Those interesting drivers are still out there!

[Frank Lee]

Could have been that time of the month...

[jtbo]

I believe there will be difference in statics with those that don't understand scientific processes from those that do understand them and apply methods for their daily choices.

Stunts described in this threat seem to me being emotional reactions of drivers, also I think that with many accidents emotional reacting can be pointed out as big factor which made accident possible.

I like to think that driving under influence could be case with driving under emotional burst.

We all are probably taught when kids to think before acting, but do we all remember that lesson or do we understand why we were taught that?

One example would be that when I was passing a rural village, there was several kilometers of 60kph and 40kph limits, one of those big trucks came fast to behind of me, he overtook me few hundred meters before city limits, which is no overtaking zone, then limit was again 80kph and road ahead I know being very twisty.

He then drives like a race car driver at hillclimb, cutting even blind corners etc:


Here you can see how narrow that road is:


So instead of driving 80kph, I had to crawl 60kph behind that truck as he could not drive that fast to those corners, despite he risking lifes of others coming from opposite direction, really good example of not thinking just reacting to emotions, which, if it would be put to statistics, might be most common cause of death/accident with every activity.

So think before acting, that takes less than a second and can give tens of years back.

[99metro]

I live very rural where the rules of the road no longer apply.

Most people who pass me, with no fear of "the man", only pass in no passing zones and around blind corners - it seems. I think some people drive for the adrenaline rush.

Had one little Geo pass me. He came within 1/4 second of a head on into a semi as he threw the wheel to get back into my lane. I was maintaining speed right on the fog line when he was doing this. Then he over corrected and nearly ended up under the passing semi's trailer. Thing is, that put me into severe danger since the potential head on/wreck would be coming my way real fast. I guess that Geo driver got HIS adrenaline rush alright.

[ps2fixer]

Interesting thread of near misses, and a couple of actual wrecks.

On one of the roads to/from my work they reworked the 2 lane highway to include a left turn lane, which made it a no passing zone probably 4-5 years ago. Anyway, this area of my drive is the worst for the worst drivers I have seen. Several passing in the left turn lane in front of a few schools and several that when the first person gets over and passes, someone follows directly behind which is completely blinded to the oncomming traffic. I saw a couple of near misses in the last month, but the last one a couple of days ago was too close for my liking. A ford truck passed me as he noticed I was going slower, and he was pushing the limits a little with the oncomming traffic. Well the lady in the van behind him followed as well..... I went to the edge of the road as much as possible, and she litterly was feet from hitting the oncomming car... afterwards she flashed her brake lights at me which I assume was trying to say I was the cause of it. With how these people drive, I'm tempted to get a front and rear view camera to record everything so if there was a wreck, I could present accurate video proof of what happened, even if I wasn't involved.

Speaking of the cameras, would there be any point in reporting illeagle actions such as passing in the no passing zone in front of the schools? I heard it takes atleast 3 reports for someone to get a ticket, and I'm pretty sure not many call in the plate numbers. I don't mind people passing me, or even speeding, but doing risky moves... they should atleast get a warning to attempt to save a life or 2 ^.^.

[cbaber]

I would say go for the cameras. Just head over to youtube and search for car crash compilation. So many car crashes are caught on film from people that drive with cameras. You never know you might just need that evidence. As far as catching people through school zones, you might not get them a ticket but show the film or report the drivers to the local PD and I am sure they will want to send a patrol car to the area to see if they can get any of these drivers in the act.

Last night I had another interesting situation. I have to drive on a 2 lane road that goes from the interstate into town. In town speed limit is 45 and I drive that limit. After you exit town the limit goes to 55. In a residential part of the road there is a middle turn lane that runs for about a mile. I usually drive 55-60 MPH on this road and last night was no exception. I tend to slow down up the hills, though, since thats more efficient. I was going 51 up a hill and then crested the hill I was heading back to 55. Someone in an SUV decided that 51 was not good enough and proceeded to use the middle turn lane to pass me, making sure to put the pedal to the metal and I heard that engine screaming past me just to be able to go 60 MPH in a 55. All I could really think about while this was happening was, "Wow you are wasting tons of gas by passing me at full throttle" and "Thats really not what that lane is for..."

Funny thing is, less than 200 feet ahead of where they passed was the interstate onramp turn where me and them were headed. If only people had a little more patience.

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by ps2fixer

Speaking of the cameras, would there be any point in reporting illeagle actions such as passing in the no passing zone in front of the schools? I heard it takes atleast 3 reports for someone to get a ticket, and I'm pretty sure not many call in the plate numbers. I don't mind people passing me, or even speeding, but doing risky moves... they should atleast get a warning to attempt to save a life or 2 ^.^.

I don't know what it's like in your area, but usually if people call in complaints to the local police dept. they will step up enforcement for that location. The police can't issue tickets based on hearsay reports or plate numbers; an officer has to witness the violation to issue a summons. IMHO what is needed is not modification of the existing road design, but getting people to obey what is designated and not drive recklessly.

[JRMichler]

Years ago, I was driving at the speed limit on a two lane state highway. As I entered a sweeping left curve, a string of six or so oncoming cars approached along with a speeder passing the whole string in a no passing zone. I went onto the shoulder, as did the car behind me. The car behind me was a state patrol car.

[Frank Lee]

I had a Hwy Patrol blow my doors off; about 130 mph and he was barely even over the centerline, no lights or siren, scared the crap outta me. I called HQ and they're like "Durrr... what?"

[ps2fixer]

Originally Posted by JRMichler

Years ago, I was driving at the speed limit on a two lane state highway. As I entered a sweeping left curve, a string of six or so oncoming cars approached along with a speeder passing the whole string in a no passing zone. I went onto the shoulder, as did the car behind me. The car behind me was a state patrol car.

Did mr state patrol car turn around? I assume so.

Had a really weird thing happen today on the way home.... Driving 45mph like always, and again same road I spoke of before, but past the schools (2 lane normal back road style). Anyway since I read this thread, I have been watching how long people take before they notice me and start to slow down, or how they plan their moves. So many of them come flying up to me, slow down, then when it is at least a mile clear then they will pass. A few others noticed me way ahead of time and didn't slow down a bit since it was clear and safely passed. Well... last person that passed me did the didn't slow down and passed on a wide open road. about a 1 1/2 miles down the road, they put their flashers on and stopped in the middle of the road. I coasted up behind them as they jumped out and went to their trunk and grabbed a tool. I was really confused, and traffic was coming so no passing. Well.... I guess someone hit a raccoon, and they opted to stop and scrap them off the road to the shoulder of the road. The guy gave kind body signs, signaling sorry for stopping you, I just sat there amazed at the actions.

Besides stopping traffic directly behind him, the opposite traffic stopped due to the flashers and the fact he is stopped in the middle of the lane and was running around the front of his car.

I didn't get mad or anything, it was just odd, I bet I looked like .

I got to get that camera system! lol

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I had a Hwy Patrol blow my doors off; about 130 mph and he was barely even over the centerline, no lights or siren, scared the crap outta me. I called HQ and they're like "Durrr... what?"

Not surprised, my dad has something similar, I don't remember the story exactly, but basically it was along the lines of a speeder passed him, and he got over to pass a slower car after the speeder passed. Out pops a cop car from the median, and my dad had to slam the brakes on to avoid the wreck. I don't think he had lights on right away but did afterwards.

[jtbo]

You guys at US have this kind of service:
Road Hero

Here such is not possible as such databases of registration plates must not made public and are treated same as social security numbers by law, our nannying country again.

Police cars here too make such of stunts sometimes, once I was travelling with seriously overweight trailer and van combo at middle of night, going as fast as that combo did go, which was only tiny bit faster than legal limit, I did saw lights appear behind me on very long straight, I did estimate that it was over a mile behind me, it did not took long that police van zoomed past me really really fast, could hear turbo whine as it flew past me, thing sounded more of jet plane really, it was followed by sedan model police car which are here bit of rarity to see, there still was more than a mile of that straight left but they did disappear from sight really quickly. I think speeds were more than 100mph, no flashing lights, no sirens.