Nearly killed today -- need help from Greensboro, NC members
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Aug 1998
Posts: 88
From: raleigh, nc, usa
Nearly killed today -- need help from Greensboro, NC members
I'm looking for some help from the Greensboro f-body guys and gals.
I was nearly killed today by a couple of guys (?) in a LT1 Formula/TA with the Formula wing. It was dark green with a large white sticker in the back window. I couldn't tell exactly what the sticker was -- it looked sort of like a wave. The car definitely had aftermarket exhaust because it was loud, but looked to either have the stock tips or a Hooker catback. It also appeared to have possibly been lowered.
The situation was as follows. I was in my girlfriend's black Catera going eastbound down I40/I85 where they're merged together (GB people know this is a dangerous spot). I was in the far left lane going about 75 with an oil tanker about 6 car lengths ahead in the lane to my immediate right.
The aformentioned Formula *******s merged onto the highway and shot three/four lanes across heading into the far left hand lane. I was gaining on the oil tanker when I saw the Formula flying directly towards my side. I laid on my horn, jammed on the brakes, and ducked into the run-off area in the median barely avoiding the cement wall that ran down the center of the highway. The oil tanker also swerved which allowed the Formula to duck in between us, sweep into the run off area, correct and shoot ahead.
After saying a quick "thank you Lord" for not being killed by these idiots, I was pissed off and decided to try and get their license plate number. The Formula started swerving in and out of traffic, and pushed the speed well over a 100 mph. The Catera is a nice highway cruiser, but it's not going to run down an LT1 with a ten car head start in traffic. I pushed it over 95 mph but it was too little, too late. The Formula exited towards Asheboro and I was pinned in by traffic and couldn't make the same exit ramp. I also didn't have my cell phone to call the SHP.
So, now I'm looking for anyone who might know of this car. If you know of this car, please let me know. If you don't feel comfortable posting here, feel free to email me. If you don't want to share the information, but know the owner please put out the following message:
"Hey F*<Kface! Grow up and slow down before you kill yourself or someone innocent like me. You're the reason that our cars have atrocious insurance rates and that innocent people get killed on our interstates due to excessive speed. If I'd have had my cell phone on me, you'd have been spending the night in the slammer. If I were driving a beater and had it to do over again, I'd have run your @ss right into that oil tanker! Think twice before you pull **** like this in the future!"
For the rest of you, stay safe!
I was nearly killed today by a couple of guys (?) in a LT1 Formula/TA with the Formula wing. It was dark green with a large white sticker in the back window. I couldn't tell exactly what the sticker was -- it looked sort of like a wave. The car definitely had aftermarket exhaust because it was loud, but looked to either have the stock tips or a Hooker catback. It also appeared to have possibly been lowered.
The situation was as follows. I was in my girlfriend's black Catera going eastbound down I40/I85 where they're merged together (GB people know this is a dangerous spot). I was in the far left lane going about 75 with an oil tanker about 6 car lengths ahead in the lane to my immediate right.
The aformentioned Formula *******s merged onto the highway and shot three/four lanes across heading into the far left hand lane. I was gaining on the oil tanker when I saw the Formula flying directly towards my side. I laid on my horn, jammed on the brakes, and ducked into the run-off area in the median barely avoiding the cement wall that ran down the center of the highway. The oil tanker also swerved which allowed the Formula to duck in between us, sweep into the run off area, correct and shoot ahead.
After saying a quick "thank you Lord" for not being killed by these idiots, I was pissed off and decided to try and get their license plate number. The Formula started swerving in and out of traffic, and pushed the speed well over a 100 mph. The Catera is a nice highway cruiser, but it's not going to run down an LT1 with a ten car head start in traffic. I pushed it over 95 mph but it was too little, too late. The Formula exited towards Asheboro and I was pinned in by traffic and couldn't make the same exit ramp. I also didn't have my cell phone to call the SHP.
So, now I'm looking for anyone who might know of this car. If you know of this car, please let me know. If you don't feel comfortable posting here, feel free to email me. If you don't want to share the information, but know the owner please put out the following message:
"Hey F*<Kface! Grow up and slow down before you kill yourself or someone innocent like me. You're the reason that our cars have atrocious insurance rates and that innocent people get killed on our interstates due to excessive speed. If I'd have had my cell phone on me, you'd have been spending the night in the slammer. If I were driving a beater and had it to do over again, I'd have run your @ss right into that oil tanker! Think twice before you pull **** like this in the future!"
For the rest of you, stay safe!
Last edited by r_west; Dec 22, 2002 at 09:44 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 263
From: St. Louis, MO
I feel your pain.....
but the sad fact of the matter is, that type of idiocy is a normal occurrence in the Charlotte area, and I have seen it every time I drive anywhere near Greensboro/Raleigh as well. The problem is, people think they are the most important individuals at any given moment. Probably, had the jacka$$ waited 4 seconds, he could have gotten by you and the tanker without causing anyone any hard feelings. The mentality is, screw them, I'm going to go ahead and do something stupid because I'm too goddamn ignorant to care about anyone else. It's the same as the jacka$$es who drive with their foglights on all the time thinking they are getting better lighting to drive. All they wind up doing is blinding everyone else. So, if you know of anyone in the Charlotte area whose foglights have gotten broken out while they were driving down the highway, you can thank the console full of pennies I have that I toss out the window when I see them coming up and blinding me from behind. I think that sums it up. And you can feel free to quote me on that. I quit being a nice guy about 3 near-miss accidents ago.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 16
From: Cary, NC
Glad they didn't kill you... I think trying to catch them in the Catera might have made things worse though if you had had the fortune of actually doing it. They surely would have acted even more irresponsible trying to get away from you or showing off thinking you were racing them. Best to count your blessings and hope maybe you can get a tag# next time.
G22Lvr...
Properly adjusted fog lights should not blind anyone. They should be aimed at the road no more than say 10 car lengths or so ahead. There is relatively little vertical spread in a fog light beam, it is like a thin horizontal bar. If people's fog ligts are blinding you then either they have them way out of adjustment (possibly deliberately) or they are auxillary driving lights, not fog lights. I like to drive with my fog lights on sometimes because 1) I like the way it looks, 2) they give great peripheral lighting, great for tight cornering, 3) being close to the ground they show irregularities in the road surface extremely well, throwing long black shadows from even small rocks, and 4) sometimes there is actual fog or heavy rain. Please don't be throwing pennies at my car, I wouldn't take to kindly to that ;-)
G22Lvr...
Properly adjusted fog lights should not blind anyone. They should be aimed at the road no more than say 10 car lengths or so ahead. There is relatively little vertical spread in a fog light beam, it is like a thin horizontal bar. If people's fog ligts are blinding you then either they have them way out of adjustment (possibly deliberately) or they are auxillary driving lights, not fog lights. I like to drive with my fog lights on sometimes because 1) I like the way it looks, 2) they give great peripheral lighting, great for tight cornering, 3) being close to the ground they show irregularities in the road surface extremely well, throwing long black shadows from even small rocks, and 4) sometimes there is actual fog or heavy rain. Please don't be throwing pennies at my car, I wouldn't take to kindly to that ;-)
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 99
From: Durham
Being the highways are so wide out that way, it makes for a dangerous spot. I am glad to hear that nothing occured........surely if there was any contact things would not have been pretty.
I hope you somehow get into contact with these fools, or better yet, I hope they are on here reading this. Things like this really make you wonder what some people are thinking. Having a big sticker in the window tells me that it is someone young, so whoever was the pilot was probably trying to show off to a buddy. Thats the kind of crap that always bites you in the ***........so hopefully he got his down the road a bit. I hate to wish on anyone bad, but some people need to reality check to set them straight.
And people wonder why I road rage in NC........
NC = home of Americas worst and oldest drivers!
I hope you somehow get into contact with these fools, or better yet, I hope they are on here reading this. Things like this really make you wonder what some people are thinking. Having a big sticker in the window tells me that it is someone young, so whoever was the pilot was probably trying to show off to a buddy. Thats the kind of crap that always bites you in the ***........so hopefully he got his down the road a bit. I hate to wish on anyone bad, but some people need to reality check to set them straight.
And people wonder why I road rage in NC........
NC = home of Americas worst and oldest drivers!
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 263
From: St. Louis, MO
Alan....
[/QUOTE] Properly adjusted fog lights should not blind anyone. They should be aimed at the road no more than say 10 car lengths or so ahead. There is relatively little vertical spread in a fog light beam, it is like a thin horizontal bar. If people's fog ligts are blinding you then either they have them way out of adjustment (possibly deliberately) or they are auxillary driving lights, not fog lights. I like to drive with my fog lights on sometimes because 1) I like the way it looks, 2) they give great peripheral lighting, great for tight cornering, 3) being close to the ground they show irregularities in the road surface extremely well, throwing long black shadows from even small rocks, and 4) sometimes there is actual fog or heavy rain. Please don't be throwing pennies at my car, I wouldn't take to kindly to that ;-)
While I respectfully disagree with a number of your reasons, I also need to clarify that I do, in fact mean, driving lights in my statement. The general readership probably calls any auxiliary lights "fog lights", so that is how I addressed them.
My response to your points:
1) You may like the way it looks, but it is dangerous and unsafe to other drivers to have them "on", especially knowing that they may potentially be a hazard.
2) If you need better peripheral lighting, my point would be that you may need your headlights adjusted, or a different vehicle that allows you better viewing of the road.
3) At 65-70 mph, any irregularities that you may see that the added 10% extra lighting provides is the same irregularities you would see without them, and without blinding other drivers.
4) SOMETIMES, there is fog or rain. So, that would mean that SOMETIMES it is justifiable to drive with them on, not ALWAYS.
My biggest complaint is that they only provide 10-15% more lighting. If a person needs that much more lighting to see the road while driving at night, they probably don't need to be driving whatever type of vehicle they are driving that doesn't allow them a good view of the road. If the argument is that the driving lights give better peripheral lighting, then your headlights are not adjusted properly, or you are in a vehicle that is not suited to your vision capabilities. The only time I can possibly agree with someone driving with their aux. lights on is on a desserted highway, when there is no other traffic present. Basically, they should be treated just like high beams. They are really being treated like "lazy people" high beams, meaning, turn them on, leave them on, and don't bother dimming them for other drivers. My wife was almost killed because of someone who abused the use of driving lights. Am I biased because of that? F-ing-ay right I am. I will continue to drop pennies and remove driving lights from my rearview mirror, and not feel one bit sad about it. Sorry if you disagree with my point of view. There is an ordinance in most major cities that prohibits the use of driving lights inside city limits. Unfortunately, it is difficult at best to enforce it, because of the sheer volume of people who use them inappropriately. I can tell you that when I was a police officer, I wrote a numbe fo tickets for driving with them on. But I was in a smaller, more organized department, and I had the time and manpower behind me to actually make traffic stops, unlike Charlotte.
While I respectfully disagree with a number of your reasons, I also need to clarify that I do, in fact mean, driving lights in my statement. The general readership probably calls any auxiliary lights "fog lights", so that is how I addressed them.
My response to your points:
1) You may like the way it looks, but it is dangerous and unsafe to other drivers to have them "on", especially knowing that they may potentially be a hazard.
2) If you need better peripheral lighting, my point would be that you may need your headlights adjusted, or a different vehicle that allows you better viewing of the road.
3) At 65-70 mph, any irregularities that you may see that the added 10% extra lighting provides is the same irregularities you would see without them, and without blinding other drivers.
4) SOMETIMES, there is fog or rain. So, that would mean that SOMETIMES it is justifiable to drive with them on, not ALWAYS.
My biggest complaint is that they only provide 10-15% more lighting. If a person needs that much more lighting to see the road while driving at night, they probably don't need to be driving whatever type of vehicle they are driving that doesn't allow them a good view of the road. If the argument is that the driving lights give better peripheral lighting, then your headlights are not adjusted properly, or you are in a vehicle that is not suited to your vision capabilities. The only time I can possibly agree with someone driving with their aux. lights on is on a desserted highway, when there is no other traffic present. Basically, they should be treated just like high beams. They are really being treated like "lazy people" high beams, meaning, turn them on, leave them on, and don't bother dimming them for other drivers. My wife was almost killed because of someone who abused the use of driving lights. Am I biased because of that? F-ing-ay right I am. I will continue to drop pennies and remove driving lights from my rearview mirror, and not feel one bit sad about it. Sorry if you disagree with my point of view. There is an ordinance in most major cities that prohibits the use of driving lights inside city limits. Unfortunately, it is difficult at best to enforce it, because of the sheer volume of people who use them inappropriately. I can tell you that when I was a police officer, I wrote a numbe fo tickets for driving with them on. But I was in a smaller, more organized department, and I had the time and manpower behind me to actually make traffic stops, unlike Charlotte.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 16
From: Cary, NC
G22Lvr...
Your points are only valid for fog lights IF they are way out of adjustment. Like I said, properly adjusted fog lights don't blind anyone. Low beam headlights can be out of adjustment too, are you going to bust every one's low beams because some people have them out of adjustment?
Just because you don't like the the fact that I have my fog lights on when in your opinion I don't "need" them on does not give you the right to damage my vehicle and for both of our's sake I hope you don't try.
I understand your feelings in light of what happened to your wife but please don't let your rage "blind" (sorry bad pun) your judgement on this issue.
Yours in Fbods,
Alan
Your points are only valid for fog lights IF they are way out of adjustment. Like I said, properly adjusted fog lights don't blind anyone. Low beam headlights can be out of adjustment too, are you going to bust every one's low beams because some people have them out of adjustment?
Just because you don't like the the fact that I have my fog lights on when in your opinion I don't "need" them on does not give you the right to damage my vehicle and for both of our's sake I hope you don't try.
I understand your feelings in light of what happened to your wife but please don't let your rage "blind" (sorry bad pun) your judgement on this issue.
Yours in Fbods,
Alan
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 263
From: St. Louis, MO
Ok.....
Originally posted by AutoXdriver
G22Lvr...
Your points are only valid for fog lights IF they are way out of adjustment. Like I said, properly adjusted fog lights don't blind anyone. Low beam headlights can be out of adjustment too, are you going to bust every one's low beams because some people have them out of adjustment?
Just because you don't like the the fact that I have my fog lights on when in your opinion I don't "need" them on does not give you the right to damage my vehicle and for both of our's sake I hope you don't try.
I understand your feelings in light of what happened to your wife but please don't let your rage "blind" (sorry bad pun) your judgement on this issue.
Yours in Fbods,
Alan
G22Lvr...
Your points are only valid for fog lights IF they are way out of adjustment. Like I said, properly adjusted fog lights don't blind anyone. Low beam headlights can be out of adjustment too, are you going to bust every one's low beams because some people have them out of adjustment?
Just because you don't like the the fact that I have my fog lights on when in your opinion I don't "need" them on does not give you the right to damage my vehicle and for both of our's sake I hope you don't try.
I understand your feelings in light of what happened to your wife but please don't let your rage "blind" (sorry bad pun) your judgement on this issue.
Yours in Fbods,
Alan
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 16
From: Cary, NC
Re: Ok.....
Originally posted by G22Lvr
So, because you think "they look good", you can encroach on my abilty to drife safely? BUZZZZZ..wrong. Sorry. I have to disagree with you. Fog or driving lights, it doesn't matter.
So, because you think "they look good", you can encroach on my abilty to drife safely? BUZZZZZ..wrong. Sorry. I have to disagree with you. Fog or driving lights, it doesn't matter.
Properly adjusted fog lights don't blind or glare at anybody anymore than your low beams do. I've said this several times already! I guess seeing me enjoying my fog lights makes you so mad that it encroaches on your ability to drive safely?
Seriously, just because you had a bad experience with improperly adjusted fog lights or driving lights gives you no authority to damage other's vehicles. Please get a handle on your rage before you put yourself in a position you will be sorry for later.
I didn't post here to get in a pissing match with you. I'm not into making enemies over these things so this is the last word I'm saying about the matter. Merry Christmas to you and I'm outta here.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Aug 1998
Posts: 88
From: raleigh, nc, usa
Someone hijacked my thread! 
I'm indifferent on fog lights on passenger cars. Now, SUV's that have fog lights nearly at eye level are a whole different story.
HMS: I agree with you on NC drivers. I swear they're the pits. What made this even more obvious was the fact that I'd been driving since 9:30 that morning on a return trip from Pittsburgh. I'd safely navigated through the crappy roads of PA, constant rain through the mountains of West Virginia, and cop-infested Virginia, only to be nearly killed in my home state by some maroon driving the same kind of car that I have. GRRRRRRRR!
Keep it safe guys!
I'm indifferent on fog lights on passenger cars. Now, SUV's that have fog lights nearly at eye level are a whole different story.HMS: I agree with you on NC drivers. I swear they're the pits.
What made this even more obvious was the fact that I'd been driving since 9:30 that morning on a return trip from Pittsburgh. I'd safely navigated through the crappy roads of PA, constant rain through the mountains of West Virginia, and cop-infested Virginia, only to be nearly killed in my home state by some maroon driving the same kind of car that I have. GRRRRRRRR!Keep it safe guys!
Registered User
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 594
From: Belmont North Carolina.
Damn Rich,
I feel for ya bro.
If I ever see the car headed down South to the Tracks I will get the tag number for you.....or I could just borrow a roll of pennies from G22Lvr and throw at them
I do agree that its fools like that , that make our insurance ridiculous.
Later guys
Mike
I feel for ya bro.
If I ever see the car headed down South to the Tracks I will get the tag number for you.....or I could just borrow a roll of pennies from G22Lvr and throw at them
I do agree that its fools like that , that make our insurance ridiculous.
Later guys
Mike
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3
From: Raleigh, NC
Whoa! Glad yall are safe Rich. I spent over 1100 miles in the ricer driving across the state and back over a 4 day period @ Christmas. Never had any problems with traffic and/or stupid drivers... EXCEPT through the triad area! 
Unfortunately, the Triangle area is becoming increasingly more infested with such human debris.
Too bad I wasn't there in the dirty rice for ya, it'll easily pull down an LT1 now
Unfortunately, the Triangle area is becoming increasingly more infested with such human debris.Too bad I wasn't there in the dirty rice for ya, it'll easily pull down an LT1 now
