Why does the summer seem to bring out the worst in drivers? Yesterday I had a woman deliberately nearly hit me because she was mad that I didn’t get over fast enough, then cut in front of me and hit her brakes hard. This pissed me off so bad I nearly saw red. I would have thrown a rock through her windshield if I could have. I drove the rest of the way to work shaking with anger and doing breathing exercises.
Then later in that day, at a somewhat blind merge, this woman basically left no room for me to merge, nearly running me off the road. I was scared and yelled and looked over and she was laughing at me. WTF? Why is that funny? It’s not like I pissed her off beforehand - she just tried to run a totally random person off the road for no reason.
I think it’s got to be partly the heat, which flares the temper, and also the fact that the roads are dry and the weather’s nice - it makes people feel safe enough to speed like crazy, meneuver all over the place and nearly cause accidents. So people drive like complete assholes and everybody gets extra pissed off and really, really vindictive. That’s my theory anyway.
So share your “summer of hate” stories. Let the road rage begin!
My drive to and from work consists of passing cows, horses, and fields. Initially there’s some traffic but it disperses pretty quickly.
I have to question your comments about seeing red, wanting to hurl rocks and getting pissed off. Some drivers are assholes. Some pedestrians are assholes. Some people are assholes. Don’t let it get to you. Who cares? Instead of having an aneurysm yourself you could have laughed back.
I was going to do a pit thread about this today, but got over it. I’m in the HOV lane on my motorcycle and some jerk is right up my ass. So much so that when I turn around and look at him he was almost touchable. He wasn’t even allowed in the HOV lane, but that didn’t stop him. I ended up slowing down to where he passed me, then swerved over in front of me and sped off. The funny thing is that he didn’t get anywhere.
Then two more fuckers did the same thing, none of them belonged in the HOV lanes.
But that’s exactly my point. Why did I have such a strong reaction? Usually I don’t let it bother me. But there is something about the summertime that really ups the tension on the roads.
I’ll probably end up pitted for this but here goes. I don’t get pissed on the road as my vehicle is a 3 ton weapon . Not a toy and I treat it and other drivers with respect. However , sometimes I make a mistake or someone feels I did or some one gets too close to me and I have to honk my horn at them . Well they get pissed off. And they start with the honking and the finger and yelling and acting a fool, I try to get them pull over . Usually after I roll the window down and they get an eyeball on me they change their mind . And now the fun part . I’ll tell you why . People usually drive the same way to and from work every day . This is usually when these things happen . Either they’re pissed because they are going to work or pissed because they had a bad day . Doesn’t really matter. What I do know is how easy it is to follow someone to their house , find out where they live and surprise them next week or month , you get the picture . Or follow them to see the path they take every day and ambush them . A few years back a fellow by the name of Trickle got shot in the face while he was driving home late at night through his rolled up driver window.He was a race car driver. When I heard it I pretty much knew why. He had a beef with some tough ass and he decided he would settle the score with steel the chicken shit. I’m not saying this is what happened but I’m pretty sure that whoever shot him didn’t know him that well because no one had the slightest clue who did it , the police , no one. So after seeing that and knowing what once lived in my own heart and what lives in the hearts of other humans I decided when and wherever some one decided to start acting crazy I would settle the matter once and be done with it. Please don’t think what I am saying is that I would attack some one or if some one pulled a gun I wouldn’t get in my car and call the law .But be sure when I get out of the car I get tight and ready to do what I need to if someone comes at me.But most people are so scared that they don’t even think about it once they see me. And I’m not saying if somebody gives me the finger I try to do it either . I just smile and wave. You have to be careful . It’s a hard , hard world out there and some people live for the chance to torment others when they see the chance.
Oh, my god, Omegaman, please be careful out there.
If I’m reading your post correctly, I’m afraid that you’ll one day find yourself in a situation in which the only escape will be that from which no one returns. I understand your frustration with dickweed drivers–I can’t stand 'em, either–but some fool who might have a gun is not worth your life.
I might agree with following the person home, noting the address, then sending anonymous “Hey, stop driving like a moron” notes. Miiiiight. But never getting out of your car to confront someone. (Hell, not even allowing it to escalate beyond you cussing to yourself as you drive off into the sunset.) You might not have a chance to get back in and call 9-1-1.
As the numerous past threads about left-lane charter members, hyper-speeders, and other asshats illustrate, the majority of drivers are ok people who share the road and won’t respond to another person’s assholish behavior. There is a tiny, but vocal minority who firmly believe they are above the commoners and can do as they please 24/7, and there is also a small, but determined group of us who says, screw you.
Case in point: bridge redecking on one of the local expressways, so the two lanes neck to one in each direction. Flasherboard announces this 5 miles in advance. Signs begin two miles in advance. A mile before the bridge, we’re all polite and reasonable, in the correct lane, and here comes Mr. I’m More Important Than You. MIMITY is cranking up the empty lane in his Beemer, planning on squeezing in at the front, and I’ve seen too many like him, of late. So, I signal a left turn and pull into the left lane while maintaining pace with the rest of traffic. MIMITY flashes his lights, gestures, and generally has a fit. But he can’t pass me, because there’s no room. So we move along, until the final merge point, and it seems that the rest of the motorists have moved nose to tail, such that after I’m back in line, there’s no space for him, and no one lets him in.
MIMITY passed me a few miles down the road, complete with more gestures, and I smiled. Screw him.
Not that I go out of my way to make trouble but I actually enjoy it when some person in traffic gets pissed because I had the audacity to turn on my signal and make a careful and thought-out lane change. People who ride my ass make me automatically slow down as much as possible. About a month ago some jerk off in a giant Beemer SUV thought I cut them off when I obviously had the right of way and they are riding my ass and honking and going crazy, get a fucking grip lady.
A guy here who pulled over last year to have it out with an asshole driver got out of his car to confront the guy and was shot and killed before he could say a word, Omegaman. So you’re definitely living dangerously pulling that stunt. Someone with a gun doesn’t have to worry about how big and intimidating you are if you’re not also armed.
My favorite way of assholes being dealt with is when two truckers decide to ride along next to each other and stop MIMITY from weaving his way through any more traffic for at least a couple of miles. We’ve been behind them in a couple of situations, and it was fun how everyone else on the road just sat back and relaxed and enjoyed the steam coming out of the ears of MIMITY. When the truckers finally let him by, they received a very positive response from everyone else on the road. Pointless? Yes. Won’t teach MIMITY a lesson? Probably not. Fun? Definitely.
I quess you missed the part where I noted I was driving a 3 ton weapon. Living the life I have I will use anything, even a rock from the ground to defend myself. I quess your missing my point though. If some one wants to kill you they will. I grew up with people like Tony Spilotro running the streets and I’m sure you know all about his escapades. But my point is I don’t want to have to be looking over my shoulder all the time . You know what, thanks for speaking to me. I prayed to God over it and He assures me He has things He needs done and I shouldn’t be giving people the opportunity to get in the way of that . So thanks , MamaTiger for your council.
Well you kind of did , I don’t do things like that but their are people who do. After reading what you have written and others I have had a change of heart . My life is worth something and to waste it for an idiot would be stupid. I heard it from the Man himself. So thanks for your council. Obviously it meant something to me or I would have just argued like i started to do with Mama Tiger . Thanks again . I’ll keep an eye out for you.
The thing that also astounds me is that most of ones who cut you off or otherwise screw with you in traffic would never think to cut in front of you in a bank line, for example. I think the vehicular situation of not having to be held immediately accountable and accessable makes people behave worse then they would otherwise.
I once saw a BMW being driven a prudent and responsible manner, but that’s not what I came to post about.
I came to post about the incident where a I saw a van pull to the right to cut off what he percived to be a ‘Mr. I’m More Important Than You’ coming down the lane that was being closed up ahead. Everyone else had moved to the left. The van had to move back to the left after the supposed MIMITY turned right into his supposed workplace, after being unnecessarily blocked for a light cycle by a self appointed traffic crusader.
I suppose that scenario doesn’t apply on a bridge being redecked.
