Okay, let me paint two pictures for you, just so you'll understand that I'm not driving slower than a scooterbike. These are both TRUE scenarios, and they're not much different than others that happen several times each week.
SCENARIO 1: I'm approaching a traffic light, in the right lane. The light is red. There's one car already at the light. I'm going the speed limit, until about 40 or 50 yards from the intersection, when I let up on the accellerator, letting the car begin to regenerate.
There's nobody behind me for at least 30 yards or more. Except for a fast-moving Lexus or something. He's in the right lane like me.
At about 25 yards from the intersection, I see that the light hasn't changed to green yet, so I begin stepping on the brake. I'm going about 20 MPH by now, still decelerating.
Mr. Lexus-behind-me approaches to less than 6 feet from my bumper, swerves into the left (through) lane, then he just as suddenly passes me and cuts in front of me to grab that spot behind the first car waiting at the traffic light. His rear bumper was within 3 feet of my front bumper when he cut me off.
And of course, he has to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the car at the light. This also makes me slam on my brakes to avoid hitting him.
My reaction: :x
My gestures: None. I keep my cool.
SCENARIO 2: I approach a red light, preparing to make a right turn. In Florida, it's legal to turn right on a red light, after you have made a complete stop and allowed all "through" traffic to pass.
I'm first at this light, halfway committed to my turn (I'm over the crosswalk), when I see several cars coming through the light. I can't merge with them safely, so I let them pass, but while this is happening, Mr. SUV behind me wants to make the same right turn that I am waiting for.
Rather than wait his turn, Mr. SUV decides to turn wide, going around the left side of my car, and basically using the intersection as a "double right turn". I see him going out of the corner of my eye, so I know I can't use the left lane after my right turn is complete, because that's going to be occupied by MR. SUV. It's clear in my lane (the right lane), but not really clear in his lane (there's another car coming through the intersection in the left ("through") lane).
The car proceeding throught the intersection lays on his horn, and nearly rear-ends Mr. SUV. My passenger, always concerned for her life, says "are they honking at you?" I explained that Mr. SUV almost got rear-ended because of his impatience and his illegal right turn, and that the person behind him was justified in being angry with Mr. SUV.
My reaction: Calm on the outside, but :? on the inside.
My passenger's reaction: :shock:
Expletives uttered: Probably many by the "through" driver.
In both cases, I was neither driving too slowly nor in a "scardy-cat" fashion for the traffic or road conditions. I really do think that people are becoming ever more and more impatient and rude on the roads. I've been feeling this way for a few years now, but it seems to be getting worse.
In this day and age, we can't just yell at another driver; there's a good chance they're "packing," and/or that you could become a victim of road-rage. How do you folks handle this?
SCENARIO 1: I'm approaching a traffic light, in the right lane. The light is red. There's one car already at the light. I'm going the speed limit, until about 40 or 50 yards from the intersection, when I let up on the accellerator, letting the car begin to regenerate.
There's nobody behind me for at least 30 yards or more. Except for a fast-moving Lexus or something. He's in the right lane like me.
At about 25 yards from the intersection, I see that the light hasn't changed to green yet, so I begin stepping on the brake. I'm going about 20 MPH by now, still decelerating.
Mr. Lexus-behind-me approaches to less than 6 feet from my bumper, swerves into the left (through) lane, then he just as suddenly passes me and cuts in front of me to grab that spot behind the first car waiting at the traffic light. His rear bumper was within 3 feet of my front bumper when he cut me off.
And of course, he has to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the car at the light. This also makes me slam on my brakes to avoid hitting him.
My reaction: :x
My gestures: None. I keep my cool.
SCENARIO 2: I approach a red light, preparing to make a right turn. In Florida, it's legal to turn right on a red light, after you have made a complete stop and allowed all "through" traffic to pass.
I'm first at this light, halfway committed to my turn (I'm over the crosswalk), when I see several cars coming through the light. I can't merge with them safely, so I let them pass, but while this is happening, Mr. SUV behind me wants to make the same right turn that I am waiting for.
Rather than wait his turn, Mr. SUV decides to turn wide, going around the left side of my car, and basically using the intersection as a "double right turn". I see him going out of the corner of my eye, so I know I can't use the left lane after my right turn is complete, because that's going to be occupied by MR. SUV. It's clear in my lane (the right lane), but not really clear in his lane (there's another car coming through the intersection in the left ("through") lane).
The car proceeding throught the intersection lays on his horn, and nearly rear-ends Mr. SUV. My passenger, always concerned for her life, says "are they honking at you?" I explained that Mr. SUV almost got rear-ended because of his impatience and his illegal right turn, and that the person behind him was justified in being angry with Mr. SUV.
My reaction: Calm on the outside, but :? on the inside.
My passenger's reaction: :shock:
Expletives uttered: Probably many by the "through" driver.
In both cases, I was neither driving too slowly nor in a "scardy-cat" fashion for the traffic or road conditions. I really do think that people are becoming ever more and more impatient and rude on the roads. I've been feeling this way for a few years now, but it seems to be getting worse.
In this day and age, we can't just yell at another driver; there's a good chance they're "packing," and/or that you could become a victim of road-rage. How do you folks handle this?
