cdash@druxv.UUCP (Shub) (12/15/84)
what do you do when two %$#*@#$&#s are going down the freeway side by side pacing each other 20 mph BELOW (repeat BELOW) the speed limit?????????? ...druxv!cdash
kevin@voder.UUCP (12/17/84)
> what do you do when two %$#*@#$&#s are going down the freeway > side by side pacing each other 20 mph BELOW (repeat BELOW) the > speed limit?????????? > > ...druxv!cdash My strategy is to NEVER TAILGATE THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU! All this does is get the driver real indignant and pissed off that you would try to go faster than him/her. All he/she will do is hold their speed or even slow down or speed up to keep you from passing them. This is especially true for people traveling 55 in the left lane on an 8-lane, split-level, divided interstate. Pretend you don't care. Just follow behind, never tailgating, never crowding, not a care in the world. Make them forget all about you. Then when they slip and give you passing room BLOW THEIR DOORS OFF!!! Also, I wired a switch to my back-up lights (which I had replaced with halogen fog lamps for better reverse vision) to a momentary switch on the steering column, now when they flash their brights at me I flash them right back! Childish perhaps, but sole-satisfying. Remember, George Carlin says that any one going slower than you is a moron, and any one going faster is an idiot. -- Kevin Thompson {ucbvax,ihnp4!nsc}!voder!kevin "It's sort of a threat, you see. I've never been very good at them myself but I'm told they can be very effective."
graham@orca.UUCP (12/19/84)
> what do you do when two %$#*@#$&#s are going down the freeway > side by side pacing each other 20 mph BELOW (repeat BELOW) the > speed limit?????????? >> My strategy is to NEVER TAILGATE THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU! >> All this does is get the driver real indignant and pissed off >> that you would try to go faster than him/her. All he/she will >> do is hold their speed or even slow down or speed up to keep you >> from passing them. This is especially true for people traveling >> 55 in the left lane on an 8-lane, split-level, divided interstate. >> Pretend you don't care. Just follow behind, never tailgating, never >> crowding, not a care in the world. Make them forget all about you. >> Then when they slip and give you passing room BLOW THEIR DOORS OFF!!! >> Also, I wired a switch to my back-up lights (which I had replaced >> with halogen fog lamps for better reverse vision) to a momentary >> switch on the steering column, now when they flash their brights at >> me I flash them right back! Childish perhaps, but sole-satisfying. Nah! Just press the button on your steering column marked "fire 20mm cannon". Works wonders.
hawk@oliven.UUCP (12/19/84)
>> what do you do when two %$#*@#$&#s are going down the freeway >> side by side pacing each other 20 mph BELOW (repeat BELOW) the >> speed limit?????????? >> >> ...druxv!cdash > My strategy is to NEVER TAILGATE THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU! All this >does is get the driver real indignant and pissed off that you would try >to go faster than him/her. All he/she will do is hold their speed or >even slow down or speed up to keep you from passing them. This is >especially true for people traveling 55 in the left lane on an 8-lane, >split-level, divided interstate. Another reason people (i.e., me) slow down is that we don't like you playing with our lives. As far as I'm concerned, once you tailgate me (note: this does not mean trying to go faster than me; it means that I can read "Ford" or "Peterbilt" in my mirror in nice big letters and that you are three or four feet away!) you have lost any and all right to be treated as a civilized driver, as you obviously are not. I will also slow down so that if you do hit me, it will not be as serious. On the other hand, if you are simply going faster than I am and don't endanger my life by riding my bumper, I'm more than happy to move out of the way as soon as it's safe. rick
ron@wjvax.UUCP (Ron Christian) (12/20/84)
OK, come on now, let's have no vendettas on the freeway.
So some jerk is tailgating you. Get out of his way with
a minimum of fuss. He'll get his eventually, and it's
DANGEROUS for you to give it to him. I'm talking about
those who drive extra slow, block fast lanes, etc. to
"teach some leadfoot a lesson". This escalates rapidly
into roadwars and *I* don't want to be anywhere close to
*either* of you.
A friend of mine makes a practice of blocking drivers who
he thinks are acting jerkish. As a result of this he has
been side-swiped once, and has had a side window broken out
by a thrown crowbar. No Thanks!
--
Ron Christian (Watkins-Johnson Co. San Jose, Calif.)
{pesnta,twg,ios,qubix,turtlevax,tymix}!wjvax!ronzeek@pyramid.UUCP (12/21/84)
I use sidewinders myself. Suit yourself. Jim Zeek @ Pyramid Technology
jackh@zehntel.UUCP (jack hagerty) (12/21/84)
> > Another reason people (i.e., me) slow down is that we don't like you playing > with our lives. As far as I'm concerned, once you tailgate me (note: this does > not mean trying to go faster than me; it means that I can read "Ford" or > "Peterbilt" in my mirror in nice big letters and that you are three or four > feet away!) you have lost any and all right to be treated as a civilized driver, > as you obviously are not. I will also slow down so that if you do hit me, it > will not be as serious. > > rick I agree that tailgating is dangerous and more courtesy is required on the part of the tailgator, but people do not just materialize 3 feet from your bumper! If you were truely an aware driver you would see him coming. If I see someone closing on me at >5 mph, I always try to get out of the way before he arrives. This always shocks people as it is so seldom encountered. Instead of angry light flashing I get a friendly wave as the blow by. Unfortunately, since I drive around the 80% level (80% slower than me, 20% faster) the situation is usually reversed. BTW, slowing down as a driver approaches from the rear will *increase* the severity of a collision since you are increasing the delta V between your two cars. Jack Hagerty, Zehntel Automation Systems ...!ihnp4!zehntel!jackh
ems@amdahl.UUCP (E. Michael Smith) (12/22/84)
> OK, come on now, let's have no vendettas on the freeway. > So some jerk is tailgating you. Get out of his way with > a minimum of fuss. He'll get his eventually, and it's > DANGEROUS for you to give it to him. > > A friend of mine makes a practice of blocking drivers who > he thinks are acting jerkish. As a result of this he has > been side-swiped once, and has had a side window broken out > by a thrown crowbar. No Thanks! > -- > I have also seen a *LARGE* pickup truck with *VERY* solid bumpers pass on the shoulder, get in front of the 'slow, careful' driver, and hit the brakes *HARD*. Needless to say, the truck 'won'. When it comes to roadwars, auto-arguements, and what have you, I second the motion: No egos on the freeway, please! I was two cars back and still had to take evasive manuvers to aviod the mess. Any one slower than you is a jerk, anyone faster is an *ssh*le, so we are all both of these in other peoples eyes *at any giver moment*. (Smiths first theory of J&A ...) It *IS NOT POSSIBLE* to 'teach someone a lesson' one way or the other. There are a large number of people on either side of the individual. If everyone spends their time trying to convince the other guy that he/she needs to change to be more like them, we will just end up raising the average risk level a great deal and giving each driver mixed signals. If someone is going faster, get out of his way. If someone is going slower, be patient. Iff they haven't noticed you *carefully* consider some *non threatening* communication that you would like to pass. Convention in the US is a *SHORT* blink of the lights, in Germany it is a left turn signal even though there is no lane further left of you. Driving is a cooperative effort, not a confrontational arena... -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems No one would dare claim these opinions.
graham@orca.UUCP (Graham Bromley) (12/23/84)
> Driving is a cooperative effort, not a confrontational arena...
Well yes it certainly should be, but the fact is that on U.S.
freeways it is a confrontational arena whether you like it or not.
I don't think there's any point making comparisons with European
driving habits. I have heard of numerous instances of drivers
shooting each other to death (literally) over minor traffic
disputes during my six years in the U.S. That kind of thing
is quite incomprehensible to a European. You'd have to try pretty
hard to get a punch on the nose in Europe (in the U.K. at least).
My approach is to always assume the worst about the other driver and
let him/her have his/her own way at all times. There are a lot of
impatient, rude, aggressive, impulsive people around and those kinds
of people like to vent their frustrations on other drivers.
Perhaps it's the only chance they get. Remember too that carrying
a gun in the glove compartment is not particularly rare in the U.S.
I knew a guy in Hawaii who was run off the freeway, chased for
miles by a rabid lunatic with a gun, and attacked at a stop light by
a guy with a machete, all in the course of traffic disputes.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaagggggghhhhhhh!!!!hawk@oliven.UUCP (Rick) (12/26/84)
>> Another reason people (i.e., me) slow down is that we don't like you playing >> with our lives. As far as I'm concerned, once you tailgate me (note: this does >> not mean trying to go faster than me; it means that I can read "Ford" or >> "Peterbilt" in my mirror in nice big letters and that you are three or four >> feet away!) you have lost any and all right to be treated as a civilized driver, >> as you obviously are not. I will also slow down so that if you do hit me, it >> will not be as serious. >> >> rick >I agree that tailgating is dangerous and more courtesy is required on the >part of the tailgator, but people do not just materialize 3 feet from your >bumper! If you were truely an aware driver you would see him coming. If I see >someone closing on me at >5 mph, I always try to get out of the way before he >arrives. *IF* there was a space in the next lane, I would probably already be in it. I simply refuse to make a hazardous or forced lane change to accomadate him (the madman). I will wait until it is safe. Usually this means waiting not only for a space but also until there is enough room between his bumper and mine that I can pull over without getting the back of my car clipped. >This always shocks people as it is so seldom encountered. Instead of >angry light flashing I get a friendly wave as the blow by. Unfortunately, >since I drive around the 80% level (80% slower than me, 20% faster) the >situation is usually reversed. >BTW, slowing down as a driver approaches from the rear will *increase* the >severity of a collision since you are increasing the delta V between your >two cars. The purpose is to bring both cars to a lower speed. I slow gradually. This gives me more room in front of me to stop in in the event of a problem ahead, and it also means that if he hits me later, we are not going as fast (A car knocked out of control at 70 is much worse than if it had been going 40, especially if it hits a stationary object.) If the madman doesn't slow behind me, I can still accelerate. rick
mat@hou4b.UUCP (Mark Terribile) (12/28/84)
> (there are no such things as FREEways in the north-east corridor :-) True. There are expressways, turnpikes, parkways, thruways, beltways, I(n)s, US(n)s, RTE(n)s, but NO freeways. Have I missed any? > Another flame of mine is people in the right lane pacing > you as you try to accelerate out of the acceleration > lane. No, it is not the size of my car either, as this > happens to me even when I am driving the Malibu. In New York State, at least, the law requires the fellow on the road to ACCELERATE to let you on. I think that NJ requires the same thing. Now, I'm not saying that anyone else does it, but I do. I've been stuck trying to get out of the acceleration lane next to some blithering obliviot who doesn't realize, and probably doesn't care, that I am about to run out of roadway. * * * TRAFFIC * * * -> YOU <- can do something about it! -- from Mole End Mark Terribile (scrape .. dig ) hou4b!mat ,.. .,, ,,, ..,***_*.
brooks@lll-crg.ARPA (Eugene D. Brooks III) (01/01/85)
> what do you do when two %$#*@#$&#s are going down the freeway > side by side pacing each other 20 mph BELOW (repeat BELOW) the > speed limit?????????? > > ...druxv!cdash Shoot to KILL!
fred@varian.UUCP (Fred Klink) (01/03/85)
> Another reason people (i.e., me) slow down is that we don't like you playing > with our lives. As far as I'm concerned, once you tailgate me (note: this does > not mean trying to go faster than me; it means that I can read "Ford" or > "Peterbilt" in my mirror in nice big letters and that you are three or four > feet away!) you have lost any and all right to be treated as a civilized driver, > as you obviously are not. I will also slow down so that if you do hit me, it > will not be as serious. On the other hand, if you are simply going faster > than I am and don't endanger my life by riding my bumper, I'm more than happy > to move out of the way as soon as it's safe. Rick, you make an interesting point about endangering your life. An driver so obviously uncivilized as to tailgate you is even morelikely to endanger your life if you anger him by slowing down. It would seem best for all concerned that you simply get out of his way as soon as possible. Not to revive a previous net.auto discussion, but the answer would seem to be flashing the passing (bright) beams if someone is hogging the left lane at a slower speed than you consider reasonable *and* has room to move over *and* there is clear road ahead. If the hog doesn't move he's obviously not up on driving etiquette or a moron or both. It would seem in this case there's not much you can do but wait. And don't tailgate. Fred
steph@nsc.UUCP (Steph Rutel) (01/05/85)
In article <283@wjvax.UUCP> ron@wjvax.UUCP (Ron Christian) writes: >OK, come on now, let's have no vendettas on the freeway. >So some jerk is tailgating you. Get out of his way with >a minimum of fuss. He'll get his eventually, and it's >DANGEROUS for you to give it to him. I'm talking about >those who drive extra slow, block fast lanes, etc. to >"teach some leadfoot a lesson". This escalates rapidly >into roadwars and *I* don't want to be anywhere close to >*either* of you. > >A friend of mine makes a practice of blocking drivers who >he thinks are acting jerkish. As a result of this he has >been side-swiped once, and has had a side window broken out >by a thrown crowbar. No Thanks! >-- > > Ron Christian (Watkins-Johnson Co. San Jose, Calif.) > {pesnta,twg,ios,qubix,turtlevax,tymix}!wjvax!ron .....Speaking of San Jose........ I remember a number of years back (mid-70's) when an attempt to teach manners to a driver occured on I-101 (I think). The outcome of the situation was that someone (I don't remember if it was the teacher or the teachee) ended up with a .38 slug in their shoulder (San Jose is sooooo tough.....). I agree to late fate take care of the situation. I have better things to do with my time....like stay alive !!!! -- THE Steph'R @ National .....QUESTION : Where is the good life ??? ANSWER :___________ (Hint : Have you checked your attitude lately !!
phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) (01/05/85)
> manners to a driver occured on I-101 (I think). The outcome of the
You probably mean US 101. There's no I-101 in San Jose, California.
Although there is an I-110 in Los Angeles, I found out last time
I was there.
--
AMD assumes no responsibility for anything I may say here.
Phil Ngai (408) 749-5790
UUCP: {ucbvax,decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil
ARPA: amdcad!phil@decwrl.ARPAalien@gcc-opus.ARPA (Alien Wells) (01/08/85)
In article <19100002@rna.UUCP> serge@rna.UUCP writes: > >Before you slow down you should take a peek at the roof of the car to see if >it has police lights. One piece of advice. If you think it might be a cop, slow down to get in the right lane, do not speed up. I have had a couple of friends (in different states) pulled over by the following 'trick': - You're travelling in the left lane at 55-60 with a car to your right - A cop comes up at fast speed in the left lane (usually at night) - You speed up to pull into right lane to let him by - He clocks you at faster speed and tickets you. As to coming up to slow people in the left lane (something that happens to me a lot for some reason), the best technique I have found is to give a very brief flash as you are still approaching. This gives the other driver (if he is reasonable) time to notice you and pull over before you even reach him. If this doesn't work, wait till he has a clear opportunity to pull over, then flash again (again, do it briefly). The other driver is a lot more likely to consider a brief flash to be a polite request than a long, annoying flash or multiple flashes. Of course NEVER TAILGATE. Not only are you asking for it, but keep in mind that some of the assholes out there are real crazies. Mind you, the *problem* varies a lot from state to state. In MA, people drive like they own the road and they don't give a shit about anyone else. They don't interpret flashing lights as a polite request, because they would never politely request anything. In many other places I have been (NH, VT, and even western MA come to mind) people almost seem embarassed that they have to be asked and almost melt out of your way. I drive a lot, on especially bad roads (a 42 mile commute from NH and sanity into MA), so I have a couple of interesting stories about crazies if you don't mind. The first is a case of a gentleman who was driving down US 3 at about 60 in the left lane. I tried the above procedure and got no response from him. At the first opportunity, I tried to pass him on the right. He gunned his car to stop me, then slowed down to 60 again when I was trapped behind him. He kept this up for about 15 miles (unfortunately, he was taking the same route I was). Finally, US-3 ends into 128, and we both took 128 north. Breathing a sigh of relief (it would be hard for him to block me with 4 lanes to play with), I saw him jamming on the brakes. He stopped in the middle of the exit (blocking it thoroughly), got out of his car, came back to me, and demanded to know what right I had to go faster than him. If he was younger, he would punch me in the mouth! Sigh! Young drivers aren't the only idiots on the road. Another case on the same road was when I got behind a 60's chevy and again used the above procedure. We were the only two cars on the road for at least 1000 feet. He did nothing, but stared at me in his rear view mirror. I stayed behind him for about 30 seconds, then gave up and started passing him in the right. He turned and stared over his shoulder at me until I was almost level with him, then swerved sharply into the right lane, staring at me the whole time. Luckily, I avoided an accident and only got pushed into the break-down lane, but I gunned out of there at about 95. I sure as hell don't want to be around someone like that. A third case on the same road (at night this time, going the other way) was when I used the above procedure and the guy wouldn't budge. I passed him on the right and he put his brights on and started tailgating me. He did this for about 10 miles, going over 100 mph at one point (I don't like someone tailgating me at 100mph ...). For the next one I go to sunny CA, on that road (the beginning of it freeway) that goes from 101 in Mountain View to Milpetas. I was driving there and got caught behind a young woman driving a black Trans Am. As soon as I flashed her (no pun intended) she slammed her brakes on as hard as she could. Rather than try to see if my brakes in my Pinto were better than hers, I just pulled over to the right lane. She shot past like a rocket. I then pulled into the left, passed the car she had been next to, then pulled to the right. She came flying up at about 90, pulled beside me, and started jumping up and down birding me for all she was worth. It was so funny, she was red in the face and there was this look of total, unadulterated hatred! I was laughing my ass off. (I don't think this made her feel any better, but at this point I didn't care.) It was pitiful after this. She really didn't want to go as fast as I was, but her macho mentality wouldn't let her let me go either, so she kept falling back and gunning forward, falling back and gunning forward. By the way, one thing I have noticed is that people don't mind having 'sporty' cars going faster than them as much as cheapo-economy cars. I used to have problems quite often in my old Pinto and Civic, but most of them have gone away with the Prelude and Cordia. My last story has nothing to do with getting someone out of your way, but does demonstrate how vicious crazies can get, so I pass it on as a warning. For the next a*****e, we go to the notorious Mass Pike (I-90) where I had the misfortune of commuting at rush hour one day. Everyone is going 60-65 mph with about one car length between cars. A hole opens up in the middle lane, but no one in the left bothers to go there, seeing that there is an unbroken chain of cars in the left as far as the eye can see. The guy behind me tries it. He gets in the middle goes as far as he can, then puts his left turn signal on. Now, the turn signal is the second least used part of the car in MA (the most is the seat belts) and when someone with MA plates puts it on it does not mean 'I would like to turn', or even 'Warning, I am about to do this', but rather 'I'm turning. Make me a hole or I will wreck your car'. The car in front of me knew the appropriate Massachusetts response, he pulled to within 2 feet of the car in front of him and leaned on his horn. (A good interpretation would be 'Fuck you asshole, your car is worth more than mine'.) He then pulled back toward me and I saw the inevitable coming. As he pulled back and put on his turn signal, I pulled to within 2 feet of the car in front (praying as I did) and leaned on my horn. He obligingly turned off his turn signal and pulled back even with me. I sighed in relief and pulled back to a more sane 1-2 carlengths as this a*****e pulls left, right into my lane. Let me draw you a picture: me -> |II| <- him Get it, both of us in the left lane at the same time! Well there wasn't a whole lot I could do at that point, so I pulled behind him (I'm not totally insane) at which point he started making gestures to me (I think he wanted me to pull over to the side of the road so he could bash my face in, but I might be wrong ...). This did nothing, so he started throwing things at me. He started with his cigarette, then started methodically emptying his change drawer! Fortunately, he was a lousy shot, but I had all this change bouncing on the road in front of me, bouncing over my car, and hitting behind me. I couldn't even back away! And there was no way to change lanes. And then it dawns on me, there is a toll booth coming up! Boston is rife with stories of people who carry baseball bats in their trunks just to bash peoples windshields in. I was getting really worried. Luckily, he took 128 and I was safe ... Alien
serge@rna.UUCP (01/12/85)
/***** rna:net.auto / varian!fred / 12:08 pm Jan 3, 1985*/ > Another reason people (i.e., me) slow down is that we don't like you playing > with our lives. As far as I'm concerned, once you tailgate me (note: this does > not mean trying to go faster than me; it means that I can read "Ford" or > "Peterbilt" in my mirror in nice big letters and that you are three or four > feet away!) you have lost any and all right to be treated as a civilized driver, > as you obviously are not. I will also slow down so that if you do hit me, it > will not be as serious. On the other hand, if you are simply going faster > than I am and don't endanger my life by riding my bumper, I'm more than happy > to move out of the way as soon as it's safe. Before you slow down you should take a peek at the roof of the car to see if it has police lights. One day I was on my way to work an I passed a police car that was just comming out of a driveway. I kept my speed down and my eye on him because he was obviously going to quietly jump speeders from behind. Well, here was this hog going 50 in a 55 mile zone with with nobody in front or next to him, so I slip past him on the right and take a peek in my rear view. Sure enough, the cop pulls up behind him. After about five seconds, the cop flashes his brights on and off a couple of times. I couldn't believe it, the idiot didn't budge! Well ten seconds later, the cop, having had enough, turned on his whole light show and pulled the guy over. This story has two main points. First, it tells me that some road hogs are asleep at the wheel. To be so oblivious to traffic that you don't notice a police car flashing his brights at you means that you are a dangerous driver. This is something tailgaters should consider. The guy in front of you may not know you are there, even though you have used your most obnoxious efforts to get his attention. To be driving behind someone by several inches who is asleep at the wheel is asking for it, because if something should suddenly wake him up.... Second, don't bother teaching him a lesson, he'll get his ticket, or worse. That's really the best advice that has been given here, drive defensively, keep to the right execpt to pass, get out of the way of idiots and at all times stay as alert as you can because the road is littered with ghouls and zombies.