There is an app for that

from wired magazine:

"DriveMeCrazy, developed by Shazam co-founder Philip Inghelbrecht, is a voice-activated app that encourages drivers to report bad behavior by reciting the offender’s license plate into a smartphone. The poor sap gets “flagged” and receives a virtual “ticket,” which may not sound like much until you realize all the information — along with date, time and location of the “offense” — is sent to the DMV and insurance companies. "

This is a bit scary to me. It is wrong on som many levels, not the least is that the last thing I want the slow drivers clogging up the left lane on the interstate doing is trying to read my plate as I struggle to get around their rolling roadblocks. I certainly wouldn't want to have to take the time to report all of them.

Wow.... All sorts of legal issues with that.

Ranger50 wrote: Wow.... All sorts of legal issues with that.

I'm not sure what they are - but I suggest sending every license plate you can every day all day. Make stuff up. "PA plate U WD LOSE was traveling at 742.8 mph in the wrong direction and he was drunk". Try for 200k entries per day each.

Haven't we all wanted to give out our own tickets?

I want it.

You can report "cute" drivers too. Now its getting close to stalking.

A recent experience tells me this is a bad idea.

First, some background. Our car (Highlander SUV) has our company's phone number and website on the back window. Allows for a write off and helps advertise the bidness.

Since we only have the one functioning car right now (Yep, I'm that GRM, heh), I have to drive home at lunch and pick up the fiance and take her to work and then pick her up afterward. Not a big deal as her work place is about 15 minutes from home.

One night, I'm working late and have to drive from where I work to her work to pick her up. I'm late of course and she's had a bad day, so I'm trying to be relatively on time to help her enjoy some of the evening she has left. I'm flying up I-84 around 8pm and traffic is moving along nicely, about 60 or so. I'm in the left lane, passing cars and watching for faster cars behind me. I come around a corner at about 70 and there is a lady in a Corolla sitting in the left lane doing 60-65. I slow down and get about a car length away from her and slowly creep up to let her know that she needs to move. Eventually, she does move over and merges with the rest of the traffic that is doing 60-65. I put the hammer back down and head on down the road and pickup the S.O. and head towards home.

As we're heading home, she comments on getting a call from a number she didn't recognize and checks the voice mail. Turns out the lady in the Corolla called the number on the back of the car and left a voice mail stating that I was driving aggressively, following too closely, etc and that she has her child in the car and that I should slow down, etc. Needless to say, I get chewed out for a bit, then I explain that the woman is wrong in so many ways:

1) She was in the passing lane, not actively passing and did not yield to a faster car behind her.

2) I was no closer to her than usual, but because we have an SUV, our lights probably were filling her rear view mirror, causing her to think I was all over her butt.

3) If she truly has her child in the car, then why is she calling from her cell phone while driving, when she clearly should be paying attention to what is happening around her?

This is why I think this is a bad idea. The mouth breathing jack-a-napes will be filing BS reports instead of paying attention to correcting their poor driving habits.

In my experience, the most motivated complainers are often also the most frequent offenders.

I agree, bad idea. Yes there are some drivers that should be reported, but there are just as many bad drivers (maybe more) that will report others for things that are really their own fault. I think if you are driving a car with a business phone number in the window though you have to behave as if you are at work all the time. I have occasionally called businesses about bad drivers in their vehicles, although only if there was a very good reason for it.

turboswede wrote: A recent experience tells me this is a bad idea. First, some background. Our car (Highlander SUV) has our company's phone number and website on the back window. Allows for a write off and helps advertise the bidness. Since we only have the one functioning car right now (Yep, I'm that GRM, heh), I have to drive home at lunch and pick up the fiance and take her to work and then pick her up afterward. Not a big deal as her work place is about 15 minutes from home. One night, I'm working late and have to drive from where I work to her work to pick her up. I'm late of course and she's had a bad day, so I'm trying to be relatively on time to help her enjoy some of the evening she has left. I'm flying up I-84 around 8pm and traffic is moving along nicely, about 60 or so. I'm in the left lane, passing cars and watching for faster cars behind me. I come around a corner at about 70 and there is a lady in a Corolla sitting in the left lane doing 60-65. I slow down and get about a car length away from her and slowly creep up to let her know that she needs to move. Eventually, she does move over and merges with the rest of the traffic that is doing 60-65. I put the hammer back down and head on down the road and pickup the S.O. and head towards home. As we're heading home, she comments on getting a call from a number she didn't recognize and checks the voice mail. Turns out the lady in the Corolla called the number on the back of the car and left a voice mail stating that I was driving aggressively, following too closely, etc and that she has her child in the car and that I should slow down, etc. Needless to say, I get chewed out for a bit, then I explain that the woman is wrong in so many ways: 1) She was in the passing lane, not actively passing and did not yield to a faster car behind her. 2) I was no closer to her than usual, but because we have an SUV, our lights probably were filling her rear view mirror, causing her to think I was all over her butt. 3) If she truly has her child in the car, then why is she calling from her cell phone while driving, when she clearly should be paying attention to what is happening around her? This is why I think this is a bad idea. The mouth breathing jack-a-napes will be filing BS reports instead of paying attention to correcting their poor driving habits.

You were a car length away from her and closing and that's no closer than usual? Jesus dude - back the hell up.

I tried downloading that app and it doesn't even work. Not that i would use it anyway, i think its a horrible idea, but i just wanted to see what it did.

After reading that again, I agree, anything closer than 2 car lengths would not give a polite impression.

I remember years back when the pep boys I was at closed and transfered everything to another store (me included). They took the phone # stickers off the truck that I was driving, but didn't wash it. Some lady pulled up next to me while I was driving it aggressively, but stuck at a light at that point. she was trying to read the number off the side. she had no luck though :D

lizard wrote: Legally does some Fstick's opinion matter for more than potential aggravation? What can one's insurance company or DMV do if a person who is not legally qualified to write a citation complains about said individual's driving? If no contact/damage occurs and it is not observed by LEO what can they do legally?

I can see a potential "blacklist" being started, so when you DO get stopped, you get the book thrown at you. Much like a credit score.

An answer to your last question: explain redlight cameras. Same principle, but it happens every day.

Brian

DILYSI Dave wrote:

turboswede wrote: A recent experience tells me this is a bad idea. First, some background. Our car (Highlander SUV) has our company's phone number and website on the back window. Allows for a write off and helps advertise the bidness. Since we only have the one functioning car right now (Yep, I'm that GRM, heh), I have to drive home at lunch and pick up the fiance and take her to work and then pick her up afterward. Not a big deal as her work place is about 15 minutes from home. One night, I'm working late and have to drive from where I work to her work to pick her up. I'm late of course and she's had a bad day, so I'm trying to be relatively on time to help her enjoy some of the evening she has left. I'm flying up I-84 around 8pm and traffic is moving along nicely, about 60 or so. I'm in the left lane, passing cars and watching for faster cars behind me. I come around a corner at about 70 and there is a lady in a Corolla sitting in the left lane doing 60-65. I slow down and get about a car length away from her and slowly creep up to let her know that she needs to move. Eventually, she does move over and merges with the rest of the traffic that is doing 60-65. I put the hammer back down and head on down the road and pickup the S.O. and head towards home. As we're heading home, she comments on getting a call from a number she didn't recognize and checks the voice mail. Turns out the lady in the Corolla called the number on the back of the car and left a voice mail stating that I was driving aggressively, following too closely, etc and that she has her child in the car and that I should slow down, etc. Needless to say, I get chewed out for a bit, then I explain that the woman is wrong in so many ways: 1) She was in the passing lane, not actively passing and did not yield to a faster car behind her. 2) I was no closer to her than usual, but because we have an SUV, our lights probably were filling her rear view mirror, causing her to think I was all over her butt. 3) If she truly has her child in the car, then why is she calling from her cell phone while driving, when she clearly should be paying attention to what is happening around her? This is why I think this is a bad idea. The mouth breathing jack-a-napes will be filing BS reports instead of paying attention to correcting their poor driving habits.

You were a car length away from her and closing and that's no closer than usual? Jesus dude - back the hell up.

+1.

I'm hoping that didn't come out right. If someone is a car length away from me and closing, it gets hard for me to resist the temptation on a bad day and brake check the hell out of you. Not much on this world that pisses me off more than a tailgater driving anything, but especially an SUV/Truck that doesn't have even 200% the stopping distance of my tiny modified econo-car. Give me some space so you don't kill me when i have to hit my brakes because some idiot cut me off, or there's a dear in the road or something.

I like the idea. I don't believe in the big-brother stuff, I am sure that no one will care about the submissions, but if you take your aggression out on some app instead of in traffic, then I am all for it.

DILYSI Dave wrote:

You were a car length away from her and closing and that's no closer than usual? Jesus dude - back the hell up.

Its a bad habit I have from driving in heavy rush-hour traffic, if you're not that close, people jump in the gap and then you have to slow down. So you learn to look ahead and keep your following distances close and look for people that need to change lanes (that signal or change their posture, head swiveling, etc) I should say that I didn't get much closer before I backed off and pretty much stayed at a car length back.

turboswede wrote: Its a bad habit I have from driving in heavy rush-hour traffic, if you're not that close, people jump in the gap and then you have to slow down. So you learn to look ahead and keep your following distances close and look for people that need to change lanes (that signal or change their posture, head swiveling, etc) I should say that I didn't get much closer before I backed off and pretty much stayed at a car length back.

"Not that close" to you may mean "way too close" to others. If someone jumps in the gap, back down some more and resume when traffic ahead clears - or be a little late.

You're not the sole arbiter who decides what is right or wrong and neither are those who would use this app.

Which is why it's a bad, bad idea.

93celicaGT2 wrote: +1. I'm hoping that didn't come out right. If someone is a car length away from me and closing, it and brake check the hell out of you. Not much on this world that pisses me off more than a tailgater driving anything, but especially an SUV/Truck that doesn't have even 200% the stopping distance of my tiny modified econo-car. Give me some space so you don't kill me when i have to hit my brakes because some idiot cut gets hard for me to resist the temptation on a bad day me off, or there's a dear in the road or something.

And here is the problem right here.

If somebody is tailgating you on the highway, you're in their way, GTF out.

YOU are the problem.

The tailgater should never have had the chance to get that close to you. You should have seen them coming, and gotten out of the way. The worst possible thing you could do, is what you're saying you will do.

If it really does get hard for you to resist the temptation, you've just admitted that you shouldn't be on the road. It's people like you that cause accidents.

Zomby woof wrote: If somebody is tailgating you on the highway, you're in their way, GTF out. YOU are the problem.

Agreed. But you'll get a much better response from me if you flash your brights from 6-8 car lengths back to let me know you're there, versus getting on my bumper.

Zomby woof wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: +1. I'm hoping that didn't come out right. If someone is a car length away from me and closing, it and brake check the hell out of you. Not much on this world that pisses me off more than a tailgater driving anything, but especially an SUV/Truck that doesn't have even 200% the stopping distance of my tiny modified econo-car. Give me some space so you don't kill me when i have to hit my brakes because some idiot cut gets hard for me to resist the temptation on a bad day me off, or there's a dear in the road or something.

And here is the problem right here. If somebody is tailgating you on the highway, you're in their way, GTF out. YOU are the problem. The tailgater should never have had the chance to get that close to you. You should have seen them coming, and gotten out of the way. The worst possible thing you could do, is what you're saying you will do. If it really does get hard for you to resist the temptation, you've just admitted that you shouldn't be on the road. It's people like you that cause accidents.

Under normal circumstances, yes. I agree.

But have you driven around here? That's just how close people tend to stay. There's a good chance that as soon as i get over, the person tailgating will get over, too. They'll sit there going the same speed until one of us gets off the highway. The majority of my "tailgating experiences" here have been that situation, or jackholes that think it's cute to cut off the person behind me by merging 2 inches behind me from the next lane over where there's a car directly next to me. Not much room for me to go there. And if you think i'm going to speed MORE to get out of their way in that case, no. Am i going to slow down and piss him off further? No. There's always a way through any puzzle. That action was not the correct one, deal with it.

At the end of the day, literally 95% of my driving is done in the right hand lane. There is zero excuse for tailgating in that lane, end of story.

Also, it seems part of my post is missing. Not sure what happened there, but it should read:

93celicaGT2 wrote:I'm hoping that didn't come out right. If someone is a car length away from me and closing, it gets hard for me to resist the temptation on a bad day and brake check the hell out of you. Not much on this world that pisses me off more than a tailgater driving anything, but especially an SUV/Truck that doesn't have even 200% the stopping distance of my tiny modified econo-car. Give me some space so you don't kill me when i have to hit my brakes because some idiot cut me off, or there's a dear in the road or something.

Which has a very different meaning. If you read it the way you've got it quoted, it sounds like i go around brake-checking everyone that gets within 20 feet of my bumper. Exact opposite of the truth. Yes, it can get hard to resist the temptation, but i'm a strong man, and i think i can keep my emotions at bay well enough to not cause an accident.

But seriously. I can count on one hand the number of times i was in the left lane on a highway in the last 4 weeks. If i'm not in that lane, then go around me. That's what that lane is for. It's not my job to move over onto the shoulder to let someone go by if i'm already doing 72mph in the right hand lane in a 65mph zone.

I don;t know what to think of this.. I live in NJ where the normal way of driving would be considered unsafe and dangerous to 90% of the rest of America.

^ That's the truth, I lived in NJ for a while and it took some adjustments. Basically, everyone drives aggressively and no one gets hurt. If you hesitate at all, though, it's a very dangerous place to drive. If you're not moving before the light turns green, the wrath of NJ will pour out on you...

I hate it in this thread as much as I hate it in the other thread! lol

Yep. I drive on I-95 every day from PA into NJ. The minimum speed limit is 65 mph (posted is 55). Most are doing around 75. Bumper to bumper. The NJTP is even worse (add 10 mph - during the tiems it's actually moving). It's amazing there aren't more accidents, but people just get used to it. When I take the PATP in the morning to our main office, it's practically an autobahn - left lane and pin-it. If you aren't doing 80+, you're in the way.

When I drive the truck and park myself in the right lane doing the speed limit, I'm universally loathed. Fortunately, only fools tailgate ugly 4x4 trucks with rusty hitches hanging off the back.

When I'm in normal traffic (typically: stay right unless passing) and need to pass I try to time my passes so as not to make anyone behind me need to slow down.

nderwater wrote: In my experience, the most motivated complainers are often also the most frequent offenders.

This concisely sums up why the system will never be truely effective. Nice utopian idea, though...

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Zomby woof wrote: If somebody is tailgating you on the highway, you're in their way, GTF out. YOU are the problem.

Agreed. But you'll get a much better response from me if you flash your brights from 6-8 car lengths back to let me know you're there, versus getting on my bumper.

BTW, I visited Alpharetta and Atlanta once a while back (what can brown do for you?). Basically, I drove from the airport in Atlanta to Alpharetta in my POS rental car and back again after about a week. I think the 85mph I was doing in that thing was some of the scariest driving I've done in a long time. I was doing 85, in the right lane and getting passed, cut off and then brake checked. Don't even get me started on the tollbooth slalom or the drag race leaving it (surprised a few people on that one, which I'll admit was kinda fun) Needless to say, no following distance was found that prevented this behavior from happening.

So yeah, was I a little close to the lady in her car? Probably. Did I sneak up on her? Not really, I'd been doing 70 for nearly the entire time, in the left lane and there wasn't anyone between her and I for several miles. The curves didn't help since they likely made it hard to see my headlights or judge my closing speed at times.

I also find that flashing lights tends to piss people off more than anything and is used as a last ditch effort.

Bottom line, she failed to pay attention to what was happening around her. She was also in the wrong lane as she wasn't actively passing, period.

If I had flashed my lights from further back, do you think she would have noticed since she didn't notice my car behind her right away anyway?

seems to me a splatter of mud on the license plate can take care of getting reported

lizard wrote:

Ranger50 wrote: An answer to your last question: explain redlight cameras. Same principle, but it happens every day. Brian

But in the case of red light cameras, the state has passed a law permitting their use so they were "made" legal for financial gain...

And that is swiftly going back the other way. A lot of states and cities have declared them illegal now.