IS THE DARK HORSE ROAD RAGE BAIT?

[glenng6]

No, there's enough a**eholes already.

What am I missing here? You said you used to pull over drivers sitting in the fast lane! Which I took to mean you were a policeman who pulled over drivers blocking the left lane. Why wouldn't we want more policemen like you? Glenn

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[Ewags81]

What am I missing here?

i feel lou was being a bit sarcastic

 

[d4rkg04t]

I‘ve had my Dark Horse with the handling package for only a couple of months. With the cold temperatures, the rain and the snow here in Pennsylvania, the break-in process has been going slowly and I’ve only been able to put in ~350 miles. So far. in the few times I’ve taken it out, i’ve been gentle, keeping the RPMs below 4000, but still driving reasonably at the pace of traffic. But still, I‘ve found myself tailed by aggressive drivers who come right up to my rear bumper, almost bumping me, even when there is nowhere to go because of traffic. One time, after tailing me bumper to bumper, a Ford F-250 passed me aggressively on the right. Another time, a Volkswagen SUV that was also following me bumper to bumper went into the oncoming lane to pass me and the two cars in front of me while we were at a red light. On another occasion, another SUV pulled the same stuff, after following me aggressively, he gunned his engine and switched lanes to pass me on the right after I had signaled that I was merging into the right lane, almost causing a collision.. But it hasn’t been all negative. Several times I’ve gotten thumbs up and “nice car dude”, but in the few times I’ve taken it out, I‘ve definitely gotten some hostile vibes. Have any other Dark Horse owners out there gotten similar vibes?

I have had a few people get within a foot of my bumper. It really makes me mad. So mad, in fact, that the last couple nimrods that did it received an old school welcome in the form of a clutch kick, WOT, and brake-ride to sling rocks at them. I usually see them nose-dive then back off or go around.

 

[LouG]

What am I missing here? You said you used to pull over drivers sitting in the fast lane! Which I took to mean you were a policeman who pulled over drivers blocking the left lane. Why wouldn't we want more policemen like you? Glenn

Just having a laugh Glenn, but some people back then thought I was one. (some still do)I thought they were too.

 

[LouG]

In Germany, big trucks are limited to 100 kmh in most locations (62 miles per hour) where there is no speed limit for passenger cars.

Driving to the right still works.

Obviously, if you are 150 kph (93 mph), you are not going to be dangerously darting in and out of the right hand lane every time there is a twenty meter opening, but the cars driving at 150 kph will still, when the right hand lane opens, move over to the right, even if they can see a truck one kilometer ahead driving 100 kph.

It works, because everybody is following the same rules.

Even when it is two lanes, the only persons staying the left lane are those doing extreme high speed runs, because it just is not safe to switch lanes when you are doing 323 kph, and nobody is going to pass you. Nobody. That person, however, is going to need to watch the left hand lane ahead very carefully, because even though drivers in Germany only go left actively to pass somebody, even doing 150 kph to pass a truck, which is actively passing, doing 50% faster than the truck, takes a lot of time compared to the closing speed at 323 kph. Even in Germany you cannot maintain that kind of speed very long.

Speeds like 200 kph can be maintained for very long periods of time, however, and the Germans who are driving at less speed will do everything that they possibly can to stay out of your way.

USA is just not like that.

I would be in favor of a lower speed for tractor trailers in the US.

I would be in favor of higher speed limits for passenger cars in the US, with perhaps eliminating it in many areas (since you are in Georgia, think I-16 between Macon and Savannah).

I would be in favor of extreme punishments for brake checking and other such behavior, and stricter laws regarding driving to the right when not actively passing. If you are to the left of a motor vehicle to the right for a mile, then you are not actively passing that vehicle.

I couldn't agree more. I haven't driven in Germany, but from the hundreds of vids of Autobahn driving two things stood out; nearly always people clear the fast lane quickly, those that don't are often tourists. The other thing is the awareness shown by drivers on high speed runs. They start backing off and braking hundreds of metres before they get to a potentially risky situation.

 

[mandersgt]

I definitely feel like my DH is a magnet for a-hole drivers. I took her out three times last week and had four instances of not just being cut off but people trying to drive into me and push me out of my lane. Thank god for those Brembos or she would’ve been wrecked for sure! Haven’t had it happen yet with my Volvo or Jetta. Having lived on the East Coast, Midwest, FL, CA and WA the drivers in WA are next level horrific.

 

[Frogdog1]

All cars are road rage magnets exacerbated by being willing to participate in it. I just got back from a to/from Christmas drive of 469 miles each way and there was no shortage of attempts (on their side) either on interstates or in "the woods" two lanes. "Younger" drivers are worse....just an observation, not scientific exeriment. Road rage incidents aren't penalized enough. Where I live, you exit your car in a road rage incident and you will be arrested per my local po po captain who I know. People aren't civilized like they were when I was growing up. Too many "mice in the cage".

 

[smurfslayer]

I couldn't agree more. I haven't driven in Germany, but from the hundreds of vids of Autobahn driving two things stood out; nearly always people clear the fast lane quickly, those that don't are often tourists. ...

I haven't raced in F1, but from the youtube videos it looks pretty simple :-/
Since the onset of the iphone / android phones, I have seen JUST AS MANY German plated cars on the a-bahn turtling in the left lane as I do here in the USA. Are some of them visitors from other countries? very possibly. It's also possible they're German drivers.

Have a 2 channel camera, drive competently and if something bad happens, let the other driver live in youtube infamy.

 

[Kitulu]

Papo, get out of the left lane.

Problem solved.

Stated simply, stay out of the left lane, unless you are actively passing somebody to the right.

Drive to the right. Pass to the left.



I know you will be tempted to post excuses for each of these two situations I quoted, but if they could pass you on the right, then you should have already been to the right.

Pay attention to the availability of a lane to the right and pay attention to cars approaching from the rear. Don't just drive obliviously staring out the front of your windshield until a car behind you can finally get your attention.

Then observe how these road rage situations simply evaporate.

You are causing them, not your choice of car.

I have been actively passing people while in the left lane, with someone running up my ass and into the backseat. When I go to signal and get over after making enough space in front of the car in the right lane so I don't take paint off their front bumper, they will swerve into the right lane and floor it to pass rather than wait for me to move right.

For the record, the speed limit was 65mph, and I was already at 80mph. Drivers in my city are a different breed.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

I have been actively passing people while in the left lane, with someone running up my ass and into the backseat. When I go to signal and get over after making enough space in front of the car in the right lane so I don't take paint off their front bumper, they will swerve into the right lane and floor it to pass rather than wait for me to move right.

For the record, the speed limit was 65mph, and I was already at 80mph. Drivers in my city are a different breed.

Good for you for doing the right thing regardless of bad behavior by the other driver. You can only control yourself. There are always going to be some idiots on the road.

 

[tktrain]

I haven't raced in F1, but from the youtube videos it looks pretty simple :-/
Since the onset of the iphone / android phones, I have seen JUST AS MANY German plated cars on the a-bahn turtling in the left lane as I do here in the USA. Are some of them visitors from other countries? very possibly. It's also possible they're German drivers.

Have a 2 channel camera, drive competently and if something bad happens, let the other driver live in youtube infamy.

I have only had my '25 Grabber Blue DH for about 6-7 weeks so I only have about 250 miles on the odometer so far. I'm definitely a spirited driver but I haven't had any people playing with me yet. If I get them beside me at a stop light, I just shift at 4000 and they're typically wayyyy back at the top of 2nd. I think they kind of realize it's likely going to get ugly for them fast. I have a 2010 Fusion Sport I've had since new. I maintain it carefully and have pretty much everything Steeda offered for it installed. I get challenges in that car like crazy, but it's on a 93 tune and my friend that does performance exhaust systems and I found some pretty poor spots in the factory system. It's also bright red! Something about red cars make people nutty when they come up on one.

Anyway, I'm hoping most people are sane and won't want to race all the time. By the way, I picked my color based on the picture I've attached. This was the first car Ford put Grabber Blue on.

 

[glenng6]

I couldn't agree more. I haven't driven in Germany, but from the hundreds of vids of Autobahn driving two things stood out; nearly always people clear the fast lane quickly, those that don't are often tourists. The other thing is the awareness shown by drivers on high speed runs. They start backing off and braking hundreds of metres before they get to a potentially risky situation.

I was just thinking about a time 20 years ago that I was in Arkansas on business. I was amazed at the number of ramshackle houses and falling down single wides with shiny new monster trucks in the red dirt driveways.

My wife and I drove to Florida in 1971, taking the scenic route. We wanted to see as many places as we could that we learned about in high school! We drove on mostly two-lane roads, and some weren't even paved! Well, talk about ramshackle homes that probably should have been condemned! A large portion of them had TV antennas and Cadillacs parked in the driveways. I guess each to his own! Glenn

 

[glenng6]

I drive I-85 from Brazelton towards Greenville regularly and if you drive all the way on the right hand lane, you'll be right in the middle a solid line of Class 8 trucks going up and down hills and not very fast. Most other car drivers are awake enough to see this so they migrate to the middle lane and, of course you have enough lane hogs in the far left lane(s) to cause a clusterf__. That's when power matters if you want to get anywhere. Nothing is fair or logical on interstates today or any roads for that matter. If I'm in the Mustang, I look for the rare open areas of the road. One issue is the number of trucks on the roads today. Everything comes on a truck.

Probably in many places, there seem to be clusters of cars traveling together. I like getting into position between two groups and using cruise control to isolate myself between the two groups. The second group always seems to eventually catch up, and when I sense they are about to overtake me, I work my way through the first group and get in a position to do it all over again! I'm not big on traveling within a group. As others said, there are too many idiots on the road. Glenn

 

[glenng6]

Let idiots pass, that's my motto. Some people just hate Mustangs.

That makes sense unless you are dealing with certified idiots who don't use the brains that God gave them! Glenn

 

[BimmerDriver]

Clutch leg has a knee replacement that is failing. Worse than that I can barely ride a motorcycle these days

Well, good for you for riding any, at all, in your 70s! I quit riding in my late 50s.

I love your Triumph!

I know of people who are dedicated members of the MLOC, Middle Lane Owners Club.

Like others in GA, I researched this in NC, it's not against the law.

Since I retired, I try to take it easy, I'm not in a hurry, just chill. That helps a lot when dealing with all of these morons out there.

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