I typically drive about 9 mph over the speed limit. One day, I was doing my usual 64 mph in a 55 zone. It was very early on a Saturday morning -- practically no traffic on the road. I was in the second lane (from the right) of a 4-lane highway, so that I could avoid the occasional merge-ins. I thought I had made a reasonable lane choice for my speed. Apparently not. Some guy doing at least 75 mph comes roaring up on my tail, then starts flashing me with his high beams to get out of his way. Never mind that he had two lanes to pass me on the left, with absolutely no traffic to impede him. But I guess he couldn't be bothered to change lanes. I didn't like his attitude so I stayed right where I was. He quickly passed me, while flipping me off.
In your opinion, was his anger at me justified? Should I have moved over into the far right-hand lane. Or should he have moved into the 3rd or 4th lanes to pass me (without needing to bright me or give me the finger in the process)?
"In your opinion, was his anger at me justified?"
That guy was an idiot, friend. Ignore assholes like him. He'll get his eventually -- when he plays that crap with someone like me, who has no problem whatsoever handing someone a chunk of their ass if they want to escalate it after my response to them!
Oh, it'll get brung!
Nope, because...
1. You were doing almost 10 MPH over the limit.
2. You were not in the far left lane.
If I were the driver approaching you from behind, I feel the impetus would be on me to go around you in another lane.
Another time under similar circumstances a co-worker came up behind me and blew his horn. I slowed down. When he blew his horn again I slowed down to the speed limit. He was really upset with me. I told him that I thought he was trying to warn me that I was exceeding the speed limit. We didn't have further conversations for quite a while.
hell no it wasn't justified. Sometimes I wish I was a part-time traffic cop in an unmarked car so I could bust people like that and impound their car.
No, not at all.
Should I have moved over into the far right-hand lane.
No. If there are additional lanes on the left that are not restricted as HOV or left exit only, then he should have moved over and passed.
Or should he have moved into the 3rd or 4th lanes to pass me (without needing to bright me or give me the finger in the process)?
Yes that is what he should have done. Given that it was four-lanes wide there was nothing wrong with what you did. He had plenty of room to pass.
"In your opinion, was his anger at me justified? Should I have moved over into the far right-hand lane. Or should he have moved into the 3rd or 4th lanes to pass me (without needing to bright me or give me the finger in the process)?"
No, it was not justified. There's a reason we have multi-lane roads, and that's it. Now when someone is blocking the left hand lane of a road with only 2 lanes in each direction, for no good reason, that is annoying and deserving of the flashing of lights and such, but not on a multi-lane road like you describe. The person in question was a big jerk.
He's a jerk.
But you should have pulled over as soon as you saw him.
Hell no. That's what your headlights are for. Turn 'em on. At first, he'll think you're on the brake and he'll lock 'em up.
If traffic is light, you should do whatever speed you want, but when everyone is doing 70-75, and someone is doing 50 in the middle lane while eating a bowl of cereal or reading a paper is what causes the accidents because everyone is trying to get around you.
I know, I know, here come the folks who'll say that it's the speeders. To them I say: Stay on the side roads guys. Leave the highways for people who can drive.
You were perfectly reasonable.
The guy who flahsed his highbeams at you (and then flipped you off) was the south end of a north-bound horse.
"In your opinion, was his anger at me justified? Should I have moved over into the far right-hand lane."
Nope...what you have to do with A**holes like this, is brake hard, and let them buy you a new rear end. :)
It's too bad that this doesn't actually work, because even for not-at-fault accidents, your insurance goes up, or even gets cancelled...too bad, indeed.