Wow, almost got nailed this morning by a guy who pulled out of a side street.

I remember in my BMW that others tended to assume that you'd drive aggressively, so they would too. Seems even worse in the XF.

Others notice this too? {Out here in "fly-over country" people tend to be fairly courteous drivers, usually/normally}

 

I've lived in Michigan, Indiana, Texas and now California. At one point I had an industrial sales job and covered 5 states by car - usually putting around 60,000 miles on the company cars I had back then. I've driven a hell of a lot over the years and seen all kinds of drivers.

People in California are generally totally oblivious to the world around them. Their cars are like little cocoons that envelope them and seal them off from the rest of the world. Tailgating is rampant out here - it is common to see a full size SUV riding less than 20 feet of the back bumper of a small car, sports car, Euro sedan (any of which will easily out brake the SUV) while cruising along at 70+mph. At times it downright scary, even when I'm NOT the one being tailgated. Just seeing this stuff go on around me gives me pause at times.

I don't think any aggressive driving is necessarily aimed at a particular make or model of vehicle, I just think that most people don't pay attentiion, are oblivious to the world around them, don't really know how to handle a car, don't understand the concept of "etiquette", and don't look any further ahead than the bumper of the car in front of them.

 

Mike's right on. I put on 20-30k a year, a lot of highway, and I can't believe some of these a$$holes passed a license exam...ever. They drive in the left lane, are clueless as to what a turn signal is, and jam your rear bumper at 70-80 mph even if you have no place to move out of their way. I was almost broadsided by an sob in Detroit who was too busy talking on his cell to bother looking to the right before he changed lanes. The nice thing about a XF is that you can outrun them and get to an area of road with no one around you. Stoplights seem optional or at least subject to the NJ 3-second rule ("you have up to 3 seconds after the light turns red to get through it"). PS - I still have a lot of respect for OTR truckers -- they still know how to drive and I can't understand how they keep their sanity with all the stupid stunts pulled by car operators. Want to talk about idiots who flick their cigarette butts out the window just as you pass with your roadster top down?

 

I'm getting so I hate cell phones.
Last week I was sitting at a light. It turned green and I started to go when I looked up and saw a Mustang doing 60, driver talking on the cell phone and hadn't noitced that his light had turned red 5 seconds ago. I waited and he blew past.

Last month my friend's daughter was T-boned by a lady with 3 kids in her minivan who blew through a red light while talking on her cell phone. She had to be air-vacked to a trauma center and spent 5 days in intensive care.

It's getting very scary out there.

 

And that's exactly why my 1977 Goldwing has been parked in the back of my garage for the past 3 years. I rode a CB450 from NY to Guadalajara Mexico 33 years ago and was never scared, but going to the grocery store is frightening now.

 

Last week I was delibertly forced into another lane, almost into another car by a driver in an SUV.
He was in the slow (right) lane. My exit was coming up and I had to get in that lane.When I went to pass him he sped up and started to come into my lane, forcing me into a slower driving car in front of me. As I kept pushing on my horn he looked over and laughed. I realized he was going to continue until he hit me unless I moved. I had no choice but to miss my exit and go into the next lane. I had to brake at high speed to avoid hitting the slow car in front. MY CF fish tailed wildly but because of the excellent traction control did not flip over. I know the traction control saved my life and other drivers on I-95 to DC. He took off going around 95 mph and disappeared before I could get his license. Road rage is very real. There are people who don't care about your life or other drivers. This guy must have no control in his life. In his f****d up mental stage he is out to show other drivers he can't be pushed around.

 

Yes even out here in rural woods the highway can be scary.

Driver in a pick-up truck hanging out in the left lane. Speed Limit = 70, Driver wobbling between 60-70 with trailer trucks in right lane going slower and causing back ups and lots of mayhem.

Gentle flick of lights - no response. Left turn signal - what was I thinking? The driver has probably never been to Germany and has no idea. I am 2 seconds back ("safe" following distance) and the guy stabs the brakes. It was almost comic because he was so far ahead and I was paying attention.

I just slipped to the right lane and squirted past. I think it's over and discover that NOW the pick-up driver wants to go faster than me and has planted on my bumper.

So I just move over and let him go by. He resumes vacillating between 60-70...clogging traffic again.

Next chance I had I just passed him and became a dot on the distant horizon... He made a half-hearted attempt to pace me as I passed but it was a lame futile attempt.

Always pays to stay back 2-seconds.

 

I could get a PHD in traffic psychology if I were so inclined. I usually don't drive erratic except to get away from idiots that got their licenses from K-Mart. But to see some of the mental midgets in MD and surrounding area try to drive is like watching the part in Jumanji where the monkeys stole the cops motorcycle!