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My commute is 38 miles each way on a relatively rural/suburban state highway. Headed north on the way home, the first 14 miles is one lane with a double yellow line (it's fairly windy in parts with a lot of elevation changes) nearly the entire way. There are also a lot of speed limit changes-it starts at 35, rises to 45 for a bit, back down to 35 through a little town, and then up to 50 for the stretch before getting onto the two lane divided highway for the last 24 miles. There are also a handful of traffic lights on the first 14 mile stretch-four or five. The point is, for the first 14 miles, there is no point in driving much in excess of the speed limit. Between the fact that there is no way to pass, and that there are lights every so often that are going to slow you down anyway, you may as well just enjoy whatever is on the radio, take in the fall colors (at least this time of year), and watch the farm animals graze.
Today, shortly after pulling out of work I immediately noticed a Jeep JK riding my bumper-young guy driving-maybe about my age (33), maybe a little younger. I'm doing 40 in a section that is 35. My immediate reaction is that its uncomfortable to have this guy right up my rearend so I decide to give him some space and increase my speed to 45-this only seems to encourage him, and he's following even closer than before. At this point I decide to have a little fun.
We hit the stretch that is 45 MPH-I set my cruise control to 45 on the nose-he starts to weave a bit to see what the holdup is as if he can't see over the top of my car anyway. The weaving becomes more pronounced and he sticks like glue to my rear bumper-I can see the frustrated shoulder shrugging and hand gesturing in my rearview. Then we begin approaching the little town-time to drop the speed to 35 exactly. At no point did I ever "brake check" or slam on my brakes to scare the guy, I just gradually brought it down and reset the cruise. More weaving, then a kind of "charging" where he would slow down, then hit the gas, ride right up to my bumper and then repeat. Odd.
After pulling away from the light in town (slowly) the speed increases from 35 to 45 to 50 rather quickly and I make the changes like clockwork-Jeep guy is back to weaving wildly again. The road is wider at this point, there is an ample shoulder, and basically nobody is headed southbound-I can tell he's contemplating an illegal pass but doesn't have the confidence in his driving ability, vehicle maneuverability, or both. We hit the 50 MPH stretch. Screaming, and fist shaking ensues culminating in a fit of flashing highbeams. I'm enjoying an extra long Allman Brothers jam on satellite radio.
Finally, I pull onto the divided highway and Jeep guy and I part ways. I should add that I had the same car in front of me the entire time, so it's not like I was holding up a parade of traffic by going excessively slow, I was just unwilling to ride the bumper of the person in front of me. Also, before someone scolds me because for all I know Jeep guy could have had a medical emergency, his wife could have been in labor, or he could have been racing to the side of a dying relative (or some other unlikely hypothetical), he easily could have passed me had he really wanted to, and I certainly wouldn't have tried to block him in any way. He was clearly not headed in the direction of any hospital FWIW-I pass the only major hospital in the area later in the drive.
I will admit, I thoroughly enjoyed how frustrated this person got simply because I chose not to drive like a maniac, but I still feel guilty because of it. Should I?
Last edited by Badfish740; 10-16-2014 at 06:57 PM..
Why do these dimwits see the need to tailgate people who are following another car that is going the exact same speed?
Do they think that you can somehow...vault...over the car in front of you?
My commute is 38 miles each way on a relatively rural/suburban state highway. Headed north on the way home, the first 14 miles is one lane with a double yellow line (it's fairly windy in parts with a lot of elevation changes) nearly the entire way. There are also a lot of speed limit changes-it starts at 35, rises to 45 for a bit, back down to 35 through a little town, and then up to 50 for the stretch before getting onto the two lane divided highway for the last 24 miles. There are also a handful of traffic lights on the first 14 mile stretch-four or five. The point is, for the first 14 miles, there is no point in driving much in excess of the speed limit. Between the fact that there is no way to pass, and that there are lights every so often that are going to slow you down anyway, you may as well just enjoy whatever is on the radio, take in the fall colors (at least this time of year), and watch the farm animals graze.
Today, shortly after pulling out of work I immediately noticed a Jeep JK riding my bumper-young guy driving-maybe about my age (33), maybe a little younger. I'm doing 40 in a section that is 35. My immediate reaction is that its uncomfortable to have this guy right up my rearend so I decide to give him some space and increase my speed to 45-this only seems to encourage him, and he's following even closer than before. At this point I decide to....
...pull over and let him pass me. It wasn't worth the risk, stress, damage to my vehicle, or getting shot over. I simply pulled over and let him pass me. I then continued on with my commute.
That is how your story SHOULD of went. One day somebody is going to get hurt or metal is going to get bent doing what you are doing.
I think you need to re-evaluate how you conduct yourself because your "passive aggressive" actions in today's climate of road rage was as dangerous as the other driver's actions.
This happens to me all the time, I will drive the same speed as the person in front of me but leave a considerable amount of space, then I wind up with some f-tard riding my butt, usually in a SUV or pick 'em up truck, at some point they will pass me and tailgate the car in front of me, brake lights flashing on and off the whole time.
When people do that just pull to the side and let them go. You don't know what is going on in that guy's mind, nor do you know if he has a gun. Even though you were driving sufficiently for the speed limit, he wanted to go faster.
He was tailgating you. What if he hit you? You naturally would pull over. Then BANG! he shoots you.
When people do that just pull to the side and let them go. You don't know what is going on in that guy's mind, nor do you know if he has a gun. Even though you were driving sufficiently for the speed limit, he wanted to go faster.
He was tailgating you. What if he hit you? You naturally would pull over. Then BANG! he shoots you.
In addition "playing" with a car riding your bumper is very distracting. You are putting your own safety at risk by diverting your attention away from the road in front of you.
I was in a tiny underpowered rental car on a two lane highway with double yellow line, and a tractor-trailer was right on my rear bumper with his headlights on. There was no place to go but forward, and I was already exceeding the speed limit & didn't want to risk a speeding ticket just to make the truck driver happy. After what seemed like an eternity, I came upon a turnout which I happily used to let the truck get past me. Once in front of me, he flashed a "thank you" with his taillights and zoomed away.
I don't know what I would have done if it had been a passenger car behind me, but I probably would have done the same thing. People like that are an accident waiting to happen and I'd rather not be a participant.
...pull over and let him pass me. It wasn't worth the risk, stress, damage to my vehicle, or getting shot over. I simply pulled over and let him pass me. I then continued on with my commute.
That is how your story SHOULD of went. One day somebody is going to get hurt or metal is going to get bent doing what you are doing.
I think you need to re-evaluate how you conduct yourself because your "passive aggressive" actions in today's climate of road rage was as dangerous as the other driver's actions.
Bullsh!t. He was driving perfectly legally. The fanatical road rager is the one cauing 100% of the problem. When someone is acting like that you are inviting danger by pulling over. What if he pulls over along with you, gets out and assaults you? You dont think that would happen - theres many videos on YouTube of it happening. I used to read motorcycle forums and read more than one post of it happening there too.
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