Motorway harassment
Discussion
So there I was, enjoying a pleasant drive to meet up with my parents this morning.
Approaching the end of the sparsely populated M'way section of the drive, I see before me a line of 4 convoying VW's. The convoy are all traveling within a car length of each other and occupying the middle lane of the sparsely populated M'way. A Silver Mondeo sits in lane 3 alongside convoy and I am overtaking in lane 2 about 300m behind. Cars in the convoy are 2 mk.4 ( I think) Golfs, a Mk.1 Golf and an old school Scirocco. The Mondeo completes his overtake, no doubt admiring the condition of the V-Dubs, as, even to me, they look in good nick. I approach the convoy, move in to lane 3 and take a look as I go past. The back Dark Green Mk.iv is nice, and I notice that the Scirocco has a supercharged sticker on the back. Very nice thinks I. I like SC's as a rule.
Then the fun ends.
The back Mk.iv immediately pulls up very close to the rear of my car and stays there. I can't see his headlights so I know he's close. I try to put some space in between us by accelerating, and he matches my speed without changing spacing. I keep at that speed for a few seconds, to make sure I was clear of the Mondeo, as I was more worried about how close the Golf was. I brake down to a speed I am happy with (not particularly harshly) and move into the middle lane. The dark green Golf then accelerates to pass and comes of the throttle as he passes and I hear his dump valve. So he's got some sort of modded engine, and he has left it unbadged. Good for him, he's going for the stealth look I suppose.
Of course, you know what happens next he indicates into the middle lane and slows right down. So I move out to overtake, no particular need to accelerate. Problem is, the Golf accelerates to match my speed and this time the Supercharged Scirocco is now accelerating towards me in Lane 3, with a truck in Lane 2.
Having assessed the situation, I come to the conclusion that the safest thing to do is accelerate, to both reduce the closing speed of the Scirocco and reduce the risk of the Golf trying to pull in front of me in order to avoid the truck. The Scirocco backs off to let the Golf out, as it was sitting in my nearside blindspot. I'm pretty worried by their driving, and what they are trying to achieve by this time, so I decide that the only other thing to do is to change tack and decelerate to truck speeds, and hope they just keep on going, therefore I brake after I pass the truck, and pull in. I decide to brake instead of just coming off the throttle so that it was very clear that my car was going to slow down.
Both cars slow down to allow the other two cars to catch up, and whilst they carry on down the motorway the Golf stays in lane 2 whilst the 3 other cars remain in lane 3. This was at a motorway intersection, and fortunately they went off in a different direction.
What should I have done differently? I don't believe my overtake was provocative - it wasn't fast, in fact I took time to have a glance at the cars. I just don't get it? I'm nervous just thinking about it now.
This is the first car that I've had which receives negative attention, and today was by far the worst (car is a silver 996 911 aerokit C2 - not my first Porsche and the black Cayman didn't get this problem).
Are other road users really this malevolent in day to day life towards other people?
Discussion welcome.
TIA coanda
They are morons & cretins.
Under the circumstances you acted with very sensible and commendable restraint - lots of drivers (me)in your position would have been tempted to take off at high speed and run away, which would have probably escalated and worsened the situation.
You did OK, forget it.
Under the circumstances you acted with very sensible and commendable restraint - lots of drivers (me)in your position would have been tempted to take off at high speed and run away, which would have probably escalated and worsened the situation.
You did OK, forget it.
coanda said:
What should I have done differently?
It's extremely hard to interpret what happened without being there. However, when things were already going wrong twice you accelerated. I think it might be worth thinking again about that strategy, and whether it might have encouraged them to think the "game was on".Maintaining a steady speed, and positioning to pass or be passed accordingly and boringly hanging back or not getting involved will demonstrate that you don't really want to play.
Well my personal opinion...
Pull into the outside lane to overtake the guy that just pulled in front of you and braked, show him the finger... one or two your choice. I always feel two is more playful, one for re-enforcing your dislike of their driving style and then open your throttle as wide as it will go and maintain this throttle position until all 4 vehicles are no longer visible in your rear view mirror.
Then sit back relax and acknowledge that you are much better and have a considerably larger engine, wallet and male organ than all 4 VW drivers combined.
Pull into the outside lane to overtake the guy that just pulled in front of you and braked, show him the finger... one or two your choice. I always feel two is more playful, one for re-enforcing your dislike of their driving style and then open your throttle as wide as it will go and maintain this throttle position until all 4 vehicles are no longer visible in your rear view mirror.
Then sit back relax and acknowledge that you are much better and have a considerably larger engine, wallet and male organ than all 4 VW drivers combined.
Get used to it. There are a lot of jealous idiots on the road. You were unlucky that you encountered a convoy of jealous idiots. Not that I suspect this would have made much of a differnce but if you had given them a thumbs up (i.e. shown approval) as you crept past they may have realised that you appreciated their cars and it might have prevented the incident. But probably not.
7db said:
It's extremely hard to interpret what happened without being there. However, when things were already going wrong twice you accelerated. I think it might be worth thinking again about that strategy, and whether it might have encouraged them to think the "game was on".
Maintaining a steady speed, and positioning to pass or be passed accordingly and boringly hanging back or not getting involved will demonstrate that you don't really want to play.
What he said! I think one thing to recognise is when a situation is developing as it's easier to get out of it earlier than once it escalates ... and these things can escalate very quickly! Unfortunately, driving a nice car can mean you find yourself in more situations like this. Maintaining a steady speed, and positioning to pass or be passed accordingly and boringly hanging back or not getting involved will demonstrate that you don't really want to play.
Chris
Thanks for the comments guys.
7db, I think you are right with the strategy re-think.
My aim on motorways is to blend in and, in general not cause another driver to have to react to my driving, whilst making progress. Perhaps this should be extended to attempt to not cause another driver to think they can/have to react to my driving. At the same time I detest poor lane discipline and lazy driving, so sometimes I end up working at cross-purposes!
In this case, it would have meant trailing the group at their cruise speed so as not to antagonise. In retrospect, I think getting anywhere near them would have ended up in a similar situation. Having watched them for a while, as I closed, they didn't react to any other cars. They were clearly out to try and make a point. The guy in the Golf knew exactly what he was doing - staring straight ahead with absolutely no recognition, hidden behind his mirrored aviators. That must have been his 'game face'.
Given the short distance left to run on the motorway, trailing wouldn't have been an issue on that day. Much preferable on the old stress levels, but I strongly dislike the fact that I have to endure this solution if I don't want any aggro. I get the same on country roads. Some drivers will overtake allsorts to sit on my bumper and follow me at six inches for the next half hour. I move over when I judge a good overtake can happen, but no, they sit there, just waiting to rear end me when I stop for a deer.
Sorry, my cup runneth over there a little...
7db, I think you are right with the strategy re-think.
My aim on motorways is to blend in and, in general not cause another driver to have to react to my driving, whilst making progress. Perhaps this should be extended to attempt to not cause another driver to think they can/have to react to my driving. At the same time I detest poor lane discipline and lazy driving, so sometimes I end up working at cross-purposes!
In this case, it would have meant trailing the group at their cruise speed so as not to antagonise. In retrospect, I think getting anywhere near them would have ended up in a similar situation. Having watched them for a while, as I closed, they didn't react to any other cars. They were clearly out to try and make a point. The guy in the Golf knew exactly what he was doing - staring straight ahead with absolutely no recognition, hidden behind his mirrored aviators. That must have been his 'game face'.
Given the short distance left to run on the motorway, trailing wouldn't have been an issue on that day. Much preferable on the old stress levels, but I strongly dislike the fact that I have to endure this solution if I don't want any aggro. I get the same on country roads. Some drivers will overtake allsorts to sit on my bumper and follow me at six inches for the next half hour. I move over when I judge a good overtake can happen, but no, they sit there, just waiting to rear end me when I stop for a deer.
Sorry, my cup runneth over there a little...
Edited by coanda on Monday 22 August 21:46
HiHoSilverSLK said:
They are morons & cretins.
Under the circumstances you acted with very sensible and commendable restraint - lots of drivers (me)in your position would have been tempted to take off at high speed and run away, which would have probably escalated and worsened the situation.
You did OK, forget it.
Thanks, I did think one of my options was to drop it into fourth and just drive away, but I knew I would be in a much worse position legally, so opted against that.Under the circumstances you acted with very sensible and commendable restraint - lots of drivers (me)in your position would have been tempted to take off at high speed and run away, which would have probably escalated and worsened the situation.
You did OK, forget it.
Mastodon2 said:
You heard his dump valve at motorway speeds?
Also, the golf could have been an unbadged GTI, in which case there would be no engine modification required to fit a dump valve, they just slot right in instead of the standard recirculating valve.
I don't know, I am certain there was a farting/fluttering sound I heard when the golf passed me (sounded just like a dump valve on properly turbo'd cars). I am also certain that it wasn't me or the missus!Also, the golf could have been an unbadged GTI, in which case there would be no engine modification required to fit a dump valve, they just slot right in instead of the standard recirculating valve.
These were quick cars, no doubt about it. I can admire the work that goes into making a car like that. The shapes do nothing for me, but that's by-the-by. I'm sure had we met in person we could have talked at length about their cars, so its a real shame to see how they decided to react.
coanda said:
Much preferable on the old stress levels, but I strongly dislike the fact that I have to endure this solution if I don't want any aggro.
Think of it like a corner. You don't get to dislike the fact that you have to brake in order to get round it -- you drive the road as you find it, not as you would like to find it. The "idiots" are just like all the other inanimate hazards -- in fact a little more challenging as they are more active. Look to drive them as well as you would a corner.OP: well done for keeping your temper and not driving like a tit.
I'd have just lifted off.
If that meant that I and my new best friend were doing 40MPH, so be it.
ETA: I wouldn't have cared about the Scirocco. If someone wants to drive into the back of me on the motorway and then argue the toss, they're welcome to.
I'd have just lifted off.
If that meant that I and my new best friend were doing 40MPH, so be it.
ETA: I wouldn't have cared about the Scirocco. If someone wants to drive into the back of me on the motorway and then argue the toss, they're welcome to.
Edited by CommanderJameson on Monday 22 August 22:27
coanda said:
I don't know, I am certain there was a farting/fluttering sound I heard when the golf passed me (sounded just like a dump valve on properly turbo'd cars). I am also certain that it wasn't me or the missus!
Probably the plastic undertray flapping in the wind - seems common on Mk4 Golfs.I agree that there are some real clowns out there driving Golfs. Just recently coming home from work I had a Golf so far up my rear that like the OP I couldn't see his headlights, this was in a 40 zone preceding the 30 as you come into town. As soon as I got into town, I pulled over and let him go. Was this some young buck looking for a bit of sport from a middle aged guy in his roadster? Who knows.
Fist question, do you have hands free in your car? If so I would have phoned the boys in blue, told them what was going on, had my Mrs, (you did say your wife was with you?)make a written note of their registrations, passm them to the police and taken their advice on the move. They may well have recommended you keep in your "convoy" 'till they arrived, stranger things have happened.
Personally I find your story and the behaviour of these sub-morons rather disturbing, who knows where it could have led if you were to put the foot down, I would have a bet at not well.
Fist question, do you have hands free in your car? If so I would have phoned the boys in blue, told them what was going on, had my Mrs, (you did say your wife was with you?)make a written note of their registrations, passm them to the police and taken their advice on the move. They may well have recommended you keep in your "convoy" 'till they arrived, stranger things have happened.
Personally I find your story and the behaviour of these sub-morons rather disturbing, who knows where it could have led if you were to put the foot down, I would have a bet at not well.
Poprin said:
Well my personal opinion...
Pull into the outside lane to overtake the guy that just pulled in front of you and braked, show him the finger... one or two your choice. I always feel two is more playful, one for re-enforcing your dislike of their driving style and then open your throttle as wide as it will go and maintain this throttle position until all 4 vehicles are no longer visible in your rear view mirror.
Then sit back relax and acknowledge that you are much better and have a considerably larger engine, wallet and male organ than all 4 VW drivers combined.
Pull into the outside lane to overtake the guy that just pulled in front of you and braked, show him the finger... one or two your choice. I always feel two is more playful, one for re-enforcing your dislike of their driving style and then open your throttle as wide as it will go and maintain this throttle position until all 4 vehicles are no longer visible in your rear view mirror.
Then sit back relax and acknowledge that you are much better and have a considerably larger engine, wallet and male organ than all 4 VW drivers combined.
I would have done (and have done recently) exactly the same thing.Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff