Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

You don't have to risk everyone's safety

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • You don't have to risk everyone's safety

    I was on a stretch of highway I rarely drive. It was around 8:30 so maaaayybe some people working the odd shift might have been trying to get to work, but most were probably just going home, nothing to be in a huge hurry for. Also my steering wheel was in just the position to obstruct my view of the speedometer. (I could move my head if needed to see it but it wasn't readily visible at the time and I wasn't going to adjust stuff while trying to drive.)

    Now, they have changed the speed limit after many years at the same and on top of that it changes from place to place due to construction. If you don't drive it often it's difficult to remember what the limit is where. Also, it's a speed limit, not a speed command. Enter some dude in a red sports something-or-other. Yeah, I don't care about what kind of cars people drive; I don't base worth on that. Is it obvious? Anyway, it took me a bit to realize someone was right on my tail because I always have the rear view mirror turned down at night so as to help the night blindness.

    I was going 5 miles below in the fast lane but didn't realize it. Any reasonable person would just move over or give me a few seconds to speed up. Instead, he zipped around faster than I could accelerate, went in front of me, and slowed down so that I had to hit my brakes a bit. It's fortunate I realized in time to slow myself and that no one was behind me; someone with a slower reaction time would've hit him. He then flipped me off and broke the speed limit to get away.

    Did he really have to endanger everyone on the road? There was a semi in the right lane just ahead of us, by the way, and several other cars around us. What was so important on a Wednesday night at 8:30? Every time I've been in his position I've simply changed lanes and even if I sped up after I did, I didn't pull in front of the person at all. I have better things to do.

    It's like adding insult to injury because I was on the highway only because I needed to pick up my coworker and help her with something. I guess no good deed goes unpunished.
    "Is it hot in here to you? It's very warm, isn't it?"--Nero, probably

  • #2
    Have to admit, when you described the vehicle as a "sports something-or-other" ... the driver's behaviour didn't surprise me. And I apologize to anybody on this board who does drive a "sports something-or-other" but isn't an ass about it. I've seen too many idiots in similar vehicles here who think they're in the Indy 500 and have no hesitation about being a jerk towards the peasants in their more pragmatic vehicles.

    The driver likely didn't have anywhere important to be, nor any deadline to meet. But you were in his way, and that's all that mattered.
    Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
    ~ Mr Hero

    Comment


    • #3
      Quoth Pixelated View Post
      I've seen too many idiots in similar vehicles here who think they're in the Indy 500 and have no hesitation about being a jerk towards the peasants in their more pragmatic vehicles.
      Sadly, this condition isn't unique to those of us who drive sports cars. Last week, I had some idiot in a Chevy Sonic do something similar. I'm heading towards downtown on the Blvd of the Allies. For those of you not familiar with Pittsburgh, it's a relatively arrow-straight, four-lane road that parallels the parkway (I-376). Eventually, the road splits, and you have no choice but to go left (and go across the Liberty Bridge), or go right, and head into downtown or get onto I-579. Most drivers on the "Blvd" know to stay left until you pass Duquesne University (that's "Doo-Cane"). Why? Because 99.9% of the traffic in the right lane will slam on the brakes to make a right turn. Then there are the idiots that will blow the stop signs--I've seen people get hit because they can't wait to pull out in 45mph traffic. Not pretty.

      But back to the Chevy Sonic idiot. Like most drivers, I'm in the left lane. I'm not speeding, but it's safer. Plus, I wanted to get past the 28X (aka the bus to nowhere) and the large truck behind him

      As I'm waiting to make my move, the Sonic driver gets right on my ass and starts with the headlight flashing, the waving, and the "get over" from her mouth. I'm not about to cause an accident by cutting off a bus. Nor do I find the Sonic as intimidating as the driver seems to think it is. When I finally got the green light, I move over, and she floors it, flipping me off in the process. Of course, I return the gesture.

      At least I got the last laugh--remember how the road splits? Right at the split, she's nearly put her car into the central divider--head on Apparently, she was lost and in a hurry to get somewhere. I don't know why some people drive like this--there's nothing downtown (or anywhere else) that's worth getting killed or seriously injured over.
      Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. --Enzo Ferrari

      Comment


      • #4
        She's going to get herself killed.
        "Is it hot in here to you? It's very warm, isn't it?"--Nero, probably

        Comment


        • #5
          Quoth Food Lady View Post
          She's going to get herself killed.
          Unfortunately this is true. She'll end up causing an accident, which will take some innocent motorist with her.

          Most people like that never learn. Case in point, there's an asshole in BMW that I see every morning on the way to work. The guy weaves in and out of traffic trying to do triple digits on Route 28. He doesn't care how small the gaps are--he'll force his way past, cut you off, and nearly rear-end the car(s) in front of him...and then for an encore, do a power-slide at the Etna off ramp. Every. Fucking. Morning. Why someone would be in that much of a hurry to drive to freaking Etna, I have no idea. There's nothing there, other than a few warehouses and fast-food joints. For a bit, I thought he'd removed himself from the gene pool--he did have an accident while getting onto 28 last year. Seems he rear-ended someone by the Heinz plant Multiple ramps, he thought he was in the clear, and when the "little head" started thinking for the "big head," thought he'd pass "inferior" traffic on the right...nailed someone trying to get onto the highway.
          Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. --Enzo Ferrari

          Comment

          Working...
          X