... saw him get the left turn arrow while I was headed the other way, waiting at red for the light to change so my lane could turn right in pursuit. That left turn traffic was endless. Silver, carbon-fiber hood, exhaust...
Actually, I didn't notice the exhaust right away. It was when I unexpectedly saw him at the front of the right lane 3 lights further down the road. Or, more precisely, when he took off when it turned green. You know, that cloud of smoke gets your attention - that's when I saw it was coming from some upgraded exhaust.
I was 2nd-in-line in the left lane. He took off hard which put a hole in traffic next to me so I slid over to the right lane, of course.
When I started gaining he slid into the left lane. He wasn't helling it so sliding up along side and just past wasn't a problem - all within relative law-abiding limits, of course.
But, he didn't let me get completely past him. He kept his front bumper at my door - for a long time.
"OK, I'm sitting in the wrong gear if he really wants to go - but whatever...", I thought to myself. Then, predictably, he tips the throttle a bit to put his front bumper at mine.
"Should I...?" I ask myself. And I decide no. Then, a few seconds later I hear the downshift. "F_ck too" I think and follow suit - just in time to hear his smoke-filled exhaust begin a low howl.
"Fine." As the foot hits the floorboards and the needle rakes up the tach.
There's that pregnant moment when you both hit it. Will I pull quick or slow? Will he? As it turned out we were both just winding up the spools for that split second. Then the walking began - in a good way.
I did hear the BOV when he went searching for another gear - any gear I'd imagine other than the one that was being squashed. I just found the next gear up and let off the gas. He looked like he was looking for anywhere to turn off. I slid into the left lane and looked at the shrunken silver and carbon fiber speck behind me. I had to turn left and got in the turn lane, stopped by oncoming so I rolled down the window to wave or whatnot whenever he cruised through the green. But, for whatever reason, once he got there, he didn't think it necessary to acknowledge my presence.
But, we both know...