David Incorporated Esq.
Member
Over the past few days I've seen a few threads about the improper or dangerous driving habits of other people on the road, as we on GAF are clearly incapable of driving with anything less than the most exemplary skill and grace.
I want to break that mold. Let's use this thread to admit the times we've done things horribly, horribly wrong while driving a car; be they stupid mistakes, poor decisions or downright reckless behavior. In the interest of everyone's legal safety, let's try to keep this list to items outside the statute of limitations!
To really get the ball rolling, I'll start with what is by far my most egregious infraction. I was driving along an interstate with a 70mph limit. There were some Larry Left-Laners up ahead so there was a whole line of vehicles down both lanes doing right at 70mph. I was fine with this for a while until someone else got onto the highway and cut right in front of me in a space about a car and a half long (normally I leave more space but things had clumped up with the on-ramp right there).
That simple cut-off set me off. Not into a rage, but into a state of mind where I just really, really did not want to be stuck in that traffic any longer. My frustration quickly grew as person after person cut me off as I tried to carefully thread through the pack of cars until I said "fuck it" and went down a path of absolute crazy.
I got into the right lane and watched the road ahead for an opportunity. I saw things were clear and there was a way for me to get around the remaining clump ahead in one fell swoop. I took it. I hopped onto the shoulder opposite the rumble strip and hit the hammer. All of a sudden I was passing cars at about 120mph. At the right moment I crossed back across the road to the left lane and shot past the last offending slow-drivers, disappearing into the distance.
This set off a chain reaction of madness behind me, with cars getting over and frustrated drivers coming out of the group at speeds that were damn near keeping up with me. Ten miles down the road I got off at my exit and hung out behind a starbucks until my radar detector stopped blaring KA band alarms at me (about 15 minutes). I must have attracted quite a few 911 calls.
Now don't go chastising me for doing this, it was years ago and trust me, I'm well aware of how colossally stupid it was. This thread isn't for chastisement anyway, it's for admitting our terrible mistakes! So let's cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of crazy!
I want to break that mold. Let's use this thread to admit the times we've done things horribly, horribly wrong while driving a car; be they stupid mistakes, poor decisions or downright reckless behavior. In the interest of everyone's legal safety, let's try to keep this list to items outside the statute of limitations!
To really get the ball rolling, I'll start with what is by far my most egregious infraction. I was driving along an interstate with a 70mph limit. There were some Larry Left-Laners up ahead so there was a whole line of vehicles down both lanes doing right at 70mph. I was fine with this for a while until someone else got onto the highway and cut right in front of me in a space about a car and a half long (normally I leave more space but things had clumped up with the on-ramp right there).
That simple cut-off set me off. Not into a rage, but into a state of mind where I just really, really did not want to be stuck in that traffic any longer. My frustration quickly grew as person after person cut me off as I tried to carefully thread through the pack of cars until I said "fuck it" and went down a path of absolute crazy.
I got into the right lane and watched the road ahead for an opportunity. I saw things were clear and there was a way for me to get around the remaining clump ahead in one fell swoop. I took it. I hopped onto the shoulder opposite the rumble strip and hit the hammer. All of a sudden I was passing cars at about 120mph. At the right moment I crossed back across the road to the left lane and shot past the last offending slow-drivers, disappearing into the distance.
This set off a chain reaction of madness behind me, with cars getting over and frustrated drivers coming out of the group at speeds that were damn near keeping up with me. Ten miles down the road I got off at my exit and hung out behind a starbucks until my radar detector stopped blaring KA band alarms at me (about 15 minutes). I must have attracted quite a few 911 calls.
Now don't go chastising me for doing this, it was years ago and trust me, I'm well aware of how colossally stupid it was. This thread isn't for chastisement anyway, it's for admitting our terrible mistakes! So let's cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of crazy!