Road Rage

[MoreAgain]

I'm not sure what to do with this. Is it worth reporting? I know I get frustrated from time to time by confused drivers, but I have never thrown anything at another car. I don't think this was directed at me just because I was in a Tesla, but because I was confused and driving slowly. Still, it took me by surprise.

I was in the HOV lane on I-15 North approaching highway 91. I was a bit confused and wasn't sure if I should get out of the HOV lane. The cars in the regular lanes were going slow, so I slowed down trying to figure out whether to change lanes. I didn't think it was unreasonable slow, but obviously the person behind me did (Nissan Pathfinder Lic: 8BXX925.) What would you do?

 

[Needsdecaf]

Life's too short to waste time with small brained people who get this bent over you slowing down. If there is damage, file a police report. If not...move on.

I encounter something similar most days here in Houston. Never anything thrown and that would certainly piss me the f*ck off. But if no damage, then I wouldn't worry.

 

[rhaekar]

Some people are just crazy when they get behind the wheel.

To be fair you had time to merge in early but you waited too long and stopped the flow of the HOV lane to merged back in really late. Still doesn't justify his actions.

 

[Eclipso]

Report it all day long.

 

[jat255]

Report for littering and reckless endangerment. IMO, throwing something out of your window at another car because you're mad at someone inconveniencing you for 30 seconds means you shouldn't have a license...

 

[MentalNomad]

His action was intentional and eggregious.

Your action could also be taken as intentional: some people drive the fast lane to pass traffic until the last moment and then cut in line. You say that was not your intent. Arguably, you erred by not seeing the (presumably) ample signage ahead of time.

Clearly, that's much more minor than his action, regardless intent.

If you feel his actions are worth reporting, reporting it. If not, don't.

You can otherwise expect them to do the same again.

That's really what it comes down to.

 

[dethman]

1) there is no HOV lane in that section of the 15. that is the exit for the westbound toll express lanes to the 91, and the exit is clearly marked at least 1-2 miles back. you jammed on the brakes at the last second in the fast lane, and your inattention nearly caused an accident.

2) that is no excuse for the other driver to be a dick, block you, and then throw something at your car. but socal road ragers are gonna do crazy sh!t if you put them at risk like that, so don't put yourself in that situation again.

 

[St☰v☰]

Report it to the CHP; "California Vehicle Code 23110 VC makes it a crime to throw an object or a substance at a motor vehicle"

 

[DopeGhoti]

Throwing something from a car is both dangerous and littering. There is not any excuse for either that or the brake-check they gave you before pulling back into the lane they left just to mess around with you. Unfortunately, if you send that video to the police, the most you can expect that driver to get is a sternly-worded letter, if anything at all.

 

[camalaio]

First, props for admitting you didn't really know what to do and you slowed down. It takes a lot to admit you did something a bit wrong in traffic.

Of course, you know they were mad since you slowed down suddenly and quite a lot right before what looks like an exit. It's a classic "a-hole driver" move to use an exit lane and then cut in at the last second.

The driver behind you probably assumed you were such an aggressive driver and wanted to give you a piece of their mind, and their litter.

Would I report it? Probably, they went out of their way to dangerously impede traffic. Unlike your move, this was intentionally dangerous. Would I expect anything to come of the report? My experience says no. I haven't even had success reporting obviously drunk drivers. That said, you're in a different area than I am and the policing is not the same, so perhaps something may come out of it.

 

[Chewy3]

Its probably not the first time this driver has done this, and it probably won't be the last. Imagine what they might throw at the next driver that accidentally cuts them off?

 

[Eth3r]

1) there is no HOV lane in that section of the 15. that is the exit for the westbound toll express lanes to the 91, and the exit is clearly marked at least 1-2 miles back. you jammed on the brakes at the last second in the fast lane, and your inattention nearly caused an accident.

2) that is no excuse for the other driver to be a dick, block you, and then throw something at your car. but socal road ragers are gonna do crazy sh!t if you put them at risk like that, so don't put yourself in that situation again.

Going to have to agree here, you did put the brakes on him while already driving slow in the fast lane, generally speaking people don't like that. It personally drives me bonkers that people drive slow in the fast lane, it causes traffic. But that person shouldn't of cut you off and threw something at your vehicle.

 

[wariqp3d]

I see both sides, but honestly, he/she shouldn't have thrown sh*t out the window at your car, that's just crossing the line. At this point, just let it be, that person must be miserable in life. Don't feed the troll and go along your way.

 

[St☰v☰]

Going to have to agree here, you did put the brakes on him while already driving slow in the fast lane, generally speaking people don't like that. It personally drives me bonkers that people drive slow in the fast lane, it causes traffic. But that person shouldn't of cut you off and threw something at your vehicle.

That's probably one of the Tesla features I like the least. Every time you completely let off the accelerator your brake lights come on. This could send a false statement to the driver in back of you and could result in them going around you and brake checking you. That's one of the reasons I like the Tesla car in the display, I just wish it would light up brighter because sometimes you could inadvertently brake check the guy in back of you.

 

[DopeGhoti]

There is a profound difference between illuminating the brake lights with regen braking's moderate deceleration and "brake checking" someone. I actually like that the car is smart enough to light up the brake indicators when you are regen-braking. Most other cars do not do this if you downshift and/or start engine-braking, so it's actually safer.

 

[MoreAgain]

1) there is no HOV lane in that section of the 15.

Yes, you are correct. This was my key area of confusion. I saw the 91 West express lane start and jumped into it thinking it was I-15 HOV lane. My nav was happy, because taking the 91 was the correct route for my destination (I was on my way to Buttonwillow), but when it started peeling off from I-15 I got confused and thought I was supposed to stay on I-15.

Totally my fault, and I would have been frustrated behind me as well. As for the braking, I had been going about 40 mph with him behind me and slowed to about 25 trying to decide which way to go. I was actually planning at that point to stay in the lane and accelerate. It was when he moved into the shoulder, which was quickly disappearing, that I felt forced to leave the lane and try not to hit anyone on my right.

 

[St☰v☰]

There is a profound difference between illuminating the brake lights with regen braking's moderate deceleration and "brake checking" someone.

Well, think about that... if your regen is set to standard and you left off, what happens, the cars decelerates quickly and your brake light is on. Now, what happens in an ICE when you purposely brake check someone, your car decelerates and your brake light come on. It's a fine line there and a perception in the eyes of the car in back of you.

 

[DopeGhoti]

The amount of braking demonstrated even by standard regen is much less significant from what I generally see termed as a "brake-check", which is typically a full stop or near-panic-stop. But we're starting to stray from the topic of this thread. To get back toward that- I saw posts here taking the OP to task for sudden slowing. Personally, I disagree- particularly if the OP was indicating right (which is unclear in the video), it looks rather like matching speed with traffic in the lane the OP was trying to merge into, which hardly merits the reaction of the other vehicle. Not that anything would.

 

[camalaio]

Well, think about that... if your regen is set to standard and you left off, what happens, the cars decelerates quickly and your brake light is on. Now, what happens in an ICE when you purposely brake check someone, your car decelerates and your brake light come on. It's a fine line there and a perception in the eyes of the car in back of you.

Brake checking is an intentionally dangerous aggressive act. Slowing down is not.

Pressing the brake pedal very gently in regular gas vehicle results in your lights coming on but the car just barely slowing down. People are used to this and react more or less accordingly.

Fully letting off the accelerator in a Tesla will slow you down more than the above case, and also turn on your brake lights. You can also modulate this to slow down less, in which case the lights may or may not be on depending on how fast you're slowing down.

Slamming on the brakes in either type of vehicle intentionally to brake check someone will also turn on the brake lights.

There is no problem here.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I get annoyed at confused drivers, but at the same time I know I am that confused driver occasionally. Obviously I have to show some empathy or I'm a complete hypocrite.

At the very least I would report it because it's littering, and it's pretty cut and dry case of it.

I wouldn't be surprised if they added other things on as the driver did multiple things wrong.

You can't get in the shoulder like that, and they illegally crossed the double lines as well.

Plus the whole road rage thing.

The great thing about confused drivers is they unmask the truly dangerous drivers that have short fuses.

Number one rule of the road is don't take any of it personally. If you can't follow that rule you shouldn't drive, and this Nissan driver obviously shouldn't be allowed to.