Indeed many, many people have their heads up their bum no matter what they're doing: grocery store, airport, roads, city planning, wherever. But you know this, so keep an eye on them, and put some distance between you. Of course they're infuriating (and sociopathic), but it's better to be alive than to be right.
Aggressive Drivers: Getting Worse?
- Thread starter Mustang_Cougar
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Man do I have some stories.
I've had 2 guns pulled on me in L.A.
Recently, just two weeks ago some lady tapped my left quarter panel on the fwy. She pointed to the side of the road. I pulled over. She kept going. Luckily traffic was only going 20mph so I jumped back into traffic to catch her. Then everyone is giving me dirty looks because I need to catch this person. We pass 2 off ramps and I am a few cars behind her in the lane to her left. I'm writing down her plate number. Then as we pass an offramp (we had already passed it) she drives over the median and down the ramp. I can't do that because I am a lane over and traffic is nearly stopped. At least I got the plate. I call 911, they said they were too busy to respond so I needed to go to a station to file a report. I did. 2 weeks and no word. The good news is the damage is very minor. Can hardly see it. But I didn't know that when I was driving, can't see the quarter panel from the drivers seat. All I knew at the time was she hit me.
On a side note: I wish they would have a left lane passing law. I think this may help, even if just a little, with traffic flow.
You would have less people weaving if the slower cars would move to the right.
I've had 2 guns pulled on me in L.A.
Recently, just two weeks ago some lady tapped my left quarter panel on the fwy. She pointed to the side of the road. I pulled over. She kept going. Luckily traffic was only going 20mph so I jumped back into traffic to catch her. Then everyone is giving me dirty looks because I need to catch this person. We pass 2 off ramps and I am a few cars behind her in the lane to her left. I'm writing down her plate number. Then as we pass an offramp (we had already passed it) she drives over the median and down the ramp. I can't do that because I am a lane over and traffic is nearly stopped. At least I got the plate. I call 911, they said they were too busy to respond so I needed to go to a station to file a report. I did. 2 weeks and no word. The good news is the damage is very minor. Can hardly see it. But I didn't know that when I was driving, can't see the quarter panel from the drivers seat. All I knew at the time was she hit me.
On a side note: I wish they would have a left lane passing law. I think this may help, even if just a little, with traffic flow.
You would have less people weaving if the slower cars would move to the right.
And you guys think its bad in a car. Try a motorcycle. My philosophy is "they are all out to kill me"
I almost forgot, when it comes to trash.
SMOKERS!!!!
The world is not your ashtray. I've had two lit cigarettes hit my windshield in the last week. What makes people think it's ok to throw there butts on the roadway.
I almost forgot, when it comes to trash.
SMOKERS!!!!
The world is not your ashtray. I've had two lit cigarettes hit my windshield in the last week. What makes people think it's ok to throw there butts on the roadway.
Most states already do. The don't even try to enforce it. It should be illegal to be passed on the right when there is noone within 300 feet in front of you.
Eliminating HOV lanes would also make traffic a lot better. HOV lanes are a huge waste of money, and they screw up normal traffic flow. Can you believe that transit departments now want HOT lanes?!?!?!
I'd like to see cops sit at the end of onramps ticketing people who like to merge onto the freeway at less than 50 mph for no reason.
I also think that pulling onto the left shoulder when pulled over by a cop should be illegal. They cop should get on his loudspeaker and tell you to pull over on the right shoulder, then ticket you for pulling onto the left shoulder AND for whatever he pulled you over for in the first place.
What do you guys think of this idea? Instead of metering traffic at an onramp, install a device that will measure the average speed of traffic in the right lane of the highway. Tie that device to a readerboard that says "Merge at xx mph", where xx would be the average speed of the right lane of the highway. If we could actuall get people to merge into 60 mph traffic at 60 mph, there would be far fewer traffic backups.
Thanks for letting me vent!
That would sure be nice... eliminate a lot of slow downs. Most slowing down on a freeway comes from idiots who hop on the freeway going 30mph...
Seems like rocket science but people can't keep a constant speed when changing lanes..
Seems like rocket science but people can't keep a constant speed when changing lanes..
I have an idea to fix the problem of slow merges.
Recently I was behind one. The driver was merging at 40MPH onto a road with a 45MPH speed limit and traffic often goes 50 or 55MPH.
There's a traffic light beyond the on-ramp. It changed to yellow. The slow merger punched it and sped up (like they should have done when merging) to beat the yellow.
So, I propose that a yellow light be placed on all on-ramps so the idiots will speed up because they think it's going to change to red.
Recently I was behind one. The driver was merging at 40MPH onto a road with a 45MPH speed limit and traffic often goes 50 or 55MPH.
There's a traffic light beyond the on-ramp. It changed to yellow. The slow merger punched it and sped up (like they should have done when merging) to beat the yellow.
So, I propose that a yellow light be placed on all on-ramps so the idiots will speed up because they think it's going to change to red.
heres a couple of picky ones that just get me po'ed...
yesterday we go to grandma's again, but need to get gas... we drive to the corner and pull in behind this car... the smart g/f knows what the car is gonna do cause it happens all the time, so she pulls into the pump next t the car instead of behind...what does the car do? you guessed it...stops at the first pump instead of pulling through for cars behind, we both look at eachother and say "what a retard" then another car pulls in from the other side and goes to a different pump and does the same thing, then a black car... whats with the lack of courtesy? i always pull all the way up... isnt that what you're supposed to do?
the other - when someone is coming from a stop sign or a driveway of some kind and they see you coming from a good distance away, and they see that you have your turn signal on indicating a turn, they will sit and wait while you are a half block away to see if you go straight past them or turn before pulling out.... uh hello, turn signal means im turning....you can go... when it's reversed i ALWAYS pull out...
yesterday we go to grandma's again, but need to get gas... we drive to the corner and pull in behind this car... the smart g/f knows what the car is gonna do cause it happens all the time, so she pulls into the pump next t the car instead of behind...what does the car do? you guessed it...stops at the first pump instead of pulling through for cars behind, we both look at eachother and say "what a retard" then another car pulls in from the other side and goes to a different pump and does the same thing, then a black car... whats with the lack of courtesy? i always pull all the way up... isnt that what you're supposed to do?
the other - when someone is coming from a stop sign or a driveway of some kind and they see you coming from a good distance away, and they see that you have your turn signal on indicating a turn, they will sit and wait while you are a half block away to see if you go straight past them or turn before pulling out.... uh hello, turn signal means im turning....you can go... when it's reversed i ALWAYS pull out...
Aggressive driving is out of control where I live. People absolutely loose their minds behind the wheel.
I've noticed it's worse depending on the car you drive. When I'm in my Corolla, people in trucks and Bimmers etc. just run all over me, especially on the interstate. I'll be in the fast lane behind a line of cars with a semi in front of the line slowly passing cars in the right lane, and always end up with some genius flashing his lights at me and having an annurism (spell check where are you
). I usually jam on the brakes really hard. That puts them back for a minute or two.
I think it's a sign of our society. People are so stressed at work and trying to make ends meet. I mean, the aggression that people take out behind the wheel. Something's got to give sooner or later. Something ain't right when people loose the ability to rationalize the fact they're seriously endangering the lives of others and themselves.
I've noticed it's worse depending on the car you drive. When I'm in my Corolla, people in trucks and Bimmers etc. just run all over me, especially on the interstate. I'll be in the fast lane behind a line of cars with a semi in front of the line slowly passing cars in the right lane, and always end up with some genius flashing his lights at me and having an annurism (spell check where are you
I think it's a sign of our society. People are so stressed at work and trying to make ends meet. I mean, the aggression that people take out behind the wheel. Something's got to give sooner or later. Something ain't right when people loose the ability to rationalize the fact they're seriously endangering the lives of others and themselves.
probably that folks forget, due to being in it all the time that they are in control of a 2 to 4 ton chunk of metal traveling at speed.... just takes an accident to remind them.
[evil grin on]OK, I'm declaring this "Pick on Thooks Week". [evil grin off]. I agree with you 100% about this, although I can't resist pointing out that "irregardless" really isn't a word at all -- it's a double negative transmogrified* from the real word -- "regardless". Although the stakes aren't nearly as high, I personally think that one should "drive" his native language with as much care as he drives his car.
The real problem is STUPID, INEPT drivers. Aggressive is just a subset of stupid and inept. Why just today, I had my son out for a driving lesson. He now has his LP (here in FL, you have to have an LP for a year before you can get a real DL). We're headed up a one-way aisle in a Winn-Dixie parking lot, clearly taking up all of the one-car-wide lane, when a moron in a brand new Buick Lucerne turns in to face us head on, and proceeds to glare at us as if we've got a problem 'cause we're keeping her from driving the wrong way down the one-way lane.
Yes, we need real driver training, and cops who are willing to impose sanctions, instead of constantly taking the easy out and whining about how they have more important things to do. Preventing needless carnage on the roads and highways seems pretty important to me.
* Yes, "transmogrify" is actually a word. A verb in fact, and one of my personal favorites, as it just has a naturally evil ring to it. As an example, Dr. Jekyl transmogrifies into Mr. Hyde. . .
The real problem is STUPID, INEPT drivers. Aggressive is just a subset of stupid and inept. Why just today, I had my son out for a driving lesson. He now has his LP (here in FL, you have to have an LP for a year before you can get a real DL). We're headed up a one-way aisle in a Winn-Dixie parking lot, clearly taking up all of the one-car-wide lane, when a moron in a brand new Buick Lucerne turns in to face us head on, and proceeds to glare at us as if we've got a problem 'cause we're keeping her from driving the wrong way down the one-way lane.
Yes, we need real driver training, and cops who are willing to impose sanctions, instead of constantly taking the easy out and whining about how they have more important things to do. Preventing needless carnage on the roads and highways seems pretty important to me.
* Yes, "transmogrify" is actually a word. A verb in fact, and one of my personal favorites, as it just has a naturally evil ring to it. As an example, Dr. Jekyl transmogrifies into Mr. Hyde. . .
I got a couple of them about a month ago. I was in my Peterbilt w/o a trailer. As soon as we get across this intersection there were parked cars on the shoulder.
Sitting at a light I saw 4 cars run up behind me and get into the right turn lane. The guy in the front car was watching the light like he was going to try to win a race.
I knew I couldn't beat the 1st car, Acura RSX or the Mustang(2nd). But the Hyundai(3rd) and Kia(4th).......Maybe!
I put the main trans in 2nd and the brownie in OD. As soon as the light turned green I was off in a cloud of black smoke! Reved up to 2200 rpm, grabed 3rd in the main and direct in the brownie. More black smoke!
Like I knew, The front 2 cars got me but the 3rd and 4th had to slam on the brakes and stop to avoid rear ending the parked car. Then they had to wait till traffic cleared to get into the lane and get moving again.
Good one. That always puts a grin on my face too. hehe
There is a fwy onramp that has a signal. If you go straight you get on the fwy. There is right turn lane at the intersection. Well there is usually a backup for people going straight onto the fwy.
You guessed it. People go in the right turn lane and try to jump the light and cut off the cars waiting in line. I mean that's just rude.
There is a fwy onramp that has a signal. If you go straight you get on the fwy. There is right turn lane at the intersection. Well there is usually a backup for people going straight onto the fwy.
You guessed it. People go in the right turn lane and try to jump the light and cut off the cars waiting in line. I mean that's just rude.
Fun thread!
How about people driving up the shoulder when the freeway onramp is plugged up? I keep considering swinging my car out into the shoulder to block them, but obviously the other driver isn't the patient type who'd take it calmly. Not worth the headache.
But every time I see it, I feel
How about people driving up the shoulder when the freeway onramp is plugged up? I keep considering swinging my car out into the shoulder to block them, but obviously the other driver isn't the patient type who'd take it calmly. Not worth the headache.
But every time I see it, I feel
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I've given up trying to deal with all of the a-holes on the road. If they want to ride my a$$ while I'm in the right lane and I'm still going 5 over the limit- let 'em. I'm not the one that's going to die of a heart attack at age 50 (I'm 35) because of stress.
"I knew I couldn't beat the 1st car, Acura RSX or the Mustang(2nd). But the Hyundai(3rd) and Kia(4th).......Maybe!"
Ok, Chris142, you asked for it. Now explain to a non truck driver what a brownie is. And why would you pick 2nd! And how hard is that to do the shifting you describe? Is it just a switch on the shifter or are you manipulating two shifters? I figure it must be a switch in order to actually beat out the two cars? Just curious....
Whatever it is, on a Peterbilt I bet it is expensive!
no idea what a brownie is, theres so many trucker lingo things out there it's hard to keep track... if you're loaded and on level ground you can take off in 2nd because it's geared so low... i've taken off in 5th unloaded in a volvo 10 speed, thing hauls major butt empty... really not a good idea to do that but i dont like rowing through a gear box all day and if it's empty you can get away with it... i'm guessing by brownie he's talking about the splitter... you (on a 10 speed) shift up to 5th gear and splitter up (some call it monkey up) and shift back to 1st gear, that is now 6th and keep on going back to 5th, which is now 10th...
Chris142, that must've been a helluva sight! I'm laughing out loud just picturing that. A truck racing 4 cars, smoke flying everywhere. What a riot! This thread rules.
Ok the truck is a 62. Back in those days they had 2 transmissions. Mine has a 5 speed "main" and a 3 speed "brownie" or Auxilary trans.quote:
Originally posted by John K:
Ok, Chris142, you asked for it. Now explain to a non truck driver what a brownie is. And why would you pick 2nd! And how hard is that to do the shifting you describe? Is it just a switch on the shifter or are you manipulating two shifters? I figure it must be a switch in order to actually beat out the two cars? Just curious....Whatever it is, on a Peterbilt I bet it is expensive!
The engine is governed @ 2200 rpm. Shifting from 2nd to 3rd in the main drops the engine 900 rpm.
There are 300 rpm difference between the 3 gears in the brownie.
Following this so far? The engine makes good power between 1500 and 2200 rpm.
So shifting the main brought my rpm's down to 1300rpm which is below the engines power curve.
Once in 3rd in the main I put the brownie in neutral, floored the "gas" pedal and slipped the brownie into 2nd which is "direct". Raising my rpm's up 600 rpm which put me @ 1900 rpm............Right where the turbo sings.
Run it up to 2200 and put the brownie in 3rd (OD)which brought the rpm's back down to 1900 and stomp on it again.
Shifting the brownie from 1 to 2 or 2 to 3 can be done as fast as you can move the shifter.
No need for 1st in the main w/o a trailer. i'd shift 8 times before I got across an intersection. 2nd and 2nd is about perfect, 2nd(main) and 3rd in the brownie is a little "high" but it'l really scoot once the clutch is out.
It's not as hard as it sounds. I've only got about 3 hrs shifting the thing and managed to figure it out.
Luckily I didn't have to go through any more gears since the parked cars were not far past the other side of the intersection.
The new trucks have lots of computer stuff which helps control emissions. They feel "lazy" untill the computer lets the fuel flow. My truck is mechanical. I stomp on it and it goes! Plus I was not pulling a trailer.
Here's the shifters. The main is near the seat and the brownie towards the pass seat.
[ March 14, 2006, 10:42 PM: Message edited by: Chris142 ]
Cool deal.
Drew99GT, stomping on the breaks is not only dangerous to you and the idiot behind you, but curtious drivers behind the idiot. I do not believe it to be wise, basically it as bad as the person riding your a--.
Drew99GT, stomping on the breaks is not only dangerous to you and the idiot behind you, but curtious drivers behind the idiot. I do not believe it to be wise, basically it as bad as the person riding your a--.
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