Is the crazy sign for you...?

[LewisLegion]

This happened a few days ago, and I'm still not sure what this dude's issue was.

Going to work I drive a two lane highway about six miles between my tiny little burg and the slightly larger one that actually has a freeway onramp. By two lanes I mean, one lane going east, one going west. It's a rural country road, speed limit is about 55, and there are curvy spots...so on the straight of ways there's a broken yellow, but near the curves it goes to solid yellows so you can't pass.

I pull out of my street onto the highway. It's a fairly busy morning and I'm in a line of about fifteen or so cars all going about 60. There are four cars in front of me, and I'm following about a car and a half length behind the one directly in front of me.

We hit one of the straightaways, and roaring up on my left comes this guy in a small hatchback. Not sure the type of car, but it was about rabbit/gremlin size. I was shocked he was passing because he didn't have nearly enough road to pass all five of us before he would hit oncoming traffic...but it seems that wasn't his plan. He passes me and immediately whips into the gap in front of me and the car ahead. I slow down to give myself room between his back bumper and my front, re-establishing a car and a half gap.

Guy's brake lights suddenly light up but...get this...he doesn't slow down. I notice he's not slowing down and so maintain my speed, figuring he's got an idiot switch or something to make the brakes light up to scare tailgaters...as I'm not tailgating by any definition of the word, I don't understand why he did it.

After a moments pause, his brake lights light up again, but this time the nose of his car dips, so I know he's actually slowing. I slow as well, maintaining the gap. As I do, I notice he puts his right hand up to the side of his head and does the universal finger spinning 'crazy' gesture.

This continues for the next four miles or so...his brake lights will randomly light either with him actually braking or not. I maintain the gap, and he does the crazy finger spin.

He's not hitting his brakes, btw, because he's tailgating...he's actually maintaining decent distance between himself and the car before him. I can only assume that somehow he's trying to irritate me or piss me off...for what, I have no idea. And I can see he's getting agitated that I'm maintaining a safe following distance and NOT getting irritated (simply confused).

We reach town. There's several stores to the right with entrances into their parking lots. We pass one, but as we reach the second in the line, he suddenly SLAMS on his brakes (I'm talking, squealing tires and smoke) for no apparent reason. As I'm still following safely I brake smoothly to a stop a good four or five feet away from his bumper. There is no reason for him to have slammed on his brakes (nothing happened in front of him). He's now sitting at a dead stop in the lane next to a parking lot entrance with me stopped behind him. As he stops, the guy does his crazy finger spin again, watching me in the rearview.

The car behind me slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting me when I stopped, then spun around into the next lane and peeled away. As he did, Crazy Finger Guy EVER. SO. SLOWLY. turns into the parking lot...I mean, he was moving at the absolute minimum speed he could make his car go as he turned in. I simply waited patiently until he was in the lot, than continued on my way...utterly confused.

[BlaqueKatt]

maybe he was dialing the phone in his head to ask the voices directions?

Or wanted to goad/trick you into hitting him so he could get drugs/money/new car

dunno....

[EricKei]

"Idiot Switch"?

I think I get the general idea of what you mean...but, if these really do exist, kindly drop a link in here. I'd be interested.

[Andara Bledin]

"Idiot Switch"?

I think this is in reference to a button you can have installed that will light the taillights, but won't actually engage the brakes, to scare tailgaters into backing off.

^-.-^

[EricKei]

I think this is in reference to a button you can have installed that will light the taillights, but won't actually engage the brakes, to scare tailgaters into backing off.

^-.-^

Ayyyyyup ^_^ That's what I figured. My question is, what are they really called (commercially)? If they're not absurdly priced, I'd be in the market for one.

[Andara Bledin]

I, personally, would suggest against it.

If you light your brakes because someone is doing something reckless behind you and it ends up with them over-reacting and causing an accident, you can expect yourself to be embroiled in a lawsuit, if not also found at fault for the whole thing.

I class that sort of thing under road games, and one should never engage in such behavior.

^-.-^

[EricKei]

hmm. good point. - - Tho I was thinking of using it only as an *alternative* to brake checking/actualy slowing down when I was already in a situation where someone was riding my arse ^_^;> In other words, lights only rather than lights AND braking.

[LewisLegion]

You can't actually buy one on the legitamate market (I don't believe), but there are several ways depending on the model car you own to rig it up yourself...and many people do.

[roothorick]

The "idiot switch" thing isn't really necessary. Regardless of car, there's always a gap in the brake pedal between where the brake lights come on and where the brakes actually begin to engage... with a little practice, it's quite easy to hit this gap. I use this all the time when coasting up to a stoplight on red... since people around here expect the normal behavior (go over the speed limit until the last minute and then hit the brakes hard) it has prevented some potential accidents in the past.

[Mr. Anubite]

The "idiot switch" thing isn't really necessary. Regardless of car, there's always a gap in the brake pedal between where the brake lights come on and where the brakes actually begin to engage... with a little practice, it's quite easy to hit this gap. I use this all the time when coasting up to a stoplight on red... since people around here expect the normal behavior (go over the speed limit until the last minute and then hit the brakes hard) it has prevented some potential accidents in the past.

That's what I do. People here are the same way. Half the time, they end up partially in the intersection anyway.

[EricKei]

Yeah, I know, my car actually has a larger gap in that regard than I should like. I was just wondering more than anything else ^_^