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The proliferation of dash cams will eventually make some cases easier.
People merging at proper speed is also a fun topic. They NEVER do it here. The "Seattle merge" is a Subaru, RX, or Prius entering a 55-60mph traffic stream at 40.
Here in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Axis... some people merge onto the highways at 30 mph.
And those numbnuts get upset if you are far enough behind them to gun the engine and merge onto the highway at 55-60 mph... because you catapult yourself past their car and leave them in the dust before they even parse the concept of merging.
Speed differential drama can be fun. I still remember a dope in a Kia getting upset at me because I was pressuring him (varying following distances, gesturing him to get going) on an on ramp when I was in my old car. As the road widened and I shot past (no mean feat in that car), he started yelling and waving his hands. Note to Kiadiot, if a 50 year old MB is being held up by your mentally defective merging style, you're going too slow. Stick to side roads and let actual motorists be on their way.
For inconsiderates, saw a few today - phone yappers, a woman pull out of a driveway onto a major street where she wanted a left turn lane, but it was full - so she just blocked the road perpendicularly until it cleared. And an M3 that both didn't signal a turn and then floored it once turned. Stereotypes reign supreme.
Also have ran (stop and go) at 3 stuck lights in the past 2 days, and saw someone else (rented Fusion) do the same. Oh those "servants", doing so much for good.
Today, there was a Prius in the passing lane... right next to a semi. Both going 50 mph. On a road posted at 65mph.
I was behind the Prius and could see that the lady driving was constantly glancing over at the semi, terrified of it. Yet she would not pass. I even flashed my lights to signal that she ought to *PASS* in the passing lane. Twice.
Only when I laid onto my horn did she accelerate, complete the pass, and get over.
D@#n left-lane campers.
Good drivers all but none were timid about flooring their cabs or cutting into holes in traffic.
I did notice that most of them camped out in the left lanes most of the time.
On I5 in Seattle, saw a woman in an old Town Car going maybe 75 in a 55-60 flow, weaving around, no signals of course, with a bumper sticker that read something like "Feminism means women are people too" or some such PC nonsense. Then at a random moment, she almost literally gets out of her seat and starts rummaging around in the car, while flying down the road. She was weaving all over, and I thought/hoped might lose it. She eventually got into the far right lane and slowed down :confuse:
Then came the LLCs. A number of them - most memorable was a smug greybeard in a first gen Prius going maybe 50 in a 60, left lane, while enjoying his mug of coffee, cars flying past on the right, not a care in the world.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
I passed on the right about a hundred times yesterday.
By the time he finished the merge there were 15 cars stacked up behind him, at the time, traffic was light and when the ramp started we were the ONLY car behind them.
Also saw a kid in a late model Maserati coupe weaving around without signals and going a bit faster than the traffic flow - time to start taxing trust funds at 98%.
That'l never happen & it shouldn't. It's not a sin to be "with money" and how it is obtained is of no concern to others. Be happy for those who are enriched by whatever means. Thankfully, all of us have the equal chance to become well to do. Choices and decisions determine our future.
I see you graduated from strawman university.
Actually, how money is obtained is of concern to everyone, especially in this age of sinister investor visas and crooked FIRE industry types who are doing their darndest to derail the present and stunt the future in the name of unsustainable immediate gains for a few. The gaping socio-economic chasm speaks volumes. Please study history to see how it always ends.
Where and to who you are born determines more than anything, and please don't forget it It worked that way back in the less competitive days (these people are often LLCs) that enabled some experienced people who couldn't hack it today to succeed, and it works that way now.
Time to start taxing it at 98%, time for wealth based traffic fines (if fines are supposed to be a deterrent, this cannot be debated), time to start questioning those who are afraid to have information known.
While we're at it, let's start taxing people based on the cars they drive. For example, each luxury car like a Mercedes gets taxed $10,000 a year. Someone with a Kia... they get a rebate.
Luxury car? You mean a diesel sedan with a vinyl interior? :shades:
And there was actually a luxury tax on higher end cars, killed off during the previous economic experiment. Now, lessees can deduct their payments as a "business expense" (ha), in our endless blind hope for things to trickle down. I wonder how many BMWs I see flitting around without turn signals are accounted for that way.
In the same vein, I confess to finding it very hard to watch someone thoroughly incompetent driving a $150,000 sports car like it was a bread truck.
So really it's not the 'thing' with me, it's how they use it that brings out my judgmental tendencies.
Which is good I think for anyone who is not perfect to keep in mind.
I find it fascinating how some here can judge someone regarding their use of money because they happen to observe them driving for a few seconds. Hard to know "the full story" in that case, no?
Personally I have a hard time relating to someone driving a $150,000 anything, let alone driving it like a bread truck. But then, they don't point fingers at me regarding how I spend my money, nor should they--especially not based on watching me drive down the road for a few seconds.
Actually, on this board, it MIGHT be of concern only if the one involved was an inconsiderate driver. But, how would one know the details about that driver?
I have always felt that morons behind the wheel will eventually punish themselves--they don't need me. I'm just enjoying the show in the background.
Sure you, and others, are. At least be honest about it.
Stick to the speed limit.
Meaning other, less stupid people, earn a living thanks to that moron.
As for the poor driving of an uber-exotic by a rich moron... well, he'll soon be buying a new uber-exotic (after wrecking the old one). Which means that the workers of the auto company get paid.
Educated guesses, my friend
I could be wrong, but chances are, I'm not.
On the thread topic, I drove back and forth to my grandma's today (detailed her car, see, I am nice :shades: ) and traffic was amazingly awesome and well behaved. No LLCs, no crawlers, no weavers, no obvious yappers, just flowing traffic. I even saw a BMW use its turn signal! (but then got behind one that didn't)
But drive a white Maserati like a [non-permissible content removed], and people will see it, and make educated guesses. I find it fascinating how some people keep their head in the sand about the relationship between smoke and fire. I hope that doesn't make me intolerant. Oh, bleeding hearts, what would we do without you.
Oh, pretty sure it does. Call it an "educated guess." :shades: Or if not intolerant, likely one or more of these, related to intolerant per Webster's:
uncompromising, unforgiving, unyielding; complaining, fussing, griping, grumbling, kvetching, protesting, squawking, whining
Kind of like when say "aww nice" when I see a dopey move on the road.
I don't wish these morons ill. I'm only pointing out that they are thoroughly incompetent when piloting 2 tons of steel hurtling at 75 mph down the same road I'm on.
I feel I have a right to voice my objection. :P
If you saw, say, a WELDER who was welding a full gas tank, you'd "judge" him---STOP YOU IDIOT!
How about this one, not from the Bible: "Intolerant is as intolerant does, sir."
There is a difference between observing what happens right in front of you, and reporting on that, and making assumptions (and judgements) about the person's intelligence, income, where they got their money, etc. etc. etc.
That is all. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
You know those higway signs that say "report drunk drivers"? it's like that with me.
When I observe, and judge, bad driving on the highway I am undertaking an act of self-preservation. I don't feel I have to apologize for it.
for all I know, the person I observed grinding the front air dam on a Maserati to bits in a parking lot, might have stolen it.
In any event, it bears watching. My observing kicks in first, the judging is slightly afterwards.
What is not the point of the discussion is [non-permissible content removed]-uming and judging things that have absolutely nothing to do with observed driving behavior.
You make an excellent point: "for all I know...". Yes. Exactly. We DON'T know.
Why can't we focus on the inconsiderate driving and how much we detest it, not how much we detest certain types of people, based on how much money they have or other things that have nothing to do with driving?
If I, living in an affluent part of California, merely ENVIED every $100,000++ car I saw on the road, I'd have no life.
but when that $100,000 car (or house, or piece of artwork) is being ruined, wrecked or abused, it's really hard to blithely ignore these acts of carnage.
Especially if you LOVE cars in the first place. It might not be quite as difficult to restrain judgement as say it would be for a dog lover to watch a dog being whipped, but sometimes with me it's close! :P
Just skip the posts you don't like instead of trying to dictate discussion, nobody has a right to not be offended.
Time to start taxing trust funds at 98% and giving wealth-based traffic fines (like in some real developed nations) as real deterrents to douchebaggery. Keep right except to pass.
The egalitarian might say "well he has as much right to be on the road as YOU, mr. fancy-pants Mini Cooper owner"
Well yes and no. He has the right to drive a safe, clean-burning car in a competent manner, as much as I do.
Does the Harley rider have the "right" to create so much noise as to break your front window when he drives past?
I don't think so.
That wins the Red Herring of the Month Award!
Such a Harley is clearly in violation of noise ordinances... unless your municipality doesn't have them, then I feel sorry for you. No one has the "right" to break the law... including speed laws, no-turn-on-red laws, pollution and safety laws (for the beater bellowing smoke and dragging a muffler). People who choose to break the law need to be ready to accept the consequences of their decision.
But let's talk about what a despicable person that Harley rider is, in fact, how despicable all the low-lifes who ride motorcycles are. We all know every single one is a no-brain, no-class idiot with no consideration for anyone else. They should all be forced to pay a $50,000 per year tax for disturbing our peace and quiet with their obnoxious bikes.
"Just my opinion" of course... but I'm most likely correct about it.
Marketing is "judgement" too.
you do not have a right to be offensive.
When questioning unearned wealth in this age of so many financial crimes becomes offensive...something is broken.
Loud smoke belching small man syndrome diesel pickups annoy me even more than weekend rebel Harley riders (who around here are casualties as much as typically idiotic kids on sportbikes). However, no laws exist to do anything about it, and there's no way any will be passed. Wouldn't be "business friendly" or some such nonsense.
Oh yeah,speaking of Harleys, the other day I saw a stereotype with loud pipes, tin can helmet, smoking a cigar (!) while "riding" his 1200lb hog. I almost laughed out loud.
And to point to a previous sad distraction, I also don't know of many Harley riders who are irresponsible overgrown teenagers living off daddy's money like so many of the local young supercar set. The should-be-taxed-to-death trust fund set usually lacks the wherewithal to operate a motorcycle to begin with. Harley riders are easier to stereotype - usually an aging boomer who is still reliving Easy Rider :shades:
Later, I am in the middle lane, going ~70 in a 70, Prius exits on the right - then at the last second veers back onto the highway, crossing over the gore point for a long time. He then goes slow and vanishes. But maybe 20 minutes later, the limit is 60, and he passes me on the left, going at least 75 - and he was the sole occupant in a carpool lane.
Third irritant was an older woman in a garish pearl white Escalade flicking her cigarette out the window. Just right for dry summer conditions. Drove for ~140 miles, didn't see a single cop, so that's nice.
Staters on motorcycles = common in this weather.
In Bellevue, the city PD speedtraps are also easy to find, just look for a long downhill or straight stretch with an underposted limit. I did see COB motorcycles hiding out on a sidewalk downtown a couple weeks ago, but I think they were FINALLY doing crosswalk duty (after many complaints) rather than speedtrapping, as you can't go 10 over when the car in front of you is going 9mph.
As soon as all speed limits are set to the 85th percentile or higher, then that recommendation can become a valid one.
Stick to setting the speed limits correctly!
If you really want the traffic fines to be about deterring people, then yes, they need to be wealth-based amounts, and more important, the funds must not go to the courts, officers, agencies, stations, and other corrupt peddlers that are involved in the enforcement of the traffic laws. The money should go to rebuilding our crumbling roads, which by the way, reduce safety by lowering the G capabilities of cars and increasing braking distances in an emergency.
Funny to think that 50 years ago, my grandfather was able to cruise down the same interstates as me, at roughly the same speeds, but in a car with much less safety engineering and handling ability - and it was just fine.
We can't let facts from scientists and engineers get in the way of low speed limits.
I asked in the comments if the new lower 25 MPH speed limit was obeyed, and someone still got run over and died, would 15 MPH be next? I never got an answer. Why can't people understand speed has nothing to do with most deaths? I can kill you just fine running over you with a Hummer H1 even at 5 MPH.
I've always theorized random speed limit changes (when a 40 changes to a 30 for no apparent reason - many of these in my area) are because an old mayor's niece's dog got hit by a car there in 1973, and the supposed authorities overreacted. Either that, or it is a simple revenue generator with no story behind it. There are a few notorious camera "cities" (sprawly strip mall burbs, in reality) in my area, I avoid them, but not because of their safety masquerade, but because they offer nothing in virtually every other way as well.