Today's rant, no BMW-related, but regular driver rage

[1HungryMan]

Yesterday I drive my baby to Kitchener to see my neices. I still love to drive this car on the highway on the rare occasion I can do so.

As we all all know the left lane is not a "sitting" lane, it is a "passing" lane so when I come up on yet another douche bag who doesn't understand this, I do my usual "am I close enough to your ass for you to move over yet" routine and then back off slightly so I'm not tailgating him or being an ass.

Nothing. Usual routine. Sigh.

So finally I pass him on the right, and lo and behold, the old cocksucker in the Shelby decides he's suddenly offended I'm trying to pass him on the right and makes sure to gun it and race me to the opening in front of him.

Now I don't know about the rest of you, but it's natural to speed up slightly when people overtake you from the right. It's a form of self-consciousness we all suffer from. But when someone says "oh no you're not passing me", it's a declaration of war.

Now I drive very defensively in my car, and after 30-ish years of driving, I rarely let any road nonsense get to me. But I have to ask what kind of cocksucker do you have to be to race someone who is simply trying to get around you because you're not paying attention to the etiquette of the left lane? Like I was thinking "dude if you were on dry land right I would clock you so hard".

The irony is the guy doesn't let up for a few km's and finally pulls to the right. But like all cocksuckers he refuses to make eye contact with me when I pull up beside him.

It amazes me that people work out their ugliests traits on the road because they don't have to face the beatdown they would get in the "real world" if they did such things.

Please do some sense making for me.

The police spend so much time harassing people for bullshit offenses, when many, many problems would be avoided simply enforcing the "you must pull to right when you're in the left lane and someone wants to pass" rule. It makes people crazy, and yet 50% of drivers have no clue about the passing lane's etiquette. It astounds me.

[Garduna]

Suffered that yesterday a couple of times as well. Seems to me there's less and less people who drive with common sense these days......

[dread1]

it should be required to learn to get a G1 G2 and G and plate renewals

[scorcherjf]

This is one thing I noticed when I came to Canada... as soon as I got across the border it seemed like everyone just crowds the left lane just to "sit" there at a certain speed, not even passing anyone. It's just a big wall of cars moving synchronously so that faster cars can't get by. I don't know Canadian road laws but I'm pretty sure if you're not passing, you should move to the right. So ya, I feel your pain.

[pushkin]

Originally Posted by 1HungryMan

But like all cocksuckers he refuses to make eye contact with me when I pull up beside him.

Haha, its soo true. I guess it’s because they know they did something wrong and are too ashamed to look you in the eye.

[fwmcb]

I know what you mean, coming into town today I had to slow down when I pulled left...

The police can be on the useless end of things... When my car got backed into they wouldn't release the other party's insurance info... and his truck had to be towed to get mine out... So I got stuck paying the deductible...

[M3Newbie88]

Don't get me started on idiot drivers.. being asian myself, I keep saying the driver must be asian, a female and old.. but lately I am wrong.. not going to name any specifics but I really want to get out and yell at those people >.<!!!!!

[jps]

OMG! - I hate people that sit in the left lane and I'm so glad to read this thread. The next most annoying thing is the people that sit in the middle lane too!

The right lane is NOT a 'tansport truck only' lane.
The right lane is NOT a 'posted speed limit only' lane.

The right lane is for everybody to drive in. When you are approaching a car traveling slower than you, signal and move the the left. Then, when you have finished passing and there is an opening in the lane to the right, move back over!

This weekend I drove from West GTA to Belleville and back. Multiple, multiple times I had to pass vehicles to their right in either the middle or right lanes and I too thought as I was driving home it would be wonderful if police would act on this and educate those unaware. I doubt they have the capacity for this but something should be done!

(And to be clear, I do not speed up and slow down and swerve in and out of multiple lanes of traffic to gain a few car lengths. I set my cruise at 128-132km/hr and will move into large gaps if people infront of me won't.)

Thank you for the therapy session.

[BlackFlash]

I just hate people trolling down the middle lane on the 401. I swear that 85% of drivers think that the middle lane is the default lane to be in on that road. No traffic or bumper to bumper, the middle lane is where they head.

[BMW86]

Actually got the finger today from some really ugly guy in a what looked like a really old corolla hatchback that looked barely road worthy. He was sitting in the overtaking lane and I waited patiently behind him so I ended up overtaking him in the "non-overtaking" lane as I had no choice. He retaliated by trying to speed up and later drove past me at a set of lights where I had to turn off and gave me the finger. Some people are just looking for trouble.

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by BMW86

Actually got the finger today from some really ugly guy in a what looked like a really old corolla hatchback that looked barely road worthy. He was sitting in the overtaking lane and I waited patiently behind him so I ended up overtaking him in the "non-overtaking" lane as I had no choice. He retaliated by trying to speed up and later drove past me at a set of lights where I had to turn off and gave me the finger. Some people are just looking for trouble.

On my way to Canberra about a month ago, was on the Hume Hwy doing around 130, with a truck in the slow lane (as we drive on opposite sides i'll refer to them as slow/fast here for the Canadians!).

There was a car ahead of me in the fast lane, but doing 95. I slowed down, looked if there was room to pass (about 200m) so I pushed it down the slow lane and back into the fast. As soon as i did this, he moved into the slow lane, sped up as we approached the truck and tried to cut me off as we passed the truck. He then spent the next minute on my tail with high-beams on.

So i did the old trick, rear fog lights on. He thought i was braking so he slowed down, just as i floored it. Never to be seen again!

[BMW86]

Originally Posted by Taymaishu

On my way to Canberra about a month ago, was on the Hume Hwy doing around 130, with a truck in the slow lane (as we drive on opposite sides i'll refer to them as slow/fast here for the Canadians!).

There was a car ahead of me in the fast lane, but doing 95. I slowed down, looked if there was room to pass (about 200m) so I pushed it down the slow lane and back into the fast. As soon as i did this, he moved into the slow lane, sped up as we approached the truck and tried to cut me off as we passed the truck. He then spent the next minute on my tail with high-beams on.

So i did the old trick, rear fog lights on. He thought i was braking so he slowed down, just as i floored it. Never to be seen again!

These kinds of stories really make my blood boil. Glad to hear you got away easily. I'll have to try your fog light trick sometime

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by BMW86

These kinds of stories really make my blood boil. Glad to hear you got away easily. I'll have to try your fog light trick sometime

I think these idiots get so oblivious on the freeway and lack concentration that when they are caught-out in situations like these they get pissed off.

What really annoyed me about this guy was there was nobody else within miles of us except the truck, yet he must have been driving in that lane for about 10 minutes without overtaking anyone.

GAH!

Yes, the foglights work REALLY well

[1HungryMan]

Originally Posted by BMW86

Actually got the finger today from some really ugly guy in a what looked like a really old corolla hatchback that looked barely road worthy. He was sitting in the overtaking lane and I waited patiently behind him so I ended up overtaking him in the "non-overtaking" lane as I had no choice. He retaliated by trying to speed up and later drove past me at a set of lights where I had to turn off and gave me the finger. Some people are just looking for trouble.

This is my point. I just don't understand why people are so fucking petty that their ego is at stake if you want to pass them in what is after all "THE PASSING LANE"!! And then to race you when you have to pass them on the right just boggles my mind. I just want to punch them into submission. At least look me in the eye so I can see a weasel in its natural habitat.

[Lucky1]

Originally Posted by BlackFlash

I just hate people trolling down the middle lane on the 401. I swear that 85% of drivers think that the middle lane is the default lane to be in on that road. No traffic or bumper to bumper, the middle lane is where they head.

So if you're on a section of highway that has three (okay, maybe even four!) lanes with the left lane reserved for passing and the right lane with people constantly merging in large clusters of 3-4 cars going EXACTLY the speed limit or 20km/hr under leaving no space for existing traffic, which lane are you supposed to drive in if you don't want to be creamed by merging vehicles or impede faster moving traffic that wishes to pass? Serious question because I don't understand how to respond to your comment.

[BlackFlash]

Originally Posted by Lucky1

So if you're on a section of highway that has three (okay, maybe even four!) lanes with the left lane reserved for passing and the right lane with people constantly merging in large clusters of 3-4 cars going EXACTLY the speed limit or 20km/hr under leaving no space for existing traffic, which lane are you supposed to drive in if you don't want to be creamed by merging vehicles or impede faster moving traffic that wishes to pass? Serious question because I don't understand how to respond to your comment.

People on the road always have right away over people merging, but when possible, those on the highway make room for those entering the highway. If this is not possible, those merging have to wait. After you pass the merge, you return to the right when possible.

You make it sound as tho those merging onto the highway will go through your car if you are in the rightmost lane? Or cut you off? Sure, move over to avoid this, but go back to the right lane as soon as it's safe to do so.

[BlackFlash]

One thing that bothers me is when I'm in the leftmost lane passing people in the middle lane by ~15 km/h, and some guy who wants to drive 150 comes up behind me and rides my hole. Then, as soon as I finish overtaking the guy in the middle lane, the guy on my bumper tries to jump into the middle lane before I do and angrily shoot past me there.

Dangerous because I am in the process of switching back to the middle lane when they swerve there. I hate people trying to push me further above the speed limit in the fast lane even when I'm overtaking those in the middle.

[ianc]

Ha, this is just another day here in California. Sorry to say, douchebagitis is a worldwide disease, and the cops don't often hand out tickets for obstructing traffic...

ianc

[adrean8j]

Yeah this happens over here in America ALL THE TIME.
I spend quite a few hours on the highway almost every week and it is the same. The only place I have seen TRUE civilized driving was in Germany. They do NOT camp in the left lane, and if you are approaching faster than they are going when they ARE in the left lane, then they will get over as soon as possible. After driving in Germany for most of the last decade, driving in North America is giving me high-blood pressure...LOL

[1HungryMan]

Originally Posted by BlackFlash

One thing that bothers me is when I'm in the leftmost lane passing people in the middle lane by ~15 km/h, and some guy who wants to drive 150 comes up behind me and rides my hole. Then, as soon as I finish overtaking the guy in the middle lane, the guy on my bumper tries to jump into the middle lane before I do and angrily shoot past me there.

Dangerous because I am in the process of switching back to the middle lane when they swerve there. I hate people trying to push me further above the speed limit in the fast lane even when I'm overtaking those in the middle.

I am sympathetic to this, but in the end the left lane is not about posted speed limits, it's about getting the hell out of the way, because nobody drives the speed limit in that lane anyways. If someone chooses to drive faster than you, get out of the way and let the cops deal with it, because that guy is going to endanger traffic by having to weave in and out using the right lanes.

I would go even further and say that half the time people speed excessively is because they are so bottled up by traffic that doesn't move because people are camping in the left lane. I think there is now so little emphasis on keeping traffic moving as far public policy and enforcement, and one of the easiest ways would be to start ticketing people who don't move out of the left lane within a reasonable window of time.

[ianc]

I am sympathetic to this, but in the end the left lane is not about posted speed limits, it's about getting the hell out of the way, because nobody drives the speed limit in that lane anyways. If someone chooses to drive faster than you, get out of the way and let the cops deal with it, because that guy is going to endanger traffic by having to weave in and out using the right lanes.

Totally agree with this, and in Germany, PEOPLE DO IT! Here, they routinely move left because 'I'm going fast enough', and 'it's easier not to have to switch lanes'. Of course, changing lanes in the massive honking SUV boats that Americans choose to drive is an adventure in itself...

ianc

[bimmerfile]

Maybe the chart below will shed light on why some people are dorky drivers.
And that doesn't even include the sociopaths and psychopaths out there.
So be careful out there and don't overreact to stupidity or try to teach someone a lesson because it's probably way over his/her head and/or could get you into a shitload of trouble..