Somebody almost hit my boat on the trip home.

(kgoings) · (kgoings) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 08-19-2006, 10:23 PM

Scary incident, I was going up the onramp and my lane ends and merges into the left lane before entering the highway. So this guy trys to at the last minute punch it and get by me, he gets about to the front of my boat a decides to back off but too late, I swerved off the road to avoid him hittin my boat.

So then he zooms past me with his chick hanging out the window giving me the the 2 finger salute. He then trys to box me in and get me to stop on the highway...I was kinda freaking, both my girls were in the back seat say "Dad what are they doing" I hung back and then waited for him to commit left or right and I punched it and passed him. I thought he was going to follow me, I was about to call the cops but he kept going when I exited.

Idiots

(doubleup10) · (doubleup10) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-19-2006, 11:12 PM

Scary stuff. Good to hear you, your family, and your boat escaped unharmed. Luckily the furthest I tow my boat is from the house to storage in the fall and vice versa in the spring. However, people always think a rig pulling a boat means they need to try some dare devil maneuver to get by them. Often they'll pass and end up going slower than I was to begin with.

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 08-20-2006, 1:16 AM

I swear... us boat owners have more problems with idiots than I can believe. That story is just ridiculous - one of the worst I've heard.

I've literally been towing my boat at the pace of traffic, doing nothing unusual and people will pass me wildly, giving me the bird all the way. What's the deal?? Do towing-haters have nothing better to?

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 08-20-2006, 10:27 AM

glad to hear that yall are OK
can be really scary...especially for kids
a similar situation happened to me a few years ago
but...there was a collision
even though the guy in the right lane was the idiot...our insurance companies decided that it was my fault because I was the one entering the highway
since then...I dont move or change lanes if I'm in the right lane...if that's the lane that I need in
in Texas...it seems that people on the ramp think that they have the right of way...but that's not how the law here is written

I know I know
I'm the ars...........

(hyperlitenrd) · (hyperlitenrd) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 08-20-2006, 11:24 AM

We always have idiots, atleast 1 going each way to the lake.

They are comming on the on ramp at 45, and we are going 55(limit for trailers) and they get up to us and finally look over with the dumbest looks and we are saying, well what are you going to do now?

ilovetrains 08-21-2006, 8:50 AM

Interesting comment on the right lane in TX. In MO, the person entering the roadway (ie., on the ramp) HAS the right of way. Failure to yield (chaneg to the left lane) is a traffic offense.

(tonality) · (tonality) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 08-21-2006, 10:55 AM

How is that even plausible? Doesn't make much sense for the person doing the merging to have the ROW...

I get pretty ticked off at people towing anything in the left lane for more time than it takes to pass and get back...trailers in the passing lane is technically illegal, but then again, so is just driving in it and not passing.

Merging is a tricky situation, it never ceases to amaze me how people in heavy merge situations can't seem to figure out to let 1 go, then go, then let 1 go, then go...makes things so much smoother.

ilovetrains 08-21-2006, 11:04 AM

Yeah seems weird at first glance, however look at it this way: at an interesection cross traffic has the ROW until you recieve a signal, or the way is clear. When two streets merge however, the one to the right alwasy the right of way. If you apply that prinipal to the highway, then the merging traffic would have right of way.

It also follows if you are in the left lane, the person in the right lane legally has the right of way. The left lane on the highway is for passing only, in theory anyway.

If you have ever driven in Europe, you have seen this in action, and it works. But it only works when you have drivers who all obey the law and are aware of their surroundings.

(kgoings) · (kgoings) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 08-21-2006, 11:32 AM

Yup the merging traffic always has ROW.

The Original 08-21-2006, 12:11 PM

Adrenaline Junkie (kgoings),
I had a very similar experience nearing a toll, I was clearly in the lane and this guy comes barreling along at way to high a speed, tries to cut me off and at the last second pulls away for another toll lane thats just opened. I run thru the toll about 15mph (rolling toll system) and accelerate thinking Thank God he didn't get in front of me cause I would have creamed him straight thru the toll.
Low and behold as I am accelerating out the toll, the driver and his buddies are hanging out the windows flipping me the bird...all of them!

Somehow in this genius' mind I was in the wrong! I prayed that night for a not so nice resolution to the incident later in that drivers life!

(johnbowen) · (johnbowen) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 08-21-2006, 7:47 PM

Sorry, I'd say your state is about as backwards as they come if the person merging has the right of way. Many on ramps have yield signs where i'm from.

I can assure you, in Washington, the freeway traffic has the right of way. No other way seems to me to make sense.

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 08-21-2006, 9:01 PM

That's exactly right John
here in Texas, the on ramp has a yield sign....as does the access road at the exit ramp of the highway
so in theory, everybody on the highway ought to be able to set the cruise control and never waver

the entering traffic should have to match the highway traffic speed and find a place in line
.....keeping traffic running smoothly

maybe that's why Cali traffic is so bad..

but then again...we are talking about the state that has the 9th district court....

nuff said