Should Brake-Check Who You’re Doing That To

I’m driving along US 50 heading into Ocean City. I’m in the right-hand lane minding my business when someone is annoyed that I’m locked in on my cruise control at the posted speed limit. As it’s not busy this time of day, the person has plenty of opportunity to get into the left lane and pass me. 

For whatever reason, they do not for about ten minutes. I can see them in the rearview mirror gesturing wildly and pointing at me. 

Finally, they decide to pass me on the left. When they get back into the right lane, they brake-check me. I avoid hitting them and let them drive off. I’m in too much of a good mood to let them annoy me. Then, as I’m back to speed, I catch up with them and again, they brake-check me. 

Now I’m starting to get annoyed. I avoid hitting them again and they zoom off. After a few minutes, I’m caught up to them again and they do it a third time. 

Now I’m steaming mad. I’m cussing up a blue storm and I see lights in my rearview flashing at me. It’s a State Trooper flashing his headlights at me. 

I pull left and slow down, allowing the officer to pass on the right and take up the same spot I was holding. I fall back in behind the officer. 

Officer and I get up to speed and catch up with the jerk once more. Again, he hits his brakes hard. This time the officer hits his brakes to avoid hitting them — I’m far enough behind that I’m not at risk. The guy brake-checking us must have thought this funny… at least until the officer turns on his red and blues and chirps the siren. 

Jerk pulls over, officer pulls in behind him, and I’m assuming that a ticket or at the very least a stern talking-to is in the works. 

I just drive past them both, giving the jerk a cheery wave as I go on my merry way. 

And as a point of note to those who might be wondering how they didn’t notice the change? MD State Police SUVs are a greenish-grey and my SUV is a dark grey. So, in his rearview, we must have looked enough alike that he thought I was still there, ripe for the annoying.