Valhalla Legends Archive

Member Forums => Thing-O-Rama ™ => Topic started by: Grok on March 09, 2004, 11:47 AM

Title: Driving Rants
Post by: Grok on March 09, 2004, 11:47 AM
Attn: YOU.  Yes you.  I'm driving down the road minding my own business.  YOU going about 10mph faster than me and rapidly catch up to me.

WHY the hell did you suddenly stop right by my left rear fender and match my speed?  WHY when I try to slow down or speed up, do you continue to match my speed.  Hell I have slowed down to 45mph and your idiot self is still going my speed.  I speed up to 75 and you're still latched on.  GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME.  Good God I hate those people.

And you know why they're doing it?  Cause they're on their damn cell phone not paying attention, and just thinking they're going with the flow.  But we're the only two people on the highway for a mile front or back.

Sometimes these people latch on to you and want to stay right behind you, no matter how fast you go.  So you think like, well wtf, I'll let them go.  You slow down and pull over, they should go blowing by you.  But hell no, they think there must be a reason you slowed down, so they nearly crash trying to slow down and get behind you.

I seem to attract these idiots in massive numbers.

GET YOUR OWN DAMN SPEED AND STICK WITH IT.  I AM NOT YOUR ESCORT.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: iago on March 09, 2004, 12:05 PM
Me? :(




Speaking of Driving Rants, the worst place to drive, according to my Stepdad (a trucker) is Atlanta.  Their highways are 3 lanes, but truckers aren't allowed in the left one (by law).  The right is the driving lane, and the middle is supposed to be the passing lane.  But 99% of the time you get some old people going 35mph all the way down (speed limit is 65) beside each other.  They don't pay attention to the huge traffic jam behind them or the honking or anything.  Crazy people.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Grok on March 09, 2004, 12:38 PM
3 lanes?  When was the last time he was in Atlanta, 1960?  They are 6 or 7 lanes each direction.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Trance on March 09, 2004, 01:01 PM
Jesus, I wish we had that many lanes here in LA! We usually only have 4 to 5 in each direction, and when it's 5, it's because of the carpool lane.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: iago on March 09, 2004, 01:37 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 12:38 PM
3 lanes?  When was the last time he was in Atlanta, 1960?  They are 6 or 7 lanes each direction.

hmm, probably a couple days ago, a week ago at the absolute most.  Maybe it was a different state, though.. but I'm pretty sure he said Atlanta (thus, Georgia).
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Meh on March 09, 2004, 01:44 PM
My mum goes lierally mentall in a car on Sundays. She swears all the bad drivers come out on that day. she goes well faster than she should but others go a lot slower. She shouts the place down and wont stop. It drives me mental how someone can get so mad about bad drivers.  :P
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: iago on March 09, 2004, 02:07 PM
Quote from: The-Rabid-Lord on March 09, 2004, 01:44 PM
It drives me mental how someone can get so mad about bad drivers.  :P

You don't drive, do you?
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: warz on March 09, 2004, 02:58 PM
Grumpy old man, Grok.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: K on March 09, 2004, 03:11 PM
Quote from: iago on March 09, 2004, 01:37 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 12:38 PM
3 lanes?  When was the last time he was in Atlanta, 1960?  They are 6 or 7 lanes each direction.

hmm, probably a couple days ago, a week ago at the absolute most.  Maybe it was a different state, though.. but I'm pretty sure he said Atlanta (thus, Georgia).

I live in Atlanta when I'm not at school.   I-285 is the perimiter that goes around the greater Atlanta area and I-75 goes through the city; larger trucks are not (supposed) to take I-75 through the city, but rather take 285 around.  Because of this, 75 is not a bad place to drive except through downtown at rush hour, but 285 can be awful -- the amount of trucks on it is obscene -- merging on with all of them can be an intense moment.  

Georgia 400 is our version of the Autobahn.

Edit:  Going through the city, 75 is ~4/5 lanes in one direction, but you can't stay in the 1st/2nd right lane because they usually turn into exit only lanes.

Edit 2:  iago, I will let you in on a little secret.  The posted speed limit of 65mph is a clever government joke.  Most drivers will drive between 70 and 80 if it's not too crowded.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Hazard on March 09, 2004, 05:14 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 11:47 AM
WHY the hell did you suddenly stop right by my left rear fender and match my speed?  WHY when I try to slow down or speed up, do you continue to match my speed.  Hell I have slowed down to 45mph and your idiot self is still going my speed.  I speed up to 75 and you're still latched on.  GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME.  Good God I hate those people.
Did they have a chance to pass you?
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Grok on March 09, 2004, 06:19 PM
Quote from: Hazard on March 09, 2004, 05:14 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 11:47 AM
WHY the hell did you suddenly stop right by my left rear fender and match my speed?  WHY when I try to slow down or speed up, do you continue to match my speed.  Hell I have slowed down to 45mph and your idiot self is still going my speed.  I speed up to 75 and you're still latched on.  GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME.  Good God I hate those people.
Did they have a chance to pass you?

I suppose I should have mentioned these are 4-lane highways.  If it was 2-lane and I was aggravated by this I should be considered insane.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Adron on March 09, 2004, 07:00 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 06:19 PM
I suppose I should have mentioned these are 4-lane highways.  If it was 2-lane and I was aggravated by this I should be considered insane.

Does that mean 2 lanes each way or 4 lanes each way?
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Hazard on March 09, 2004, 07:07 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 06:19 PM
Quote from: Hazard on March 09, 2004, 05:14 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 11:47 AM
WHY the hell did you suddenly stop right by my left rear fender and match my speed?  WHY when I try to slow down or speed up, do you continue to match my speed.  Hell I have slowed down to 45mph and your idiot self is still going my speed.  I speed up to 75 and you're still latched on.  GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME.  Good God I hate those people.
Did they have a chance to pass you?

I suppose I should have mentioned these are 4-lane highways.  If it was 2-lane and I was aggravated by this I should be considered insane.

Why didn't you just change lanes?
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Grok on March 09, 2004, 07:30 PM
Oh I've done that too.  These people are not paying attention and trying to drive "with traffic" that they still stay glued to your speed.

Other people say this happens to them too.  Someone gets hitched to them and is oblivious to everything else.  I was riding passenger with a friend driving a few years ago and he was talking about something, when I realized that he was attached in this manner to another car.  So I just watched and kept talking with him, his speed would go up or down 5-10mph to match the other car.  When I mentioned it to Eric, he denied it completely.  He didn't even know he was doing it.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Hostile on March 09, 2004, 08:53 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 11:47 AM
Attn: YOU.  Yes you.  I'm driving down the road minding my own business.  YOU going about 10mph faster than me and rapidly catch up to me.

WHY the hell did you suddenly stop right by my left rear fender and match my speed?  WHY when I try to slow down or speed up, do you continue to match my speed.  Hell I have slowed down to 45mph and your idiot self is still going my speed.  I speed up to 75 and you're still latched on.  GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME.  Good God I hate those people.

And you know why they're doing it?  Cause they're on their damn cell phone not paying attention, and just thinking they're going with the flow.  But we're the only two people on the highway for a mile front or back.

Sometimes these people latch on to you and want to stay right behind you, no matter how fast you go.  So you think like, well wtf, I'll let them go.  You slow down and pull over, they should go blowing by you.  But hell no, they think there must be a reason you slowed down, so they nearly crash trying to slow down and get behind you.

I seem to attract these idiots in massive numbers.

GET YOUR OWN DAMN SPEED AND STICK WITH IT.  I AM NOT YOUR ESCORT.

It could be a scandal of some sort. The insinuation that he lingered in your blind spot for a long duration would make it a possibility. The other one is that people of this sort are always on cell phones or radios usually conspiring against a good target. The fact that you have a newer car also would make you a good target, as you're far more likely to have insurance and enough money to pay out.

It could just be the average jackass of course but generally when people are doing something like this they obviously don't care enough to be aware of their surroundings and it would make no difference who they are in that case. When this happens the best thing is usually to get in front of them if you can't get away from them.

This is also a tendency of the average driver because it's in short the lazy way to know you're doing the speed limit, which eliminates one checking process while driving. Even if the guy in front of you is doing 15 over and a police officer notices you, in almost any situation they would notice whoever is the first one to go by (which would have been you.) I am also guilty of doing this on lazy days, but I'm still aware of how stupid it is to drive in someone's blind spot, so I tend to drive behind them in that case.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: SNiFFeR on March 09, 2004, 08:55 PM
I learned how to drive a stick shift today.

It was so much fun, till I killed the car :(
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Meh on March 10, 2004, 01:18 AM
Quote from: iago on March 09, 2004, 02:07 PM
You don't drive, do you?
Next year I will be able too. I have a Moped till then.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: iago on March 10, 2004, 08:28 AM
Quote from: K on March 09, 2004, 03:11 PM
Quote from: iago on March 09, 2004, 01:37 PM
Quote from: Grok on March 09, 2004, 12:38 PM
3 lanes?  When was the last time he was in Atlanta, 1960?  They are 6 or 7 lanes each direction.

hmm, probably a couple days ago, a week ago at the absolute most.  Maybe it was a different state, though.. but I'm pretty sure he said Atlanta (thus, Georgia).

I live in Atlanta when I'm not at school.   I-285 is the perimiter that goes around the greater Atlanta area and I-75 goes through the city; larger trucks are not (supposed) to take I-75 through the city, but rather take 285 around.  Because of this, 75 is not a bad place to drive except through downtown at rush hour, but 285 can be awful -- the amount of trucks on it is obscene -- merging on with all of them can be an intense moment.  

Georgia 400 is our version of the Autobahn.

Edit:  Going through the city, 75 is ~4/5 lanes in one direction, but you can't stay in the 1st/2nd right lane because they usually turn into exit only lanes.

Edit 2:  iago, I will let you in on a little secret.  The posted speed limit of 65mph is a clever government joke.  Most drivers will drive between 70 and 80 if it's not too crowded.

Yeah, truck drivers know exactly how much they can push the limit by.  Plus, they are always in communication with each other, so, if there IS a speed trap, they know about it in advance.  Plus, police (in general) are more lenient with "professional drivers" than with the general public.

Plus, my stepdad normally drives nights (8pm - noonish, often later) to avoid traffic and to make sure that when he sleeps he can find a place to park.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Adron on March 10, 2004, 11:41 AM
I typically drive at 120-130 when the speed limit is 110. Most cars tend to be going at just above 120.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Meh on March 10, 2004, 01:18 PM
It is more safe to drive faster than slower on freeways as you are more aware of the dangers and take more care.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: iago on March 10, 2004, 01:29 PM
Quote from: Adron on March 10, 2004, 11:41 AM
I typically drive at 120-130 when the speed limit is 110. Most cars tend to be going at just above 120.

With the petal all the way down, my car would do 120(km/h) so I can't really beat that :)
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Hazard on March 10, 2004, 03:14 PM
The thing I hate the most are "Mexican Roadblocks." This is when two cars take up both lanes of traffic going the exact same speeds.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: iago on March 10, 2004, 07:23 PM
Quote from: Hazard on March 10, 2004, 03:14 PM
The thing I hate the most are "Mexican Roadblocks." This is when two cars take up both lanes of traffic going the exact same speeds.

I can't say I've ever heard that particular racist expression before, but I DO hate it when idiots "go slow in every lane beside each other."
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Adron on March 11, 2004, 03:01 AM
Quote from: iago on March 10, 2004, 01:29 PM
Quote from: Adron on March 10, 2004, 11:41 AM
I typically drive at 120-130 when the speed limit is 110. Most cars tend to be going at just above 120.

With the petal all the way down, my car would do 120(km/h) so I can't really beat that :)

That sounds slow... Sure you calculated it right?
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: iago on March 11, 2004, 10:46 AM
Quote from: Adron on March 11, 2004, 03:01 AM
Quote from: iago on March 10, 2004, 01:29 PM
Quote from: Adron on March 10, 2004, 11:41 AM
I typically drive at 120-130 when the speed limit is 110. Most cars tend to be going at just above 120.

With the petal all the way down, my car would do 120(km/h) so I can't really beat that :)

That sounds slow... Sure you calculated it right?

I didn't calculate anything, I took it on the highway and held down the petal for a couple minutes, till it stopped accelerating, then looked at the speedometer.  The most I've ever done is 135km/h, but lately I could only get to 120km/h.  It was a PoS car :)
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Adron on March 11, 2004, 05:11 PM
Quote from: iago on March 11, 2004, 10:46 AM
I didn't calculate anything, I took it on the highway and held down the petal for a couple minutes, till it stopped accelerating, then looked at the speedometer.  The most I've ever done is 135km/h, but lately I could only get to 120km/h.  It was a PoS car :)

Oh right, you use real units. Hmm, I suppose it was just a PoS car then...
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Naem on March 18, 2004, 06:20 PM
Grok: one explanation to your plight is that cars are using you as a "blocker." If you're going a significant amount over the speed limit then people will usually stick close to you so you get pulled over and not them. I did this about a week ago and it worked like a charm because the cop pulled over the people in front of me, but not me. It's wise to not stay too close to your blocker.

Although I really can't explain why they would match your speed at 45.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Adron on March 18, 2004, 06:47 PM
One possible problem with that is that police in moving vehicles with cameras might be more likely to get the rearmost vehicle?
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Naem on March 18, 2004, 09:58 PM
If they're behind you, yes, or if they are coming from an onramp (which you should be looking for anyway). Typically they're somewhere in front of you.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Grok on March 19, 2004, 08:16 AM
Quote from: Naem on March 18, 2004, 06:20 PM
Grok: one explanation to your plight is that cars are using you as a "blocker." If you're going a significant amount over the speed limit then people will usually stick close to you so you get pulled over and not them. I did this about a week ago and it worked like a charm because the cop pulled over the people in front of me, but not me. It's wise to not stay too close to your blocker.

Although I really can't explain why they would match your speed at 45.

I really believe people are "driving dumb".  That is they have their hands on the steering wheel, their foot on the gas pedal, and their eyes straight ahead, but barely know they are driving.  Probably in a conversation with another person, listening to the radio or something.  They get in this zone where they feel like they're driving "with traffic", even if I'm the only other car on the road.  When I suddenly slow down (to let them go on by), they slow down too, reactionary.  When I speed up, their dumb minds realize they're going too slow, so speed up again.

And I do not block for anyone.  I go my own speed, and if someone wants to be a leech, I will separate myself from them somehow, even if I have to stop and get some water.  Mostly I go right at speed limit, up to 10mph over.
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: David on March 26, 2004, 12:57 PM
ive got a black 1990 Camaro RS, pumpin a clean 275 hp with a stock v6, which has been mod'd slightly ;] and trust me grok if your doing 75 and im behind you, i wont be for long :}
Title: Re:Driving Rants
Post by: Trixie on April 21, 2004, 09:08 PM
This took place about 6 years ago, but my mom was driving down highway 99 west, towards Newberg, and there was this jeep infront of her.  The speed limit was 45mph, and there was a light ahead about 3 blocks away, so this women infront of us speeds up.  While my mom is about 3 feet away from her bumper but still behind her, she gets right on the light and does a dead stop, mind you the light is green, not red.  My mom slams on the breaks cursing, and bumps this women's back bumper, barely, she hit it at about roughly 5-7mph.  Nothing big right, but this women and her friend decide that they are seriously injuired.  And think that since normally if someone hits you in the back, it's their fault.  Well there is police there at the scene and my mom is going this is stupid and tells the cop that the women is probably faking the injuries.  The women in the car then proclaims that she is seriously injured and requires an ambulance, and that she needs a stretcher and she can't move her neck.  And her friend starts to go along with her, even though her friend did get out of the car prior to the polices arrivel.  So my mom and I both fill out a police report while this dumbass women and her friend are being driven away in an ambulance.  The police officer then takes the reports of the other eye witnesses of the scene and allows us to go on our way.  Well needless to say that we never heard from the cop ever again, or the women's insurance company.  So I'm guessing she did the whole ambulance thing for nothing and she had one hefty bill to pay for being a dumbass.  (Riding in an ambulance is expensive!)

People are fucking greedy.