Last night we witnessed road idiocy. It was just after darkness fell, two cars were entering the highway, with the first driving a bit slowly. Maybe that was because we were in the right lane and that first car was timing its entry.
I couldn't switch to the left lane because a car was roaring up at high speed, so I slowed down.
The second driver entering lost his patience (I feel confident in using the male pronoun for some reason) and decided to get ahead of the slow-poke. So the second car passed the first before even getting to the end of the entrance lane.
He knew I wasn't a problem as I had slowed down enough to give them room, so he whipped into the left lane going 75 or 80. I imagine he had a triumphant grin on his happy face.
Just then, of course, the car coming up on the left passed me, going about 80. They met, side-by-side, in a sickening crunch. The aggressor whipped right, realizing (too late) his massive error of judgment. He just missed the first car that had been in front of him and headed for the shoulder.
The speeder to my left, with a right side suddenly crunched, veered wildly in front of us and followed the guy onto the shoulder.
Right or wrong, we continued on, leaving them to sort it out (with a police officer eventually, I'm sure). It didn't seem as if anyone had been hurt - just the bodies of two speeding automobiles.
Sorry for the long story, but I'm still upset about it, 12 hours later. Should I have stopped, as a witness to road stupidity?
I'm glad you didn't get involved in that accident. That kind of stuff is scary. Also, that's the type of thing where the driver tries to explain it as a simple mistake that could happen to anybody, and completely fail to take account of his own stupidity and recklessness. I'm not sure about the legal question of whether you had an obligation to stay. As for me, if it's on a highway, I always make sure I'm safe before I do anything else. Being parked on a highway is super dangerous. I suppose you could have called in to make a statement later? I wonder if there are any people who read this newsletter who are in law enforcement? I've talked to one or two over the years who have expressed their dissatisfaction with the things they've seen in our system, so it's possible.
You're right, Walter, we maybe should have called it in. They could've taken our statements over the phone. Or I could just direct them to my lengthy report above.
I don’t think it’s worth worrying about at this point. I think the more important part is to not put yourself in danger. You simply can’t pull over on a highway, it’s way too dangerous.
Was that on I-40? Or 10? Experienced those sorts of shenanigans frequently on I-40 between Kingman and Flagstaff. Hate that stretch of road.
When I was in college, I would drive home every 2-3 weekends, Fort Worth-Houston. Similar incidents. My mother’s brother was a Houston cop. When he heard what I’d been going through, he gave me following advice, which I take to heart to this day.
1) If you’re being tailgated or followed, pull over on the shoulder and let them get far ahead of you.
2) If that doesn’t work, then drive as fast as is safely possible, hoping to fall into a speed trap. Tell the police what’s happening.
3) If you see a sign for a police station, go there!
4) If you’re in a vulnerable situation (woman driving alone) and you see flashing red lights, do not stop. Drive until you see a police station.
5) Pre-cell phones, my dad had a CB radio. He’d always always always call in suspicious activity. Every time I was scared out of my wits on I-40, I called 9-1-1, reported the incident including license plate if possible, and asked the 9-1-1 operator to stay on the phone with me until danger had passed. They *always* did so.
Highway games are so scary! I was an environmental activist working in southeastern Kentucky for almost a decade. I can’t tell you the number of times I was tailgated by coal trucks on those winding mountain roads. They’d know your vehicle somehow. Going uphill was bad enough, but going down, they often couldn’t control their speed very well, and I’d have to speed up dangerously. Or if they tried to pass, they’d take the middle of the road. The unwritten law is basically that they are entitled to the road, and if they run you off it, it must be your fault. I really resonated with your story - I understand that almost paralyzing sense of “What now??”
The scariest thing to me is the car that pulled next to you while you were asleep in a parking lot. Might have been security, checking to make sure you weren't teenagers enjoying some time together.
Reminds me of a movie from the early 70s called Duel, starring Dennis Weaver. He’s on a deserted 2 lane minding his own business, when he comes upon a tanker truck going slower than him, so he passes it. This apparently angers the driver, who stalks him for miles and hours. A good suspense flick.
I'm old enough (78) to remember the movie Duel, and still, to this very day, I think of it whenever some big semi roars up behind my little car on a two-lane rural road. That was one of the scariest films I've ever seen, and it's also one of the scariest real-life situations one can imagine these days. I'm glad that both of you, Walter and Tim, came out of those encounters safe and sound.
I lived in Oklahoma for a few years, ending up driving the interstate to Minnesota. Walter is right .. you feel very vulnerable when these kinds of things happen. With today’s rage being such an issue, it makes me think about every road trip I take.
What happened sounds a bit like the short story "Duel" by Richard Matheson, where a man named Mann ends up playing a game of chicken with a massive truck seemingly with a mind of its own. (It was made into a TV movie directed by Steven Spielberg in the '70s). Let's just say the man gets away with a case of PTSD...
Last night we witnessed road idiocy. It was just after darkness fell, two cars were entering the highway, with the first driving a bit slowly. Maybe that was because we were in the right lane and that first car was timing its entry.
I couldn't switch to the left lane because a car was roaring up at high speed, so I slowed down.
The second driver entering lost his patience (I feel confident in using the male pronoun for some reason) and decided to get ahead of the slow-poke. So the second car passed the first before even getting to the end of the entrance lane.
He knew I wasn't a problem as I had slowed down enough to give them room, so he whipped into the left lane going 75 or 80. I imagine he had a triumphant grin on his happy face.
Just then, of course, the car coming up on the left passed me, going about 80. They met, side-by-side, in a sickening crunch. The aggressor whipped right, realizing (too late) his massive error of judgment. He just missed the first car that had been in front of him and headed for the shoulder.
The speeder to my left, with a right side suddenly crunched, veered wildly in front of us and followed the guy onto the shoulder.
Right or wrong, we continued on, leaving them to sort it out (with a police officer eventually, I'm sure). It didn't seem as if anyone had been hurt - just the bodies of two speeding automobiles.
Sorry for the long story, but I'm still upset about it, 12 hours later. Should I have stopped, as a witness to road stupidity?
I'm glad you didn't get involved in that accident. That kind of stuff is scary. Also, that's the type of thing where the driver tries to explain it as a simple mistake that could happen to anybody, and completely fail to take account of his own stupidity and recklessness. I'm not sure about the legal question of whether you had an obligation to stay. As for me, if it's on a highway, I always make sure I'm safe before I do anything else. Being parked on a highway is super dangerous. I suppose you could have called in to make a statement later? I wonder if there are any people who read this newsletter who are in law enforcement? I've talked to one or two over the years who have expressed their dissatisfaction with the things they've seen in our system, so it's possible.
You're right, Walter, we maybe should have called it in. They could've taken our statements over the phone. Or I could just direct them to my lengthy report above.
I don’t think it’s worth worrying about at this point. I think the more important part is to not put yourself in danger. You simply can’t pull over on a highway, it’s way too dangerous.
Was that on I-40? Or 10? Experienced those sorts of shenanigans frequently on I-40 between Kingman and Flagstaff. Hate that stretch of road.
When I was in college, I would drive home every 2-3 weekends, Fort Worth-Houston. Similar incidents. My mother’s brother was a Houston cop. When he heard what I’d been going through, he gave me following advice, which I take to heart to this day.
1) If you’re being tailgated or followed, pull over on the shoulder and let them get far ahead of you.
2) If that doesn’t work, then drive as fast as is safely possible, hoping to fall into a speed trap. Tell the police what’s happening.
3) If you see a sign for a police station, go there!
4) If you’re in a vulnerable situation (woman driving alone) and you see flashing red lights, do not stop. Drive until you see a police station.
5) Pre-cell phones, my dad had a CB radio. He’d always always always call in suspicious activity. Every time I was scared out of my wits on I-40, I called 9-1-1, reported the incident including license plate if possible, and asked the 9-1-1 operator to stay on the phone with me until danger had passed. They *always* did so.
I think it might have been 10. Your advice is very good, I’ll pass that on to my daughters.
Highway games are so scary! I was an environmental activist working in southeastern Kentucky for almost a decade. I can’t tell you the number of times I was tailgated by coal trucks on those winding mountain roads. They’d know your vehicle somehow. Going uphill was bad enough, but going down, they often couldn’t control their speed very well, and I’d have to speed up dangerously. Or if they tried to pass, they’d take the middle of the road. The unwritten law is basically that they are entitled to the road, and if they run you off it, it must be your fault. I really resonated with your story - I understand that almost paralyzing sense of “What now??”
Scary! Too many dumb and angry people on the road...
And worse... Thanks for the comment!
And flat-out crazy people, too!
Glad things turned out okay for you and your family, Walter. I think you handed it well.
Thanks! I think the scariest part was just not knowing what was going on.
The scariest thing to me is the car that pulled next to you while you were asleep in a parking lot. Might have been security, checking to make sure you weren't teenagers enjoying some time together.
Reminds me of a movie from the early 70s called Duel, starring Dennis Weaver. He’s on a deserted 2 lane minding his own business, when he comes upon a tanker truck going slower than him, so he passes it. This apparently angers the driver, who stalks him for miles and hours. A good suspense flick.
I'm old enough (78) to remember the movie Duel, and still, to this very day, I think of it whenever some big semi roars up behind my little car on a two-lane rural road. That was one of the scariest films I've ever seen, and it's also one of the scariest real-life situations one can imagine these days. I'm glad that both of you, Walter and Tim, came out of those encounters safe and sound.
That sounds insanely stressful.
Yeah, we tried to watch the movie "Breakdown" with Kurt Russell years later and my wife made me turn it off. It stressed her too much.
I lived in Oklahoma for a few years, ending up driving the interstate to Minnesota. Walter is right .. you feel very vulnerable when these kinds of things happen. With today’s rage being such an issue, it makes me think about every road trip I take.
I think I've taken my last road trip with the family. The highways just aren't worth the risk.
But flying can be just as stressful these days. Maybe it's best just to stay close to home!
What happened sounds a bit like the short story "Duel" by Richard Matheson, where a man named Mann ends up playing a game of chicken with a massive truck seemingly with a mind of its own. (It was made into a TV movie directed by Steven Spielberg in the '70s). Let's just say the man gets away with a case of PTSD...
Yeah, that's what it felt like. I remember the film!
Shades of Stephen King's "Christine"! I would have been scared too.