Brake checking - why?

[HeatXfer]

Sometime last year I was on 880WB about a mile from the 980 split when Mr. Thuglife in a late model Charger Hellcat threaded the needle in front of me in fairly heavy traffic. It was so close at first I thought he clipped me. I didn't have time to think about anything but not getting hit. After he shot in front of me I flashed my hi-beams a few times to express my displeasure and the SOB did a 4-wheel lock-up about 2 car lengths in front of me and it was all I could do to keep from hitting him. I thought for sure I was going to get plowed from the rear: I couldn't swerve or leave the lane because of the surrounding traffic. It was full-on panic braking and I felt like I came to within inches of smacking him.

That was a full-commitment brake check. Just about crapped my drawers.

 

[72SBC]

Thuglife LOL

 

[MotoCat]

Sometime last year I was on 880WB about a mile from the 980 split when Mr. Thuglife in a late model Charger Hellcat threaded the needle in front of me in fairly heavy traffic. It was so close at first I thought he clipped me. I didn't have time to think about anything but not getting hit. After he shot in front of me I flashed my hi-beams a few times to express my displeasure and the SOB did a 4-wheel lock-up about 2 car lengths in front of me and it was all I could do to keep from hitting him. I thought for sure I was going to get plowed from the rear: I couldn't swerve or leave the lane because of the surrounding traffic. It was full-on panic braking and I felt like I came to within inches of smacking him.

That was a full-commitment brake check. Just about crapped my drawers.

Another thing I don’t get: when the aggressor gets offended if the other driver responds angrily. So in your example he (the aggressor) pulls a dangerous move, you flash your hi-beams and he responds with another dangerous move. WTF

 

[nakedape]

As I said, I've a very courteous driver, I extend all courtesies to other drivers and expect them to not be assholes to me.

Same, as the kids say. It's not rocket science.

 

[250mL]

I've been changing lanes and gauging speeds for over 40 years across many states. Only in CA do I encounter what I've described, even Masshole drivers on the turnpike don't do that. Also, as I approached the vehicle in front of me I increased my speed to match that of the faster lane so that I'd merge into the gap with plenty of space for the vehicle behind.

As I said, I've a very courteous driver, I extend all courtesies to other drivers and expect them to not be assholes to me.

This shit is getting comical.

Now the story changes, you did not increase your speed to match, you said you were within 5MPH of the next lane. So back to the real physical world: You understand that when you initially had ideas of changing lanes, you (benefit of the doubt, mashed the pedal) increased your speed 5MPH in 3 seconds, to only get within the 5MPH of the fast lane...this means at the initial idea of changing lanes, you were ~10 MPH slower than the fast lane. Do I need to go over the math again to tell you how much distance is covered every second at that speed differential? You sure he was accelerating, or just maintaining???

 

[Reli]

Kern St to 101N is a good example. Plenty more further north between SF and SJ. Tight onramps with no acceleration lane.

Fair enough.

Why are racers in the far right lane anyway?

Because of left-lane squatters, most likely.

Another thing I don’t get: when the aggressor gets offended if the other driver responds angrily. So in your example he (the aggressor) pulls a dangerous move, you flash your hi-beams and he responds with another dangerous move. WTF

Perfect example of why I don't even bother using hi-beams. Americans get all "triggered" by them, because apparently they can't tolerate being asked to move over.

 

[250mL]

You want to know how it is an absolute likelihood that misinterpretation of speed is a likely issue?

My wife yells at me plenty when a car pulls into our lane of travel and our car creeps up on their tail. She too thinks I'm accelerating to intimidate...not so.

I too am in tune with local traffic, I often know when another car wants to get out of their lane because of slower traffic (if I'm lucky, I see their heads turning so as to actually look over their shoulders, you know, the right way, with preparation and forethought). My thought process:

1) Do I maintain speed and/or speed up: plenty of times this would put my vehicle into their blind spot just as they are making the critical decision to change lanes, I don't like to be in that blind spot position (see option 2). But, if I can safely maintain speed or speed up to at least get into their peripheral vision, I often do that. Hell, as a courteous driver, and if conditions allow, I'll make this move in plenty of time so as to allow you to slide behind me without you needing to brake, you know, for flow and less disruption.

2) The other option backs up my theory of misjudging speeds. Being in tune, I am often already off the fuel pedal for a second or two, cruising. The other vehicle comes over into my lane, initially with sufficient space. If he accelerates to match the flow, great, join the train, let's get to going where we are going. However, sometimes the sufficient space quickly disappears to tailgating distance, even though I am still cruising. This is where my wife accuses me of accelerating...WTF, you are in the car with me, can't you tell I'm cruising with foot off the pedal? Nope, the visual of the closing gap makes it my fault (ok, yes, ultimately I can control this distance, but that's not the point of discussion).

Go ahead, blame the misjudgment on her gender. The blame game happens often enough when I let off the fuel pedal that I know other drivers are also cussing me out for riding up their tail, but little do they understand, I'm cruising. Keep in mind, this other car is still making ground on the car it is passing, so in his mind, he's doing a great job. But for the last number of seconds (the 1-2 as I started cruising (not accelerating) when I recognized his desire to change lanes, and the 3 seconds for him to make the lane change), I am still gaining ground on him. Of course he thinks I'm accelerating on him, but since I've been cruising for the last number of seconds, I know he failed to accurately judge my speed (or didn't give a damn all together... remember the "me only" comment and filling any gap regardless of surroundings?).

Their failure to match the speed and/or the lack of understanding/recognition of the real world physical implications of a speed differential and distance covered, makes me the AHole, why? It's human to read other's thoughts and intentions (sometimes incorrectly). Let the mathematical world also speak to you. This is what I'm trying to educate.

 

[MysterYvil]

This shit is getting comical.

Now the story changes, you did not increase your speed to match, you said you were within 5MPH of the next lane. So back to the real physical world: You understand that when you initially had ideas of changing lanes, you (benefit of the doubt, mashed the pedal) increased your speed 5MPH in 3 seconds, to only get within the 5MPH of the fast lane...this means at the initial idea of changing lanes, you were ~10 MPH slower than the fast lane. Do I need to go over the math again to tell you how much distance is covered every second at that speed differential? You sure he was accelerating, or just maintaining???

Yes, your shit is definitely getting comical.

 

[MysterYvil]

Because of left-lane squatters, most likely.

So slower traffic sbould keep right and everyone regardless of their horseepower/torque should enter at freeway speed but it's okay to for others to speed and to pass on the right?

Doesn't make sense to me. All y'all take it far too personally.

Leave 10 minutes early, problem solved.

 

[cfives]

Your own actions are the only ones that you can control. Trying to modify the behavior of traffic norms by tailgating or brake checking individual drivers seems pointlessly dangerous to me.

The nice thing about assuming that the drivers around you are incompetent, irrational, or otherwise dangerously unpredictable, is that the rare instances where that assumption is proven incorrect, are generally pleasant ones.

 

[Climber]

This shit is getting comical.

Now the story changes, you did not increase your speed to match, you said you were within 5MPH of the next lane. So back to the real physical world: You understand that when you initially had ideas of changing lanes, you (benefit of the doubt, mashed the pedal) increased your speed 5MPH in 3 seconds, to only get within the 5MPH of the fast lane...this means at the initial idea of changing lanes, you were ~10 MPH slower than the fast lane. Do I need to go over the math again to tell you how much distance is covered every second at that speed differential? You sure he was accelerating, or just maintaining???

What is it with you? Why are you trying so hard to make me out to be retarded? I don't get WTF is wrong with you! You willfully ignore what I'm saying then go on to continue to try to make a case for me being fucking stupid.

Just fuck off! I tried and you just seem bound and determined to make me out to be one of Jerry's kids.

 

[cfives]

Point, set, match for quarter liter, and probably proof that, "courteous" drivers are also prone to irrationality.

 

[250mL]

What is it with you? Why are you trying so hard to make me out to be retarded? I don't get WTF is wrong with you! You willfully ignore what I'm saying then go on to continue to try to make a case for me being fucking stupid.

Just fuck off! I tried and you just seem bound and determined to make me out to be one of Jerry's kids.

I respond to you since you respond to me. Isn't that how a conversation usually works? In most instances, when I am replying to you, I'm really talking to "all y'all". You just happen to be the vocal person representing one side of a conversation. I actually appreciate your willingness to contribute, take that as a compliment. There are many threads where you participate and speak on my behalf. I imagine this thread is no different, where you are speaking on behalf of silent others. Do not take it personally. You do note that I prefaced one of your quotes with no intention of calling you out specifically, but rather you were the last in a string of similar posts.

With that said, see Post #3, you were clearly the first to throw out more inflammatory language. You also seemed to tout your engineering degree and use it as a putdown, see Post #48 (or did a My Dad's An Engineer joke go over my head?). I figure you had the most to say with very strong opinions, so I engaged. But I don't understand how I am willfully ignoring what you write. I very clearly capture your words in a quote. Where am I wrong?

I was just trying to get you/all y'all to see a different side of your story. I don't accuse you/all y'all of being stupid. I am asking if you/all y'all recognize what is really happening in physical space with the story/parameters you laid out. Those are two different things. Coming to a different realization is ok and does not make one stupid.

Separate from that, very often your conversations end in an accusatory tone. What is it with you?

 

[Kurosaki]

 

[cfives]

My favorite trainwreck image is the following, it was on the cover of an error analysis textbook that I had in college, as well as the cover of an album by The Ex.

Edit: Nice to see that they are still active.

The Ex

[YOUTUBE]dzFUjOksyME[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Reli]

So slower traffic sbould keep right and everyone regardless of their horseepower/torque should enter at freeway speed but it's okay to for others to speed and to pass on the right?

If someone squats and keeps squatting, do you really expect anyone to stay behind them, more than say 5 minutes?

These days, when even a simple Honda Accord reaches 60 in under 7 seconds, horsepower isn't what's preventing people from entering at the right speed, unless maybe they own an RV or a late 70's Pinto. It's the design of the on-ramp that's to blame, if anything.

Doesn't make sense to me. All y'all take it far too personally.

Seems to me that people who refuse to keep right are the ones who take it personally. They just squat there, thinking "My ego will be crushed if I allow someone to tell me to move over". What else can I assume, when they refuse to move over even when traffic is very light?

 

[Climber]

I respond to you since you respond to me. Isn't that how a conversation usually works? In most instances, when I am replying to you, I'm really talking to "all y'all". You just happen to be the vocal person representing one side of a conversation. I actually appreciate your willingness to contribute, take that as a compliment. There are many threads where you participate and speak on my behalf. I imagine this thread is no different, where you are speaking on behalf of silent others. Do not take it personally. You do note that I prefaced one of your quotes with no intention of calling you out specifically, but rather you were the last in a string of similar posts.

With that said, see Post #3, you were clearly the first to throw out more inflammatory language. You also seemed to tout your engineering degree and use it as a putdown, see Post #48 (or did a My Dad's An Engineer joke go over my head?). I figure you had the most to say with very strong opinions, so I engaged. But I don't understand how I am willfully ignoring what you write. I very clearly capture your words in a quote. Where am I wrong?

I was just trying to get you/all y'all to see a different side of your story. I don't accuse you/all y'all of being stupid. I am asking if you/all y'all recognize what is really happening in physical space with the story/parameters you laid out. Those are two different things. Coming to a different realization is ok and does not make one stupid.

Separate from that, very often your conversations end in an accusatory tone. What is it with you?

You weren't listening to what I was saying, you were looking for something to pick out to prove that I was wrong.

I know I have strong opinions, I have put a ton of thought into many things, driving has been one of them. I have also put a ton of effort into being very precise with everything I do, it takes a lot more effort but it's also much better in the long run with anything from plumbing to sports.

It isn't me just thinking that other people are being asses while it's just me being imprecise with my observations. It's really insulting for me to put those years of effort into training myself to be very precise only to have somebody come along and try to accuse me of being very sloppy in my observations.

Is there anything that you're very good and very precise at? Would you like somebody to come along and question all of your observations in that field/sport/activity? Would you like me to just assume that you were sloppy and that your observations were wrong and that it was you that were mistaken when you make a statement?

See how that is? There are assholes out there who have double standards with their driving habits, especially in California. Many of them don't think through what they're doing to others versus what others are doing. It's a fundamental flaw in some humans in that the worst offender's are the first to complain, some kind of sociopathic condition that leads to a me-center perception of the world. There seems to be more of those types of people driving in California than anywhere else that I've driven.

 

[Reli]

NYC are the worst drivers IMO. They drive like they're in Italy or Spain.

 

[Climber]

NYC are the worst drivers IMO. They drive like they're in Italy or Spain.

They certainly use their horns more than everybody else in the nation combined!

I don't mind NYC drivers as much as I do Bay Area drivers, perhaps it's because my time interacting with them has been much less, but while the NYC drivers are more demonstrative, vocal and in-your-face I see many of the Bay Area drivers as being opportunistic and me-first in their driving habits. But I can see how a case can be made for NYC drivers, they certainly are unique.

 

[Hooli]

Another thing I don’t get: when the aggressor gets offended if the other driver responds angrily. So in your example he (the aggressor) pulls a dangerous move, you flash your hi-beams and he responds with another dangerous move. WTF

Same here. I think it's because their entitlement has been threatened.