Sychronized Reckless Driving? Mobile Knockout Game?!

File this under "What-The-Fuck-Detroit?"

Driving south down Dickerson, just east of Conner...maybe ten minutes ago...between Mack and Vernor...we saw a line of eight to ten vehicles coming towards us, and they were swerving from curb to curb at a pretty high rate of speed.

At first I thought they were avoiding one of the common puddles that collects after the rain...but when they all swerved, looking like a snake made of cars, AGAIN with us not five car lengths away I knew it was something different...more dastardly and NOT random.

They weren't budging, and there were two cars immediately behind us...so I couldn't jam on the brakes without causing something. Two cars in the middle of the pack drove straight at us...causing me to jump the curb after a driveway, and I was ready to drive across a few lawns to avoid the trees...but I could get back on the road quickly the moment they passed.

It was dark enough that there was no way for any of 'em to identify who they were fucking with, so I am quite sure it wasn't racial...it was just dangerous and stupid.

I guess there is nothing new under the Sun, they'd probably have called it "Chicken" in the past...but I am now more curious if anyone else has experienced anything like this in the city recently.

This follows a drive down I-94 where we saw three people make quick exits from the far-left lane...only one of 'em in the city, though. People were driving like maniacs everywhere, even in the Ikea parking lot. So perhaps it is the Moon phase? But its almost NEW now, the crazies are supposed to be affected when it is FULL.

I would not object to making the entire lower east side of the city into a State Park.

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Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

I would not object to making the entire lower east side of the city into a State Park.

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^^^Knee-jerk statements like that are precisely why "Detroit doesn't exactly welcome us [["yuppies") with open arms."

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Originally Posted by 313WX

^^^Knee-jerk statements like that are precisely why "Detroit doesn't exactly welcome us [["yuppies") with open arms."

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That's fair.

So let's dig into that a little. I admit that my tone was harsh. So that being on the table, why is the amount of hostility against me higher than the amount of hostility against the people causing the problem?

I can understand why people might be offended by what I said. But are they more offended by me than the reckless drivers out there causing chaos? Why?

I just heard some report on Channel 4 about an accident caused by someone driving a stolen vehicle. I don't think that was the case here...these cars were later-models, but in fine shape with too-low-of-aspect tires and great paint jobs. I thought it was something like a car club...but it might've just been a bunch of idiots bored on a Summer night.

The stupid shit we all did when we were younger, I can recall chasing each other with light turned off on the east side in the middle of the night with cars,

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Originally Posted by Gannon

I just heard some report on Channel 4 about an accident caused by someone driving a stolen vehicle. I don't think that was the case here...these cars were later-models, but in fine shape with too-low-of-aspect tires and great paint jobs. I thought it was something like a car club...but it might've just been a bunch of idiots bored on a Summer night.

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Faster and Furious-er wanna be's....

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Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

I would not object to making the entire lower east side of the city into a State Park.

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+5..........

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Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

I would not object to making the entire lower east side of the city into a State Park.

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Nice.

Sometimes true colors shine through the nice guy act.

Pisses some people off but I appreciate it.

Always good to get a wake-up call.

I don't think the playing of "chicken" with cars is a new phenomenon. It just take on a new level. No excuse is being made for this type of behavior. Years ago disruptive behaviors were done by young people who were so called "bored" and wanted some excitement. Now disruptive behaviors are done by kids and young adults sometimes due to anger, peer's bad influence, sense of hopelessness, anger, and bad parenting

Wasn't drag racing a big thing on Detroit streets in past years?

The highway swerving is old hat.

Corktown yuppie- I assume your punchline was the benefits of state police patrols? I get it, though it shouldn't need to come to that. I will say, re the highways in Detroit, that I see very few if any state police there. It certainly encourages me to drive faster, and certainly decreases the inhibition of reckless and showboat-swerving drivers on roads like '94.

I think to label this as a "wtf" Detroit problem is unfair and the reason people in Metro-Detroit think the city of Detroit is worse than all other places in the world. Sadly, this ridiculous behavior happens in the burbs and probably in every other community. If fact, my nephew of Ann Arbor tells me that his buddies travel all the way to Detroit to drag race. He said the cops allow it. Of course I told him that his friends are in the wrong for that.

These are a bunch of idiots and they need to be disciplined before they cause a serious accident. But it's not a Detroit problem.

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Originally Posted by illwill

I think to label this as a "wtf" Detroit problem is unfair and the reason people in Metro-Detroit think the city of Detroit is worse than all other places in the world. Sadly, this ridiculous behavior happens in the burbs and probably in every other community. If fact, my nephew of Ann Arbor tells me that his buddies travel all the way to Detroit to drag race. He said the cops allow it. Of course I told him that his friends are in the wrong for that.

These are a bunch of idiots and they need to be disciplined before they cause a serious accident. But it's not a Detroit problem.

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Oh, just because it happens other places doesn't eliminate it from being a Detroit problem...it is not an either/or thing. It happened in the city, in a notorious neighborhood where that one fellow was beaten after an accident...the area where some are complaining about GPP closing down a major street.

I sense that last night was an odd night...a friend mentioned on FB his observations from Gratiot near Mack that folks were behaving exceptionally strange...and I mentioned the three aggressive exits off of I-94 on our drive to Canton and back. Those were reckless, too, but not a direct challenge or threat of attack.

But my gal and I have been talking about it since...she freaked out, and was upset that I wasn't as apparently shook up. I had to remind her that my emotional response is always stunted, it is part of an Asperger's Syndromer's main symptoms. In the short time between us noticing the weaving headlights and the second group-swerve which caused me to take evasive action, I'd already mapped out an escape route and 'plan'...I'm just glad I didn't have to take that action, since it could've endangered those who live there. Indeed, I 'bent' a few laws in that last mile home.

We agreed this morning that it is related with the "closing" of Belle Isle!


Cheers anyways,
John

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Originally Posted by brizee

Nice.

Sometimes true colors shine through the nice guy act.

Pisses some people off but I appreciate it.

Always good to get a wake-up call.

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So, I take it by your post that you condone this kind of behavior? Putting people's lives and property in danger? Maybe death, maybe worse, pemanent disability. But whatever you do, don't hold those responsible to task, because well, that would be racist. So I have agree with you, true colors ARE shining through, and it is quite a wake-up call

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Originally Posted by brizee

Nice.

Sometimes true colors shine through the nice guy act.

Pisses some people off but I appreciate it.

Always good to get a wake-up call.

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I thought CTY's comment was hilarious. He just forgot that humor about social issues isn't allowed here.

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

So, I take it by your post that you condone this kind of behavior? Putting people's lives and property in danger? Maybe death, maybe worse, pemanent disability. But whatever you do, don't hold those responsible to task, because well, that would be racist. So I have agree with you, true colors ARE shining through, and it is quite a wake-up call

.

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How you jump from commentary on a dumb ugly statement to me supporting crime [[that might very well be made up for all I know) is... whatever.

The comment wasn't thought provoking, wasn't productive, and it wasn't even new. It's the same drop a nuke on Detroit bullshit I've been hearing from white people who think I'm out of earshot or 'cool" enough to cosign it singe I graduated high school.

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Originally Posted by brizee

How you jump from commentary on a dumb ugly statement to me supporting crime [[that might very well be made up for all I know) is... whatever.

The comment wasn't thought provoking, wasn't productive, and it wasn't even new. It's the same drop a nuke on Detroit bullshit I've been hearing from white people who think I'm out of earshot or 'cool" enough to cosign it singe I graduated high school.

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And vice versa. Talk about non-thought provoking. Same old crap I've been listening to since graduating from high school. "I have a right to_____" [[insert entitlement of choice here) Yeah, I know, everyone white is racist. What else is new?

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Originally Posted by corktownyuppie

That's fair.

So let's dig into that a little. I admit that my tone was harsh. So that being on the table, why is the amount of hostility against me higher than the amount of hostility against the people causing the problem?

I can understand why people might be offended by what I said. But are they more offended by me than the reckless drivers out there causing chaos? Why?

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Maybe it's because you ought to know better?

I had a similar occurrence once on Ryan in the 'burbs, believe it or not. Three cars made a right out of an apartment complex in perfect synchronization, bumper to bumper like a snake, into the left. A car from across the street made left at the exact same time, making the exact same arc into the same lane. Somehow, the lone car perfectly merged itself between 2 of the 3 cars, as the cars turning right spread apart to make just enough room [[and not an inch more!). It was like watching figure skaters or something.

Of course, they pulled out dangerously late, to the point where if I hadn't reacted just in time, it looked as if would've been crushed. I thought maybe it was all a crazy coincidence, but after reading your post, I'm not so sure.

Talk about walking on eggshells.

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Originally Posted by illwill

I think to label this as a "wtf" Detroit problem is unfair and the reason people in Metro-Detroit think the city of Detroit is worse than all other places in the world. Sadly, this ridiculous behavior happens in the burbs and probably in every other community. If fact, my nephew of Ann Arbor tells me that his buddies travel all the way to Detroit to drag race. He said the cops allow it. Of course I told him that his friends are in the wrong for that.

These are a bunch of idiots and they need to be disciplined before they cause a serious accident. But it's not a Detroit problem.

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Its a HUGE Detroit problem. I've encountered so many horrible drivers in Detroit who don't know what a 1 way road is, don't know what a stop sign is, stop at a red light and then drive through or I saw one Jackass on Gratiot just plow through all intersections at a high rate of speed. Detroit Drivers are the worst by far. Don't even act like Ann Arbor residents don't stop at stop signs or drive like morons at the rate people in Detroit do.

Look at the MEAP and MME trends for area schools and you'll see that outrageous behavior will only be getting worse.