# Assertive vs Agressive driving **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assertive-vs-agressive-driving/118408 "2002-07-11T12:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assertive-vs-agressive-driving/118408/21 "2002-07-12T05:33:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by YEP \* > **\ With this new law how am I suppose to let these drivers know to move over or speed up? \** Who died and made you the king of the road? I guess you’ll just have to rely on the grill of your car being two feet from their back bumper to let them know of their sins. \*\* > [@](#): > > \ Tailgating is permissible if you can’t go around. \\*\* Tailgating is never permissible. I don’t understand tailgaters; it’s YOUR OWN SAFETY that you’re jeopardizing by driving too closely behind another vehicle. You are sacrificing your own stopping distance to make a very dubious point to the driver in front of you. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assertive-vs-agressive-driving/118408/22 "2002-07-12T10:57:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Tailgating is never permissible. I don’t understand tailgaters; I second that. IF I’m in the passing lane and passing and some @-hole comes up to my bumper, I will slow down and contunue to slow till whoever I’m passing has passed me on the right and it is safe to pull to the right (I make sure it takes a very long time). I pull to the right, let the @-hole by they pull back out to make my pass. I NEVER speed up for tailgaters and most of the time slow down. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assertive-vs-agressive-driving/118408/23 "2002-07-12T12:23:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by YEP \* > \*\*What is with road-rage laws? On the highways as in life it is "survival of the fittest. And the fittest are the fastest. Stay in the slow lane unless passing. I drive 120 miles to work everyday. On the way to work try to go 80 mile/hour, going home I do the speed limit. Most of the trip has three lane of traffic. This shouldn’t cause much traffic, but everyday there some bung-hole doing 55mph in the fast lane with 30 cars behind him. It is now illegal for me to honk my horn, flash my lights, or signal other drivers. With this new law how am I suppose to let these drivers know to move over or speed up? I believe we should petition for a one shot a month law. This law would allow any driver legally allowed to carry a gun one free shot at these drivers per month. How’s that sound? > > As far as assertive driving I believe you have to be able to get the attention of drivers who should be in the fast lane. Tailgating is permissible if you can’t go around. Aggressive driving I believe would be tailgating a lonely car on the freeway. > > Yep. That’s me \*\* Yep, based on your opinion of the permissibility of tailgating, your Darwinian attitude toward driving, your eagerness to take shots at other drivers, and your anger about road rage laws, you are more than an agressive driver. You are an asshole. I know I’m not supposed to say such things, and I hope I don’t get banned for it. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assertive-vs-agressive-driving/118408/24 "2002-07-12T13:46:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nametag \* > \*\*Cite? \*\* Sorry, I am unable to find a cite. However, I have read this several times in Ron Shaffer’s column in the Washington Post called _Dr. Gridlock_. I did a search on the Post and came up with several articles that probably state this but they were older than 2 weeks so I would have to pay $2.95 each, which I’m not going to do just to find a cite. I’ll see if I can find Va. traffic code somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assertive-vs-agressive-driving/118408/25 "2002-07-12T14:09:58Z")
> [@](#): > > On the way to work try to go 80 mile/hour, going home I do the speed limit. Here’s some logic I’ve never understood. Why do people speed to get someplace they _don’t want to be_? What’s the hurry? Afraid you’ll miss out on the synergy? 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assertive-vs-agressive-driving/118408.md?page=1)