The Crittenden Automotive Library

Dodging Dodges Story #1

Dodging Dodges Story #1

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
August 21, 2008

Setting: mid-afternoon in Woodstock. Heavy traffic southbound on Route 47 from Country Club Road. Sunny. Dry roads.

When I stopped in slow-moving traffic to allow a left-turning car to turn in front of me into the old Jewel parking Lot (Taco Bell, DMV, Office Depot, Aldi's), a guy in a large, black, Dodge (Illinois license 18 221D) stopped right on my back bumper. (Click on photo to enlarge it and read the plate clearly.) Then he proceeded to honk his horn and gesture at me, in an effort to make me move up a car length and block the entrance. Traffic was stopped in both southbound lanes ahead. What was the hurry?

All the way past Armanetti's and DeCraene's he tailgated me very closely. As traffic approached the green light at McConnell Road, this jerk swerved out into the left-turn lane and then gunned it to pass me through the intersection and then cut back into the single southbound lane.

I had the fleeting thought to siccing the Woodstock PD on him, but I knew he'd be south of town before an officer would ever be able to respond.

I continued on south to see what other stupid driving stunt he might pull, and I stopped right behind him at the red light at U.S. 14 by Benoy's. I decided to follow him (at a safe distance) a little further, and he tailgated the car he was following out of Woodstock, south on Route 47.

South of Lucas Road there is a no-passing zone, and he swung out to pass just as he reached the yellow, triangular sign on the left shoulder. He passed two cars before cutting back in. It was a good thing there was no northbound traffic, because there would have been a head-on crash or he would have run a car off the road.

I phoned the Huntley PD to alert them to a reckless driver headed their way. I hope they were able to spot one or more violations on their own and ticket him.

If you see this guy, give him a lot of room!