Someone may have gotten a picture of my plates... should I worry?

[mcantar18c]

On my way to work this morning someone (female, 40's, brown hair, light blue early 2000's F150) tried to cut me off, riding a turn lane as far as they could and crossing over the triangle of dead space at the end. I didn't let her in... there's plenty of room before there to get over and the other day someone did that on the same spot and almost hit me when I was on my bike (driving the truck today). People that do that shit really piss me off. The idiot behind me let her in, and she pulled up her phone (white iPhone in a blue case) holding it sideways like she was taking a picture. I stopped short and backed up to her bumper and sat there until the traffic in front of me had cleared up to the first opening to a side street and then punched it and took off. She tried to follow but couldn't keep up and was cut off by a Mini Cooper (white with black racing stripes and a roof rack).
I don't know if she was taking a picture of my truck for a visual reference, or of my plates, but she may have gotten a clean shot. How plausible/possible is it that she could find my address off a pate number?

[Great-Kazoo]

No worry. Unless the pic taker wants to register at one of those secure check places, pay a few $$ for the privilege. She might call the cops saying she has a picture of someone who cut her off. If that's the case it's your word vs hers.

[Ranger353]

Unless she is in law enforcement, she cannot get your address from a plate. She more than likely will file a complaint and depending on the agency with jurisdiction, they will either investigate to determine if there is enough evidence to write a traffic citation for her to sign against you (unlikely), or just take the report and close the case#. I wouldn't worry about it unless you get a call from a cop about it.

[O2HeN2]

Sounds like she was the victim of road rage. I hope the photo helps her. I'm sure your post above where you admit cutting her off, stopping, backing up to her bumper (threatening her with a one-ton weapon), etc. will help her case.

Yhea, yhea, you were "justified". No, you weren't.

Just calling it as I see it. Modifying and/or deleting your post would be further admission of guilt on your part.

O2

On my way to work this morning someone (female, 40's, brown hair, light blue early 2000's F150) tried to cut me off, riding a turn lane as far as they could and crossing over the triangle of dead space at the end. I didn't let her in... there's plenty of room before there to get over and the other day someone did that on the same spot and almost hit me when I was on my bike (driving the truck today). People that do that shit really piss me off. The idiot behind me let her in, and she pulled up her phone (white iPhone in a blue case) holding it sideways like she was taking a picture. I stopped short and backed up to her bumper and sat there until the traffic in front of me had cleared up to the first opening to a side street and then punched it and took off. She tried to follow but couldn't keep up and was cut off by a Mini Cooper (white with black racing stripes and a roof rack).
I don't know if she was taking a picture of my truck for a visual reference, or of my plates, but she may have gotten a clean shot. How plausible/possible is it that she could find my address off a pate number?

[mcantar18c]

Thanks guys, that's kinda what I figured. I don't know why she'd think she has any legal standing here, which is why I think she might have some other intent.

Sounds like she was the victim of road rage. I hope the photo helps her. I'm sure your post above where you admit cutting her off, stopping, backing up to her bumper (threatening her with a one-ton weapon), etc. will help her case.

Yhea, yhea, you were "justified". No, you weren't.

Just calling it as I see it. Modifying and/or deleting your post would be further admission of guilt on your part.

O2

This was on 285 northbound at the Santa Fe exit. She was speeding and pulled an illegal and potentially dangerous maneuver crossing over the triangle formed by the white lines that mark the curve of the exit and the right lane that continues straight... just like any highway exit... and attempted to cut me off to get back into the flow of traffic. I simply didn't move (slam on my brakes) to let her in... in no way did *I* cut *her* off.
I have no reason or intent to modify my OP to say anything other than originally stated. If you think I'm in the wrong here, you probably drive like a douchebag too.

[O2HeN2]

I simply didn't move (slam on my brakes) to let her in... in no way did *I* cut *her* off.

On the board here we always talk about deescalation in encounters whenever possible. That didn't happen here. By not letting her in you escalated. By stopping short you escalated. By backing up to her you escalated. You bringing up the fact that you had a close call on a bike here only drives home the fact that you were emotionally engaged in this situation and out for revenge on someone that was not involved in the previous close call (you know, kinda like anti-gunners blaming all non-involved gun owners for actions of criminals).

If you think I'm in the wrong here, you probably drive like a douchebag too.

She was wrong, you were wronger. You turned her idiot maneuver into a road rage incident.

That's the thing about road rage. If someone else does it, it's road rage. If you do it it's "justified".

As for your "probably" no, I don't. I drive cooperatively as possible and when situations arise, I deescalate.

O2

[Dave_L]

I don't let people in when they're too dense to see the "lane merges" sign or drive all the way to the end of the merge lane in hopes of being a couple cars ahead. I don't know why you did the rest of the actions as I gladly sit there after not letting them in and maintain my safe speed. If they don't like me for it, that's their issue, not mine.

[O2HeN2]

I don't let people in when they're too dense to see the "lane merges" sign or drive all the way to the end of the merge lane...

What you disagree with here is exactly the way to do it. You are not supposed to merge early, you're supposed to drive all the way to when the lane starts to go away and then do a "zipper" merge for maximum safety.

But don't take my word for it, go to just about any DOT site and you can read it for yourself. Minnesota's DOT page comes up first on google (though in this case it's construction specific) so here's their description of a zipper merge:

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/zippermerge/

Of course if you have road ragers not letting you in when you get to the lane going away, that's when problems arise.

O2

[Dave_L]

What you disagree with here is exactly the way to do it. You are not supposed to merge early, you're supposed to drive all the way to when the lane starts to go away and then do a "zipper" merge for maximum safety.

But don't take my word for it, go to just about any DOT site and you can read it for yourself. Minnesota's DOT page comes up first on google (though in this case it's construction specific) so here's their description of a zipper merge:

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/zippermerge/

Of course if you have road ragers not letting you in when you get to the lane going away, that's when problems arise.

O2

I meant more for stop and go traffic and when construction forces lane closures. Maybe I mis-read the OP. Im speaking more for the obvious "i want to get ahead of everyone" person. I make space for people coming on the highway, whether that's moving over a lane or creating a gap. Like you said, it needs to be a zipper. I think the merger needs to use their brain a little too and look for where a gap is to merge in seamlessly instead of assuming one will magically appear in dense traffic at the end of their merge lane.

[O2HeN2]

I meant more for stop and go traffic and when construction forces lane closures. Maybe I mis-read the OP. Im speaking more for the obvious "i want to get ahead of everyone" person. I make space for people coming on the highway, whether that's moving over a lane or creating a gap. Like you said, it needs to be a zipper.

Yhea, I was unclear/ambiguous. If traffic is moving, as you mention you should merge at your convenience. Stomping on it to get ahead in the lane that's going away is bad form (that MNDOT page does mention the "merge early" exception if traffic is moving at speed).

I think the merger needs to use their brain a little too and look for where a gap is to merge in seamlessly instead of assuming one will magically appear in dense traffic at the end of their merge lane.

I know according to Bloomberg we don't have any paved roads down here, but I see the lack of brain use every day here in Colorado Springs when I get on the I25 southbound on-ramp at Woodmen. It narrows to one lane a concrete wall and a guard rail just before the freeway. About 50% of the time when it's at 1.5 lanes wide someone will shoot past me, get their nose a half an inch in front of me and expect me to yield. Which I typically do. It may be encouraging bad behavior, but it's better than a trip to the body shop and finger pointing when the police arrive.

O2