Coping with Aggressive Drivers

[The Annoyed Man]

We plod along in an armed "candy apple red" 2500 Cummins 4x4 Dodge Ram PU with a cabin high camper shell on it. We'll usually be in the outside "old folks" lane unless conditions require a lane change. Everybody please try to miss us and we will try to miss you.

My bad Oldgringo. I guess you mean the right hand lane when you say "outside 'old folks' lane." I misunderstood you.

[Oldgringo]

We plod along in an armed "candy apple red" 2500 Cummins 4x4 Dodge Ram PU with a cabin high camper shell on it. We'll usually be in the outside "old folks" lane unless conditions require a lane change. Everybody please try to miss us and we will try to miss you.

My bad Oldgringo. I guess you mean the right hand lane when you say "outside 'old folks' lane." I misunderstood you.

S'alright. The left or "inside" lanes are the "go fast, important meeting" lanes.

The really, really left lane is the "head-on crash" lane.

[TLynnHughes]

I'm curious as to what makes someone fit in the category of an aggressive drive?

T.

I dunno', what's the difference between someone who lets the door slam in your face as opposed to the one who holds the door open for you. Is it manners and consideration, or is it something deeper in their psyche?

I was really curious. I honestly consider myself to be an aggressive driver, especially for a female. However, I would always hold the door for you, having never slammed a door in anyone's face. As I was reading the comments, I didn't really fit the characteristics, so I just wondered.

No oblivious and distracted drivers...those folks scare the dickens out of me!

T.

[Piney]

I try to drive with this in mind--If I make a move in traffic that causes someone to have to hit their brakes-- its my mistake.

Regarding the OP-- When I am confronted with an agressive driver, I begin to make plans to get out of the area. I'll either move away in another lane and slow down or move, then speed up to get out of their potential "area of distruction".

[Ameer]

So the best, and most polite solution if you find that you are holding up the flow of traffic is to get out of the way.

You're right. That is the polite solution. If you listen to people who block the left lane, most of them know it's rude and it sounds that's why they do it. They enjoy being a bully and not letting anyone past them. It's similar to some punk on the sidewalk who intentionally blocks your way. It's the same antisocial mentality.

[texanron]

Perhaps I should've called this thread "Coping with drivers that tick us off", since some folks are not sure what the definition of an aggressive driver is.
Thanks to y'all who have responded with helpful information about how you handle yourselfves on the roads. I've already put some of it into practice and will be putting more of into play in a few minutes as I make the drive home.

[MadMonkey]

Uncertain if you will find this helpful or not, but it works for me.

I find that when I am listening to head-banging rock and roll music, my driving will be much more aggressive than normal. Conversely, when traffic gets really bad, I can switch over to "elevator" music, and my whole temperament changes.

It really works.

I always catch myself speeding up when I'm listening to heavy metal

Then I switch to Enya and nearly fall asleep... music has a BIG impact.

[terryg]

I always catch myself speeding up when I'm listening to heavy metal

Then I switch to Enya and nearly fall asleep... music has a BIG impact.

Hmm, then I guess we are all better off if you stick to Metallica ...

[rmr1923]

We plod along in an armed "candy apple red" 2500 Cummins 4x4 Dodge Ram PU with a cabin high camper shell on it. We'll usually be in the outside "old folks" lane unless conditions require a lane change. Everybody please try to miss us and we will try to miss you.

My bad Oldgringo. I guess you mean the right hand lane when you say "outside 'old folks' lane." I misunderstood you.

S'alright. The left or "inside" lanes are the "go fast, important meeting" lanes.

The really, really left lane is the "head-on crash" lane.

you know what's funny is that quite often during my commute to and from work, the right lanes actually move faster than the left lanes because all the aggressive/fast drivers immediately flock to the "fast" lanes on the left and they get congested. i just hang out in the right 2 or 3 lanes (Katy Freeway/I-10) and usually cruise right on past them.

when i first moved from Lubbock to Houston i couldn't believe how aggressive the drivers here were. i tended to get worked up and ticked off real easily, now i just take a more relaxed approach because i've realized that i don't save THAT much time by driving 10-15 over the speed limit like most people try to do on I-10, and it's just not worth getting worked up over something that i can avoid. i normally leave 4 or 5 car lengths in front of me to avoid people cutting me off and on those occasions that traffic slows to a crawl i hang back about 100 feet from the car in front of me and just cruise along. i kinda get a kick out of watching all the rat-racers constantly accelerating and them slamming on their brakes because they think they'll get where they're going faster if they tailgate the car in front of them. when traffic speeds back up i usually end up passing those people anyway and get where i'm going just as quickly as they do.

[Commander Cody]

I lived in California for a few years while in the military(60’s). They don’t have a lot of good ideas, but it was illegal to drive in the far left lane unless passing. That I think is a good idea. It keeps people safe.

[Rex B]

I lived in California for a few years while in the military(60’s). They don’t have a lot of good ideas, but it was illegal to drive in the far left lane unless passing. That I think is a good idea. It keeps people safe.

Georgia is the same way. I was impressed how well drivers on their big Loop in Atlanta respected that, and how well the cops enforced it.

[The Annoyed Man]

I lived in California for a few years while in the military(60’s). They don’t have a lot of good ideas, but it was illegal to drive in the far left lane unless passing. That I think is a good idea. It keeps people safe.

I lived there most of my life until I moved to Texas a little over 4 years ago (I'm 58 years old) and that law is either no longer in existence, or it is no longer enforced. I don't know a single person who has ever been ticketed for that, unless perhaps it has happened somewhere way out in the boonies.

[Cobra Medic]

Did you say Atlanta?

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=OoETMCosULQ[/youtube]

[WildBill]

I lived in California for a few years while in the military(60’s). They don’t have a lot of good ideas, but it was illegal to drive in the far left lane unless passing. That I think is a good idea. It keeps people safe.

I lived there most of my life until I moved to Texas a little over 4 years ago (I'm 58 years old) and that law is either no longer in existence, or it is no longer enforced. I don't know a single person who has ever been ticketed for that, unless perhaps it has happened somewhere way out in the boonies.

I don't want to give anyone any bad ideas, but if they enforced it, it would generate more income that red-light cameras. It would also create more traffic jams than they already have.

[ExMarlboroMan]

Did you say Atlanta?

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=OoETMCosULQ[/youtube]

Ha good stuff.


Me and some friends tried doing that same thing back in 2003ish , HPD lit us up, got on the PA and advised us we were impeding traffic and to speed up (we were doing the speed limit!). Needless to say we sped up but HPD still pulled one car over and wrote a ticket for some minor infraction. Too bad we didn't have the idea and means to film that!