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hnpccThe thing I hate about driving to work is the other idiots on the road.
I quite like driving most of the time. But commuting... meh.
So it's grey and spitting, that kind of rain that leaves the road slick and obscures your view but doesn't do anything useful (like fall in the catchment areas for starters).
And I'm in the "fast" (furtherest to right) lane, doing 110kph (10 over the speed limit) and sitting next to a large truck that I'm trying to get past.
And this fuckwit comes and sits right up my arse and then starts flashing me.
OK, dickhead, I've got a semi to one side and a concrete bollard to the other.
Where exactly do you want me to go?!?!
So I slowed down to the speed limit and tapped the brakes (road code for "get off my arse you moron".)
And he flashes me again.
So I sit on 100kph, refuse to move and cut off the truck (which I'm now about 5 metres in front of) and stay in the lane.
So he gets even further up my arse, cuts the truck off (truck flashes him), then swerves back in front of me (no indicator) and tries to cut me off.
Which I'd predicted and dropped off to 95, so as to give him enough space.
I refuse to die for fuckheads who can't fucking drive.
I quite like driving most of the time. But commuting... meh.
So it's grey and spitting, that kind of rain that leaves the road slick and obscures your view but doesn't do anything useful (like fall in the catchment areas for starters).
And I'm in the "fast" (furtherest to right) lane, doing 110kph (10 over the speed limit) and sitting next to a large truck that I'm trying to get past.
And this fuckwit comes and sits right up my arse and then starts flashing me.
OK, dickhead, I've got a semi to one side and a concrete bollard to the other.
Where exactly do you want me to go?!?!
So I slowed down to the speed limit and tapped the brakes (road code for "get off my arse you moron".)
And he flashes me again.
So I sit on 100kph, refuse to move and cut off the truck (which I'm now about 5 metres in front of) and stay in the lane.
So he gets even further up my arse, cuts the truck off (truck flashes him), then swerves back in front of me (no indicator) and tries to cut me off.
Which I'd predicted and dropped off to 95, so as to give him enough space.
I refuse to die for fuckheads who can't fucking drive.
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no subject
Date: 2004-07-19 08:21 pm (UTC)The speed limit is 60mph on that road, but most of the traffic goes about 70-75, especially in the fast (left) lane. The traffic wasn't horribly heavy, but was a little heavy for it to be after 7pm. And some fuckwit in a tan SUV was weaving around everyone going at least 90mph, even going onto the left shoulder at one point to pass two cars in the left lane. He was out of sight within about 30 seconds of passing me, but I'm just glad he didn't cause a wreck somewhere ahead of me...
no subject
Date: 2004-07-19 11:28 pm (UTC)It stuns me when people (like the wanker from this morning) seem to feel that other people on their personal roads are an affront and act as if the other traffic just doesn't exist.
I dunno. Every time it rains in Melbourne I see so many people driving with what I can only describe as a touchingly naive faith in:
(a) their brakes
(b) their tyres
(c) their reaction times
(d) other people's reaction times
(e) other people's brakes
and finally
(f) other people's tyres.
Just because you're driving safely and carefully and leaving a braking distance doesn't save you from the moron who owns the road and whose car can apparently stop on a coin. *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2004-07-20 01:19 am (UTC)I, like many other people, am a bit of a Jeckyl and Hyde when it comes to driving. As drivers go, I'm probably one of the more courteous. I'll slow and leave gaps for people to turn right (across the flow of traffic), or to join from junctions from the left. After all, what's one more car? They'll probably go a different direction before long, anyway.
But sometimes, sometimes my attitude changes and I do just want the guy in front to pull the hell over and let me go past. Admittedly, this is normally when either I am in a hurry (aren't we all), or when the driver is driving significantly below the speed limit (or the speed I want to go at, anyway). I stick religiously to all prescribed limits, 20mph, 30mph, 40, 50, 60... Well, OK, maybe not the 60 "National Speed Limit". I also break the limit on motorways, assuming the conditions are up to it, although I observe safety limits through roadworks. Generally speaking, in the "outside" (actually the one in the middle of the dual carriageway), I'll be doing 90mph, which is pretty much my standard speed for the 70mph limit motorways, and is on a par with the majority of other 3rd lane users. Even so, when I'm Mr Hyde, I still don't drive in an intimidating or outwardly rude manner. Sure, I might rant and rave behind my wheel, but I don't tailgate, nor do I flash or sound the horn. I can become irritated and inwardly aggressive, but I have enough control to not really display that to other vehicles. Unfortunately, I do lose my temper occasionally and have been known to drive in a manner similar to the one you describe. More so when I was younger, admittedly. These days it's probably once or twice a year, if that. White vans and sales reps, who needs 'em?
I react in a similar manner to the one you describe when someone pushy tries to get me to get out of his way. If I see a car approaching rapidly from behind, I'll normally try to pull to the left, let him past, and then pull out again. If I can't pull in and he catches me and starts swerving, flashing etc. then I'm afraid I go into wind-up mode. I'll slow down and match pace with a slower vehicle in the central lane. If the car behind me tries to "under-take" me, I'll accelerate to close the gap before he can pull in front of me, just to say "Oi, hold your horses, you can't do that".
With so many drivers, so much aggression and stress in daily lives, it's inevitable that you'll encounter drivers that treat other road users with arrogance and disdain, or have gross over-confidence in their own abilities. There's really no way of preventing it, and all we can do it vent, rant and rave... or rage back.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-20 04:23 pm (UTC)But yeah, I was pissed off. I don't usually even tap the brakes, just stay put.
Bah.
With so many drivers, so much aggression and stress in daily lives, it's inevitable that you'll encounter drivers that treat other road users with arrogance and disdain, or have gross over-confidence in their own abilities. There's really no way of preventing it, and all we can do it vent, rant and rave... or rage back.
Agreed, although generally I try to not rage back. Unfortunately though you can be the best driver in the world (I'm not) and still get wiped out by some idiot who misjudged his timed-to-the-second swerve across lanes. According to Come back alive at least the world's largest road accident (in Afghanistan in the late 80s) was caused by one Russian army driver who managed to slam into the back of the truck in front. In a convoy. Carrying men and explosives. In a tunnel. Bad luck for the other couple of hundred good drivers.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-20 11:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-07-20 11:49 am (UTC)I usually cave in... :(
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Date: 2004-07-21 04:32 am (UTC)