he finally let go. Ah the good old days, hehe...........

[axle]

What pisses me off are arrogant drivers who cut me off on the fwy and refuse to use their turn signals.

[Steve Barcak]

As I have matured it has made me realize not to be a dick behind the wheel. Try to think how you would act if that person was next to you while you were walking. How would you treat them then? Would you walk 2 feet behind him?
Sure, there are idiot drivers out there, be glad you are, alledgedly, smarter than they are.

Also rememeber this- No matter what state you live in-
The term 'speed limit' is just that. It is a LIMIT, NOT a requirement. That is the fastest you are allowed to go in ideal situations. If it is dark, if it is raining, if you are towing, etc. It may not be wise to drive at the LIMIT.

I have had people yell at me for driving 5 or so under the limit. They yell, 'the limit is 45!" Yup, I know that, I also know what is prudent.

When people flash their brights, or leave them on, I simply, and prudently, slow down even more. It is very distracting to have very bright lights shining on the backside of your head and dash, etc.

It all has to do with consideration. don't be a dick behind the wheel.

What do I do when someone is tailgating me? What else can you do? If you speed up, they simply drive at the faster speed and still tailgate you. The answer is to slow down 5-10-15 mph. The will be become more frustrated and pass you.

Many people prefer to tail gate than pass. I think women mainly but, some men do it too. If you want to drive fast, I do not really care, just do not ride on my butt. If you do, you will find yourself driving 5-15 mph, or more slower as long as you are close. A lot of this even applies to driving on multilane roads. People who drive fast often want to ido it in the right lane. why? If you want to drive fast, get in the passing lane.

People are nuts these days and I think a lot of it has to do with the 'late model' car mentality. People now have their dark tinted windows so they can be anonymous to others, impersonable, inconsiderate. They also have their anti lock brakes and their wind bags, etc. They develope a sense of indestructabillity so they drive more dangerously. We will not even get into texting...
Just the other day, I was making a left turn in my GTO with a green arrow, A gal in a minivan , on the phone, just blew through the red light. If I was not paying attention my GTO would have been t-boned and my passenger could have really gotten hurt.
I've been driving for 37 years now. Been driving high performance Pontiacs mostly the whole time. People do indeed drive more darinly than in the past. headlight are much brighter too. Many alledgedy 'low beams' are brighter than my high beams. It takes a lot of fun out of night driving with these bright lights behind you. I have progressivly seen people drive in a more inpersonal mode behind their tinted windows, etc as the years have gone on. Women especially. The only thing that is really better today than in the past is there are less people driving drunk and amen to that. Otherwise, it is worse.

When you drive an older car, i think you are more considerate of others, i think you tail gate less and you are a more aware driver.

With all this said, I do enjoy driving very fast when it is safe to do so. I may kill myself but, I do not want to hurt others.

[GT182]

I wouldn't say it's road rage but it sure pisses me off on the amount of idiots on the highways that don't deserve to have a license to be out there, or don't have one at all. Tho it is rage worthy that the cops don't do anything about them... cell phone to their ears, texting, no signal lights, tailgating, no brake lights, running red lights, left turns on red, left lane Louies, and passing you on the right shoulder. Southeast PA, New Jersey, and Northern Delaware are just plain nuts out there. I thought we paid taxes to pay the state and local cops to do a job. It's not all about crime, as I've been told it is here in our County.

I was taught there is a right way to drive responsibly, and maybe that is wrong these days.

[Steve Barcak]

Originally Posted by GT182

I wouldn't say it's road rage but it sure pisses me off on the amount of idiots on the highways that don't deserve to have a license to be out there, or don't have one at all. Tho it is rage worthy that the cops don't do anything about them... cell phone to their ears, texting, no signal lights, tailgating, no brake lights, running red lights, left turns on red, left lane Louies, and passing you on the right shoulder. Southeast PA, New Jersey, and Northern Delaware are just plain nuts out there. I thought we paid taxes to pay the state and local cops to do a job. It's not all about crime, as I've been told it is here in our County.

I was taught there is a right way to drive responsibly, and maybe that is wrong these days.

Your point is well taken and I agree.
Think about this. In Arizona when you apply for your drivers license, you get it for some stupid amount of time like 30-40years! How dumb is that? They want you to renew your plates every year or so but, your license? event several decades.

That is one of the core problems on the road IMO. Not sure if other states do this stipid thing or not.
Why is it stupid? Well, laws change for one thing. How does one learn of changes? I get some of my info from the local news but, not everyone listens to that. Also, it is not the news medias job to keep drivers up to date on the laws.
The police and hiway partrols job is enforcement, not education.

IF Arizona, and other states, had an annual ( as an example ) required drivers license test, people would be more aware of the laws.
They could be reminded about how important courtesy is.
They could be reminded that driving is a privlige.

People should be shown movies with examples of how to drive each year. Then, after the movie, should be tested on it.
The the states focused on the 5 main reasons for accidents ( I would bet speeding and tailgating are in the top 2 ) during these annual required tests, I bet people would become more aware of their responsiblity behind the wheel.

[lrosen]

Originally Posted by Steve Barcak

Your point is well taken and I agree.
Think about this. In Arizona when you apply for your drivers license, you get it for some stupid amount of time like 30-40years! How dumb is that? They want you to renew your plates every year or so but, your license? event several decades.

That is one of the core problems on the road IMO. Not sure if other states do this stipid thing or not.
Why is it stupid? Well, laws change for one thing. How does one learn of changes? I get some of my info from the local news but, not everyone listens to that. Also, it is not the news medias job to keep drivers up to date on the laws.
The police and hiway partrols job is enforcement, not education.

IF Arizona, and other states, had an annual ( as an example ) required drivers license test, people would be more aware of the laws.
They could be reminded about how important courtesy is.
They could be reminded that driving is a privlige.

People should be shown movies with examples of how to drive each year. Then, after the movie, should be tested on it.
The the states focused on the 5 main reasons for accidents ( I would bet speeding and tailgating are in the top 2 ) during these annual required tests, I bet people would become more aware of their responsiblity behind the wheel.

Here in Indy you must renew your license every 6 years (4 for seniors) and it doesn't help. They leave the BMV just as ignorant as they entered.

I was waiting in line to pay for my new license and got stuck for 5 minutes behind some illegal that couldn't speak english or even write or sign his name. The cashier just said mark an "X" on the signature line and gave him his license. And I have to share the road with them?

And the top 10 causes of accidents (speeding is only #8 and tailgating not listed - might be reckless driving):

10. Bad roads
9. Reckless driving
8. Speeding
7. Driver Distraction
6. Drug use
5. Drunk driving
4. Rubbernecking
3. Eating in the car
2. Changing CD/Radio
1. Cell phone use

[PonchoV8]

I don't block people from speeding unless it's in my neighborhood. They'll be out of my life in a few seconds. I don't even care if they swerve in and out as long as it's not to violate someone's right of way.

If it's a two lane and you're on my tail, I'm not going to speed just so you can. If I'm in the lane that you want to be in so you can pass someone driving slower beside me, not my problem. I'm not in the left lane unless the person beside me isn't maintaining a constant speed and I need to pass.

I do have a problem with semi's speeding through town and I'll do a little to prevent them from it if it's fairly convenient. Town here is only a couple of miles, so they can live with it. I don't go a long way to do it. Out of town, I don't care. I do impede speeding when I'm in a construction zone. I work in them. I have friends who work in them. I've seen or nearly been the victim of accidents from speeders in construction zones. In this state, if you see barrels on the side of the road it's a construction zone and you are subject to a double fine--and you probably deserve it.