Agressive Driving Warning

[JustinVGT]

I just thought I would share with you all my experience last night as a warning to everyone. First off, I’m not into street racing at all with my Vibe. I’ve modified it, but just to increase the driving fun factor, that’s all. Near my neighborhood, I pull up to the front of two left turn lanes at a stop light. To the left of me is some big monster pickup truck. I didn’t look at the guy and I had no intention of racing. Our light turns green and I have to merge into his lane because mine ends. Normally I’m quick enough and easily get in front of the other car without using lift or mashing the gas too much, but this time this truck mashed his gas hard. In my head I thought, hmm… I shouldn’t have any problems getting in front of him and this could be fun. I mash the gas in first gear, hit lift and easily got ahead of him without cutting him off at all. Now, if it looked like it was going to be a closer match, I would have just yielded and got behind him. I am not going to be a jerk and cut off or run someone off the road. Well, just after I merged in front of him, guess what I see behind us in the distance? Yes, blue flashing lights! My neighborhood was the first right and then I took the next first right and stopped at a row of homes because I didn’t want to block traffic on that other road. I saw the officer coming behind me in the distance so I knew he was coming after me instead of the truck that kept going straight. Looking back, I now see how it probably appeared I was trying to out run him and hide which I was not trying to do. He asked for my license and asked where I lived. I tell him my address right away which is just down the street, problem is it doesn’t match my license! I forgot to update it so that didn’t help things (I updated it today!). He asked why I pulled over here and if I knew why he pulled me over. I was honest about how the other guy gunned his engine and I just thought I’d have fun and get ahead of him. I mentioned I live right down the street and I didn’t want to block traffic on the main road especially since it has no parking signs along the side. He originally thought I was trying to hide from him. He told me what I did is classified as reckless driving and is a serious offense. I was not aware that was considered reckless, just mashing the gas to get in front of someone without cutting them off or anything like that. He took my license back to his car and I sat there thinking oh no, what did I get myself into. Virginia also just put these new aggressive driver fines into effect this year which have outrageous fines ($1-3K) that you have to pay each year for several years in a row which would really hurt. The officer came back to me after just a minute or two of checking my license, I was surprised how quickly. He told me that I have an excellent driving record and he hopes that I keep it that way. So, he let me off with just a verbal warning and I gave him a huge thank you. I will definitely think twice about doing something like that in the future! I know I really lucked out and I just want to warn everyone about thinking twice the next time you may do something similar. Has anyone else had similar experiences, close calls or warnings to share?

[Kamikaze]

Glad you got off scott free, but that still sucks to be pulled over for something so stupid... reckless?? come on... if you were all over the road, tires were squealing, and you were putting people in danger...yeah sure... but accelerating hard? no that's BS.oh well. sometimes warnings open up your eyes...

[JustinVGT]

Yeah I know. The thing is, he said aggressive driving falls under the same as reckless driving. I wouldn't consider what I did as reckless, but I could see it as aggressive since I floored it to get in front of someone.

[Whelan]

Hence I keep saying, VA cops are the worst ever. In my town/state, they would have pulled over the truck for being a jack*** trying to fly around. He probably would have gotten a ncie verbal for trying to turn his truck into an indy car and what not. When I see SUVs and trucks doing things I can do. i.e. taking a corner on the highway at 80, it makes me cringe when I see them leaned over hard or having to mash their brakes to stay in their lane.

[burkeyro]

WOW, I didn't know they were that bad down there. Good thing you only got a warning. I normally do that on the highway, I try to keep it slow and LOUD off the highway, so all I'd get is a noise violation if they feel like being pickey. I've done alot of LIFT to 40 mph in town and never had any trouble, but then again, I don't stop or look behinde me either though

[futureviber]

a few weeks ago we were in New Castle and this huge truck raced my boyfriend in his camaro, we even camp up on a car and the truck changed lanes so that we could get over. he realized he was doing 70 in a 40 then the truck turned so we definitely slowed way down. it was funny though, would have sucked if we got pulled over.

[Merzbow]

Man, I was going into law enforcement but just recently changed to Pharmacy major and to be honest, cops have always pissed me off.I have never EVER gotten any kind of warning or break in my life by police or the court and I've been pulled over so many times I can't count. Now I have 8 points (most were on my ducati) so obviously I wont get any breaks NOW, but when I first started driving I was as polite and honest as humanly possible and believe it or not, I still am. Never helped me though, they just profile as a stupid kid that thinks their invincible.I feel your concern of getting pulled over for something so stupid. I used to get pulled over for my LED and neon lighting in my car back in the day (sometimes I'd forget to turn them off on the main roads). One time specifically he wrote me a ticket for improper lighting and harassed these two girls I was with and gave them both curfew tickets. They just moved down to my area from about 3 hours north and didn't have their new address or phone numbers memorized. The cop was actually yelling at them and making fun of them. So he gave all three of us bogus tickets, and while all of this was going on, I watched a Trans Am and some kind of F/I tuned import roast tires at a light and race by the side street in my rear view mirror...you tell me what is more dangerous!!!!Sorry for the rant, these kind of things just hit home with me You see people almost killing others or driving drunk, yet the cops for some reason only catch you going 5mph over, or accidentally rolling through a stop sign on an icy road... Very glad you didn't get punished for it though

[Whelan]

Quote, originally posted by Merzbow », or accidentally rolling through a stop sign on an icy road... That's why you hit the brake harder and slide through

[Merzbow]

(removed)...I don't think that would fly too high here lol...I said roll through the sign, not slide through and get smoked by a Hummer (removed).

[Whelan]

Think about it, cop sittin at the intersection, you slide through but do it in style where you E-brake it, slide sideways through facing him and smile and wave, (removed)

[Moon_wagon]

No offense, but if he was in the main lane and it was your lane that ended, he did have "right of way" if you guys had gone the same speed. Normally, you would have had to wait until he got by and then change into the left lane.The fact that you floored it to pass him from the right lane that was ending makes it easy for a cop watching to stop you. Mind you, I'm glad you didn't get anything because of that as it doesn't sound anything major, but a warning seems just ok by me.Personnaly, I can't stand people who go in the right lane on a light and then accelerate fast and switch to the left lane right after. I see that often on the roads here - it's a way to pass traffic. In a way it is somwhat dangerous.No hard feelings!

[NewNeptune]

LOL, this sounds like pretty much every merging experience getting on the highway in Phoenix. Two left turn lanes and then they collapse on the on-ramp. No one likes to give up space so pretty much every time there is someone gunning their engine to fit in before their lane disappears.On a side note, when I make left turns I almost always select the lane that is shorter. Too many bozos that don't go when it's green and too many short green arrows make it well worth it.