I Like Annoying Aggressive Drivers

[George7941]

I am sure some Bitogers will think I am a horrible person and a control freak, hopefully they are in a minority.

In stop and go traffic, I pick the appropriate gear in my truck and let the engine idle along moving the truck at a steady speed. Which leads to the gap in front of me varying - sometimes it is three car lengths, sometimes it is half a car length. This annoys the hell out of some drivers following me, judging from their reactions. I brake maybe once for every ten times the driver in front of me brakes. With bicycle lanes everywhere and a lot of two lanes each way roads becoming one lane each way roads, they don't have a choice but to follow me and drive at a steady speed. For them, smooth and steady = bad, accelerate and brake = good and efficient

A large commercial vehicle does the same thing, it smooths everybodys driving. I like it when the vehicle in front of me is smoothing the traffic, though I don't like the obstructed visibility and the extra smoke and dust from the large vehicle.

Nobody is getting delayed by me because I close up the gap and move promptly at traffic lights, ensuring the maximum numbers of cars get through each light cycle. I might arrive at a red light a few seconds after the car in front of me arrived at the light.

There are other things I do that annoy aggressive drivers but I won't get into that now.

 

[4WD]

I am sure some Bitogers will think I am a horrible person and a control freak, hopefully they are in a minority.

In stop and go traffic, I pick the appropriate gear in my truck and let the engine idle along moving the truck at a steady speed. Which leads to the gap in front of me varying - sometimes it is three car lengths, sometimes it is half a car length. This annoys the hell out of some drivers following me, judging from their reactions. I brake maybe once for every ten times the driver in front of me brakes. With bicycle lanes everywhere and a lot of two lanes each way roads becoming one lane each way roads, they don't have a choice but to follow me and drive at a steady speed.

A large commercial vehicle does the same thing, it smooths everybodys driving. I like it when the vehicle in front of me is smoothing the traffic, though I don't like the obstructed visibility and the extra smoke and dust from the large vehicle.

There are other things I do that annoy aggressive drivers but I won't get into that now.

Oh

 

[Greenbeforeblue]

How do you determine if the guy behind you isn't the next CNN story?

 

[bullwinkle]

I am sure some Bitogers will think I am a horrible person and a control freak, hopefully they are in a minority.

In stop and go traffic, I pick the appropriate gear in my truck and let the engine idle along moving the truck at a steady speed. Which leads to the gap in front of me varying - sometimes it is three car lengths, sometimes it is half a car length. This annoys the hell out of some drivers following me, judging from their reactions. I brake maybe once for every ten times the driver in front of me brakes. With bicycle lanes everywhere and a lot of two lanes each way roads becoming one lane each way roads, they don't have a choice but to follow me and drive at a steady speed. For them, smooth and steady = bad, accelerate and brake = good and efficient

A large commercial vehicle does the same thing, it smooths everybodys driving. I like it when the vehicle in front of me is smoothing the traffic, though I don't like the obstructed visibility and the extra smoke and dust from the large vehicle.

Nobody is getting delayed by me because I close up the gap and move promptly at traffic lights, ensuring the maximum numbers of cars get through each light cycle. I might arrive at a red light a few seconds after the car in front of me arrived at the light.

There are other things I do that annoy aggressive drivers but I won't get into that now.

Be careful, there's CRAZY people out there! Maybe Canadians are nicer & more polite than my "friends" here in the Nasty 'Nati?

 

[daves87rs]

That could be interesting around here..

 

[dnewton3]

I actually believe there is some merit to your approach. Especially for folks who drive a manual trans, a smoother flow is beneficial both acutely (less leg cramping, etc), and chronically (less wear on clutch). I, too, dislike that inchworm-type ebb/flow of traffic; it gets one's hopes up only to let you down 30-50 yards later.

However, what disturbs me is that you "like annoying" someone (the public at large). That indicates to me that you enjoy being a thorn in people's side. While your effect may be of some benefit, are you doing this for all the wrong reasons? Maybe it's just a poor choice of words on your part, but it comes off as rude and intentionally inconsiderate.

 

[Bailes1992]

I actually believe there is some merit to your approach. Especially for folks who drive a manual trans, a smoother flow is beneficial both acutely (less leg cramping, etc), and chronically (less wear on clutch). I, too, dislike that inchworm-type ebb/flow of traffic; it gets one's hopes up only to let you down 30-50 yards later.

Agreed! I work in England 2 or 3 days a week. My commute home back into Wales always puts me on the M4 Westbound around 5pm. The M4 in Newport is hugely undersized but our leaders won't sanction a new road as it does not meet their 'environmental stance' despite spending £150m on designing and buying land for such road before shelving it. For around 10 miles in Newport the traffic is very slow starting and stopping. I will open up a gap between me and the car in front and try find the average speed so I don't have to come to a stop but can crawl along. It's easier on the car, easier on the clutch and certainly easier on my left leg!

Although I miss my old Volvo V40 with an auto box and adaptive cruise. That was perfect for such situations!

 

[shortyb]

Seems EVERYTHING annoys someone in the motoring public. There are a lot more now that get annoyed easily and do stupid things. I try to avoid (as much as possible) these folks and just let them motor on. What you are doing is reasonable and has merit, however, others don't see it that way obviously. You do you, but I wouldn't play demolition derby with driving idiots intentionally .

 

[TomYoung]

it is best to drive safely, and defensively. Planning to annoy any driver detracts from overall roadway safety. Annoyed drivers are less safe. Also, everyone can make a mistake out there. Please don’t be so proud of your repertoire of things you can do to annoy aggressive drivers.

 

[demarpaint]

I actually believe there is some merit to your approach. Especially for folks who drive a manual trans, a smoother flow is beneficial both acutely (less leg cramping, etc), and chronically (less wear on clutch). I, too, dislike that inchworm-type ebb/flow of traffic; it gets one's hopes up only to let you down 30-50 yards later.

When I drive a stick in traffic and come to a stop I like to give myself enough distance between the car in front of me that will allow full clutch engagement. Up and down on the clutch never fully engaging it because I want to stay a few feet behind the car in front of me is not doing me or the clutch any favors. If humanly possible I try staying in first gear creeping along as long as I can, w/o lugging the engine. The less times I have to make a start from a complete stop the better when driving a stick in traffic. I never gave pissing off anyone a thought to be honest. Extending clutch life is the goal, and in NY if you piss someone off you'll know it. lol

 

[ATex7239]

The subject line and preface say it all… It’s all about controlling and annoying people. It’s one thing to just drive like you drive - not caring what others think about it - that is respectable. It’s another to do it in order to annoy and control others deliberately for attention and amusement - that is not an admirable quality.

 

[4WD]

A driver who likes annoying another driver is an aggressive driver.

 

[Nukeman7]

Nobody is getting delayed by me because I close up the gap and move promptly at traffic lights, ensuring the maximum numbers of cars get through each light cycle. I might arrive at a red light a few seconds after the car in front of me arrived at the light.

You probably don't realize that if you are arriving at a red light a few seconds after the car in front of you, you will occasionally arrive at a green-turning-to yellow light a few seconds after the car in front of you. As such, the car behind you will be caught by the yellow-turning-to red light. If you closed the gap, both cars would likely be able to pass through the light before it turns red. That is perceived as "Granny driving" and is what infuriates the driver(s) behind you. No different than driving below the speed limit in the left lane in heavy traffic.

There are other things I do that annoy aggressive drivers but I won't get into that now.

That could get you shot in some urban scenarios. Happens all the time now.

 

[John105]

If everyone thought like you did, we'd be able to get more throughput on our small roads (most roads that we commute on were not designed for the number of vehicles that are using them. Imagine if data packets followed no protocol, how would internet and network traffic ever get to their destinations efficiently?

I'll say it again, I'm in PA. For the life of me, I can't understand people who stop behind the line, on a solid green light, for a left turn, and let it go yellow, and red. Move into the intersection, and complete the turn when safe. This is legal.

The other major piece of stupidity? Every single day. School bus stopped. 4 lane double-yellow, red lights flashing. Traffic going the opposite direction just keeps going, bus honks. It's like Groundhog Day. Hey, school bus reds violation is a mandatory suspension, so these cars are banking on the cop being unable to catch up to them. But he might one day.

My examples....Lincoln Tunnel inbound is 12 lanes into 3. Traffic never stops. Holland Tunnel is 9 lanes into 2. Same thing.

In PA? People will not alternate merge, so it's simply a fiasco. Many folks will refuse to let others merge in front of them. It isn't personal. These are random objects arriving at certain points by coincidence. Someone is going to be in front, and behind, each and every vehicle on the road....

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I am sure some Bitogers will think I am a horrible person and a control freak, hopefully they are in a minority.

In stop and go traffic, I pick the appropriate gear in my truck and let the engine idle along moving the truck at a steady speed. Which leads to the gap in front of me varying - sometimes it is three car lengths, sometimes it is half a car length. This annoys the hell out of some drivers following me, judging from their reactions. I brake maybe once for every ten times the driver in front of me brakes. With bicycle lanes everywhere and a lot of two lanes each way roads becoming one lane each way roads, they don't have a choice but to follow me and drive at a steady speed. For them, smooth and steady = bad, accelerate and brake = good and efficient

A large commercial vehicle does the same thing, it smooths everybodys driving. I like it when the vehicle in front of me is smoothing the traffic, though I don't like the obstructed visibility and the extra smoke and dust from the large vehicle.

Nobody is getting delayed by me because I close up the gap and move promptly at traffic lights, ensuring the maximum numbers of cars get through each light cycle. I might arrive at a red light a few seconds after the car in front of me arrived at the light.

There are other things I do that annoy aggressive drivers but I won't get into that now.

Ya. I used to do the same after watching a segment about how traffic engineers were able to model the reason behind highway congestion.

Basically drivers can reduce their speed faster than they can increase it so it creates an jam.

Shockwave traffic jam recreated for first time

Using a special track, researchers have recreated the phenomenon of traffic that grinds to a halt and then restarts for no apparent reason

www.newscientist.com

 

[joekingcorvette]

Yes I agree I like to go slow too and have that gap. On interstates when it's one lane I do not follow directly behind the person in front of me seconds away from an accident should the driver slam on the brakes. And then there's the person with the wrecked bumper cover that will stay back about 3-4 car lengths then hit the gas and then jam on the brakes in hopes of getting rear ended.

 

[b_b]

my number one gripe is people driving slow when you cant pass them and speeding up when it opens up again.
psa - the yellow signs on exits or turns is not the speed limit, the speed limit has not changed. those yellow signs are recommended speed for commercial traffic, not your rav 4.

 

[gman2304]

Basically drivers can reduce their speed faster than they can increase it so it creates a jam.

The rubber band effect…..

 

[eljefino]

I did this at a 2-into-1 merge once on the Mass Pike. Everyone (a dozen or so cars) in front of me had cooperated and were single-file. The yahoo behind me wanted to pass both myself and presumably the whole crowd. I hugged the middle as a blocker, he found his way around anyway, and threw a bag of trash at my passenger side window where my kid was sitting.

At the end of the day he didn't "learn" anything and I figured out some people have loose screws.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I dont mind this in stop and go and drive pretty leisurely myself assuming I’m in the right lane. Lots of people do get agitated and pass, but that’s their prerogative.

Sitting in the left lane on the interstate or when traffic is moving, drives me insane though. Keep right, except to Pass.