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From: fish@ihu1g.UUCP (Bob Fishell)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Highway driving
Message-ID: <130@ihu1g.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Jan-84 12:03:45 EST
Article-I.D.: ihu1g.130
Posted: Tue Jan 10 12:03:45 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Jan-84 04:56:19 EST
References: <426@pucc-h>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 27

A frequent driver myself (on I-57 in IL), I can empathize with Jeff
Sargent's flame on obnoxious drivers.  I have a few suggestions:

1) Getting rid of tailgaters:  I find that a quick, hard, stab on the brakes
is pretty effective, IF you can avoid getting rear-ended.  It depends on
how close the S.O.B. is following you.  If you've got more than ten feet or so,
you can hit the brakes, then the throttle, and not really risk anything.
It  gets them good and riled.  Of course, if you're driving a rust-bucket,
and you're not going too fast, you might be a little more bold.

2) Brights: adjusting your mirror so their lights shine back in their
eyes is something you might try.

3) Trucks and vans:  Not much I can do but sympathize.  I've always thought that
drivers of these vehicles should pay a nuisance tax, unless they use them for
a legitimate business concern.  Most of the people that have vans don't need
them, and if you ask me, most of the people who drive thes jacked-up
monstrosities (you know, the pickups with the huge tires, and the body about
3 feet off the ground) have no business taking them out on the road.  I've
had three near-accidents with such vehicles in the last year.  One of them ran
a stop sign, another ran a red light, and yet another cut me off on the 
freeway at about 60 mph.  My Honda Accord would not come out a winner
if a collision occured.  These maniacs have no respect for the law, other
drivers, or human life, if you ask me.  I think that the lawmakers should do
something to get some of these vehicles off the road.  They're gas-hogs,
and from what I can see, they're just a nuisance -- no redeeming value
whatsoever.