whitecat99
02-16-2007, 07:50 PM
While waiting at a two lane metering light at an on ramp for the freeway a Mercedes pulled up beside me. I was driving my 2002 4.0L Ranger. The on ramp curves to the right before blending into another two lane road that runs parallel to the freeway. The left lane enters the freeway and the right lane exits as part of the off ramp.
I was on the right and to the inside of the curve and usually the car on the left yields to the car on the right. At the green light, I took off first and about half way around the corner I see the Mercedes trying to pass me. I backed out some to let him go because he was going to be forced into the left lane which sometimes has traffic exiting the freeway coming through there.
Everything went without incident until he came up to the vehicles in front of him which were slow because of a big rig in front of them. He had to hit the brakes and I would have had to brake even harder to get behind him. I decided there was plenty of room to accelerate in the right lane and be able to get in front of the big rig safely, so I did.
I always accelerate hard on freeway on ramps when possible to make it easier to blend in with traffic. I merged onto the freeway (4 lanes) and could see open lanes all the way to lane 2. As I was changing to lane 3, I could see the Mercedes coming out from behind the vehicles he had gotten stuck behind and was coming hard. I continued to lane 2 and stayed there at about 75. The Mercedes went to lane 1 got up beside me and when his rear bumper was about at the rear of my cab, he proceeded to change into my lane. Fortunately, I had room in the next lane to move over but there was not much room between the Mercedes and me during this maneuver.
He then slowed down and as I went by him, I took a look to see what kind of lunatic I was dealing with. He just looked over and smiled at me. When I just about had enough room to pull over in front of him he accelerated again and I got stuck behind a slower car in my lane. I pulled in behind him and he tapped the brakes to slow down. Just playing games with me. I followed him until a lane opened up and passed him to go on down the road. He did nothing this time and actually took the next exit.
My point is you never know who you are dealing with. I was driving fast but was not really racing. He must have thought I was racing and was apparently offended that I was. He must have been in the 'red zone' and did not care if he caused an accident.
I am not saying I did nothing to contribute to what happened but I would never try to make contact with another vehicle and apparently there are people that are willing to, or are just plain stupid.
I was on the right and to the inside of the curve and usually the car on the left yields to the car on the right. At the green light, I took off first and about half way around the corner I see the Mercedes trying to pass me. I backed out some to let him go because he was going to be forced into the left lane which sometimes has traffic exiting the freeway coming through there.
Everything went without incident until he came up to the vehicles in front of him which were slow because of a big rig in front of them. He had to hit the brakes and I would have had to brake even harder to get behind him. I decided there was plenty of room to accelerate in the right lane and be able to get in front of the big rig safely, so I did.
I always accelerate hard on freeway on ramps when possible to make it easier to blend in with traffic. I merged onto the freeway (4 lanes) and could see open lanes all the way to lane 2. As I was changing to lane 3, I could see the Mercedes coming out from behind the vehicles he had gotten stuck behind and was coming hard. I continued to lane 2 and stayed there at about 75. The Mercedes went to lane 1 got up beside me and when his rear bumper was about at the rear of my cab, he proceeded to change into my lane. Fortunately, I had room in the next lane to move over but there was not much room between the Mercedes and me during this maneuver.
He then slowed down and as I went by him, I took a look to see what kind of lunatic I was dealing with. He just looked over and smiled at me. When I just about had enough room to pull over in front of him he accelerated again and I got stuck behind a slower car in my lane. I pulled in behind him and he tapped the brakes to slow down. Just playing games with me. I followed him until a lane opened up and passed him to go on down the road. He did nothing this time and actually took the next exit.
My point is you never know who you are dealing with. I was driving fast but was not really racing. He must have thought I was racing and was apparently offended that I was. He must have been in the 'red zone' and did not care if he caused an accident.
I am not saying I did nothing to contribute to what happened but I would never try to make contact with another vehicle and apparently there are people that are willing to, or are just plain stupid.