| Morning Drive Excitement |
by carthax |
2005-08-09 06:46:49 |
Okay, so on the west side of Knoxville (near the West Town Mall area, for those familiar) is a 3 mile long interstate construction zone. The speed limit through the area is 45mph. The speed limit on the rest of the interstate through Knoxville is 55mph. No one drives anywhere near that, of course. I drive 65 in the 55 zones and 55 in the 45 zones, and I'm the slow driver.
Driving into work this morning, I got to the construction zone and slowed to 55. Most vehicles ran right up on my bumper then passed either to left or right (three-lanes each direction). This one particular semi, however, couldn't move over. He was no more than 6 feet (approx 2 meters) off my back bumper. I tapped my brakes quickly three times, just enough to make my brakelights come on and slow me down about 3 miles per hour. Man, this guy laid on his horn the rest of the time he was behind me (about 1/2 mile). At his first opportunity, he jumped out to my right to pass me. He wasn't halfway past me before he started pulling back over into my lane. Then when he was fully in front of me, he slammed on his brakes. I zipped past him on the right, cursing and yelling at him (both our windows were open). Then he followed me for the next mile or so, obviously trying to hit me. I was out of the construction zone at this point, doing about 75 mph, and doing my damndest to avoid being crushed when I passed the cop. In the brief moment that I passed him, he looked at me, then looked at the truck behind me. And he did nothing.
I exited I-40 onto I-640, and the truck kept following, though he had to slow down for the off-ramp. I managed to lose him in traffic.
So here I am at work, still shaking. :-( |
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[ Reply ] |
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That's rough, and can be scary. | by rook_mtl | 2005-08-09 06:56:54 |
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Heh - similar story here. | by theanomaly | 2005-08-09 07:13:38 |
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Been there, in a 1988 Yugo. | by wwill | 2005-08-09 06:59:22 |
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Hmm ever thought of getting a GEO engine | by laserman | 2005-08-09 07:18:38 |
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I'm short a machine shop | by wwill | 2005-08-09 07:28:38 |
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'88 Yugo? You must be in pretty good shape | by dire_lobo | 2005-08-09 07:34:42 |
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Getting over cardboard visors? | by wwill | 2005-08-09 08:04:27 |
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That sucks! But you did nothing wrong. | by abaron | 2005-08-09 07:07:40 |
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Did you notice the name of the company | by peired | 2005-08-09 07:15:34 |
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Yes, do that. | by staticsan | 2005-08-09 16:31:03 |
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Next time I'll have a camera... | by carthax | 2005-08-09 07:16:20 |
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Better to use a digital tape recorder. | by kahuana | 2005-08-09 17:31:29 |
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Well, maybe not "tape" per-se, | by kahuana | 2005-08-09 17:33:15 |
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Yuck. | by Illiad | 2005-08-09 07:36:32 |
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The mini ones are surprisingly heavy too. | by esbita | 2005-08-09 07:50:46 |
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Just dont get out of your car. | by McGowan | 2005-08-09 07:58:42 |
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But of course. | by esbita | 2005-08-09 08:07:32 |
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wait a minute | by astro-g | 2005-08-09 08:58:12 |
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Ahh poop. Ya got me. | by McGowan | 2005-08-09 19:08:23 |
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I have a extendable baton in my truck. Officially | by techi870 | 2005-08-09 08:08:03 |
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I don't carry that in my truck. | by Illiad | 2005-08-09 10:11:29 |
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Get the padded sleeve for it | by wwill | 2005-08-09 12:56:33 |
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yep. 4 D cell. They used to call 'um | by dire_lobo | 2005-08-09 08:24:45 |
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TechisSO calls them Welderwhackers. (n/t) | by techi870 | 2005-08-09 08:41:12 |
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I have an almost identical story, except that | by adiplomat | 2005-08-09 08:21:40 |
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hahahahahahahahahaha | by carthax | 2005-08-09 08:28:25 |
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My thoughts: | by ChuckAB | 2005-08-09 08:29:47 |
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You almost sound like you're justifying | by adiplomat | 2005-08-09 08:39:04 |
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Justify? No - Don't escalate the situation. | by ChuckAB | 2005-08-09 08:52:23 |
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I'd rather have him wreck behind me than in front | by carthax | 2005-08-09 08:56:56 |
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Given that he isn't going to stop quickly... | by AndyA | 2005-08-09 09:14:14 |
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The traffic comes through there at 75 anyway... | by carthax | 2005-08-09 09:54:50 |
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Hmmmmm then expect a few more of these occurences. | by DevinUll | 2005-08-09 17:35:17 |
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Flashing the brakelights only tells them, | by fudje | 2005-08-09 08:43:55 |
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In moving traffic situations brakelights mean: | by ChuckAB | 2005-08-09 09:24:15 |
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Isn't it illegal to stop on the interstate... | by esbita | 2005-08-09 08:53:17 |
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whoops. | by esbita | 2005-08-09 08:54:46 |
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One does NOT pull over and stop to let said | by ChuckAB | 2005-08-09 09:30:10 |
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And if you're already on the right? | by esbita | 2005-08-09 10:11:48 |
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Well, then you're stuck with ... | by ChuckAB | 2005-08-09 11:36:22 |
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One quick note: He was empty. | by carthax | 2005-08-09 08:55:54 |
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No. | by AndyA | 2005-08-09 09:22:31 |
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Agreed - and in the state of Illinois, | by ChuckAB | 2005-08-09 09:41:23 |
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Same in the UK. | by AndyA | 2005-08-09 09:48:23 |
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Not in a packed interstate... | by carthax | 2005-08-09 09:52:50 |
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The safest speed to be driving | by AndyA | 2005-08-09 10:07:23 |
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This is why small cars are bad. | by EvilLionsPhil | 2005-08-09 12:27:46 |
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SUV's are NOT safer... | by polaryzed | 2005-08-11 12:22:17 |
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Similar story here | by DevinUll | 2005-08-09 17:25:10 |
