A man tries to cut you in a drive thru line. What do you do?

[cramx3]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

Most places around me don't have the indoors open later in the evening so drive through is the only option.  I feel like this stems from the pandemic and is something that hasn't and may never go back to the way it used to be.

How late do you usually go out for fast food? Is going out late for fast food a thing?

I know..I'm old.

Clearly it's a thing old man! I almost never go out for fast food though, it's usually I'm already out and am hungry like after a concert.  So we are talking after 11pm.

[TAC]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

Most places around me don't have the indoors open later in the evening so drive through is the only option.  I feel like this stems from the pandemic and is something that hasn't and may never go back to the way it used to be.

How late do you usually go out for fast food? Is going out late for fast food a thing?

I know..I'm old.

Clearly it's a thing old man! I almost never go out for fast food though, it's usually I'm already out and am hungry like after a concert.  So we are talking after 11pm.

My after concert go to snack was going to a convenience store and grabbing a Coke and a bag of Combos for the ride home.

[Stadler]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

No, I do more often than not.  Sometimes with my step son, or if it's raining, I will.  I don't eat McDonald's a ton, but when I do I usually order on the app and go in.  Knock wood, they haven't f-ed up an order yet that way.   I do that for Jersey Mike's and Subway as well.

[Stadler]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up! 

[Stadler]

I have never DoorDashed or GrubHubbed ever and I have no intention to start.

It's ridiculous; it could EASILY double the cost of what you're buying if you're not careful.

And then there's the "Ridiculousness" factor; some of the delivery people caught on Ring cameras scratching, rubbing, whatever, no thanks.

[Stadler]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

Most places around me don't have the indoors open later in the evening so drive through is the only option.  I feel like this stems from the pandemic and is something that hasn't and may never go back to the way it used to be.

How late do you usually go out for fast food? Is going out late for fast food a thing?

I know..I'm old.

Clearly it's a thing old man! I almost never go out for fast food though, it's usually I'm already out and am hungry like after a concert.  So we are talking after 11pm.

Do you eat more fast food when you travel? 

So I'm driving from NYC to home tonight, and I will probably have a burger or a sandwich while I'm driving.   

[Anguyen92]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

Most places around me don't have the indoors open later in the evening so drive through is the only option.  I feel like this stems from the pandemic and is something that hasn't and may never go back to the way it used to be.

How late do you usually go out for fast food? Is going out late for fast food a thing?

I know..I'm old.

Clearly it's a thing old man! I almost never go out for fast food though, it's usually I'm already out and am hungry like after a concert.  So we are talking after 11pm.

I, too, have gone to get fast food after a concert and yes, the go-to answer will be always Taco Bell if I didn't already eat anything of note prior to the concert.  Also, yes, surprisingly, there can be a line for Taco Bell after 11 PM.

Of course, my preferred answer would be In-N-Out, but there's always a line there no matter what, so for now, the default answer is either Taco Bell or Jack in the Box for post-concert fast food.  If the show is at the Wiltern, then I would pivot to a sushi place close by that has good-value sushi.

[TAC]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

Most places around me don't have the indoors open later in the evening so drive through is the only option.  I feel like this stems from the pandemic and is something that hasn't and may never go back to the way it used to be.

How late do you usually go out for fast food? Is going out late for fast food a thing?

I know..I'm old.

Clearly it's a thing old man! I almost never go out for fast food though, it's usually I'm already out and am hungry like after a concert.  So we are talking after 11pm.

Do you eat more fast food when you travel? 

So I'm driving from NYC to home tonight, and I will probably have a burger or a sandwich while I'm driving.

When we were driving to Disney 3-4 times a year, those trips would be the only time I'd get Burger King of McDonald's. And man, I looked forward to it. One on the way down, and one on the way back.
I really can't do fast food as part of my diet.

[Harmony]

I cannot remember the last time I've had fast food.

But if I were alone in this scenario, I'd have to work very hard at not doing/saying anything.  I realize people are fucking nuts out there.

My inner Karen would hope that I was a passenger in the car that got cut off.  I'd exit my vehicle and run inside to alert the staff of what happened and ask the manager to refuse service to the vehicle.   

[El Barto]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

Most places around me don't have the indoors open later in the evening so drive through is the only option.  I feel like this stems from the pandemic and is something that hasn't and may never go back to the way it used to be.

How late do you usually go out for fast food? Is going out late for fast food a thing?

I know..I'm old.

Clearly it's a thing old man! I almost never go out for fast food though, it's usually I'm already out and am hungry like after a concert.  So we are talking after 11pm.

My after concert go to snack was going to a convenience store and grabbing a Coke and a bag of Combos for the ride home.

If I know I'm going to need food after a show I"ll usually get a giant sub for lunch and stick the other half in the fridge. That usually only happens when I go solo. More often than not we factor in food before or after the show. A few good late-night options around here.

So I'm driving from NYC to home tonight, and I will probably have a burger or a sandwich while I'm driving.   

Even during a long drive I'd rather eat inside, so I'm still not using the drive through. That's usually when I look for a 5 Guys.

Also, no way I go to Taco Bell if there's a Taco Bueno near by.

[ProfessorPeart]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This.

I am always aware of what is going on around me. One of my biggest pet peeves is a lane cutter when it comes to driving. Block is always my first instinct.

[ProfessorPeart]

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

This is also a good point. 99 times out of 100 I go inside. I can assure they get my order right and I can get my drink the way I want it.

[Stadler]

So for everyone that is confronting the man, either by preventing their sliding in, or in some other way, what's the rationale?   Is this about some sense of justice?  Does it make you feel better or like you're sticking up for yourself?  (Not a sarcastic or snarky question.)   I'm trying to understand what the point of the confrontation is.  To me, it seems like a LOT of risk with precisely zero reward.  Do we think this person is going to have a life epiphany from that?   I know for me, if I'm in the car, I either have someone there, so we're talking, or I have music on, so I'm listening, or I'm on the phone so I'm talking.  It really doesn't change my day one way or the other.  I'll cop to not feeling this way on the highway but usually the impacts are greater (and yea, I CAN get there faster if you move out of the way; even if I hit only one light and you don't that could be anywhere from five to fifteen minutes of head start). 

[cramx3]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This.

I am always aware of what is going on around me. One of my biggest pet peeves is a lane cutter when it comes to driving. Block is always my first instinct.

This is me too, but I assumed the question is when the person already cut in so I didn't consider this an option.  I'm very much like this on the roads because I hate when people generally cut in front of me so the best way is to not let that be an option. 

So for everyone that is confronting the man, either by preventing their sliding in, or in some other way, what's the rationale?   Is this about some sense of justice?  Does it make you feel better or like you're sticking up for yourself?  (Not a sarcastic or snarky question.)   I'm trying to understand what the point of the confrontation is.  To me, it seems like a LOT of risk with precisely zero reward.  Do we think this person is going to have a life epiphany from that?   I know for me, if I'm in the car, I either have someone there, so we're talking, or I have music on, so I'm listening, or I'm on the phone so I'm talking.  It really doesn't change my day one way or the other.  I'll cop to not feeling this way on the highway but usually the impacts are greater (and yea, I CAN get there faster if you move out of the way; even if I hit only one light and you don't that could be anywhere from five to fifteen minutes of head start). 

The bold for me.  There's a chance the person gets out of line so it's not a precise zero reward, but I have a natural instinct to stick up for myself.  Like I said before, I don't think I would get out of my car and I wouldn't get violent, but I just can't hold myself back when I feel like I'm wronged even on something so menial.  I would almost have to at least let them know how I feel. 

I was thinking about this a bit more too.  I might even say something when I got to the window.  "Oh hey, btw, that car in front of me just cut me in the line and pissed me and everyone else off who waited.  It would be cool if you made them pull to the side when they get to the window to have to wait until after us"

[pg1067]

Don't even get me started on Door Dash..

I think there was a discussion about those services not too long ago, so I won't repeat it.  I was just impressed that the boy manages to order food without waking up my wife or me or setting the dog off..

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up! 

I kinda figured, but I also hoped that folks here wouldn't believe that stuff....

My inner Karen would hope that I was a passenger in the car that got cut off.  I'd exit my vehicle and run inside to alert the staff of what happened and ask the manager to refuse service to the vehicle.   

That's the BEST answer here!

So for everyone that is confronting the man, either by preventing their sliding in, or in some other way, what's the rationale?   Is this about some sense of justice?  Does it make you feel better or like you're sticking up for yourself?  (Not a sarcastic or snarky question.)   I'm trying to understand what the point of the confrontation is.

For me, I spent a decent chunk of my childhood getting bullied.  I was naturally passive, so I was an easy target.  At some point I had an epiphany that, if I didn't want things taken from me, I'd have to stand up for myself.  So I do.  The line swooper is a bully, looking to take things from those he perceives as being weaker.  Not gonna happen on my watch.

[El Barto]

So for everyone that is confronting the man, either by preventing their sliding in, or in some other way, what's the rationale?   Is this about some sense of justice?  Does it make you feel better or like you're sticking up for yourself?  (Not a sarcastic or snarky question.)   I'm trying to understand what the point of the confrontation is.  To me, it seems like a LOT of risk with precisely zero reward.  Do we think this person is going to have a life epiphany from that?   I know for me, if I'm in the car, I either have someone there, so we're talking, or I have music on, so I'm listening, or I'm on the phone so I'm talking.  It really doesn't change my day one way or the other.  I'll cop to not feeling this way on the highway but usually the impacts are greater (and yea, I CAN get there faster if you move out of the way; even if I hit only one light and you don't that could be anywhere from five to fifteen minutes of head start).

There are certainly better ways to go about it, example to follow, but confrontation actually can bring about a change of behaviour. I've told the story before, but an absolutely ginormous redneck confronted me in a 711 parking lot because I was annoyed at how long it took him to back out. Five minutes later I'd decided he was absolutely correct. Had a great effect on my frame of mind while driving. I wanted to run into him again so I could thank him and buy his morning coffee, but never did.

Last week I borderline cut somebody off because my left turn was coming up. Dude in a white pickup long-duration flipped me off, twice. Probably like 15 seconds each. After we both turned and came up on the next light, I pulled up and rolled my window down to talk to him. Told him I wasn't trying to cut him off, but I had to get out of my lane and the turn was coming up. He presented the most space for me to do so. Dude apologized profusely for flipping me off, and thanked me for reaching out. I like to think that maybe it had the same effect on him that Big Tex had on me. As we often say about things like this, a bit of humanity can go a long way.

All that said, random bits or road rage aren't really the same thing as somebody deliberately being an asshole. I have to say, I've never heard of anybody jumping in line at a drive through. Didn't even know it was possible. Still, that seems like intentional assholery to me. Unless you're 6'8" with a plate sized belt buckle, confrontation probably isn't going to change anything in that situation.

[Lonk]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This.

I am always aware of what is going on around me. One of my biggest pet peeves is a lane cutter when it comes to driving. Block is always my first instinct.

Drives me crazy (no pun intended), but it happens so frequently where I normally drive that I found that getting upset doesn't help me. So I rather slow down and let them go. A good portion of drivers around here don't seem to care whether they hit you or not. My drive to work is less than 15 minutes, and I encounter this a bit too much for such a short drive.

[SwedishGoose]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No one believes that every american is packing heat and is ready to shoot you on site but the risk for that happening in the US of A is soooo much higher than in any other western country.

Never heard of anything like that anywhere else than in USA where I have heard of it time after time.

[lonestar]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No one believes that every american is packing heat and is ready to shoot you on site but the risk for that happening in the US of A is soooo much higher than in any other western country.

Never heard of anything like that anywhere else than in USA where I have heard of it time after time.

He's not wrong about that.

[Implode]

Been serving on the grand jury, and the most common felonies in this county are DUIs and illegal use (possession) of a firearm. Over COVID 4 million guns were purchased in this state just legally. More than any other state. And they get at least two illegal guns off the street a day in traffic stops in this county alone.

Not to make it about guns. But that was definitely on my mind when this happened this morning.

[wolfking]

I'd have blocked him out if I could, if I was confident it wouldn't escalate from there.

Pretty much. 

[KevShmev]

I'd probably mutter under my breath for a second or two and let them cut in. I don't get, and have never gotten, why people feel the need to be aggressive when driving.  The extent of my road rage is muttering to myself and maybe a head shake.  Life is too short to get pissed at strangers on the road who could crazy enough to be packing heat or listening to Kiss.

[lonestar]

I'd immediately jump out of line, go into the store, and tip the workers to royally fuck up his order.

[Stadler]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No one believes that every american is packing heat and is ready to shoot you on site but the risk for that happening in the US of A is soooo much higher than in any other western country.

Never heard of anything like that anywhere else than in USA where I have heard of it time after time.

You do you, I'd never tell you what to believe, but as someone who has lived here - in multiple places and not always in the best of neighborhoods, I'm telling you, you do not have an accurate view of American life.  Just gonna say it.

[El Barto]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No one believes that every american is packing heat and is ready to shoot you on site but the risk for that happening in the US of A is soooo much higher than in any other western country.

Never heard of anything like that anywhere else than in USA where I have heard of it time after time.

You do you, I'd never tell you what to believe, but as someone who has lived here - in multiple places and not always in the best of neighborhoods, I'm telling you, you do not have an accurate view of American life.  Just gonna say it.

If you go back and read the "guy killed for spraying washer fluid on BMW" all of the Americans expressed a very similar point of view. Bemoaning the cheapness people place on human life now, and the lack of humanity. A recurring theme in that thread, again, from the Americans, was that you just can't mouth off anymore or even give a pretense for somebody to get angry because they might just kill you. The idea that you could flip somebody else in the rest of the world but shouldn't here is honestly halfway reasonable. Yes, some crazy-ass Russian might brandish his AR at you, but the odds of a poor outcome here are significantly greater than the rest of the world as a whole. Unless I missed a very different post, the only point made was something that even us yanks agree with.

[hefdaddy42]

We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No, it's based on the knowledge given from just following the news that the only assholes actually packing heat are going to be people in this kind of situation.

There was a time when I would have done something/confronted the guy, but not now.  See above for the reason.

Having said that, when I'm in a drive-thru line, I never give enough clearance for someone to cut in front of me.

[Stadler]

He's not wrong about that.

AND

Been serving on the grand jury, and the most common felonies in this county are DUIs and illegal use (possession) of a firearm. Over COVID 4 million guns were purchased in this state just legally. More than any other state. And they get at least two illegal guns off the street a day in traffic stops in this county alone.

Not to make it about guns. But that was definitely on my mind when this happened this morning.

I don't know why you guys always make me the bad guy, but I can't let false information go by.  This is for the gun thread, and in fact I've posted the numbers there not all that long ago that refute these arguments.   Go there. 

But in short: 218 murder over SEVEN YEARS - not all involving guns - related to road rage.  Given the number of people in this country - 331 million and counting - and the number of miles we drive each year - each American averages about 14,000 miles per year, so that's BILLIONS of miles driven each year - and the number of road rage incidents each year - something like 80% of drivers admit to engaging in some form of road rage each year - the odds might be higher than they were 10 years ago, but they are still not high. 

[Stadler]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No one believes that every american is packing heat and is ready to shoot you on site but the risk for that happening in the US of A is soooo much higher than in any other western country.

Never heard of anything like that anywhere else than in USA where I have heard of it time after time.

You do you, I'd never tell you what to believe, but as someone who has lived here - in multiple places and not always in the best of neighborhoods, I'm telling you, you do not have an accurate view of American life.  Just gonna say it.

If you go back and read the "guy killed for spraying washer fluid on BMW" all of the Americans expressed a very similar point of view. Bemoaning the cheapness people place on human life now, and the lack of humanity. A recurring theme in that thread, again, from the Americans, was that you just can't mouth off anymore or even give a pretense for somebody to get angry because they might just kill you. The idea that you could flip somebody else in the rest of the world but shouldn't here is honestly halfway reasonable. Yes, some crazy-ass Russian might brandish his AR at you, but the odds of a poor outcome here are significantly greater than the rest of the world as a whole. Unless I missed a very different post, the only point made was something that even us yanks agree with.

And in that thread, I gave the numbers - ACTUAL numbers - that showed that it was perhaps an unsubstantiated fear.  It is WELL documented - and I've posted an excellent book on this subject that most people here clearly haven't read ("How Risky Is It Anyway?" by Dave Robeik) that shows we as humans are really shitty about assessing relative risk.  "Perception of risk" is not the same as "ACTUAL RISK", and I know you know that.

[Stadler]

We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No, it's based on the knowledge given from just following the news that the only assholes actually packing heat are going to be people in this kind of situation.

There was a time when I would have done something/confronted the guy, but not now.  See above for the reason.

Having said that, when I'm in a drive-thru line, I never give enough clearance for someone to cut in front of me.

Well, that right there blows your argument out of the water. 

[Implode]

We don't make you the bad guy, and I'm sure none of us think of you as one. You just always seem to take a really strong stance against of what 90% of people here say regarding these topics.

Also regarding "false information" going by. Nothing you said refuted what I said, which comes from my county's chief prosecutors. Or do you mean the false information is people's concern about their safety? I just indicted a murder yesterday that happened 10 minutes from my house near a very popular restaurant and shopping mall. And there was that mass shooting on the 4th near me as well (both of these aren't in "bad areas"). I understand when looking at statistics, it shouldn't be as much of a concern as some make it in their day to day lives. But at the same time, with those things happening, I believe people have perfectly reasonable concerns about their safety in this country.

[El Barto]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No one believes that every american is packing heat and is ready to shoot you on site but the risk for that happening in the US of A is soooo much higher than in any other western country.

Never heard of anything like that anywhere else than in USA where I have heard of it time after time.

You do you, I'd never tell you what to believe, but as someone who has lived here - in multiple places and not always in the best of neighborhoods, I'm telling you, you do not have an accurate view of American life.  Just gonna say it.

If you go back and read the "guy killed for spraying washer fluid on BMW" all of the Americans expressed a very similar point of view. Bemoaning the cheapness people place on human life now, and the lack of humanity. A recurring theme in that thread, again, from the Americans, was that you just can't mouth off anymore or even give a pretense for somebody to get angry because they might just kill you. The idea that you could flip somebody else in the rest of the world but shouldn't here is honestly halfway reasonable. Yes, some crazy-ass Russian might brandish his AR at you, but the odds of a poor outcome here are significantly greater than the rest of the world as a whole. Unless I missed a very different post, the only point made was something that even us yanks agree with.

And in that thread, I gave the numbers - ACTUAL numbers - that showed that it was perhaps an unsubstantiated fear.  It is WELL documented - and I've posted an excellent book on this subject that most people here clearly haven't read ("How Risky Is It Anyway?" by Dave Robeik) that shows we as humans are really shitty about assessing relative risk.  "Perception of risk" is not the same as "ACTUAL RISK", and I know you know that.

You're talking guns and homicide. I'm talking willingness to turn maniac over a petty slight. A person doesn't have to use a gun to fuck up my life in a road rage incident. The guy in that thread began his rampage by ramming the Sprayer's car, for example. Moreover, we're talking about actual risk here of a freakout vs actual risk of a freakout in Sweden. There are a lot more factors at play than just guns and murders.

[ReaPsTA]

Do what you can to pre-emptively box them out. If they try to cut in, maybe you can make a defensive move with your car to deny them the space (done it myself), but a car accident and a potentially violent confrontation aren't worth it for faster food (I don't care where you live, if someone's cutting you off for fast food, do you want to find out what they're about?).

Am I the only one that would rather park and go inside then dick around with the drive-through? In fairness I don't really do fast food anymore, but I don't know as I've been in a drive-through in 10 years, at least. So long as there's a place to park it's typically quicker, and you can insure they get your order right.

In my experience, I've waited on stuff inside for a good bit of time while the drive-thru orders are serviced quickly. If you must give into weakness and eat fast food, drive-thru is better.

[Stadler]

We don't make you the bad guy, and I'm sure none of us think of you as one. You just always seem to take a really strong stance against of what 90% of people here say regarding these topics.

Well, in my experience, just because "90% of people are saying it" doesn't make it accurate or true.  I've just seen too many - more than not, actually - instances where "common wisdom" doesn't pan out.   Here is one of them.  The COVID thread is littered with people whining about how the unwashed masses don't listen to the experts and follow the data, and now we're talking about an issue where the data doesn't support the common wisdom and apparently all that goes out the window.

[Stadler]

As soon as I see him trying to cut in I would pull my car up as close to the car in front of me as possible so he can’t get in front of me.

This is me, without question, and I'm seriously perplexed about the couple of responses like this:

In sweden I would try to stop him from cutting in line by staying close to the car in front. Failing that I would honk the horn and gesture...

In U.S.A..... nothing

That said...I can't remember the last time I used a fast food drive-thru.  We special order stuff, and the drive-thru is the best way to ensure they fuck it up.  I will either order on the app or walk inside (and, where there is a self-ordering kiosk, I'll use that).  In-n-Out is the exception here because they actually hire people with brain cells, although I'll usually go inside because the drive-through line is always super long.

I mean, it's not accurate, but it doesn't perplex me.  We all know this is based on that misconception that every American is Dirty Harry packing heat.  400 million guns! They're lying in the street like a video game power up!

No one believes that every american is packing heat and is ready to shoot you on site but the risk for that happening in the US of A is soooo much higher than in any other western country.

Never heard of anything like that anywhere else than in USA where I have heard of it time after time.

You do you, I'd never tell you what to believe, but as someone who has lived here - in multiple places and not always in the best of neighborhoods, I'm telling you, you do not have an accurate view of American life.  Just gonna say it.

If you go back and read the "guy killed for spraying washer fluid on BMW" all of the Americans expressed a very similar point of view. Bemoaning the cheapness people place on human life now, and the lack of humanity. A recurring theme in that thread, again, from the Americans, was that you just can't mouth off anymore or even give a pretense for somebody to get angry because they might just kill you. The idea that you could flip somebody else in the rest of the world but shouldn't here is honestly halfway reasonable. Yes, some crazy-ass Russian might brandish his AR at you, but the odds of a poor outcome here are significantly greater than the rest of the world as a whole. Unless I missed a very different post, the only point made was something that even us yanks agree with.

And in that thread, I gave the numbers - ACTUAL numbers - that showed that it was perhaps an unsubstantiated fear.  It is WELL documented - and I've posted an excellent book on this subject that most people here clearly haven't read ("How Risky Is It Anyway?" by Dave Robeik) that shows we as humans are really shitty about assessing relative risk.  "Perception of risk" is not the same as "ACTUAL RISK", and I know you know that.

You're talking guns and homicide. I'm talking willingness to turn maniac over a petty slight. A person doesn't have to use a gun to fuck up my life in a road rage incident. The guy in that thread began his rampage by ramming the Sprayer's car, for example. Moreover, we're talking about actual risk here of a freakout vs actual risk of a freakout in Sweden. There are a lot more factors at play than just guns and murders.

I don't disagree with that.  I'm not arguing with you. Even taking a punch now, at 54, isn't something I'm willing to do anymore.  But some people have directly equated this issue with "guns" and have continued making the erroneous implication that a percentage difference translates to a material difference in practice.  I'm still far, far more likely to die in a DWI accident than I am being killed by a gun in a road rage incident. 

If this is simply about the percentage of escalating - in any manner, including a bird flip - a driving interaction, then I'm standing down, I have no disagreement. You all are (and I'm being sincere) right as rain.   It IS far more likely in the US, unequivocally.  We're an angry, angry, insecure population as a general rule and I've been saying that for going on a decade now.

[Implode]

Well, in my experience, just because "90% of people are saying it" doesn't make it accurate or true.  I've just seen too many - more than not, actually - instances where "common wisdom" doesn't pan out.   Here is one of them.  The COVID thread is littered with people whining about how the unwashed masses don't listen to the experts and follow the data, and now we're talking about an issue where the data doesn't support the common wisdom and apparently all that goes out the window.

Right. I don't mean you're wrong 90% of the time or anything. Just was saying we aren't trying to make you bad guy.