traffic policing hypothetical - what would you do

[52-80 19209]

Gridlock on the interstate.  You're in the rightmost lane, 2 miles from any exit. 

 

There's a car from behind moving up along the shoulder.  What would you do - block it or just ignore?

 

IME, there's a 10% chance its actually heading for the exit - benefiting everyone. There's a 90% chance it will merge back into the lane some 50 yard later, thereby shortcutting and infringing directly on you and everyone else behind.

 

Would you take the chance and block it?  Would everyone else look at you like an asshole?  Would you risk a collision or incident?

[texasjacket 289]

So what did you do? Sounds like you are looking for justification for a being a jerk.

Edited February 12, 2020 by texasjacket
spelling

[52-80 19209]

1 hour ago, texasjacket said:

So what did you do? Sounds like you are looking for justification for a being a jerk.

I posted on surlyhorns to fish for snark

[Iceman 2724]

Leave it the fuck alone and let them pass at their own peril.

Might be an emergency on board.  Might be someone who will end up shooting me.  I'll just stay the fuck in my lane for now...

Now if it's one of those doucher motorcycle dudes weaving in and out of the cars, then by all means, close ranks.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Iceman

[Born Burnt 6182]

I'd just sit back and enjoy the BJ I'm gettin' from the 10 I picked up at the Surly happy hour.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Born Burnt

[Scheiss Meister 8408]

I would flag him down and ask if he had any Grey Poupon.

[SquishMitten 10422]

I’d say your percentages are way off. I’m sure it happens and I just don’t notice, but those people are almost always exiting.

But since you’re asking the question, I assume they were just trying to jump the line? Whether you let them pass or if you were a dick, you would’ve seen if they exited.

Either way, you should let them pass. Even if they plan to merge back in, you gain almost nothing by blocking them, and you are a complete asshole if they’re actually just trying to exit.

[52-80 19209]

16 minutes ago, SquishMitten said:

I’d say your percentages are way off. I’m sure it happens and I just don’t notice, but those people are almost always exiting.

But since you’re asking the question, I assume they were just trying to jump the line? Whether you let them pass or if you were a dick, you would’ve seen if they exited.

Either way, you should let them pass. Even if they plan to merge back in, you gain almost nothing by blocking them, and you are a complete asshole if they’re actually just trying to exit.

At the location where it's consistently jammed, theres no preceding freeway entries where the stray cars were victim of inability to merge.

 

Seent it with my own eyes, maybe atleast 80% are just cutters.  Most are recent model luxury cars.  Go figure.

 

Funny seeing sometimes the 18 wheelers block them though

 

[BrazilHorn 6624]

Just ask yourself if it is worth being shot over. If the answer is yes, then obstruct away.

[BonzoMontreaux 1061]

4 hours ago, Iceman said:

Leave it the fuck alone and let them pass at their own peril.

Might be an emergency on board.  Might be someone who will end up shooting me.  I'll just stay the fuck in my lane for now...

Now if it's one of those doucher motorcycle dudes weaving in and out of the cars, then by all means, close ranks.

When my daughter(no pics) was having my 2nd granddaughter (no pics) she was going into labor as my son-in-law (no-pics) was weaving in and out of traffic and riding down the shoulder of North Bound Mopac during rush hour.  Dang near had the kid in the car.  So, these days I tend to give folks a benefit of a doubt if they happen to be cruising on the shoulder.

[52-80 19209]

44 minutes ago, BonzoMontreaux said:

When my daughter(no pics) was having my 2nd granddaughter (no pics) she was going into labor as my son-in-law (no-pics) was weaving in and out of traffic and riding down the shoulder of North Bound Mopac during rush hour.  Dang near had the kid in the car.  So, these days I tend to give folks a benefit of a doubt if they happen to be cruising on the shoulder.

No pics no proof

 

[LonghornJones 837]

Be a man and block him. Who does he think he is? 

[Marfa Low Crown 2547]

5 hours ago, Iceman said:

Might be an emergency on board.  Might be someone who will end up shooting me.  I'll just stay the fuck in my lane for now...

All of this. Even though I think we all want to at times, it's none of our jobs to be traffic vigilantes. If they're an asshole driver cutting in front of others
that's how they go through life and they'll get what's coming to them soon enough. Be it in the form of an at-fault accident or a cop that sees them, they'll
get what's coming. The longer I've lived the  more selfish, violent, and entitled I've seen people become. You don't need a gun pulled on you for something
stupid like this.

I remember having a yield sign to exiting interstate traffic one time and as I stopped to allow them to pass the asshole behind me layed on his horn and eventually passed
me on the right shoulder, narrowly scraping the car. There were a few of us in the car and It took EVERYTHING I had to not follow that prick to the stoplight so we could all
drag his ass out but it's just not worth it.  

[crash_davis 23114]

People are assholes. And then sometimes people have emergencies.

You're not in charge of policing either. Assholes are gonna asshole. If it was an emergency, then hope they get to their destination safely and quickly.

I used to get riled up about shit like that, but then I was always pissed off. It has no bearing on my life. If they cut in front of someone up the line, then no biggie. I get to my destination 5 seconds slower. However, if they were to try to merge in front of me, yea, then fuck them. It's game on.

[elfenix 34331]

almost certainly an asshole, small chance of actual emergency.  much greater chance they have a firearm in the car. 

[Helobious 9464]

Why would you even thinking about blocking it? Who gives a shit if he cuts later on. It’s 1 car of difference. Not worth getting murdered over.

[luke duke 6413]

There are a surprising number of pussies on this thread.

[Your Mom 4829]

My second son was nearly born in the front seat of my truck. I drove miles of the Mopac shoulder in rushhour trying to get to Seton and debating about just pulling over, calling 911, and taking our chances delivering it right there in the truck versus pressing on. 

I pressed on, cautiously drove the shoulder, ran a couple of red lights when it was clear and got to the hospital. He popped out 6 minutes after we pulled up and that’s only because it took that long for the on-call doc to get there.  Truck was still running at the ER entrance. 

You just don’t know what others are dealing with. Even if 99% of them are just being assholes it’s not worth fucking over the one person who may be in an emergency. 

[Iceman 2724]

4 minutes ago, luke duke said:

There are a surprising number of pussies on this thread.

Pussy's what I'm trying to get home to.

Don't really give a fuck/ feel slighted  because someone else is going all 'jackwagon'

[Your Mom 4829]

3 hours ago, BonzoMontreaux said:

When my daughter(no pics) was having my 2nd granddaughter (no pics) she was going into labor as my son-in-law (no-pics) was weaving in and out of traffic and riding down the shoulder of North Bound Mopac during rush hour.  Dang near had the kid in the car.  So, these days I tend to give folks a benefit of a doubt if they happen to be cruising on the shoulder.

Ex Dad-in-law??

[Gunsup 56]

Since  this came up, what about a two lanes that merge into one towards an intersection.  You have a long line of people who stay in the left hand lane, and two or three assholes that will stay in the right hand lane until the very end and then butt in to the front of the line.  I will always block them because they are just assholes. 

[futureman 22513]

31 minutes ago, Helobious said:

Why would you even thinking about blocking it? Who gives a shit if he cuts later on. It’s 1 car of difference. Not worth getting murdered over.

you're right, it certainly isn't, but that's what that motherfucker gets for driving down the shoulder and thinking he's above the rest of us.

[elfenix 34331]

2 minutes ago, Gunsup said:

Since  this came up, what about a two lanes that merge into one towards an intersection.  You have a long line of people who stay in the left hand lane, and two or three assholes that will stay in the right hand lane until the very end and then butt in to the front of the line.  I will always block them because they are just assholes. 

no, you're the asshole. 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21913]

4 minutes ago, Gunsup said:

Since  this came up, what about a two lanes that merge into one towards an intersection.  You have a long line of people who stay in the left hand lane, and two or three assholes that will stay in the right hand lane until the very end and then butt in to the front of the line.  I will always block them because they are just assholes. 

If everyone would stay in their lane and then merge using the zipper method traffic would move much smoother.  However, people are too stupid to realize this and people like you would just fuck it up any way.

[gsoda3 3276]

was headed from austin to dallas on 35 about 15 years ago.  we were just south of temple and traffic was pretty free flowing but it was right around 5pm so it was starting to get crowded.  in my rearview mirror i see a white truck weaving in and out of lanes at a high rate of speed, flashing their headlights at cars, and when it got closer i could hear it honking.  i'm still pretty hotheaded now but back then i was magnitudes worse.  as he bore down on me (i think he was probably going 80ish, everyone was about 50) i started to cut him off and planned on staying in front him for as long as i could but then in the mirror i saw it was a woman driving the car and there was a male passenger in the front seat holding a little boy about 6 years old with his head hung all the way back looking unconscious.  i hope that kid was ok.  but to this day everytime i see a car in a hurry i think about that.  

[crash_davis 23114]

17 minutes ago, luke duke said:

There are a surprising number of pussies on this thread.

if by pussies you mean level headed mature people who don't easily get triggered by the daily doings of assholes which have no detriment to your way of life, then yea i agree with you.

[futureman 22513]

29 minutes ago, elfenix said:

no, you're the asshole. 

bingo.  both lanes should always be used, if they are both intended for entry onto the highway.  people are idiots.

now, the cunts who will pull into the exit lane, drive past 60 cars, then re-merge into traffic, those people should be shot dead.

[Armybrat 40858]

WTF are you doing on I-35 anyway?

[B00M 6433]

Buddy of mine faced this scenario on I-35 in northbound rush hour traffic. He was leaving a few-car gap in front of him: a trivial thing that made the guy behind him surly. After tail gating for a while, he makes his move to pass on the shoulder. Buddy played traffic cop so well that he got rear ended. Other guy took the worst of it grinding the barrier too. Turned out their was no emergency, the asshole was just in a bad mood from driving all day. Buddy opted not to submit the dash cam footage to insurance. 

[crash_davis 23114]

2 minutes ago, B00M said:

Buddy of mine faced this scenario on I-35 in northbound rush hour traffic. He was leaving a few-car gap in front of him: a trivial thing that made the guy behind him surly. After tail gating for a while, he makes his move to pass on the shoulder. Buddy played traffic cop so well that he got rear ended. Other guy took the worst of it grinding the barrier too. Turned out their was no emergency, the asshole was just in a bad mood from driving all day. Buddy opted not to submit the dash cam footage to insurance. 

Was he leaving a wide gap so that cars were constantly changing into the lane in front of him. If that were the case, then yea it can make everyone behind him ragey as fuck. 

[landman 559]

Seems 95% of the people on this thread like to pass and cut the line...

[futureman 22513]

36 minutes ago, B00M said:

Buddy of mine faced this scenario on I-35 in northbound rush hour traffic. He was leaving a few-car gap in front of him: a trivial thing that made the guy behind him surly. After tail gating for a while, he makes his move to pass on the shoulder.

Buddy played traffic cop so well that he got rear ended.

Other guy took the worst of it grinding the barrier too. Turned out their was no emergency, the asshole was just in a bad mood from driving all day.

Buddy opted not to submit the dash cam footage to insurance. 

huh?

[Underdog 28755]

2 hours ago, Gunsup said:

Since  this came up, what about a two lanes that merge into one towards an intersection.  You have a long line of people who stay in the left hand lane, and two or three assholes that will stay in the right hand lane until the very end and then butt in to the front of the line.  I will always block them because they are just assholes. 

More than likely you're right about them being an asshole but I usually will give someone the benefit of doubt.  I just love the asswipe behind them who thinks they can sneak in ahead of me also...  no, no, motherfucker, pray the car behind me will let you in.  

37 minutes ago, landman said:

Seems 95% of the people on this thread like to pass and cut the line...

Only at Franklin BBQ and...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Austin Mom's house. 

[B00M 6433]

40 minutes ago, futureman said:

huh?

This was in the far right lane. Asshole caught passenger-side rear bumper and highway barrier... Buddy chose not to submit dash cam because brake-checking then swerving to block the asshole probably would've left them sharing percentages of fault. 

[CycleTex87 2979]

csb/ Buddy of mine was driving his Tahoe down the Katy Freeway in Houston years ago.  Heavy traffic, stop & go, etc.  Guy behind him obviously impatient, waving his arms and tailgating.  My buddy had to stop suddenly, guy behind runs into the back of the Tahoe, where the trailer hitch went right through his radiator, but the Tahoe bumper itself was undamaged.  Impatient guy's radiator is quickly draining it's lifeblood onto the inside lane of the freeway.  My buddy gets out, surveys the scene, looks at the guy, and says "sorry chief, looks like you're having a shitty day", got back in his Tahoe and left the scene. /csb

[BonzoMontreaux 1061]

3 hours ago, Your Mom said:

Ex Dad-in-law??

Not yet.  

[Your Mom 4829]

4 hours ago, Gunsup said:

Since  this came up, what about a two lanes that merge into one towards an intersection.  You have a long line of people who stay in the left hand lane, and two or three assholes that will stay in the right hand lane until the very end and then butt in to the front of the line.  I will always block them because they are just assholes. 

Totally different than shoulder driving. That’s a legit lane. Why would you not use it to its fullest potential?  If they wanted you to merge earlier they would have painted the lane to end earlier. If everybody merged early it would only make the whole line longer. 

[Underdog 28755]

2 hours ago, CycleTex87 said:

csb/ Buddy of mine was driving his Tahoe down the Katy Freeway in Houston years ago.  Heavy traffic, stop & go, etc.  Guy behind him obviously impatient, waving his arms and tailgating.  My buddy had to stop suddenly, guy behind runs into the back of the Tahoe, where the trailer hitch went right through his radiator, but the Tahoe bumper itself was undamaged.  Impatient guy's radiator is quickly draining it's lifeblood onto the inside lane of the freeway.  My buddy gets out, surveys the scene, looks at the guy, and says "sorry chief, looks like you're having a shitty day", got back in his Tahoe and left the scene. /csb

Hey...  you scratched my trailer hitch! 

[Pato del Muerto 52539]

I had this situation arise during hurricane Rita evacuation (clusterfuck grade A).  I let them pass. I figured they’d just go into the grass and around me anyway. 
 

HOWEVER, I used to take mopac home and the number of people I saw daily that would jump into the many exit only lanes as soon as the on-ramp created them only to force their way back in at the next exit from 45th to downtown was maddening. 

[blacklab 11941]

Was leaving Tx-Ou game and was in parking lot waiting to get out. I was going strait and a jackass wearing an ou shirt in a brand new F150 was turning right and was trying to get in front of me. I was keeping a few inches from the car ahead of me. The car in front moved a few feet and we both moved at the same time. I rammed him with my grill guard putting a nice dent in  just behind the headlight and he kept moving so it made a pretty good scratch all the way to the door. He took off. Got home and I couldn't even find a scratch on the grill guard. 

[tx ind 7013]

5 minutes ago, blacklab said:

Was leaving Tx-Ou game and was in parking lot waiting to get out. I was going strait and a jackass wearing an ou shirt in a brand new F150 was turning right and was trying to get in front of me. I was keeping a few inches from the car ahead of me. The car in front moved a few feet and we both moved at the same time. I rammed him with my grill guard putting a nice dent in  just behind the headlight and he kept moving so it made a pretty good scratch all the way to the door. He took off. Got home and I couldn't even find a scratch on the grill guard. 

Edited February 13, 2020 by tx ind

[TexasMan 10947]

You were going to Gibraltar? 

[Fudge Nuggets 19209]

Only losers sit in their lane and don’t cut in line.

[Helobious 9464]

7 hours ago, Gunsup said:

Since  this came up, what about a two lanes that merge into one towards an intersection.  You have a long line of people who stay in the left hand lane, and two or three assholes that will stay in the right hand lane until the very end and then butt in to the front of the line.  I will always block them because they are just assholes. 

That’s not the same thing at all. It’s a legit lane that should by used. I’m the guy in the open lane, flying past all the idiotic beta sheep that formed a line and traffic jam for no reason. The zipper method works more effectively by far. 
 

I’ve got it down to a science. Long lines of cars like that move like an accordion, crunching & expanding. Don’t be the stupid jackass trying to merge between stopped cars. Always try to merge at an expansion point, where cars are moving. That’s where gaps open up. If you see a car ahead of you merge into the line, always try and merge in front of that car. I can’t think of one time in my life they haven’t let me in. It’s a psychological thing, they’re more than likely going to understand what you’re going through by trying to merge. They also just barely joined the line so they haven’t developed the “us vs them” mentality yet. 

[futureman 22513]

1 hour ago, Helobious said:

They also just barely joined the line so they haven’t developed the “us vs them” mentality yet. 

Lol.  I don’t know why but this got me. 

[Quagmire 2147]

Sure zipper merge is more efficient if everyone does the right thing, but that rarely happens . Either people don’t let anyone in or 5 cars in. Also the mergers are usually impatient and don’t wait their turn and go 3 cars at a time.

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

People that drive consistently on the shoulder will eventually get a nail or other shit on the tire.  Their time saved evens out.  Plus all these impatient insufferable assholes have high blood pressure, and will probably due at 55 from a heart attack. 

[wd40 1976]

9 hours ago, blacklab said:

Was leaving Tx-Ou game and was in parking lot waiting to get out. I was going strait and a jackass wearing an ou shirt in a brand new F150 was turning right and was trying to get in front of me. I was keeping a few inches from the car ahead of me. The car in front moved a few feet and we both moved at the same time. I rammed him with my grill guard putting a nice dent in  just behind the headlight and he kept moving so it made a pretty good scratch all the way to the door. He took off. Got home and I couldn't even find a scratch on the grill guard. 

[Paco 1934]

People that drive consistently on the shoulder will eventually get a nail or other shit on the tire.  Their time saved evens out.  Plus all these impatient insufferable assholes have high blood pressure, and will probably due at 55 from a heart attack. 

It's also annoying when you get a cyclist stuck in your grill guard.

[Lat22 4015]

16 hours ago, B00M said:

He was leaving a few-car gap in front of him: a trivial thing that made the guy behind him surly.

That drives me nuts.  The OPs scenario doesn't.