| bar10dah |
05-07-2012 04:48 PM |
But see, it's not about letting folks pass. It's not about driving Miss Daisy. It's really not even about driving a Porsche (I didn't pronounce the e, <<ducking from thrown objects!>>). It's about other drivers, who are in their little boxes, closed off to the outside world, and not thinking anywhere past the confines if their own vehicles. Sort of like the internet. There's quite a bit of rudeness, harshness, etc because of that whole anonymity thing of being on one side of a computer screen, sequestered away from the rest of the “people” out there in internet land. Same holds true for the open road. Drivers are driving around, not having a care in the world, tucked away in the safety of their cars. Wrapped up in talking on cellphones, texting, watching movies on their hacked navigation screens, maybe even playing Halo with their wired in gaming systems. What am I saying, cars now come with their own WiFi access points, he’s doing Halo wirelessly! Heck, I don’t know. With modern mods, maybe some dude is toasting his Eggos as he’s awaiting his Keruig to finish brewing another mug while he’s driving. All I’m saying is modern drivers are do distracted. Add to that the fact that drivers, just as internet surfers, are a little more bold and a lot less courteous… Well…
Case in point, just because I see it a lot, and it happens no matter what I'm driving. You're traveling down the interstate, three lanes in your direction. You're in the center lane. 65 MPH speedlimit, and you've got the cruise set at 70 MPH. No one else near you! In your rearview, you spot a car coming up behind you, in the center lane also. This is what typically happens:
A) The other driver, about to catch up, makes an appropriate lane change to the left lane, SEVERAL car lengths away, passes you on the left, and after SEVERAL car lengths past you, change lanes back to center. Ideal. Happens maybe 5% of the time. Really... that's it. Signals are nice, but with that much distance between the cars, signals are really irrelevant. I'm just appreciative of the extra space between the cars the other driver created.
B) The other driver waits until they're about ONE car length behind you, then suddenly changes lanes to the left, with what appears to be a narrow miss to your rear end. They fly by you, SOMETIMES WHILE STILL IN YOUR LANE OR RIDING THE LINE! Then just as they pass you, without giving an adequate and safe distance, change lanes right in front of you. So close, that you cover your brake, ready to slow down if needed. Or even worse, I've seen this many times too, they get in front of you, then slow down. I mean, WTF?! Then, just as they realize their speed had decayed, they lay on the accelerator once again, and take off as if nothing happened. Not a care in the world, as if they're the only vehicle on the road. Happens maybe 62% of the time.
C) The other driver comes up on you with what appears to be a 10-15 MPH closing speed. They get right on your rear end and drastically slow down to match your speed, all the while "drafting" you. Then, they stay there. Right there. Sometimes for 10 seconds, sometimes for minutes. Mind you, you're the only two vehicles within any appreciable distance! But yet, they ride your tail. They ride your tail as if you're driving 25 in a 55, it's the only lane, and it's a no passing zone. Then, when they finally had enough, they pass you like in B above. Mostly in the left lane. But sometimes in the right. They pass you at what appears to be WOT. As if they've got to make up for the lost time they spent behind you because YOU were holding them up. This happens about 33% of the time.
Of course, just my opinion. My statistics are all made up, based on my personal and unscientific experiences.
However, I will say I do feel some of you are primed to certain outcomes. Meaning, now that you own a Boxster, you feel like you see a ton more Porsches out there on the roads now. Especially first time Porsche owners. The acutal numbers may not have changed. But, you're looking for them more now. So, you're primed to think there are more of them now. So, since you're driving your Boxster, you're more adept to key in on folks violating your no-fly zone around your cars. That "dude" that tailgated you, may be typical. You may have gotten tailgated just the same as before. But since that dude is now around your baby...
Again, just opinion. So please, no need to defend yourselves. Just an observation of mine. I tell ya, I've seen a lot of stupidity on the road. I used to drive for a living and would put over 100K miles on a car in a given year. Lots of time behind a wheel equals lots of observations. And, it didn't matter what I was driving. Jetta, Galaxie, Accord, Econoline, Sonoma, Fleetwood, Towncar, Odyssey, Boxster, and motorcycles from scooters to huge touring bikes... East coast, Pacific Coast, midwest, north, south... it's always the same.
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