A Warning: Drive Smart, Seriously, It's F'd Up Out there.

"CAR_IS_MI" (car-is-mi) 10/23/2013 at 13:36 • Filed to: None

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I often read articles on here about the "rules of the road". Use turn signal, keep right, dont speed. Sometimes, that's not enough.

I was in an accident this morning (Yes, both myself and my Jeep are okay, and it's not the Jeep pictured above). Driving to and from work for me is generally about the time of rush hour, both ways, and again, I drive a Jeep, so going fast and swerving through traffic is something that is rather impossible.

We have an "express" lane out here which basically is a two lane section on the highway that bypasses exits for about 8 miles so you don't get stuck in the on / off ramp traffic. I was in the right lane of this express lane and coming up on a semi; I signaled left and changed lanes. There was a man in a Honda Accord a good bit back in the left lane. As I changed lanes, he speed up. Now I am passing this semi at 68 mph, and this guy is so far up my ass I can't see his windshield.

I pass the truck and signal right, get in front of the truck, and then waved the Accord on (just without all my fingers, I know, this isn't right, but it happened). The Accord then swerved directly in front of me, about a half a car length, and slammed on his brakes. Again, I am driving a Jeep, it doesn't stop like a Ferrari. I ended up hitting his rear bumper, now, not hard enough to cause any real damage, his bumper got a crack and mine had a (and I mean literally A) scratch.

We pull over, hes already calling the cops. The guy is in his 60's and has handicap plates.

Now this article is not to warn you about bad drivers, but about crazy people.

This guy, 60, with handicapped plates, is sitting in his car, mocking me. Making gestures like his back hurts while laughing, pointing at his handicapped placard, and making hand signs to say "You're going to pay me lots of money"

It was just his word vs. mine. No one stopped, no one had a dash cam, just the word of a 27 year old male vs the word of a 60 year old man with handicapped plates (you guess who the cops would prefer to believe).

I give my side of the story, he gives his. The cops come back to question me more:

Cop:"where did you hit his car?"

Me: "My front bumper hit his rear bumper."

Cop:"No where did you hit his car?"

Me:"?"

Cop: "He says you kicked his car when you pulled over."

Me: "Sir, I got out and took pictures of both cars, I can show you."

Cop: "He says you were flying and intentionally rammed him."

...

I could go on, but you get the picture. This guy was spewing verbal bull shit and the only thing I could do was deny it.

After about 30 minutes, the cop comes over to me, and I see he has his citation device with him. Great!

Suddenly, another cop pulls up. Apparently, a witness called in, the cops questioned this witness, and they completely backed up my side of the story.

Cop came back over to me and told me that he was about to give me a citation for following to close, as they couldn't figure out exactly what happened, but took more of his story for truth.

That is, until this witness called in. They gave the other drive a few citations for reckless driving and driving to endanger, thanks to this good person. If it wasn't for the witness who called in, I would have been cited, and he would have sued my insurance for damages and faked injuries.

Moral of the story is, people freaking suck.

I am no saint, but this guy was absurd. Maybe Russia isn't the only one who needs dash cams.

MylesD > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 13:40

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That. is. awesome. Very happy for you, stranger.

ddavidn > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 13:40

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Yup. It's the crazy people that convince me not to ride a motorcycle too. People have literally tried to run me off the road on a few occasions on my way home from work, and I'm not an aggressive driver. I do drive with a dashcam every day, though.

CalzoneGolem > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 13:41

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People don't suck. Your witness, for example, is a person that doesn't suck.

505Turbeaux > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 13:44

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So in 1995, I was 16, had my Scirocco for all of ONE DAY. Was backing out of a parking spot when this lady flies up behind me with an already busted up Corsica and slams on the brakes. I hit her in the door, she gets out of the car with 3 enormous and pissed off looking guys. Cops dont do a report because it was on private property, no damage to my scirocco because it was a 3 mph hit. Exchange info and I thought my insurance was going to go through the roof. Turns out 2 prior attempts to collect have happened with the lady for the same hit in the same place. Man that side of the Corsica was ate up. Couple weeks later she is calling me in person and threatening me, pay me in cash or I am sending my large friends after you, so the cops finally got her and her crew. Indeed, it is f'd up out there

Takuro Spirit > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 13:52

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I have a dash cam. Because I too had a scary encounter with a crazy old guy.

He was delivering papers before dawn in a rickety old Lumina, and ONLY his third brake light was working. Therefore, he was not signalling when he was pulling on/off the two-lane road we were on. As I came upon him pulling over to deliver his next paper, I gave him a wide berth, honked my horn for a short blast, and flashed my lights on and off, hoping he'd get the hint.

Instead, the guy CHASES me down, slams on the brakes at the next stop sign, and skids to a stop in front of my truck. Hops out, and just LETS GO on me. I sit there calmly, waiting for a break in the storm and gently say, smiling "Sir, you have no brake lights or turn signals, I had no idea what you were doing pulling on and off the road like that". Guy says he's so sick of dangerous drivers LIKE ME, flying around him almost killing him all the time "Then fix your lights, sir" is how I reply, and he stormed off.

I called every paper I could think of in the area, and no one had a driver out that day. Called the cops and the officer that called me back knew all about him. Apparently they get complaints about him all the time, and complaints FROM him about other drivers.

Since then I've bought a dash cam. Just in case. It could have easily turned into a collision, or violent. You just never know.

Sam > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 13:55

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Your story vouches for both sides.

The good- The witness

The bad- Crazy old fart

CAR_IS_MI > CalzoneGolem 10/23/2013 at 13:56

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This is true, but that witness is maybe the 4-5% of people who don't suck.

CAR_IS_MI > ddavidn 10/23/2013 at 13:57

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I've been riding for years, and it's always the other people who are the biggest threat. I know one day one won't be paying attention, hit me, and probably kill me, but I love riding too much to give it up.

CalzoneGolem > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 14:02

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Frankly I think that it being pessimistic. Sure, a bunch of people suck and a bunch of people are awesome. There's a huge middle ground of people who just are. The truck driver didn't suck and the cops didn't suck. Sorry, you had a poor interaction with a crazy guy but it all worked out in the end and all you have is a scratch on your bumper.

CAR_IS_MI > CalzoneGolem 10/23/2013 at 14:10

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Eh, well the point I am trying to portray is that you never know who that person is. be smart and protect yourself in any ways you can

CalzoneGolem > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 14:11

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Word. That I can get behind.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 14:13

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I had a guy this morning FURIOUS with me after I moved over for him.

I'll set the scene for a quick story.

Driving on 70 MPH road, I move into left lane to go around a guy doing about 70 and maintain (with my cruise control) 80 MPH. I'm about even with the guy I'm passing when a crap early 90's dodge flys up behind me and is on my ass. As soon as I get in front of the slow 70 mph guy, i have my blinker on and move over. Which the guy turns completely to the side yelling/screaming as loud as possible at me "TOO SLOOOOW FUCK OFFF" I flipped him off and he zipped down the highway like i was standing still.

10 MPH over, quick pass in the left and back to the center cruising lane and thats the response I get. I can understand if I stuck around in the left lane for a while, but it was a pass and back.

A lot of people are huge assholes on the road, thank god for your witness.

Casper > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 14:13

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Yep. There are crazy people everywhere. I had someone road rage like this with me on my motorcycle. The thing is, people forget that these people are just as crazy out of their cars... and you are around them every day.

Assume everyone is a dangerous nut job unless you can prove otherwise.

Bruno Martini > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 14:14

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How much you want to bet it was a trucker who called it in? Most of the time those guys watch out for people who even come close to having good manners on the road. They have been through it all.

CAR_IS_MI > Bruno Martini 10/23/2013 at 14:25

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Most long haul truckers are good like this, yes, I agree. They tend to know the rules of the road and are always looking about.

CAR_IS_MI > Casper 10/23/2013 at 14:26

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I think you summarized my point better than I could.

desertdog5051 > CAR_IS_MI 10/23/2013 at 14:31

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And...

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > ddavidn 10/23/2013 at 14:32

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I considered getting a bike for a long time but decided against it for this very reason. If I ever rode it would be purely for pleasure for a Sunday ride or something like that, NOT to commute in rush hour traffic.

May I ask what kind of dashcam you use? I commute ~100 miles a day in heavy fast traffic and it's scary out there. Would be a good investment to have a cam but there don't seem to be too many resources in helping decide which one to get? I remember an article on Jalopnik a few months ago that seemed to conclude "well, they all suck..here's one that's the least shitty" which wasn't very conclusive!

ddavidn > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 10/23/2013 at 14:43

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Well, right now I use the DailyVoyager app on my android phone and a dash-mounted dock. I feel like the GoPro Hero3 (older ones don't have the right feature) is well worth the investment, but I can't afford one quite yet. I see no problems in using that camera, but it seems that nobody realized they added that looping feature in the latest version. But still, I haven't used one yet. I like my phone because dropbox auto-uploads all the data when I get home.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 09:42

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I spy a Madison County, AL tag (County number 47).

Not. Surprised. At. All.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 10:02

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You forgot the most important thing; obviously having those "Special Parking" placard entitles this gentleman, and I use that term very loosely, to full use of all of the available roadways and parking lots.

By having merged into his lane, you are depriving him of his use of that space.

How could you have been so thoughtless, you careless bastard?

Chairman Kaga > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 13:37

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Actual moral of the story, if you witness an accident, either stop or call the police, report it, and offer testimony. You could very well be the justifying factor in the outcome!!!

bbutle01 > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 11/01/2013 at 13:45

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Good eye, I didn't even realize it was an Alabama tag and I lived there for 37 years. I always had a 2 (Mobile)

GrnBeret2B > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 11/01/2013 at 13:46

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I use a Drift 720p. I wouldn't use it to film movies, but it's not terrible. I've only uploaded one video from it to youtube, its in portrait mode because I hadn't figured out that you physically turn the lens, but it can at least give an idea of picture quality:

. I HIGHLY recommend turning down your volume, or even muting it; the mic picks up every rattle inside the camera leading to a steady drone that gives me pretty terrible headaches.

My biggest problem is finding a decent spot on the bike to mount the camera where it's easily accessible and has a good view of the road, but that's a limitation on the bike, not the camera.

arminyack > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 13:51

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This is why I have TWO of these (one facing front, the other rear) in my car, running at all times when i drive

chumpzilla > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 14:52

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"Hmm, that should buff right out!"

Svend > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 14:56

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I see one oof these or similar coming in your near future.

Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time? > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 15:58

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Do you have a dash cam yet?

4thwall > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 20:33

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Nicely written piece. Glad someone spoke up for you and neither you, your jeep or the douchebag were hurt.

Dunnik > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 21:09

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"Moral of the story is, people freaking suck."

No, the moral of the story is some people freaking suck. That witness, as I'm sure you would agree, is about as far from suck as it is possible to be.

That's just human nature. Some people are nice. Some people are not nice. It's been this way for 250,000 years, and will never change.

Very glad to hear this had a happy ending though, and this reckless asshole got what he very richly deserved.

Lets Just Drive > CAR_IS_MI 11/01/2013 at 23:20

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I wish that the officer had ticketed you.

Why?

Because the issued violation (citation, if you prefer) would have been all you would have needed to raise an unholy shit storm. I don't know where you live, but where I am from this is a real problem with enforcement and just the kind of opening I'd love.

You see, up here an enforcement officer can issue you a ticket based on his or her understanding of events. It is then your right to dispute said ticket and have your day in court.

Which is, in my opinion, a broken system. It consumes court resources, forces people who would otherwise not come to court to come to court. Case in point; it was your word against the other drivers and yet, without the benefit of evidence, the officers were prepared to issue you with a ticket. This is an exploitable moment.

Thus, if I could have my dreams come true, this is how it would have happened to you:

All of the above up to the issuance of said tickets/citations.

"Here are your tickets," says the cop.

You accept them, "I intend to dispute these/this ticket(s)."

"As is your right," agrees the officer. Hands you tickets, "Please sign here. This is not an acknowledgement of guilt, it simply acknowledges that you have taken receipt of these/this citation(s)."

You sign.

Another police vehicle arrives on scene. This officer has the benefit of witness statements and informs the officer in charge; the guy who just handed you the tickets. As is the law, here anyway, that officer then informs you of the witness statement.

You look at the officer, deadpan. "Based on nothing more than my word versus his, you fined me XXX number of dollars forcing me to take time out of my schedule to begin the process of disputing said fine(s) without the benefit of evidence."

"You will not cancel this ticket, I will see you before a Judge and the issue of your making unsubstantiated assumptions will become the focus of my dispute. Have a great day."

Because, seriously, it's a broken system when enforcement can issue fines/tickets/violations/etc without the benefit of conclusive evidence.