Other Drivers' Minds

[Frank Lee]

Nature abhors a vacuum.

Especially a perfect one.

You'd sure think so, but the dumber they are, the more they reproduce. Doesn't bode well...

[larrybuck]

Today was exiting a gas station desiring to turn left onto 2 lane road.

In front of me were the people going to the right all backed up due to a red light
at a 5junction intersection. Sitting there can be long.

Legally; people are not supposed to block driveways, and business entrances.

I looked carefully to my right to make sure no one was coming, and pulled straight
out into a gap between 2 vehicles way too small for my CRX, but ok for my 250
dual sport I was on.

As I approached, the behind veh. started to creep forward like they didn't want
me doing that .

I was pretty much committed at that point.

The veh. stopped smoothly. As I passed the front of their vehicle, I raised my left
glove in a wave of thanks for not cutting off the HOLE!

Then I actually LOOKED at the people in there!

An older couple w the woman as driver. Both of them eyes bulging, shaking their
finger (the one next to their thumbs) at me like: You shouldn't be doing your
terrible act, you ought to get a ticket! was the face message.

They literally were looking at me as if I were a mass murderer, that had just did
in their dog or something!

A cop could have ticketed THEM for blocking the entrance!!!!

I had my green glow vest on; didn't look too Harley like to me!

But what a look of hate, and condemnation!!!!!!!

[Gasoline Fumes]

I'm trying to figure out the people who pull out in front of me so I have to brake, only to turn off the road 300 feet later, making me brake again. I can understand this in heavy traffic, but it's pretty annoying when there are no other cars in sight. You couldn't wait 10 seconds?

[Old Mechanic]

Houston Texas 1983, driving south on I 10 in bumper to bumper traffic, absolutely no place to go but your lane, can't remember but at least 4 lanes, moving along fairly well.
Guy behind me is all over my arse flashing his lights. No place to go, what's your problem buddy?

Finally I moved over just to satisfy the idiot, also gave him the "you're number one salute". He gets by and I pull over behind him. Three grade school students in the back seat all returning my "number 1 salute".

They teach them young in Houston!

Same road, moving along at 65 MPG, I look in my rear view mirror, and notice a Corvette closing at at least 100 MPH. The Corvette passes me sliding sideways and comes to a stop with it's nose pointing towards the oncoming traffic in the narrow strip of pavement between the jersey wall and the fast lane.

A co worker was hit in the rear end in her full sized Chevy pickup, on the same stretch of I 10 by a Corvette. The Vette hit her so hard his front bumper was touching the back of her front wheel.

I wonder if it was the same clown. He told the cops it was no big deal, his daddy would just buy him a new car.

Same stretch of road, opposite direction, my brother is driving this time. I am half asleep.
Bro yells wake up, LOOK! I watch a big rig jackknifing in front of me. Trailer swings out to the right, covering all lanes, then it flies left, finally with the left rear trailer wheels jumping the jersey wall before it comae to a stop. This time it was at night, but still, every one of these incidents was withing a 5 miles stretch of I 10, just south of the Houston beltway.

Almost 30 years ago, but I can still see those incidents clearly in my mind. Saw the cap fly off an oxygen bottle on a truck and smash 7 windshields before it finally rolled to the edge of the road. How would you like to have that nail you on a bike, in some of the worst traffic in the country.

Also remember two clowns got into a fight over some traffic incident on the beltway. One of them grabbed his 7 iron out of the trunk and beat the other to death.

Pop taught me well, combining his situational awareness from his experience as a pilot, with his driving skills. He has not had a ticket since 1955. He told me I was the only person who made him feel comfortable enough to fall asleep when riding in a car with me driving. One time he flew out of Andrews AFB (Wash DC) on a courier flight to the Florida Keys. He was so nervous, the pilot invited him to come up into the cockpit and actually let him fly the plane, after Pop told him about flying a B17 in WW2. That is what it took for him to relax a little in a plane.

regards
Mech

[Old Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Gasoline Fumes

I'm trying to figure out the people who pull out in front of me so I have to brake, only to turn off the road 300 feet later, making me brake again. I can understand this in heavy traffic, but it's pretty annoying when there are no other cars in sight. You couldn't wait 10 seconds?

Heck, around here they will race you to 90 so they can pull over in front of you and slam on the brakes and turn right. Or just tailgate you 3 feet behind you so you get out of the way so they can do it to someone else. Interstate cloverleafs here are a challenge for the Morons, who will speed up to 80 so they can block the left lane to keep you from pulling over to let merging traffic on thee road, OR they blast by you then change from the left lane to the exit lane to exit. I have seen a car go across 6 lanes of heavy traffic moving at 60 MPH at a 60 degree angle to get to an exit they were too stupid to plan to exit properly. Or the line of traffic at a lane restricted construction area, where they think courtesy is not required of them. I have seen big rigs pull into their lanes to block them from their stupidity, and I have done the same myself.

regards
Mech

[Frank Lee]

He told me I was the only person who made him feel comfortable enough to fall asleep when riding in a car with me driving.

Heh heh, my passengers inevitably fall asleep too! I like to think it's because of the comfy seats my car has, coupled with my super-smooth limo-driver driving.

... but maybe it's my company???

[Old Mechanic]

Nah Frank, they fall asleep because your car never goes anywhere~

regards
Mech

[Frank Lee]

I should have used past-tense! D'oh!

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by Ladogaboy

Today, as I was coasting down my favorite hill after work, a thought suddenly occurred to me. This was inspired by the fact that I was being tailgated by a guy in a mid-90s family sedan. Now, I should start by saying I'm used to this behavior given the car I drive (every late teen to early 20s kid in a Civic tries to race me... well... whenever). This guy was no different, but my only concern was, if I needed to stop quickly, I'd have to hire someone to extract him from my tail pipe.

Now I know that I'm assuming that he was trying to "race" me, but I'm pretty sure I'm right about what was going on in his mind.

Since he is behind you (assuming he cannot pass you legally) how can he possibly "race" you?

How can you be sure of anything that is "going on in his mind"?

Just as it takes two to argue, it takes two to create a race. By your admission it seems that scenario is what was on your mind, but not necessarily on the other driver's...

And besides, why do you care about what other people think?

[Ladogaboy]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

Since he is behind you (assuming he cannot pass you legally) how can he possibly "race" you?

How can you be sure of anything that is "going on in his mind"?

Just as it takes two to argue, it takes two to create a race. By your admission it seems that scenario is what was on your mind, but not necessarily on the other driver's...

And besides, why do you care about what other people think?

You obviously missed some of my concerns. I get used to other people trying to race me (anyone who buys my car goes in knowing that that is an eventuality; close to 10 years stateside has proven it). In this case, I'm not sure of anything other than this guy was creating a dangerous situation for me, for any possible pedestrians/bicyclists, and especially himself. The fact that he was driving less than two car lengths behind a vehicle that can out handle and out brake his own car while he was barely able to keep his car on the road begs the question: What was going through his mind?