The "Do Not Ride With List"

Linda, I am very sorry to hear about your harrowing experience. I think every day brings new "lessons learned" about slugging, no matter how long we have been at it. The only way to avoid the perils of others driving is to drive oneself--and of course, anyone's driving may seem perilous to any of their riders. It is generally a judgement call. In my opinion it takes nerves of steel to be a rider, I don't remember too many cars that obeyed all laws.

Curiously, (but sort of fun), people compliment my driving on a fairly regular basis, and I tend to drive as fast as conditions allow (keeping safe following distance, etc.), which doesn't actually say much - since that is still usually within the speed limit. On one recent occasion a woman complained that I was going too fast (although we were virtually the only car on the dry road), when I slowed down to 50 in the populated (with workers) construction zone, she quickly informed me that the speed limit was 65. There was just no pleasing her. I did inform her that if she saw my car (and gave her the plate info) to please not enquire about a ride. I also suggested that she would be more comfortable being a driver if she had problem's with the driving of complete strangers giving her a free ride. When I asked the woman in back if she was doing alright she gave a "definite thumbs up".

Since then, she has passed my car 3 times, and on two of those occasions I have seen the car she was riding in either pass me or drive all the way into town going 80-85. I felt a little bad for her...but not too much.

yes, I think he was asian, the woman in the front definitely was. It was hard to tell with the male because he had very dark sunglasses on. Funny, because yesterday the skies were very dark and it was about to pour down rain.

Linda: I'm so sorry about your horrific experience. Those two were completely deficient of any sensibilities whatsoever. Also, for someone to call you such a name, (even if the guy hadn't driven like he had no functional brain cells), because you didn't say "thank you" is very telling about that person. Everything they said showed that. They both sound like absolute total wack jobs, and although I haven't gone to Horner in a few years, I hope you get more of a description so that the unaware can bypass those two psych jobs. People like that are dangerous in a vehicle and I also shudder at the thought of a conversation taking place in such a manner before you reached Horner. Also, a word of caution. Hopefully, there will be no next time, but don't engage angry, low functioning people in conversation - very, very risky. Just keep walking. Explanations to idiots like that are never, but never, understood. Their anger level simply rises as you found out the hard way. Be safe!

The information this forum contains should be a link from the home page. We need a method of keeping track of and notifying other sluggers of aggressive drivers. I think we should also post information about the bad drivers on poles located near the slug lines so everyone can be safe. I've been slugging for over 7 years and have never had a situation as terrifying as today.

I got a ride today at 4:00PM in Rosslyn from a silver Honda Passport SUV, black leather interior, heading for Horner road. There was a male driver and female passenger in the front. During the ride home I was scared to death. I usually read but could not focus on reading because the driver drove, when he could, in speeds over 85 miles per hour. When he couldn't drive that fast he tailgated the cars in front of him closer than any tail gater I've ever seen before. He repeatedly changed lanes, with out using a turn signal, and weaved his way back and forth down the HOV lanes. He also left the travel lanes into the shoulder. I wasn't sure if it was because he didn't have control or because he wanted to let the drivers in front of him know that he couldn't pass. Regardless it was terrifying. When we reached Horner Road I decided not to say anything since I was by myself. When I got out of the car I was shaking and I just closed the door. Normally I thank the person and wish them a good evening but today the female in the front seat rolled down her window and yelled to me "You could of at least said thank you, you B*TCH!! Needless to say, I was shocked and amazed. When I told them about their driving and how terrified I was they said I'm a slug and if I don't like how I am treated then I need to drive myself. They also told me that if I didn't like their driving they could of left me off any where along 95. At this point things became very heated. Eventually they peeled out as they drove off. I was so shook up I didn't get their license plate. I will be keeping an eye out though and I will get their plate the next time.

As I drove home from the commuter lot it occurred to me that I should of just used my cell phone from right there in their car to call the police and report their aggresive driving. As crazy as it sounds the next time I get into a car where the driver is driving aggressively I'm going to call the police and keep them updated on our location as they drive. If they hear me they can throw me out. I would of rather walked home today than go through that again.

Thank you for your replies. I have written extensively about HOV violators, cost overruns at the Mixing Bowl project and discussions about HOT lanes and will continue to do so. Please feel free to contact me directly at "shaverk@washpost.com" with any thoughts about these issues or anything else traffic-related, as I do not regularly check this message board. Commuters have always proven to be the best sources for stories.

Thanks again,
Katherine Shaver
Washington Post Staff Writer