Do people get upset when you do PSL?

[westb87]

So today on my way to work, I'm on a particular stretch of parkway that requires that I do 50mph. I get passed like I'm sitting still most of the time, but I'm in the right lane so feel free to pass, it's all good with me!

Anywho, this guy in a Ram (like I used to own before I realized just how stupid owning that truck was) passes the car that was hanging out behind me (guess they wanted to see if they could do the speed limit with me?), but does so with extreme "pedal to the metal" because I hear his exhaust roar up, he nearly hits the car he passes, then swerves in front of me and cuts me off, stomps his brakes (brake checks me), then stomps on the gas again. I give him a few flickers of my high beams because "wtf dude? I was doing the speed limit in the right lane...what more do you want?" and he goes into a COMPLETE RAGE! Stomps his brakes again, slows down to about 20mph, all the while flicking me off and flailing his "you're number 1" hand around like an insane person, then takes off.

Anybody here ever experienced someone go into a complete rage on you because you're doing PSL? My hypermiling behavior is largely determined by the surrounding conditions (traffic & weather) and I tune my behavior to what others would consider "mostly acceptable" on the road with regard to hypermiling behavior. Have you ever had someone lose their marbles on you because of hypermiling? I think more and more people are losing their minds because of all the opiates, meth, and weed that are becoming more and more pervasive in our society. My thoughts anyway... Have a great day everyone!

[RedDevil]

There are idiot drivers around that take offense at anything you can imagine.

I (try to) reserve the use of horn and signals to avert danger exclusively.
Wanna tell the idiot he's an idiot? What's the point?

[westb87]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

There are idiot drivers around that take offense at anything you can imagine.

I (try to) reserve the use of horn and signals to avert danger exclusively.
Wanna tell the idiot he's an idiot? What's the point?

You make a good point. It was really more reactionary to the brake check. An idiot is never going to acknowledge that their actions/behavior are indeed stupid, so telling them is pointless. I suppose I was just so confused and frustrated that I needed to vent a bit, lol.

[ksa8907]

You can't fix stupid.

[MetroMPG]

I'm lucky. Where I live, other drivers are pretty laid back. Haven't seen that kind of behavior in many years.


My last visit to Nova Scotia, I discovered the drivers there are even more laid back than here in rural/small town eastern Ontario:



http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ven-34871.html

[redpoint5]

My top 3 WTH moments:

1. Similar to you... Was traveling 85 MPH in a 70 on cruise control on an empty stretch of I-5 in the right lane. A guy comes behind, tailgates for a while, then does a full throttle pass, pulls right in front of me while slamming on his brakes and taking an exit.

2. Guy does 35 MPH in a 55 for half an hour along a twisty road. The moment I get a chance to pass I go full throttle and signal my pass. The guy matches my speed up to 90 MPH and denies the pass; my Prius unable to overtake. Then the guy slows back down to his snails pace again with me stuck behind and the passing opportunity gone.

3. The highway was closed down due to an accident and nobody was moving. I turned the car off and waited, but the guy ahead pulled forward a couple car lengths. The guy behind got mad that I didn't pull forward and peeled out on the shoulder, kicking rocks everywhere, and pulled in front of me. We didn't move for the next hour; not an inch.

I don't understand why it drives people mad to have a gap in a line. I'll even leave space in a grocery store line just because I don't need to be so close to the people ahead. The line doesn't move faster just because you've consumed the entire safety/comfort cushion.

[Baltothewolf]

Incidents like this is exactly why I'm so happy my Miata is supercharged now. I can't even remember the last time somebody was able to bully me. Tried to? Yes. But they get schooled so fast they almost immediately back off. Had a guy the other night try to jump into the right lane, go WOT to try and pass me when there was a semi in the right lane (there was less than a car gap between me and the guy in front of me). I slowed down on purpose and tossed it into 3rd gear, waited until we were bumper to bumper and hammered it, he almost slammed into the semi trying to pass me. Needles to say he got behind me and behaved himself until the right lane became clear and he was able to pass safely.

[westb87]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I'm lucky. Where I live, other drivers are pretty laid back. Haven't seen that kind of behavior in many years.


My last visit to Nova Scotia, I discovered the drivers there are even more laid back than here in rural/small town eastern Ontario:



http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ven-34871.html

Color me jealous!

[westb87]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

My top 3 WTH moments:

1. Similar to you... Was traveling 85 MPH in a 70 on cruise control on an empty stretch of I-5 in the right lane. A guy comes behind, tailgates for a while, then does a full throttle pass, pulls right in front of me while slamming on his brakes and taking an exit.

2. Guy does 35 MPH in a 55 for half an hour along a twisty road. The moment I get a chance to pass I go full throttle and signal my pass. The guy matches my speed up to 90 MPH and denies the pass; my Prius unable to overtake. Then the guy slows back down to his snails pace again with me stuck behind and the passing opportunity gone.

3. The highway was closed down due to an accident and nobody was moving. I turned the car off and waited, but the guy ahead pulled forward a couple car lengths. The guy behind got mad that I didn't pull forward and peeled out on the shoulder, kicking rocks everywhere, and pulled in front of me. We didn't move for the next hour; not an inch.

I don't understand why it drives people mad to have a gap in a line. I'll even leave space in a grocery store line just because I don't need to be so close to the people ahead. The line doesn't move faster just because you've consumed the entire safety/comfort cushion.

1. That happens way more often than it should. "I'm going to pass this guy so I can make that turn up there in 1/2 mile!" I don't understand why folks just can't "hang out" until their turn arrives. Maybe we could market an "efficient driving" school similar to a defensive driving one? lol

2. When I was in the Navy and driving to and from my duty station in Norfolk, VA to my mom's house in Fort Walton Beach, FL, this happened VERY often. You'd get two jack-wagons riding next to one another on the interstate (with me only mad at whomever rode in the left lane) and as soon as there is a gap to pass around, the left lane car would either slow down, or the right lane car would speed up. Completely frustrating! Technically, the guy that did that to you can be charged with attempted vehicular manslaughter if he was to have been witnessed committing that CRIME in front of a police officer.

3. I've never understood the frustration of folks thinking "MOVE UP NOW!" in bumper to bumper traffic. I'm of the mind of "kiss my butt....I'll move when the situation warrants it". My brake foot gets tired of hanging there holding the pedal down. So much easier to throw it in neutral, cutoff the engine, and listen to some tunes.

[westb87]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

Incidents like this is exactly why I'm so happy my Miata is supercharged now. I can't even remember the last time somebody was able to bully me. Tried to? Yes. But they get schooled so fast they almost immediately back off. Had a guy the other night try to jump into the right lane, go WOT to try and pass me when there was a semi in the right lane (there was less than a car gap between me and the guy in front of me). I slowed down on purpose and tossed it into 3rd gear, waited until we were bumper to bumper and hammered it, he almost slammed into the semi trying to pass me. Needles to say he got behind me and behaved himself until the right lane became clear and he was able to pass safely.

I wouldn't consider that move to be safe or prudent. That's a really great way to get someone to rear-end you just to get into a confrontation with you (see: get shot, stabbed, beaten with a tire iron). It's much easier (and safer) to let someone just go on their merry way rather than GET IN FRONT OF THEIR TONS OF MASS in your MIATA. I'm all about the feel good of revenge on roadbound a**holes, but you have to consider just how unhinged some of these people can be.

I honked at a meth-head the other day because he swerved into my lane (I drive a Civic, he drove an Escalade) while tweaking out. I held my horn down and he swerved back into the road. THIS EFFIN' GUY takes the road parallel to the road I live on, finds a junction, comes onto my road and acts like he's about to hit me HEAD ON at 60mph in a 20mph neighborhood. Then pulls up next to me (with my children in the car) and says "What were you f***in' honkin' at me for back there you f***in' b**ch?" (This is when the meth-addled behavior became apparent). I replied "Because you swerved into my lane and I've got kids in the car!" ...no lie...this guy's response was "...well...uh...I don't care...." while his brain sought to reason with the morality of potentially injuring children and his meth-addled desire to fight the guy who honked at him (me) to make him aware of a potential head-on collision.

My question was "If he felt that was a justified reaction....what would have happened if that meth-head had a gun in his car?" You can't reason with a chemically irrational mind. Think about how many people are tripping on opiates, weed, meth, heroin, cocaine, and alcohol and DRIVING on the road at this very moment... You've gotta be safe out there man.