bravenrace wrote: In reply to mad_machine: What I found funny about the guy that was tailgating me is that I was in the right lane and he had several opportunities to pass me and didn't. He just kept on my bumper until he yelled at me at the light.
Because he was holding his steering wheel out the window!
bravenrace wrote: When I was younger I used to drive pretty aggressively. On my commute to work, which is 30 miles of mostly freeway, I'd get all worked up about how inept most of the other drivers were. Then I went from driving my modded Civic si (fun) to a stock focus (not fun). I quickly found out that if I drive slower than everyone else instead of faster, I could drive to work with the cruise control on and almost never have to kick it off, even in rush hour traffic. And my commute to work was 5 minutes longer than when I was stressing myself out driving fast. I wasn't blocking anyone, although plenty of cars had to change lanes to pass me (on the left), but that was purely because they wanted to go faster than the speed limit. There's a place for everything, and driving aggressively IMO should be saved for the track. In moderate to heavy traffic it's not only irresponsible, but dangerous, and it really doesn't get you anywhere significantly faster. So big risk with no payoff. It just doesn't make sense to me. So as someone said earlier in this thread, I'll take what the youngster said to me as a compliment.
as I've gotten older, I've finally figured the same things out .. when I'm traveling somewhere (more than just going into town) I'm usually over the speed limit .... trying NOT to be the fastest one out there (+my Valentine 1 LOL )
that said, when things get really congested, I'll get in the "fast" lane and just cruse at whatever speed that lane is going ... since I found a-x and track days, it seems that my aggressive driving on the street has tapered off
I'm going to give this one a resounding it depends. One intersection I travel every day is notoriously over capacity. It is the base of a T and the majority of the traffic has to turn left onto another street. There is another light on the second street, maybe 2 blocks up.
When you get the green to make the left, the next light is always red when you get there. BUT: if the folks at the head of the line are prompt, it means that a dozen or more cars can make it through the first light behind them. But if they take it easy because they know the next one is red, it means only about 6 cars get through the first one. Because of that, there is usually a line of 20 or more cars there and it takes at least 1 if not 2 cycles to get through it.
Also, many of our cross street lights are on wait sensors, and won't start the timer to stop the opposing traffic until it notices a car waiting.
These are specific situations, though, and in general you're right.
Clue less is not ignorant. Clueless would be some mshiny happy person who os lost. Ignorant would be the same mshiny happy person who knows where he is going. New england humor!
Jaxmadine wrote: My wife yells at how slow i am. But I can always get there faster than her....
I get this as well.
As others have noted, I enjoy reading traffic patterns way ahead of where I am while being firmly aware of those around and behind me. She starts to flip at me if we're in a hurry and I'm not driving erratically and passing every car immediately, when in truth I recognize that a knee jerk 25' analysis move into the right lane in an attempt to pass the car in front of me will result in me being blocked in when that vehicle starts to brake because the person in front of him has a blinker on to turn into a driveway, etc. vs. staying where I'm at, not tailgating, and waiting for the next lane opening or traffic shift opportunity.
I also immediately let off and free cruise decel towards red lights, which is hilarious to watch the frustration of those who want to hurry up and wait.
My wife goes through brakes on her car like crazy. I gave up bitching about her driving methods. She didn't.
In reply to xflowgolf:
If she keeps giving you crap for driving sanely, give her what she wants and scare the ever-loving-E36-M3 out of her driving like a maniac. Then pay a buddy to get out and charge her window like a road-raged maniac.
She'll appreciate your driving after that!
ebonyandivory wrote: I quit teaching bad drivers a lesson
Therein lies the rub. Driving/traffic safety professionals call this being "parental."
I call it "delusional." You are never going to teach anyone a lesson on the road. They are not going to change the way they drive because you are being aggressive to them. Bad drivers are just bad drivers and you aren't going to influence them, just piss them off and escalate, which strikes me as the stupidest imaginable goal. If you aren't being parental, then you are just being vengeful, which is also pointless and dangerous.
Unfortunately, I do live in the worst place in Texas for traffic-- Houston, and I see bad drivers all the time, including the Vigos that think they are accomplishing something being parental and vengeful. A lot of lives and treasure are lost because of this. Some of it from gunshot wounds.
Call me meek, but I listen to the radio when I commute and just follow traffic as best I can without causing any damage to myself or others. They used to call this Defensive Driving, but I guess that's out of vogue.
I'll admit I used to be more aggressive and uptight about crap that happened on the road, but I guess it is something that you lose as you mature.
In reply to Basil Exposition:
Its kind of like political discussions. You'll never change anyone's mind or behavior in regards to either.
I get to work 20 minutes before I need to be there. I've forgotten my coffee, turned around and got it and was still 10 minutes early.
If more people realized that if your commute is 35 minutes long, maybe you shouldn't leave the house 30 minutes before you start work...
I was spectator to a good one earlier this week. Two lanes in each direction, median-separated. A guy in a new big ford pickup with oversized wheels and HIDs blazing away (at 8AM) was dissatisfied with the get-up-and-go of a beat up S430 when the light turned green and let out a blast with his you-suspected-i-was-a-douche-but-now-you-know air horn, then followed up by passing the guy on the shoulder to the right.
Of course, traffic was too heavy to get any farther ahead and he ended up several car lengths behind me in the left lane, wherein S430 guy passes HIM back with a total suicide move on the rapidly disappearing - replaced by a guard rail - LEFT hand shoulder. Honestly, I expected he was going to PIT himself. I nearly sh*t myself watching it happen in my rearview mirror, knowing I had nowhere to go if it all went wrong.
Unbelievably, Mercedes guy apparently out-crazied Ford guy, who backed down and turned off a few blocks later.
I confess I got out of my car and yelled at some a-hole kid in a Neon (automatic, with an SRT exhaust) a month or so back who cut me off with about 12" to spare after passing about 10 cars just before an on-ramp. "So, do you always drive like a douche or am I special?" "Just for you. Nice electric car [Volt] shiny happy person". And so on. I followed him to work so we could yell at each other some more. I noticed him two days later and he actually waited in traffic. :) Ever since then, I've been hoping to pass him in the 360 at 8500 rpm, middle finger held high. I'm childish like that.
Here's one of my "favorite" that drives me nuts...
Driving along a double lane (two in each direction) and clearly visible ahead is construction, complete with the "Lane blocked, move right" light. So you, who are paying attention and looking ahead, move right. That means that all the clueless people continue in the left lane until the last possible second where they act all surprised, then cut in front of you. And, if you don't let them in (punishment for not paying attention) you're the bad driver... grrr.
Clueless drivers rate right up there along aggressive drivers for ticking people off.
Ooo, ooo, another "favorite."
What the hell is wrong with people who pull onto the freeway and immediately move into the left lanes? It's as if they think that because they're inherently superior drivers, of course they'll be passing everyone... and then proceed to drive at about 60 mph, 15 mph under the practical average. So now they're a rock in the river, with everyone cutting left and right to get around them. But hey, they're superior drivers... ugh.
In reply to kb58:
I see that a lot also. And why do other drivers not realize that merging onto the freeway at 35 MPH is dangerous?
kb58 wrote: Here's one of my "favorite" that drives me nuts... Driving along a double lane (two in each direction) and clearly visible ahead is construction, complete with the "Lane blocked, move right" light. So you, who are paying attention and looking ahead, move right. That means that all the clueless people continue in the left lane until the last possible second where they act all surprised, then cut in front of you. And, if you don't let them in (punishment for not paying attention) you're the bad driver... grrr. Clueless drivers rate right up there along aggressive drivers for ticking people off.
Actually..... (And this comes up every time someone rants about this)
That's called a "Zipper merge."
And it's actually fastest if everyone waited until the end.
Themoreyouknow.jpg 
Swank Force One wrote:kb58 wrote: Here's one of my "favorite" that drives me nuts... Driving along a double lane (two in each direction) and clearly visible ahead is construction, complete with the "Lane blocked, move right" light. So you, who are paying attention and looking ahead, move right. That means that all the clueless people continue in the left lane until the last possible second where they act all surprised, then cut in front of you. And, if you don't let them in (punishment for not paying attention) you're the bad driver... grrr. Clueless drivers rate right up there along aggressive drivers for ticking people off.Actually..... (And this comes up every time someone rants about this) That's called a "Zipper merge." And it's actually fastest if everyone waited until the end. Themoreyouknow.jpg
Yeah. This.
Anymore. I just keep my eye out for people driving like idiots and just get out of the way. Life is too short to spend all your time pissy at everyone when you are driving around and it isn't like being somewhere 2 seconds faster is going to matter in the grand scheme of things so berkeley it.
mfennell wrote: I was spectator to a good one earlier this week. Two lanes in each direction, median-separated. A guy in a new big ford pickup with oversized wheels and HIDs blazing away (at 8AM) was dissatisfied with the get-up-and-go of a beat up S430 when the light turned green and let out a blast with his you-suspected-i-was-a-douche-but-now-you-know air horn, then followed up by passing the guy on the shoulder to the right. Of course, traffic was too heavy to get any farther ahead and he ended up several car lengths behind me in the left lane, wherein S430 guy passes HIM back with a total suicide move on the rapidly disappearing - replaced by a guard rail - LEFT hand shoulder. Honestly, I expected he was going to PIT himself. I nearly sh*t myself watching it happen in my rearview mirror, knowing I had nowhere to go if it all went wrong. Unbelievably, Mercedes guy apparently out-crazied Ford guy, who backed down and turned off a few blocks later. I confess I got out of my car and yelled at some a-hole kid in a Neon (automatic, with an SRT exhaust) a month or so back who cut me off with about 12" to spare after passing about 10 cars just before an on-ramp. "So, do you always drive like a douche or am I special?" "Just for you. Nice electric car [Volt] shiny happy person". And so on. I followed him to work so we could yell at each other some more. I noticed him two days later and he actually waited in traffic. :) Ever since then, I've been hoping to pass him in the 360 at 8500 rpm, middle finger held high. I'm childish like that.
okay this is a threadjack, but I seem to remember you posted about having some issues with the 360 a few months back, ongoing trans issues or something along those lines, did you get that worked out? I'm always curious because one of these days I plan to purchase something similar and like to know what I'm getting myself into.
kb58 wrote: Ooo, ooo, another "favorite." What the hell is wrong with people who pull onto the freeway and immediately move into the left lanes? It's as if they think that because they're inherently superior drivers, of course they'll be passing everyone... and then proceed to drive at about 60 mph, 15 mph under the practical average. So now they're a rock in the river, with everyone cutting left and right to get around them. But hey, they're superior drivers... ugh.
Reminds me of a time that the local MG club and Thunderbird club got together for an event. We met at a place near the Galleria area and were to motor north together to go to a park.
The guy who organized it had a MGTC and was in charge of leading us to the park. So we all line up to get on the 610 Loop North, which has some of the heaviest traffic in the USA. Seriously. This bright light (getting dimmed through age) gets on the highway and immediately crosses all six lanes to go to the far left lane with 30, mostly elderly, drivers in various antique cars following him bumper-to-bumper. This snake of old metal and people ends up in the left hand lane going 45. The cacophony of tire squealing and horn honking that accompanied this manuever was blood-curdling. It is only a miracle that there was no bent sheet metal or injuries.
When later asked why he made this brilliant move, the TC owner responded that he had fought in WWII and had a right to any public real estate, including the left hand lane of the freeway.
So maybe maturity isn't the answer....
93EXCivic wrote:Swank Force One wrote:Yeah. This. Anymore. I just keep my eye out for people driving like idiots and just get out of the way. Life is too short to spend all your time pissy at everyone when you are driving around and it isn't like being somewhere 2 seconds faster is going to matter in the grand scheme of things so berkeley it.kb58 wrote: Here's one of my "favorite" that drives me nuts... Driving along a double lane (two in each direction) and clearly visible ahead is construction, complete with the "Lane blocked, move right" light. So you, who are paying attention and looking ahead, move right. That means that all the clueless people continue in the left lane until the last possible second where they act all surprised, then cut in front of you. And, if you don't let them in (punishment for not paying attention) you're the bad driver... grrr. Clueless drivers rate right up there along aggressive drivers for ticking people off.Actually..... (And this comes up every time someone rants about this) That's called a "Zipper merge." And it's actually fastest if everyone waited until the end. Themoreyouknow.jpg
The lane wouldn't be there if it wasn't meant to be used, right? Not my fault everyone else lines up in one lane and doesn't use the other.
I WISH I drove like any of these old men!
Cotton wrote: okay this is a threadjack, but I seem to remember you posted about having some issues with the 360 a few months back, ongoing trans issues or something along those lines, did you get that worked out? I'm always curious because one of these days I plan to purchase something similar and like to know what I'm getting myself into.
Threadjack accepted.
First, the clutch release bearing (a combination bearing/slave cylinder) started leaking, so the transaxle came out for new seals. Then I found a spring spacer lying in the bellhousing from a screwed up installation. Next, I paid the dealer to fix that for me (they were surprisingly reasonable but it's still 12hr of labor...) and started badgering the first guy for a refund.
THEN, the bearing actually went bad! Squealing like a pig. Whether from the mis-installed spacer or I just have fabulously bad luck, I have no idea.
FINALLY, I convinced the first guy who worked on it to let me come up to his shop and R&R the trans with me. Working together (I did about 60% of the work), we knocked it out in 7hrs. On a manual transmission car, it's totally DIYable, it just takes a really long time. A 2 post lift makes it go much more quickly.
My buddy took an autox run in it (had my 4yo daughter with me): http://xfaktorphoto.smugmug.com/Das-Auto/AutoCross-Sept-22-2013/i-BQ6pfPV
EDIT: No paragraph breaks? Weird.
In reply to bravenrace:
That's fine, I'm just saying that "the last second crew" isnt a problem.
Swank Force One wrote: In reply to bravenrace: That's fine, I'm just saying that "the last second crew" isnt a problem.
And that's fine, because I was agreeing with you.
Zipper merge works great in theory, but NOT in practice. Especially not in heavy traffic. And once it does fail, it's the douches who fly up and ram in line at the last second that take a problem and make it exponentially worse.
Swank Force One wrote:kb58 wrote: Here's one of my "favorite" that drives me nuts... Driving along a double lane (two in each direction) and clearly visible ahead is construction, complete with the "Lane blocked, move right" light. So you, who are paying attention and looking ahead, move right. That means that all the clueless people continue in the left lane until the last possible second where they act all surprised, then cut in front of you. And, if you don't let them in (punishment for not paying attention) you're the bad driver... grrr. Clueless drivers rate right up there along aggressive drivers for ticking people off.Actually..... (And this comes up every time someone rants about this) That's called a "Zipper merge." And it's actually fastest if everyone waited until the end. Themoreyouknow.jpg
While on a logical level I agree with you, the fact that people who aren't paying attention benefit from the behaviour really irks me.
Duke wrote: Zipper merge works great in theory, but NOT in practice. Especially not in heavy traffic. And once it does fail, it's the douches who fly up and ram in line at the last second that take a problem and make it exponentially worse.
I did it today, 10,000 cars stationary in the left southbound lane of US75 and me alone in the right for 3... yes 3 miles, until it merged for 150 yards for roadworks, I barely had to slow down.
I indicated my intention to merge and nobody was the least bit butthurt by my move
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