road rage

Mr Blotto · Post by **Mr Blotto** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:31 am

Took the bus out for a pleasant spin last night. On my way home I took the highway back to my house. As my exit ramp approached, I put my turn signal on. This dude in a brand new Mercedes 2-door coupe penis extension was right on my ass. Becuase I was in my bus, and becuase the exit ramp had tight curves, I had to slow down a bit more than a normal vehicle would, but nothing major. Mr Small Balls behind me proceeds to lay on his $97,000 horn - I don't mean a honk, but a stead lay on the horn - until I was able to megre onto the the road. He then immediately passed me and proceeded to flip me the bird.

I got to tell you, I was about ready to kill this guy - I wanted nothing better than to meet up with him at the next stoplight, but he was far gone.

I then was ashamed of myself that I was about to stoop down to his level, and ruin what was a very pleasant night. It took me about 30 minutes to calm myself down....

How do you all deal with a-holes on the road??

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:43 am

The last time I had road rage was in college and the guy that I directed it towards did something that changed my behavior forever. He stuck his toungue out at me...it made me laugh.

After that I decided never to let anybody on the road get the best of me, sure people drive like wackos and you have to comment on it but if they really go agro on you.....just stick your toungue out at them. Hopefully they might have the same epiphany that I did

Sylvester · Post by **Sylvester** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:44 am

I have a hard time too. Living and working in Atlanta provides me with the opportunity to share the road with all these lovely people (I am referring to the A-holes, not everyone). And I have 71 Westy, oh how I am loved on the highways here. My wife gets on me whenever I get flustered, in a town where a few months ago a man was stabbed and killed in front of his family just for road rage. My suggestion, ignore them as best you can, and flip the peace sign to all those that complain. It will throw them off, show that you are the bigger person and at peace, and for your satisfaction you do flip them off, just subtly.

Ryno · Post by **Ryno** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:51 am

I work in the far NW burbs and when I drive my bus down here, it never fails some tough guy thinks that just because I'm driving a bus that it's necessary to tailgate. They're everywhere I tell ya.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:07 am

I usually act all goofy too, make bizarre gestures, shout in "foreign gibberish", smile and wave. It's hilarious to see the reactions!

RSorak 71Westy · Post by **RSorak 71Westy** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:22 am

Slam on your brakes and try to get that snob to eat your bumper.....and pay for the privilege....

mattg · Post by **mattg** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:40 am

Thirstytank wrote:I work in the far NW burbs and when I drive my bus down here, it never fails some tough guy thinks that just because I'm driving a bus that it's necessary to tailgate. They're everywhere I tell ya.

Yeah, the closer you get to chicago the worse people get - no patient for slow moving vehicles. I am always looking behind me between 1st and 2nd gear thinking some moron is going to smash my rear bumper. People dont understand there are still some manual transmission vehicles on the road. Since I moved to the very far west suburbs I dont have as many idoits on my a** (hambone there is that word again) and the country roads do a bus good. I love pulling out of my neighborhood and slowly accelerating to a nice cruising speed of about 58.

RussellK · Post by **RussellK** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:41 am

If I'm daydreaming at a light and the driver behind me honks I give myself a little head slap and most times the other driver starts laughing and gives the been there too sign.

Tailgaters and openly hostile drivers just get ignored. They're the ones over compensating. Why make their problem yours.

I have called in on tailgating truckers many times. Get the tractor number, time & location call it in or email it to the company's safety department. Most want to know about their drivers behavior. 80,000 pounds, 65 mph following at half a car length is a deadly combination.

CoPilot · Post by **CoPilot** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:21 am

I'm a big fan of break-checking.

vwlover77 · Post by **vwlover77** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:26 am

It took me a long time to learn it, and it's still difficult, but my approach is simply to not engage or acknowledge in any way. No hand gestures, no eye contact, nothing. I'm just eyes-front, drivin' down the road.

If there's a nasty tailgater, I'll signal and pull over to the side to let them pass. I'm not interested in totaling my Bus to prove a point.

My license plate announces that I'm a tortoise, which may appeal to whatever tiny little sense of humor they may have left as I rob them of precious seconds of their infinitely more important lives by my presence on the road.

I recently drove my in-laws 23-foot RV from Florida to Ohio. The cruise control was set at 60mph while on the interstate, even when the speed limit was 70. I stayed in the right lane. My only view to the rear was the side mirrors, and it was the most relaxing drive I've had in years. Traffic piling up behind me? Dunno, don't care. I'm a big, white box. There was plenty of time to see me and get left. Out front? I think I only had to touch the brake pedal a few times. It amazed me when I'd see brake lights like a Christmas tree in the distance, only to find by the time I got there, whatever the issue was had resolved itself.

I've considered closing the curtain on the rear window of my Westy while driving on trips just to put those tailgaters out of sight and out of mind!

glasseye · Post by **glasseye** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:03 pm

I drove a Toyota RV for years. Still have it. Its slow performance taught me to play a new game. I call it "Fishing For Thank-Yous". Fishing for compliments is a mug's game. Even when you get one, it's meaningless. Fishing for thank-yous, however, is endlessly gratifying. Usually it's a flash of the running lights from a big truck, but occasionally it's a wave or a horn toot.

Feels good. 'Way better than the hate I used to spew at tailgaters.

Besides, professional driving instructors say that the best, safest way to deal with tailgaters is to slow down, increasing the distance between you and the vehicles ahead of you.

MeyerII · Post by **MeyerII** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:05 pm

Smile and wave.

Then downshift.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:26 pm

I agree with vwlover77, there is no reason to let them effect you. You should only be concerned with keeping you and yours safe and driving in such a way that is safe to those around you. Why let some moron pull you into their little 'game' or 'issues with anger'?

I have pulled over a few times too, just let them brather and spew on down the road. Life's too short to get shot by some road raged lunatic by antogonizing them.

Hippopotabus · Post by **Hippopotabus** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:32 pm

Once they are within 8ft of my rear bumper. The foot slowly comes off the accelerator. If they insist then I throw on the flashers and down shift to 3rd. Once they go blowing by I turn off the flashers and quickly catch up to them (this is when having a stroked engine comes in handy). Not on there ass, but enough to know that I was in fact intentionally slowing down.

This really pisses em off.

tristessa · Post by **tristessa** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:54 pm

Hippo, I like the way you think.

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road rage

road rage