Does getting behind the wheel make you more stupid?

[Chiliagon]

I saw today this guy, he was driving down the highway into the city during the good ole rush hour morning traffic. he was in the right lane, driving behind a slower green jeep/SUV type.

there were like 4 vehicles possibly more in the left lane and they were all nice and close to each other driving.

THIS guy was determined to get into the left lane! he didn't care that there was no room.

he tried once and had to make a sudden retreat! 8O

He then said "Im getting in there!" and he forced his way, making the guy just behind it to hit his brakes and let him in! of course, he only wanted in there for a few seconds and was back into the right lane and sped off like a jackass.

I really gotta wonder, does the wheel have a special power that causes stupidity? hehehehehe

 

[lone wolf]

It's more like: Strap on a metal cocoon and turn up the tunes and Lardy, Lard yer bulletproof

 

[Praxius]

I saw today this guy, he was driving down the highway into the city during the good ole rush hour morning traffic. he was in the right lane, driving behind a slower green jeep/SUV type.

there were like 4 vehicles possibly more in the left lane and they were all nice and close to each other driving.

THIS guy was determined to get into the left lane! he didn't care that there was no room.

he tried once and had to make a sudden retreat! 8O

He then said "Im getting in there!" and he forced his way, making the guy just behind it to hit his brakes and let him in! of course, he only wanted in there for a few seconds and was back into the right lane and sped off like a jackass.

I really gotta wonder, does the wheel have a special power that causes stupidity? hehehehehe

What really got me curious was how you knew he said "I'm Getting in There."

We're you in the car with him or was it you who did this? :-?

 

[Chiliagon]

What really got me curious was how you knew he said "I'm Getting in There."

We're you in the car with him or was it you who did this? :-?

funny!

of course he didn't say that. i'm just picturing the realism that he's likely thinking in his mind "I want in and you will let me"

 

[CDNBear]

I saw today this guy, he was driving down the highway into the city during the good ole rush hour morning traffic. he was in the right lane, driving behind a slower green jeep/SUV type.

there were like 4 vehicles possibly more in the left lane and they were all nice and close to each other driving.

THIS guy was determined to get into the left lane! he didn't care that there was no room.

he tried once and had to make a sudden retreat! 8O

He then said "Im getting in there!" and he forced his way, making the guy just behind it to hit his brakes and let him in! of course, he only wanted in there for a few seconds and was back into the right lane and sped off like a jackass.

I really gotta wonder, does the wheel have a special power that causes stupidity? hehehehehe

Where's the contempt for the asshat driving slower then overtaking traffic in the fast lane, without dropping a lane to let them by?

 

[karrie]

What jumped out at me was that there were 4 cars traveling so close together that he couldn`t lane change into that lane. That and the fact that his intent to change lanes seemed clear to Chili, yet it sounds like someone tried to not give him `permission`.

That's not to say the guy wasn't driving like a moron, but, when everyone else is driving the way they're supposed to, an aggressive moron in the mix shouldn't be too big a deal.

 

[Chiliagon]

Where's the contempt for the asshat driving slower then overtaking traffic in the fast lane, without dropping a lane to let them by?

are you talking about the guy in the right lane going slower?

there is no other lane! there are only two lanes.. the right and left lane

right lane is for slow drivers or ones that are going 110. and the left are for people who wanna go fast and be dumb and pass everyone.

the guy in the slow lane has the right to go 110km/hr.

What jumped out at me was that there were 4 cars traveling so close together that he couldn`t lane change into that lane. That and the fact that his intent to change lanes seemed clear to Chili, yet it sounds like someone tried to not give him `permission`.

That's not to say the guy wasn't driving like a moron, but, when everyone else is driving the way they're supposed to, an aggressive moron in the mix shouldn't be too big a deal.

yea I know. everyone seems to ignore the whole 1 car length distance for every 10km's you speed up rule.

now imagine if the first guy had to hit his brakes because of a cat or deer or someone who wasn't looking where he was going and went into the lane and he panicks?

now you have 4 tailgating crashes and a nice accident.

the problem I have is the guy who is trying to enter into the lane knows this is already too crowded but doesn't give a damn and only cares about his own well being and moves in.

 

[CDNBear]

are you talking about the guy in the right lane going slower?

there is no other lane! there are only two lanes.. the right and left lane

right lane is for slow drivers or ones that are going 110. and the left are for people who wanna go fast and be dumb and pass everyone.

the guy in the slow lane has the right to go 110km/hr.

My bad, I miss read your post.

 

[karrie]

a tip for peace and sanity while driving Chili is to not try to decide what the mindset of the other driver is unless they specifically tell you. Too many people decide 'this guy thinks ____'. He just as easily could have been horribly late, with a presentation or perhaps his entire career hanging on the line. He could have had a kid in the car with him about to pee their pants, with no safe place to pull over, just as readily as your assumptions about his thoughts and motives. I try to just give people the benefit, and shrug their behaviour off unless it's criminal, and relax into my drive. Otherwise you run the risk of being him one day in a rage.

 

[Chiliagon]

a tip for peace and sanity while driving Chili is to not try to decide what the mindset of the other driver is unless they specifically tell you. Too many people decide 'this guy thinks ____'. He just as easily could have been horribly late, with a presentation or perhaps his entire career hanging on the line. He could have had a kid in the car with him about to pee their pants, with no safe place to pull over, just as readily as your assumptions about his thoughts and motives. I try to just give people the benefit, and shrug their behaviour off unless it's criminal, and relax into my drive. Otherwise you run the risk of being him one day in a rage.

ok I see your point.

now think along this line too.

what got him into this situation to begin with?

is it : he doesn't leave on time?

is it: he's naturally aggressive when he drives?

is it: a male ego thing?

is it: he is a careless driver?

 

[CDNBear]

ok I see your point.

now think along this line too.

what got him into this situation to begin with?

is it : he doesn't leave on time?

is it: he's naturally aggressive when he drives?

is it: a male ego thing?

is it: he is a careless driver?

Or he wants to drive fast and people won't drop a lane to allow a faster vehicle to overtake them, like they were instructed to do in driving class?

Just because the speed limit is X, doesn't mean you have the right to enforce it. Then you have IHTBIF syndrome. Which is a whole other issue.

I like to drive fast Chili. I find it ignorant, when some assclown sits in the fast lane doing 2km/h, more the the next lane down. If you're slowly overtaking a vehicle, pull out, speed up, pass, pull back and don't use the "fast" lane as your personal preference.

 

[karrie]

What would be the point in worrying about it? People will always leave late, they will always have a bad day, there will always be drivers with overinflated egos and senses of self importance. There will always be carelessness and mistakes and bad decisions.

What I see as a major issue on our road ways is when we spend our time worrying about what OTHER people, who we have no control over, are doing, rather than worrying about what WE are doing. And you can guarantee, no matter what the 'reason' for his bad driving, he likely falls into that category. That's all I really have control over, is making sure I am conscious and careful in what I do, and that I don't turn into that driver by spending my time worrying about why the drivers aren't letting me in, and instead just relax, and only go when its safe to get in.

 

[Chiliagon]

Or he wants to drive fast and people won't drop a lane to allow a faster vehicle to overtake them, like they were instructed to do in driving class?

Just because the speed limit is X, doesn't mean you have the right to enforce it. Then you have IHTBIF syndrome. Which is a whole other issue.

I like to drive fast Chili. I find it ignorant, when some assclown sits in the fast lane doing 2km/h, more the the next lane down. If you're slowly overtaking a vehicle, pull out, speed up, pass, pull back and don't use the "fast" lane as your personal preference.

absolutely! I agree.

but if you feel it's your right to speed 20-30 over, it's the govt's right to penalize you a large $$ amt.

What would be the point in worrying about it? People will always leave late, they will always have a bad day, there will always be drivers with overinflated egos and senses of self importance. There will always be carelessness and mistakes and bad decisions.

What I see as a major issue on our road ways is when we spend our time worrying about what OTHER people, who we have no control over, are doing, rather than worrying about what WE are doing. And you can guarantee, no matter what the 'reason' for his bad driving, he likely falls into that category. That's all I really have control over, is making sure I am conscious and careful in what I do, and that I don't turn into that driver by spending my time worrying about why the drivers aren't letting me in, and instead just relax, and only go when its safe to get in.

ya i know. I didn't really worry about it for too long, I had to be more concerned about all the morons on the road that were making my driving day less enjoyable.

 

[CDNBear]

absolutely! I agree.

but if you feel it's your right to speed 20-30 over, it's the govt's right to penalize you a large $$ amt.

That's right.

It's not some assclown that has IHTBIF syndrome doing it.

I don't know about today, but when I took my driving course years ago, I was tought to yield to faster traffic, not determine whether or not they were speeding, then pretend I was the speed control monitor.

 

[Chiliagon]

ya, I just can't understand the need for it..

it's pretty bad these days. mostly because they know the police are not out at all and they can get away with it.

it's too bad really, there's money to be made.

 

[#juan]

That's right.

It's not some assclown that has IHTBIF syndrome doing it.

I don't know about today, but when I took my driving course years ago, I was taught to yield to faster traffic, not determine whether or not they were speeding, then pretend I was the speed control monitor.

Exactly bear. There are still many of these signs that tell us to "keep right except to pass" that everyone seems to ignore. In the OP the author talks about four cars in the left lane who are driving close together. Could the driver trying to pass be responding to an emergency call and he is thwarted by these clowns in the left lane?

 

[CDNBear]

ya, I just can't understand the need for it..

I like throwing on something like...

YouTube - The Kills - U R A Fever

Late on a summer night, windows down, while the street lights pass me at mach 3.

It feels good!

it's pretty bad these days. mostly because they know the police are not out at all and they can get away with it.

Or like me, they get off on it.

it's too bad really, there's money to be made.

And Cops to out run.

I have a tricked out Honda Civic. Loud system and a need for speed.

 

[wulfie68]

What I see as a major issue on our road ways is when we spend our time worrying about what OTHER people, who we have no control over, are doing, rather than worrying about what WE are doing. And you can guarantee, no matter what the 'reason' for his bad driving, he likely falls into that category. That's all I really have control over, is making sure I am conscious and careful in what I do, and that I don't turn into that driver by spending my time worrying about why the drivers aren't letting me in, and instead just relax, and only go when its safe to get in.

Defensive driving means you do have to worry about what the next person is doing/going to do. It allows you to plan on how you are going to avoid a crash... this is something I've taken from driving coaches at times over the years. You don't want to obsess over what everyone else is doing but you need to be aware of it. When I read the comments in this thread it seems like a bunch of things are out of whack:

- why are people in the left lane when they don't need to turn off or pass someone else
- 4 vehicles stacked up with no room for a guy to get in between seems like people not leaving adequate reaction space in case something DID happen (i.e. lead car has to suddenly stop and you have a 4 car+ pile up)
- buddy trying to "force his way" sounds overly aggressive from Chiliagon's description... but is he being aggressive or trying to avoid someone else not following the rules of the road?

Its hard to judge who was being the most idiotic in this situation: we've all been in them and even then its hard to tell (except for the times we know we're the ones that screwed up :blackeye.

 

[karrie]

Defensive driving means you do have to worry about what the next person is doing/going to do. It allows you to plan on how you are going to avoid a crash... this is something I've taken from driving coaches at times over the years. You don't want to obsess over what everyone else is doing but you need to be aware of it. When I read the comments in this thread it seems like a bunch of things are out of whack:.

Oh I agree wulfie, BUT... defensive driving trains you to be aware of other vehicles, and where they might go, not to worry about other DRIVERS, if that makes sense. You need to leave distance between vehicles, anticipate breaking, anticipate rolling stops, missed lights, etc., but it doesn't cover worrying about motivations and mindsets, which is what too many people worry about, and what drives them to madness on the road.

 

[lone wolf]

The only vehicle you can control is the one you are driving so drive it like you're the only one out there with brains. It's amazing how many times you'll be right....