[Dakarʒ]

I apologize, but I need to vent.

On the way to work this morning, when I got onto the interstate for my 3-4 mile jaunty part of the commute, I happened to merge on behind a Sheriff's van and a Toyota Camry who appeared to be in the act of passing said vehicle. As I got up to speed and saw I was gaining on the van, I merged into the left lane, behind the Camry. They appear to be passing slowly, but that's ok, it's a Sheriff's van they're passing, after all.

A mile later and the Camry is still "in the act of passing" and seems to be straining (tapping breaks, slight speed-ups) to maintain the 7-to-8 o' clock position relative to the Sheriff's van. My blood pressure begins to go up. I consciously make sure I'm not riding her ass.

Mile 2 and no change. After making sure to give her enough room to slow-down and merge behind the van if she'd like, I let myself catch-up a little bit, but if she's aware someone is behind her, she's doesn't seem to care. I back even further off.

Mile 3: I now have a Jeep catching up to me on my right and running almost side by side with me. My exit is coming up, so I begin to slow down to merge behind it. Ahead of me, the Camry slows down and crosses both lanes in succession to hit her exit. I'm not sure she uses a turn signal. The Jeep having taken the first part of the exit, I smoothly merge behind the Camry and onto my exit as well.

Onto the highway: The Camry and I get in on the left. A tractor trailer is about two car lengths back in right lane, but the Camry decides not to merge right and let me pass. I decide against downshifting and passing on the right, as much as my building rage would like me to.

Final stretch: The Camry is apparently dissatisfied with the performance of the slow-moving Daewoo in front of it, as it seems to emphatically put itself onto the rumble strips on the right shoulder to confirm that there are indeed no cars in front of it. In response the Daewoo seems to try to block the Camry's view of the upcoming road before going so far left that one of its tires is in the center lane. I scream WTF in my vehicle.

I pull into work with a very forced calmness.

[Jawbone54]

You need to get angrier.
This kind of stuff ruins my days as well.

[Dakarʒ]

I wanted to lay on the horn so bad when I was behind her. See if that'd get her to merge behind the van.

I was also considering an Italian "Whatsa matter with you" motion if I had passed her on the highway.

[Jawbone54]

I don't get rattled by much of anything EXCEPT bad/rude/thoughtless drivers. It's the only thing that lights my fuse.

The "Whatsa matter with you" motion is very handy. I notice that when I do it, however, that I say stuff with a slight New Yorker accent.

"What's the deal, buddy?"
"Oh, c'moooon! What's your problem?"
"You gotta be KIDDING me!"

[Dakarʒ]

Well in this case I found her to be a thoughtless bad driver.

[abbaZaba]

left lane bandits unfuriate me to no end

[Laminar]

Are you sure it was a Camry and not an SUV?

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Are you sure it was a Camry and not an SUV?

Are you sure you meant SUV and not SVX?

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Are you sure it was a Camry and not an SUV?

Rob?

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

Are you sure you meant SUV and not SVX?

I always get those acronyms mixed up.

[chabig]

I hate people who blind you with their foglights on clear nights, because two headlights aren't enough for them.

[Dakarʒ]

You had me at I hate people.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by chabig 

I hate people who blind you with their foglights on clear nights, because two headlights aren't enough for them.

If the foglights were working correctly they should cut off far below the eye level of an oncoming driver.

[chabig]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

If the foglights were working correctly they should cut off far below the eye level of an oncoming driver.

They should on level ground, but many don't and often the ground isn't level. A lot of manufacturers (Subaru) seem to use them as an excuse to put four headlights on the front. And drivers keep them on all of the time because they think it looks cool, even though they serve no purpose.

[::maroma::]

I was half expecting to read that you hung out the window and shouted a witty comment at her, Dakar. Still waiting for the other shoe to drop here.

[iranfromthezoo]

sounds like you were driving a fire truck.....welcome to the life.

[Dakarʒ]

...huh?

[iranfromthezoo]

I was stating that everytime we get a call it never fails that someone in a camry or SUV rides in the lane we are trying to get in. a.k.a running lights and sirens, driving in left lane and a car will a. pull out in front of us...b. just stop in middle of road...c. just drive slow and not acknowledge us.

Pretty crazy.

[Dakarʒ]

Yeah, that sounds incredibly stupid. C in particular.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

...huh?

iranfromthezoo is a fireman....

Awareness, that's the issue. Few people have it. I was on Queen Street some months back, early evening when I hear a fire engine come belting down. The opposite lane is solid, so he has to use the main lane. All traffic pulls over to let him through, except for one bimbo (and she was a bimbo) who calmly carries on parking her SUV. Except she could not park, despite one of her bimbo friends frantically waving her on. All the while there is a fire truck with lights and sirens behind her. It took one of the firemen to get out and tell her to get the **** out of the way for her to move on.

[Dakarʒ]

I'm guilty of letting my speed drop when I don't pay attention, but once I realize, I usually pick up the pace and get out of the way.

What confounds me so much is this bitch obviously didn't have the balls to pass this Sheriff's van, yet wouldn't get behind it, even though her exit was coming up soon.

[Mastrap]

PS: Last spring I saw an elderly women getting hit by a fire truck. She just stepped in front of it, despite the sirens and the lights. Thankfully she was only struck a glancing blow and seemed to be fine but still....

It's red, it's noisy, it has flashing lights. How the hell can you miss that thing?

[Dakarʒ]

Deaf and blind?

[iranfromthezoo]

Come ride and see all the idiots...

YouTube - Emergency Response 67

[Dakarʒ]

No embedding videos, Chief.

Especially with HTML.

[iranfromthezoo]

yeah i copied the wrong address from youtube...sorry bout that.

[Dakarʒ]

No sorries. Just say "I can see that asshole!"

[sek929]

On my way to Six Flags yesterday I encountered my favorite driving phenomenon.

A Hyundai in the center lane turns on his right blinker (or blinkah) and then proceeds to swerve into the left lane (my lane) and speed away. I threw up my hands and just laughed.

I'm not sure if he was doing it on purpose, but at any rate it was a mind bogglingly bad driving maneuver.

[Railroader]

Dakar, your self control/restraint is impressive.

[starman]

This post is useless without a Flash animation

[rickey939]

Proud of you.®

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

Dakar, your self control/restraint is impressive.

She didn't leave me with any options.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

She didn't leave me with any options.

You could have rammed her off the road or on the side of it, if she was hot.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by chabig 

They should on level ground, but many don't and often the ground isn't level. A lot of manufacturers (Subaru) seem to use them as an excuse to put four headlights on the front. And drivers keep them on all of the time because they think it looks cool, even though they serve no purpose.

Don't you have laws in the States?

I'm quite certain using fog lights is illegal here if there isn't actually any fog.

[Tomchu]

Women in Toyotas/Hondas are some of the worst drivers in my experience. That's Vancouver for you.

Edit: Oh and cocky East Indian punks in their 20's.

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

You could have rammed her of the road or on the side of it, if she was hot.

No hot young women are driving on the interstate at 8 in the morning.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Don't you have laws in the States?

Depends on ones politcal affiliation.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

No hot young women are driving on the interstate at 8 in the morning.

They are if coming back from a party.

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

They are if coming back from a party.

Chances are they'd be crashed on the interstate then.

[sek929]

Even easier to hook up with them.

[Dakarʒ]

Can't put up a fight when you're ko'ed.

[Rumor]

Even better, you'd be the hero that saved her from the wreckage.

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

Even better, you'd be the hero that saved her from the wreckage.*

*after I got some.

[Rumor]

I don't recommended sex while driving. Not only is it difficult (depending on the vehicle) but it increases the chance of a crash.

[Dakarʒ]

Nah, I'm doin' her in the wreckage. Help pass the time till the ambulance arrives.

[osiris]

There are some bad drivers out there, and oblivious ones on top of that.


But rest assured, dear Dakarʒ, my minions shall not fail me next time, for I will be in the driver's seat.
Bwa haha haha ha haaaaaa.

[Dakarʒ]

Give me the Hand of Osiris!

Edit: I just realized how wrong that sounds given the current topic of discussion in the thread.

[Jawbone54]

Several hours later, the seething continues. Good thing libs don't like guns.
Hey, look...a political joke. Imagine THAT on these boards!

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

Give me the Hand of Osiris!

Edit: I just realized how wrong that sounds given the current topic of discussion in the thread.

That would most likely decrease your chances while in the wreckage.

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Several hours later, the seething continues. Good thing libs don't like guns.

It's true, we leave the killing for the people who believe in the sanctity of life.

Obviously I wasn't going to let that slide.