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hawaiiangirl
New Member
8 Posts |
 Posted - 06/12/2006 : 19:51:54
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| This is my first time that I have to say in the past 11 years of slugging that I have ever felt that I needed to post this comment about this driver I rode with tonight. First, since when has it been against the law as a rider to talk on your cell phone? Perhaps it annoys some people and if it does the common courtesy is to ask that person to not talk on their cell phone would be appropriate. On my way home tonight from the Pentagon to the 610 lot I was picked up by this man with a black either Toyota or Subaru 4 door older model car, I believe the license plate was JYE-9998, or close to that. I was so upset after getting out of his car I may have missed it by one or 2 numbers. Anyhow, I was talking on my cell phone, not loudly, as he had no air conditioning on and all the windows down. Very rudely, as we got to the bridge to exit to Quantico, he pulled over and I asked him was everything okay sir? And he responded by telling me that yes he is but that I could either get off the phone or get out of his car. I was terribly shocked at this and it was the first time I've ever had anyone be that rude and I was taken aback by this statement. I told him that I had no idea it was illegal to talk on your cell phone as a passenger in VA. He told me that he didn't care but that I should have known better because cell phones were for emergencies only. I responded by stating that it was no problem, I could respect his vehicle. Now I may have annoyed him, obviously he was annoyed. But I was quite annoyed by him because from the time we left the Pentagon Parking lot he sped the entire trip. He was driving irradically, in out of lanes giving the other drivers little time to give him space, he was speeding 85 or more the entire trip even to the point where we were inches from behind 18-wheelers and other cars. Scared the living you know what out of me and I suppose I stayed on my cell phone the entire trip to try and keep my mind off of how bad he was driving. The traffic was heavy as we got closer to Stafford and I didn't say anything else to him. He didn't say anything else to me, but the fact of the matter is, I would have had no problem not talking on my cell phone, but the way this guy drove was just unbelieveable. Why do people think that if they drive like that they get to their destination faster. I tell you what, if I ever see his car at the Pentagon or any lot for that matter, I will scream to folks in line never to ride w/him. The vehicle was stick shift and he kept on the gas and brake pedals the entire trip. What should you do if you ever feel like you have to get out of a driver's car on I-95? I felt that way tonight. Thanks! |
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122582
Advanced Member
281 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 06:50:39
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Two in one day. Read the unofficial rules of this site. Other than "I'm on my way", or "I'm going to be late", slugs do not use cell phones in cars.
Keep slugging alive - tip your driver today! |
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VA_Slugger
Senior Member Member
156 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 08:30:54
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| "Unofficial" rules....huuummm! If they are unofficial, why bother? |
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gmugrad
Junior Member
37 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 08:49:52
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| you are not supposed to be on your cell phone. What was so important? If you want to talk on your phone then drive yourself. |
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getmehome pweeze
Moderator
1091 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 09:12:22
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SOOOO- Ru bitching about the fact that he embarrassed you by pulling over, interrupted a conversation that obviously was SO interesting you had to carry it out in a strangers personal automobile, or that you had to pull his negative driving skills out of thin air to justify this post at all?
122582- I agree with you 100%. If my cell rings while I'm slugging, I'll wait for it to go to voice mail and check it to see what is so important. Voice mail is silent, and private.
45 minutes to an hour is not a whole lot of time to wait to get the latest gossip!!!
GMHP was hea! |
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mycroftt
Advanced Member
460 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 09:24:14
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| Do you really expect us to believe that you had no idea that talking on your cell phone for the entire ride was inconsiderate? It doesn't excuse the driver's excessive reaction but you really need to keep the usage to a minimum. |
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CallmeMrSlug
Senior Member Member
198 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 09:34:29
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Hi everyone
I think we have to remember that there are alot of new slugs out there, who didn't discover slugging via this website and who do not necessarily know the "unofficial rules". Rather than taking the extreme action of telling someone to get out of the car, perhaps the driver could or should have asked this person to cease talking on the cell phone first.
We had a newbie slug the other day at RV. She was so funny. She became the "caller" and she had no clue what to do. So she walked up to the cars, asked them where they were going, and when it wasn't her destination, she proceeded to the next car without calling out the destination of the car. She didn't understand the system, and no one got mad at her (okay, maybe slightly irritated) because she was new. So when a passenger doesn't follow the "unofficial rules" maybe we ought to be more understanding and ask them not to talk too long on the cell phone rather than threaten to throw them out of the car.
I agree with GMHP that the complaint about driving habits seems like after the fact whining anout the cell phone issue... |
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hawaiiangirl
New Member
8 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 09:56:04
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| Wow, didn't think that so many people would give me negative feedback. Like I said, this was the first time I actually started using this site. Thanks for all the responses. I no doubt, was not intending on being rude and realized after reading the rules today that it was one of the "unofficial rules". I normally do just read or take a nap while slugging. And I'm not "expecting" anyone to think that I didn't know about the rules. I don't normally talk on my cell phone. So I did not know this was a huge deal. I see people talking on cell phones all the time in cars, both drivers and riders. Don't know what cars you're riding in, because 75% of the cars I ride in, including drivers talk on the phone, business or personal. I will say that unless it was an emergency I would never talk on my phone as a driver. The fact of the matter is I stayed on my phone call that was was only supposed to be 10 minutes tops but because of his irradic driving I stayed on longer to take my mind off of how he was driving. To tell you the truth I have to say most people are great and for the better part of the years I drove and picked up people as late as 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. at the Pentagon, if folks were still there. The point that I think I'm really trying to stress is there is a way to tell someone that you prefer it if they could cut their conversation short without being nasty and threatening. That's what behavior he depicted. If people in this area, drivers and riders, want respect that's fine. I'm all for that. As I mentioned in my initial email I told the gentlemen I apologize and respected his vehicle but to pull over and threaten to put a women out on I-95 is carrying it too far. I suppose I looked at this situation if the shoe was anyone else's foot. No matter how bad it gets with someone, unless it's life threatening, I would NEVER threaten to put someone out of my car, I would just ask them to stop using the phone or whatever it is that's annoying me at the time. The fact that I was on the phone does not dismiss the fact that he was driving recklessly and to the person below that that made the comment about me being embarrased. What's to be embarrased about? The fact that everyone wants a rider so they can get in HOV and ride and the fact that everyone needs to get to work? That's what this system is designed to do, hence your screen name getmehome pleeze. Whatever you say is fine with me. Everyone is here to discuss as this is an open forum, but if you think what he did as far as pulling over to the side of the road was fine, than peace be on to you. You're entitled to your opinion. I hope it never happens to you. I will say again that after 11 years, this was the only bad encounter I've had and would say that it's still a good system. And 122582 I loved your tip about keeping slugging alive. And gmugrad, I had to laugh at your response, is that what they teach you at GMU? With that attitude we'd all be walking. |
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N_or_S_bound
Advanced Member
649 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 10:00:29
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So much here, so little server space to record it all.
How about we sum it up with a word that seems to be falling into disuse if not dis-practice (I understand those aren't really words used "rightly", go with it tho')...COURTESY.
If we all practiced it, whether as drivers or slugs, life wouldn't need to be so contentious as to require this many posts voicing opinions about who done what to whom when.
I'm out.
NoSb
SOV because you can, HOV because you care! |
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chmp
Junior Member
44 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 10:30:20
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I find your use of adjectives very interesting and think that if he had not called you out for talking on your cell phone, which is very rude, you would not of posted on the board. I have to think you are stretching the truth a bit because you are angry you had to put your cell phone away. If you were in my car and I probably would have dropped you off before we even got out of the lot.
Also, making fun on someone's school is unacceptable. I did not go to GMU, and yes I did go to college and then law school, but it is immature and rude to make fun of where someone went to school. |
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getmehome pweeze
Moderator
1091 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 10:48:05
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Oh believe me, if I had been in your shoes I would have been a range of things, embarrassed, scared, and eventually pissed off.
I think the driver was either in a bad mood and you set him off, or you were just that annoying to make him do it. "The world may never know".
GMHP was hea! |
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Bob
Moderator
781 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 10:49:07
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| Assuming that everything in the original post is true, this driver should be put on the do not ride list with the additional suggestion that the slug informs fellow slugs in line of a dangerous, aggressive driver. Sure, one should not talk on the phone for more than a brief time, but this driver was way out of line. To begin with, he can state at the beginning of the ride what is rules are, politely. Second, if he had a problem during the ride, he could have said something. Sorry folks, the way I read it, the slug was the good guy of the two because of the outrageous driver attitude and inability to deal with it politely. |
Edited by - Bob on 06/13/2006 10:49:58 |
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hawaiiangirl
New Member
8 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 10:58:52
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quote:
[i]Originally posted by chmp[/i]
[br]I find your use of adjectives very interesting and think that if he had not called you out for talking on your cell phone, which is very rude, you would not of posted on the board. I have to think you are stretching the truth a bit because you are angry you had to put your cell phone away. If you were in my car and I probably would have dropped you off before we even got out of the lot.
Also, making fun on someone's school is unacceptable. I did not go to GMU, and yes I did go to college and then law school, but it is immature and rude to make fun of where someone went to school.
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hawaiiangirl
New Member
8 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 11:43:03
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Thanks for the comments, negative or positive. If riders or drivers didn't experience bad situations, would anyone ever post anything? If no one got scared or felt like they were in a helpless state, would they post anything? Perhaps, but how would anyone know if there were cars we shouldn't get into. I thought we posted things to protect us? That's why this is called a forum so we can explain what could possibly be a situation that could happen to anyone. Whether I was on my cell phone or not, a simple courtesy to tell someone to end their call was all that was needed, annoying or not. Again, I appreciate everyone's comments. Whether I had described his irradic driving behavior first or last, it doesn't matter, because I would never want anyone to be in a car in which the driver was not considering he had riders in it. On the phone or not. You can believe it or not, seeing how folks drive on the beltway and 95 everyday is proof enough for me. Good luck to everyone on their slugging and be safe.
PS. On the note about education at GMU. I, too have a 4 year degree, 2 as a matter of fact. Degrees do not equal COMMON SENSE. If you look at the initial comment, she said that if I wanted to talk on my cell phone I should drive myself. Is that advice we should be giving people? I don't think you should DRIVE and be on lengthy calls at all. The POINT is no one should have to feel scared in a car that needs you as much as you need them. If you feel the need to put someone out of the car then perhaps dropping them off in the lot before you leave it would be much more sensible than driving all the way until 15 minutes before your exit to do so. As many of you have stated, and as I have restated I was at fault with being on the cell phone, I apologized and got off, at that point that's all I could do. I certainly have learned now, what the "unofficial rule" is. |
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chmp
Junior Member
44 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 11:59:51
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"Scared the living you know what out of me and I suppose I stayed on my cell phone the entire trip to try and keep my mind off of how bad he was driving"
This was in hawaiiangirls original post...so apparently she did not care enough to get off the phone. Regardless it sounds like the driver was driving to fast and the rider was angry and wanted to vent it here, though I believe the "clean hands doctrine" comes into play here. Neither parties may come to the court when they are both guilty of wrongdoing...hence...both parties guilty of wrongdoing here, so a statement by either should be taken with a huge grain of salt!
Personally, as a rider, I would rather be in a car going over the speed limit than in a car with another slug on the phone the whole time.
Ok this is getting old so have at it. Peace. |
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getmehome pweeze
Moderator
1091 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2006 : 12:08:31
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lol...chmp I agree, BUT- I'd also rather not be in a car with a driver on the phone the entire time. Not for the sake of an overheard conversation, but for safety issues. My county back home was the first in the US to pass the hands free cell phone law. I wish it was in effect here.
GMHP was hea! |
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