Advice to Explorer Drivers

I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This prompted me
to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using your turn
signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended victim can
actually see your turn signal.

Here is what happened -

I was driving towards Raleigh NC on I-40 at the I-540 Interchange. This is
one of those interchange where an off ramp from one interchange continues on
to the next as a separate lane and the right two lanes can both exit.
However one can also continue on straight (one lane is exit only, the other
is an exit and a thru lane). I am in the exit/thru lane, intending to
continue on I-40. A car coming from the first interchange pulls in front of
me forcing me to slow. I could not move to the middle lane because there is
an Explorer in the middle lane coming up from behind. Therefore I slow and
stay behind the slightly slower moving car at a safe distance (3 car lengths
more or less). The Explorer pulls beside me so that his rear wheel panel is
about even with my front wheel and then matches my speed. As we approach the
exit, the Explorer starts drifting into my lane. Assuming he doesn't see me,
I politely honk the horn. Instead of moving back into his lane, the driver
in the Explorer moves further into my lane and tries to force me into a car
to my right in the exit only lane. I lay on the horn and manage to keep from
hitting either car, but I am really ****ed. I think (but I am not sure) that
the Explorer had its turn signal on. I say I am not sure, because the
Explorer never pulled clearly in front of me. He was riding along in a
position where the rear corner of his uber station wagon was hidden behind
the A-pillar of my small sedan (a Mazda3). If the signal had been on, and I
had seen it, I would have made room for him, even though there was literally
no one behind me for at least 200 yards (i.e., plenty of room behind me to
change lanes). So the moral of the story for Explorer drivers (and others),
if you want to bully your way into a slot between cars, at least make sure
your intended victim sees your turn signal. Don't assume that people in
smaller vehicles have seen the small, poorly located turn signals on the
rear of your vehicles. The rear turn signals of older Explorers,
particularly the ones with the yellow European style rear turn signals, are
not as obvious as you might think. Fortunately there was no accident. The
Explorer owner did eventually move into my lane (but too late to exit) and
he/she slowed way down - probably out of embarrassment at almost causing a 2
or 3 car pileup. I don't know if they were on a cell phone, or if they
didn't see me in their rear view mirror, or if they assumed I saw their turn
signal and that I would slow down to let them in, or if the driver was just
an arrogant SOB trying to pass one more car before the exit. I am just glad
no one was hurt - this time.

Ed

On Jan 10, 2:10*pm, "C. E. White" > wrote:
> I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This prompted me
> to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using your turn
> signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended victim can
> actually see your turn signal.
>

Damn, you too? I have seen more and more of this lately. slow moving
traffic, everyone bunched up, impatient driver flips on signal, waits
about 0.5 seconds for a "nice person" to open up a hole for him, then
moves over anyway... whether or not you have actually seen his
signal, or even physically could. Hint: If your rear bumper is not
at least slightly in front of my A-pillar, I probably can't see your
turn signal.

At least with Euro-style side repeaters you could see if someone is
planning on running you off the road.

nate

N8N wrote:

> "C. E. White" > wrote:
> > I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This prompted me
> > to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using your turn
> > signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended victim can
> > actually see your turn signal.
>
> Damn, you too? I have seen more and more of this lately. slow moving
> traffic, everyone bunched up, impatient driver flips on signal, waits
> about 0.5 seconds for a "nice person" to open up a hole for him, then
> moves over anyway... whether or not you have actually seen his
> signal, or even physically could. Hint: If your rear bumper is not
> at least slightly in front of my A-pillar, I probably can't see your
> turn signal.
>
> At least with Euro-style side repeaters you could see if someone is
> planning on running you off the road.

You DON'T have side repeaters as standard ?

Graham

On Jan 10, 2:29*pm, Eeyore >
wrote:
> N8N wrote:
> > "C. E. White" > wrote:
> > > I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This prompted me
> > > to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using your turn
> > > signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended victim can
> > > actually see your turn signal.
>
> > Damn, you too? *I have seen more and more of this lately. *slow moving
> > traffic, everyone bunched up, impatient driver flips on signal, waits
> > about 0.5 seconds for a "nice person" to open up a hole for him, then
> > moves over anyway... *whether or not you have actually seen his
> > signal, or even physically could. *Hint: *If your rear bumper is not
> > at least slightly in front of my A-pillar, I probably can't see your
> > turn signal.
>
> > At least with Euro-style side repeaters you could see if someone is
> > planning on running you off the road.
>
> You DON'T have side repeaters as standard ?

Not required by any FMVSS; only position lights are required. Some
vehicles have them, some don't.

nate

N8N wrote:
> On Jan 10, 2:29 pm, Eeyore >
> wrote:
>> N8N wrote:
>>> "C. E. White" > wrote:
>>>> I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This prompted me
>>>> to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using your turn
>>>> signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended victim can
>>>> actually see your turn signal.
>>> Damn, you too? I have seen more and more of this lately. slow moving
>>> traffic, everyone bunched up, impatient driver flips on signal, waits
>>> about 0.5 seconds for a "nice person" to open up a hole for him, then
>>> moves over anyway... whether or not you have actually seen his
>>> signal, or even physically could. Hint: If your rear bumper is not
>>> at least slightly in front of my A-pillar, I probably can't see your
>>> turn signal.
>>> At least with Euro-style side repeaters you could see if someone is
>>> planning on running you off the road.
>> You DON'T have side repeaters as standard ?
>
> Not required by any FMVSS; only position lights are required. Some
> vehicles have them, some don't.

Yup, and if you wire the side marker lights to flash with the turn
signals you have the best of both worlds. I did that on my Camaro and am
happy with the result, maybe not quite as effective as the repeaters on
my BMW, but good enough.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...rkerflash.html

>
> nate
Ulf

"Ulf" > wrote in message
...
> N8N wrote:
>> On Jan 10, 2:29 pm, Eeyore >
>> wrote:
>>> N8N wrote:
>>>> "C. E. White" > wrote:
>>>>> I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This
>>>>> prompted me
>>>>> to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using your
>>>>> turn
>>>>> signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended victim
>>>>> can
>>>>> actually see your turn signal.
>>>> Damn, you too? I have seen more and more of this lately. slow moving
>>>> traffic, everyone bunched up, impatient driver flips on signal, waits
>>>> about 0.5 seconds for a "nice person" to open up a hole for him, then
>>>> moves over anyway... whether or not you have actually seen his
>>>> signal, or even physically could. Hint: If your rear bumper is not
>>>> at least slightly in front of my A-pillar, I probably can't see your
>>>> turn signal.
>>>> At least with Euro-style side repeaters you could see if someone is
>>>> planning on running you off the road.
>>> You DON'T have side repeaters as standard ?
>>
>> Not required by any FMVSS; only position lights are required. Some
>> vehicles have them, some don't.

I make it a practice to not sit in the blind spot of any vehicle, but maybe
that's just me. No doubt the Explorer driver should have been more aware,
but I don't count on the other guy being a great driver.

Alan


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#3 is the correct answer.

"the driver was just an arrogant SOB trying to pass one more car before the
exit"

I learned this is standard practice in Georgia (regardless of vehicle make,
by the way). Invariably, cars follow behind then zoom around and make
their exit right at the last possible moment. I don't know what the logic
is. Perhaps it's a fear that car in front will STILL be in front once they
exit the highway and there won't be anyplace to pass.


--

"C. E. White" > wrote in message
...
>I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This prompted me
>to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using your turn
>signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended victim can
>actually see your turn signal.
>
> Here is what happened -
>
> I was driving towards Raleigh NC on I-40 at the I-540 Interchange. This is
> one of those interchange where an off ramp from one interchange continues
> on to the next as a separate lane and the right two lanes can both exit.
> However one can also continue on straight (one lane is exit only, the
> other is an exit and a thru lane). I am in the exit/thru lane, intending
> to continue on I-40. A car coming from the first interchange pulls in
> front of me forcing me to slow. I could not move to the middle lane
> because there is an Explorer in the middle lane coming up from behind.
> Therefore I slow and stay behind the slightly slower moving car at a safe
> distance (3 car lengths more or less). The Explorer pulls beside me so
> that his rear wheel panel is about even with my front wheel and then
> matches my speed. As we approach the exit, the Explorer starts drifting
> into my lane. Assuming he doesn't see me, I politely honk the horn.
> Instead of moving back into his lane, the driver in the Explorer moves
> further into my lane and tries to force me into a car to my right in the
> exit only lane. I lay on the horn and manage to keep from hitting either
> car, but I am really ****ed. I think (but I am not sure) that the Explorer
> had its turn signal on. I say I am not sure, because the Explorer never
> pulled clearly in front of me. He was riding along in a position where the
> rear corner of his uber station wagon was hidden behind the A-pillar of my
> small sedan (a Mazda3). If the signal had been on, and I had seen it, I
> would have made room for him, even though there was literally no one
> behind me for at least 200 yards (i.e., plenty of room behind me to change
> lanes). So the moral of the story for Explorer drivers (and others), if
> you want to bully your way into a slot between cars, at least make sure
> your intended victim sees your turn signal. Don't assume that people in
> smaller vehicles have seen the small, poorly located turn signals on the
> rear of your vehicles. The rear turn signals of older Explorers,
> particularly the ones with the yellow European style rear turn signals,
> are not as obvious as you might think. Fortunately there was no accident.
> The Explorer owner did eventually move into my lane (but too late to exit)
> and he/she slowed way down - probably out of embarrassment at almost
> causing a 2 or 3 car pileup. I don't know if they were on a cell phone, or
> if they didn't see me in their rear view mirror, or if they assumed I saw
> their turn signal and that I would slow down to let them in, or if the
> driver was just an arrogant SOB trying to pass one more car before the
> exit. I am just glad no one was hurt - this time.
>
> Ed
>

Herb Kauhry wrote:
>#3 is the correct answer.
>
>"the driver was just an arrogant SOB trying to pass one more car before the
>exit"
>
>I learned this is standard practice in Georgia (regardless of vehicle make,
>by the way). Invariably, cars follow behind then zoom around and make
>their exit right at the last possible moment. I don't know what the logic
>is. Perhaps it's a fear that car in front will STILL be in front once they
>exit the highway and there won't be anyplace to pass.

When I engage in this maneuver, and I do, I do so because two or more
dullards have formed a rolling road block, and when one of them begins
their de acceleration for the off-ramp, I take the only chance I've
been given to pass them. I don't really relish the thought of
operating my vehicle in proximity to ignorant idiots who don't have a
clue as to what's going on around them.


--

Sarcasm is my sword
Apathy is my shield

wtrplnet wrote:
>
> "Ulf" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> N8N wrote:
>>
>>> On Jan 10, 2:29 pm, Eeyore >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> N8N wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> "C. E. White" > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I had an Explorer almost run me off the road this morning. This
>>>>>> prompted me
>>>>>> to give Explorer drivers a little friendly advice - When using
>>>>>> your turn
>>>>>> signal as a virtual bumper, please be sure that your intended
>>>>>> victim can
>>>>>> actually see your turn signal.
>>>>>
>>>>> Damn, you too? I have seen more and more of this lately. slow moving
>>>>> traffic, everyone bunched up, impatient driver flips on signal, waits
>>>>> about 0.5 seconds for a "nice person" to open up a hole for him, then
>>>>> moves over anyway... whether or not you have actually seen his
>>>>> signal, or even physically could. Hint: If your rear bumper is not
>>>>> at least slightly in front of my A-pillar, I probably can't see your
>>>>> turn signal.
>>>>> At least with Euro-style side repeaters you could see if someone is
>>>>> planning on running you off the road.
>>>>
>>>> You DON'T have side repeaters as standard ?
>>>
>>>
>>> Not required by any FMVSS; only position lights are required. Some
>>> vehicles have them, some don't.
>
>
> I make it a practice to not sit in the blind spot of any vehicle, but
> maybe that's just me. No doubt the Explorer driver should have been
> more aware, but I don't count on the other guy being a great driver.
>

The situations in which I've had to deal with idiots like this, you're
always in *someone's* blind spot. Every lane with a line of cars all
close together. I imagine that the idiot actually feels justified in
running me off the road, because I was a big meanie and wouldn't let him
in, he just doesn't realize that he doesn't have any visible signals on
the side of his vehicle.

nate

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gpsman wrote:
> On Jan 10, 8:59 pm, "Murderous Speeding Drunken Distracted Driver
> (Hector Goldstein)" > wrote:
>
>>Herb Kauhry wrote:
>>
>>>#3 is the correct answer.
>>
>>>"the driver was just an arrogant SOB trying to pass one more car before the
>>>exit"
>>
>>>I learned this is standard practice in Georgia (regardless of vehicle make,
>>>by the way). Invariably, cars follow behind then zoom around and make
>>>their exit right at the last possible moment. I don't know what the logic
>>>is. Perhaps it's a fear that car in front will STILL be in front once they
>>>exit the highway and there won't be anyplace to pass.
>>
>>When I engage in this maneuver, and I do, I do so because two or more
>>dullards have formed a rolling road block, and when one of them begins
>>their de acceleration for the off-ramp, I take the only chance I've
>>been given to pass them. I don't really relish the thought of
>>operating my vehicle in proximity to ignorant idiots who don't have a
>>clue as to what's going on around them.
>
>
> Electing to be in front of "ignorant idiots who don't have a clue as
> to what's going on around them" is probably not the wisest of choices.
> -----
>
> - gpsman

Well, if the other options are "beside" or "behind," it does seem to be
the best choice.

nate

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