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Tom and Patty · 02-20-2008, 08:58 PM

We had a hair raising incident this last weekend on the road.

We were on the freeway in the left lane keeping with the flow of traffic (65-70) going around some trucks in the right lane. When the right lane cleared I signaled to move over. As I was looking in the right side mirror, I saw a pick up truck moving over with me...I had room to spare. He was coming up fast and I thought he was trying to get the exit. It looked like he took the exit, but he took to the shoulder of the freeway and passed me

. Yup, he passed us on the shoulder. He got in front of us and slammed on his brakes

(we are in the right lane..#2). I nailed the brakes, he let up a bit as we were gaining on him, and then he hit the brakes again

. I reached for our flashers as I nailed the brakes harder. We got slowed down to about 25mph. My heart was pounding and I'm not proud of some of the words I uttered

.

Now looking back I wondered what I did to make him so mad. We didn't stay in the fast lane too long. We were running with the flow of traffic...not holding him up. Maybe, when I signaled for my lane change, started moving over, saw him move over with me, I should have moved back to the fast lane?

I don't know, but I'm still mad. He endangered himself, my wife and me, and numerous passengers in vehicles behind us.

Tom and Patty · 02-20-2008, 08:58 PM

We had a hair raising incident this last weekend on the road.

We were on the freeway in the left lane keeping with the flow of traffic (65-70) going around some trucks in the right lane. When the right lane cleared I signaled to move over. As I was looking in the right side mirror, I saw a pick up truck moving over with me...I had room to spare. He was coming up fast and I thought he was trying to get the exit. It looked like he took the exit, but he took to the shoulder of the freeway and passed me

. Yup, he passed us on the shoulder. He got in front of us and slammed on his brakes

(we are in the right lane..#2). I nailed the brakes, he let up a bit as we were gaining on him, and then he hit the brakes again

. I reached for our flashers as I nailed the brakes harder. We got slowed down to about 25mph. My heart was pounding and I'm not proud of some of the words I uttered

.

Now looking back I wondered what I did to make him so mad. We didn't stay in the fast lane too long. We were running with the flow of traffic...not holding him up. Maybe, when I signaled for my lane change, started moving over, saw him move over with me, I should have moved back to the fast lane?

I don't know, but I'm still mad. He endangered himself, my wife and me, and numerous passengers in vehicles behind us.

amy5708 · 02-20-2008, 11:38 PM

I'm glad to hear you're okay. That's the most important thing!

Sounds like that other guy was just a jerk: maybe a case of road rage directed at a hapless driver?

I think anyone that has RV'd for a while has had their share of near misses. Traveling through Maine near Portland a while back, DH would always travel in the slow lane with the truck and fiver. A lady merged onto the interstate right in front of us going about 10 mph slower. I swear we were one inch of her bumper at one point. I wonder if she knew how she almost got run over?!

Now we never travel the right lane when in city traffic with lots of entrance ramps. You just can't predict how the other drivers behave...

TXiceman · 02-21-2008, 02:51 AM

Seems like I know spend 80% of my time driving for the other drivers (or avoiding them) and about 20% driving for myself. You really wonder what is going on (or not going on) in the mind of most drivers.

Just pay close attention and stay safe.

Ken

SeeTheUSA · 02-21-2008, 02:55 AM

Hmmm - I'm thinking this guy in the pickup gets around! Seems I may have encountered him in Texas about a week ago . . .

Glad you're safe.

Two Bit · 02-21-2008, 04:47 AM

Similar incident happened to us one time while pulling our fiver. Guy pulls up along side and showed me his finger. I held up my badge and a handheld radio. For some reason he took the next exit.

Tom N · 02-21-2008, 06:03 AM

My guess is he thought you cut him off. You may have but who knows.

This is why I almost always stay in the right lane. If I come upon a slower vehicle I think about the gas I'm saving driving slower. Contenting with merging vehicles is not a problem for me.

And I often pick up an RV or two that will follow me for miles. I'll guess many RVers get intimated by fast traffic and are happy when they come upon an RV that is traveling 5 mph slower that the speed limit in the far right lane.

-Tom

doc · 02-21-2008, 06:56 AM

Sounds like he started to change lanes about the same time you did and thought you did it to cut him off. We have a 4 lane near Atlanta call Ga 316. It has lights and intersections and is very dangerous. The drivers that use this lane figure they have to turn left in 20-30 miles and ought to drive in the left lane, no matter if they are the slowest vehicle on the road. Numerous times I have had to pull to the right to pass, only to have the vehicle in front of me do the same thing at the same time. I chaulk it up to another day in metro-Atlanta traffic.

Tom and Patty · 02-21-2008, 09:43 AM

He may have been going to pass me on the right. I had my right signal on as I cleared traffic on the right. When it was safe to do so I started the lane change. I was able to see him so he was more in the right lane than I was. Still it wasn't a cut-off. But the big lunbering MH driver obviously po'd him.

I do wonder if he gave thought to the outcome of a 28Klb vehicle hitting 5K pick up from the rear.

Good thing I was in a good mood

.

georgetown350 · 02-21-2008, 11:52 AM

Best thing to do in that kind of situation is get the guys plate number and call 911. He gets pulled over somewhere down the road and you drive by with a satisfied grin on your face.

Steve

RedneckExpress · 02-21-2008, 03:39 PM

There is a insurance scam that does that. Was the car easily marked and readable, license plate wise?

What they do is scout for High dollar vehicles, like big motorhomes, Trailers and what not then, get in front of them and slam on the brakes, get rear ended just enough to do some damage to their vehicle then take off. They usually have others with them that will alter get doctors letters to indicate that they recieved massive whiplash injuries and try to get as much money as possible out of your insurance.

The fact that he let off his brakes and moved forwards some would indicate to me that he was part of this type of scam.

WA4SLC · 02-21-2008, 05:30 PM

Something simular happened to me a couple of years ago. We were on our way home from Raleigh NC on a devided highway. We were in the right lane going 65 mph. I saw a suv on the on ramp and looked in my mirror to see if I could pull over to let him on the highway. There was a car right next to our TT so I just stayed in my lane. The next thing I knew he was on the shoulder next to me on the right. He had to slam on brakes to miss a sign. He then went around us on the left and got in front of us and slamed on brakes. He messed with us for a while. I started to stop and let him go on, but he started to stop also so I just went on. He finaly went on his way. It was very unnerving and I thought of things that I should have done later, but at the time I was just trying to keep my truck and TT under control.

Bill

TXiceman · 02-21-2008, 05:48 PM

I had a clown with a road rage problem up in Oklahoma. I called the police with my cell and they managed to intercept the clown and had a long talk with him.

So if someone is giving you problems on the road....do not be afraid to call 911 and tell them the fellow is threating you and you need police assistance.

ken

Ray,IN · 02-21-2008, 07:27 PM

Sadly this is not uncommon these days. It seems like most folks are quite impatient when everything is not their way. I've experienced autos trying to pass me on the right when I'm straddling the lane marker lines, trying to move to the right lane. Could it be another sign of the "me" generation?
The longer I'm around people the better I like horses.