Road Rager or Easy Rider

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
Location
USA
Do you get road rage in traffic, and become angry/frustrated with others on the road? Or, are you one that could have an "Easy Does It" bumper sticker? :drive:
 

I only get annoyed at other drivers if they get irate with me, ie, when passing a shopping centre entrance if there is someone wanting to enter into the traffic I'll stop and let them in but invariably the driver behind me will toot or hand signal that I'm an idiot which only makes me let another car in front if one is waiting, I'm evil :mad:
 
Back when I was still driving (I've given it up for Lent), at one point I took a job as a mechanic for the local U-Haul business. Part of my job involved picking-up and returning trucks to several different U-Haul locations in the state, so half of the time I was driving something that I knew was in good working order, because I had fixed it - but the other half of the time it was sheer terror.

I drove a lot of trucks that would have been impounded by the State Police had they ever stopped me - poor brakes, dead trannies, leaking more fluids than a 13-year-old boy watching his first porn movie. Snow, rain, high winds, all the time those 24- and 26-foot boxes (sometimes pulling a 6x12 utility trailer themselves) were bouncing over the roads of PA, terrorizing decent citizens and jeopardizing my life.

It was fun.

But yeah, people would see me furiously downshifting as I came up to a sharp curve on a mountain road and they'd insist on tailgating me. Even when I drove my own vehicles they'd tailgate - I must have a very attractive backside, because I was already doing over the limit and there was an open left lane for them to use.

I still say there should be an intelligence and reflex test for drivers.
 
The boat-towing finds me pretty mellow, after all, I'm going fishing! But other than that I should not be allowed on the road - I am very impatient. Here I am in my 70th year and I'm still that way. Lordy, I try to chill out, but you know how old habits are. But even so, I have a clean driving record with not so much as a parking ticket.

I learned that impatience when driving big rigs. Even though I usually was paid by the hour, I was always in a hurry. I wanted to make money for the boss. I should have gotten over those bad habits by now; I haven't driven big rigs since about 1980.

My personal best (worst?) record was being flipped off by five people in one day! Now that's a noteworthy accomplishment even on the crazy freeways of the SF Bay Area, where I often pulled doubles with liquid in them and no baffles. They can be a handful.

I was so bad that on occasion I'd get into confrontations with other drivers. These days I realize that's pretty sick, but that's just how it was. One incident found me in the back of a police car in South SF while they sorted out the details of some fool who intentionally forced me to stop - then he took off. I followed him through the industrial park and when he parked at his place of work I caught him and gave him a free "driving lesson". Fortunately, the cops declared it mutual combat, and let us go. That was as close to being arrested as I ever came.

Please don't hate me for being stupid. I'm not that bad anymore...

A couple of tips for you four wheelers: Don't loiter along the side of a big rig as you cruise down the highway. Pass, follow, or get the heck out of the way. If that big truck had to suddenly change lanes for some reason, you'd be a sandwich. And don't pass a truck, then pull in front of him and unnecessarily slow down and force him to slow down. That happens all the time and it is infuriating! Don't feel you have to pass that truck if you don't pay attention to your speed - maybe learn to use the cruise control!

Enough of this... I might get kicked off the forum!

My "big rig" nowadays on a launch ramp of the California Delta:

2012-11-9-Itascawithboat_zps65571312.jpg
 
Sweet! That looks a lot like the boat Bogey used in Key Largo (except of course there's no below-decks cabin) ... do you ever give Edward G. Robinson a ride? :cool:
 
Hello, what was that you said? I was checking out SifuPhils backside..... NICE, back to the question, No, I'm the one with the "Easy Going" bumper sticker for sure. Life is way too short to be in a hurry and stressed. I will on occasion, stab someone in the eye with a plastic spoon as I scream "Douchbag" at them in the parking lot !
 
FishWisher, love your rig, although a bit too big for me. :) Most we'll have is our kevlar canoe on top of our pop-up truck camper. I'm a mellow driver usually. Even when I was working, if the weather was bad or roads icy, I'd give myself plenty of time to get to work, usually arrived early.

There have been a few times over the years, lol, when someone caused me to...shall we say, flip the ol' bird? :p Like on the highway coming home from work, I saw break lights ahead and knew there was a slow down ahead...so, I started to drive slower than the speed limit. WHell, this gal behind me started flashing her lights, and riding my bumper. I was in the middle lane, and she passed me in the far left lane, screaming what seemed to be curse words and waving her head at me. :rolleyes: So...I gave her the one finger salute, with the extra screwzoid :playful:. Well, she ended up right in front of me at a full stop on the three lane highway. I did use my hand gestures to tell her, 'well, go ahead!!'...'hurry up and go there girl!'. Needless to say, she stopped looking in her rear view mirror, and we both proceeded when traffic allowed. :drive:
 
Eating Takes Priority

Yesterday, I'm driving down a 3 lane street, with a 40mph speed limit, I'm in the right lane, going 35-40. I see up ahead of me, there's a really slow moving car, going maybe 20-25mph, no flasher on...so I look to the middle lane for an opening and move over.

When I pass this person, I look over to see if they're texting or on a cell phone...nope. This woman, is leaning over her steering wheel, which has a big ice cream sundae balanced on the top of it, and she's scooping it into her mouth with a long handled pink spoon.

After I pass, I get in front of her in the right lane, and notice that she just turned on her emergency flashers. Didn't know folks were using flashers for feed-assists. :rolleyes: She would've been better off just eating the sundae in the fast food parking lot, and then driving normally on the road, same minutes saved.
 
Does that make her a Sundae Driver? :p

My lady-friend and I drove down to Key West from New York one time and we took my convertible Corvette. Somewhere in the long stretch of I-95 through Georgia she became amorous and began expressing her affection in a manner which is usually considered unsafe at any speed.

Well, of course, we were so "in the moment" that I didn't even see the truckers surrounding us until they began blowing their air-horns in applause. Which wouldn't have been so bad, but the same truckers were at the next rest stop when we pulled in. :eek:
 
SifuPhil said:
Does that make her a Sundae Driver? :p

My lady-friend and I drove down to Key West from New York one time and we took my convertible Corvette. Somewhere in the long stretch of I-95 through Georgia she became amorous and began expressing her affection in a manner which is usually considered unsafe at any speed.

Well, of course, we were so "in the moment" that I didn't even see the truckers surrounding us until they began blowing their air-horns in applause. Which wouldn't have been so bad, but the same truckers were at the next rest stop when we pulled in. :eek:
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:lol: Yes, that would make her a sundae driver! :D Ahhh...good memories there Sifu! :cool:
 
SeaBreeze said:
... Ahhh...good memories there Sifu! :cool:
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They are, but I have the feeling that if I were still driving now I would consider a spilled cup of hot coffee in my lap a major thrill. :p

I've found through extensive field research that certain makes and models of cars lend themselves far more easily to VCPs (Vehicular Carnal Pursuits) than others. The aforementioned 'Vette was great - comfortable leather bucket seats with swing-up arm-rests, a padded console cover between the front seats, etc.


-'74 Dodge Dart - great! Especially with the front bench seat - they had tons of room up front.

-'90 Cadillac Sedan de Ville - both front and rear seating areas are large enough for multiple partners. Front-wheel drive means no transmission hump between seats.

-'76 Triumph TR-6 (English 2-seater sports car) - avoid at all costs! Extensive corrective surgery may be required.

-'71 Lancia Beta (Italian 4-seater sports car) - like most things Italian, looks sexy but leaves a lot to be desired in the performance department.

-'92 Gladiator Conversion Van - the best! If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand.

-'78 Kawasaki KZ-1000 - only if you're suicidal.


Watch for my upcoming book - SifuPhil's Guide to Motorway Mojo. :eek:nthego:
 
I've been watching the dog and cat getting frisky the last week or so - I guess it's rubbing off on me.

I promise from now on I'll just talk about metaphysics, the Chinese economy and the air speed of swallows.


... he said "swallows" ... :playful:
 
SifuPhil said:
I've been watching the dog and cat getting frisky the last week or so - I guess it's rubbing off on me.

I promise from now on I'll just talk about metaphysics, the Chinese economy and the air speed of swallows.


... he said "swallows" ... :playful:
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...always lovin' your sense of humor Phil, and like your user title too! :D :D
 

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