Tigard, OR: Busted

[Mikej]

Yep, went back and saw that. Signaling and turning the wheel at the same time is just as bad as not signaling at all, in my eyes.

 

[Bigfoot]

A year ago I was driving a company truck with my boss beside me and got criticized for turning my head before moving over. He's a good bit younger than me but I really had him, plus it was so stupid that it pizzed me off. "Are you F ing serious? You're criticizing me for driving safely. You don't check you blind spot? You just depend on your mirrors?" Danged whippersnapper.

I've been both the biker and the driver in that vid and I don't want to be either one of em anymore.

 

[MisterLe]

I agree with the gentleman who said he's noticed people being ruder in general on the road lately.

I'm much younger than most of you here, but have been driving long enough to go from a typical teenager to a cool headed, defensive driving adult.

I have to say that in the last two years especially, it's felt much more hostile on local Oregon roads than I ever remember before. Feels like I've never driven in a cooler, calmer manner than I do now, and yet I feel like I get flipped off and high beamed and tailgated and cut off more than I ever did before. It feels like it's at least a weekly, if not every other day event.

Just today on the way to a friend's house from work I had a young couple (about my age) get pissed off after I did a signalled lane change. I had room for days, but they just had to accelerate when I showed them my signal. I immediately signalled again to get into the offramp lane, with plenty of distance to go to the offramp, no last minute stuff. And they jumped behind me again, flashing beams and flipping me off.

They stayed behind me all the way up Scholls Ferry off the 217 exit until I got into a turn lane. They pulled right up next to me and stopped in their lane with their window rolled down. That's when I was able to see their age and description. Young Hispanic looking couple, very skinny dude in the passenger and very overweight woman at the wheel. The woman held up a knife and waved it around and it sounded like she yelled "you don't know who you're bubbleguming with".

Little did she know how wrong she had gotten that statement.

I didn't do anything provocative to them. 5 years ago I might have brake checked them pretty hard, but I ignored them the whole time until they pulled up and flashed the knife.

Long story, but just happened like an hour ago and it's fresh on my mind to this topic.

 

[Joe13]

I agree with the gentleman who said he's noticed people being ruder in general on the road lately.

I'm much younger than most of you here, but have been driving long enough to go from a typical teenager to a cool headed, defensive driving adult.

I have to say that in the last two years especially, it's felt much more hostile on local Oregon roads than I ever remember before. Feels like I've never driven in a cooler, calmer manner than I do now, and yet I feel like I get flipped off and high beamed and tailgated and cut off more than I ever did before. It feels like it's at least a weekly, if not every other day event.

Just today on the way to a friend's house from work I had a young couple (about my age) get pissed off after I did a signalled lane change. I had room for days, but they just had to accelerate when I showed them my signal. I immediately signalled again to get into the offramp lane, with plenty of distance to go to the offramp, no last minute stuff. And they jumped behind me again, flashing beams and flipping me off.

They stayed behind me all the way up Scholls Ferry off the 217 exit until I got into a turn lane. They pulled right up next to me and stopped in their lane with their window rolled down. That's when I was able to see their age and description. Young Hispanic looking couple, very skinny dude in the passenger and very overweight woman at the wheel. The woman held up a knife and waved it around and it sounded like she yelled "you don't know who you're bubbleguming with".

Little did she know how wrong she had gotten that statement.

I didn't do anything provocative to them. 5 years ago I might have brake checked them pretty hard, but I ignored them the whole time until they pulled up and flashed the knife.

Long story, but just happened like an hour ago and it's fresh on my mind to this topic.

That's a real tough place to be in and not (obviously I wouldn't just sayin) flash your gun and tell her she shouldn't bring a crappy knife to a gun fight.

Bad idea yes. No I wouldn't do it - super temping as an afterthought though lol.



I find that the Internet and a car give people just enough of an anonymous bubble that they show their true selves. Women can be the worst IMO because it equalizes the power difference between a man and a women.

I've been flipped off so many times driving that I can't even and don't want to try and count. And I would say with the mileage I have racked up in my previous carriers I've seen plenty.

I have NEVER been flipped off or disrespected like that FTF.

 

[2A2Dend]

Not intending to derail the OP, but thought to share a very eerie experience we had on night.

The wife and I were traveling highway 5 late one morning at near 2am. Traffic was minimal and we were making good time. We'd pulled off the highway to hit the McD's drive-up, and were headed back to the highway. There were two lanes at the light, we were in the right, as I was turning right. A car pulled up on the left. I made eye contact with the driver. He had a sinister look about him. As I readied to turn right when the light changed, and it did, the car on my left hit the gas and cut in front of me nearly hitting my truck. He flew the one finger salute to the rear and continued on. I, somewhat shrugged it off and went on my way. As we neared the next town, the guy that flipped me off was again on my left. The guy had to be on dope. He stayed along side to a point I did not like, so I slowed. He also slowed to stay along side to harass. The wife was getting nervous...and frankly, so was I not knowing what this nutbag was thinking. I mashed the gas and pulled away. Passing 90mph, not good, so I slowed back down. This guy was persistent to raise hell. I took the next exit into Centralia, and he followed. Alright, now I was nervous. I got stopped at the light with him behind very closely on my bumper. Then he pulled up along side on the passenger side. Many thoughts going through my head in what was about to happen. He was yelling, holding up his fist..then rolled down his window and cursing my wife. The guy displayed a knife about the size of a K-Bar. It was then it went too far that I picked my gun off the seat and pointed directly and in front of my wife at the scumbag. I told my wife to lay down and plug her ears as I may be putting this guy out of my misery. The guy hit the gas and left, thankfully. Skarte the hell out of out of me being so close to having to deal with that lunatic.

 

[Joe13]

Not intending to derail the OP, but thought to share a very eerie experience we had on night.

The wife and I were traveling highway 5 late one morning at near 2am. Traffic was minimal and we were making good time. We'd pulled off the highway to hit the McD's drive-up, and were headed back to the highway. There were two lanes at the light, we were in the right, as I was turning right. A car pulled up on the left. I made eye contact with the driver. He had a sinister look about him. As I readied to turn right when the light changed, and it did, the car on my left hit the gas and cut in front of me nearly hitting my truck. He flew the one finger salute to the rear and continued on. I, somewhat shrugged it off and went on my way. As we neared the next town, the guy that flipped me off was again on my left. The guy had to be on dope. He stayed along side to a point I did not like, so I slowed. He also slowed to stay along side to harass. The wife was getting nervous...and frankly, so was I not knowing what this nutbag was thinking. I mashed the gas and pulled away. Passing 90mph, not good, so I slowed back down. This guy was persistent to raise hell. I took the next exit into Centralia, and he followed. Alright, now I was nervous. I got stopped at the light with him behind very closely on my bumper. Then he pulled up along side on the passenger side. Many thoughts going through my head in what was about to happen. He was yelling, holding up his fist..then rolled down his window and cursing my wife. The guy displayed a knife about the size of a K-Bar. It was then it went too far that I picked my gun off the seat and pointed directly and in front of my wife at the scumbag. I told my wife to lay down and plug her ears as I may be putting this guy out of my misery. The guy hit the gas and left, thankfully. Skarte the hell out of out of me being so close to having to deal with that lunatic.

Dang that sounds traumatic as heck - glad you were carrying but didn't have to pull the trigger.

Out of pure curiosity, did you call the cops or shrug it off as another moron in the pack?

 

[Mikej]

I agree with the gentleman who said he's noticed people being ruder in general on the road lately.

I'm much younger than most of you here, but have been driving long enough to go from a typical teenager to a cool headed, defensive driving adult.

I have to say that in the last two years especially, it's felt much more hostile on local Oregon roads than I ever remember before. Feels like I've never driven in a cooler, calmer manner than I do now, and yet I feel like I get flipped off and high beamed and tailgated and cut off more than I ever did before. It feels like it's at least a weekly, if not every other day event.

Just today on the way to a friend's house from work I had a young couple (about my age) get pissed off after I did a signalled lane change. I had room for days, but they just had to accelerate when I showed them my signal. I immediately signalled again to get into the offramp lane, with plenty of distance to go to the offramp, no last minute stuff. And they jumped behind me again, flashing beams and flipping me off.

They stayed behind me all the way up Scholls Ferry off the 217 exit until I got into a turn lane. They pulled right up next to me and stopped in their lane with their window rolled down. That's when I was able to see their age and description. Young Hispanic looking couple, very skinny dude in the passenger and very overweight woman at the wheel. The woman held up a knife and waved it around and it sounded like she yelled "you don't know who you're bubbleguming with".

Little did she know how wrong she had gotten that statement.

I didn't do anything provocative to them. 5 years ago I might have brake checked them pretty hard, but I ignored them the whole time until they pulled up and flashed the knife.

Long story, but just happened like an hour ago and it's fresh on my mind to this topic.

Out of all the terrible drivers I see in PDX I gotta say I see very little that I would call rude. Unless you're talking of how rude it is to NOT signal intentions, or sit at a light for 3-5 seconds after it turns green, 23 in a 30 with a line of cars behind you, or trying to merge onto the freeway at 45 etc. I drive to get where I'm going, I do not dawdle when there are vehicles behind me that also need to get somewhere. I signal intentions in advance. I let people in and give them every chance to do the right thing, even though there are times I get screwed doing it. With that being said I have to say that if a person is being flipped off and getting the high beams, tailgated on a regular basis, that person must be one of the clueless, contributing to the mess that driving in Portland is.

 

[Joe13]

Out of all the terrible drivers I see in PDX I gotta say I see very little that I would call rude. Unless you're talking of how rude it is to NOT signal intentions, or sit at a light for 3-5 seconds after it turns green, 23 in a 30 with a line of cars behind you, or trying to merge onto the freeway at 45 etc. I drive to get where I'm going, I do not dawdle when there are vehicles behind me that also need to get somewhere. I signal intentions in advance. I let people in and give them every chance to do the right thing, even though there are times I get screwed doing it. With that being said I have to say that if a person is being flipped off and getting the high beams, tailgated on a regular basis, that person must be one of the clueless, contributing to the mess that driving in Portland is.

Decent point. The unaware people are the worst ones.

 

[Mikej]

Decent point. The unaware people are the worst ones.

Indeed THEY are the ones that keep things going,,,,slowly! The people that pull out in front of you and speed up, the people that race past you, the aggressive drivers, are not generally the ones that cause Portland streets to be sluggish, unless they cause an accident which in my experience is not frequent.

 

[tarster]

Im not sure if it was even a WA driver..

 

[2A2Dend]

Dang that sounds traumatic as heck - glad you were carrying but didn't have to pull the trigger.

Out of pure curiosity, did you call the cops or shrug it off as another moron in the pack?

We continued on.

Years prior we had a similar situation happen while towing a travel trailer North of Shelton, Wa. A man and woman in a car cut me off at the light. I cussed him. He and the female saw that as opportunity to instigate trouble. Considering I was towing a 24', travel trailer, there was little I could do but pay attention and stay on the road. The wife called 911. Told them the situation and that we have our young son (baby) in the seat. They told us to "just keep going" to get to a safe place where other people were. REALLY!!..To call them and update them of the situation. BS!! I told them that if I am directly confronted, it will not be good. We were in no mans land for many miles to come!

The driver, after about 8-10 miles of pushing my buttons, trying to pass as I snaked to keep them behind. Keeping them behind was my best play. Eventually they got past me and cut me off, forced me to stop, nearly in the ditch. I quickly got out of the truck (just recalling the situation has my adrenaline boiling) and stayed behind the door. Pointing my S&W 59, I yelled to them. I've no idea your issue, I'm done fuching around!! Their tails tucked. Thankfully, they left. But, they went in the direction we were going. I was not comfortable continuing, but did. Very observant and cautiously. We never saw a first responder the rest of the trip to Belfair. In the heat of the moment, you're on your own. The law is there to take statements. Since then, I call when there's reason to come.

Added

Something I should have clarified earlier. I was not keeping the harassing driver behind, at first. He had plenty of opportunity to stop at any time. He was in front for several miles, slowing, speeding up, swirving, etc. Then he would pull over and let me pass, then follow again. After two instances of this I kept him behind me. He did get by again eventually. I did nothing to instigate any of it, however, I was not going to let it get to pure lunacy either.

 

[MisterLe]

Out of all the terrible drivers I see in PDX I gotta say I see very little that I would call rude. Unless you're talking of how rude it is to NOT signal intentions, or sit at a light for 3-5 seconds after it turns green, 23 in a 30 with a line of cars behind you, or trying to merge onto the freeway at 45 etc. I drive to get where I'm going, I do not dawdle when there are vehicles behind me that also need to get somewhere. I signal intentions in advance. I let people in and give them every chance to do the right thing, even though there are times I get screwed doing it. With that being said I have to say that if a person is being flipped off and getting the high beams, tailgated on a regular basis, that person must be one of the clueless, contributing to the mess that driving in Portland is.

Mike, I was afraid someone might make an assumption like this.

I can assure you I don't dwaddle anywhere. I am never going less than 5mph over the limit in the left lane, I am off the line at green lights before my neighbor 99% of the time and often double foot my pedals to be on the acceleration at green that much faster.

I drive defensively, but still plenty fast.

The people who highbeam are arseholes who take anyone signaling and changing lanes in front of them as a challenge of some kind.

I do a commute from 84, through the interchanges to 26, and finally off 26 at 217 and down 217 a ways every single day at the worst rush hour traffic around 5pm. This is why I encounter rude behavior weekly, because this is one of the most congested and frustrating commutes in the metro area.

The interchange from 84 to 26 around 5pm causes so much rage, I see angry exchanges every day there.

So thanks for the assumption, unfortunately you've accomplished the age old saying about assumptions.

I might drive defensively, but I certainly don't slow poke -- I don't drive like most people your age.

 

[Joe13]

Mike, I was afraid someone might make an assumption like this.

I can assure you I don't dwaddle anywhere. I am never going less than 5mph over the limit in the left lane, I am off the line at green lights before my neighbor 99% of the time and often double foot my pedals to be on the acceleration at green that much faster.

I drive defensively, but still plenty fast.

The people who highbeam are arseholes who take anyone signaling and changing lanes in front of them as a challenge of some kind.

I do a commute from 84, through the interchanges to 26, and finally off 26 at 217 and down 217 a ways every single day at the worst rush hour traffic around 5pm. This is why I encounter rude behavior weekly, because this is one of the most congested and frustrating commutes in the metro area.

The interchange from 84 to 26 around 5pm causes so much rage, I see angry exchanges every day there.

So thanks for the assumption, unfortunately you've accomplished the age old saying about assumptions.

I might drive defensively, but I certainly don't slow poke -- I don't drive like most people your age.

I think his post was another of those "if the shoe fits" posts and not directed at you personally; you have already stated your aware of your surroundings and are most comfortable taking it easy so the shoe doesn't fit.

I am personally a very aggressive driver BUT I am also one of the most curtious drivers I know, partly because I've been in the big truck with a trailer that needs to get over into another lane etc and know how to either accelerate or brake to help make room for people like that. I've also logged over 1.5 million+ miles locally (burned up 9 company vehicles plus personal mileage on my cars - I am almost always the driver if I'm in a car) and have seen most of it. I can tell my passengers what cars will do a good 5-10 sec before they do it because I've seen it before.


My issue is the guy in the left lane going XX miles over the speed limit and therefore no one else should be going any faster so they never move over to let people like me get by (if I want to drive 90, I don't, it's no business of anyone's but the county sheriffs).

Or I'm doing 9 over the limit and they merge in front of me, last min or not, and slow me down - again not paying attention or caring they are holding me and others up.

Or (I see this the most) they use a 1/4 mile on ramp to the freeway to get to a whopping 45-50 miles an hour.... They should have been doing the speed limit in half that distance.


Ok rant over - none of that was directed at anyone.


Edit: the only thing I ever received from my mothers birth father was some advice or outlook on driving on the freeway passed down from her.

IF you have to use your brakes on the freeway then your doing something wrong...

 

[CoastRange57]

I have cameras front and rear view in 3 of my vehicles. $ 49 bucks each. I drive back and forth in the general area every day. I am not a slow poke, but I am not a high roller either. CDL driver for over 30 years. LEO pursuit trained, Fire Dept engineer for 10 years, run my Mustang GT around PIR road track once a year still. The driving ability of most people or I guess more people on the road has declined quite a bit. What would help if they could see the trauma and destruction of a fatal accident. It is pretty nasty sometimes.

I have to drive a stretch of Hwy 47 that has a history of high mech injury and fatal accidents. People every day just have to beat the traffic on to the highway. They are wiling to take a catastrophic chance to gain a few seconds. As I approach these intersections I gt off the throttle and hover over the brake for the time it take me to go through the intersection. I see probably at least 8 to 10 people texting almost doing lane departures,
(which is the highest number of fatal accident cause in Oregon) in about 18 miles of driving, at least 1 near miss every day. The odds are not good for any of us.

I do find that the tailgaters seem to understand when I merely reach up and adjust my camera. They will creep back up, but I just keep doing it and they seem to catch the drift. I get different behaviors when I drove my F 250 4x4. Most them do not want to tangle with the larger rigs.

 

[teflon6string]

Yep, went back and saw that. Signaling and turning the wheel at the same time is just as bad as not signaling at all, in my eyes.

Yeah, that's a maneuver I call the "Tri-Met." Hit the blinker, yank the wheel and mash the gas all at the same time.

Signal or not, I say it's the turning driver's responsibility to look and see who they might be cutting off as they enter another lane. Even if the other-lane traffic is speeding way over the limit, I look first to make sure I'm not going to get hit when I change lanes in either direction. And when I'm the A-hole flying fast in the #1 lane, I assume someone in #2 has a surprise for me - ready to react defensively. Glad the scooter cop didn't get hit.

Driving since 1970, I agree that drivers in general are getting ruder/more stupid every year:
- Overcrowded roads.
- Too lazy to check mirrors or (gasp) actually look over one's f__ing shoulder.
- Texting, phoning, playing with GPS, Google maps, computerized multimedia dashboard displays.
- Epidemic ADD. "My inability to manage time takes complete precedence over your safety."
- Unlicensed, drunk, stoned drivers.

Feeling much safer in my car and truck, my motorcycle has become a troubling point of concern. I'm a safe and extremely defensive rider, but riding in and around Portland has become a butt-puckering experience that pretty much overrides the whole joy of having a sweet vintage 650.

Moving out to WashCo next year and hoping I'll rekindle my enjoyment of two wheels on the curvy highways somewhere west of Forest Grove.

 

[CoastRange57]

I am almost always the driver if I'm in a car) and have seen most of it. I can tell my passengers what cars will do a good 5-10 sec before they do it because I've seen it before.

Over 3000 Code 3 runs in my fire career, which is not a lot by any means, and well over 2 -3 million other miles,and you do get that ability. I can tell by how the car is being operated exactly what they are going to do.

People pull out in front of lights and sirens all the time, and in front of 105,000 pound semis. Idiots.

 

[2A2Dend]

I've since got cameras front and rear since some like to "cause" an accident for insurance (lawsuit) reasons.

To clear the air I amended post #32 above

 

[MisterLe]

I think his post was another of those "if the shoe fits" posts and not directed at you personally; you have already stated your aware of your surroundings and are most comfortable taking it easy so the shoe doesn't fit.

You're probably right Joe, my bad on taking it personally.

 

[Joe13]

Yeah, that's a maneuver I call the "Tri-Met." Hit the blinker, yank the wheel and mash the gas all at the same time.

Signal or not, I say it's the turning driver's responsibility to look and see who they might be cutting off as they enter another lane. Even if the other-lane traffic is speeding way over the limit, I look first to make sure I'm not going to get hit when I change lanes in either direction. And when I'm the A-hole flying fast in the #1 lane, I assume someone in #2 has a surprise for me - ready to react defensively. Glad the scooter cop didn't get hit.

Driving since 1970, I agree that drivers in general are getting ruder/more stupid every year:
- Overcrowded roads.
- Too lazy to check mirrors or (gasp) actually look over one's f__ing shoulder.
- Texting, phoning, playing with GPS, maps, computerized multimedia dashboard displays.
- Epidemic ADD. "My inability to manage time takes complete precedence over your safety."
- Unlicensed, drunk, stoned drivers.

Feeling much safer in my car and truck, my motorcycle has become a troubling point of concern. I'm a safe and extremely defensive rider, but riding in and around Portland has become a butt-puckering experience that pretty much overrides the whole joy of having a sweet vintage 650.

Moving out to WashCo next year and hoping I'll rekindle my enjoyment of two wheels on the curvy highways somewhere west of Forest Grove.

My best wishes you find a safe area in OR or WA to ride a bike. Personally after going down on mine (I was a dang good driver on 2 wheels as well) I have given up and am in the "riders are organ doners". CA TX etc I have never seen the kind of ignorance of bikers I see here.

I'd like to get a track bike and gear to ride at PDX but I'll probably sink that money when I have it into guns lol.

I do miss riding.

 

[Joe13]

You're probably right Joe, my bad on taking it personally.

I've done it more then once.

It's hard to get the whole message on the Internet without tones or body language to help he to the point.


I've had so many misunderstandings at my past carrier due to emails that it was rediculous.