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RE: A4 yuppie scum in Boston
I would like to append blowing the horn as you pass on the right after step
4. Of course, all you get then is the finger. Somebody has to let these
people know they're not playing fairly. The police sure aren't.
Two words: Courtesy and Responsibility (words apparently not in the
American vocabulary any more)
I may not be perfect, but at least I try.
dB
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Luke Sponholz [SMTP:LSponhol@LGA-INC.COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 10:12 AM
> To: Quattro List (E-mail)
> Subject: Re: A4 yuppie scum in Boston
>
> I usually keep my mouth shut on these issues, but things like this strike
> too much of a chord with me to allow me to remain completely silent.
> Thus,
> allow me to pontificate:
>
> The attitude expressed in this message is exactly the kind of attitude
> that
> I believe has landed this country in this whole ridiculous "road rage"
> mess.
> Only in the United States of America would someone suggest that once they
> have hit a speed that is acceptable to them, and in accordance with what
> they think is reasonable, it is perfectly legitimate for them to remain in
> the left lane.
>
> Now, one might say: "Well, he was passing cars. Thus it is altogether
> too
> possible that the right lane may not have been available to move out of
> the
> way of the 1.8T." Allow me to quote:
>
> "He sticks around for a bit, not going around into the rightmost line or
> anything..."
>
> So there's room in the right lane!
>
> Keep Right Except To Pass. In Germany, if you are moving slow in the left
> lane, or if you are moving fast, yet not as fast as those that are coming
> up
> behind you, it is a mortal sin to remain in the left lane. 1) The
> Germans
> will not pass on the right, since this is mortal sin #2 and 2) The
> Germans
> will immediately recognize you as an idiot American driver. In all the
> time
> I have spent in Germany, the only person I saw over there that did not
> maintain lane discipline was a minivan. Do Germans drive minivans? I
> tend
> to think there were overwhelmingly good odds that this vehicle was piloted
> by an American.
>
> In my mind, according to the rules of the road that used to prevail in the
> United States, and the rules of the road that prevail in Germany (thus
> contributing to the fact that their fatality rate is similar to ours, even
> given the higher level of congestion and far higher speeds), there are
> only
> ONE reason why you should remain in the left lane if you notice a vehicle
> approaching from the rear (and this requires that you actually notice this
> vehicle, which requires that you check your rear view mirror. If you
> don't
> do this, I suggest you start today):
>
> - There is NO way to get over to the right. This means that the right
> lane
> is completely blocked with traffic. I should point out that, since you're
> in the left lane, you had best be passing folks, or this reason is not
> applicable any more.
>
> Refer to my original statement: Keep Right Except to Pass.
>
> I have to admit that the techniques of the A4 1.8T driver in question here
> leave a little bit to be desired. The policy I follow when approaching a
> slow moving vehicle in the left lane when the right lane is clear (and
> yes,
> slow moving may very well be 75-80MPH given the weather and road
> conditions)
> is as follows:
>
> 1) Don't tailgate!
> 2) Activate left turn signal while approaching.
> (This usually does not work)
> If not:
> 3) Briefly tap lights to indicate that I wish to pass.
> (This usually is counterproductive, but look, I'm standing on principle)
> If
> there is one thing that is most infuriating about american drivers is that
> they think that having someone flashing lights at them is an affront, a
> reason to get mad! What is wrong with these people! It is a kind request
> to move out of the way. It is a driver giving them the benefit of the
> doubt
> that they hadn't checked the rear view mirror recently and moved out of
> the
> way without any coaxing required. But no, they find it be an affront. I
> actually had someone point for me to pass them on the right when the right
> lane was wide open after I flashed my lights. Idiots! (Pardon me for
> that
> rant)
> If step 3 fails, approach the rear bumper in exasperation.
> 4) Tailgate, and flash again.
>
> The following four steps should take no longer than 10 seconds. If they
> take longer than 10 seconds, there is only one option: Pass on the right.
> If you do not, you will remain behind that idiot until the end of the
> journey, or that person gets off the highway, whichever comes first.
>
> Reduce road rage, my fellow American drivers. Drive as the Germans do.
> Keep Right Except to Pass. It's a rule that, if people were to follow
> it,
> would do more for the sanity of American highways than anything else.
>
> -Luke
>
>
> Brett Dikeman wrote:
>
> > So, I'm tooling along on the Mass Pike out of Boston, minding my own
> > business in a good, semi-law-abiding-mood(75-80ish) in the left
> > lane(doing what one should in the left lane, passing other cars) when
> > some yuppie scum in a new a4 1.8t(lic. plate and color not provided
> > to protect the annoying) comes flying up.
> >
> > He sticks around for a bit, not going around into the rightmost lane
> > or anything(probably waiting for "slow poke 5000" to get out of his
> > way by merging into the lane full of traffic.) I quickly got tired
> > of his ability to apply armor-all to my rear bumper, so I floored it.
> > The 115-ish HP difference between our cars solved the immediate
> > problem of his little bumper-hugging habit.
> >
> > Grr. Further proof there should be an ownership exam. Great car,
> > but lots of annoying drivers; half buy 'em for status symbolsin these
> > parts(same ones are permanently afflicted with the
> > rear-fog-light-on-24-hr-a-day-just-in-case-it-suddenly-turns-into-a-bl
> > izzard syndrome.)
> >
> > Bah. Such a waste.
> >
> > Brett
> > 91 200q20v a la TAP
> > ------
> > Brett Dikeman
> > brett@pdikeman.ne.mediaone.net
> > ~)-|
>
>
> Luke R. Sponholz
> Software Engineer
> Lynne Gilfillan Associates, INC.
> (703) 293-2373 ext. 305
> luke@lga-inc.com
>
> "Colorless green ideas sleep furiously." - Noam Chomsky
>