Traveling home from Charlottesville,Va yesterday, I was driving the Monacan bypass ( Madison Heights) around Lynchburg,Va. It's a really modern highway designed for rapid driving.

I was in the correct traveling lane RIGHT, driving the speed limit there was a young girl of course , drving in the left lane , no other vehicles nearby, the girl was just adjacent to me on the left.

I happen to look in the rearview mirror, and there was a black sports car looking vehicle approaching at a HIGH rate of speed...my mind reacted quickly, I knew that approaching car could not go between myself and that girl.

I slowed down quickly, the idiot driver cut in front of me, probably at 120 mph missing my left front by inches. I doubt the twit girl even saw the car coming. It would have been deaths resulting from a crash if it had happened.

So my rant is about idiots driving in the left lane blocking faster traffic and idiots endangering others driving race car speeds on highways.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sunset_Va,

Agreed.

I will never forget the time my Mom called me while I was at college during finals week in 1980.

My college was 2 hours away and she said; "Son, your Dad fell from a building and I don't know if he is alive or dead. Come home." She then hung up.

I repeated what she said to my roommate and he called my professors and told them the story. I jumped into my Olds Delta 88 and cranked up the CB.

Through the CB I found out he the name of the hospital and asked the truckers to please stay out of the fast lane. My car was capable, physically I was capable, and thanks to the truckers, the highway was capable.

The questionable part was my mental state. Regardless I kept it together and made the trip from my dorm room to the ICU in 1-1/2 hours.

My Dad's face light up when he saw me as they were wheeling him into another surgery.

He broke all his ribs on one side, his pelvis, his head, deflated 1 lung, etc.

He fell 4 stories and had been given his last rites twice. They never expected him to survive.

I'd like to think him seeing my face helped.

So next time you see someone driving at a high rate of speed, if you are not so already, please get out of the left lane.

Next time it might be your phone that rings when you get a horrible call about a loved one that you might not ever see again.

do you ever drive 288 (western RVA to Chester)??

that is the daily theme!!!

I'm a cruise control (traffic permitting of course) highway driver,

I've had idjits come up behind me fast, ( does not matter which lane, it has happened in both)
and instead of passing me, pace me,

I have moved over, (from both left to right and right to left) to let a tailgater go by, only to have them pull up beside and match my speed,

generally I run 75, traffic permitting, which is usually with the rest of the cars on the road,
so if you catch me, quickly, then you are flying,, so why slow down and ride beside me,

at first I thought it was because I was in a Cooper S,, but after another idjit on 288 totaled that for me , and I now drive a Civic,, it happens just as much,

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
do you ever drive 288 (western RVA to Chester)??

that is the daily theme!!!

I'm a cruise control (traffic permitting of course) highway driver,

I've had idjits come up behind me fast, ( does not matter which lane, it has happened in both)
and instead of passing me, pace me,

I have moved over, (from both left to right and right to left) to let a tailgater go by, only to have them pull up beside and match my speed,

generally I run 75, traffic permitting, which is usually with the rest of the cars on the road,
so if you catch me, quickly, then you are flying,, so why slow down and ride beside me,

at first I thought it was because I was in a Cooper S,, but after another idjit on 288 totaled that for me , and I now drive a Civic,, it happens just as much,

I've driven both sections of 288 in the past, but not in the last 5 years.

All of my ranting in this topic is a result of stupid people drivinng in the passing lane. My ranting won't stop them.

I do not know the circumstances why that car was driving over 100 mph. Emergency or not, had I not slowed up to let the car pass, it would have rammed me in the rear.

So, my point is, had I not reacted or noticed the approaching car, two idiots endangered my life.

quote:

I've driven both sections of 288 in the past, but not in the last 5 years.

All of my ranting in this topic is a result of stupid people drivinng in the passing lane. My ranting won't stop them.

I do not know the circumstances why that car was driving over 100 mph. Emergency or not, had I not slowed up to let the car pass, it would have rammed me in the rear.

So, my point is, had I not reacted or noticed the approaching car, two idiots endangered my life.

Very glad you were "situationally aware". You definitely saved some lives/bad injuries!

It’s insane how aggressive some drivers are. I’m a very defensive driver, with experience dealing with hundreds or thousands of wrecks through my careers of Fire/Rescue/EMS/Police. I’m baffled every time I get on the road. It’s like self-absorbed assholes don’t think the safety of anyone else matters, that they can just do whatever they want.

And around here, if you challenge them they won’t hesitate to hit you, attack you, or shoot at you. It’s nuts.

I94 from Ann Arbor to Jackson the other day I had to pass a big Mercedes SUV. She was tailgating the car ahead of her and chatting to her partner. I get past her quickly and get back in the right lane doing the limit. Yup, two minutes later she’s in the passing lane camped out. Drives in my blind spot for miles until I have to kick it down to go around a truck. Miles later she finally passed me still oblivious to the other drivers around her.

I guess I should just be happy she let me use her highway.

"guess I should just be happy she let me use her highway."
A lot of them do think it's their private lane.

quote:

Originally posted by h2oys:


Next time it might be your phone that rings when you get a horrible call about a loved one that you might not ever see again.

Sorry, I have to disagree. An emergency is no excuse for reckless driving.

My wife was driving and got t-boned by a truck. She and the other kids were ok, but my youngest son was injured and transported to the hospital. I got a call at work from a police officer on the scene. He gave me the hospital information, but then kept me on the line to calm me down. He said: "Your family has already had a bad day. Don't make it worse by getting killed rushing to the hospital."

A video in the car camera is essential today.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
A video in the car camera is essential today.

I thought about that.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
A video in the car camera is essential today.

This! I've had front and rear dash cams for the past 8 years. They have saved me three times. Once I had a lady rear end me on the onramp to a highway in rush hour traffic. She claimed I was in reverse backing up onto the onramp and I hit her. Second was a truck that wanted to be in my lane while I was still there. Brushed the side of my truck. When I stopped him a mile later (stop and go traffic) he told me to get lost. Showed the PO the video and he was not only determined to be at fault he was charged for leaving the scene of an accident. Third time some jackwad hits me trying to get in front of me. Makes a total scene until the PO shows up and watches my video. All three cases I got full coverage of my damages and a little satisfaction other drivers got cited. I may have without the cameras but it would have been a whole lot harder IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:

quote:

Originally posted by h2oys:


Next time it might be your phone that rings when you get a horrible call about a loved one that you might not ever see again.

Sorry, I have to disagree. An emergency is no excuse for reckless driving.

My wife was driving and got t-boned by a truck. She and the other kids were ok, but my youngest son was injured and transported to the hospital. I got a call at work from a police officer on the scene. He gave me the hospital information, but then kept me on the line to calm me down. He said: "Your family has already had a bad day. Don't make it worse by getting killed rushing to the hospital."

The description didn’t sound like reckless driving. I’m talking about the drivers that was on the CB making sure the road was clear.

I agree with OP about left lane hanging when not driving faster than someone in Right lane,
But gee, if the egg head in the black car was actually going 120mph, then HE is the problem.

Was he playing the song, I can't drive 55?

quote:

Originally posted by Aquabird:
I agree with OP about left lane hanging when not driving faster than someone in Right lane,
But gee, if the egg head in the black car was actually going 120mph, then HE is the problem.

Was he playing the song, I can't drive 55?

I am a good judge of speed, when I saw that car in my reaeview mirror, I knew he wasn't going 80.

I average over 10 hours of highway driving per week for work. I am a big fan of cruise control.

The number of people that I'll gain on, and go to pass only to have them speed up is astounding. What's worse is I'll move back to the right lane only to have them slow back down.

I've reviewed my dashcam (GPS speed is displayed) and verified it's not my speed fluctuating, but them. Whether it's NASCAR syndrome, or just being oblivious to the situation around them, or just needing to be first... it's damn annoying.

I almost wish that cruise control was required on highways.. almost.

Funny we were just talking about this on the way to dinner last night.

There are two idiots who drive white pick up trucks that think the road is their personal slalom course.

One has NC plates and the other has VA plates. It does not matter what time of day it is, they will ride peoples bumpers and weave in and out of traffic barely clearing vehicles.

I thought the I-95 area of Northern VA was bad when I working radar and accidents. The MD side up to Baltimore is not any better.

THEN...........
I started driving back and forth from Durham to Charlotte for work. That is insane.

I also have to agree with Chongosuerte, the drivers around the Charlotte region are idiots. I have worked some terrific fatalities around Charlotte all the way down to Gaston County.

The last two Police Depts I have recently interviewed with did not believe how many fatalities and accidents I worked when I was in Charlotte.

A few years ago, I had not one but two drivers, within a 10-day span, stop dead in the right lane of Interstate 80 because they had passed their exit. It was Providence that the left lane was empty both times as I came rapidly upon them. I never swore so mightily at another human.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
do you ever drive 288 (western RVA to Chester)??

that is the daily theme!!!

I'm a cruise control (traffic permitting of course) highway driver,

I've had idjits come up behind me fast, ( does not matter which lane, it has happened in both)
and instead of passing me, pace me,

I have moved over, (from both left to right and right to left) to let a tailgater go by, only to have them pull up beside and match my speed,

generally I run 75, traffic permitting, which is usually with the rest of the cars on the road,
so if you catch me, quickly, then you are flying,, so why slow down and ride beside me,

at first I thought it was because I was in a Cooper S,, but after another idjit on 288 totaled that for me , and I now drive a Civic,, it happens just as much,

I also hate when you move over for them and thy dont pass but then sit in your blind spot

quote:

Originally posted by Sunset_Va:
Traveling home from Charlottesville,Va yesterday, I was driving the Monacan bypass ( Madison Heights) around Lynchburg,Va. It's a really modern highway designed for rapid driving.

I was in the correct traveling lane RIGHT, driving the speed limit there was a young girl of course , drving in the left lane , no other vehicles nearby, the girl was just adjacent to me on the left.

I happen to look in the rearview mirror, and there was a black sports car looking vehicle approaching at a HIGH rate of speed...my mind reacted quickly, I knew that approaching car could not go between myself and that girl.

I slowed down quickly, the idiot driver cut in front of me, probably at 120 mph missing my left front by inches. I doubt the twit girl even saw the car coming. It would have been deaths resulting from a crash if it had happened.

So my rant is about idiots driving in the left lane blocking faster traffic and idiots endangering others driving race car speeds on highways.

Yeah, I see it here all the time. I figure we are going to have a multi-car pile up on the 4 lane highway (rt. 234) here. Due to the idiots that can't figure out how to get their face out of their damned phone! Less than 10 feet between cars at 70+ MPH, both lanes fully occupied. Several times I have just taken an off ramp to get away from the assholes.

And, I very seldom see a police car on that road, and have no memory of ever seeing a patrol car pulling a violator over. and we have been here since 1985.