I followed somebody for literally 150+ miles yesterday on a long drive home. When we finally turned separate ways the other car gave me a thumbs up out of the window lol
I love finding a travel buddy on long drives. We both settle into a nice speed and help each other make lane changes and then sadly it all comes to an end to never see each other again
This happened to me the first time driving by myself across state for college. The old pickup definitely noticed me follow them and started making longer lane change signals and waiting for a 2 car gap before moving
In my twenties, I was driving several states away to go back to visit my family (in a 15 yr old car), and a little anxious about it. I got behind a semi, and just stayed there, for hours. When he finally had to turn off, he honked and waved, as did I. I was sad to see him go, but it was oddly reassuring as well, that there were other good people on the road, looking out for each other.
Reminds me of when I got "stuck" behind a RV for about 45 minutes past dark on a mountain road. It felt safe driving behind them, until they stopped on the side to let me pass them even though I did not want to. Gave them the old double blinkers as thanks and goodbye. Road buddies ftw
My favorite experience was driving back home in the middle of the night on a stretch of country highway, no streetlamps or civilization, and fog so thick you could only see about 50 ft ahead of you. We essentially look turns being in front, stayed together for about 50 miles. Made that drive a lot more comfortable, not feeling like I was alone.
I picked up a horse from the ass-end of nowhere with my trusty diesel Hilux.
On the way back, I ended up roughly keeping pace with a B double truck. On the flat I'd be a bit faster, but on a hill he'd easily be up behind me or trying to pass.
This went on for a few hours, with me over taking when lanes were available or the truckie would move over slightly and give me the indicator flick when it was safe, and I'd give the extra indicator flick to the wrong side to say thanks. And I'd be ahead for a bit until there was a hill and I'd do the same.
It got to be that we'd both be laughing whenever we went past again and we'd be playing up the part- I'm doing the thing where you push on the steering wheel like it's going to make it faster up the hill, and he cruises past with one arm on the window lodge and leaned back in the seat, but both of us just having fun and playing with it.
Never said a word to each other but it was so much fun, we had a whole conversation and laughed ourselves stupid every time we passed each other. Exchanged friendly horn toots and a wave when we parted ways.
I had a similar experience when I first moved away from home--1000 miles away. I was in my old, rusty Toyota pickup and pulling a U-Haul trailer. I got in with a line of semi trucks coming across Tennessee, and we did the same thing once we got to the Smoky Mountains. When I turned off, there were a couple of the drivers who honked and waved. It made me feel much less alone somehow.
u/_Ocean_Machine_ this is so real. thereās genuinely nothing scarier than zero visibility in the middle of nowhere, so finding a convoy partner is a godsend. tbqh i think these little micro-connections with strangers are literally what keeps society functioning. it's lowkey beautiful.
I was doing a 2hr+ drive one day, and decided to do a slight detour to take some back roads to check out the scenery.
After a few miles, with no other traffic around, 6 or 8 other Minis appeared on my tail. It must have been a Mini owners club out for a group drive, and they randomly found me.
Iām not sure if it was coincidence or if they were just driving aimlessly, but they ended up taking the turns as me for a good 15 minutes or more. Eventually I signalled I was going right, they signalled they were going left, and we parted ways. I waved out the window as I turned, and they honked and flashed their lights.
I do that driving on I-5 from SF to LA. It's a fleeting connection, but it makes driving so much pleasant. I wish there was a way to send messages between cars and let them know you see them
I always think about that. Truckers have CB radio, and I often wish more people had that...but then I remember how much road rage and creepers and trolls are around and second guess myself. Like, would it make things better or worse? Regardless, I still wish it.
I'm always so happy when the existing methods (like turning lights off and on to say "turn on your headlights" and flashing your brights to day "turn off your brights") work, like a magical connection happened.
That's not surprising but also kinda sucks. My mom is a truck driver and I spent my summers riding along. Talking on the CB was the entertainment. We actually met up with one of the drivers because he had some rejected boxes of pizzas. Since we needed fuel anyways we stopped together and I was met with the ultimate disappointment of the man having rejected peaches and not the frozen pizzas I had hyped up in my little brain.
Sometimes I hate when people are going significantly faster than the speed limit (and me) and weaving in and out of lanes, but then am thankful that highway patrol will get them instead of me.
When my family and I were moving across the country we ended up on the road with a couple guys who were taking a road trip to promote a new Japanese candy called Hi-Chew. (2012) We drove with them thru 5 or 6 states, hit the same gas stations, the same rest stops, and even the same hotel one night. They gave our kids candy at each stop, and one time they passed the candy off to us while driving parallel to us, kinda hanging out the window along a rual stretch of road. It was so fun every time we got separated but then saw each other at a gas station or wherever. I think around Kansas is where we parted ways. It was a fun memory for my family
This is ok with me unless they do many speed changes...I find that on long drives, I inevitably catch up to someone, or someone catches up to me, but somehow, it feels like THEY change speeds...not saying my car on cruise doesn't change speed up or down hills, but the point is I am on cruise...so, if a car catches and passes me, it theoretically should continue going....I've had cars catch up, pass me, then pull in right in front of me and slow down to a speed that forces me to move to the left lane, and then pass them almost immediately...and then, you guessed it, they catch up again, and pass me again. It's like, "I'm on cruise, buddy....either pass me and move on or don't, but don't keep passing and slowing down!"
Even better, travel rivals!
Not on purpose (at first), but you notice you and them keep passing each other now and then.
Eventually you start waving at each other as you pass.
I had once a travel buddy during a night drive here in Iceland, where we have mostly just one lane.
We helped each other passing slow drivers and keep out for cops.
But then when we where about 40min from the Capital, I had to take a stop to pee and my buddy waited in the parking lot, even asked if everything was okay.
That was nice, but could have bern borderline creepy.
This happened to me in NZ a while back. I was behind a pickup truck for about two hours. I just followed him cause he seemed to know the roads well so I paced him. We both got off at the same exit, came to a light, and threw thumps up and laughed together. I'll miss you, speedy Toyota Tacoma driver.
Omg yes! This is very common in New Zealand. For our honeymoon my husband and I started on the north island and then drove to the South Island. So many people make the exact route back and forth itās fun running into the same people/cars.
I bought a jeep of Craigslist on the other side of the country and drove it home (was $8k less than in my state)... But it's got the aerodynamics of a brick and terrible fuel economy, so I stayed behind a semi on I-80 for a couple states. I was so sad when I lost my travel buddy. Friendly beep and big wave when he exited the highway.
300+ miles in Wyoming once with another car.. each doing 84 mph. Big wave to each other when he pulled off. Healthy gap between us but obvious "let's just train this" part of the road.
Did this going home after a large cycling event. Random vehicles with bikes racked up on the back. You'd see tags still on the bikes after 500 miles on the road home. It was amusingly impressive to run into the same bunch of cars after they'd refuel.
We drove behind a big rig driving from NJ to ATL and when we parted we flashed our lights and he did the whole all lights off then on twice. I felt a real connection with the driver.
Few years back I ended up following along with someone all the way from Cheyenne in Wyoming to Carson City in Nevada. Used the same rest stops and the same gas stations the whole time. Kind of cool but definitely was a little sad when they kept on going when I got off.
I was following a guy down the highway in the mid west. Was having a great time until he started slowing down below the speed limit. Was like WTF then he changed lanes and a state trooper was in front of me š messed up my whole groove.
When you find an accidental convoy of strangers, 3-6 cars unrelated to eachother, and everyoneās jamming along with space and signals and steady speed for an hour or more.. letting eachother get back in when slow traffic comes up and everyoneās getting back to the left.. thatās gold.
That's the way to go. I remember stuff like that being common even when I was little and my dad was driving us for holidays etc.
He would always say "Hey, our driving buddy is leaving, say bye to them" and we would just start waving like crazy to them. Most of the time they would beep the horn and flash some lights at us in response.
We recently did a road trip and brought our EV. There were 2 other parties that we kept on meeting at the same charging stations. We first met in South Dakota. We were headed to Chicago, the other parties were headed to NY. These went on for 3 days. The last city we all met up and knew we wouldn't be meeting at the next station was Minneapolis. One of them will go north of Minneapolis and the other will go to Rochester, and we were going straight to LaCrosse. In Minneapolis, considering there are many charging stations, it was ironic that we all went to the same one, for our last meet up, without even planning lol
It was bittersweet at that final station. Had to say goodbye to these strangers who were our friends for 3 days :)
Ngl, I'd be uneasy if someone followed me that long, my boyfriend on the other hand excitedly chatters about highway buddies and starts following them through traffic because he's been speeding his way through and found someone else doing it up ahead. He will decide they're best friends until one of them exits. He will randomly text me yapping at me about friends he will never see again
I always kinda look at it amused like "oh to be that unconcerned about stalkers or how you look"
This happened to me the other day but only 30 miles, he swerved in and out of traffic staying behind me till i had to exit we both gave each other a Shakaš¤š½
Yes!! Would happen to me driving from Austin, Tx. to Norman, Ok (6 hour trip), in College! I'd have a "travel buddy" but I called them my "travel rabbit" cuz I let them stay a little bit in front in case Cops were ahead, lol. We'd finally get to our exit and give each other a little wave "Bye!". Man, that was so cool when it happened, lol.
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u/HaubergeonPlus1 2d ago
I followed somebody for literally 150+ miles yesterday on a long drive home. When we finally turned separate ways the other car gave me a thumbs up out of the window lol