My Passive Agressive Switch... you just hit it.

[Red_Dazes]

Or why I am a bad driver......


So it was 9pm the other day, and I am driving home on the freeway from work. Taking the freeway I normally set my speed to just short of 65 (60 being the limit) and flip on cruise control. Suddenly this Jeep comes roaring up behind me, he has to hit his breaks to slow down. I was feeling pretty mellow that night so I am watching the other lanes for a chance to get over and out of his way.

....then he flashes his high beams at me. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. using aggressive driving to intimidate others. This also flips the little "F*ck you" switch in my brain. So I quit trying to get over. If he is so impatient he can go around.

....he flashes his lights again. I don't budge. The third time he does it I adjust my speed right down to 60 on the money and flip cruise back on.

When I finally get over to take my exit he ROARS past me in a flash of speeding glory... only to get stuck behind the semis ahead. As I take my exit I notice that he is once again stuck behind me. It made me laugh.

In such a hurry, yet you are still slower than I am.


....I know I'm a b*tch, but it's just how I am. If you are polite on the road I will be polite back. "oh this nice person behind me is going faster than I am, I'll get out of their way." But as soon as you get aggressive or rude... yeah.... my niceness goes bye bye fast.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Hell, I wouldn't even call that passive aggressive. You simply didn't react to his being an asshole.

You aren't obligated to do anything when confronted with this. I'd say you did pretty much exactly what I would have done. Nothing.

Although if he'd persisted, I admit I would have probably slowed down.

So you're even less of a douchebag than I am.

[Andara Bledin]

Oh, yeah. Run up on my ass when there's nowhere for me to get over to and then flash your lights?

As if I couldn't tell you wanted to get ahead of me, mister douchebag.

I wasn't aware of this until recently, but in the state of California, it's not actually legal to flash your lights at someone unless you are indicating you wish to pass on a 2-lane (1 in each direction) highway.

^-.-^

[Captain Trips]

I wasn't aware of this until recently, but in the state of California, it's not actually legal to flash your lights at someone unless you are indicating you wish to pass on a 2-lane (1 in each direction) highway.

^-.-^

Maybe, but here in California you can also get a ticket for going to slow if you are going 65 (as posted) in the fast lane. It's the "basic speed law" extended -- despite the posted limit, you are required to go at a speed safe for the traffic conditions, and if all the traffic in the faster lanes is going at 80 mph, you need to stay in the slower lanes. (I have seen it, not me though -- ticket for "proceeding too slowly" at 75 mph!)

[Andara Bledin]

Road games: Not worth it.

^-.-^

[Sleepwalker]

That's what I do when someone is tailgating me. Stay right at the speed limit and ignore them. I am not responsible for their rage- if I spend all my time placating the assholes I am not watching the rest of the road.

The french had a nice ad about a woman watching a tailgater nervously. She speeds up, slows down, etc. At the end of the ad, she rear ends the guy in front of her.

[iradney]

In SA, the responsibility to move is on the person behind you, unless you're in the fast lane. (You pass on the right here). That is why I am the QUEEN OF THE SLOW LANE. Dude, why you tailgating me? This is the slow lane - fuck off!

[Rantsylvania 6-5000]

Yeah, I used to try and be nice on the road, but screw that now. I do the same thing when being tailgated; make sure I don't go a single mile above the speed limit. Keep it up, and I gradually drop my speed. I'm the one in front, therefore I AM IN CHARGE! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

[Andara Bledin]

I would much rather these idiots be pulling their vehicular asshattery somewhere far away from where I'm driving, so I'm more than happy to allow them to pass at the earliest opportunity.

^-.-^

[protege]

I hear ya. But, where I live, there aren't many passing zones. Also, there's no minimum speed in residential areas here. The *limit* is 25mph though. Because my borough's cops have nothing better to do, I try to stick to 25mph. I'm not about to get pulled over because some idiot is in a hurry. Tailgate my ass, and I'll slow down. Flip your lights on...and I'll use my power mirrors to point them right back at you. Don't like it? Leave earlier then.

[Andara Bledin]

I would much rather these idiots be pulling their vehicular asshattery somewhere far away from where I'm driving, so I'm more than happy to allow them to pass at the earliest opportunity.

^-.-^

[RecoveringKinkoid]

In SA, the responsibility to move is on the person behind you, unless you're in the fast lane. (You pass on the right here). That is why I am the QUEEN OF THE SLOW LANE. Dude, why you tailgating me? This is the slow lane - fuck off!

This right here.

And it ain't like I poke, either. I will be doing at least the speed limit, if not a little faster, depending on where I am. In any case, I will be keeping up with traffic.

I"m not sure what is up with the flashing lights BS, but way I see it, go around if you want to go around. Why should I pull over? If you can pass, pass. If traffic is so heavy you can't, you might want to reconsider why you're driving like an asshead.

If you're on the highway, that's even worse. You know how these people always like to pull up and then tear around you without warning? What if they decided to do it while you're trying to "get out of their way"? You get killed, that's what. It ain't like they're gonna signal their intentions to you.

Speeding up is no help, either. These people are bullies. And as much as this is a redundancy, STUPID bullies. They won't get off your ass if you speed up. They'll continue to tailgate at a higher speed. And if they actually hit you (which is likely), you're more likely to lose control of your car at a higher speed. And you might get pushed into the car in front of you. So CAREFULLY slow down...do NOT do this suddenly, for the obvious reasons....and make sure you have plenty of room in front of you.

[Pagan]

This right here.

And it ain't like I poke, either. I will be doing at least the speed limit, if not a little faster, depending on where I am. In any case, I will be keeping up with traffic.

I"m not sure what is up with the flashing lights BS, but way I see it, go around if you want to go around. Why should I pull over? If you can pass, pass. If traffic is so heavy you can't, you might want to reconsider why you're driving like an asshead.

Back when I used to live on the other side of ABQ and work was up the other side of Rio Rathole, about 20 miles one way, I had some douche pull something similar.

Coming home, I would take I-25 South and switch on to I-40 East at the Big I. This was before the rebuild when the Big I was a nightmare. It was best to get in the lane you needed to be in about the time you were going by the the Paseo del Norte exit and stay there, otherwise, good luck moving.

Well, I got myself in my desired lane, going the speed limit, and this asshat in a big ass truck comes roaring up behind me. Tailgaiting, flashing the lights, the whole bit. Funny thing is, this was the middle of the afternoon and traffic was, strangely, very light. There was nobody around us. Thought, "the hell with you, go around me" and I didn't move. Gets funnier because he finally changed lanes. Turns out he was going onto I-40 West. I haven't figured out to this day what all that was.

[protege]

I"m not sure what is up with the flashing lights BS, but way I see it, go around if you want to go around.

It's just intimidation. To me, if you're trying to get me out of the way, you can DIAF. Either put your foot down and pass, or deal with it. Lately though, why is it always the people in shitbox cars who flip the lights?

[Red_Dazes]

Yey! I'm not alone! lol

The way I see it, is if you are going to ride my bumper I am going to make sure I am going the speed limit and putting as much space as I can in between me and the guy in front of me.... that way, when you are an idiot and hit me....the only one to blame is yourself.

^_^