the WORST incidence of Road Rage - creepy igorant people!

eh.. stick in the mud is over used.. more like a boot in the mud.. more tragic that way. lol

I cruise in the slow lane in the 60mph range.. sometimes high 50's if people are going slow. well.. unless an incident like today happened.. where two guys in their convertable cobra mustang zoomed by with their music blairing thinking the car is impressive.. so.. i passed them.. on multiple occassions.

 

What is the speed limit on that freeway? Around here, the speed limit on the freeways is 75 outside of town, and 55 where the freeway passes through a big city. I seem to remember that the limit in Iowa on the freeway was 65.

I'd say that 64 in the slow lane of a 5-lane freeway is plenty fast, and only a criminal moron would get angry at that.

 

I believe the 405 is posted at 65, though I don't know how since I thought federal law maxed at 55 MPH in areas with a population density WAY less than anywhere along the 405.

In VT, the interstate max is 65 MPH, except through Brattleboro and Burlington/S. Burlington where it is 55. Min is 40 MPH. Below 40 you have to have your emergency flashers on. So, LEGALLY, you can do 25 MPH. Not that I've ever seen anyone do it. And the only people doing under 40 are the occasional house hauler on a steep hill or when the weather is awful and over 40 would be plain stupid anyway.

There is a mindset that says "'Everyone' goes 5 to 10 MPH over so EVERYONE should HAVE to, regardless of the legal limit". I don't know if the "flow of traffic" arguement can be used in court to suggest that going 64 in a 65 when everyone else is trying to do 70-75.

 

65 MPH.

 

So the original poster was going at the speed limit, as near as makes no difference. Plus, he was in the slow lane, with four more lanes to the left, available for the locos who think they have to go faster than the limit.

Conclusion: the jerk who caused the accident was a psychopath with serious problems. Maybe he had just found his wife in bed with the owner of a Prius, and in traditional American fashion, determined to revenge himself on all Prius drivers.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel\";p=\"58115)</div>

Another case of "Prius Envy," or so it would seem...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel\";p=\"58115)</div>

25 points! LOL!

 

Re: the WORST incidence of Road Rage - creepy igorant people

I don't recall these sorts of things happening very much when I was a child, way back in the middle of the last century.

I often wonder why it is that these road rage attacks are now so common.

Certainly there are more people and more cars than in the long ago days of my youth. I don't think that more cars and more people really explains the whole phenomenon very well. I think that road rage is symptomatic of a general worsening of our society.

We have become a fragmented and compartmentalized society. We no longer see strangers as being like us. Strangers are suspect, probably child molesters or carjackers, certainly not anyone we should care about.

Really, if you watch Action News live on channel 7 at 5 every day, you'll be aware that most other people are criminals just lurking for a chance to rob, mutilate, carjack, rape, molest and otherwise harm you in your sleep.

Not only are we, as patriotic Americans, desperately afraid of everyone, we also realize that on the highway everybody else is just trying to cut us off, slow us down, get in our way, and act like jerks.

The sort of experience described by the original poster in this thread is, to my way of thinking, emblematic of what is wrong in American society.

Certainly the original poster did do the right thing. He was innocent of any wrongdoing. The minmum speed limit for automobiles on California freeways is 40 MPH, if I recall correctly. Nothing is more reasonable than going 64 in a 65 zone.

We all really need to step back a bit, be less passionate in our condemnation of others, and remember that we are all members of the same human race that is desperately trying to destroy this beautiful planet.

Peace on Earth, except where there is Oil
GreenSteve

 

Re: the WORST incidence of Road Rage - creepy igorant people

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Danny\";p=\"58145)</div>

Next time pull into the local police station. I bet the jerk would not follow you in there. Especially if you obviously have a piece of paper (presumably with his license plate written on it) in your hand.

 

Re: the WORST incidence of Road Rage - creepy igorant people

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GreenSteve\";p=\"58264)</div>

I can't disagree, though I think too many people in an area is a cause.

25 years ago when I moved to VT at least 80% of the people on the road would slightly inconvience themselves to let another car turn across their lane, or heaven forbid even turn in FRONT of them going their way. No more, most likely the people behind you honk if you are acommodating. Now it is more like Boston, "me first, get out of my way, I might be slowed down by 5 seconds on my 15 minute trip".

I do live in the most populous county and I'm sure a lot of Vermont is still like Chittenden County was back when.

 

Re: the WORST incidence of Road Rage - creepy igorant people

It really is dangerous ,and probably unacceptable, to generalize but I will anyway. My experience has been that folks who live in densely populated areas in North America seem to suffer from the strain of sharing space with others and become "brain dead" drivers. This results in a "me first" attitude and if you get in my way I'll run you down. I've visited China, Japan and most countries in Europe where populations are as dense or more so than in the US/Canada/Mexico. Yes, everyone is rushing around but in my experience they maintain their civility/good manners. A year ago last Sept we drove down the West Coast US-101, across the US on I-80/I-90 and up to Maine on I-95. Other than the Interstates... in less populated areas everyone was exceptionally polite and particularly in the New England States. I'm certain I'd have experienced the same trend if I'd driven across Canada but our, one and only, TransCanada highway is more like a goat trail (IMHO) so I tend to avoid it ... supporting the US highway system by paying the gas tax. That tax at least goes into the US highway system and not lining the pockets of politicians up here as our gas tax does.
Gary

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bruceha_2000\";p=\"58282)</div>

Next time pull into the local police station. I bet the jerk would not follow you in there. Especially if you obviously have a piece of paper (presumably with his license plate written on it) in your hand.
[/b][/quote]

A piece of paper or a camcorder?

I didn't used to do this, but for some reason I noticed tailgating and hostile driving seems to stop once people see a lens and a record light. I forgot who on here told me about this -- I thought it'd be unsafe to try to use a camera and drive at the same time, but it doesn't seem to be. One hand never leaves the wheel, just point in the general direction of the dangerous driver and don't look or aim.

Makes you wonder, though -- what do you do with the footage? I guess it's just there in case someone successfully causes an accident...

 

There is a lot of road rage out there. I was experiancing some today. Actualy.. i believe this is caused by the HIDs on the Prius.. i would notice sexy but extremely bright headlights of an oncoming car. HIDs that don't seem to keep to their cut off point to well with the light. Every single time it was a prius. I had people in front of me flashing their lights because they knew i would see.. soo.. after a couple times of them trying to signal me.. i knew i was too driving a prius and my lights seem high to a normal car. So, i would flash my lights real quick.. but it's a single lense... so i dont' think they saw that i flashed my brights to show them my dims are on.

One lady today, while on the highway, was really pissing me off. I was already having a bad cay, but she made it worse. She would zoom to the next car really quickly, while in the fast lane, and then slam on her breaks. She was trying to get me to crash into her because i follow pretty close on traffic. I believe all the cars should be watched from a distance and average speed can be calculated and simulated with the way everyone drives. it would speed up traffic and make the breaking session go away.

Anyways, she ended up putting her car into reverse and trying to back into me. She made a signal to me.. I'm guessing it was saying i'm "number one". All because of factory headlights. It happened 3 or 4 times just tonight. Someone tried flashing me when behing me.. but.. i have a center beam on the rear hatch.. doesn't work

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mspencer\";p=\"58351)</div>

Many years ago there was a person who maintained a "Highway 17 Web Page of Shame". His passenger would look out for a "Jerk du Jour" during the commute from Santa Cruz into Silicon Valley, and they'd post clips of the really bad drivers. CNN actually had a story on it:

CNN's Coverage of the Highway 17 Hall of Shame

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(macreative\";p=\"58255)</div>

[/b][/quote]

iv'e only done the wiper trick once and that was after someone cut me off and decided i was tailgating them even though my foot was completly off the accelerator and i was just waiting for them to accelerate. then she slams on her brakes and slows down to 40 in the fast lane. she changes lanes and as i pass her up she gives me the finger then gets behind me tailgates me with high beams on in a SUV. And after i did the wiper trick she stopped tailgating me. So if you really think that i shouldnt have done the wiper trick that one time then i hope its you who gets the chair.

 

I grew up in L.A. It was overcrowded even way back in the 50's, but (as someone above pointed out) the road rage thing just wasn't there. It's true that in uncrowded places (like ND) drivers, and people in general, are much more polite. But it's not just that. The mood of the country has changed as well. My mom lived through the depression, and says that back then, people used to help each other out. Nowadays we live in a culture of fear, anger, and isolation.

But I will contradict one comment above: I lived in Mexico for 4 1/2 years, and there's plenty of road rage there also. The instant a light turns green, the entire row of cars starts honking their horns, and I've seen two drivers almost come to blows over a right-of-way quarrel. A Japanese friend in Mexico (accostomed to Tokyo traffic) commented that Mexicans are the friendliest people in the world, until they get behind the wheel, and then they turn into maniacs.

 

Re: the WORST incidence of Road Rage - creepy igorant people

I believe that it all comes down to law enforcement and fines charged for major infractions of the laws. We had a case here recently where a mother was crossing a busy intersection with her two children in a stroller.
A young girl on a cell phone at the time(though she claims she wasn't despite witnesses) ran the red light and hit the stroller tossing the children out and killing them. What happened to the driver.?Nothing yet.
Traffic infractions are not enough; there has to be something else.
Since the woman stopped after striking the children and other circumstances surrounding the incident, FHP investigators must prove criminal intent to charge her with vehicular homicide. She ran an F-ing red light what more do you need!! If someone breaks the law (going through a red light) and speeding (while talking on a cell phone, yet!) they should have to face the consequences when the result is an injured or killed pedestrian. Especially, when those pedestrians were crossing when they were supposed to. Fines for running a red here is $60-$70 and a few points. I think they need to be $1000.00 you sure would think about it and pay attention on the road while driving. Road rage and aggressive driving same thing and revocation of the vehicle. Hell they take away cars and homes and people lives for drug possession why not for endangering the lives of the of innocent drivers subjected to this kind of behavior. :cussing: Hit them hard in the wallet is the only way.