What does Oppo think?

"wagon guy now drives a boostang" (wagonguy) 05/27/2016 at 05:06 • Filed to: None

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There has been a lot of discussion here lately about tailgating and left lane blocking. Here’s a story from my drive home from work this morning...

I left the office just after 2am, having arrived at 4pm and being pretty worn out. I headed out, through the rain that was hitting Austin, and jumped on I-35 to make my way out to the burbs. Since it was late, and raining, traffic was light, with only a few trucks and a handful of other people out there on what I can only assume was some important journey like finding the nearest Whataburger for a late night snack. I had my GoPro set up on my dash and recording, since I guessed there might be something interesting to see in the 15 minutes it was going to take me to get home.

About 8 minutes into my drive, in the center lane with my cruise control set just above 70 (speed limit is 70) I came up behind something white with what looked to either be a light bar or rack on the roof. It wasn’t an SUV, so I slowed a little and approached with caution to find that it was a recent model Subaru Impreza. Once I determined that it was not a member of the intrepid law enforcement community that I was assuming were already overburdened pulling people out of the low water crossings, I signalled my way into the left lane and hit resume on the CC. Once past the Subaru, and the semi truck in front of him I signalled and moved back over to keep cruising my way home.

Here’s where it gets weird.

The Subaru appeared in my rear-view mirrors and blew past me doing at least 80 only to pull into the center lane with no turn signal and slow down. Once again I approached him, signalled left and moved over, only to have him signal ONCE and move in front of me with no traffic in the center lane in front of him. Once again I signalled and moved right to pass him on the right.

No more than 30 seconds later he was blazing past me again, only to pull into the center lane and slow down behind another semi truck. When I signalled left, he just moved, so I followed, thinking that he might pass the truck and we could be on our way. No. Once he got next to the trailer he suddenly decided to brake check me. So once again I signalled right, went over two lanes and passed them both in the right lane.

Once past the truck, the Subaru driver again move into the center with no signal, but slowed back down and didn’t mess with me again until I slowed behind some traffic to make my exit. He chose that moment to blaze up past me again, cut in front of me and try to brake check me again, this time on the exit ramp. He led the way matching my move every time I signalled, so obviously watching his mirrors closely. When we got to the next light, with a double left turn lane, I acted like I was going to go straight through, only taking my turn when he had gone through the intersection.

I’m still working on the video (my external storage drive took a dump on me) and trying to figure out what the hell he thought he was doing...

Honeybunchesofgoats > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 05:20

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Clearly his penis had retreated up into his stomach and he was desperately trying to coax it back out. Poor guy.

wagon guy now drives a boostang > Honeybunchesofgoats 05/27/2016 at 05:31

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Probably true, and he had to be offended by someone who was clearly in control of their vehicle and didn’t give a shit about him or the weather.

CRider > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 05:47

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FlyDrive > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 06:42

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Was he trying to create an accident as some insurance scam?

Two options:

A) Fender mounted sidewinder missiles

B)

VonBootWilly - Likes Toyota, but it's still complicated. > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 07:17

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I remember a time that I was commuting home, similar situation. Middle of the night, except with an empty highway. Driving in my GS430, lowered a bit, Varrstoen ES2's, wider tires. I see a car coming quick from behind, he slows down to match me. One of the GXP looking Pontiac Grand Prix’s or something with blue headlights. I just leave it on cruise, I know there’s ALWAYS a cop car on the straight ahead after the off ramp. Guy rolls window down and yells something at me I can’t hear. He gives it a shot then backs off again.. So at the straight, I punch it pulling a car length, then back off and let him go as I exit on the ramp to take another route home...

I look down the highway and can see the red/blue lights flashing and pulling out. Obviously he really thought he was beating me down bad. I just don’t like street racing, I felt a bit like I trapped the guy, but seriously, I just want to commute home without idiots doing this stuff.

I find the car you are driving, and the area you’re in makes a difference sometimes. If I am having a stressful week, and want a problem free commute, I take my Uplander and nobody does anything. I’ve never even been tailgated, even driving slow.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 07:32

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I hate I-35 from SA all the way to Temple. Just antecdotal, but I feel like this kind of crap happens on 35 all the time. Not quite to this extent, but I'm always amazed by the cars I pass around say New Braunfels Thad then blow by me going 90 somewhere near Round Rock.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 07:47

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If shit like this happens to me I just engage the V12 warp drive and disappear. Having 600 lb-ft of torque is pretty nifty for overtaking.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 08:34

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I’ve had a couple similar encounters (though not to the same degree) and have come to the conclusion that some people really don’t like getting passed by trucks. Don’t think this is applicable in this case, but that’s the best explanation I can come up with for my experience. Here’s a sample.

First one was quite mundane. I was being more antagonistic that they were, if I’m honest. Some guy in an SC400 was positioned just in the way enough to potentially be an obstacle for getting my exit, so I booted it and got in ahead. I then signalled over to the right lane for the cruise to the exit. This guy comes ripping by, so since I was bored and I don’t like pissed people in front of me due to the possibility of brake checks (especially when I didn’t do anything worthy of it), I booted it too. Then he took off even faster. I followed him until we hit traffic, then let him go. He went off at the next exit with his apparently still buried in the loud pedal. I was killing myself laughing for a few minutes.

Second one was just a dick in a TL. He’s been a dick on several occasions (I remembered the plate #), but this one really cemented it. He was really dragging his ass off the lights, to the point that the Corolla beside him was leaving him for dead.So, even though the next light was red I got behind the Corolla (sign of desperation—choosing to follow the Corolla) as soon as I could get in front of the truck behind him. I didn’t push hard (should have) since we were coming up to a red light, I was happy enough just to be behind the guy who was merely slow and not an actual snail. However, as I was coming to a stop the TL guy decided it would be fun to swerve into me. Then as soon as the light was green he made sure to sit right beside me the rest of the way up the street.

smobgirl > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 09:28

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The “can’t pass me bro” crowd drive me up the wall. My favorite is when I move left to let someone on the highway and they speed up to match me exactly and won’t let me back over. If there’s no one behind me I’ll just slow down and let them go but it gets trickier if there’s traffic. Why can’t these guys just accept a favor and be cool about it?

ttyymmnn > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 10:19

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You’re lucky. He could have thrown a rock through your windshield.

marshknute > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 11:01

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While I’ve never been the target of road rage myself, I’ve seen basically this same situation play out in front of me a few years ago: Driver 1 cruising along at a good speed, and Driver 2 who randomly decided to start accelerating/cutting off/brake checking (presumably upset that Driver 1 was speeding?).

Driver 1 put up with it for about 3 brake checks, and when Driver 2 tried to overtake him again, he just ran him off the road. Literally swerved into the left lane just as Driver 2 was starting his overtake. No time or space for Driver 2 to hit the brakes; only option was to swerve into the grassy median to avoid the inevitable collision.

So satisfying to watch! Hopefully there was a pit of quicksand somewhere in that median.

wagon guy now drives a boostang > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 05/27/2016 at 11:45

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I’ve had similar while in traffic, but in the clear with almost no traffic? Also, I didn’t mention it earlier, but I drive a 2 year-old Focus, so... Kind of inoffensive...

wagon guy now drives a boostang > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 05/27/2016 at 11:47

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I’m with you, I really hate I-35. Too bad it’s the fastest way to and from work for me, especially with Mopac under construction...

wagon guy now drives a boostang > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches 05/27/2016 at 11:47

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Yeah, I wish. My puny Focus SE has no such option...

wagon guy now drives a boostang > ttyymmnn 05/27/2016 at 11:48

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Yeah, I know. It’s part of why I was careful to try and stay back from him and get out of his lane when possible.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 11:49

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Yeah I don’t envy you. Every time I catch myself whining about SA traffic, something brings me up to Austin for the day and I don’t know how y’all deal with it every day.

wagon guy now drives a boostang > FlyDrive 05/27/2016 at 11:50

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Good point, he could have been, though at that hour and in the middle of some really nasty thunderstorms last night it would have taken forever to get a cop out there.

It also would have gone badly for him, since I was recording the entire thing (and I have the local highway patrol office on speed-dial),

wagon guy now drives a boostang > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com 05/27/2016 at 11:58

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I deal by working the night shift and using my cruise control as much as possible on I-35. Since I’m doing a reverse commute at the hours I work the drive is never really all that bad, and I go below the limit on the way in and above it on the way out. Generally low stress, except for the guy this morning...

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 12:05

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Yeah I don’t get the need for that at all. I wonder if he was half-drunk. I had something similar happen to me a few years ago, but not quite as bad. Middle of the night, passed on the right a Sonata that was in the left lane going about 10 under the speed limit. I got back into the left lane a few seconds later to pass a car in the right lane and the Sonata flew up to me and started tailgating while flashing his lights and honking his horn. I exited and he started following me on the surface streets. I eventually lost him, but it was scary. Plenty of good people just working the night shift like yourself out at night, but there are some crazies out there too. Stay safe!

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 12:11

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Overtaking in my old Honda was a chore. An anemic I4 coupled with a automatic that refused to kick down meant that you needed a lot of space to get around something.

brianbrannon > wagon guy now drives a boostang 05/27/2016 at 13:13

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Sounds like normal behavior for Texas. You insulted Jesus by passing him.

wagon guy now drives a boostang > brianbrannon 05/27/2016 at 13:41

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Oh of course! what the hell was I thinking?!? I should have been doing 10 under in the left lane with a Jesus Fish on the back bumper!

ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy > ttyymmnn 05/27/2016 at 14:50

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Is that a thing? Throw a large rock at your windshield to distract you for a second and then brake-check, hoping you’ll hit them?

ttyymmnn > ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy 05/27/2016 at 14:56

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No, it’s an Austin reference. There is a shithead, or a group of shitheads, throwing rocks at cars along I-35 in Austin. Police have been unable to catch anybody connected with it, and it’s getting pretty bad.