My Poor Trac

[John Mastrocco]

Krash,



I hope your name isn't prophetic.

 

[Travis Munday]

His name is historic if anything, Rocco, lol.

 

[Kerry Matthews]

Rocco,



How do you think I got it? I'm usually the last registered owner a vehicle ever sees... My driving makes a lot of people uncomfortable, but those that have driven with me for years will tell you that they feel quite comfortable with me behind the wheel at speed. I've avoided many a mistake by other drivers that most people wouldn't have. And I'm not fazed by being called an 'idiot' by someone else, because usually they are the 'slow' drivers... I've been called a lot worse. Oh well... As George Carlin said... "Anyone going slower than you is a moron, and anyone going faster than you is an idiot!" or visa versa... Such is the case here.



And yes, the new Mustang is hot! I want one, but I don't think I can afford the gas for the V8! It could cut down the hour & 35 minute commute time between downtown Sac and the Keys!!

 

[David B]

If I come up behind you, flash my lights, point to you go get out of the way, and you're still there, I'm gonna come up on your bumper.

You really don't want to take it to your last step if you're ever driving in Georgia Krash. The flashing of the lights is fine and so long as you only do it once it's usually considerd a polite request for them to get over and they will probably comply unless they have a reason not to. If you get too impatient here and start riding someone's bumper, there are plenty of folks that might take strong offence to that and, to quote a brother, "put a cap in you're ass". It definitely can and has happened here for less than that and I suspect the same is true in other parts of the country too. I'm not saying it's right mind you, that's just the way it is.



Be careful and polite out there!

 

[Kerry Matthews]

That's why I said that.... Usually flashing my high beams works, but there are those that ignore it. The rock incident is an example... Guy was doing 65 in the left lane. I flashed my lights, he sped up... no problem. Then he went back to 65. Soon, I'm on his bumper again. Repeat above episode... 3rd time, I go to pass on the right. The passenger leans out and yells, "What's your problem?" I reply "Your driver! Tell him to get out of the left lane or speed up!" They threw a rock at my truck. That was the day I decided to get a cell phone. I'm sure that one day it will be some derelict with a gun... Not a problem, I've had a good life.



Scott, you left out the most important part of that quote... "in the LEFT lane"

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Roccos says: >> In short, is there really a good solution to the bozos that tailgate on purpose?



Solutions:



- If you are in the left lane, safely move to the right.



- If you are already in the right lane, put on your hazards, but maintain your current speed.



Seems like the best solutions to me.



TJR

 

[Thomas Rogers]

TomT says:

Rocco why is it so hard for you to understand that drivers traveling slow in fast moving traffic is dangerous? I'm not talking about a person driving slow on a side street but someone driving 50 when all the traffic around them is going 65 or 70.

After 26 years of making accidents on Houston freeways I can give you hundreds of examples of why this practice is extremely dangerous.

Actually, TomT assuming the speed limit on such roads is 55 or 65, and the speed minimum is probably 40 or 45, you can't blame the SLOW drivers...as they are not breaking the law.



The situation is made dangerous by all the speeders.



The speeders that shake their fists and blow by "granny" who is doing 50 in a 55 are the problem. Labeling the minority that is not breaking the law as the "dangerous" element is the problem.



Cops need to enforce the laws, or change the laws. Make such roads 75MPH with 60MPH minimums IF THAT IS WHAT through lax enforcement the "crowd mentality" has gravitated towards.



It is the fault of the people that break the laws and those that police them.



TJR

 

[Thomas Rogers]

TomT says:

I know the law says if you run into someone from behind then you are held at fault but sometimes the person in front can be at fault also. The one accident I have had in my ST involved rear ending a lady in an explorer. We were both stopped waiting to turn right onto a very busy one way feeder. She started out and then halfway out into the feeder she abruptly stopped. Because my focus was on the fast moving oncoming vehicles I took my eyes off her and started out also

Forget the law...common sense says that it is always the fault of the person who hits the other person in the rear. Your story is no exception. It was your fault.



I rear-ended someone in a similar manner 15 years ago. No real damage. It was my fault.



You NEVER tightly follow someone into an intersection or a merge lane, especially if opposing traffic is tight. You can't count on what the person might do, and then you are f'd with no options if they leave you stuck in "no man's land"...the same goes for left hand turns on a stale green, etc. It is this impatients that causes many accidents. Take a deep breath, wait for your turn to assess oncoming traffic once all those in front of you have moved on and you are next in line.



TJR

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Krash, reading your posts, all I can say is:



- Your handle fits.

- You are NOT the center of the universe.

- You need to grow up.



Sorry if you take any offense to any of it, but frankly, you are going to kill someone and its time for an intervention.



TJR

 

[Dreman]

I agree that speeding is epidemic, and that the speeders outnumber those driving the speed limit. When I grew up, the speed limit on most major highways was 70mph or so. Just before I started driving, the national 55mph speed limit was imposed. I can't think of a single person that abided by it, not even my grandmother. Respect for speed limits (whatever respect there was) totally disappeared, and it became the national pasttime to exceed the speed limit. Most people I knew used the speed limit as a minimum! When the 55 was repealed, the respect was already gone. Even though the speed people drove didn't increase much right away, I think the average speed has been creeping up as people became accustomed to the new speeds and settled back into their old habits of "10 over is ok".



Odd thing is though, when the 55 was repealed the actual number of accidents per driven mile went DOWN, not up. Those few who were driving the limit joined the rest of society, and the speed differences went down.



I tried driving at exactly the speed limit for a year or two, back when the 55 was still in effect, and it's a scary place to be. EVERYONE passes you! It's at it's worst in construction zones where the posted limit may be 35, and everyone is driving 60 or more. It's easier to drive the limit now, but most people still speed. And working in road construction like I do now, I know that construction zones are still the worst.

 

[Kerry Matthews]

I'm glad y'all like my driving style! Comes from learning to drive in a big truck & a go kart.

Be happy you don't live near me!



And yes, the name fits. It has been given to me more than once in different locations for wrecking things, so I kept it...



Never thought I was the center of any universe, just a lowly peon in this one. Most of y'all would say that your god is the center of your universe, and I wouldn't want to displace him.



And I turn another year older this week, but I refuse to grow up. Why? Grown ups never have any fun!



I too started driving when the speed limit was 70. I feel better that they put it back to 65 from that ridiculous 55 mph. Now I'm only 10 -15 mph over the limit, instead of 15 -20 mph.



I love driving... It's the other people on the road I can't stand.

And with that, I'm audi on this conversation. Y'all stay safe out there!

 

[John Mastrocco]

Roccos says: >> In short, is there really a good solution to the bozos that tailgate on purpose?



Solutions:



- If you are in the left lane, safely move to the right.



- If you are already in the right lane, put on your hazards, but maintain your current speed.



Seems like the best solutions to me.



TJR

I agree 100% with the first. In fact, I'll go one step further and reiterate that if you aren't passing you have no business being in the left lane on a highway.



I disagree 100% with the second one - IMO it will do absolutely no good against an intentional tailgater. They will just continue to tailgate you. I might try it sometime, but I seriously doubt it will make a difference.

 

[Gavin Allan]

Left lane is for passing only. If someone comes up from behind, move your freakin' ass over and let them pass.



I flash my lights at these idiots too. Sometimes they give me the finger and stay in the left lane, driving 10 mph less than the speed limit.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

There is nothing else you can do in that situation Rocco, at least your hazards will signal to the guy that "hey, I see you riding my ass, I probably have a reason for being in front of you and not wanting to drive like a bat out of hell or move to the left so you can pass me illegally, and maybe, just maybe, you are NOT the center of the universe and you should get over yourself!"



TJR

 

[Kerry Matthews]

Talking about those fools that go 45 on the 2 lane section of Hwy 50 after Riverton? Then they go 65 in the passing lanes, only to slow back down to 45 once the passing lane ends? And make ME go 80 to get by them? Once again, it's why I drive that road at night. I can go from downtown Sac to the Tahoe (or visa versa) with my cruise control on the entire time! No slow people in the way... I can do that entire section 5 mph over the posted 55, with the exception of a couple of sharper curves. (45 mph) Hour & 35 minutes, door to door, and I do that at least once a week!

 

[Kerry Matthews]

40? Hah! I had one the other night doing less than 35 mph! From Nebraska, of all places... And turnout??? What's that??? And they wonder why I tell them that they're #1 when I go past.... (Which I might add is another great feature of the ST... You can put the back window down so that the person behind you can SEE you flippin' them off!)

 

[John Mastrocco]

When someone flips me off I smile and wave at them...



:lol:



And, TJ, I agree with your last post 100% as well.

 

[Travis Munday]

Scott-

I think most tourists think those turnouts are so you can pull over and take pictures...lol.

 

[Dreman]

They aren't?

 

[Kerry Matthews]

No, they are for the people that have '5 or more cars behind them MUST use the turnout'. But do they??? NOOOOOOOO.