Would it have been that hard to back off yourself at the start? If your going to give in eventually, why not do it straight away?
Plus, if you'd backed off to start with, you would be a good roll model for your child, showing courtesy and patience etc.
Edit, whoops the kid was in his car. Next time RAM him.[}:)]

I had a bloke act like that on Saturday morning... while talking on his mobile phone and a kid in the passanger seat!
Marmion Ave has 2 lanes. I approached Marmion from a side street and stopped at the stop sign before moving onto the Ave. Looked right to see the left hand lane empty and only 3 cars travelling in the right hand lane about 400m up. So I proceeded to move. As I picked up speed I looked in the rear view mirror to see the 4wd, which was the last car of the 3 in the right hand lane, right up my arse, honking his horn and waving his fist, while on his mobile and a child in the front seat!
For what reason? I could only figure that at the same time I decided to pull out, he decided to overtake the 2 cars infront of him by changing lanes, by which he was confronted by me who wasnt yet up to the travelling speed.
But wait thats not all! He waited until the 2 cars that were infront of him at first in the right hand lane pass us, he went around me and then cut infront of me almost taking me out and slammed on his brakes!? WTF!
This is serious road rage and very dangerous behavior.
I ignore people like this, so I swapped lanes as I had to turn off Marmion a few hundred metres away.
But I took his number plate and gave it to someone in authority. He is gonna enjoy a nice yellow sticker on his big arse, road hogging 4wd.
Im hoping 1 day these people who continue to act like this do it to either an off duty copper or even someone who has the ability to fight back and kick their arse!
Good luck on the roads in Perth everyone, you will need it. Its only getting worse!
Drive safe.

RE-Dawn Patrol
Im not one to back down to anyone especially fools in cars. It all happened so quickly I moved to the right and touched the curb to avoid him hitting me ,perhaps I should have pulled over returned the compliment and given him a short jab or two!!! .... cause believe me if I was to hit someone they would not be in a hurry to get up, if they could , Im 95 kgs and know how to use it ,, But I have matured over the years and becoming violent is not appropriate anymore ,my biggest fear is that if I did become involved in an altercation I may end up in court on an assult charge or worse,, yeh ...........maybe I should have rammed him .

555 said...

Cassa said...

becoming violent is not appropriate anymore

Was it ever appropriate?

Gone are the days when you could even hit a woman.





I'm going to cop some serious thumbs down for this.

Mark _australia said...

A lot of "merge rage" is because it used to be give way to the right, now it is whoever is further forward. Those who have been driving for years often still think it is give way to the right in every situation

I had no idea the give way to the right rule had been changed. oops, and I abused (mentally) a little old lady the other day for merging in front of me from the left, I think she was marginally in front of me.

I can't speak for the other states but in QLD there are in fact two merging rules.

When two lines of traffic merge and there are no marked lanes, you must give way to any vehicle that is ahead of your vehicle.

If you are driving in a marked lane and your lane comes to a distinct end, you must give way to other traffic already in the lane you are moving to.

There should be a third rule but at this time it is 'common practice, and recommended by Queensland Transport' that drivers already on the freeway exercise courtesy and allow space for drivers trying to enter the freeway, either by adjusting their speed or changing lanes.

There is no rule, and there never will be, that states you should hold your ground if the other person doesn't understand the rules.

Having a new 'P' plater in the house I have recently had to relearn this stuff.

knot board said...

I can't speak for the other states but in QLD there are in fact two merging rules.

When two lines of traffic merge and there are no marked lanes, you must give way to any vehicle that is ahead of your vehicle.

If you are driving in a marked lane and your lane comes to a distinct end, you must give way to other traffic already in the lane you are moving to.

Just checked our rules, and it's the same here - called the zip merge rule.

Leech said...

Everyone should have to sit a theoretical driving test every 10 or 15 years to make sure that all drivers are following the same rules.

I think there is also confusion over roundabouts as some drivers were taught to give way to the right at all times and other drivers were taught that the first vehicle to the roundabout that has right of way. I'm not even sure which is correct anymore.

I was taught that on a roundabout give way to your right. If the roundabout has two lanes the inside lane has right of way AT ALL TIMES.

I grew up in Noosa and believe me, learning the rules of driving on roundabouts is a necessity as they have about 8 for every 2km square

Greenroom said...


Im hoping 1 day these people who continue to act like this do it to either an off duty copper or even someone who has the ability to fight back and kick their arse!

Not quite the same type of thing, but I watched a squidly motorcyclist splitting lanes at full speed on Karinyup Road one day on my way to the beach. Not just sliding through stopped cars at traffic lights, which I don't see anything wrong with, but going between trucks and cars that were going 70km/h. Not wise.

One of the cars was a dark blue Commodore, and once the bike got past it its lights started strobe flashing, and blue and red ones came on from behind the windscreen. Busted!

evlPanda said...


Twice recently I've approached it looking right for traffic to merge with, then look ahead and... oh, a cute little old person coming around the wrong way.

I don't know what they must be thinking, keeping to their left lane with all these cars on the wrong side of the road, beeping and swerving.

It could well be that they were following the arrow painted on the road telling them to go that way.

Cassa said...

... I moved to the right and touched the curb to avoid him hitting me...

Umm.. you moved to the right and touched the curb?
I was under the impression that all states in Australia drive on the left side of the road..??

No wonder there's confusion about the give way rules!

Yeah Cassa.. draw us a picture! This is all getting too confusing..

As traffic increases because there are more people in Australia buying vehicles we have to decide how we are going to deal with issues like this. If it had been me, I probably would have made space for the dickhead, even if it cost me a bit of time. However there are times when I would not let him in, mainly because I am in a bad mood or a hurry to get somewhere.

Australian drivers seem to be sticklers for the rules, myself included. Contrast this to how people over in India or China drive, where really its everything goes. I get annoyed when people don't indicate going right in roundabouts or indicating after they make a turn.

However we need a bit more courtesy on the roads. The main reasons we drive cars is for convenience and freedom. When we get stuck in traffic or have some idiot blocking us then we get angry because it takes away our freedom and convenience. We may as well catch the bus.

Perhaps higher petrol prices will help as vehicle traffic will decrease if petrol keeps going up in price.

try again

Your Car Looks like BIG FOOT. should have driven over the top of him