Road rage and self-absorbed douchery on the roadway on the rise?

[ancjr]

I think of it like a little kid learning to tie their shoes. How many times do you think you'd have to blow the train horn before they got it right?

 

[semperfi211]

And what the hell is this new thing leaving 2 car lengths between you and the next car at the light. Have 3 people do this and several behind them are not making the damn light.

When driving in bad neighborhoods and getting stopped by traffic lights I leave some space in front of me to give myself some space to move if someone approached my car with bad intentions.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Cool trick. Stop when you can still see their back wheels below the fenders. That gives you enough space to move around them, but no so far back that people get annoyed with you.

 

[churchmouse]

Cool trick. Stop when you can still see their back wheels below the fenders. That gives you enough space to move around them, but no so far back that people get annoyed with you.

This.
The morons I am referring to put 2 or more car links between them be the next car in line.
I have no idea what that is about.
I have a loaded pistol next to me for anyone approaching with bad intent or even just approaching.
I worked in every area of Indy at one time or another and it puts your head on a swivel. Constantly in the mirrors especially stopped. Seen some silly stuff out there. Glad I am done.
I understand the leaving enough space to roll. Just not 30’ for **** sake.

 

[ghuns]

I thought I might lose my mind just riding from Indy to South Bend on 31 once.

I don't even want to think about how many times I've made that drive. Especially all the times before they bypassed Kokomo.

One of my dad's trucker buddies drove a semi for UPS. Pulling a double, South Bend to Indy, every day, for like 25 years. Poor guy retired after 25 years in his early 60s. They say he got early onset Alzheimer's, but I have no doubt that drive just drove him insane. He was dead by 65.

 

[wtburnette]

This.
The morons I am referring to put 2 or more car links between them be the next car in line.
I have no idea what that is about.
I have a loaded pistol next to me for anyone approaching with bad intent or even just approaching.
I worked in every area of Indy at one time or another and it puts your head on a swivel. Constantly in the mirrors especially stopped. Seen some silly stuff out there. Glad I am done.
I understand the leaving enough space to roll. Just not 30’ for **** sake.

A car length or more while stopped waiting on a light, but will ride your bumper at 60+ MPH on the highway!

 

[Bugzilla]

And that is exactly why I want a train air horn in my vehicle.

Don’t you already have a nice duel air horn?

 

[jake blue]

I think the amount of intelligence and ability to drive safely is generally underrated in favor of giving anyone with any amount of eyesight and a heartbeat a driver's license. And then you have the ones that didn't even bother with the license.

We let them drive at 16, die for their country at 18, but can't drink or smoke until they're 21. I don't think the lack of brains is limited to the drivers!

 

[Bigtanker]

Don’t you already have a nice duel air horn?

Not in my pickup.

 

[Hoosierdood]

How about the cars that keep inching forward at the stop light so they are half way into the intersection by the time the light turns green. Then they don’t step on it when the light finally does turn green.

 

[BE Mike]

And what the hell is this new thing leaving 2 car lengths between you and the next car at the light. Have 3 people do this and several behind them are not making the damn light.

What's worse to me is the person wanting to make a left turn on a green light, waiting for the traffic to clear, but stays behind the white line rather than pulling out into the intersection. Leaving some space at a traffic light might keep the car behind you from "getting" your rear, while the car behind him, driven by some idiot on his cell phone, slams into him!

 

[eldirector]

Yeah, the stop WAY back and then inch, inch, inch thing drives me bonkers. I pull up and stop. That's it. If the folks in front of me creep up, I'll just end up with 30'+ in front of me.

Think I picked up that habit when a drove a manual.

The real trick with driving is to just be predictable. Don't leave crazy gaps, don't ride someone's ass, don't turn when you shouldn't, or not turn when you should. Use signals, stay in your lane, and follow the "rules of the road". It is all the unpredictable behavior that grates on one's nerves and ends up in a collision.

 

[BE Mike]

I see you with some frequency down here, especially the last couple years. Guy with no rear view mirror and half dozen cars trailing continually?

Ya gotta ask yourself, just how much over the speed limit should I drive to please you? The answer is: "It ain't happenin'!"

 

[ancjr]

I encourage you to pass. Just don't do it after you've tailgated me for 20 minutes on dotted straight and level and then rage in a double yellow blind curve or hill and come over on me when you see that didn't work out so well.

 

[jkholmes]

I find it funny when people do it in vehicles that they really shouldn't....just last night had some idiot on a crotch rocket swerve through an intersection coming out of menards. He was close enough to the hood of my truck that I lost sight of him somewhat. Slammed on the brakes and horn, and the idiot had the gal to tell me that it was my fault....and that he just "didn't care", i have to wonder how many accidents has he caused where someone else got hurt just cause he wanted to drive his bike like an jerk (not the word i would use, but trying to keep it PG).

 

[STFU]

While noticeably worse than in my youth, the "I" roads in Indiana and their drivers are still pretty tame compared to many places.

Take a ride around DC on any road starting with a "I" and ending in "95" if you wanna see some Mad Max s**t. I am typically driving through there late at night during the week or early on Sunday morning, times you'd think would be pretty calm. It's still absolute chaos. Makes Chicago driving seem downright civilized.

When my daughter and SIL moved to the area one of the things their USMC welcome packet said was make sure you have GREAT car insurance, you're gonna need it.

If you look at Allstate Insurance's, America's Best Drivers Report, most of the bottom 10 cities fall on the I95 corridor.

TRUTH! ^^^

I am a full time IN resident but work at USMS HQ in Arlington, VA (my apt is in DC).
The I95 corridor, I495 beltway, and I66 are all "disasterpieces." And while I should not judge, Maryland drivers are the worst. Horrible.

As for BBI's OP: We should all have a dash cam. Just look at YouTube to see how much of a savior a dash cam can be.
Without one, it could be your word against theirs if no witnesses come forward.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Followup question (different friend): when the ghetto inhabitant boldly jaywalks 100 feet in front of full-flow traffic - and you happen to tickle the crap-spot in his pants with your mirror as you go by...same question?

Road rage in first scenario: No. Teaching moment. Road rage in second scenario? No, I'll do it calmly.

 

[buckwacker]

How about the cars that keep inching forward at the stop light so they are half way into the intersection by the time the light turns green. Then they don’t step on it when the light finally does turn green.

Gotta keep those roasting hot brake pads they've been overusing from warping the rotors.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I’m reading all the posts about people trying to scare bad drivers. Do you all realize the result is just that they think YOU are the idiot driver?

But I feel better.

 

[eldirector]

Big difference between "trying to scare" and "not my circus, not my monkeys".

I am not TRYING to do anything, other than drive. Not my issue that your lane ended 100 yards back, or that you are stuck out in the intersection, or that you missed your exit. Signal your intention and I am more than happy to help you out.

Race around like an idiot, middle finger extended, horn blaring, and as long as you are not trying to occupy the same physical space as I, you will simply be ignored.