Finally know what it's like to be you guys (not in a good way)

[Poppe]

So this evening I was driving home in my Mustang on a major highway. There was a huge accident a mile or so ahead so it was 6 lanes of stop and go traffic. We were creeping a long. A semi/18-wheeler that had been following me for a long time all of a sudden got with in inches of my bumper on one of the stops. I honk my horn and I wave my hand out the window trying to get his attention. The car in front of me pulls forward 1 feet. I move forward just a few inches thinking I'll get some breathing room. The guy just creeps up on me this time again with just inches to spare. Honk. Honk. Wave wave. People around him honked and waved. It seems like he acknowledge me. Car in front of me travels 3-6 feet this time. I move up about the same. Then BAM. smacks me.

I bring it up only because I always read stories about Lotus owners and not being seeing and always being afraid of not being seen. I'm still a lotus dreamer not an owner, but I feel like at least prepares me mentally right?


After I get to the shoulder. I notice he doesn't get over. I wave my hands. He rolls down the window: "**** you. There's no damage. I'm not stopping." I try to take his license plate picture when he starts to flash me. So I move more center of his truck (traffic is not moving), and he actually gunned and got speed for the few yards he could before he came up behind the car in front of him. I had to run out of the way. Luckily my picture was in focus some how!! My heart was racing the entire time!! Something so big on your ass like that and then for him to be a dick.

EDIT: Damage - scratches nicks and stuff. Hard to tell in the dark.

[gooberschnot]

I'm confused was it the mustang or semi that hit u?

[addertooth]

He was in a mustang, the semi tapped him in the rear and refused to stop. Assuming the mustang stopped at that point and call the police, it is a hit and run. If the mustang went home without calling the police then the crime is "failing to file a police report".

[David Craig]

When I see a driver who is on my tail or driving oddly I try to switch lanes and get away from them. I don't try to flag them nor indicate my concern.

[GuppyCaptain]

Originally Posted by Poppe

So this evening I was driving home in my Mustang on a major highway. There was a huge accident a mile or so ahead so it was 6 lanes of stop and go traffic. We were creeping a long. A semi/18-wheeler that had been following me for a long time all of a sudden got with in inches of my bumper on one of the stops. I honk my horn and I wave my hand out the window trying to get his attention. The car in front of me pulls forward 1 feet. I move forward just a few inches thinking I'll get some breathing room. The guy just creeps up on me this time again with just inches to spare. Honk. Honk. Wave wave. People around him honked and waved. It seems like he acknowledge me. Car in front of me travels 3-6 feet this time. I move up about the same. Then BAM. smacks me.

I bring it up only because I always read stories about Lotus owners and not being seeing and always being afraid of not being seen. I'm still a lotus dreamer not an owner, but I feel like at least prepares me mentally right?


After I get to the shoulder. I notice he doesn't get over. I wave my hands. He rolls down the window: "**** you. There's no damage. I'm not stopping." I try to take his license plate picture when he starts to flash me. So I move more center of his truck (traffic is not moving), and he actually gunned and got speed for the few yards he could before he came up behind the car in front of him. I had to run out of the way. Luckily my picture was in focus some how!! My heart was racing the entire time!! Something so big on your ass like that and then for him to be a dick.

EDIT: Damage - scratches nicks and stuff. Hard to tell in the dark.

Dude, if it went down as you described (and I'm not doubting you), it sounds like the guy was high or something to be acting so strangely. If you got his info PLEASE do yourself and all of us a favor and pursue the matter.

Personally if it was me I probably would have snapped and tried to pull him out of the cab. Prick.

[lotus90]

I also get out of the way of crazy drivers they are not worth it.

I would file a report with police. Your post is the reason I drive a range rover as a daily driver. People are jerks and the range rover gets way more respect than the Elise.

Ed

[Heavyweight]

same here, I try to get away. not worth it to be around the idiots if you can avoid them. good luck and I hope you had the police come to the scene.

[Vulcan Grey]

File with the police. In CO they actually don't require you to wait for the police to come, if there wasn't an injury, they would rather keep traffic moving and have you file a report online later.

[91MR2]

That is unreal...very sorry to hear...hope it works out for you...

[cawdor]

The dude hit and ran your vehicle THEN attempted to run down your person. Since you have his plate, he should already be in jail.

[agirls]

If somebody tried to run me over, I would have followed him while on the phone with 911. I don't think a big rig can out run a Mustang.

[Poppe]

Hey thanks for all the replies. Sorry for the the confusion:

Me - - Mustang
Other guy - - Semi

Semi (him) hit Mustang (me) from behind.

I filed the police report today. It's California though so things never seem to be taken seriously unless you are bloody and on need an ambulance. We will see what happens.

As for the getting out of the lanes. I usually try to get out of the lane as well, but with the accident that was a mile or so ahead of us it would have been really tough to get over; you know how it gets when an accident happens and no one wants to let anyone over because they'll have to take a second longer to get through traffic.

If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it. Like I said I filed the police report today. I'm trying to figure out what to do. My insurance is a $1000 deductible \ - I need to take it to Ford to get it checked out and check if there is damage with the foam or any of the non-visible stuff.

[brgelise]

Find his trucking company and file with them directly! Better still wait to you get copy of police report and include that to get their attention. Must have been a Chevy guy in the truck. That's what you folks get pissin on each other all the time!

[komiko]

vulnerability is tough. i live in an area where 99% of the time i can use the highly evasive capabilty of my car to lose someone or get out of their way.. As long as i have an escape path - no one can follow me anymore if i don't want them to. Thanks BOE.

But you were trapped like a rat. Sorry for the PTSD - i get the adreneline pumping too.

[Poppe]

Originally Posted by brgelise

Find his trucking company and file with them directly! Better still wait to you get copy of police report and include that to get their attention. Must have been a Chevy guy in the truck. That's what you folks get pissin on each other all the time!

I should have known!!

[squidward]

Sorry to hear this, but it happens all the time..

I've learned not to even reason with @ssholes. I've had more than my fair share of such incidents too. People are f*cking crazy in Los Angeles. Lesson? Get out of the way. The sooner they're out of my life, the better.

[evilfij]

Why I carry reason 8,743.

Go after the bastard. Next time, get the plates of those cars around you for witnesses.

[pax]

Originally Posted by evilfij

Why I carry reason 8,743.

???

so, what? you would've shot him?

[komiko]

No - freak him out. Kiss him. Make sure you get a lot of tongue in there. Then tell him you got it on video, and you will post on utube and mail to his buddies- he'll pay up. Extortion is a highly underrated way of getting some results..Of course , this could go wrong if he's gay.

[GuppyCaptain]

Originally Posted by pax

???

so, what? you would've shot him?

I doubt he would have even though the idiot deserved one in the knee at least (but I'll let the OP answer for himself). I think the insinuation is that there's a lot of moronic and dangerous people out there and carrying is a very smart idea because of that.

Personally, I don't need that many reasons to carry, but hey..........