What's on your mind? (63)

[Miss Spaulding]

No recovery is needed. ...Look, between the one billion tourists who haven't the slightest clue where they are going, the blind snowbirds, and...well...another 'group', one has to be one step ahead, otherwise you pay by constantly being stuck in chaotic traffic.

Going 3 mph over the speed limit literally makes me look like I was shot out of a cannon compared to everyone else because they drive so slow (except for those jerk tailgaters who love getting speeding tickets) or don't know where they are going.

 

[Saucy]

what if they were my grandparents just wanting to meet you? :o

 

[Miss Spaulding]

^Same here!!! I kid you not, today I came home all ticked off because this lady was tailgating me for miles on the highway in a construction zone. It also sets off the road rage in me too It makes me feel really bad, I'm normally really really patient with people, but being tailgated bugs me.

Thank you! Someone understands. ...Yeah, I had to pass through some construction as well. But we're talking nighttime on a winding, two-laned road with a speed limit of 55 mph and no street lamps. I admit I regularly do 60, and even at night I'll do 60...but this dude literally wanted to do at least 70 on this road and was on my rear the whole time. I was like, NOPE.

 

[Miss Spaulding]

what if they were my grandparents just wanting to meet you? :o

Suuure.

 

[Owlette]

Thank you! Someone understands. ...Yeah, I had to pass through some construction as well. But we're talking nighttime on a winding, two-laned road with a speed limit of 55 mph and no street lamps. I admit I regularly do 60, and even at night I'll do 60...but this dude literally wanted to do at least 70 on this road and was on my rear the whole time. I was like, NOPE.

That's crazy. Ugh. He's just asking for a speeding ticket.

How do you handle tailgaters?

 

[Saucy]

As a professional driver I was always taught the best way to avoid accidents is to drive defensively and keep space. If someone is riding ya, just slow down and let them around. Or just keep going at your pace and not give a crap. It's best not to get caught up in frustration and do something stupid.

 

[Miss Spaulding]

That's crazy. Ugh. He's just asking for a speeding ticket.

How do you handle tailgaters? Today I wasn't going to pull over to let the lady pass because there was a long string of slow cars in the slow lane. The second I'd pull over I'd be stuck there waiting for the next chance to get in the fast lane. There was so much traffic, she wasn't going to get very far anyway.

^ Yep. Totally been there before. That's the best tailgating situation ever...when they literally won't get anywhere up ahead because of traffic but they tailgate and get all pushy anyway. It's almost laughable. I usually get over, let them pass, and then get back the fast lane again because I'm not slow enough to be in the slow lane, and the people I let by are always the ones just asking for a speeding ticket. But if it's what you described, then I just let 'em sweat it out.

If it's what I experienced earlier tonight, that's when I start to lose my patience and I usually will eventually start tapping my breaks, which probably isn't the smartest thing to do but whatever. They usually back off some.

 

[Miss Spaulding]

As a professional driver I was always taught the best way to avoid accidents is to drive defensively and keep space. If someone is riding ya, just slow down and let them around. Or just keep going at your pace and not give a crap. It's best not to get caught up in frustration and do something stupid.

Yeah, I do agree. I've never done anything really dumb because it's just not worth it. My brother however...:o...yikes. If you knew him, you'd never in one million years suspect that he has road rage. But it's only once in a blue moon. But when he snaps...oh my gosh. O_O He just recently got in a chase with some punk who cut him off so close he nearly side swiped my bro's car. My mom was so mad at him...

Slightly in his defense, my bro could seriously be profession stunt driver. He's pretty good. Though that's still no excuse for being stupid.

 

[MarkSB]

Jerks who tailgate. I'm a lead foot...there...I said it. So there would be absolutely no reason for any person to tailgate me, unless they insist on doing 15+ over. That's really the only thing that stirs up the road rage in me.

At least I'm not the only one. What bothers me most about it is I don't understand the behavior, because I consider a safe following distance to be one of the best things you can do to prevent an accident. Even on 2 lane highways I'll get people tailing me before they move over to pass, like we were driving NASCAR or something.

When I'm on my bike I'll slow down to about 45 to make them pass, or if its a one lane road I'll slow down and then crack it open to put some distance between me and them. Which is usually followed by them catching back up to me eventually and riding my tail again.

 

[Owlette]

As a professional driver I was always taught the best way to avoid accidents is to drive defensively and keep space. If someone is riding ya, just slow down and let them around. Or just keep going at your pace and not give a crap. It's best not to get caught up in frustration and do something stupid.

Good advice. I usually try to let them pass and keep some space ahead of me.

 

[Miss Spaulding]

At least I'm not the only one. What bothers me most about it is I don't understand the behavior, because I consider a safe following distance to be one of the best things you can do to prevent an accident. Even on 2 lane highways I'll get people tailing me before they move over to pass, like we were driving NASCAR or something.

When I'm on my bike I'll slow down to about 45 to make them pass, or if its a one lane road I'll slow down and then crack it open to put some distance between me and them. Which is usually followed by them catching back up to me eventually and riding my tail again.

Yes! What is that? Just pass already...why do you need to literally be on my bumper for 15 minutes prior to passing? Obviously it's just to make a sort of 'statement' I guess.

 

[Owlette]

^ Yep. Totally been there before. That's the best tailgating situation ever...when they literally won't get anywhere up ahead because of traffic but they tailgate and get all pushy anyway. It's almost laughable. I usually get over, let them pass, and then get back the fast lane again because I'm not slow enough to be in the slow lane, and the people I let by are always the ones just asking for a speeding ticket. But if it's what you described, then I just let 'em sweat it out.

If it's what I experienced earlier tonight, that's when I start to lose my patience and I usually will eventually start tapping my breaks, which probably isn't the smartest thing to do but whatever. They usually back off some.

Yeah sometimes I will tap my breaks too if they have been riding my tail for too long. It's kind of funny how driving in traffic reveals a little bit about who we are. I doubt that lady would do the same to me in person, so what makes it different about driving a car? More anonymity?

 

[Saucy]

Yeah, I do agree. I've never done anything really dumb because it's just not worth it. My brother however...:o...yikes. If you knew him, you'd never in one million years suspect that he has road rage. But it's only once in a blue moon. But when he snaps...oh my gosh. O_O He just recently got in a chase with some punk who cut him off so close he nearly side swiped my bro's car. My mom was so mad at him...

Slightly in his defense, my bro could seriously be profession stunt driver. He's pretty good. Though that's still no excuse for being stupid.

haha wow he doesn't seem like the type but I reckon we all have those moments. I have a lead foot myself but im good at keeping space. If someone wants to be a jerk I let them pass and usually see them a few miles ahead pulled over

 

[Miss Spaulding]

Yeah sometimes I will tap my breaks too if they have been riding my tail for too long. It's kind of funny how driving in traffic reveals a little bit about who we are. I doubt that lady would do the same to me in person, so what makes it different about driving a car? More anonymity?

Yes, I do believe it's feeling...or rather security of being more anonymous inside your car and not very visible to the other driver.

...Kind of cowardly if you really think about it. Lol.

 

[Owlette]

.

 

[Owlette]

Yes, I do believe it's feeling...or rather security of being more anonymous inside your car and not very visible to the other driver.

...Kind of cowardly if you really think about it. Lol.

Yeah it really is. It's too bad.

 

[Strider1002]

Uh, yeah... often I'm in the fast lane and going slightly over the limit. If someone tailgates me in that situation, I usually don't change a thing. If they want to get by me, they usually can. But often they just want to force me to move for them. Nope.

 

[Miss Spaulding]

Lead-footers unite. ...All we want is to feel the freedom of the road, the wind in our hair, 80s music playing without shame...

 

[Owlette]

^

 

[Saucy]

or 90s if you want to really be awesome