Why are people such douche bags? (read on)

[Original]

Seriously, do half of the people on the road have some major malfunction?

Unfortunatley I have to drive 4 1 hour jaunts a week for my job. This equals alot of time on the road and typically driving near the same people for most of the drive. All highway and not ususally bumper to bumper, more like spread out thin traffic.

But I swear everyday there is at least one douchebag I have to deal with.

Example,

Tonight I get on the highway, hit 80, set cruise control. My truck is fairly strong runner so when I set cruise it stays pretty darn close to that speed, altering the most 1 mph on big hills.

So I'm cruising and I pass a truck. Grey Ford with 'For Sale' in the back window. Easy enough to remember, I don't pass that many cars anyway so it's easy to remeber the cars at least for a few minutes.

About 5 minutes later he passes me, I don't care. He pulls in front of me, standard protocol. Then pulls away. Not far though as I can see him the whole time.
He gets behind a car and slows down to their speed so I eventually catch him (still cruising same speed as always) and pass him again. Now maybe he thinks I wanna race, maybe he's just clueless. Whatever.

So instantly apon passing him he is unhappy going slower behind the other car and pulls out behind me. Then steps on it and passes me again when I pull out of passing lane. OK, maybe he wasn't paying attention, got slowed down...

So he pulls away, gets behind another car and slows down again. Soon I (still cruisin' 80) once again overtake him, pass and pull out of passing lane.

Zoom, he passes me, pulls right in front of me, then pulls away. OK, slightly annoying as I now know I gotta watch him, but whatever. He'll probably pull away and I wont see him again.

Wrong, he gets behind a car, doesn't pass them, slows down and I gain and pass again. OK, maybe he's got heard mentality and the slow car makes him wanna go slow, fast car makes him wanna go fast...
I pass, pull out of passing lane, he passes again, pulls in front of me and pulls away...

Grrr, just drive one speed A hole. By now it is getting annoying. I know, you think I'm making this up, why would he keep doing this?

By the time I pull off the highway he did this to me 8 times. Everytime he had a chance to pass the car in front of him by at least a mile before I passed him.
I was the only one he would pass (or at least not slow down behind) and he was trying to pass me again by the time I pulled off.

In no way was I cutting him off, racing with him... Nothing, just trying to drive a consistant speed in cruise control. Doing nothing dangerous,etc...

The thing is, this stuff happens everyday. Some douche who can't stand to be passed because it must challenge his machoism. Or some douche who has to block the passing lane before they get to a car 4 miles away they want to be the first to pass. Or someone who 'merges' onto the highway at 80 when there are cars in both lanes and nowhere for them to get on the highway at anyway.

At the very least it keeps the drive intersting, dangerous but interesting.

Anyone else have to deal with this kindof crap?

[AgeNt_]

ive seen similar stuff.
a van that was in front of me went over the GRASS part after the exit to cut in front of me. what a douche. so i tailed him all the way home ^.^

also once there was this douche who was going like 60 in a 45 and passed me up and cut me off then i caught up to him and tailed him then all of a sudden my turn was right there and went drifting around the corner. what a douche.

OLD PEOPLE SUCK AT DRIVING AND NEED TO DIE! IMHFO

[Ex-PFC Wintergreen]

Texas is full of crappy drivers but nothing special. I will regale you with a story of my youth.

Back when I lived in japan I lived on an old navy/marines base with the family. The Japaneses are notorious for there utter lack of driving skills but I had not been in the country long enough to see such a spectacular display. The entire family was in the car (dad was driving) and what should we see but a piece of crap truck speeding toward a red light at oh, 90 mph. Our light was green so we kept going not realizing that this guy was on an intercept course. The guy speeds up trying to beat us there and misses is by inches. As he was driving off I noted the driver was doing several things in his car. Watching a dashboard T.V, Smoking, and drinking a can of beer.

And the worst part is these bastards always have the right of way so if he hit and killed us it would have been our fault!!!

[HurTmePlentY]

here in ohio.. i would pass someone, they would pass back, cut you off and then slow down and when you try to pass speed up. happens to me all the time.

needless to say i was so raged i passed someone in the emergency lane before, and a few time on the lane to an exit ramp.

[bluephyr]

In Soviet Russia, car drives you!

Sorry... wrong thread. *Well. 'Bout time for me to hit the ole dusty trail*

I'm terrified by the highway, but from what you described, it just sounds like the guy really thought you were messing with him and I bet he was thinking the same thing, even though one of you two has to be wrong, because both of you can't be right.

[g_e_oos]

Me and my mom were driving at about 3 a.m. one time and there was almost no one out. We were driving down the interstate when a guy in a truck came up next to us. Not sure what was going through his head but every time we sped up he sped up. If we slowed down he slowed down. That crap was creepy.

[Kerb]

I cannot think of an example, but i live in detroit and i can honestly say that we may have some of the WORST drivers EVER! Often people will just slide across 4 lane highways with no warning and cutting 2-3 people off in the process.

[g_e_oos]

That's why you don't live in Detroit. Actually there are a lot more reasons then bad drivers but oh well.

[Sastora]

I'd love to be driving in Colorado, you generally always have a wonderful view.

Thats not very nice Agent.

Well I go the speed limit and I'm a very safe driver and people pass me like once or twice a month that just make me laugh. I don't mind when people pass me but when they do they hit a red light and I just pull on in right next to them. Its not like they are getting anywhere any faster. Just make me do a little happy dance in my car.

Sometimes people ride my tail and I just get so mad and its even when I am doing the speed limit. I put on my cruise control and just let them try and make me go faster.

Jerk Bags. Just ask Goose about my driving. I'm good. But I hate speed bumps.

[Kerb]

There are SO many random speed bumps in the side street. They drive me crazy

[Original]

Thankfully I don't come across many speedbumps. Although there used to be one around a corner from a friends house. We all ride mountain bikes and I can name at least 10 people who have been eaten by that bump.

It's kindof flat on one side and the lighting during the day makes it almost disappear. Look away for a second and SPLAT, eating asphalt.

But you're right Blu, he might've thought I was messing with him, but I think it was a fully ego driven pshcosis on his part. He was going fast/slow the whole time and I was going one speed. If he pulled his head out of his ego for a second he'd have realized he was driving like a jack@$$.
I think that's the prob, alot of people build up stupid massive ego issues over stupid things and will do anything like drive crazy stupid to try and back up their ego without any thought or regard to others safety.

Another point on the ego thing is I know someone who has a GMC truck. I've had a chevy van and now truck, so the old joke is that GMC means 'Generic Made Chevy' and when I tell him that joke he gets really riled up and almost pissed off. I just don't understand, it's just a little joke that in reality means nothing at all. We both have the same make of truck, one is just Chevy and one is GMC. Same body, same parts, different label. Surely nothing to get mad or proud about.

[arkawn]

yeah


hit the gas as soon as i pass em

theres no cops out on empty highways so its all good

they dont try anythign after

[captainAngry]

In Soviet Russia, car drives you!

Sorry... wrong thread. *Well. 'Bout time for me to hit the ole dusty trail*

I'm terrified by the highway, but from what you described, it just sounds like the guy really thought you were messing with him and I bet he was thinking the same thing, even though one of you two has to be wrong, because both of you can't be right.

Yeah, but original has his cruise control set and the other guy didn't.

You know what is worse than this shit? Being in a car while someone is driving like this or someone that doesn't understand that the left lane is for passing. Halfway into our 5 hour trip (takes me 4 hours, would have taken her 6) I offered to drive. It was the only thing I could do to no jump out the goddamed window on the highway.

Protip: If you are in the left lane and someone comes up behind you going faster then you, move the hell over. If you have to speed up to get around a car to your right, do it.

[Duckwalk]

original i spotted ur problem right off the back... call it what u will but the left lane is not the "passing lane" its the "Fast lane". stay in the fast lane till someone comes up behind u, thats when u get into the slow lane and let them by, then u get back into the fast lane and continue on with ur normal speed. basically the left lane is reserved for competent drivers and the right lane is for semi's, grandmas, asians, and white knuckled d-bags who cant drive for shit.

omg while we are on the topic of slow/shitty drivers, i wanna pitch an idea out there that i have to make any sort of commute more tolerable. ok so here goes, its a retractable, spring loaded, shaft with an electro magnetic cushioned end, that can be extended from the front of ur vehicle. it can be used to either push the car in front of u to ur desired speed or it can be used to latch onto another vehicle for pulling to conserve gas. it would be easier if i was to just make an MS paint blue print but my mouse is being a dick bag so ima have to hold off on that for a while.

[Sastora]

I usually stay in the right lane. I'm not slow I just drive the speed limit and I tend to let people pass me all the time. I'm never in any rush, I don't drive I cruise.

[Duckwalk]

I cannot think of an example, but i live in detroit and i can honestly say that we may have some of the WORST drivers EVER! Often people will just slide across 4 lane highways with no warning and cutting 2-3 people off in the process.

lol just read ur post and figured this clip would be in order.

[PhrozenFlame]

I usually stay in the right lane. I'm not slow I just drive the speed limit and I tend to let people pass me all the time. I'm never in any rush, I don't drive I cruise.

SmallFontSize4CruiseControl?

[z0th]

douchebaggery runs rampant pretty much everywhere. poor driving is one of my pet peeves.

I cannot think of an example, but i live in detroit and i can honestly say that we may have some of the WORST drivers EVER! Often people will just slide across 4 lane highways with no warning and cutting 2-3 people off in the process.

this is less uncommon than you would think. i see it happen often enough on my thrice-weekly drive to the office on the DVP/404, and the 401 (its like two highways in one!). usually its the OMGMYEXIT lane sweep routine. dont see quite as much spontaneous brain death on the 407 ETR though. TBH, i worry more about other peoples driving than my own. i drive fast, but im not erratic.

You know what is worse than this shit? Being in a car while someone is driving like this...

yea. ive got a friend that tends to drive a bit agressively, and its worse when hes in a hurry. had to go downtown from north of Toronto one afternoon, on the clock -- so had to be quick. i came up with a new quote that day, "... drives like he plays Quake". z0ng is _really_ good at QuakeRA. Crimson, another friend of mine, wont ride with him anymore.

if you really want to see some driving escapades that will make you cry/cringe just watch a few epis of Canadas WORST Driver. its really no surprise that they are going into their fourth season.

[genie]

Coincidence they're all girls? I think not!

[D34THSPAWN]

thread tl/dr

[Kerb]

thanks Duck that really does sum it up PERFECTLY!