Rude Driver
#11
Candid Camera
Isn't it wierd how people act like they are not in public on the freeway?
Not always, but poping out a camera on occasion prompts drivers to behave better.
Once some hothead gave me the birdie on the last twenty yards on an entrance ramp - might have killed two seconds of his time!!!! A few miles down the tollway, I snuck up on him and did the "Smile You're on Candid Camera" routine. He was on much better behavior.
Not always, but poping out a camera on occasion prompts drivers to behave better.
Once some hothead gave me the birdie on the last twenty yards on an entrance ramp - might have killed two seconds of his time!!!! A few miles down the tollway, I snuck up on him and did the "Smile You're on Candid Camera" routine. He was on much better behavior.
#12
Re: Rude Driver
Originally Posted by brick
Yeah, but the way I read this he was driving the same speed as the people in front of him. The problem was that it looked like he was driving slow because he left a reasonable cushion between himself and the vehicle in front.
Road rage is like a sport here in the Northeast, and I have written more than my fair share of posts while still fuming over a particularly needless encounter. Fortunately I have finally learned that the best way to handle these guys is to ignore them completely. No gestures, no speeding up, no slowing down, no honking, and not even a glance in that direction if I can help it. Most importantly, no inner monologue about what the offender deserves to have done to him! My first priority is now to get home without my own blood pressure skyrocketing as a result of some nutcase. That can be the hardest part of driving some days.
Road rage is like a sport here in the Northeast, and I have written more than my fair share of posts while still fuming over a particularly needless encounter. Fortunately I have finally learned that the best way to handle these guys is to ignore them completely. No gestures, no speeding up, no slowing down, no honking, and not even a glance in that direction if I can help it. Most importantly, no inner monologue about what the offender deserves to have done to him! My first priority is now to get home without my own blood pressure skyrocketing as a result of some nutcase. That can be the hardest part of driving some days.
#13
Re: Rude Driver
If the person in front of me is going too slow for me, I don't bother getting upset, I just go by them whether it's allowed or not. That pisses them off more than me being rude to them.
#14
Re: Rude Driver
I do strive to be a courteous hybrid driver, but please remember that the speed limit in the carpool lane (and all others!) is 65. I'll push it to 69 if that's the going rate... or I'll get out of the carpool lane (and move to the RIGHT lanes) if, and only if, the regular lanes aren't clogged up. I do have a legal right to be in the carpool lane, and no one should be able to force me to drive illegally... and be obnoxious about it if I don't comply.
In this incident, I was moving with the flow at 66. My following distance did vary from one car length (during a brief period of crawling!) to maybe 12 car lengths as I was making a minor effort at driving with the load. This usually isn't a problem when you have a good lead on the cars in your mirror... or if the car in your mirror is another hybrid... at least until THIS trip!
As I said, this is the first incident of its kind since I took delivery of my HCHII in early April. I thought this was going to be a constant problem. I can live with it a couple of times a year!
In this incident, I was moving with the flow at 66. My following distance did vary from one car length (during a brief period of crawling!) to maybe 12 car lengths as I was making a minor effort at driving with the load. This usually isn't a problem when you have a good lead on the cars in your mirror... or if the car in your mirror is another hybrid... at least until THIS trip!
As I said, this is the first incident of its kind since I took delivery of my HCHII in early April. I thought this was going to be a constant problem. I can live with it a couple of times a year!
#15
Re: Rude Driver
Originally Posted by EZ2beGreen
You know, my wife said to me she read that there was a study conducted that found the problem with upsetting someone in a car (ie the reason for road rage) is that there is no opprtunity to simply face the other person and utter a simply "sorry," or somthing along those lines.
Freaky, really.
#16
Re: Rude Driver
There is nothing you can do to appease someone who desperately wants to get into an altercation. I think that some people, for whatever psychological reason, feel that someone's mistake is an opportunity to "put them in their place" in order to inflate one's own sense of importance. It's the same as a playground bully but twice as sad since the behavior is coming from an adult.
#17
Re: Rude Driver
Part of the problem is over the years drivers have been allowed to get away with a little more and more. People went 5 over the limit, then 10, then 15....then they behave as though they make the law. Kind of sounds like the old Wild West. There simply needs to be more enforcement. Some don't like the idea, but more videocams taking pictures of speeders would help.
Wouldn't you love for that woman that verbally abused JordanCS to have been videotaped by the people that know her? I'd bet a lot of people in her position would never have snapped if they thought everyone would find out she behaves like that.
Wouldn't you love for that woman that verbally abused JordanCS to have been videotaped by the people that know her? I'd bet a lot of people in her position would never have snapped if they thought everyone would find out she behaves like that.
#18
Re: Rude Driver
I agree rude agrressive drivers do make for road safety issues. However, I also believe that slow drivers who habitually drive below the speed limit, or like to ride the left lane (for no reason) are just a much of a safety issue. These slow driving habits create unnecessary traffic bottlenecks and make rude drivers out of normally sane people.
Disclaimer: Acceptable conditions for driving under the limit would have to be safety related (hauling heavy loads, temp tire, disabled vechile, etc.).
Disclaimer: Acceptable conditions for driving under the limit would have to be safety related (hauling heavy loads, temp tire, disabled vechile, etc.).
#19
Re: Rude Driver
Gobbles, I agree - nobody should feel like they can go under the posted limit and stack up traffic. A couple of times I've been pinned by such drivers, and got them mad when I resorted to passing the double line to get by them.
#20
Re: Rude Driver
Originally Posted by Gobbles
I agree rude agrressive drivers do make for road safety issues. However, I also believe that slow drivers who habitually drive below the speed limit, or like to ride the left lane (for no reason) are just a much of a safety issue. These slow driving habits create unnecessary traffic bottlenecks and make rude drivers out of normally sane people.
Disclaimer: Acceptable conditions for driving under the limit would have to be safety related (hauling heavy loads, temp tire, disabled vechile, etc.).
Disclaimer: Acceptable conditions for driving under the limit would have to be safety related (hauling heavy loads, temp tire, disabled vechile, etc.).
Originally Posted by DeltaFlyer
Gobbles, I agree - nobody should feel like they can go under the posted limit and stack up traffic. A couple of times I've been pinned by such drivers, and got them mad when I resorted to passing the double line to get by them.
Now, I'm not going to attack you for speeding or go on about the safety, legal and practical reasons why people who speed shouldn't. I'm just going to say that, at the very least, people who DON'T speed are following the law. We don't 'feel like we can go under the posted limit,' we don't need 'acceptable conditions for driving under the limit,' and we don't have to justify doing it to anyone. We're following the law. And no disrespectful comments or rude tailgating should be able to force people to break the law, even if 'everyone else is doing it' (how middle school are we, anyway?).
Listen, I'm sorry if I sound annoyed, but I guess I am. Breaking traffic laws is not a victimless crime, and public condemnation of the people who actually work hard to FOLLOW the laws seems monumentally unfair, shortsighted, arrgh.... this is turning into a rant and I should probably just stop typing now. Anyway, you get my point.