I played mini van tag today.
Situation: Driving home a minivan was driving slow in the fast lane (a real surprise
)
The Ford in front of me passes on the right (5 lane road). I flash my headlights once, no sign of life. We approach the turn to the mall, mini van slows more, I figure he is slowing for the left turn, so I switch to the right hand lane. Overtake the minivan and pass on right, check mirrors and return to the left lane.
All is well, the minivan pulls into the center lane and waits for the light to go green.
Then we all proceed across the intersection, wife says "hey! is he gonna hit you?", I glance over and sure enough, he barely avoids a head on with oncoming traffic and hits me on the left side.
Dodge 1, minivan 0. Minor scrapes to the truck and a bent mount on the cab over camper. Minivan (california driver & plates) has no mirror on the side and destroyed sheet metal all down the right hand side.
I continue to a safe place to stop (mistake, cant prove who hit who now). Minivan driver gets out and asks why *I* didn't let him in? WTF? Huh? I'm dumbfounded.
What? Why didn't *I* let you in????? I felt a mercy killing for gross stupidity might be in order here.
So I asked why I should have let him pass, in the middle of an intersection, coming from the left turn lane?
minivan:"Because *YOU* cut me off and ran me off the road" Huh? Me: "I flashed my lights once and then went around you like the Ford did" Minivan: " No, you flashed your lights and then ran me off the road" Me:
No I passed you and then you hit me from the left turn lane in the intersection" "Besides, you look pretty good for being "run off the road" Minivan: "Well you didn't run me off the road but you cut me off"
Me: "Whatever, why did you hit my truck?" Minivan: "I wanted to go west" Me: "Why didn't you just settle in behind me?" Minivan: "Because you cut me off" Minivan: "You flashed your lights at me to get me out of the fast lane [surprise!] and when I didn't move [another surprise] you cut me off" Me: "When I went around you, I had sufficient room. Did you speed up at the last second to prevent me from merging back into the left lane?" Minivan: no response Me: "Listen man, it is raining, dark, I'm driving a 7000# truck with a 3500# camper, do you think all I have to do is watch the mirrors and see if you decide to speed up to prevent me from passing?" Me: "What indication of agressive driving did I demostrate? Finger gestures? Slam on brakes? Swerving? Horn? What?" Minivan: "No, but you flashed your lights" Me: "Once?" Minivan: "Yes" Me: "And you think that is agressive driving?" Silence.
Minivan needs a new whole side. The Ram needs minor sheet metal work. Cop was cool too about the whole thing.
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