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Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:00 pm

I feel your pain about the disrespect or just poor driving when operating smaller cars of any make. I own 3 vehicles... 1 ton dodge 4X4 dually extended cab, 3/4 ton chevy 4 door 4X4, and my 72 vert. I get cut off, tailgated and just plain run off the road 10 times more in the vert than the trucks. It is a size matter and people feel like the smaller you are the more they can bully you. I'm much more aware and cautious when driving the VW since I expect this behavior to happen with other discourteous drivers. Slamming on the brakes, tossing items out the window or otherwise being a traffic hadzard only compounds a growing problem and in most states is illegal. As a paramedic of 20 years I strongly discourage this behavior. Keep in mind you may cause yourself injury as well.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:09 pm

I'm a trucker by trade, and I train drivers too. I've logged well over a million miles, all over the US and Canadian Provinces, and I find poor drivers everywhere. No one place is any better or worse than the other. Region has nothing to do with it.

And as far as playing silly games is concerned--things like slamming on your brakes--it's a waste of time. Most people aren't conciously trying to piss off anyone--they're simply not very good at driving. And thinking you'll somehow change someone's habits with aggressive behavior puts you in the same category.

It's basic physics: Your bug won't fare very well in a collision, especially with a front-engined 8,000 lb SUV. And if an uninvolved witness says you slammed on your brakes, you earn yourself a reckless driving ticket, as well as a wrecked car. Worse yet, you might piss off some gun-toting lunatic. Anonymity has a downside. You never know who'll get out, and what their mental state might be.

None of these things sound like fun. So why risk it?

Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:15 pm

From my experience most people who are brave behind the wheel of a car are the biggest cowards when you catch them out of it. Same with people who get tougher the more they drink. Bitch slapped more than my share of whiskey muscles. Just my thought. Jeff

Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:26 pm

miller0358 wrote: From my experience most people who are brave behind the wheel of a car are the biggest cowards when you catch them out of it. Same with people who get tougher the more they drink. Bitch slapped more than my share of whiskey muscles. Just my thought. Jeff

True! Some moron in a lifted Chevy rode my rear-trailer for about 15 miles once, flashing his lights, swerving back and forth, acting like an asshole. It was a two lane highway, OR 35 up over Mt. Hood, with nowhere to safely pull a set of doubles over. He finally blew by near the top of the hill where the lanes open out, laying on his horn. I ignored him, and kept rolling.

An hour later, I pulled into the Shell Station in Madras to get coffee, and there he is getting into his pickup as I walk up, huge-eyed, shitting his Wranglers and giving me the deferential nod. I just laughed at him, and got my drink, and got back on the road.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:52 pm

careful fellas, you'll be labeled as pussies or passive if you keep this up... :lol:

Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:08 pm

Fitz. wrote: I'm a trucker by trade, and I train drivers too. I've logged well over a million miles, all over the US and Canadian Provinces, and I find poor drivers everywhere. No one place is any better or worse than the other. Region has nothing to do with it.

And as far as playing silly games is concerned--things like slamming on your brakes--it's a waste of time. Most people aren't conciously trying to piss off anyone--they're simply not very good at driving. And thinking you'll somehow change someone's habits with aggressive behavior puts you in the same category.

It's basic physics: Your bug won't fare very well in a collision, especially with a front-engined 8,000 lb SUV. And if an uninvolved witness says you slammed on your brakes, you earn yourself a reckless driving ticket, as well as a wrecked car. Worse yet, you might piss off some gun-toting lunatic. Anonymity has a downside. You never know who'll get out, and what their mental state might be.

None of these things sound like fun. So why risk it?

GREAT COMMENT

I drive 45 miles RT to work daily and have never experieneced anything neg. from other drivers (even people driving chevys and suv's) Please 15 pages of wining is enough.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:40 pm

What's annoying is before I got my license, I would carpool with friends. Not to sound like some sort of a know-it-all or anything, but I swear, I can drive better than some of these kid's parents. One of them drove so badly on the highway that I started to feel a bit sick, and it's pretty much impossible to make me feel sick in a car. I know I don't have as much experience as people who have been driving for years, but I swear I have better driving skills than them. Like my friend's mom who nearly ran off the road because she was more concerned with turning her high beams on/off and trying to find the turn-off than actually keeping the car on the road :shock:

When my dad drives the family on trips, there will be people doing 55 in a 70...in the fast lane. We'll be behind them for over a mile, they won't get over. So we pass them on the right, and get the finger. Most people just don't pay any attention. Or we'll be behind them for miles, and they finally realize that we want to pass, so they get over, and give us the finger. Really, I'm fine with people driving slow on the Interstate. But please, stay over. I think a lot of it is also because we drive a Mercedes SUV as well, we didn't get that nearly as much as when we drove the Volvo. I get most of this from my dad, and riding with him.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:19 pm

def get some mad disrespect in the ol bug.....but i like to have some fun with the offenders. a buddy gave me a pair of dark sunglasses that have bright red led's made in to them that light up. i just give 'em the stare when they pass. they either A. haul balls or B. damn near slam on the brakes an get back behind me.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:58 pm

dassuper wrote: def get some mad disrespect in the ol bug.....but i like to have some fun with the offenders. a buddy gave me a pair of dark sunglasses that have bright red led's made in to them that light up. i just give 'em the stare when they pass. they either A. haul balls or B. damn near slam on the brakes an get back behind me.

THAT'S SO AWESOME! HAHAH! You must remember to wear a suit when driving or something though :lol:

Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:35 am

I just stay in the slow lane and move along at the posted speed limit. If someone tailgates me, I simply put my hand out the window and do a circular gesture that seems to tell people to "It's okay, you can pass". I try not to get too upset with other drivers, because everyone makes mistakes.

I can't stand being followed by someone with their high beams on in town, though. I can't really move anywhere, so my best option is to shade my eyes until I can find somewhere to turn out. :/

I do enjoy the thumbs ups and "Sweet car!" comments I've been getting lately. :)

Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:36 am

I get a lot of high beams going up hill, even in the slow lane as my bug struggles up most grades especially the waldo grade going up to San Francisco :)

Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:53 am

get some super dark tint like me and can do what ever you like behind it then act normal once they arre infront.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:36 am

Calexander wrote: I can't stand being followed by someone with their high beams on in town, though. I can't really move anywhere, so my best option is to shade my eyes until I can find somewhere to turn out. :/

I do enjoy the thumbs ups and "Sweet car!" comments I've been getting lately. :)

Ugh. I know how you feel. I usually wind up slowing down inadvertently, because I can't see where I'm going. Seems many people don't realize older cars don't have day/night mirrors? Or miss that little fact of legality concerning high beams and cities.

Funny... you'd think most anyone could see the bright blue indicator. But then, driving with one hand draped over the top of the wheel like some wannabe hardass seems to be the popular thing to do nowadays. Can't see through your hand! Would also explain the speeding through town...

The other thing that drives me nuts, besides chronic tailgaters, is using your damn fog/driving lights in town. Why? Street lights all over the place, illegal to run your brights in city limits (some places, fog/driving lamps are considered part of the high-beam system), and the speed limit's 35mph or lower (here). That, and parking on the wrong side of the street with the lights on.

I get the thumbs up and 'cool Bug!', too. Makes driving fun!

Wed Nov 18, 2009 9:56 am

Alister wrote: The other thing that drives me nuts, besides chronic tailgaters, is using your damn fog/driving lights in town. Why?
This helps folks with certain eye diseases, I drive with fog lights on at night in the city. In daylight everything is too bright, I have to wear sunglasses, at light everything is too dark, I need more light.
Maybe others are just trying to look cool.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:33 pm

Rick73Super wrote: This helps folks with certain eye diseases, I drive with fog lights on at night in the city. In daylight everything is too bright, I have to wear sunglasses, at light everything is too dark, I need more light.
Maybe others are just trying to look cool.

Understandable. I feel it's not the case most of the time, however - most people I see with 'em on all the time are about my age (31) or younger. Since mine is a military town, it's reasonable to assume most of 'em are military (combined with the fact they're almost certainly newer cars and trucks, as indicative for a follow-on base, or have out-of-state plates). And since you have to have decent eyesight to be in the armed forces to begin with...

Guess what I'm saying is; I can understand, if there's a -real- need for it.

Still think any headlight with a color temperature higher than 4500K needs to be outlawed. Those things are annoying and hideously distracting.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:00 pm

bugninva wrote: careful fellas, you'll be labeled as pussies or passive if you keep this up... :lol:

When it comes to driving, passive would be fine with me. An old guy I once knew gave me the best advice: "The right of way is something you should assume you never have, but are often required to give up."

That's Zen-Buddism for the highway! I love it, and it's served me and my blood pressure pretty well.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:23 pm

Just throw a body part at them.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:14 pm

iamspeedbob wrote: buginyourvagina

i'm sorry but that was pretty funny lol

Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:27 pm

all late model US beetles had day night mirrors origionally

Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:44 pm

vugbug68 wrote: iamspeedbob wrote: buginyourvagina

i'm sorry but that was pretty funny lol

it was funny, and original about 15 years ago when I first had someone use it on the internet... it's very unoriginal now... I left the peed and bob alone, but it could be tempting to stoop to ground level and run with it, if i were that lame..... :wink: