I learned how to drive on rural two-lane roads used as truck routes in the Northeast. I have seen high-beams used this way and responded to appropriately pretty much ONLY by truckers or cars interacting with trucks–normal people in cars don’t see a flash of the high beams as anything other than some form of admonishment.
90% of the time when I see a car flash its high-beams at another car, the message is “hey, jackass, turn off your brights when there’s oncoming traffic!” A further 9% of the time it’s “hey, jackass, I perceive you to be in my way in some manner.” Maybe 1% of the time it’s “I see and acknowledge what you intend, you are clear to maneuver.”
The details aren’t adding up. What is that other driver driving that in the few seconds for you to signal, abort, and figure out what the flashing is they can close a gap big enough to land an airplane in? If you’re both going 40-50ish, it’s hard to imagine them closing that gap in a few seconds without grossly speeding.
I’ve certainly seen that signal in similar light traffic conditions here in LA. The conditions don’t merit it usually, but the number of drivers that suck warrant the extra courtesy, especially when you have plenty of time and distance to allow for it.
I never said he closed the gap in a few seconds. He did grossly speed after flashing, but I still could have changed lanes in front of him if I wanted to. I just didn’t think it was a wise option, given his behavior.
That’s my point. There was absolutely no reason for him to signal me. He was too damn far away for it to make a difference to him unless he was a nutjob.
Well, his definition of too damn far and yours may differ. But I will say if he got THAT pissed because you DIDN’T change lanes then he is a hot headed ass.
ISTM that when you have that much room, just signal and change lanes simultaneously, rather than waiting to see what the person 20 car lengths back thinks about it.
With that much room, it isn’t an ask, because there’s no one remotely close enough to need permission from. It’s informational so that anyone nearby who’s looking for an open lane knows to head to the one you’re vacating rather than the one you’re moving into.
The main issue here seems to be less one of appropriate use of and response to lane change signaling, but rather one of drivers who use their two-ton chunks of metal to take out their aggressions by making the roads less safe for those around them. There’s nothing to be done about these assholes; whatever you do has a chance to make them mad. Just drive normally and don’t get in pissing matches with them - not that you were doing that, but just stating a general rule.
The other day I turned onto a multi-lane city road (50 mph speed limit, but the light had just turned green so everyone was moving slowly). I needed to get over into the right lane quickly to turn into an upcoming business entrance, so I signaled, glanced over (no one close in the right lane) and started merging, only to hear loud honking. I look over again and there’s a car several car lengths back, both of us going maybe 15-20 mph. I complete my merge, glancing in the rear-view mirror to see what testosterone-fueled idiot is upset with me, and see that the driver is a white-haired old woman who had to be at least 75.
Man, she was pissed.
So yes, the OP is right that there are drivers with a huge sense of entitlement who think others are mere props who exist for their convenience. This includes drivers who lack basic courtesy and heedless mergers.
I bet she was one of those drivers, very common around here, who think a football sized gap is absolutely required in front of them, even when moving at 10 mph in heavy traffic. You can tell them because they slam on their brakes when someone merges into the gigantic gap about 5 car lengths in front of them.
We were driving along in the right lane of a fast-ish road one day when there was a young lady coming up the merge lane to merge into our lane. The law here is move over or make a space, but there was plenty of room in front of us for someone at speed to merge in, so we did nothing. She refused to get into the space in front of us, then gesticulated wildly and angrily as we drove past her. My husband and I turned to each other with identical “WFT?” expressions on our faces - what was she all het up about? If she can’t merge properly, how is that OUR fault? What the hell are they teaching kids about merging these days - that every car on the road has to get out of your way?
Here in Minneapolis area, it is not uncommon for people to speed up and cut you off if you signal. So, people have evolved to turning on the signal AS you are changing lanes.
It is so bad here that if they see you looking over your shoulder they will speed up to cut you off.
We were on Canal Road in DC one afternoon and signaled to continue onto M instead of being forced onto Whitehurst. Of course, the bitch off our left quarter didn’t want us in her lane so she sped up. However, the driver behind her let us in. Then we took the next right and got on Key Bridge. Meanwile, Ms. Bitch was stuck at a light; we waved at her as we passed.
I do think I’m missing a gene or something sometimes. I just completely don’t understand driving-as-competition. All I want to do is get to where I’m going in the fastest-within-safety-standards time without ending up injured or ticketed. I have no interest in defending some sort of roving territory in the lane I’m in. I don’t consider someone passing me to be denigrating my masculinity. I cede the right lane when possible when I approach an on-ramp.
The motivation behind cutting people off, driving aggressively, defending territory…it’s opaque to me. I just don’t get it.
So why didn’t you switch? Car more than 200 feet behind you is no impediment to your lane change. Even if he mats it, it will take him many seconds to even catch up to you.
A 30 mph difference in relative speed (which is a very large difference to US drivers) would only have him gaining 44 feet per second on you. Even at that rate he would need 4 or 5 seconds to catch up to you given the distances involved.
People do that around here in intersections. Which pisses me off when I want to turn left, am waiting for them to go straight through the intersection, and then discover that they are also turning left so I could have gone immediately. They seem to think it is useful to signal not to alert anyone to their intentions but because it is some kind of ritual which must be performed sometime around a turn. In other words, they are nitwits.
must be nice, at least that way you get at least some warning about what other drivers are going to do