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Last Thursday I was driving north on the merge ramp of 360 to get back to MOPAC. I picked up some lunch and had to get back to work. There was lots of traffic and so I had no choice but to merge. There was more than enough room for my vehicle to get into the left lane (several car lengths). I signaled. Then merged slowly. Well, I look in my rear view mirror and the truck behind me was right on my ass and HONKED. Then a few seconds later as traffic slowed I hear his engine rev and I knew he was going to cut around me. However, instead of driving around he basically tried to run me off the road. I slowed so it didn't happen. His vehicle was VERY close. If I had an old vehicle I would have let him hit me. Then he gives me the finger. Driving onward I was to make a left. Then he sticks his left arm out the window and still giving me the finger. It's so dumb as he swtiched to the right lane and was now several vehicles ahead. I bet other drivers were wondering what the hell?
Why so much anger? I drove perfectly safe, for the most part. I had no intention what so ever in causing this person harm. Well, this incident got my heart racing and I was quite nervous - even physically ill from it - shaking. The problem with this is not only did he put me in danger, but everyone else around him. There was a ton of traffic at that point and he could have caused a disaster. If I were not a nice guy he could have had some trouble himself. It really sucks when people ASSUME that you are trying to personally attack them somehow and then they want revenge. I think perhaps 99% of them time it is displaced anger. Perhaps the guy is having job trouble or something. I would have been more than happy to apologize to him if he thought I hurt him. There's no way to safely do that in this situation. Sigh.
It is very frightening to think people can't drive normally and still get assaulted by other drivers.
There were two other incidents in the two years since living in Austin - equally frightening.
What to do? I do my best to drive safely. This road rage crap is stupid. I think people become alienated from others when they are in their vehicles. They assume every time someone drives in front of them that it is a personal attack. And you know what? I can understand that. If I am driving in the left lane and someone from the middle lane cuts in front of me and droves slower it is annoying. However, I do my best not to take it personally.
I just thought now that perhaps it is best to signal VERY early - as in signal, wait a solid moment, and THEN move over so that it doesn't look like an assault. And also, not to make quick movements with your vehicle. I think quick movements activates the primordial "chase" instinct in people and they latch onto it, and literally try to chase you.
I should also say that I have seen some very GOOD drivers in Austin, and the surrounding area. For the most part people let each other in. I've had many experiences where drivers are courteous and I try to do the same. So it is not all bad. It's just that two or three bad incidents can really ruin things.
I bet there are a lot of other horror stories out there. I know a couple other coworkers who were literally forced off the road on MOPAC.
Sigh........
I'll share my moments...
I saw tons in the apartment complex where I first moved to....I would wonder if the drivers saw me, as I would get literally run over if I didn't move over...I remember even swearing at this chick who came 6 inches from hitting me walking past her, because I didn't exhibit pedestrian "flee" movement(in other words, I didn't scurry like a bird when she drove towards me speeding, and would teach me a "lesson" by coming close to me).....got that from drivers while jogging in the subdivision next to the apartment complex all the time...If I was in their way, whether pulling out of driveways, in the intersections while turning, or just didn't want to wait for me to cross at a intersection, they would just barrel through...I remember asking myself "surely they must have seen me"......but to no avail......interstates were like a video game, with drivers(many young) jockeying for position in the on-ramp divide before even getting on the X-way......and pretty much isolated animal feelings on the X-Way, like the feeling I got driving in Miami or LA.....pretty much "I will kill you if you cross me" mentality......
Not sure if this is entirely because of the huge influx of southern californians in the last 10 years, but I'm sure it had SOME impact on this base mentality of drivers in general around Austin.......also too many people from too many places that are new and don't know each other, reverting to animal impulses with the lack of connection and groundedness to their environment per the places they were born and raised in themselves......same principle of newcomer anonymity that spikes crime in transient cities in Florida and the rest of the sunbelt......
So blame it ultimately on far too many new people, and a lack of groundedness in the region which creates base animal instincts to take over, per the cutting off and such.....eclipsed this week with two Austin freeway shootings....let's hope to God this is NOT a harbinger of where Austin will be in the next 5-10 years....
I saw tons in the apartment complex where I first moved to....I would wonder if the drivers saw me, as I would get literally run over if I didn't move over...I remember even swearing at this chick who came 6 inches from hitting me walking past her, because I didn't exhibit pedestrian "flee" movement(in other words, I didn't scurry like a bird when she drove towards me speeding, and would teach me a "lesson" by coming close to me).....got that from drivers while jogging in the subdivision next to the apartment complex all the time...If I was in their way, whether pulling out of driveways, in the intersections while turning, or just didn't want to wait for me to cross at a intersection, they would just barrel through...I remember asking myself "surely they must have seen me"......but to no avail......interstates were like a video game, with drivers(many young) jockeying for position in the on-ramp divide before even getting on the X-way......and pretty much isolated animal feelings on the X-Way, like the feeling I got driving in Miami or LA.....pretty much "I will kill you if you cross me" mentality......
Not sure if this is entirely because of the huge influx of southern californians in the last 10 years, but I'm sure it had SOME impact on this base mentality of drivers in general around Austin.......also too many people from too many places that are new and don't know each other, reverting to animal impulses with the lack of connection and groundedness to their environment per the places they were born and raised in themselves......same principle of newcomer anonymity that spikes crime in transient cities in Florida and the rest of the sunbelt......
So blame it ultimately on far too many new people, and a lack of groundedness in the region which creates base animal instincts to take over, per the cutting off and such.....eclipsed this week with two Austin freeway shootings....let's hope to God this is NOT a harbinger of where Austin will be in the next 5-10 years....
I don't buy the argument that Californians or other out of state folks have made Austin Traffic worse at all. In fact, I think Texans are traditionally bad drivers and I think they are particularly insensitive to pedestrians and cyclists. It's constantly "Truck month" after all, and I think a lot of folks identify with the outlaws in those commercials--driving over/through obstacle or in circles in mud while shouting "Yeee-hawwww" or "Chevy, Driving Texas!"--and are overcome by a sense of utter primitiveness when behind the wheel.
Other Texan traditions:
-The lack of blinker use. In fact, if someone else is stupid enough to use their own blinker, take advantage of knowing their intentions and cut them off.
-Pulling out in front of someone as long as they will be able to brake and avoid hitting you.
I don't buy the argument that Californians or other out of state folks have made Austin Traffic worse at all. In fact, I think Texans are traditionally bad drivers and I think they are particularly insensitive to pedestrians and cyclists. It's constantly "Truck month" after all, and I think a lot of folks identify with the outlaws in those commercials--driving over/through obstacle or in circles in mud while shouting "Yeee-hawwww" or "Chevy, Driving Texas!"--and are overcome by a sense of utter primitiveness when behind the wheel.
Other Texan traditions:
-The lack of blinker use. In fact, if someone else is stupid enough to use their own blinker, take advantage of knowing their intentions and cut them off.
-Pulling out in front of someone as long as they will be able to brake and avoid hitting you.
Did I miss any?
No...that pretty much covers it.....
Watch out for the kids this week-end(halloween)....and drunk adults too.
I wish I could lay out tire tack strips that are speed activated in my neighborhood. People think that they should go 55 on streets made for 25 with children on them.
I don't buy the argument that Californians or other out of state folks have made Austin Traffic worse at all. In fact, I think Texans are traditionally bad drivers and I think they are particularly insensitive to pedestrians and cyclists. It's constantly "Truck month" after all, and I think a lot of folks identify with the outlaws in those commercials--driving over/through obstacle or in circles in mud while shouting "Yeee-hawwww" or "Chevy, Driving Texas!"--and are overcome by a sense of utter primitiveness when behind the wheel.
Other Texan traditions:
-The lack of blinker use. In fact, if someone else is stupid enough to use their own blinker, take advantage of knowing their intentions and cut them off.
-Pulling out in front of someone as long as they will be able to brake and avoid hitting you.
Did I miss any?
I can actually remember consciously noticing when the driving started to deteriorate, and it wasn't Texans who were doing it. It was about 20 years ago, give or take. At that time, it was considered a given that if somebody needed to get on the road and you could, you would let them do so. If they indicated that they needed to get in your lane, you'd do your best to let them. And so forth. People drove very politely, because that's how we drove. Gradually, more and more people who were on the roads who didn't get driving friendly, and over time, the Texans started, in self defense, driving less friendly, as well, and things snowballed.
At that point, the largest number of out of state plates were from California and New York. (Since my kids both played the "let's see how many different license plates we can see" game, it was something that I noticed for that reason, not because I was looking for someone to blame for this weird development.)
Now, we're having another influx of out of staters, predominantly from California, it seems, and the same problem is being noticed as worsening.
I'm not saying it's the folks from California, but those are my observations over time.
I do know, from 45 years of driving in Texas, for a fact that it is NOT a natural Texas thing to drive in such a rude way. Quite the opposite, in fact.
I don't think its Texans or outsiders; its everyone. Austin's infrastructure is 20-30 years outdated. The roads are too crowded which causes frustration, anxiety, and anger. I learned how to drive in West Virginia where you need to be a good driver since the roads are so bad there, and driving in Austin makes me nervous. So many cars are around you, and every driver unpredictable. Its also frustrating when a 15 minute drive turns into 45 minutes because of a traffic jam.
The solution is not to build more roads since development will increase in relation to the new infrastructure making traffic just as bad. Look at Houston. They are constantly building new freeways, and for a short time they make traffic better, but in the long run the new freeways become just as congested.
The problem is sprawl culture. Strip malls and apartment buildings. America needs to start designing better cities. Dump the LA model.
Other Texan traditions:
-The lack of blinker use. In fact, if someone else is stupid enough to use their own blinker, take advantage of knowing their intentions and cut them off.
-Pulling out in front of someone as long as they will be able to brake and avoid hitting you.
Did I miss any?
So true. Other peculiarities I've noticed:
-Stopping on a highway because the driver missed a lane change and now wants to cut back into traffic even if it endangers everyone around him/her.
-Throwing litter out the window onto the median.
-Ignoring parking striping and parking wherever the heck the driver feels like parking, including fire lanes and empty spots that aren't spaces.
-Causing a line of cars to come to a complete stop for an obnoxious amount of time while a driver waits for a parking space.
I can actually remember consciously noticing when the driving started to deteriorate, and it wasn't Texans who were doing it. It was about 20 years ago, give or take. At that time, it was considered a given that if somebody needed to get on the road and you could, you would let them do so. If they indicated that they needed to get in your lane, you'd do your best to let them. And so forth. People drove very politely, because that's how we drove. Gradually, more and more people who were on the roads who didn't get driving friendly, and over time, the Texans started, in self defense, driving less friendly, as well, and things snowballed.
At that point, the largest number of out of state plates were from California and New York. (Since my kids both played the "let's see how many different license plates we can see" game, it was something that I noticed for that reason, not because I was looking for someone to blame for this weird development.)
Now, we're having another influx of out of staters, predominantly from California, it seems, and the same problem is being noticed as worsening.
I'm not saying it's the folks from California, but those are my observations over time.
I do know, from 45 years of driving in Texas, for a fact that it is NOT a natural Texas thing to drive in such a rude way. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Yes, Texas's slogan was always "Drive Friendly". There are still signs on the road today but I doubt anyone remembers why they are there or pays any attention to them. I remember when I first moved to Texas in the 70's I was so impressed with the politeness of Texas drivers- from pulliing over to the shoulder to let you pass to letting you out when you're wating to get out of a parking lot.
Not only has that gone by the wayside, but drivers have gone beyond being polite to being rude like cutting you off when you're trying to merge. Part of it is the influx of people from out of state but part of it is just the sheer number of people on the roadways along with the younger drivers who never got a chance to expereince the "Texas friendliness" before Austin became the congested mess it is now.
Last edited by Moonlady; 10-30-2009 at 08:16 PM..
Reason: spelling
So true. Other peculiarities I've noticed:
-Stopping on a highway because the driver missed a lane change and now wants to cut back into traffic even if it endangers everyone around him/her.
-Throwing litter out the window onto the median.
-Ignoring parking striping and parking wherever the heck the driver feels like parking, including fire lanes and empty spots that aren't spaces.
-Causing a line of cars to come to a complete stop for an obnoxious amount of time while a driver waits for a parking space.
In Texans' defense, I've seen plenty of this behavior from people with out of state plates as well.
One example I saw not too long ago was a very large construction pickup with Illinois plates double park at a local convenience store during a busy part of the afternoon. I still made sure to park as close to him as I could, just to aggravate him.
I saw a guy today in a truck with New Mexico plates stop on the railroad tracks at 79 and 685. Anyone whos lived here any length of time knows what a dumb idea that is, especially with how frequently the trains come through...AND he had a little kid in the truck with him.
I saw a guy tonight at Target with Minnesota plates pull the parking lot wait.
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