That doesn't work in Maryland...
Posted on 11/06/2014 9:20:22 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Road rage rages out of control as drivers right here in Maryland find themselves caught up in dangerous and even deadly situations.
Vic Carter has more.
When a stranger behind the wheel begins to attack, the terror is real. One man tells WJZ about his terrifying story driving through Anne Arundel County.
In January, a man was murdered after he was run off Interstate 81 just over the Maryland line. That killer was never found.
Last year in Anne Arundel County, a terrified New Jersey man—driving with his wife and three young children, used deadly force to stop another driver.
“When I went to turn onto this road leading to the interstate, I made the left and next thing I know, I’ve got this car up alongside me, just yelling at us,” said Joseph Walker, a victim of road rage.
Walker described for WJZ those terrifying moments on Route 175 in Odenton.
Another driver forced Walker’s minivan off the road. When he got out to check his tires, Walker’s family hid as two men got out of the other car and headed straight for them.
“As they started to get a little too close and ignoring what I was saying and when I could hear what they were saying—`[expletive] you, you’re dead.’ That’s when I drew my weapon and I asked them again, `Please just go,'” Walker said. “At a certain point, I was in fear for me; I was in fear for my family. I had to.”
Deadly confrontations between strangers on the road are happening at an alarming rate. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported more than 200 people were murdered over a seven-year period. Nearly 13,000 were hurt. Another frightening statistic: two percent of drivers actually admit to trying to run someone off the road!
“We still have people who drive aggressively; we still have people that are upset and display road rage when they’re on the roadway,” said Maryland State Police Sgt. Marc Black.
But what triggers road rage?
Baltimore County psychologist Dr. Jack Vaeth says it’s a product of our society.
“The number one complaint of the 1990s by road rage people was `I was being tailgated! He was on my back!’ The number one complaint now is nothing about tailgating. `She was on the cell phone!’ `She was impeding my progress!’ So we, as a society, have changed. More cars, more congestion, more anger, busier schedules, adding cell phones and texting,” Vaeth said.
“You have to realize what your priorities are. Does it really benefit you to want to jump out on somebody because they cut you off, pull up alongside someone because they’re driving too slow? And I think people have to ask themselves before they take those actions—what do I have to lose by taking this action?” Walker said.
Walker is a detective in New Jersey. In July, he was tried on first degree murder charges in the death of Joseph Harvey and was acquitted of all the charges.
Walker still faces a civil suit filed by the victim’s family.
That doesn't work in Maryland...
I drive in a lot of that kind of traffic too, and I disagree. It does work, even in heavy, stop and go traffic.
At least it works out here. It’s my theory that people are moving to the right even in the situation you illustrated because it has become a habit.
Except for the illegals.
And the pot smokers. They’re struggling and weaving along on the far right, on and off the breakdown lane.
I was in the area on a few occasions doing some contract work. Loved how people fly down 35mph roads at 50-60mph and when you come up to a camera zone everybody drops it down to 25 like they're hitting pit road. As soon as they get beyond camera range, it's boogity, boogity, boogity!
Maryland drivers like to get in front of people and drive
5 to 10 mph below the speed limit. When you try to pass
they speed up. Drivers from new jersey do the same thing.
The majority of the crazy drivers in the DC area ARE Turkish and Saudi! That place has become a melting pot of Middle Easterners. ;-)
So we, as a society, have changed. More cars, more congestion, more anger, busier schedules, adding cell phones and texting,” Vaeth said.
****
More importantly, more narcissism
I have a fond memory of an a*****e in a Mercedes (the two seem to go together) who nearly ran me off the road. A couple of miles further down the road, I saw him off to the side having a conversation with a cop. Yes!!
8:30AM on Saturday is OK. I rode in to set up for an FR rally and it was desolate.
” I was in the left hand lane doing the speed limit. “
Oh you are one of THOSE people.
Get in the right lane and do the speed limit
I might add, the a*****e had NJ tags and was headed for Trenton. Two strikes right there.
Around here, if there are three lanes, the middle lane is always the slow one, except if there’s an exit coming up, in which case the right lane always drops down to 10 under due to idiots afraid of missing the exit.
That’s not really a problem, though, considering the number of idiots I see traveling in reverse on the shoulder.
Did you hear about the mobile camera stolen or vandalized the other day? I forget just where it was, but much as I am not a law-breaker, I get a bit excited about these incidents. Just 5 mi from me in Catonsville last year someone burned a permanent camera just emplaced. People are showing some defiance.
On I-40 in NC, the right lane is for leaving/merging, center is for driving, left is for passing. In parts of it, there are two middle lanes which is really nice.
I spent WAY too many years on I-40/52 between Greensboro and Winston-Salem. It was Hell on Earth.
I spend most of my time now on I-81 in Va which is 2 lane. It moves really well.
I’m on the road every day at at least four or fives times a week, I get caught-up behind some fat-assed, yoga pant wearing type-a who is too effing important to put her friggin cell phone down long enough to pay attention to the damn road.
I do not know if it is up, but I have witnessed definitely one incident on the beltway some years back, and I think another time. Even recently we witnessed a jackass driver speeding and weaving through solid traffic.
Whenever these things happen, I try to note the car type, location and plate if possible, and call #77.
That beltway incident was scary. Suddenly some cars come raging down in the fast lane just to my left. Cadillac with a grampa and child being terrorized by some jackass in a monster truck. Grampa was using his speed trying to get away. You bet I called in that ass.
I agree with you in principle that on long distance stretches the left lane should be kept clear as much as possible. I think the NJ turnpike even has signs Keep Right Except To Pass.
But in heavy-traffic urban freeways, when all lanes are jammed, it’s a stupid idealistic theory to try to maintain. Sometimes it just doesn’t work. Especially since in urban areas exits are often on the left. I have a right to get in the left lane to exit without having to do 20 miles over the speed limit just to please you. (For that matter, I have a right to avoid speeding tickets, even if it makes you unhappy.)
As for normal situations, out on the open road, so to speak, I always keep right because I rarely go over 10 miles over the speed limit. So I keep right.
And as far as tailgaters willing to drive 10 inches behind the car in front of them at 75mph (which I see often), I have no words to describe how stupid I think those people are. They are far far stupider than the average leftist (though a lot of them are probably also that).
New Jersey is the nexus of bad driving on the east coast. Every state that borders is affected but it gets better the further you move away from it until you hit Miami.
I think the RIGHT lane should be kept clear. Most exits are on the right.
When I lived in CT 20 years(!) ago, I was impressed how people in my area were so considerate. On our 2-lane thoroughfares often the people naturally moved over to the left to be clear of anyone getting on. It was really smooth. That has always been my natural inclination, but it is not endemic to my native area. Up there, there was consequently alimost never any tie-up near the exits becaus epeople not needing them did not clog up that lane.
No, but I have seen them spray painted and heard of some being shot at in PG county.
I have no prob w/them being vandalized because I see it as racketeering by the state.
They have plenty of pictures of folks going over the posted limit but not one pic of an accident. Someone goes by, gets snapped, and gets ticket in mail. Where’s the safety issue here again?
When you look neutrally at that data showing a 100% safety record, you can only conclude that this type of speeding is safe and it must be something else causing accidents. Hence, the speed should not be punished.
Like “gotcha” politics, this is “gotcha” law enforcement.
Actually, in Colorado, you don't have that 'right'. Go 20 miles over the limit, or move over. It's the law.
As for heavy traffic, you're correct, all lanes are used. Here in Colorado, at least in Denver where I drive, moving to the right so that others can move on up is very common. I do it, I see most other people doing it too, and I drive heavy traffic a lot too.
There are the occasional 'Obama Voters' on the road, intent that they impose their view of how thing should be on everyone else, but what can be done with such morons? Everyone just gets around them as best they can, shaking their heads. Those idiot drivers are a vanishing breed.
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