Road Raged Again - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

retmil46 · #1 04-17-2011, 11:51 AM

Forget what they'd do about the national debt and federal budget, I'm beginning to think I'd vote for whoever would impose some REAL requirements for drivers education and training in this country.

Last Thursday morning, I'm heading to work at the new job I started back in Feb at Brooks City Base. Leave at 6 AM, get on I-10 West at Huebner, hit I-35 North for a couple miles, then I-37 South to the base, usually takes 20 to 25 minutes to get to the front door of the plant.

As I'm peeling off on the access ramp from I-35 to I-37, speed limit of 40 mph, there's two cars and a work truck in front of me doing about 45 mph. I'm hanging back about 3 car lengths from the work truck, doing the same speed. Realize now I'm driving the Jeep Liberty diesel that weighs in at 4300 lbs, with a spare tire and a trailer ball hitch sticking off the back end.

I look in my rearview mirror, and here comes someone in a small blue hatchback hauling rear up the ramp. Comes screaming up on my back bumper and ends up so close I can barely see the top of his roof thru my rear window, and stays there all the way down the access ramp.

I'm like "WTF dude? There's four cars ahead of you, three ahead of me, what damn good is riding MY rear bumper going to do?". I kept going along at the same speed and following distance. I just hoped I didn't have to hit the brakes for any reason, otherwise Mr Hatchback was going to get a trailer ball hitch thru his front grille.

At the end of the ramp, I accelerated up to speed (65 mph) and merged onto I-37, moving over 3 lanes to where I needed to be to continue down on I-37 South.

Here comes Mr Hatchback screaming up, cutting across lanes and cutting off other drivers, jumps in ahead of me less than a car length ahead, and immediately slams on his brakes, slowing down to 45 to 50 mph. He spends the next half-minute alternately speeding back up and then slamming on his brakes again, meanwhile we've got traffic screaming by us at 65 to 70 mph on both sides of us, and other traffic piling up behind me in our lane thanks to his antics.

Guess he was really pissed off at the 10 seconds of his life he lost having to go down that access ramp at 45 mph instead of 70 mph, and decided to take it out on me since I was the one immediately in front of him, regardless of the other traffic in front of me on that ramp.

After his little "show", he then zooms back across 3 lanes of traffic, again cutting off other drivers, just in time to catch the exit ramp he wanted.

This guy was effin stupid in more ways than one, playing chicken with a 4300 lb Jeep, while driving a car that probably was lucky if it weighed half as much as the Jeep and his roof barely came up to the level of my front hood.

Moron keeps driving like that, he'll be winning himself a posthumous Darwin Award in short order.

Kuan · #2 04-17-2011, 12:11 PM

Yeah really. Sorry to hear that man. People like that will get their come uppance one day. Never fails.

Hatterasguy · #3 04-17-2011, 01:02 PM

Did you call his plates into the police?

Last weekend I was parked on a side street in New Haven, I was in the last spot before a bus stop and my friend was in front of me so screwing around and knowing no one could park behind me I pulled up close to his Lexus. He was like WTF.

Well when I went to leave 3 hours later some idiot had illegally parked a POS Chrysler about 18in off my rear bumper in the bus stop. I started my truck and ran it for 5 minutes thinking maybe they had just run in or would see me to come out and move it, nope. So I'm like OK lets do it the hard way. (Remember I am in a pickup truck with a steel bumper that is at about hood level for a car) I back up slowly until I feel some good resistance, IE his hood bending and pull forward as close as I can get to my friends truck, and repeat. I dented his hood slightly but the car was such a POS I doubt they would notice, that's what he gets for being a smarta$$.

I just wish I had a big a$$ pintle hitch on the back like my uncle does. Those do a number!

Or a Unimog, I would have just driven over it.

Botnst · #4 04-17-2011, 01:40 PM

Bqck in the I had a guy rear-end my pick-up at a stop sign: Hit the steel drop-hitch my in-law welded for me. Opened his hood up like a can opener. I got out of the truck qnd looked qt the drop hitch reqlly closely qnd told hi, I didnt think he hurt it:

iwrock · #5 04-17-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

Bqck in the I had a guy rear-end my pick-up at a stop sign: Hit the steel drop-hitch my in-law welded for me. Opened his hood up like a can opener. I got out of the truck qnd looked qt the drop hitch reqlly closely qnd told hi, I didnt think he hurt it:

This makes my head hurt.

iwrock · #6 04-17-2011, 02:03 PM

Its fun to mess with them. Just run semi-slicks.

No problems with dump@$$ drivers.

Fulcrum525 · #7 04-17-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

Bqck in the I had a guy rear-end my pick-up at a stop sign: Hit the steel drop-hitch my in-law welded for me. Opened his hood up like a can opener. I got out of the truck qnd looked qt the drop hitch reqlly closely qnd told hi, I didnt think he hurt it:

Wow has the Botnst gone mobile?

jplinville · #8 04-17-2011, 02:35 PM

That's why I keep a rather large trailer hitch on the truck at all times...I've hooked two of them in the past with brake checks. They get the citation, and I go on my merry way with a smile on my face.

cmac2012 · #9 04-17-2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retmil46

Forget what they'd do about the national debt and federal budget, I'm beginning to think I'd vote for whoever would impose some REAL requirements for drivers education and training in this country.

Oh man. People like that honestly deserve a good ass whooping. Trying it would only land you in jail.

I'm with you on the need for driver's ed in a big way. Back when I was a boy, Walt Disney ran some cartoons about freeway driving. IIRC, it usually featured Goofy acting like a hotheaded fool.

I found one (1965):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI2rFZOBSUw

Might help but we're in a different day now.

*EDIT*

Another one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XITL2E9RYxk&feature=related

More and more, I pull over and let such asshats by. There's no winning with the fools. Probably wouldn't have been available in your situation.

elchivito · #10 04-17-2011, 02:47 PM

Many years ago a buddy and I were on State Route 89A in Northern AZ on the Navajo Reservation headed south. It was in those days a 2 lane road with very sandy shoulders, no passing lanes, and a 65 speed limit. I was forced off the road by some yahoo in a brand new 3/4 ton crew cab 4x4 pulling an enormous power boat with a matching custom paint job, heading home to phoenix after a weekend of drinking on Lake Powell no doubt. He pulled out to pass me on a double yellow line with oncoming traffic. Nobody had anywhere to go but me and the guy wouldn't back off, so I took the plunge into the sand. Managed to keep my 4x4 72 International Travelall upright and straight and got stopped and calmed down.

About 40 miles south, at the little wide spot in the road called Grey Mountain Trading Post, I see his rig stopped at the restaurant. Because of his length, he'd parked away from the main lot and out of view of the restaurant's windows.
My old truck was pretty much one giant wrinkle anyhow, but it did have a really nice REAL chrome step bumper and a big old receiver hitch with a ball on it sticking out nicely.
My buddy and I went in, looked at the cheesy tourist geegaws for sale and surreptitiously determined that bubba, his bubba pal and their fat women and sunburnt fatter kids were in fact stuffing their faces with "traditional Navajo fare". So we mosied on out and in the Corn Binder circled slowly around and very gently but fully backed my bumper and hitch into his custom painted driver's side front door. I completely, and very quietly I might add, destroyed the lower third of his door and lower panel.
Sometimes, Karma is instant and revenge sweet.

cmac2012 · #11 04-17-2011, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Wow has the Botnst gone mobile?

Whqt's the mqtter, son? Cqn't your reqd proper English?

Skid Row Joe · #12 04-17-2011, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retmil46

Forget what they'd do about the national debt and federal budget, I'm beginning to think I'd vote for whoever would impose some REAL requirements for drivers education and training in this country.

Last Thursday morning, I'm heading to work at the new job I started back in Feb at Brooks City Base. Leave at 6 AM, get on I-10 West at Huebner, hit I-35 North for a couple miles, then I-37 South to the base, usually takes 20 to 25 minutes to get to the front door of the plant.

As I'm peeling off on the access ramp from I-35 to I-37, speed limit of 40 mph, there's two cars and a work truck in front of me doing about 45 mph. I'm hanging back about 3 car lengths from the work truck, doing the same speed. Realize now I'm driving the Jeep Liberty diesel that weighs in at 4300 lbs, with a spare tire and a trailer ball hitch sticking off the back end.

I look in my rearview mirror, and here comes someone in a small blue hatchback hauling rear up the ramp. Comes screaming up on my back bumper and ends up so close I can barely see the top of his roof thru my rear window, and stays there all the way down the access ramp.

I'm like "WTF dude? There's four cars ahead of you, three ahead of me, what damn good is riding MY rear bumper going to do?". I kept going along at the same speed and following distance. I just hoped I didn't have to hit the brakes for any reason, otherwise Mr Hatchback was going to get a trailer ball hitch thru his front grille.

At the end of the ramp, I accelerated up to speed (65 mph) and merged onto I-37, moving over 3 lanes to where I needed to be to continue down on I-37 South.

Here comes Mr Hatchback screaming up, cutting across lanes and cutting off other drivers, jumps in ahead of me less than a car length ahead, and immediately slams on his brakes, slowing down to 45 to 50 mph. He spends the next half-minute alternately speeding back up and then slamming on his brakes again, meanwhile we've got traffic screaming by us at 65 to 70 mph on both sides of us, and other traffic piling up behind me in our lane thanks to his antics.

Guess he was really pissed off at the 10 seconds of his life he lost having to go down that access ramp at 45 mph instead of 70 mph, and decided to take it out on me since I was the one immediately in front of him, regardless of the other traffic in front of me on that ramp.

After his little "show", he then zooms back across 3 lanes of traffic, again cutting off other drivers, just in time to catch the exit ramp he wanted.

This guy was effin stupid in more ways than one, playing chicken with a 4300 lb Jeep, while driving a car that probably was lucky if it weighed half as much as the Jeep and his roof barely came up to the level of my front hood.

Moron keeps driving like that, he'll be winning himself a posthumous Darwin Award in short order.

It happens a lot.

Sometimes you just have to stand on the brakes when you're being CHed the first time, that avoids him slamming on his brakes in front of you for retribution subsequently. In short, you can dole out the lesson plan to him for tailing your azz first!

The Jeep Liberty doesn't appear to be as heavy as you report it is. They sure don't look it. Sometimes the little people in short profile cars get caught up in their low-mentality.

Like I said, it happens a lot.

Jorn · #13 04-17-2011, 04:25 PM

I changed my driving habits a couple of years ago and the road rage stopped.

tjts1 · #14 04-17-2011, 05:20 PM

Weird how this **** never happens to me. It takes 2 to tango. If you seen an idiot on the road, call it in, move on.

cmac2012 · #15 04-17-2011, 05:42 PM

I dunno, the OP doesn't sound like he initiated it. There are angry people out there. Anyone who would tail that closley has some kind of ange issue or chip on the shoulder to begin with, I reckon.