People do sh*t like this all the time here. They act like just because they want your lane that it's theirs for the taking with no regards to right of way.

 

Exactly. And every time I do take the high road with a driver in a "normal" car, I end up regretting it. EVERY TIME! I can't remember a time where I went "wow what a great driver, I'll just follow him/her for awhile" (again when a normal car is involved). I think I'd sh*t my pants if that actually ever happened and hang them on the wall as a testament to my misunderstanding of the intelligence and driving skills of the general public.


It's that same old entitlement mentality that permeates so many threads around here. It seems that many (certainly not all) performance car enthusiasts actually occupy the highest order of actual driving skills and, don't laugh, drive compassionately much of the time. I find that real drivers, not just buyers, of high performance cars tend to allow more transgressions without the finger, allowing misc items to exit the car window(s), laying on the horn, etc. Maybe we don't want our pride and joy to draw undue attention but I think it is actually a more adult situation. Why be a t**d when there is no reason to be? We know we have the power and isn't that really the sign of restraint? "I've got it, but see no reason to use it in this situation because it doesn't rise to that level of a transgression." Not a good analogy but somewhat like our nukes, kinda.


Me an Elliott went to the Galveston Coffee and Cars last Saturday, met up at Buc-EE's in Texas City, along with two SS Camaro's and a whole mess of new 'Stangs. Well we left as a multi-manufacturer crew and I-45 South became a rolling experiment of "just try to get away from me" and/or "can you keep up?". Nothing dangerous (very little traffic at that time) but there were multiple events of full throttle roll-ons well into triple digits and the 'Stangs were nice to the Bowties and back at you. No cutting off just to make a point, each took their turn at the front to troll for the black and white DPS car(s), lots of smiles among both groups, etc. Funny the only DPS we ran up on had a Corolla pulled over. Bet he heard us coming a mile away and is probably still not telling his buds at the shop how he was jamming up a big bad Corolla when 20 muscle cars got a free pass because he wasn't hiding at the right time. You can see their lights for at least 2 miles on the coastal plains in the early morning light.


Bottom line, NC Michael, is no you weren't a jerk. You were in your rights and she played a fools game. Could you have backed down and should you have? I rarely call out another driver's decisions especially when I wasn't there. Too many variables missing for an informed judgement. I find myself asking myself the same question you posted here, all the time. But I don't let the question stick in my craw because she probably went on to some other earth shattering event shortly thereafter and forgot all about that A-Hole Malibu. My real point though is that we performance drivers, for all our misc speed transgressions, normally undertaken in light traffic with miniscule danger to anyone but us, really are the nicer and (I know you'll laugh at this one), less aggressive, drivers. Really pay attention in big city traffic and see if I'm not right.

 

There are plenty of people who disagree with me, but people who ride in lanes they know are ending/merging, driving past a long line of cars who knew what was coming and got in the appropriate lane already, and then jam themselves in at the last second, drive me nuts. They might as well roll their window down as they drive past and say "I think my time is more important than yours!"

Not to mention, it usually causes the person behind them to tap their brakes, and in heavy traffic that means someone 15 cars and 100 yards back has to screech to a stop.

-TH24

 

Counter point to this. Note that I am in Australia where 95% of the poorly skilled drivers of the world reside. The way most of our roads are designed means that a multilane road will be three lanes wide until just before an intersection, and then open up to 4 lanes either side of the intersection. This is done purely to get more traffic across the intersection in each light sequence. If drivers don't use this lane, less cars make it through before the light change.

Ideally, the drivers in the two outside lanes will courteously merge one after the other. In reality, the first couple of cars treat it like a drag race and the rest argue about who should yield.

If it was me, I would have backed off and let the moron have her race win. She probably thought she was qualifying. I drive too many miles each year to race, but I would probably given her a golf clap as she looked in the mirror...

 

I normally let people in if they're coming up at the end of the merge. Except BMW drivers that try to be slick and pass everyone in said lane. Screw those idiots.

I used to have a, "Are you gonna let me in or are we both gonna die?" meme about merging in Florida but I can't seem to find it.

 

Seeing as how you live right near me, you know how extremely impatient these people are. I will do anything I can to make their day a little worse. Just this morning I had someone fully slam on their brakes in front of me and try to merge into a stopped lane on a 45mph road when they could have gotten over long before.

 

Boo Honda idiot.

I've been seeing a similar phenomenon a lot lately. It seems like people aren't being taught the actual rules of the road and they think that they're in the right when they're not.

This is why I still get lots of enjoyment out of driving my beat up trucks. I literally don't care if you hit me. It just means I get money.

 

One day a long time ago, a woman in some slow mini SUV long honked at me and flipped me off b/c I didn't accelerate .0000000003 seconds after the light turned green and then rode my ass from light to light. I messed with her every time she was behind me from there on out, which was a lot. One time she even tried to pass me in the center passing lane of a 2 lane street. Sorry, my car my have looked like a Camry, but rest assured it wasn't.

But the best was when the mailman in his mailtruck tried to beat me into a merging lane in my SS. Like, why? Why race ANY CAR EVER in a mail truck.

 

......But the best was when the mailman in his mailtruck tried to beat me into a merging lane in my SS. Like, why? Why race ANY CAR EVER in a mail truck.

He's a postal employee. Don't mess with him. Aside from their "tradition" of violence in the workplace, they have a long list of federal legal protections.

 

OK so I had the same though about myself yesterday, I'm getting on the Interstate the car in front of me is doing 45 speed limit on the interstate is 70. He moves into the right travel lane a tractor trailer has to brake to avoid hitting him that leaves no room for me.
I know the merge lane is long so I use quite a bit of my available HP & Blow by on his right...ahole well maybe.
How do people expect to merge onto a highway with a speed limit of 70 doing 45.

 

Exact same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. The guy ahead of me was in a Nissan Altima. My 81 year old Mother has one and that car is so slow I feel like I want to get out and push when getting on the freeway. Anyway, I could see this moron's head looking down at his cellphone if you can believe that! Merging onto a 70mph freeway going 45-50mph with semi-trucks all around is downright dangerous. I was mega-pissed. When things like that happen I wish I owned a big ole' Bubba-Truck with iron bumpers so I could ram away and wake them up. So I got next to him and leaned on the horn a bit and the idiot had no idea why....grrrr...I mean honestly; how stupid can someone be to be texting while getting on the freeway??? Its got to stop!!!!!

 

I do not think you are an a-hole in any way. I am always amazed at how people are willing to try their best to bend the rules of the road to their advantage. It's one thing when it's a 500 HP vette, but another thing when it's a 200 HP family hauler. I've found few people in the Kansas City area have a firm grasp of right of way ideas and yielding, I agree with @umop-apisdn people more often than not seem to believe, if they want to be in your lane, it is their right and you must let them in.

 

If you're going to pass me, pass me. Don't speed in front of me only to slow down. And if you see me coming up to pass you don't suddenly speed up.

 

^this^. No, were NOT an "a-hold" in any way.

 

I would have done the same as the OP.

 

Sometimes Mr. Nice Guy just isn't in!

 

That other driver is simply just another example of people that just want get another car ahead of the other person. If we all just got along and let others merge in there would be less stress driving places. I don't think you did wrong cause I have done the same thing because some time our emotions take over and say enough of these bullshit drivers.

 

First of all, I don't believe this story actually happened, because we all know that North Carolina drivers always stay in the left lane (like it's written in the NC drivers manual that the left lane belongs to them). :devil

That aside, if I was in a similar position, I would have either let them go, or sped up to not let them pass. Really depends on my mood at the time. In most cases, I could care less if someone passed me. I don't care if I'm in front or behind someone on the road, as long as they aren't inhibiting me from going my chosen speed (which I'll set using cruise control on most occasions). When you make me alter my driving due to your inability to maintain a set speed (at or faster than me) then I'll get in front of you plain and simple.


I stick to the rules of the road...the left lane is the passing lane...if you aren't passing someone, then get over (this is my biggest pet peeve).:2cents:

 

Let me just say that I sometimes get in the lane that will end at a traffic light but only when I'm sure I'm going to win. I also make sure to cut a good light. I don't just accelerate all passive aggressively, I do it with authority. They know they don't want a piece of it. If you don't waffle in your decisions it won't cause any slow-ups or traffic problems.

On the other hand, I love it when I'm driving my turbo truck and someone thinks to do the same thing to me. They probably think I'm going to drive slow just because it's a truck. You should see the look on their face when they are 2 car lengths behind, 4 car lengths from the light. I relish the view from my mirror.

 

... I don't just accelerate all passive aggressively, I do it with authority. They know they don't want a piece of it. If you don't waffle in your decisions it won't cause any slow-ups or traffic problems.

...

Agreed! I think this practice avoids the vast majority of these kind of interactions when merging. My wife always calls my driving aggressive when I do it, whereas I see it as merely being assertive, but regardless it eliminates any ambiguity and makes everything flow smoother in the long run. I think if the OP had decisively applied the skinny pedal when the CRV was first observed to NOT be falling back, this incident would have been a non-event.

 

Similar situation on a road I drive regularly, left lane goes through, right has to merge and is clearly marked so. Majority of traffic is local, so odds are the driver knows there is a merge ahead.

Often I’ll be in the left lane behind other cars that like me prepare for what’s coming, and there will occasionally be a car behind me that decides they need to get ahead, so they bounce out to the right and pass me hoping to get in front of me prior to the merge. Depending on my mood and car I’m in I may or may not let them in, and it’s been a close call several times before they back off and merge back in their original position. When I don’t let them in front it’s a bit of a duck move on my part, but they are being the bigger duck IMO.

At the same time, I know it’s better for my health if I lighten up and let those important folks who need to get to where they are going 2 seconds quicker than I do cut in front of me, all the while singing kum ba yah. But I just. can’t. do it.




2016 SSB, stick, hole, spare

 

I'm gonna have to go with my wife on this one. You never know when the other person is a nut job and carrying, so try to minimize potential interactions. You knew what she was doing, and while you were in your right to keep your lane, it's not worth the risk to just keep pace. You're not an a-hole, but it probably wasn't the smartest move in Triangle traffic.


I'd probably err towards a 0-60 run and let her be someone else's problem.


Just the other week, I was in a drive-thru and the lady in front of me turned around out her window and started yelling at me for following too closely. At 12'-14' behind her, I was well beyond the usual distance, proving she was just nuts. I chose to ignore her because you never know when the nut is armed. Not worth the risk. It's really hard for me to accept this and my wife has really helped. My first instinct was to physically push her Sentra out of my way, and she made my blood boil nonetheless, but I bit my tongue, and probably sprained something in my hand by not allowing my middle finger to fly, but it was the smart move.

 

I agree with 98% of the replies. Michael, you did nothing wrong. If anything, the lady is the a-hole without a doubt. When I wait my turn in the right lane, I'll be darned if someone is gonna go blowing by in the left lane which is ending, with signs every so many yards saying it's ending, and then cut in front of me. Not a chance. No way, no how, uh-uh, not happening. My time is just as valuable to me as the next persons. If anything, you were much nicer and kinder than she deserved. It's people like her that cause accidents and mayhem and they need to be put in their place. I don't drive aggressively it's true, but there are rules of the road which need to be followed and I have my limits. My problem is not as much with what she did, but her arrogant attitude, in that she seems to think she's special and everyone on the road should accommodate her. Wrong. Your reaction was much nicer than mine would have been.

I've taught my children to NEVER NEVER NEVER mess with anyone on the roads because you never know when you'll be tangling with a monster like me. Case and point....one day my son and I were heading home from the range and I had an arsenal in the back seat. Two lunatics in a Cadiallac pull up next to us at a red light and the next thing I know, the woman in the passenger seat starts flipping me off with both hands while laughing like an insane person. And we all know my temper, and even my son was like, WTF!? The light changed and they took off. Next red light, the same thing. At which point it was a good thing my son was with me because my only thought was to wipe the laughter away by sending a .45acp across the bridge of their noses. But instead, I turned it into a learning experience and looked at my son and told him this is the exact reason you NEVER mess with anyone on the roads. He got the point.

 

Lesson learned, an armed society is a polite society. Even IF you're an a-hole.:devil

 

A recent situation I was in:

I'm in the left lane that has to merge into the right. I was not familiar with the area and didn't know I was needing to be merging. Well, I didn't buy the car to baby so I punched it to get in front of a few cars that were less spirited with their driving. Ironically one of the trucks I passed was an SS. Of the three cars I passed he was the only one to show his colors. He did so by yelling at me that I was an A-hole and to read the signs. Oh well, I've been called worse things.

 

I try to keep perspective in life so I often contemplate if my perception is changing because I'm getting older or are the percentage of selfish/aggressive/belligerent drivers increasing dramatically? I do also have this urge to keep kids off my lawn...so there is that.

I read an article in the WSJ a while back where they studied traffic flow and it turns out merges actually work best if all lanes queue up and 'zipper' together at the merge point. In an effort to avoid looking for things to be negative about I choose to believe the study so when the a-holds blow past in the far right lane I think how generous they are for doing their part to improve traffic ;-)

 

I read an article in the WSJ a while back where they studied traffic flow and it turns out merges actually work best if all lanes queue up and 'zipper' together at the merge point. In an effort to avoid looking for things to be negative about I choose to believe the study so when the a-holds blow past in the far right lane I think how generous they are for doing their part to improve traffic ;-)

This is the correct answer. When the highway dept adds an extra lane at a stop light only to have it merge 100yds later, it actually does improve traffic flow. The zipper merge works astonishingly well, but only if users understand the concept. Unfortunately, there's always a self-entitled driver that won't wait their turn or will bust a kidney if someone pulls in front of them, thus slowing their commute by 6 seconds.

That said, if someone in the merge lane is trying to force their way out of turn, effem, I'll speed up an then slow to let the car in front of them merge. When it's a beater or clueless King of Road in a big pickup, I'll let them in 'cuz they're coming over anyway. In Texas, most of the concealed carry course is really anger management. If you're carrying, you certainly can't escalate driver disagreement. Plus, I believe in karma: if I'm courteous to other drivers they'll be courteous to me. That isn't working out so well. Especially torqued when waiting in line at an intersection, someone wants to pull into line from the gas station or strip center drive. I let them in, and they can't be bothered to wave thanks.

With an LS3, it's almost impossible to avoid being a butthole and some other vehicles simply beg for the treatment. I'll do it for sport, but lately don't care to expend the energy of getting angry. To what end? And one more car in front of me when there's 1000 in front of them ain't gonna make much difference. Left-lane-lemmings on open interstate are fair game, they deserve whatever a strong motor can hand them.

 

I'm guilty of being the jerk in the left lane and trying to get in front, I'm guilty of being the jerk in the right lane and not letting that left lane jerk merge over. I'm also guilty of letting that left lane jerk in because maybe they are just having one of those days and need to get going for one reason or another. The person that really gets under my skin is the one who has to weave his way thru traffic just to get in front of everyone else so 1/2 mile farther down the road he can make a left hand turn and make everyone else behind him stop. I just witnessed this last night, as a big SUV goes blowing past a car just to make a left hand turn, I think he saved himself 10 seconds and used 1/2 gal of gas. Really. And last but not least, the ppl who don't understand how a "round about" works..... Ok, I'm done.
B

 

The ones that catch me up and then park themselves in my blindspot, beside me, or just ahead of me matching my original unchanged pace piss me off the worst. The "speed up to close a gap" crowd are a close second.

Edit: You were being a bit of one, but I've done it before myself, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna do it again, in those kinds of situations.

 

I can't relate to this story. If I'm first in line at a stoplight, I'm WOT until I'm about 10 mph over posted speed limit -- regardless of who or what is around me (except maybe pedestrians, then I'll tone it down).

I don't think you did anything wrong, btw.

 

My wife and I work together and ride together as well and we are usually in our Tahoe. This same thing happens to me virtually everyday and frustrates the pi$$ out of me! She is always on me about getting bent out of shape and actually defends drivers that do the pass a long line of cars and wait til the last second to swerve in out of our right turn only lane as "Maybe they didn't know". I always call BS as usually they are repeat offenders as I recognize the car they are driving. But I'm getting to be an A-hole now, if I see the usual culprits coming up behind me I slow down coming up to the light where I turn just enough to make sure the left lane is moving and they can't get in. Brings a smile to my face every time when they turn my way then try and pull a u turn and get stuck in even more traffic, serves them right! The whole their time is more valuable than mine gets the hackles on the back of my neck going!

 

People cannot drive says the person that of course drives perfectly What I have caught myself doing that I actively try to avoid is downplaying a car/person because of the car. They are in their situation and within their means etc etc. It doesnt excuse dumb-ss drivers from being dumb though.

We need a feedback mechanism other than a horn / middle finger for cars.

Since there are so few SS's on the road and I have badges swapped, I do try to temper my road manners more and more.

I think people instinctively match speeds as well. I find if I am trying to pass someone and I just match their speed for a moment i can then zoom away as they stop accelerating.

Fun with drivers.

 

A remote control, roof-mounted mini-gun would be nice to have....

 

In this situation? I wouldn't have responded any different, except maybe to be a bit more aggressive on the throttle ... People around here jump out of the lane to run up a merge lane, just to get 5-10 cars ahead. If you're being a tool by jumping out of line, I sure as heck aren't going to let you in if I witnessed it. If you're executing the purpose of a merge lane, turn signal and all... I'm more inclined to let you over.. Depends on how pissy I am that day.

That being said, the increase of road rage resulting in bullet holes, I'm less inclined to be a jerk back to a jerk.

Holden on. Not worth the energy to think about what you should have done or shouldn't have.

 

RuleSS of Engagement

You have a LS3 License to Kill. Either be the FIRST or the last in Traffic. Do not blow your defensive cover: avoid all civilian collision incidents at all costs. Be wary of the mentally ill and Children of a lesser Car on your Missions.