Is this a sorry attempt to deflect the fact that you did indeed eat your words?
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Caught a road rager on my cell phone
- Thread starter SONIC
- Start date
Is this a sorry attempt to deflect the fact that you did indeed eat your words?
rmemedic
Well-known member
I had a collapsible baton pulled on me in dead stopped traffic down town Ottawa about a year ago. Idiot tried to pull an illegal u-turn and when he ended up blocking the entire intersection because I couldn't move my truck he got out of his BMW and began to threaten me and pulled the baton out. He was all tough until I put the truck in park and started to get out, he then ran back to his car and gave a good run at my drivers door with his wife's car, just barely stopping next to me.
I called 911 immediately, but I couldn't keep track of him in the dark and rain in heavy traffic. I had remembererd his plate though.
I made a report, my gf who was in the truck made a report. It got investigated.
The result:
The chick in the car that was yelling at him was his secretary/mistress. The car was his soon to be ex wife's car.
When the cops did their house call to the guy, it was embarassing for him because his wife was home and that's how she found out it was his secretary he was bangin on the side. The secretary was so embarassed by his behaviour that when questioned she confirmed my story. Cops also found his baton right where I said it would be in the car.
Guy ended up being charged, and as far as I know had to do anger management etc... And I'm sure his wife's lawyer used it as evidence to get more out of him in the divorce process.
So yeah, reporting does actually work! First time I've ever bothered reporting someone for anything, and I only did it because he was either going to use that baton and hurt someone, or he was going to pull it on the wrong person and get his *** handed to him (which was probably going to happen if he didn't get back in to his car).
I think about this when coming up behind someone who maintains an abnormally large distance in front. Hmmm...what if I did that too, and the guy behind me as well. I'd imagine the one thousands car would would still be on the on ramp, is what I imagine. Use common sense. Unless your common sense involves a little bit of drinking and driving. Then just follow the crowd.
And then people wonder why this happens
No the pile up happens when someone's in a lane they shouldn't be. Like sonic that seems entitled to stay in a lane instead of just letting someone that's obviously in a hurry go by and avoiding a completely predictable situation. Just move and let the dummy get a ticket for you instead of becoming a statistic. Might not be right but it's the smart thing to do.
Yes, it causes massive accordianing, when traffic slows or stops. Tends to piss me off too, but I don't tend to cut off and threaten people for it.
I hear what your saying, there's the exception where too much is too much. If people only realized that if everyone left a bit of distance between each other I'd be willing to bet that would significantly increase the pace of traffic, but unfortuantely everyone is free to drive as they wish within the law.
See I believe the end cause to be the opposite. If everyone from the start kept their distance, or slower moving traffic stayed to the side, then the appropriately moving cars at the right speed can still maneuver around and keep all lanes open and free.
mma01
Well-known member
Which lane were you in when this all started?
There was a study done years ago in LA...they basically took 5 cars (there were 5 lanes on the highway) and all 5 drove the speed limit of 55mph. They drove side by side so that no one can pass them.
The people behind them were honking, cursing, and even would pass on the inside and outside shoulder (there's a youtube video of this). But anyway the point is...people at the front going 55MPH caused a standstill traffic jam a few miles behind. It was the accordion effect that Rob referenced.
As to your point about leaving space. Yes I agree. However, each driver has a certain comfort level of space that they want ahead of them. Some are good with 2ft and some good with 20ft. And if someone invades within that 20ft of clear space, they slow down to resume back to 20ft. This is the garbage that causes jams...and of course rubbernecking and all the other idiot moves.
Maybe you missed some of the specifics through out this thread. Traffic was moving at the same speed, unfortunately for this idiot and many other idiot drivers, they have this mentality that if there's a gap somewhere, they're going to make up more time if they can close it... but end up right back where they were because traffic is still moving at the same rate or slower, bumper to bumper.
I was on the far left lane at the time because it was moving at a faster rate than the other lanes, however I was still moving at the same pace as everyone else in my lane, just 2-3 cars gap.
The only thing that idiot gains that's jumping back and forth is the perception of moving far ahead. It's always funny when they pass and jump b/w lanes only to come up behind you up the road. I typically wave to them (not the one finger salute)...unfortunately they don't always see the humour of the situation.
The example you are using in that study was not what was happening yesterday. I was moving with the flow of traffic at an everage speed that maintained the distance that I like to have. This has no effect on traffic so long as you are moving with it.
That was exactly what this guy gained, nothing!
Keeping pace is one thing but traffic starts moving from 0 km/h. For everybody to establish the distance you speak of would require an extra second or two at low acceleration. That's a huge chunk of time a thousand cars deep.
I will bet you were on the fast lane!
The fast lane? Oh you mean the "passing lane" that people don't use to pass, rather another lane to just drive on.
Yes I was on the passing lane, please read the other posts.
Is Meme the bull filling in for Sonny?
Somebody prolly wore costume to work today.
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