How I ruined someone's day

[Spatafore]

First off, it wasn't on purpose.

I was driving home for lunch on a beautiful sunny day on a road that has 2 lanes each way. I was going north and I noticed that in the southbound lanes, they were flushing a hydrant into the street. I was in the slow lane and traffic was backed up. (It usually is because alot of people turn right on to a side street.) I notice that the fast lane is open so I move over and approach the area where the road is wet, going about 25-30mph in a 35mph zone. I am not really paying attention to exactly what cars are in the right lane.

Well, the flushing of the hydrant created a 2' stream across the whole road and I found this out when I rode through it, as it threw alot of water off to the right... completely covering a guy in a brand new yellow Chevy SSR convertable truck! For those who are unaware, this is a $50 truck with a corvette engine in it. (And it is butt ulgy!)

I look into my rear view mirror and just realized that I soaked this guy. I then see him change lanes and fly up behind me to the next light. When we get to the next light, he is swearing like crazy and I tell him I didn't know that the water was deep there. He keeps MF-ing me for about a minute and I decide that he doesn't care that it was an accident so I close my window and ignore him.

This guy was literally still dripping water from his face at the light and he looked like Dr. Phil with glasses. He at one point screamed, "You got water all over my F'n interior.!"

I felt kinda bad until he would quit swearing at me after I let him know I didn't do it on purpose. Then I thought to myself, "Your driving a $50k, yellow, 9 mpg truck so you can look cool. Take that you attention whore!" :D

[PutAwayWet]

People with convertibles should always watch the weather before driving with the top down. Who knows when a spot shower will pop up?

Seriously though, I've done the same thing before. It's easy to do when you're focusing on other stuff. Lucky for me I've never filled a convertible to the brim before, but I have gotten a few pedestrians. I always feel awful about it. I wouldn't feel bad about it though if I got some obviously over-entitled prick who is undoubtedly the most important driver on the road because his pleasure vehicle cost more than your functional transportation.

[phlatlander]

"Your driving a $50k, yellow, 9 mpg truck so you can look cool. Take that you attention whore!" :D

Weird how the Vette can still acheive 28mpg on the highway while the SSR only gets 18. Maybe all that ugly creates wind resistance? No wonder I am slow!

[hairygrump]

My proudest moment as a car driver was similar to this. The last car I owned was a 1990 Crown Victoria with 140k miles on it when I came into it. It leaked oil badly and belched thick smoke from the engine at stoplights. Remember Uncle Buck's car? That was my car.

I stopped a train crossing next to a guy in a fancy convertible blasting loud music. We were waiting for a slow train, and he and his passengers pulled faces at me until my car's fumes choked the anger out of them and they put the top up.

[Spatafore]

Weird how the Vette can still acheive 28mpg on the highway while the SSR only gets 18. Maybe all that ugly creates wind resistance? No wonder I am slow!

I guess I was a little off with 9mpg.

Then again, maybe I am am right when you add the 100 gallons of water in the interior. :D

[Spatafore]

Seriously though, I've done the same thing before. It's easy to do when you're focusing on other stuff. Lucky for me I've never filled a convertible to the brim before, but I have gotten a few pedestrians. I always feel awful about it. I wouldn't feel bad about it though if I got some obviously over-entitled prick who is undoubtedly the most important driver on the road because his pleasure vehicle cost more than your functional transportation.

I remember looking to the left to change into the left lane, then watching ahead, seeeing the wet section but not thinking it was anything of a puddle, then hit it and was like, "uh oh!", thinking that it might of splashed inside someone's window. When I looked back and saw this bright yellow truck change lanes and come racing after me, that was when I realized what had happened.

I am sure he is on the lookout for a little maroon mazda now.

[S. cerevisiae]

At least you didn't soak some poor slob out there trying to make ends meet working for a road crew. That would be something to feel guilty about.

I have no sympathy for someone in his circumstance. If one is going to blow that kind of money on a useless POS then one had better be able to afford to clean out it's interior.

[cMc]

At least you didn't soak some poor slob out there trying to make ends meet working for a road crew. That would be something to feel guilty about.

I have no sympathy for someone in his circumstance. If one is going to blow that kind of money on a useless POS then one had better be able to afford to clean out it's interior.

Class envy is ugly, but I still thought the story was funny. Mostly because I hate those stupid "trucks." I wouldn't have thought it funny but for that. And the driver seemed like a douchebag.

[AM Radio]

Class envy is ugly, but still
High five my friend, "mega dittos."
Has every middle class gringo gone musgana?16290

[VRX200]

Well,,,as a "truck" not only are arodynamics a factor, but so is weight.
However,, I don't think I'd call this thing a truck... What can you put in the bed? Oh yea,, a pile of dog crap... that's about it! The brd is so small ya can't even get a bike in there, even with the tailgate down!

[cMc]

High five my friend, "mega dittos."
Has every middle class gringo gone musgana?16290

Please get off my side.

This has nothing to do with conservative talk radio, or politics in any form. It has to do with the clearly stated bias against someone who is driving an admittedly tasteless $50k "truck." Would the story have had any traction if the victim were in a 15 year old, clapped out Mazda Miata convertible? Doubtfull. In fact, it seems the OP might well have felt guilty in that situation. But because the yellow "truck" guy is presumably well off, it's ok to soak him and then laugh about it.

[robcycle]

Ok, so I'm really not for treating anyone else in a way that you wouldn't like to be treated, but .... since it was an accident I'm smiling for every time some asshole drove through 4" of water, not even bothering to change to the empty lane, and splashed the already wet cyclist. :D

-Rob.

[riderx]

You really shouldn't have felt bad in the first place, he was the guy driving around with the top down. He could have just as easily adjusted his own speed so he didn't get soaked. But he sounds like the kind of jack ass that thinks the world revolves around him, so he got what he deserved.

[PutAwayWet]

Please get off my side.

This has nothing to do with conservative talk radio, or politics in any form. It has to do with the clearly stated bias against someone who is driving an admittedly tasteless $50k "truck." Would the story have had any traction if the victim were in a 15 year old, clapped out Mazda Miata convertible? Doubtfull. In fact, it seems the OP might well have felt guilty in that situation. But because the yellow "truck" guy is presumably well off, it's ok to soak him and then laugh about it.

Yeah, sometimes it's hard to see the perspective of the poor working slob. I mean, shit - it's not his fault he got lucky in the real estate or dot com booms and wants to enjoy a little toy-time in public. He was probably on his way to help feed the poor (you know, middle class people?)....

What was funny was the dude's reaction. It wasn't, "How come you weren't paying attention, now I'm wet!"...it was, "You soaked my interior!!!" His mind is on his money, plain as day. Having money doesn't make you a douchebag. Acting like a douchebag about your money makes you a double douchebag. Everyone's entitled to their happiness. That guy farts through silk, let those of us who don't feel good once in a while, huh?

[hairygrump]

Yeah, sometimes it's hard to see the perspective of the poor working slob. I mean, shit - it's not his fault he got lucky in the real estate or dot com booms and wants to enjoy a little toy-time in public. He was probably on his way to help feed the poor (you know, middle class people?)....

What was funny was the dude's reaction.

This is more where I was coming from too. Soaking somebody and bumming them out is a drag, but soaking someone and having them drive up next to you and say "you got water on my interior," particularly if they're in a car that they paid to make interior-less, is funny.

As far as my story went, it isn't funny to me that a rich person had to smell my car's toxic fumes. It's funny to me that they couldn't handle it.

It's a fine line, and it can be confusing whether you're laughing at rich people or assholes, but I feel like I'm just laughing at assholes who happen to be rich in these instances.

[davkatreb]

This is more where I was coming from too. Soaking somebody and bumming them out is a drag, but soaking someone and having them drive up next to you and say "you got water on my interior," particularly if they're in a car that they paid to make interior-less, is funny.

As far as my story went, it isn't funny to me that a rich person had to smell my car's toxic fumes. It's funny to me that they couldn't handle it.

It's a fine line, and it can be confusing whether you're laughing at rich people or assholes, but I feel like I'm just laughing at assholes who happen to be rich in these instances.
So if it would have been, say, a poor working family or, I don't know, a carload of tree-hugging vegan chicks with tie dyed t-shirts, hairy armpits and Birkenstocks, it WOULDN'T have been alright to gas them with your smog-belching shitbox?

You're a strange fellow, Grumpy.

[fudgedit]

I too hate those SSR trucks, but I know that some of the guys that own them have been saving for a long time for that prized possesion of a dream car. I don't look down on them because I wouldn't being able to have myself a classic old convertible Rambler someday (yes, I am odd.)

We have all done something horrible to someone else by accident or on purpose at sometime in our lives. I think it is unavoidable. If you are truly remorseful and appologize for the "accident" or make amends for the intentional act then it is time to move on. It is okay to laugh. We all tend to laugh at someone else's misfortune at one time or another.

I agree that it shouldn't be based on someone's socio-economic status, but sometimes it is the situation that is funny and you don't stop to think about that person's station in life.

I think about the time my chain busted as I was crossing a busy highway. I noticed several car drivers laughing and some pedestrians laughing. I was pissed off and might have uttered several not so pleasant things at them. But, as I walked it off and got to work, I was laughing at how silly I must have looked tumbling over my handlebars, and thinking how lucky I was not to have been run over.

Anyway, you guys are always better than caffeine to get my morning started. Thanks a load.

[Spatafore]

If you are truly remorseful and appologize for the "accident" or make amends for the intentional act then it is time to move on. It is okay to laugh. We all tend to laugh at someone else's misfortune at one time or another.

I was putting myself in his shoes as he was catching up to me and knew that anyone who just got splashed like that is going to be pissed and is going to vent. I knew that all I could do was let him know I didn't do it on purpose and that was what I did. After I tried to do this and he just kept swearing at me, I thought the best thing to do was to put my window up. Swearing back and saying, "F U Dr. Phil!" or, "Need any Irish Spring with that?" would of just been childish, (but funny), not to mention he could of then decided to get out and do something to my car at that intersection. Even though he would only be screwing himself by doing this, I didn't want someone to feel the need for revenge and have the desire find out where I live for future possibilities.

Just like that video that many of us have probably seen showing the old lady getting yanked off her feet by her dog on it's leash, most of us don't enjoy the fact that she could of got hurt but we do laugh our asses off because it was funny to watch. I am sure that this guy will tell this story to friends in the future and they will laugh and maybe he will have a little chuckle also of how he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

[phlatlander]

We all tend to laugh at someone else's misfortune at one time or another.

Schadenfreude. A great tool to use in the advertising industry. :)

[fudgedit]

"F U Dr. Phil!" .

I say that all the time when I ever I see that dude on TV.:D

[rockyrider]

Schadenfreude. A great tool to use in the advertising industry. :)...and a popular spread on toast. Oh wait, that's vegemite.

[hairygrump]

You're a strange fellow, Grumpy.

It would have been alright, it just wouldn't have been funny.

[50 Mission Cap]

First off, it wasn't on purpose.

I was driving home for lunch on a beautiful sunny day on a road that has 2 lanes each way. I was going north and I noticed that in the southbound lanes, they were flushing a hydrant into the street. I was in the slow lane and traffic was backed up. (It usually is because alot of people turn right on to a side street.) I notice that the fast lane is open so I move over and approach the area where the road is wet, going about 25-30mph in a 35mph zone. I am not really paying attention to exactly what cars are in the right lane.

Well, the flushing of the hydrant created a 2' stream across the whole road and I found this out when I rode through it, as it threw alot of water off to the right... completely covering a guy in a brand new yellow Chevy SSR convertable truck! For those who are unaware, this is a $50 truck with a corvette engine in it. (And it is butt ulgy!)

I look into my rear view mirror and just realized that I soaked this guy. I then see him change lanes and fly up behind me to the next light. When we get to the next light, he is swearing like crazy and I tell him I didn't know that the water was deep there. He keeps MF-ing me for about a minute and I decide that he doesn't care that it was an accident so I close my window and ignore him.

This guy was literally still dripping water from his face at the light and he looked like Dr. Phil with glasses. He at one point screamed, "You got water all over my F'n interior.!"

I felt kinda bad until he would quit swearing at me after I let him know I didn't do it on purpose. Then I thought to myself, "Your driving a $50k, yellow, 9 mpg truck so you can look cool. Take that you attention whore!" :D

F him. Us against them man. F them and their burgeousie existence.

Mick

[mimbresman]

F him. Us against them man. F them and their burgeousie existence.

Mick

Why the hate? You sound like one these Chavista parrot/sheeple in Venezuela. If a guy wants to drive a $50K car and earned the money in a legal manner, then more power to him.

[OTBSkinloss]

My bigger question for Spat, is;
Why Pookie?

[1mystk]

...and a popular spread on toast. Oh wait, that's vegemite.

Nutella is my choice of spread on toast ...mmmm:D

I have been a pedestrian that was soaked completely from head to foot - twas a muddy puddle on my way to the streetcar to get to work... Lucky for me, it was about 2 minutes from my house, and I had left early enough for work that morning to go back home, shower and change...:p

[OTBSkinloss]

Nutella is my choice of spread on toast ...mmmm:D



I work with a girl that swears that Nutella is the feces.
I've yet to try it. I understand that it's Hazel nuts and Chocolate. Not my first choice, but what the heck. I'll try it. :confused:

[davkatreb]

It would have been alright, it just wouldn't have been funny.
M'kay, now it makes sense.:rolleyes:

[phlatlander]

So if it would have been a carload of tree-hugging vegan chicks with tie dyed t-shirts, hairy armpits and Birkenstocks, it WOULDN'T have been alright to gas them with your smog-belching shitbox?

Likely they wouldn't notice, being that their hooptie van would already be filled with smoke before he ever rolled up. No pun intended.

[1mystk]

I work with a girl that swears that Nutella is the feces.

Oh it is! Don't let its appearance fool you! It is a good source of calcium too believe it or not.:D

You either have to try it on freshly baked bread or on toasted rye or multigrain... yum

[WunSpeedWunder]

Oh it is! Don't let its appearance fool you! It is a good source of calcium too believe it or not.:D

You either have to try it on freshly baked bread or on toasted rye or multigrain... yum

I had it on toast this morning,but was cold -about 10 C at 9:00am and the N was very hard to spread,any hints Mizz?

[1mystk]

I had it on toast this morning,but was cold -about 10 C at 9:00am and the N was very hard to spread,any hints Mizz?

It shouldn't be hard to spread on toast DOH! You left the lid open... dries out the nutella... need to by a new jar now:eek:

[myron]

........................

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A 21-year-old man got the ride of a lifetime when his electric wheelchair became lodged in the grille of a semitrailer and was pushed down a highway for several miles at about 50 mph.

Ben Carpenter was unharmed but was taken to a hospital as a precaution. He had been secured to his wheelchair by a seat belt. Carpenter, who has muscular dystrophy, told a television station that he thought he might not make it through the ride.

"I was probably thinking that this is going to keep going and not stop anywhere, 50 or 60 miles somewhere," he told WOOD-TV of Grand Rapids.

Ben Carpenter's father, Donald, told The Associated Press that his son had started to cross at an intersection Wednesday afternoon in Paw Paw, about 140 miles west of Detroit. The light changed to green while his son was in front of a semi, which started moving.

The wheelchair's handles became lodged in the grille, the father said, and the wild ride started.

Motorists called 911 on their cell phones, and a pair of undercover police officers who happened to be nearby saw what was happening. They pulled the truck over and told the disbelieving driver, Donald Carpenter said.

The chair was undamaged except for losing most of the rubber on its wheels, he said.

"It's a very bad story that ended very well," he said. "We're just thrilled that he's still around."

[tryandgetme]

*weirded out* that's the second time I've saw the name "paw paw" used today, and it's not even the same person/thing/city.

http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/safety3/index.htm

[nogearshere]

F him. Us against them man. F them and their burgeousie existence.

Mick

a battle that will be won one puddle at a time.
fight the power!



i gotta lean toward c-emm-see on this (go ahead tell me to get off-a your side and into your car C)...this isn't a class struggle...we don't know that this chap wasn't a 30 year veteran steel worker (with bad taste) who saved every penny he ever found to buy this car. frankly i don't think it matters. some of us spend a disproportionately silly amount of money on bicycle bits...so if indulgence is the crime, what ever will our punishment be?

it sucks, it happened, it wasn't malicious. not sure if i would have stopped earlier to apologize, not sure if i would have offered to help clean up...Spat apologized, the guy snapped.

i have a (personal) rule that helps me sleep at night, it even works well with the kids. if i wrong you, i will make it right. if you choose to retaliate (screaming, yelling etc) without allowing an explanation or correction, all bets are off.

[phlatlander]

a battle that will be won one puddle at a time.
fight the power!

Puddle proletariat unite!

[1mystk]

So speaking of puddles, it was more like swimming pools here just about an hour ago.:eek:

I decided to wait to venture out for Subway... poor guy, standing in the corner with his girlfriend... I saw the car coming, I told them to move back.. they didn't listen.

S-O-A-K-E-D is not the right word for this one... The guy started freaking out, swearing, giving the one finger salute. Girlfriend did not looked pleased as her hair was a mess.

I told them, "hey you know that is not a good spot to stand ever on this corner" ... I paused... they looked at me ... "Note to self, stand back here where I am next time!"

He didn't look too pleased... I was just trying to help... :(

[real_ss_budgie]

........................
funny that...last night as i was perusing the tabloid press here i saw that and the first thing that entered my mind before thinking what a load of cobblers was....

[OTBSkinloss]

funny that...last night as i was perusing the tabloid press here i saw that and the first thing that entered my mind before thinking what a load of cobblers was....

That was a funny story! Poor bastard goes for a 4 mile 50 mile per hour wheel chair ride. I laughed my sorry ass off, when I heard that. Coulda turned out bad, but the guy said it was a hellava ride. :D