Dale wrote:Well, just tonight, I had an object lesson on this discussion. I was driving home on a winding, hilly road. A two-lane. The posted speed limit is 25. I was going, I confess, 30 I should think. A guy comes up on my tail. What to do?. I did what I usually do: I gradually slowed to drive the speed limit. He came up closer until he saw I wasn't going to be BULLIED INTO DRIVING FASTER THAN THE SPEED LIMIT and he backed off. Almost without exception, that's the response I get.
I could have pulled over to let him pass, and I respect that advice. It wouldn't have been easy--there's no shoulder and I would have had to go off on a side street or into someone's driveway. But, here's my thing. It's HIS problem if he's aggravated by my driving a mere 5 mph over the speed limit (and then the speed limit). Where's the fire? Why should I be bullied into driving faster than I want (and faster than is legal) or into pulling off on a side street or someone's driveway?
I guess we've beaten this one to death.
So....
.....if you were doing 30 and the limit is 25, by slowing down arent you bullying the other driver into doing the speed limit?
And isn't it YOUR problem if you're aggravated by his driving a mere 5 miles and hour more than you were? It's only 5 more than you were exceeding the limit by.
I mean, hell, if you're going to break the law (which, as disclaimer, I don't advise or condone
) why not go for the gold, eh?
Sorry, I'm just messin' with ya.
Just an observation on the discussion...Everyone has their policies regarding how they deal with tailgaters, and interestingly enough they all believe their policy is the best regardless of whether their personal policy puts themselves and others in danger or not. For twenty years my father was the district safety manager for UPS. Part of his responsililty was to investigate accidents involving package cars. This was where I first got a summarial education in accident investigation. Later, I had to take two traffic investigation classes at the Academy for my degree. Many the cases I've seen where people have been rear ended by tailgaters actually brought their accident upon themselves in one way or another (like the ones who slam their brakes on tailgaters. They're the ones that seem to be the most surprised at how much damage, financially and physically, can never be undone after an accident). Sure, the law in 99.9% of all places states that the person doing the rear-ending is at fault, but no matter what the final outcome, you'll never be restored 100% to your original station. Sure, you may have your car repaired, but you better believe that your insurance (and the other driver's insurance) will report your car as wrecked to CARFAX and other reporting agencies, so you better not be planning to sell it or trade it for much. Maybe the insurance company will total your car and pay you out. Most of the time, the best you can hope to get from them, even with an attorney working for you, is a low blue book value, which, as most people as familiar with the current car market will tell you, will usually not come close to replacing you car. In many places if you have an expensive stereo system or other modifications done to the car, you can't collect them from the car after the insurance declares the vehicle totaled because they are considered part of the damaged vehicle, regardless of what their true dollar value is.
It's so important to many drivers to appear un-bullyable on the road, and the way people drive nowadays, I can't blame them, but is one's bulletproof image worth allowing a hazardous driver access to your car' 'and your family's immediate space? In Dale's case, the driver may not have done much damage had an accident occured (umm, well, idunno, you still drivin that Echo dale?), so I can't fault him for slowing down to a speed where, if an accident did occur, there would be minimal damage (then again, the Echo may have been turned into an Oreo cookie, for all I know about how they fair in accidents. I don't think they get up to a fast enough speed to do much damage anyways
), but you's guys who play those games on the freeway...take heed. It may make you feel like a big, tough speednazi, but think about the hazardous situation you place youself into. Frankly, a rear-end accident is something that I'd really, really like not to happen to me again, cause it hurts gorramit!! And it's expensive, gorramit!!
gorramit!
bah, humbug,,,,
“First lesson: money is not wealth; Second lesson: experiences are more valuable than possessions; Third lesson: by the time you arrive at your goal it’s never what you imagined it would be so learn to enjoy the process” - unknown
No more pulp for you, sir. 
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