Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: nyu notesfiles V1.1 4/1/84; site rna.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!genrad!teddy!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!rna!serge From: serge@rna.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: left lane hogging Message-ID: <19100002@rna.UUCP> Date: Sat, 12-Jan-85 12:36:00 EST Article-I.D.: rna.19100002 Posted: Sat Jan 12 12:36:00 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 9-Jan-85 02:47:38 EST References: <2155@nsc.UUCP> Lines: 37 Nf-ID: #R:nsc:-215500:rna:19100002:000:2349 Nf-From: rna!serge Jan 7 12:36:00 1985 /***** rna:net.auto / varian!fred / 12:08 pm Jan 3, 1985*/ > Another reason people (i.e., me) slow down is that we don't like you playing > with our lives. As far as I'm concerned, once you tailgate me (note: this does > not mean trying to go faster than me; it means that I can read "Ford" or > "Peterbilt" in my mirror in nice big letters and that you are three or four > feet away!) you have lost any and all right to be treated as a civilized driver, > as you obviously are not. I will also slow down so that if you do hit me, it > will not be as serious. On the other hand, if you are simply going faster > than I am and don't endanger my life by riding my bumper, I'm more than happy > to move out of the way as soon as it's safe. Before you slow down you should take a peek at the roof of the car to see if it has police lights. One day I was on my way to work an I passed a police car that was just comming out of a driveway. I kept my speed down and my eye on him because he was obviously going to quietly jump speeders from behind. Well, here was this hog going 50 in a 55 mile zone with with nobody in front or next to him, so I slip past him on the right and take a peek in my rear view. Sure enough, the cop pulls up behind him. After about five seconds, the cop flashes his brights on and off a couple of times. I couldn't believe it, the idiot didn't budge! Well ten seconds later, the cop, having had enough, turned on his whole light show and pulled the guy over. This story has two main points. First, it tells me that some road hogs are asleep at the wheel. To be so oblivious to traffic that you don't notice a police car flashing his brights at you means that you are a dangerous driver. This is something tailgaters should consider. The guy in front of you may not know you are there, even though you have used your most obnoxious efforts to get his attention. To be driving behind someone by several inches who is asleep at the wheel is asking for it, because if something should suddenly wake him up.... Second, don't bother teaching him a lesson, he'll get his ticket, or worse. That's really the best advice that has been given here, drive defensively, keep to the right execpt to pass, get out of the way of idiots and at all times stay as alert as you can because the road is littered with ghouls and zombies.