Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Yesterday I gained a new hero. I wish I could have bought this guy a drink...

I was on my way back to SoCal from Las Vegas. Traffic was backed up just before the California border due to an accident (basically from Jean to Primm was idling speed only). I went at least an hour without even needing to use the accelerator. It sucked, but whatever, you know this [censored] is going to happen on a Sunday drive home from Vegas.

I move on over to the right lane a few miles from the border because my friends and I decide to stop at the outlet mall, eat, shop, etc. to kill some time and let the traffic get moving again. Suddenly, about 5-6 cars come flying down the emergency lane next to me. My friends and I all agree, huge douchebag move (I bet someone here will think differently).

Next thing I see is the guy behind me, in an SUV, pulling over into the lane. I'm expecting him to take off, but instead he keeps his speed and his position in between me and the car behind him. He's fully over, not halfway in my lane or anything. More cars are flying down behind him and one guy in a BMW barely slows down as he whips around the guy into the dirt and continues down the lane. The next guy is in a truck and he doesn't make the same move, he just slows down and sits behind the guy in the SUV.

So, what happens next? Does the SUV give up and move back into the lane? Does he speed up? Does the truck go around him? Well, for at least 15 minutes, absolutely nothing changes. My lane stops...the SUV stops in his position. We speed up...he speeds up. I can see the guy the whole time and he's just sitting there smiling. His chick is in the passenger seat just cracking up, probably partially because she can believe he's doing this and partially because the dude behind them is doing nothing to get out of that lane. Not honking, not flashing his lights, not going around...just accepting his spot stuck behind the Emergency Lane Blocker Guy.

Finally the SUV moves back into the lane and the truck zooms on by us and gets into the lane a few cars up. About a minute later we see the parked cop that made them both have to give up on this little game. Unfortantely the cop wasn't puling over any of the cars I recognized as the emergency lane users.

So, OOT, what do you think...

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Anyone that answers 1) Smart 2) Douchebag is a stupid douchebag.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Yeah, Douchebags/Hero and Douchebags/Douchebag are the only acceptable answers.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

A traffic accident is considered an emergency here in Vegas so this is a justified reason to use the EMERGENCY lane. I don't know if the law is any different in California but I'm pretty sure it's the same. The guy blocking the lane is holding up the flow of traffic and breaking the law.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Douchebag / Hero everywhere not just America.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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A traffic accident is considered an emergency here in Vegas so this is a justified reason to use the EMERGENCY lane. I don't know if the law is any different in California but I'm pretty sure it's the same. The guy blocking the lane is holding up the flow of traffic and breaking the law.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the emergency lane was for emergency vehicles to get to accidents and such, not so much an extra lane for people to use when there is an accident but they aren't terribly interested in sitting in traffic.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
A traffic accident is considered an emergency here in Vegas so this is a justified reason to use the EMERGENCY lane. I don't know if the law is any different in California but I'm pretty sure it's the same. The guy blocking the lane is holding up the flow of traffic and breaking the law.

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent analysis.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
A traffic accident is considered an emergency here in Vegas so this is a justified reason to use the EMERGENCY lane. I don't know if the law is any different in California but I'm pretty sure it's the same. The guy blocking the lane is holding up the flow of traffic and breaking the law.

[/ QUOTE ]

Even if that's correct, this doesn't make sense since the accident is miles ahead. It was actually on the California side of the border (radio told me). I'm assuming, unless a officer of the law gave you permission to drive in that lane, you cannot drive in that lane. It's for emergency parking, not "OMG, I can't handle the traffic, I want to drive faster than everyone else, this is an EMERGENCY!".

I do agree that Mr. Hero was breaking the law, but that's an awesome way to break the law.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Why does 2p2 so liberally use douchebag as an insult when IME it is rarely used IRL? I can't help but view it as a benign word.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

i was under the impression the "emergency" lane (or breakdown lane as we call it here) was used for cars that have to pull off the highway in an emergency. as far as i've ever seen, "emergency" vehicles always travel in the left lane.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
A traffic accident is considered an emergency here in Vegas so this is a justified reason to use the EMERGENCY lane. I don't know if the law is any different in California but I'm pretty sure it's the same. The guy blocking the lane is holding up the flow of traffic and breaking the law.

[/ QUOTE ]

and we found our first douchebag!

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
Why does 2p2 so liberally use douchebag as an insult when IME it is rarely used IRL? I can't help but view it as a benign word.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty sure that if I called someone a douchebag to their face, the reaction wouldn't be benign.

Also, I don't know where you live where douchebag isn't used IRL.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

I see this tactic being used fairly often in Utah. When there is construction on the highway, they signal that the left lane is closing causing a backup of cars in the right lane. but its not actually undrivable for like another mile and a half or so.

basically all cars screech to a halt and line up in the right and then you will see cars try to 'jump' the line by cruising down the left lane which won't close for a couple thousand more feet.

basically one guy will block the closing lane, until it actually closes so some douche bag doesn't pass all the cars that are patiently waiting in backed up traffic. pretty badass thing to do imo.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

314,

it would be more efficient to use both lanes for their entire available distance than to just sit in the right lane in a long line like a bunch of lemmings

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
314,

it would be more efficient to use both lanes for their entire available distance than to just sit in the right lane in a long line like a bunch of lemmings

[/ QUOTE ]

O RLY? how would this increase the rate of cars that can get though the bottleneck?

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

I can't imagine why you're all applauding the SUV for blocking the shoulder. I see this all the time and it [censored] pisses me off.

Yes, the people flying down the shoulder are huge douchebags. But they're taking a risk that they won't get pulled over and given a pretty big ticket. We don't need BIGGER douchebags in SUVs policing the roads.

I hate people who make it their business to police other people for no reason. He gains nothing in blocking the shoulder except the satisfaction of not letting these people get through. Would the same SUV keep pace with the middle lane while driving in the left lane so other people can't speed? Because that gets you somewhere faster too.

And if I was one of the douchebags flying down the shoulder, I'd out-douche his douchebag shoulder block by cutting around him in the dirt, cutting him off and dead stopping in front of him for about a minute.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Well you're just a life nit

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Actually, it sounds like the guy in the SUV is the life nit. I just don't give a [censored] what other people do, especially if it doesn't affect me in any way.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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Actually, it sounds like the guy in the SUV is the life nit. I just don't give a [censored] what other people do, especially if it doesn't affect me in any way.

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You mean like driving with fists of rage because assnuggets are zooming by while you're stuck going nowhere and are left to quiver impotently in hatred?

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

The people driving down the emergency lane are probably douchebags. If you're just trying to get to an exit that's like 100 yards away, then you actually do everyone a favor if you use the breakdown lane to get there. Were these people just taking a shortcut to their exit?

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
He gains nothing in blocking the shoulder except the satisfaction of not letting these people get through.


[/ QUOTE ]

Except that usually in these situations the people speeding by on the shoulder then have to get back into the normal traffic lanes, increasing the wait time of everyone they have passed. By stopping cars from passing in the shoulder and cutting everyone off at a later point, the person in the SUV saves himself and everyone who would be cut off the additional delay.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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[ QUOTE ]
He gains nothing in blocking the shoulder except the satisfaction of not letting these people get through.


[/ QUOTE ]

Except that usually in these situations the people speeding by on the shoulder then have to get back into the normal traffic lanes, increasing the wait time of everyone they have passed. By stopping cars from passing in the shoulder and cutting everyone off at a later point, the person in the SUV saves himself and everyone who would be cut off the additional delay.

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Most people who drive in the shoulder also know how to cut back in without slowing anyone down. Despite that, my gut says these people were trying to get to an exit.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Actually, it sounds like the guy in the SUV is the life nit. I just don't give a [censored] what other people do, especially if it doesn't affect me in any way.

[/ QUOTE ]
You mean like driving with fists of rage because assnuggets are zooming by while you're stuck going nowhere and are left to quiver impotently in hatred?

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If being stuck in traffic reduces you so much physically and emotionally, you should consider taking the train.

Also, I'm probably considered an aggressive driver by most people, even though the way I drive, I think, is more logical (using the left lane to actually pass, brake checking people who are tailgating without reason, etc) than most. I never use the shoulder (except in one spot by the Lincoln Tunnel where everyone does to hit an exit) to pass, but I couldn't care less if a thousand people fly by me. And in REALLY terrible traffic, the shoulder will almost become a fourth (or fifth) lane. That doesn't bother me either.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

I voted Douche/Douche its the only correct line

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
I can't imagine why you're all applauding the SUV for blocking the shoulder. I see this all the time and it [censored] pisses me off.

Yes, the people flying down the shoulder are huge douchebags. But they're taking a risk that they won't get pulled over and given a pretty big ticket. We don't need BIGGER douchebags in SUVs policing the roads.

I hate people who make it their business to police other people for no reason. He gains nothing in blocking the shoulder except the satisfaction of not letting these people get through. Would the same SUV keep pace with the middle lane while driving in the left lane so other people can't speed? Because that gets you somewhere faster too.

And if I was one of the douchebags flying down the shoulder, I'd out-douche his douchebag shoulder block by cutting around him in the dirt, cutting him off and dead stopping in front of him for about a minute.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you did this then your totally contradicting yourself

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I can't imagine why you're all applauding the SUV for blocking the shoulder. I see this all the time and it [censored] pisses me off.

Yes, the people flying down the shoulder are huge douchebags. But they're taking a risk that they won't get pulled over and given a pretty big ticket. We don't need BIGGER douchebags in SUVs policing the roads.

I hate people who make it their business to police other people for no reason. He gains nothing in blocking the shoulder except the satisfaction of not letting these people get through. Would the same SUV keep pace with the middle lane while driving in the left lane so other people can't speed? Because that gets you somewhere faster too.

And if I was one of the douchebags flying down the shoulder, I'd out-douche his douchebag shoulder block by cutting around him in the dirt, cutting him off and dead stopping in front of him for about a minute.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you did this then your totally contradicting yourself

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No I'm not. If I'm dumb enough to try to fly down the shoulder, and someone else is even dumber and decides to block me, he's now affecting my day, which would piss me off to no end. If you're driving in the regular lanes, there's pretty much no reason to be preoccupied with what people are doing in the shoulder. Just mind your business.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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I voted Douche/Douche its the only correct line

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Yes, and I just wish there was a separate poll asking people who voted douche/douche which is the bigger douche. I go SUV every time.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I voted Douche/Douche its the only correct line

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Yes, and I just wish there was a separate poll asking people who voted douche/douche which is the bigger douche. I go SUV every time.

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correct as well IMO. Yes I/you are a douche for riding the shoulder or emergency lane. But how big of Douche are you to block them?

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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Most people who drive in the shoulder also know how to cut back in without slowing anyone down.


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What are you talking about, the problem is there's a bottleneck and fewer people can get through than normally. How is going around the people who are waiting, so that you can go through before them, any different than cutting in line? This is not the same as blocking the passing lane on a normally operating highway.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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Most people who drive in the shoulder also know how to cut back in without slowing anyone down.

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I kind of fail to see how that would be possible, unless they plan to pass the accident in the emergency lane. Considering the usual police presence at accidents, not to mention that it's pretty likely that the emergency lane is blocked at the scene of the accident, that seems improbable.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

God, this isn't even close. Guys speeding in the breakdown lane are huge asshats. By doing this they're saying that their own time and comfort is more important than everyone else's. It's exactly the same as cutting in line in any other situation. I applaud truckers and anyone else who shuts these jackasses down. Just the same way that I love it when some douche tries to cut to the front of the post-Thanksgiving line outside of Best Buy (right as the store opens, ldo) and gets his ass beat. Absolutely no difference.

Lol at otnemem's lame attempts to rationalize his empathy with the asshats.

[ QUOTE ]
Most people who drive in the shoulder also know how to cut back in without slowing anyone down. Despite that, my gut says these people were trying to get to an exit.

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You're an assh*le driver. We get it. You empathize with these douches. Just understand that most of us don't drive this way (or there would be a lot more road rage murders).

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

DKS,

It's like $150 max to fly roundtrip from LA to Vegas. Driving is for suckers and Aloysius.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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God, this isn't even close. Guys speeding in the breakdown lane are huge asshats. By doing this they're saying that their own time and comfort is more important than everyone else's.

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my time and comfort is more important then yours, why should I inconvenience my self to make you feel comfy that you have to sit in traffic? If I am willing to get the ticket then asshat I be


PS I don't actually drive the shoulder or breakdown lanes I have enough lic. troubles with out doing that, if I knew I wouldn't get a ticket I would do it every time though.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most people who drive in the shoulder also know how to cut back in without slowing anyone down. Despite that, my gut says these people were trying to get to an exit.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're an assh*le driver. We get it. You empathize with these douches. Just understand that most of us don't drive this way (or there would be a lot more road rage murders).

[/ QUOTE ]
Look, this is really simple: If you care that someone is driving in the shoulder, it's because you let other peoples' choices that don't affect your life bother you. That's fine. It seems like it adds some unnecessary stress to your life, but don't get so bent out of shape when other people are content to let [censored] be [censored], as long as they're not making our lives shittier. For the love of god, this is not that difficult to understand.

EDIT: Also, you should look up the word "empathize." I don't drive in the shoulder, so how could I empathize with people who do?

And an added note: Only people who don't know how to drive would consider me an [censored] driver. If 50 people are passing you in the right lane, you're the [censored], not me.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

Why do [censored] drivers assume that the reason that everyone else doesn't drive like an [censored] is because we are incapable? ZOMG YOU FIGURED OUT THAT YOU CAN CUT PEOPLE OFF WITHOUT A TURN SIGNAL!!! I HAD NO IDEA!!!

Also, otnemem, those people are cutting in line. Do you like it when someone cuts in line in front of you?

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

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Look, this is really simple: If you care that someone is driving in the shoulder, it's because you let other peoples' choices that don't affect your life bother you.

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Are you retarded, or what? Of course it affects me. You and everyone else doing it has to cut back in eventually, which is putting me farther and farther back in line!

You are a perfect example of the douchebags that OP is talking about, and I will pull over and block you every time.

And I'll be laughing at you the entire time....

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Look, this is really simple: If you care that someone is driving in the shoulder, it's because you let other peoples' choices that don't affect your life bother you.

[/ QUOTE ]
Are you retarded, or what? Of course it affects me. You and everyone else doing it has to cut back in eventually, which is putting me farther and farther back in line!

You are a perfect example of the douchebags that OP is talking about, and I will pull over and block you every time.

And I'll be laughing at you the entire time....

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You get excited really easily. LOL at the completely overblown emotional reaction to someone driving in the shoulder.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
If you care that someone is driving in the shoulder, it's because you let other peoples' choices that don't affect your life bother you.

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This is entirely wrong.

If you cut ahead of me in a line, whether it be a line of cars in traffic, a line at the supermarket, or a line of people waiting to get into a concert, you are affecting me. You are getting something before me that you are not otherwise entitled to.

When you perform an action that will inconvience others either without thinking about those people or simply not caring about them, you are a total, complete, indefensible, and utter asshat douchebag ahole, and even though you won't ever admit it, nobody likes you and laughs at you behind your back.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

[ QUOTE ]
Why do [censored] drivers assume that the reason that everyone else doesn't drive like an [censored] is because we are incapable? ZOMG YOU FIGURED OUT THAT YOU CAN CUT PEOPLE OFF WITHOUT A TURN SIGNAL!!! I HAD NO IDEA!!!

Also, otnemem, those people are cutting in line. Do you like it when someone cuts in line in front of you?

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Did I say anything about cutting people off without a blinker? I like to drive fast in the left lane. Unfortunately, 95% of people in the left lane don't realize that this is its purpose. And this is the root of 95% of supposed assh-le driving. And if I can use another statistic - 90% of supposed assh-ole drivers are in fact just responding to the terrible driving of all the horrible, inconsiderate drivers who don't know how to keep traffic moving at a steady flow. The other 5% are assh-les just because they are.

Re: Real Life Man of Genius - Emergency Lane Blocker Guy
 

What a lot of you are failing to realize is that a large percentage of people taking the shoulder are using it to get to an exit. Whether that exit is half a mile ahead or ten miles ahead STILL DOES NOT AFFECT YOU.