Road Rage/idiots with guns

[JohnRoberts]

I recall driving on the 405 one night/early morning coming back from TJ where I was driving by braille, listening to the thumps from our tires hitting the reflectors if I strayed out of my lane. I wasn't supposed to be driving, but my sales rep was passed out in the passenger seat. I woke him up before it was time to go into LAX to catch my flight. He was recovered enough to handle the last mile or so.

IIRC the 405 was "always" full of cars.

JR

 

[boji]

I've noticed increased incidents of folks on the East Coast who consciously drive at or below the speed limit in the fast lane, stack up as much traffic behind them as possible, and become super aggressive if anyone tries to pass them... As well, these territorial road hogs seem to do everything in their power to position themselves in such a way as to block open lengths of adjacent highway using slow lane drivers so that those behind them are either forced to take big downshifting risks and 'thread the needle', or retreat back to safety behind the lane blocker. What's that about? Is it some reverse thrill-of-the-hunt thing? A desire to memorialize their commute to work by forcing themselves and everyone around them to release Nascar-like levels of adrenaline?

 

[AnalogPackrat]

I've noticed increased incidents of folks on the East Coast who consciously drive at or below the speed limit in the fast lane, stack up as much traffic behind them as possible, and become super aggressive if anyone tries to pass them... As well, these territorial road hogs seem to do everything in their power to position themselves in such a way as to block open lengths of adjacent highway using slow lane drivers so that those behind them are either forced to take big downshifting risks and 'thread the needle', or retreat back to safety behind the lane blocker. What's that about? Is it some reverse thrill-of-the-hunt thing? A desire to memorialize their commute to work by forcing themselves and everyone around them to release Nascar-like levels of adrenaline?

I've seen that a couple of times. Seemed like some do-gooder trying to control the way other people drive.

 

[Brian Roth]

I don't know about other parts of the country, but in Kansas and Oklahoma it's against the law to hog the left lane on the interstates. You can be pulled over by the highway patrol and ticketed. In Kansas, signs merely state "slower traffic stay right".

In Oklahoma, signs read "State law. Do not impede left lane."


Bri

 

[crazydoc]

I've noticed increased incidents of folks on the East Coast who consciously drive at or below the speed limit in the fast lane, stack up as much traffic behind them as possible, and become super aggressive if anyone tries to pass them... As well, these territorial road hogs seem to do everything in their power to position themselves in such a way as to block open lengths of adjacent highway using slow lane drivers so that those behind them are either forced to take big downshifting risks and 'thread the needle', or retreat back to safety behind the lane blocker. What's that about? Is it some reverse thrill-of-the-hunt thing? A desire to memorialize their commute to work by forcing themselves and everyone around them to release Nascar-like levels of adrenaline?

The ones that piss me off are the folks that drive just under the speed limit (or usually slower), that I've been following for miles, unable to pass on a 2 lane highways, then speed up when we come to a passing lane, so I'm going 85 or 90 to get around them.

 

[JohnRoberts]

The ones that piss me off are the folks that drive just under the speed limit (or usually slower), that I've been following for miles, unable to pass on a 2 lane highways, then speed up when we come to a passing lane, so I'm going 85 or 90 to get around them.

That's why it's nice to have a car that accelerates well. Sometimes that behavior isn't intentional, they are driving as fast as they dare on narrow roads, and when the road opens up to a nice long straightaway suitable for passing, they speed up too because of the line of tailgaters right behind them.

They still get passed in my world, rather briskly.

JR

 

[Rusan]

I don't know about other parts of the country, but in Kansas and Oklahoma it's against the law to hog the left lane on the interstates. You can be pulled over by the highway patrol and ticketed.

Same here. In Arkansas, there are signs on the interstates that read, "LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING ONLY - STATE LAW."

 

[JohnRoberts]

I remember hearing that maneuver called a name but I don't recall exactly what that name was, something like a "commuter squeeze". Sometimes it is done by accident when a driver using cruise control is creeping past another car at 1 mph, unintentionally blocking both lanes. Truckers traveling side by side in lockstep to block traffic was made popular in some movies, but not so much in real life.

The vast majority of drivers are well behaved and considerate, but bad drivers can make a lasting impression.

JR

 

[Rusan]

I remember hearing that maneuver called a name but I don't recall exactly what that name was, something like a "commuter squeeze". Sometimes it is done by accident when a driver using cruise control is creeping past another car at 1 mph, unintentionally blocking both lanes. Truckers traveling side by side in lockstep to block traffic was made popular in some movies, but not so much in real life.

I remember a trucker I knew called it a "lunchbox," when they'd lockstep and block in the unruly driver of a "4-wheeler" who wasn't obeying the rules of driving etiquette.