Home / News Opinion
Florida Road Rage Driver
By Mechele Dillard Mar 28 2014 - 7:27pm

Florida Road Rage Driver: Why Is It All His Fault?

The Florida Driver Road Rage video may have people laughing at the wrecked driver, saying he deserved what he got, but did he? Didn't the Florida Driver incite the accident with her own obnoxious behavior: Slow-poking in the left-hand lane?
Advertisement

Road rage is never a good thing, but sometimes it can be provoked, as the following video clearly demonstrates; shouldn’t there be some measure of justice for that?

This video started making the rounds today, and the initial response is to say, “What a jerk! He deserves what he got!” But, is that really fair?

Now, okay, what the tailgater was doing was obnoxious and wrong, and we’ve all been in the place of the Florida Driver. But, at the same time, let’s be honest: We’ve also all been the tailgater, furious behind a car that refuses to just move over to the right lane, where they should have been in the first place instead of obnoxiously blocking the faster traffic. I mean, come on, she was going 50 in the left lane!

“That’s what you get,” the Florida Driver laughed—wickedly, might I add, when the driver of the truck angrily spun out ahead of her. “All on video, buddy!”

Any concern that he might be hurt? Nope, not on the Florida Driver’s part, anyway; she was too busy celebrating her road rage video disaster.

Now, what the angry tailgating driver did was wrong. He should not have lost his temper, and he should have just passed her on the right side and forgot about it as he drove away sanely. And, after wrecking, he certainly should not have left the scene of an accident (he has since been identified as Jeffrey Travis White and was charged with leaving the scene of a traffic crash). But, in my opinion, the Florida Driver provoked this man into a fury, and is a shining example of what NOT to do as a driver on our highways. Additionally, she is a good reason why authorities need to enforce those “slowpoke driver” laws, and ticket people who are impeding traffic, and she should also face some type of charges for inciting this accident.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below, because we are really curious on this one!

News Opinion
Pickup Trucks

Subscribe to Torque News on YouTube.
Follow Torque News on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

Comments

charles. s wrote on March 28, 2014 - 8:04pm
Is he speeding up and slowing down or is she riding her brakes? Clearly witnessed an accident and didnt stop the fact that she git so excited leads me to beleive she was trying to antagonize him
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 28, 2014 - 8:09pm
I agree completely, Charles; like I said, he should have just moved over and went around on the right lane, but she was clearly antagonizing him, and too busy videotaping to even see if he might be hurt.
Steve wrote on March 31, 2014 - 11:33pm
Uh, she did stop. She went back and watched him spin his wheels and then get a friend to help him leave the scene of an accident. She took the photo of his plate and stayed until the police arrived. Also she was turning left up ahead, I wouldn't have moved over either.
Keith Griffin wrote on March 28, 2014 - 8:13pm
We don't know what happened after the accident. According to news reports he left the scene of the crime and was arrested for that. Maybe she couldn't pull over safely. BTW, in one account I read, she said she was passing trucks on her right but couldn't change lanes. Of course she's going to make herself look good. But if the roads were slick, who's to say 50 mph wasn't the appropriate speed for conditions?
mark wrote on March 28, 2014 - 8:22pm
The speed limit is the same in both lanes, so if she was going the speed limit, it doesn't matter which lane she was in.
bubba wrote on March 28, 2014 - 9:57pm
It is basic driving 101 where you pass on the left. It is now a law in GA that people driving slow in the left lane will get a ticket. Why- because slower traffic needs to keep right. She did not cause the accident because that was his fault; however she does share some of the blame for not getting over causing his anger.
Gary wrote on March 29, 2014 - 12:08am
Sure, but that rule only applies to limited access roads, this was not one of those. This was a surface road where left hand turns are possible. Therefore, she had every right to be in that lane.
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 29, 2014 - 10:10am
No one is saying she had no legal "right" to be in the lane; it is a matter of common courtesy and an obvious attempt on her part to "win" a battle of the driver egos. Surface road, interstate; unless you are turning left, there is no good reason to stay in the left-hand lane when other traffic wants to pass you. And the video? We talk about texting and driving; why are we okay, apparently, with this? They were both at fault for numerous reasons; this was a completely avoidable "accident," caused by a couple of battling driver egos.
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 28, 2014 - 8:27pm
Regardless, if you are in the left-hand lane and a driver is right behind you, as he clearly was, it is common courtesy (and common sense) to move over and let them go on by; obviously she could have moved over--HE had room to get by her, didn't he?
Sean wrote on March 28, 2014 - 8:38pm
What was the speed limit? Why was this left out of the article? You ask the questions like "What do you think?" without key information. What does the state law say about tailgaters, slow drivers, cars who cut people off, and leaving a accident?
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 28, 2014 - 8:44pm
No idea what the speed limit was, Sean. And, for my point, it doesn't matter: She was in the left-hand lane, she had a driver behind her waiting to pass, and her response was to videotape him and incite him into a fury instead of just moving over and letting him pass. This is the point: This accident was completely avoidable, on both sides, and both have responsibility.
David Wishengrad wrote on March 28, 2014 - 9:36pm
Mark, The answer is found in the truth, not the law. There are many truths that we all universally share, such as we are alive and we can't change our own past. Yet, of all of the truths we share, "Life is most important in life" remains the most important truth in life to all. In this case, someone many have been hurt. There is a reason for speeding laws and there are also other reasons for the law that says not to obstruct traffic, "Slower traffic keep right". So you have one law for and another against. Your position that man's law is supreme, even when it contradicts itself, is very short sighted. The very purpose of these laws is for life because it's life that's most important. In this case, her behavior blocking the lane was, two wrongs don't make a right. I have read statistics before that say the next leading, or another major cause leading, to accidents, after drunk driving, happens because of people going in and out of lanes to get around the slower driver in the left lane and forcing passing on the right. It is generally much safer to pass people on left. So, this is all for life. That's the big picture.
Gary wrote on March 28, 2014 - 9:42pm
It wasn't on an interstate, it seemed to be on a local road. Exactly how fast should she have been going? On city streets, I don't see any reason to move over if someone decides they want to speed.. Their problem entirely. Also, she was doing closer to 60 when she showed the speedo.. I don't fault her at all. As for her not sticking around, I don't think I would have either. The guy was obviously going to be angry and staying around would have only put her in jeopardy.
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 28, 2014 - 10:44pm
Interesting; perhaps she should have considered that playing road monitor would infuriate the man behind her and put her (and her video target, as well as all the people on the road around them while they were pacifying their respective egos) in jeopardy? The left-hand lane is there for the faster vehicles. If someone wants to go faster than you, move over to the right, let them pass, and if they are speeding? Let the cops handle it. *Both* drivers were at fault, and this entire video should be a lesson to all drivers of what absolutely not to do when driving.
Gary wrote on March 29, 2014 - 12:06am
On the interstate, sure, but on a local road, I disagree. What should she do in a situation where she plans on making a left turn in the next mile or so and needs to be in the left lane? Move over so this jackass can do what he wants and possibly miss her turn? The left hand lane isn't just there for faster traffic. Especially on road that are not limited access. There's never a good excuse for tailgating someone.
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 29, 2014 - 9:59am
If she had a turn in a mile, yes, she should move over, let him go, and move back herself. If she was turning immediately, turn on your blinker to let people know. This was a case of someone trying to play road monitor--she was as much at fault as he was, and a bad example for drivers everywhere.
two guns wrote on March 28, 2014 - 9:48pm
Driving laws are so different in every state. Your absolutely wrong in our state. The speed limit is same for all lanes. Wa female driver rude for driving slow in fast lane? She was but not any ruder than Male driver for tailgating & sharing his anger publicly. Neither driver was operating vehicle safely. Female was distracted by operating video recorder & Pick up driver was distracted & angered by other driver. Driving at it's simplest is an A to B operating. Maybe when Google takes steering wheel away from humans, these thing may stop happening. Then again driver may just have more time to harass each other.
Owen wrote on March 28, 2014 - 9:53pm
Appears the other traffic in the video are observing the speed limit, probably 45-50. Non emergency vehicles do not have the right to speed (break the law). I find it troubling that so many drivers have "metal" courage, because they can't be confronted. Why then don't they "line jump" at the theater or grocery? After all, isn't that what speeding is?
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 28, 2014 - 11:01pm
I would agree about the "metal" courage as you describe it, and I would apply it to both drivers in this video--more so to the Florida Driver, actually. I doubt very much that she would stick her phone in someone's face and incite them to the point that they were ready to flip her off if she were in the same room with them. But, to the speeding/line-jumping comparison, I would disagree. There is nothing to be personally offended by if someone wants to drive past you, no reason to get mad; not so if they break in line in front of you in the theater. The roads are designed to let the faster drivers go by the slower drivers, and law enforcement can take care of the speeders.
shirl wrote on March 29, 2014 - 8:19am
I am a slow driver, usually under the speed limit. that is why I use the right lane. speed scares me, and the left lane, well, I am in it to turn LEFT :), and that is usually the only reason I am in left lane. rarely have to pass anyone else:) this driver video-taping was paying attention to the video process(distracted driver) and she was lucky she did not wreck. and he obviously was getting more and more angry. it had the feeling w/her laughing that she was enjoying every moment of infuriating the driver, ''power'' of inciting the driver seemed a thrill to her. and happy over his wreck?...that is so wrong. and for him. tailgating is so annoying, I have experienced this many times. but, I have also done it when I could not get around a slow driver. but I was wrong too. and the ''finger'' is always wrong...never good. and when he finally got around her, just be glad and pay attention. but their ''power struggle'' on the road...her blocking, him getting by her...well, it could have been tragic. I say they were BOTH wrong, and that is my 2 cents worth :) DRIVE SAFELY, and move over when you should.
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 29, 2014 - 11:37am
Yes, she was obviously enjoying her "win;" it was, without a doubt, a road rage "power struggle," and, as you said, they were BOTH wrong for their own reasons. I find it interesting that so many people do not even want to consider the fact that the Florida Driver was wrong for her part in it. I think you said it best, Shirl: Drive safely and move over when you should. If she had followed that advice from the beginning, there would have been no accident to discuss.
Donald wrote on March 29, 2014 - 7:04pm
The lady taking the video was not wrong. She was turning left. So she needed to be in the left Lane.
Mechele Dillard wrote on March 29, 2014 - 9:09pm
The time she spent videotaping the tailgater (not a safe practice and not something that anyone should be looking at as "okay") she could have moved over to the right (yes, there was room, because HE passed her), let him pass, then moved back over and turned left at whatever point down the lane she needed to turn. Yes, she was wrong. Yes, he was wrong. Both drivers were a danger to everyone else on that highway, and I would hope that other drivers watching them would look at this incident, realize it could have been completely avoided, and just decide to be courteous to each other as a result--then at least something positive would have been achieved by the bad example they set with this stunt.
Anonynous wrote on March 30, 2014 - 12:48pm
50 in a 55 in the fast lane, according to Florida law, is entirely legit. Given the weather conditions, and the result of the idiot who ignored said weather conditions, her prudence was entirely appropriate, as Mr Jeffry Travis White, aka The Idiot, has hopefully learned. Why was she in the left hand lane? According to her, to make a left hand turn, and again, perfectly legal.
Darren wrote on March 30, 2014 - 5:06pm
Just as an FYI, both drivers were wrong according to the laws in most states. If you and I are in the left lane, both at the legal speed, and you come running up on my tail but I don't move over, the cop can pull us BOTH over -- you for speeding and me for failing to yield to a faster vehicle. Being self-righteous is what put our lady driver into the wrong, left-turn plan or no.
David Jorgensen wrote on April 12, 2016 - 6:14pm
In all the articles I've encountered, the woman states that she couldn't pull over because she was blocked by trucks in the right lane, and that she didn't want to speed up because of wet road conditions. Now, it's fair for you to say that you don't believe her story, but it's equally fair to say that you have no proof to back your opinion. Therefore, your comments amount to bluster; you're bringing the hammer down on her based on nothing but your personal opinion that someone you've never met is a liar. This seems appropriate to you?
justin wrote on February 25, 2017 - 2:35am
While driving from Texas to Orlando for a family gathering, I was tailgated and flashed and pulled over by a damn Florida state trooper. Apparently, he said driving at 80mph was "too damn slow" in the left lane and I "will have everyone pissed off and killed". I needed to drive "at least 90mph". He was boiling hot, calling us F%$%#$ stupid, cunt, idiots, cocksucker and other stuff. And he called my sister a bi%ch! Didn't know the hell was his problem. I thought Texas was hot enough, I guess not. If my phone wasn't dead I could have filmed the whole thing.
Thomas Foolery wrote on March 1, 2019 - 3:38am
Seriously...Seriously ...provoking- theee is no excuse for road rage. I’m not saying it does t happen to even the best of us but we need to own it! It’s a motor vehicle and lives are on the line. NEVER EVER can we fail to be safely responsible...NEVER....I don’t care what the antagonist or cause. LIVES ARE AT STAKE - THE PREMISE AND QUEATION BEING ASKED IN THIS IS ABSOLUTELY MORONIC...which would explain why you’re not writing for the New Yorker or Atlantic Monthly!?! ...now don’t take that and road rage someone with a MENSA Bumper Sticker! DOUCHE!