Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As far as my "road rage" goes, I'm trying to get an angry response from the tailgater. I want them to be so angry that they follow me off the highway where I can deal with their tailgating permanently. Remember that the next time you tailgate someone.
That's intelligent. Is this the most pressing issue in your life?
For some reason, lots people in Fairfield County, when the Hartford area is mentioned, crinkle their noses and say "damn, so....far", when you KNOW they wanted to say something else. No lie.
All the while, they have no problem driving to Nyack, NY for a dentist appointment. LOL
It's too bad, really. I can see why some people in New England think of CT as a NYC burb when they encounter than kind of attitude.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rickd203
I'm trying to get an angry response from the tailgater. I want them to be so angry that they follow me off the highway where I can deal with their tailgating permanently. Remember that the next time you tailgate someone.
Get a hobby. Seriously, you never know who or what is going to get out of that other car. I knew someone who did that same thing, and when they got to the end of the off ramp, two guys jumped out of the truck behind him with bats and basically destroyed his car, and took off.
I don't do it anymore, but in my younger days, I would just keep lots of pennies in the car. Toss a handful out the side window and watch the brakes get applied.
The tailgating and aggressive driving is par for the course in this area. I've said it before, but I think road design and lack of enforcement are big contributors to this issue.
For example, all the left hand exits in CT. I've visited and driven in about 25 of our 50 states and left hand exits\on ramps are a rarity outside of CT. I don't know why we have a love affair with the left hand exits. Also, there are too many exits\ on ramps here. They seem to average one every mile. Drive the Mass pike or Jersey turnpike and the exits seem to average one every 5 miles. Although I would assume if you removed some of the exits that would just push the traffic onto local streets instead.
The left hand exits here also forces people who like to drive the speed limit into the left lane to make their exits. It also forces 18 wheelers into the left lane to make their exits as well. People get frustrated with them and pass on the right instead. Perfect place to observe this behavior is I-91 south @ exit 30 (I-84 RT 2 East) People move into the left lane to make this exit and they have to slow down since there is a sharp curve on the exit all the while people on the right lane are trying to pass them and cutting in at the last second. I've seen many people crash at this exit into those yellow barrels due to this.
I've been driving the same stretch of I-91 @ the same times for 8+ years. During this time on average I have seen a state cop about 2 times a year doing speed enforcement. Perhaps I'm just lucky and never see them, but that is abysmal enforcement. IMO people have learned this and its a free for all on the highway's, especially at night. 100+MPH on I-91 at night is the norm. Out of state people have learned this too. Plenty of them are speeding on our highways each and every day.
Conversely, I visited some western states last year specifically, CA, NV, AZ and they had heavy enforcement. Las Vegas had state cops on the highway about a mile apart every day I was there. AZ had 75mph speed limits which everyone seemed to follow. CA had lots of enforcement mainly by motorcycle cops, but people seemed to follow the speed limits which was 70 MPH IIRC.
What is my point of bringing up the western states? I think if we did enforcement like that people would learn not to speed on our highways and drive aggressive. A few 300$ tickets and/or license suspensions should change their attitude.
The tailgating and aggressive driving is par for the course in this area. I've said it before, but I think road design and lack of enforcement are big contributors to this issue.
For example, all the left hand exits in CT. I've visited and driven in about 25 of our 50 states and left hand exits\on ramps are a rarity outside of CT. I don't know why we have a love affair with the left hand exits. Also, there are too many exits\ on ramps here. They seem to average one every mile. Drive the Mass pike or Jersey turnpike and the exits seem to average one every 5 miles. Although I would assume if you removed some of the exits that would just push the traffic onto local streets instead.
The left hand exits here also forces people who like to drive the speed limit into the left lane to make their exits. It also forces 18 wheelers into the left lane to make their exits as well. People get frustrated with them and pass on the right instead. Perfect place to observe this behavior is I-91 south @ exit 30 (I-84 RT 2 East) People move into the left lane to make this exit and they have to slow down since there is a sharp curve on the exit all the while people on the right lane are trying to pass them and cutting in at the last second. I've seen many people crash at this exit into those yellow barrels due to this.
I've been driving the same stretch of I-91 @ the same times for 8+ years. During this time on average I have seen a state cop about 2 times a year doing speed enforcement. Perhaps I'm just lucky and never see them, but that is abysmal enforcement. IMO people have learned this and its a free for all on the highway's, especially at night. 100+MPH on I-91 at night is the norm. Out of state people have learned this too. Plenty of them are speeding on our highways each and every day.
Conversely, I visited some western states last year specifically, CA, NV, AZ and they had heavy enforcement. Las Vegas had state cops on the highway about a mile apart every day I was there. AZ had 75mph speed limits which everyone seemed to follow. CA had lots of enforcement mainly by motorcycle cops, but people seemed to follow the speed limits which was 70 MPH IIRC.
What is my point of bringing up the western states? I think if we did enforcement like that people would learn not to speed on our highways and drive aggressive. A few 300$ tickets and/or license suspensions should change their attitude.
I completely agree, but it's not speeding that bothers me as much as it's the tailgaters and the left lane hogs.
I completely agree, but it's not speeding that bothers me as much as it's the tailgaters and the left lane hogs.
I agree with you on tailgaters being horrendous but there is some wiggle room in thinking about the "left lane hogs." On 95 I typicaly drive 65-75 in the middle lane. If I'm late for work or a class, I'll get into the left lane and drive 85-88 MPH. It doesn't happen frequently, but when I'm in the left lane at 7:30 AM or 7-8 PM someone from NY or NJ pulls up behind me trying to go 95-100 MPH. I don't pull into the center lane. I don't want to be driving 65 MPH in the center lane when I need to get somewhere fast, and I don't think it's necessary or appropriate to be driving near 100 MPH when there are other people on the road. In those cases, I am an 85 MPH moving left lane hog. I don't regret not pulling over.
I agree with you on tailgaters being horrendous but there is some wiggle room in thinking about the "left lane hogs." On 95 I typicaly drive 65-75 in the middle lane. If I'm late for work or a class, I'll get into the left lane and drive 85-88 MPH. It doesn't happen frequently, but when I'm in the left lane at 7:30 AM or 7-8 PM someone from NY or NJ pulls up behind me trying to go 95-100 MPH. I don't pull into the center lane. I don't want to be driving 65 MPH in the center lane when I need to get somewhere fast, and I don't think it's necessary or appropriate to be driving near 100 MPH when there are other people on the road. In those cases, I am an 85 MPH moving left lane hog. I don't regret not pulling over.
I hear you on not wanting to encourage people driving 95 mph, but having that idiot tailgating you creates a dangerous situation. If I'm going 80, and Mario Andretti wants to pass me, then fine, I'll move to the right. If there's a cop up ahead, he'll get him and not me.
I agree with you on tailgaters being horrendous but there is some wiggle room in thinking about the "left lane hogs." On 95 I typicaly drive 65-75 in the middle lane. If I'm late for work or a class, I'll get into the left lane and drive 85-88 MPH. It doesn't happen frequently, but when I'm in the left lane at 7:30 AM or 7-8 PM someone from NY or NJ pulls up behind me trying to go 95-100 MPH. I don't pull into the center lane. I don't want to be driving 65 MPH in the center lane when I need to get somewhere fast, and I don't think it's necessary or appropriate to be driving near 100 MPH when there are other people on the road. In those cases, I am an 85 MPH moving left lane hog. I don't regret not pulling over.
If you would have to brake when moving over because of 65 MPH traffic in the middle lane, that means you're passing. I'd probably just swallow my pride and move over for the nutjob, but it's not entirely necessary as long as you continue passing.
If someone really wants to go 85+, I let them pass. When they get that close, there's no stopping distance left at that speed. Better to concede to them.
I like driving fast (I have a sports car fetish), but I NEVER tail gate. That's dangerous at any speed.
If someone really wants to go 85+, I let them pass. When they get that close, there's no stopping distance left at that speed. Better to concede to them.
I like driving fast (I have a sports car fetish), but I NEVER tail gate. That's dangerous at any speed.
^^^This.
What drives me nuts is driving in my sports car with 19" rear tires and race-car brakes and having some moron come up tailgating me while they can clearly see the 6 cars in front of me. I could let him slam on his brakes first...then slam on mine and he'd still probably rear end me just due to the enormous stopping distance disparity.
Anyone that tailgates people with many people in front of them or when they are driving in the slow lane....is especially poor at driving.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
