Lane Ending Drag Race

"NinetyQ" (NinetyQ) 01/29/2014 at 21:23 • Filed to: None

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I got into a bit of a drag race on snowy roads today with a guy in a new Mercedes. We were sitting at a light, as is demonstrated in this wonderful graphic. I was in the left lane, which is the correct one to continue straight in, and the Mercedes pulled up on the right in the lane that was about to end.

I decided to let the Mercedes make the decision whether we were racing or not. If he was smart, he might have just pulled in behind me. His lane was about to end and it was much snowier than mine just beyond the intersection. The light changed, I proceeded as usual while keeping an eye on the Mercedes. It lunged ahead to overtake, so I floored it. We remained side-by-side throughout until the Merc gave up and pulled in behind.

Take that smug Mercedes owner who wanted to pass the old salt-covered Grand Prix.

GhostZ > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 21:27

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N/A POWAAAHH > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 21:28

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Reminds me of a moment I had today. I went to pass a kid going 10 under in the fast lane on a 2 lane, and I was doing ten above, and as soon as I get beside him, he guns it so I can't pass the person in the slow lane.

NinetyQ > N/A POWAAAHH 01/29/2014 at 21:29

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That's always obnoxious.

NinetyQ > GhostZ 01/29/2014 at 21:30

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:D Bring it on. There was nothing dangerous about this. The race took place between like 0 and 50 mph on a road with a 45 or 55 mph speed limit (can't remember). He backed off before it would have gotten dangerous. I still had room to chicken out myself and just let him through if he was that determined.

Korea Miéville > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 21:35

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I'm conflicted about this kind of situation. On the one hand, it's annoying when someone pulls a move like this. It's just rude in my opinion. On the other hand, if I'm just driving along at whatever speed, and some dude wants to go faster or get ahead, what's it to me? If they weren't there, it's not like I would be flooring it. Provided they don't zoom ahead and then slow way down, which should be punishable by death, why should I care what some other driver does, if they're not impeding me? I guess what I'm saying is I totally relate to your story, but wish I didn't.

NinetyQ > Korea Miéville 01/29/2014 at 21:37

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It's true, and I agree. The part I left out is that the road remained 2 lanes and snowy for the next 20 miles, and I didn't want to take the chance of getting stuck behind him creeping along. And it turns out I was neither right or wrong. I generally out-paced him the entire way to the next actual town by going the speed limit, but he wasn't far behind. It would have been about the same result either way. The only explanation for him pulling into the right lane when he definitely had to stop at the light anyway is that he wanted to do the same for me, but I knew I wouldn't drive like a pansy.

dogisbadob > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 21:37

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Nice drawing!

dogisbadob > GhostZ 01/29/2014 at 21:40

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thedevilinside > N/A POWAAAHH 01/29/2014 at 21:43

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Only way I could see his side is if you were tailgating, which with your situation it doesn't work. That was annoying and dumb of them to do.

MountainCommand > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 22:03

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I may or may not do exactly what you did at a particular intersection near me. But the key variable is the right lane where the merc is in your picture is technically only a right turn lane, yet people use it to fly past the people in the left lane. So when people get stuck at the light, and i make it 1st in line, i will give them a run for their money cause technically they should really only be turning right, not going straight. and that kinda bugs me.

Its good practice for quick launch and the 1-2 gear change. =)

NinetyQ > MountainCommand 01/29/2014 at 22:07

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Ha, yeah, I didn't have the right turn excuse on my side here. The intersection was an exit from a highway. The corner on the left side should be square, not curved.

Anyway, I'm not even sure why they allow two lanes before the intersection and then cut it off right after. I think the right lane should be forced to merge off and onto the highway below before the intersection and then only one lane should continue across.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 22:22

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"on snowy roads"

No the greatest idea, not that it ever is (and not that I'm not guilty of the same from time to time). Honestly, you never know what kind of mentally-deranged asshole might be in the car next to you. That guy could have just as easily kept his foot pegged and started coming into your lane, dangerously forcing you to make a decision (it's happened to me).

Actually just submitted a scheduled post for tomorrow morning to get OPPO's take on "the holeshot".

NinetyQ > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 01/29/2014 at 22:29

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Fortunately, I had planned for that scenario. As long as he wasn't entirely deranged and intended to collide with me, I had enough room and traction to slow down if he did something a bit crazy. My lane was totally clear, just wet, at that point. His lane was mostly clear until the point where he backed off, when it was gradually getting more and more snow-covered. The road beyond the point where the lane ended is what was also more snow-covered, and snow drifted across the fields in a lot of places. I just didn't want to get stuck behind someone panicky.

I'll be watching for that post!

Dr Emilio Lizardo > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 22:44

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I don't know what the model of the Mercedes was, but I used to drive a CLK320 cabriolet. It looked fast, everybody thought it was a sports car, but the power was merely adequate. It really couldn't get ahead of anybody that was determined and had a little horsepower. Certainly less pickup and not as good handling as my wife's BMW X3.

The S5 cab I'm driving now, though...that's another story ;)

NinetyQ > Dr Emilio Lizardo 01/29/2014 at 22:50

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Yeah, I figured I might actually be embarrassed if I could have looked under the hood, haha. I'm not sure what Mercedes it was since I never saw the side or back of it ( zing! ), but it seemed to be a smaller or mid-size sedan with the sportier-looking grille.

I just like to imagine he was some smug guy thinking his expensive new car could easily dispatch with a mid-'90s Pontiac.

MountainCommand > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 22:55

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alright, just for you i made my intersection.

nearly the same exact spot where you are pictured is the spot where i always go. And the merc, in my case would have to turn right, but they dont...

I think its there just like its there in my intersection. To allow people from that road on the right, to merge into your flow. Obviously, someone thought it was a good idea at the time.... They seem to always forget about the "human" variable.

Regardless, i dont see any wrong with what you did. if anything, it could be exaggerated as an excessive display of speed. ie, accelerating too quickly, which apparently can get you pulled over, but i doubt it.

Kailand09 > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 22:57

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Unrelated, but I had been driving around a bend on the highway. Of course, the slow traffic was in the left and middle lane, so I was pulling through in the empty right lane at about 5mph or a bit more faster than everyone else. Bigass dodge ram 2500 or maybe bigger (it was a dually of course) was on his cell phone not paying attention to the curve and just swerved into my lane as I was on his side, had to slam on my brakes and go completely into the shoulder and there was snow in the shoulder (not on the road surface though). It was scary.

I always have this plan in my head that worst comes to worst, if some idiot tries something stupid on me, I'm going to pit the living shit out of their car to save myself.

Random story, but your comment about planning ahead for the worst (if he merged into you) got me remembering that.

NinetyQ > MountainCommand 01/29/2014 at 23:01

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Ah yes, that makes sense.

Excessive acceleration or whatever could possibly be a problem, but the Mercedes did it first. I just happened to catch it. I may have gotten pulled over for excessive noise though. My Grand Prix isn't entirely quiet...

Oh, also, I totally understand why the right lane after the intersection is there. That makes sense as a merging zone for those turning right after coming off the highway (which is what that intersection was). But the right lane before the intersection doesn't have much purpose after the exit onto the highway below.

MountainCommand > NinetyQ 01/29/2014 at 23:08

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Judge: You're pleading not guilty for unsafe acceleration? Is that correct?

You: Yes sir. You see, the mercedes did it first, and well, i couldnt let him get away with it...

Sometimes i think it would be funny to get a stupid ticket and explain yourself in court for that ticket. Maybe its just my odd humor....

That GP sounds nice though. Im sure it made the merc second guess his actions.

all in good fun though. We know when to back off.

crowmolly > MountainCommand 01/30/2014 at 10:32

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I go through an intersection that is the exact same configuration (as you show on the right) each day. Although it's never a drag race, people in the right lane always just drive along like they don't have to merge and then just end up drifting over with no signal. It's insane, the DOT should at least paint arrows, add more signs, or something. ANYTHING, really.

When I used to drive an old beater to work I wouldn't concede and let people in from time to time. They'd have to drive on the shoulder amongst all of the debris, and it made me the bigger asshole that day, but dealing with morons drifting over constantly gets maddening.

MountainCommand > crowmolly 01/30/2014 at 19:28

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yep, they really need to make note that the far right lane is right turn only. For safety really, because the guy turning his right into the acceleration lane before the merge needs to have some room. If people are using his acceleration lane as just another lane, its dangerous.

It really is maddening. Drivers are either oblivious to it (very ignorant), or know full well they are doing and do it out of either spite or enjoyment. If they think otherwise, they would know its wrong.