Borderline violent reaction to prius

You are driving too slow in order to pulse, glide, etc. Just drive it normally.

 

So, basically, aggressive driving has Escaladed?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nmeyer79 @ Aug 17 2007, 11:47 AM) [snapback]497841[/snapback]</div>

I don't suffer fools gladly, and tailgaters are right at the top of my fools list.

On an Interstate with all lanes open to traffic, whenever I get a tailgater I simply slow down. This forces them to go around me. It works like a charm, and there is no emotional involvement at all. I simply will not tolerate a tailgater for very long, if I have any choice in the matter.

It makes no sense for someone to tailgate me in a one-lane situation where I can't go any faster because of traffic ahead of me. Following me closer will not affect the travel time of the tailgater behind me, except that I will purposely slow down. There is a legitimate safety reason to do so: by slowing down, I increase the distance between my car and the vehicle ahead of me, to compensate for having an asshat right on my bumper. By having more distance in front of me, I can stop more gradually.

The fly in that ointment is when a deer jumps out in front of me while Mr. Asshat is on my bumper, in which case I'm thoroughly screwed.

I get injured in a rear-ender, thanks to someone else's thoughtlessness.

Harry

 

clearly a case of Prius envy

 

Although not a smart idea, I usually just hit my brakes enough to where they will back off. I don't recommend this to anyone though. Noone wants to be in an accident. I don't put up with any tailgating at all, even if it would come to a fist fight. I may sound childish but I cannot stand a tailgater. Often here in AZ someone will tail you even when the other lane is completely open allowing them to pass no problem yet still they decide to tail. Some of the worst drivers I have ever seen are here in AZ.

 

A friend's high school aged daughter told us a funny story . . .

She and some friend were on the way back from a party out in the country. Driving down a dark two lane road, a large truck/SUV came up behind them and started harassing them by tailgating, honking their horn, and flashing their high beams. This went on for a couple of miles, and the girls were frightened. One of her friends had a can of pepper spray and sprayed it out the window. After a few seconds, the truck fell back a ways . . . and then pulled over to the side of the road.

A couple of days later, they found out through mutual friends that the truck belonged to some guys they met at the party.

She said, "aah, whatever . . . they were jerks anyway."

[Hmmmm, remote control pepper spray under the rear bumper . . . That's the ticket! :lol: ]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tekn0wledg @ Aug 17 2007, 07:36 AM) [snapback]497791[/snapback]</div>

And the most important term. Entitlement. People feel they are entitled to do whatever they want. They are wrong.....all of them.

 

A little rear-mounted launcher for pellets of fresh squishy dog-doo
comes to mind, for some reason...
.
I actually taught the following-distance lesson many times on my run
to and from Hybridfest last month. The yuppie button coupled with
the leftward-aiming thumb out the window worked very well to get
them to pass, and as they did so giving me the evil eye out their
passenger window I'd do the hands-apart "more space" gesture. They
understood.
.
_H*

 

Don't try to out accelerate an Escalade in a Prius, you will loose. I agree no reaction other then normal safe driving is the best.

You can probably out maneuver and brake an Escalade as its top heavy and usually has enlarged wheels that give it even worse handling and breaking then one without.

I have seen bad drivers in every type of car from Volvo to F150. Nothing sticks out as particularly bad other then the general class of large SUV. Guys in beat up SUV's don't tend to be such pricks. Its the nice (not in my eyes) shiny big ones that have something to prove.

 

I think the sense of anonimity that comes with living in an urban environment tends to bring out the worst in a lot of drivers. I keep a small camcorder in my center console, when somone is doing driving in a way they should be ashamed of, I have my passanger turn the camcorder on them... it's often quite effective.

I had one particular event *almost* made me rethink this. I was accelerating a bit too slow up an onramp when an expedition starts blaring thier horn at me. I gave him the old one finger salute, and he moved to make an illegal shoulder pass. Just at he came up alongside I saw the young black man in the passanger seat roll down his dark tinted window, and I had a little flutter in my chest I thought about the worst cases of road rage. I had a digatal camera on the pocket seat, and grabbed it just as the window came down, and he drew HIS... camera on me! We shot each other, and drove off... each breathing easier, i'm sure.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 17 2007, 01:17 PM) [snapback]497931[/snapback]</div>

Two (just two) points for you!



I recently acquired a Ford Ranger to go along with my baby.

Unfortunately I now tailgate myself.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chris Robson @ Aug 16 2007, 11:04 PM) [snapback]497553[/snapback]</div>

I had two agressive idiots Thursday within 2 minutes.

I was driving on a very very congested road and you could see ahead that traffic was backing up as usual. There were probably 7-8 car lengths in front of me as I was coasting to the backup. Idiot #1 passed me on the shoulder so he could get there faster and then as soon as he could, promptly started switching lanes to get a car ahead.

Idiot #2 took his place behind me in a box like car called the Sky. He was so close he could have been in my back seat. If I had braked at all I would have had him in the passenger seat. Even as traffic slowed down he didn't back off. :angry:

 

if it happens again, call 911. he is an accident waiting to happen

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Aug 18 2007, 10:29 AM) [snapback]498308[/snapback]</div>

In New Jersey they have a special cell number for reporting aggressive drivers: #77 (which is #SP, for State Police, to make it easier to remember)

 

I used to get really bent out of shape about this kind of stuff, and still get irritated. My eventual conclusion was that I always felt worse after I reacted in any way (hand gestures and the like). So now I just keep on driving, and would call 911 in the event of serious danger.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chris Robson @ Aug 16 2007, 09:04 PM) [snapback]497553[/snapback]</div>

The stereotype of the slow hybrid vehicle/driver is pretty widespread by now. I notice that I am a much more conservative....and slower driver in my Prius then I ever was in the performance sedans (Audi, Mercedes, Lexus) that I owned prior to it.

You know, there are a bunch of stereotypes about Cadillac Escalade drivers too........not particulary flattering ones either

 

On July 4th, I had to go pick something up at night. There's stupid people all over the streets, staring at the sky with mouths open and vacant expressions so I drove more carefully than usual. I went down a street where there's a stop sign about every 10 feet. I didn't feel the need to roar my engine and gun it to each stop sign only to slam on my brakes.

Unfortunately, the huge black truck behind me didn't feel the same. They started riding my nice person so in response, I slowed to a crawl and started stopping completely at each stop sign and looking both ways very deliberately. The truck apparently couldn't wait a whole minute to get through the rest of the stop signs on the street, veered past me, stomped the gas, and blew through two stop signs. I only wish there was a cop to witness it.

 

I slow down but very gradually, maybe a few km/h each minute until they back of in which case I speed up or if they stay behind me I slow to a stop after several minutes but it never lasts that long.
The reason I slow is to improve my safe stopping distance, not to piss them off.
NEVER jab the brake.
Never gesture to them.
Let them work it out.

 

Won't write any of my stories...too many of them. Wouldn't it be great not to have to look into the rear view mirror while driving? or the side mirrors for that matter. You wouldn't notice those tailgater's and we wouldn't get upset as we do. But, of course we can't....it's just a thought.