By Mark Esposito, Weekend Blogger
Somewhere across the space-time continuum a universe exists where the traffic gods actually do care what happens on the roadways. Evidently, our world has collided with that universe in the black hole of Lakeland, Florida. There, a local resident captured on video a cosmic exercise of justice for a tailgating driver who just couldn’t wait for her to make her turn. Flipping off the amateur videographer as he rocketed on by, the gods have exacted their revenge on 33-year-old Jeffrey White –and they must have a sense of humor. The unidentified motorist said, “He just started tailgating me and I’m looking in my mirrors and I’m like dude, what is going on. I didn’t even realize he shot a bird at me until after the video because I was focused on the road.” (video after the fold)
Here’s the video:
Jeffrey White of Tampa was arrested and charged with reckless driving and leaving the scene of a crash.
Source: abc News
~Mark Esposito, Weekend Contributor
Simms,
I just cleaned out the spam filter. There were almost three thousand spams. They come in faster than you can crank the scroll wheel. Looking for a post more than thirty seconds old is an exercise in futility.
I have another tab open. In the time it took me to type this 43 spams came in.
Theory confirmed. I now know which vpn server WordPress likes. Success.
Let’s try my original vetoed post to test this theory:
@Blind Faithiness “I’m sure this has been stated already, but __The left lane is for passing__”
First of all, I believe that the woman making the video is just as dangerous as the road rager.
However, it is not true that the left lane is just for passing. I’ve lost track of the number of times I have moved from the right lane to the left in order to make a left exit only to get tailgated and honked at by some idiot. And not some idiot that I pulled out in front of. It’s always some idiot who pulls up behind me a full minute or more after I am in the left lane. (My guess is that people who see me change lanes have a clue that I just may be exiting.) I always wait until I am reasonably close and usually drive a little above the speed limit, conditions permitting. What is the alternative…waiting until the last minute and moving heaven and earth to change lanes?
Highways, even interstates, are often too crowed to use only the right lane except for passing. I’ve been in the left lane on the interstate in traffic as far as I can see, moving at 30mph, and still get tailgated. I always try to leave at least a couple car lengths in front of me in these situations just in case someone slams on the brakes up ahead. That seems to enrage some drivers. How are these idiots going to get to their destinations any faster if I tailgate the car in front of me that is driving the exact speed I am driving?
I may have figured this out. I’m traveling and posting from a hotel wifi. I forgot to turn on my vpn in the first two attempts to reply. I turned on my vpn and, guess what? My post went through.
Either WordPress doesn’t like my hotel wifi, or it has somehow associated my vpn server with my email and won’t accept any posts from another server.
We need to get this blog on a real board.
Nick, WordPress just ate two attempts to reply to you when all my first reply said was “Hee, hee…………just like animals.”
Simms, Some commenters are more equal than other here.
Apparently, WordPress still thinks there is something abusive about my post. When it flags a post, for whatever reason, it seems no human bothers to read it.
And, when you feel comfortable, tell us about your deceased daughter.
yogi, Great comment. And you cannot teach a child, particularly a daughter, anything better than NO CELL PHONE while driving. The cops here in San Diego really enforce that law and I support their vigilance. Tragedy does give one perspective, yogi. Losing a child is the worst. Sorry for your loss. Keep coming back, we need thoughtful folks like yourself.
You know, I used to get really fried about the guys here in SoCal who would come up on your bumper, or hang out in the wrong lane. When I had a family tragedy 4 years ago (my older daughter died in a car accident), I was really spaced out for quite a while. And talking to other folks who have had really crappy days also led me to understand that not everyone is firing on all cylinders at all times, and maybe we can just let them go.
I have years of coast-to-coast, 11 Western states, big rig, small truck, sports car, you name it driving experience. Grew up in New York and Rome, Italy, drove the crazy autostrade and autobahnen. We’re all people, people. Some of us suck more, some less, some have issues, etc. I am teaching my younger daughter that you have to watch out for everyone. And your phone is in the glove box when you are behind the wheel.
Be safe, all.
W is mostly like the ol’ lady, Jeb the ol’ man.
Wayne, Many states have regulations prohibiting the left lane driving of this woman. Florida does not. In 2005 Jeb Bush vetoed a bill outlawing left lane hogs. He stated drivers cruising slowly in left lane were “safe and cautious.” His mommy probably told him that!
Yes, here in Montana “slower moving vehicles” are suppose to move over without mentioning any specifics about speed limits. Let the Highway Patrol deal with speeders, it is not up to us to force speed limit compliance by refusing to pull over–we’re not law enforcement and it is foolish playing deadly games with reckless drivers at 75mph on our freeways.
I think Jeb’s mother had a lot of influence with the shrub family.
Dredd, I think you must be a left laner, in your case also a political statement.
nick spinelli
Dick Cheney probably hasn’t driven in years. But, he does have a hunting license and he knows where you live!!
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I hope he doesn’t come over and shoot my neighbor.
He does not no an ass from the holes in his head.
Anyone who gives him any sharp object is not very sharp.
nick spinelli
This woman is almost certainly an unrepentant left lane hog. They cause many accidents. And the videotaping is horribly unsafe.
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The video shows her speed.
Wrong again.
Who had the wreck anyway?
The victim?
I have driven coast to coast several times and have seen many people who get in the left lane, set their cruise control on the speed limit and just sit there. Yes, absolutely they are abiding by the speed limit but when some jerk in a one ton vehicle starts riding their rear bumper it is time to move over. In an ideal world everyone would obey speed limits, but we don’t live in such a world and there are times when the left lane hog will end up in an accident—-sure they probably won’t be cited, they didn’t do anything wrong but tell that to those who are injured—“gee lady, I’m sorry your husband and one month old child were killed but I was just obeying the law and didn’t feel it necessary to move over.” Folks, move the hell over, let the idiots who want to speed go by, then get back in the left lane. I’ve been in certain areas in some urban areas where this lady’s life would be in jeopardy as some drivers have a pistol on their person and are not at all afraid to use it. But hey, her grave marker can say: “I wasn’t speeding and would not move over.”
When at an intersection when the light turns green for my direction of travel, I always look to see if anyone is running a red light before moving. Why? The light is green and I have a right to proceed so why not accelerate and get going? Because I don’t want to get in an accident regardless of whose fault it is.
Yes that silly lady with a video camera had a right to stay in the left lane. So what? Is exercising her right worth getting into an accident? And when she sees the idiot get in an accident she sounded excited and elated. Hell, she was happy that guy got in an accident. I hope the police arrest her.