I'm stuck behind a (relatively) smv on the highway this morning, with lots of space in front of them, so I speed up to go around them to get out in front of them at a higher speed. So as I'm pulling around them, they speed up to prevent me from getting in front of them, so I back down assuming they intend to keep their new speed, pulling back in behind them. And so what do they do ? They slow back down to their former smv speed with me plodding along behind them.

Next scenario also this morning, I start over into the left lane that's moving along at a higher speed, they're plenty of space, so I signal to let it be known my intentions, and the dude speeds up rapidly to prevent me from getting into the left lane.

I know these scenarios are common during rush hour, but they sure are aggravating. For some reason when people are driving, they act more rudely they they otherwise might than if they were waiting in line in the grocery store. I guess it's some kind of psychological switch that turns people into temporary maniacs.

Passive aggressive jerkoffs.

Blinker in traffic, in Houston = hurry & cut me off/block me

The speed up when I try to pass, then slow when i get back behind, is really annoying.
Same thing happens with a passing lane on a 2 lane country road. Car does 5 under, as soon as the passing lane starts they bump to 5 over until the passing lane ends, the back to 5 under

In heavy high speed conditions I use turn signals even though it makes it harder to switch lanes because of jerk offs.

Several years ago I went to pass on old trashed Mustang on a long stretch of straight country blacktop, and as I was passing the driver floored it to prevent me from overtaking him. I already had it pretty much floored myself already, so I briefly kicked it up because I figured his car was so old and completely neglected that I thought it would be easy to get past him. But it didn't work, he apparently had a 5 liter V8 in that pos, and I guess somebody might have given it a tuneup of sorts. So I backed down and gave him wide berth, because he was going to kill me, the oncoming traffic, or both. I figured he was a mental case, a druggie, or a thrill seeking criminal, or all three. Some human beings are just born to perdition.

Here every car on the highway driving slow (slower than the speed limit) is some phone fucker, looking down to their lap. I had to make a cross metroplex drive today and I would see 4-5 vehicles in a row of all flavors, car, truck, those shit CUV’s, everybody looking down at the phone. What used to be the minority of drivers doing this shit is now the majority. And so many people driving 10 mph under the speed limit. It’s crazy.

I want to see the law changed. Unmarked LE driving around with 2 officers. One driving, the other manning cameras to catch people doing it. Once they get you on video doing it, instant arrest, with all the same penalties as DUI/DWI. Go to jail, have to post bail, court, probation, attorney fees, and $10,000 fine. Third time is a felony too. Fuck em all.

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Blinker in traffic, in Houston = hurry & cut me off/block me

Same in the Salt Lake City area now. It's all the Californians who've come here in the last 15 years or so. Drivers used to be quite courteous, making room for someone wanting to change lanes.

"The" is now the prefix to every main road name. "The 215". "The 224". They've brought their politics and culture in addition to their aggressive driving.

While your brain may process this as passive (or just plain) aggressive, I suspect in more cases than not it's just ignorant-oblivious poor driving.

If you'll notice, especially on interstates, etc., folks who don't use cruise control will just naturally speed up as a car comes into their view or alongside. Will usually last until you are far enough ahead to be out of the gravitational pull of whatever is causing this.

Not sure what part of the brain wants to pace like that, but it's a thing. I feel it may be more of a thing for those without a Y chromosome but I may be wrong. I would never suggest that to my many sisters or the person who shares my bed, but I have witnessed the latter do this on more than one occasion. Maddening.

I'm not excusing it, but I do realize that this is just poor driving skills, not an active attempt to incite a road-raging riot each time it happens.

It's also not ALWAYS simply this; I get it.

quote:

Behind a slow car on the highway...

Happened c. 2001, on UT Route 12, a twisting mountain road, only not simple incompetence. He would drive very slow, and when I found a stretch straight enough and without a double yellow line to pass him, he would swerve into my lane, stick his arm out the window and flip me off. Upon reaching a town (Torrey) with a highway junction, he turned off in the opposite direction.

At that time I didn't have a cell phone, and I doubt there would have been any reception anyway in that area.

One of the funniest slow driver stories I ever heard was from my brother.

He lives in Florida. Had a long shift at work, finally got relieved and was headed home in the high
heat/humidity time of day on his motorcycle instead of his usual cooler morning. He was in full gear and got caught up in slow traffic, like a crawl. As he is making his way, he notices the typical crazed lane changing up ahead, yep, slow driver, like 45 on the turnpike, and cars are swerving trying to avoid it. He is tired, hot and sweating profusely under his gear since he can't get up enough speed to cool off. He finally is able to pass and as he's getting ready to give the driver a piece of his mind, he flips up his faceshield, takes a deep breath to unleash his fury and...

"Mom?" Yep, it was our mother.

Now that's funny.

The slow drivers in Florida are indeed a sight to see. We got to experience that in 2023 after taking the Auto Train down there and it's even more apparent when you are coming from the Philly area where everyone drives 15-20 over, is in a rush, will not hesitate to drive around you on interstate highway shoulders and will lean on the horn hard if you don't start moving in 20 milliseconds after a red light goes green.

Yeah, unfortunately they get to leave the state and plug up left lanes nationwide.

Sitting behind Low Torque Nation and wanting to go uphill at a reasonable pace is also out of the question.

Luckily I know a few back roads and go whatever direction they don't.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

The slow drivers in Florida are indeed a sight to see.

I wonder where they are. I-4 is a terrible road, with aggressive drivers, constantly changing lanes, trying to travel well over the speed limit. Local roads are similar. Sees like everybody is late for something, and angry about it. Road rage incidents are not at all uncommon.

quote:

If you'll notice, especially on interstates, etc., folks who don't use cruise control will just naturally speed up as a car comes into their view or alongside. Will usually last until you are far enough ahead to be out of the gravitational pull of whatever is causing this.

I was in an endurance race in the old fat guy class on an FZR600 going through turn 1 at Brainerd. I’m going 150ish and three guys drafting each other on R1s (this was 2000ish and the R1 was still the new hotness) pass me like I’m standing still, I get sucked into their draft, the engine starts bouncing off the rev limiter, and the little FZR is going the fastest it has ever gone.

That’s what I figure happens when I pass someone on the freeway, they get sucked into my draft.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:
I start over into the left lane that's moving along at a higher speed, they're plenty of space, so I signal to let it be known my intentions,

I'm sorry, but using your turn signal is a sign of weakness!!

Driving to work today, a long string of cars behind a white BMW in the left lane that couldn't keep a consistent speed. Slowed from 80 to 65 around a mild curve because apparently turns are scary.

Until I passed, at which point they felt 95 was an appropriate speed to get up to my bumper and gesture angrily at me. But did they pass when I moved over to the right lane again? Of course not. They resumed an inconsistent speed until a Tesla passed them on the right also and then sped up again.

Some scientific type of person should write a book about highway psychology 101, and explain all the madness in a scientific manner. It would be an enlightening read. My guess is psychologists already have this stuff figured out, seems like it could be a fun book to write for a person like that, and if they wrote it in a certain way, they could make a little money anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
While your brain may process this as passive (or just plain) aggressive, I suspect in more cases than not it's just ignorant-oblivious poor driving.

I too attribute it to poor driving or simply oblivious.

I see a lot of Teslas on auto-pilot going up and down I-5....reading a book or on their phone. They just don't care.

A tactic that works sometimes when passing a slightly slower car that speeds up to match speeds is to move slightly to the right of your lane (assuming you are in the left lane and they are in the right) as you approach. This makes your image in their mirror appear slower than you are going, so their subconscious need to match your speed isn't triggered. Iow they don't realize you are going faster than them.

Then as your front bumper gets almost even with their rear bumper, perhaps 1/2 to 1 car length behind them, shift to the left edge of your lane and possibly increase your speed by 1 or 2 mph. Now in their mirror you appear to be fairly rapidly passing, and they lose the urge to match speeds.

This works when going about 5 mph faster than them, and they aren't being consciously aggressive. Admittedly, this is not typical on crowded highways.

My sister often complains about traffic, lives in a medium part of Michigan.

I told her I can drive to Utah & back, pulling a trailer and haven’t had any issues.

You just have to expect deficiencies from others, adjust accordingly. On top of that, some think skin.

Ok, I’ll admit, a time or two over the years I may of got my dander up, even called 911 on a few.