Chicago still has lots of unwritten rules about who can drive where and when without causing suspicion or uproar. Maybe the whole country is still like this, I have little to compare it to (the only other place I've lived, other than while I was away for school, was St. Louis).
It does help to 'know people' here, for sure. Having lived here for eleven years and befriending some cops through work has gotten me out of a few tickets. Unfortunately, there's almost nothing to be done about towing.
Knowing people is definitely a good thing. The only reason he got out as quickly as he did was my grandfather and the city's district attorney were good friends.
I've been attracting tailgaters for the last couple of days for no apparent reason. Just blasting right up on my rear bumper, dropping back, and coming up again. I might understand it if I was cruising along 3-5 MPH under the limit, but I tend to drive OVER The limit and go withthe flow of things. One yesterday almost got me into an accident when they came up so fast and so close that they took more of my attention from the road in front of me than I should have given and I ALMOST got hit by a guy making a quick lane change. I believe in defensive driving, but maybe some kind of automated weapons system on the roof would be effective...LOL
Just a reminder that every Thursday you can join the Subaru Crew for a chat session from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Stop in to talk about Subaru or just to say hello!... random automotive trivia has been known to happen as well!! Hope to see you there!
Were you, by chance, in the left lane going 3-5 miles over the limit ? Were the people doing quick lane changes in front of coming from the right, after they had passed you on the right ?
Even if he was in the left lane camping, it does not give someone else the right to come up right behind him and put his life in danger.
As far as I am concerned, if someone is going to get a couple of feet off my bumper, they have by action physically threatened me. If they are going to do that, then they have to deal with the consequences.
Oh ? What does advocating putting weapons on the roof imply to you. ? Simple logic: If your actions are putting your life at risk, minimize the risk. If this means not being a LLC, so be it. BTW there is no indication that he was a LLC. I just asked two questions. However , this was by accounts not an isolated case.
"Oh ? What does advocating putting weapons on the roof imply to you. ?"
Huh?
"Simple logic: If your actions are putting your life at risk, minimize the risk. If this means not being a LLC, so be it."
"LLC is a bit like drinking too much alchohol. You can NEVER start to change behavior unless you 1) realize 2) admit"
Like I have said in previous posts, the tailgating crap happens to me when I am going 15-20mph over the speed limit and the right lane is full of traffic. So I am not LLCing.
You want to be a jerk and get 2-3 feet off my bumper in this situation - you will pay the consequences.
"You want to be a jerk and get 2-3 feet off my bumper in this situation - you will pay the consequences. "
That is why I pass someone with that kind of reactionary attitude on the right. My take is very simple: if an LLC is not moving out of the way when I am legally following at 2 seconds behind, you know,one mississippi two mississippi , he is telling me in effect he is a LLC. That is when I start the passing manuveur No need at all to get to 2-3 ft off a LLC's rear bumber for this to sink in.
(do you speed up when someone is passing you on the right?)
It is funny how LLC's go ballistic when they get passed on the right!
is hilarious! Not that I condone LLC. But you are taking two wrongs and saying one of them is right.
You get angry that someone will not move over so you can speed. If I come up behind someone camped in the left lane, I will pass on the right - no big deal. Would it be easier if the person moved over? Yes. Is it easy to switch lanes and pass on the right? Yes.
Your argument: LLCing is wrong and against the law.
My argument: Yes it is, so is speeding. But who cares? I do not care if you want to speed. But should a driver in the left lane have to inconvenience themselves (or do anything) to assist you in speeding? I do not think so. As long as the person is not purposely blocking you (i.e. camping at the same speed as right lane traffic), then you should not have any complaints. That is unless you are a selfish "me first" hothead.
Do not get me wrong, I am not against speeding. I love to get my car up around 90-95. I just dislike morons who think it is their "right" to have every other car move over when they want to go faster.
Funny how many of these hotheads will also come up in a left lane when there are no cars in the right lane. I guess they are LLCing as well.
"You get angry that someone will not move over so you can speed."
YOU may think that is true, but the truth is that it is FAR from the truth. The truth is that driving while ANGRY is probably FAR worse than driving under the influence! (not that I condone driving under the influence)
"Your argument: LLCing is wrong and against the law."
Perhaps one is forgetting that the reason for "slower traffic keep right" is to aid in forward progress?
"I would probably travel at 80-95 on a regular basis. "
On interstates in this area,45-50 passenger tour buses with onboard bathrooms go 80 mph in the #1 lane!!
That's all well and good, but passing on the right is not as safe as passing on the left. If an LLC is really worried about the safety of others, why would they make a "dangerous" condition even worse by making people move around them to the right?
I was in the left lane at about 10 MPH over the limit when the lane change happened in front of me, but this was on a "commercial" stretch of road with businesses along both sides of the 5 lane road (two traffic lanes with a center lane left turn only) I was about a mile from where I was going to make a left of the road and had gotten over when I could considering the amount of traffic on the road. Failing to get over early can result in having to do a NYC merge (stick the fender in and GO) to make it over in time to make the turn!
Just a reminder that every Thursday you can join the Subaru Crew for a chat session from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Stop in to talk about Subaru or just to say hello!... random automotive trivia has been known to happen as well!! Hope to see you there!
I agree that driving angry is dangerous. As you said, you will pass on the right. I do not think you and I would ever have any conflict on the road.
However, most tailgaters do get angry.
I really do not give a crap what other drivers do (not that I do not pay attention to them). They should be able to go about their business, as should I (I will get angry at the guy on the cell phone, regardless of which lane he is in, if he is not paying attention to traffic). However, at high speeds, if someone wants to try parallel parking right behind me, I do care.
But, but but ...The left lane is so much smoother to drive in . And whatever speed I go in the left lane is fast enough for everyone. I passed a car about 5 miles back, so I'm not a LLC . Oh yeah, don't tailgate me or there will be dire consequences. I'll get on my cell phone and report your butt.
I have much better stuff in my vehicle than a cell phone, also. I have post - it notes on my windshield. One says "left," It's on the driver's side. The one on the passnger's side reads "other Left." I am going to drive perpendicular to traffic and block all three lanes.
Well once Ford comes out with the next generation super SUV, I will buy one so that I can block 4 or 5 lanes, while eating a Big Mac and talking on my cell phone.
Who come up behind me in the RIGHT lane, with a wide open LEFT lane beside me, and don't bother changing lanes until they have almost made contact with my bumper??? I suppose I should just stay off the freeways.
In the St. Louis area on I270 westbound, no one in front of you for 1.5miles going 35 in the right lane. Sorry for coming up so fast, I was going 70 and didn't expect someone travelling under the minimum.
I'm not so sure I came close to you though, I probably had two seconds before I would have tagged you.
j/k I know it wasn't you. But if the dottering old man in a hat who was driving this car is reading these boards, time to sell the car and get the kids or grandkids to drive you around.
No, I tend to enjoy driving a tad faster than 35. But I can't for the life of me understand someone waiting until the last second to change lanes to pass, even when I'm already going 70 or so. Especially with a wide open left lane for him (or her) to use.
I love travelling behind a left lane camper for 5 miles, with them doing 5 below, only to have them speed up suddenly every time a gap large enough to pass them appears on the right. It's like peoples' instincs are the exact opposite of what they should be. They feel uncomfortable when not traveling either directly next to another car or in someone's blind spot, so every time they hit an empty stretch they speed up until they're next to somebody again.
And to some older drivers, ditzes, retards, etc... You'd think the following tip would be common sense but after my commute to work the other day I know better. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE... If you get lost, don't stop in the middle of a left turn to try to get your bearings. Dont stop in a lane that's still moving to try to sort things out. Don't pull a dangerous stunt in crowded traffic to correct a mistake. I see it all the time travelling to the mall I work. People coming to a dead stop at the worst times or making dumb U-turns, when the simple fact is nearly all nearby roads are accessable from the mall and if they'd just pull into the parking lot and stop and think for 5 seconds they'd realize there's any number of ways to retrace their steps.
I'm amazed at the drivers who stop in the middle of a busy street so they can converse with a pedestrian, wait for their pizza to cook while double parked in front of a restaurant, attempt U-turns in small four-way intersections (usually in something ungainly like a Jeep Grand Cherokee), or block an entire street to drop someone off when they could easily have pulled over. It's very irritating.
Or the other day when I was behind a newish Corvette for about two miles on Clark Street (one of the busiest north-south thoroughfares), this one had an Ohio plate and was travelling about 18mph, with traffic backed up for blocks (normal speed on Clark=~25-35mph).
The newest phenomenon here: Cab drivers on cell phones. Picture it: someone who drives like a moron on a deserted island with an additional distraction.
People who will see a perfectly good parking spot but instead choose to stop right next to it and block traffic anyway while they load pedestrians or talk to a friend. It's like they know they could be less of an obstruction and more considerate with just a tiny bit of effort to pull into the spot, but it's more fun to them to inconvenience everyone else.
Left Lane campers... I can easily see how some might not even realize what they do. They start out in the left lane passing 1 or two slower cars. Then they see another slower car they're gaining on abou 100 yards down the road, so why bother to get over when you'll be passing him eventually. Then beyond him you see there's another slow car about a quarter mile down the road. So it really makes no sense to waste effort getting to the right when you'll be back in the left lane in another couple minutes. And hey... even after him, there's BOUND to be another slow car, so why not just stay right where you are so you're already in position to pass when you come to him. HEck, might as well just stay right here in the left lane. Every time you get to the right you'll always come to a slower car, so why bother?
I know exactly what you mean about LLC. Did you hear about the LLC that was so slow, the other LL campers knew he was a LLC ? They all denied they were doing it, of course, even that old fart wearing the hat.
Where's Vero? Left Ann Arbor yesterday @ 3:30 for my first long-term road trip. Ouch. Integra seats not like Oldsmobile seats.
Anyway, from Lansing northwards to the Mackinac Bridge, I was going 80-90 mph first stretch and 95-105 after I passed Grayling/Gaylord. GT Dream! Let the GM Card Grand Prix Club kick everyone out of the left lane (happened twice or thrice) and lived my GT Dream. Sun shining, dry pavement, and I got gas in Houghton lake @ 6:00 (ouch... my bones... two-and-a-half-hours of Integra seats... ouch!) because when you leave the city with half a tank of gas in a 13-gallon gas tank, and you're running at 87 mph with air on, you're gonna need to get gas sometime... oops like now! oh crap, where's the nearest station?
Didn't plan on that at all, but that's why I left Thursdays... no cops, no LLCers, just me following the Radar Blocker (red Escalade) @ his cruising speed of 88 mph. I'm just angry I had to get off to get fuel before he did!
No jerks. Just right. All 330 miles of it... except for campers... RVs... ugh? ugh. But the Escalade, the Montana, the Grand Prix... we got him to move over! No LLCing for you, pal.
I follow an interesting procedure to keep me from LLCing. After I pass in the #1 lane, nine times out of 10 I pull back to the #2 3 or 4 or 5 lanes, when it is safe to do so. If I see someone in the #1 lane coming up on me I usually pull at least to the #2 lane. Two things usually can be inferred from that by the overtaking vehicle: 1. that I see him in the #1 lane and 2. I will/have yield. He in turn will signal that he will not pass me, or pass me or even that he is ok with me in front. In turn, if he is not far ahead of me when I need or want to pass, it is an unspoken expectation and rule that he will yield to me even if he has just passed me. After a while if it is apparent you are going the same leg of a journey you can watch the lead car for when you probably will need to pass. Driving is supposed to be fun and cooperative !! Make it be so!
Hell- I'm a newbie to this discussion. Three examples of the things that really get me cooking: 1) LLC's. Two weeknds ago I drove up the NYS Thruway from near its beginning in Westchester County to Kingston (exit 19). Just after crossing the Tappan Zee bridge a Honda Civic passed me in the left lane going probably 65 mph - it was a 55 mph limit and I was in the right doing probably 60. That Civic stayed in the left lane until I exited at Kingston (probably 55 -60 miles later).When I was exiting he continued ahead in the left lane - God knows for how much longer. During the period I was near this car I remained in the right lane. When the speed limit went up to 65 I continued along at 68 mph in cruise. This guy would sometimes speed up a little and get a few lengths ahead, then slow down and fall well back so I could barely see him in the rearview mirror. All the while every car and 18-wheeler that came up on him had to pass him on the right, Some were screaming over at him as they did so, a lot waving, some flashing high beams, some passing him then getting back in the left lane and hitting their brakes to give him a message. One 18-wheeler stayed about 18" behind him hitting the trumpet and flashing his lights for what must have been several miles, then passed on the right waying and slewing allover the place. The whole time the driver, his female front seat passenger and M/F rear seat passengers were jsut totally non-responsive to what was going on around them. They were talking, gesturing and having a wonderful ride in the country. I wouldn't have reacted as childishly as some of the drivers that were going crzy over the situation, but I had to really hate the stupid brain-dead Honda Civic driver. It was embarassing to have to admit someone llike that was a member of my species. 2. Folks who suddenly stop on long entry ramps when there is not reason to stop. This pet peave of mine is a biggie in terms of the many ramps and interchanges I have to negotiate on the way to work. More of the brain-dead!! 3. Homeboys who recline their seat backs so far their heads are in the back seat area (you actually see their heads through the rear door windows of their cars when you are next to them). I really don't mind it from a personal style view (hey, if it's cool why not?), but that driving position is a hazard. Three recent examples: a. Daytime - I see a back-seater (that's what I call them) in left lane. Ambulance comes up from behind with lights flashing but no siren. The back-seater could not see it in the mirror and just stayed there for about 5 minutes until the ambulance was finally able to pass. As the ambulance passes him on the right the back-seater jerkedly pulls himself upright, looks around in a confused manner and practically crashes into the ambulance; b. On way home from work yesterday a rear-seater passes me in a 55 mph zone going close to 70, and in this case I actually see no head anywhere in the car. He is being followed about 2 car lenghts behind by County Police. They move on ahead at this speed the 2 vehicles almost stuck to each other until they're out of sight. I come around a curve and they cop is ticketing the driver who actually looks like he's quite tall. Apparently in the cool back-seat slouch mode the driver didn't see the cop; c. I came up on a back-seater recently who was also a LLC. I hit the horn when I was about 20 feet behind him. He grabbed the steering wheel to pull himself up so he could actaully see what was going on around him (something I think you should be able to do at any time when you are driving) and in the process jerks the wheel around so the car starts moving all over the road; d. Going upstate in the center lane of a three-lane road. Back-seater is in the left lane going almost exactly my speed but about 30 feet ahead of me. For a mile or so there are frequent "left lane ends" signs, each telling you the distance until the lane ends. I see no signs of the guy moving over, so I slow down in case he makes a last minute dart into my lane. Instead, he drives straight ahead as the lanes ends, up the curb and scrapes the side of his newish Integra along the guard rail. Immediately where there was no body or head to be seen, a form pulls itself into view amazed at what is happening. Now I know they can't even see what's going on in front of them. Enough!
It doth seem that Mr. Rob here, our newcomer, doesn't like Civic or Integra drivers. Far enough. I can't stand New York drivers.
Well, hell-, as you said! Welcome to your new home. Remember, it's all been said before, and better yet, if you continue to post dissertations like that, you'll be fortunate if more than 64.8% of posters read what you write.
Actually, I did recline the seat in my Integra slightly yesterday. Not very comfortable for long trips! I just tilted it back slightly from 95-degrees to something like 100-degrees. 45-mph construction zones not exactly fun.
In Michigan we have a tough time running New York people off the roads because they usually drive so slow, they fall asleep and put everyone's lives in danger until they run themselves off of the road. I'm pleased to report that apparently they all ran themselves off of the roads yesterday. Nothing but Michigan plates on the way north!
Not to pick on New York people or anything. I mean, there's always Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, etc. plates to get around safely. Whew. Oh, and how could I forget Florida?
Strangely enough, Ontario and Texas seem to send their best drivers ourways. Ontario and Pennsylvania types are close enough to Michigan types in driving behavior, so, usually no problem with them. They come through looking for less -cluttered roads that are fast, it seems.
IT was interesting. I was headed home on Saturday evening, between 6 and 9. And all of a sudden I had a flash back as if I were riding in a car on an English motorway again, with everything reversed and the passing lane on the right and the slow lane on the left. In lane 1, you had a whole line of cars meandering along at 55-65, people just cruising liesurely not even considering for a second that maybe some of us on the road had been up for 16 hours straight and wanted to get the heck home and go to bed. Sometimes they would pass another car at the rate of approximately 1 inche per mile, but for the most part, the left lane was being monopolized by people who wanted to point their cars straight down the road and set the cruise so they could settle into a nice, leisurely cell phone conversation without having to pass anyone. By and large, cars in the two lanes were traveling side by side with an almost non existent speed differential.
Middle lane: People who are courteous enough to avoid left lane campong but also don't want to be in the right lane because they don't want to have to get over or slow down every time other cars enter the highway. OFten these are the scared old people who will be driving along at 50 hunched over the wheel while cars pass them on both sides and nearly colide as they move back into the middle lanes in front of them.
Right lane: For people who ctually wanted to actively pass slower traffic this was the only option left. Usual procedure: zoom along on the right until you approached a merging lane, jumping to the middle lane to let merging cars on, jump once again to the left lane when an LLC lets his guard down for just one second and leaves a gap, then repeating the procedure in reverse to get back to the far right de facto passing lane and continue at their comfort speed.
All that chaos, cars jumping across 2 or 3 lanes at a time, moving into the same lane from both directions, and because some clueless dimwitts either don't care about the trouble they cause or are totally clueless to what goes on behidn them in traffic. I swear with god as my witness right now, my next truck will have fog lights, over head lights, and maybe a police spotlight on the driver's side windshield for good measure. I WILL be burning some retinaes.
Go to a third-world country! I was in Guatemala last week, and boy, did I see some crazy driving. If there are any traffic laws, they're neither enforced nor followed. No one wore seat belts, used turn signals, etc. Come to find out, most people's licenses aren't even legal.
In the cities, there were typically no lane markers, just one-way roads roughly 3-5 car widths wide. And it was every man for himself. Buses and taxis were randomly stopped all over the road letting people into their vehicles. People swerving all over to get to the next light. Not to mention the immense pollution being spewed by most of the vehicles.
Then, on the rural mountain roads (which were typically only 2 lane), a solid yellow line meant practically nothing. If you were going too slow in front of someone they would tailgate, and if they didn't see anyone coming the other way, they passed you. Period. I'm not just talking little sports cars either--buses, big rigs, you name it, they passed on solid yellow. You definitely had to be on your toes. And it's not like they never had broken yellow lines painted. In fact, they were quite liberally present. But if they wanted to get around, they got around.
The weird thing was that, with one exception (a passing big rig almost head-on-ed a pickup), road rage never seemed present. When someone was passing (even on solid yellow), they usually gave a courtesy honk to let you know they were going around, and the other person would slow down or even wave. They took their driving seriously, but not personally.
OR are people cutting their left turns tighter and tigther at 4 way intersectiosn with stop signs? Several times recently I've almost had the left side of the front of my truck taken out because the person coming from my right to make a left turn onto the road I'm on will actually veer into my lane as they turn onto my street and then suddenly seem to wake up and jerk their car away just in time to avoid a collision. Could this be that phantom alternate universe PA driver's manual at work again, the same one that evidently says you should be able to barge over into the next lane whenever you want regardless of whether there's a car directly next to you or closing in on you fast or not?
1) If I am in the left lane and can see another car on the right that I will eventually be passing, even if it is still a tiny speck waaaay off in the distance and the right lane is completely clear for several miles, I have every right to stay exactly where I am until I have completed my pass.
2) IF I am in the process of passing another car, nobody else should be able to dictate how quickly I do so. If I decide I want to pass slowly enough that I can look over at the slower car's paint and pick out each and every individual scratch, I should be able to do so. If I decide that I want to pass slowly enough to see the other driver aging right before my eyes, I should be able to do so. Because the fact is, I should not have to be bothered to wake up from my day dreams and disable my cruise control long to pass at a speed that exceeds to rotation of the earth and get out of everyone's way.
3) Sometimes I get very important calls on my mobile phone, and goddarnit, I should be able to get into the lane that requires me to change lanes or turn my head as little as possible. This way I can hear my friend Buffy tell me about the traumatic operation her French poodle just had to repair injuries incurred while falling on the ground as she attempted to jump out of Buffy's Ford Excursion in the mall parking lot without having to concentrate too much on the road.
4) I drive at the perfect speed. Anyone driving any faster than I am is a road hazzard. Therefore I am never wrong to be in the left lane anyway. Everyone else just needs to slow down to 5 below the speed limit, same as me.
5) I have no problem with getting to the left, setting the cruise, and staying there for miles at a time at exactly the speed limit. But if I reach a very long gap in the right lane that might possibly allow frustrated drivers stuck behind me to pass, I suddenly feel a very strong motivation to accelarate to 10 above the speed limit to close the gap with traffic in front of me and maintain my sense of pride that nobody gets in front of me without my say-so.
> DRIVING ETIQUETTE: > * Dim your headlights for approaching vehicles; even if the gun's > loaded and the deer is in sight. > * When approaching a four-way stop, the vehicle with the largest tires > always has the right of way. > * Never tow another car using hose and duct tape. > * When sending your wife down the road with a gas can, it is impolite > to ask her to bring back beer. > * Do not lay rubber while traveling in a funeral procession.
I'm going to get one of those scrolling signs for the rear window deck area of my car. You know, the ones you see in bars that advertise the drink specials - little red L.E.D.s that scroll across a black screen. I'll convert it to run on 12V and add a small portable keyboard to allow for on-the-fly messaging. I'll pre-program in a few choice captions: 1. Your brake lights are out!!! 2. Slow traffic keep right 3. Expletive 4. Expletive 5. Custom message key
I'll let you all know when I've got the thing figured out and am ready to take orders:-) PS - If you see me LLC, it probably means I'm composing a message for my rear window display. Please be patient, I'll be finishing up soon and will then move to the right.
Comments
It does help to 'know people' here, for sure. Having lived here for eleven years and befriending some cops through work has gotten me out of a few tickets. Unfortunately, there's almost nothing to be done about towing.
Just a reminder that every Thursday you can join the Subaru Crew for a chat session from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Stop in to talk about Subaru or just to say hello!... random automotive trivia has been known to happen as well!! Hope to see you there!
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Were the people doing quick lane changes in front of coming from the right, after they had passed you on the right ?
As far as I am concerned, if someone is going to get a couple of feet off my bumper, they have by action physically threatened me. If they are going to do that, then they have to deal with the consequences.
Simple logic: If your actions are putting your life at risk, minimize the risk. If this means not being a LLC, so be it.
BTW there is no indication that he was a LLC. I just asked two questions. However , this was by accounts not an isolated case.
All together now! HI my name is Mr/Ms HOST, I am a LLC! Hi Mr/Ms/ HOST!
Huh?
"Simple logic: If your actions are putting your life at risk, minimize the risk. If this means not being a LLC, so be it."
"LLC is a bit like drinking too much alchohol. You can NEVER start to change behavior unless you 1) realize 2) admit"
Like I have said in previous posts, the tailgating crap happens to me when I am going 15-20mph over the speed limit and the right lane is full of traffic. So I am not LLCing.
You want to be a jerk and get 2-3 feet off my bumper in this situation - you will pay the consequences.
That is why I pass someone with that kind of reactionary attitude on the right. My take is very simple: if an LLC is not moving out of the way when I am legally following at 2 seconds behind, you know,one mississippi two mississippi , he is telling me in effect he is a LLC. That is when I start the passing manuveur No need at all to get to 2-3 ft off a LLC's rear bumber for this to sink in.
(do you speed up when someone is passing you on the right?)
It is funny how LLC's go ballistic when they get passed on the right!
You get angry that someone will not move over so you can speed. If I come up behind someone camped in the left lane, I will pass on the right - no big deal. Would it be easier if the person moved over? Yes. Is it easy to switch lanes and pass on the right? Yes.
Your argument: LLCing is wrong and against the law.
My argument: Yes it is, so is speeding. But who cares? I do not care if you want to speed. But should a driver in the left lane have to inconvenience themselves (or do anything) to assist you in speeding? I do not think so. As long as the person is not purposely blocking you (i.e. camping at the same speed as right lane traffic), then you should not have any complaints. That is unless you are a selfish "me first" hothead.
Do not get me wrong, I am not against speeding. I love to get my car up around 90-95. I just dislike morons who think it is their "right" to have every other car move over when they want to go faster.
Funny how many of these hotheads will also come up in a left lane when there are no cars in the right lane. I guess they are LLCing as well.
I speed all the time and everywhere. If there were no revenue collectors on the road, I would probably travel at 80-95 on a regular basis.
YOU may think that is true, but the truth is that it is FAR from the truth. The truth is that driving while ANGRY is probably FAR worse than driving under the influence! (not that I condone driving under the influence)
"Your argument: LLCing is wrong and against the law."
Perhaps one is forgetting that the reason for "slower traffic keep right" is to aid in forward progress?
"I would probably travel at 80-95 on a regular basis. "
On interstates in this area,45-50 passenger tour buses with onboard bathrooms go 80 mph in the #1 lane!!
Just a reminder that every Thursday you can join the Subaru Crew for a chat session from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Stop in to talk about Subaru or just to say hello!... random automotive trivia has been known to happen as well!! Hope to see you there!
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I agree that driving angry is dangerous. As you said, you will pass on the right. I do not think you and I would ever have any conflict on the road.
However, most tailgaters do get angry.
I really do not give a crap what other drivers do (not that I do not pay attention to them). They should be able to go about their business, as should I (I will get angry at the guy on the cell phone, regardless of which lane he is in, if he is not paying attention to traffic). However, at high speeds, if someone wants to try parallel parking right behind me, I do care.
OK ! OK ! Nobody is a LLC !!! So to all you LLC's would you mind moving over to your OTHER LEFT?
. Oh yeah, don't tailgate me or there will be dire consequences. I'll get on my cell phone and report your butt.
Obviously you are not listening to what I have said. Anyone else can drive however fast they want - I am not out to limit speeds.
"Oh yeah, don't tailgate me or there will be dire consequences. I'll get on my cell phone and report your butt."
Cellphone? No. I carry many better things in my vehicle.
I have post - it notes on my windshield. One says "left," It's on the driver's side.
The one on the passnger's side reads "other Left."
I am going to drive perpendicular to traffic and block all three lanes.
With all this talent, it should be a cinch to move over to your other left?
I'm not so sure I came close to you though, I probably had two seconds before I would have tagged you.
j/k I know it wasn't you. But if the dottering old man in a hat who was driving this car is reading these boards, time to sell the car and get the kids or grandkids to drive you around.
TB
And to some older drivers, ditzes, retards, etc... You'd think the following tip would be common sense but after my commute to work the other day I know better. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE... If you get lost, don't stop in the middle of a left turn to try to get your bearings. Dont stop in a lane that's still moving to try to sort things out. Don't pull a dangerous stunt in crowded traffic to correct a mistake. I see it all the time travelling to the mall I work. People coming to a dead stop at the worst times or making dumb U-turns, when the simple fact is nearly all nearby roads are accessable from the mall and if they'd just pull into the parking lot and stop and think for 5 seconds they'd realize there's any number of ways to retrace their steps.
Or the other day when I was behind a newish Corvette for about two miles on Clark Street (one of the busiest north-south thoroughfares), this one had an Ohio plate and was travelling about 18mph, with traffic backed up for blocks (normal speed on Clark=~25-35mph).
The newest phenomenon here: Cab drivers on cell phones. Picture it: someone who drives like a moron on a deserted island with an additional distraction.
YMCA, YMCA
Left Lane campers... I can easily see how some might not even realize what they do. They start out in the left lane passing 1 or two slower cars. Then they see another slower car they're gaining on abou 100 yards down the road, so why bother to get over when you'll be passing him eventually. Then beyond him you see there's another slow car about a quarter mile down the road. So it really makes no sense to waste effort getting to the right when you'll be back in the left lane in another couple minutes. And hey... even after him, there's BOUND to be another slow car, so why not just stay right where you are so you're already in position to pass when you come to him. HEck, might as well just stay right here in the left lane. Every time you get to the right you'll always come to a slower car, so why bother?
Did you hear about the LLC that was so slow, the other LL campers knew he was a LLC ?
They all denied they were doing it, of course, even that old fart wearing the hat.
Where's Vero? Left Ann Arbor yesterday @ 3:30 for my first long-term road trip. Ouch. Integra seats not like Oldsmobile seats.
Anyway, from Lansing northwards to the Mackinac Bridge, I was going 80-90 mph first stretch and 95-105 after I passed Grayling/Gaylord. GT Dream! Let the GM Card Grand Prix Club kick everyone out of the left lane (happened twice or thrice) and lived my GT Dream. Sun shining, dry pavement, and I got gas in Houghton lake @ 6:00 (ouch... my bones... two-and-a-half-hours of Integra seats... ouch!) because when you leave the city with half a tank of gas in a 13-gallon gas tank, and you're running at 87 mph with air on, you're gonna need to get gas sometime... oops like now! oh crap, where's the nearest station?
Didn't plan on that at all, but that's why I left Thursdays... no cops, no LLCers, just me following the Radar Blocker (red Escalade) @ his cruising speed of 88 mph. I'm just angry I had to get off to get fuel before he did!
No jerks. Just right. All 330 miles of it... except for campers... RVs... ugh? ugh. But the Escalade, the Montana, the Grand Prix... we got him to move over! No LLCing for you, pal.
Three examples of the things that really get me cooking:
1) LLC's. Two weeknds ago I drove up the NYS Thruway from near its beginning in Westchester County to Kingston (exit 19). Just after crossing the Tappan Zee bridge a Honda Civic passed me in the left lane going probably 65 mph - it was a 55 mph limit and I was in the right doing probably 60. That Civic stayed in the left lane until I exited at Kingston (probably 55 -60 miles later).When I was exiting he continued ahead in the left lane - God knows for how much longer.
During the period I was near this car I remained in the right lane. When the speed limit went up to 65 I continued along at 68 mph in cruise. This guy would sometimes speed up a little and get a few lengths ahead, then slow down and fall well back so I could barely see him in the rearview mirror. All the while every car and 18-wheeler that came up on him had to pass him on the right, Some were screaming over at him as they did so, a lot waving, some flashing high beams, some passing him then getting back in the left lane and hitting their brakes to give him a message. One 18-wheeler stayed about 18" behind him hitting the trumpet and flashing his lights for what must have been several miles, then passed on the right waying and slewing allover the place. The whole time the driver, his female front seat passenger and M/F rear seat passengers were jsut totally non-responsive to what was going on around them. They were talking, gesturing and having a wonderful ride in the country. I wouldn't have reacted as childishly as some of the drivers that were going crzy over the situation, but I had to really hate the stupid brain-dead Honda Civic driver. It was embarassing to have to admit someone llike that was a member of my species.
2. Folks who suddenly stop on long entry ramps when there is not reason to stop. This pet peave of mine is a biggie in terms of the many ramps and interchanges I have to negotiate on the way to work. More of the brain-dead!!
3. Homeboys who recline their seat backs so far their heads are in the back seat area (you actually see their heads through the rear door windows of their cars when you are next to them). I really don't mind it from a personal style view (hey, if it's cool why not?), but that driving position is a hazard. Three recent examples: a. Daytime - I see a back-seater (that's what I call them) in left lane. Ambulance comes up from behind with lights flashing but no siren. The back-seater could not see it in the mirror and just stayed there for about 5 minutes until the ambulance was finally able to pass. As the ambulance passes him on the right the back-seater jerkedly pulls himself upright, looks around in a confused manner and practically crashes into the ambulance; b. On way home from work yesterday a rear-seater passes me in a 55 mph zone going close to 70, and in this case I actually see no head anywhere in the car. He is being followed about 2 car lenghts behind by County Police. They move on ahead at this speed the 2 vehicles almost stuck to each other until they're out of sight. I come around a curve and they cop is ticketing the driver who actually looks like he's quite tall. Apparently in the cool back-seat slouch mode the driver didn't see the cop; c. I came up on a back-seater recently who was also a LLC. I hit the horn when I was about 20 feet behind him. He grabbed the steering wheel to pull himself up so he could actaully see what was going on around him (something I think you should be able to do at any time when you are driving) and in the process jerks the wheel around so the car starts moving all over the road; d. Going upstate in the center lane of a three-lane road. Back-seater is in the left lane going almost exactly my speed but about 30 feet ahead of me. For a mile or so there are frequent "left lane ends" signs, each telling you the distance until the lane ends. I see no signs of the guy moving over, so I slow down in case he makes a last minute dart into my lane. Instead, he drives straight ahead as the lanes ends, up the curb and scrapes the side of his newish Integra along the guard rail. Immediately where there was no body or head to be seen, a form pulls itself into view amazed at what is happening. Now I know they can't even see what's going on in front of them.
Enough!
Well, hell-, as you said! Welcome to your new home. Remember, it's all been said before, and better yet, if you continue to post dissertations like that, you'll be fortunate if more than 64.8% of posters read what you write.
Actually, I did recline the seat in my Integra slightly yesterday. Not very comfortable for long trips! I just tilted it back slightly from 95-degrees to something like 100-degrees. 45-mph construction zones not exactly fun.
Not to pick on New York people or anything. I mean, there's always Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, etc. plates to get around safely. Whew. Oh, and how could I forget Florida?
Strangely enough, Ontario and Texas seem to send their best drivers ourways. Ontario and Pennsylvania types are close enough to Michigan types in driving behavior, so, usually no problem with them. They come through looking for less -cluttered roads that are fast, it seems.
By and large, cars in the two lanes were traveling side by side with an almost non existent speed differential.
Middle lane: People who are courteous enough to avoid left lane campong but also don't want to be in the right lane because they don't want to have to get over or slow down every time other cars enter the highway. OFten these are the scared old people who will be driving along at 50 hunched over the wheel while cars pass them on both sides and nearly colide as they move back into the middle lanes in front of them.
Right lane: For people who ctually wanted to actively pass slower traffic this was the only option left. Usual procedure: zoom along on the right until you approached a merging lane, jumping to the middle lane to let merging cars on, jump once again to the left lane when an LLC lets his guard down for just one second and leaves a gap, then repeating the procedure in reverse to get back to the far right de facto passing lane and continue at their comfort speed.
All that chaos, cars jumping across 2 or 3 lanes at a time, moving into the same lane from both directions, and because some clueless dimwitts either don't care about the trouble they cause or are totally clueless to what goes on behidn them in traffic. I swear with god as my witness right now, my next truck will have fog lights, over head lights, and maybe a police spotlight on the driver's side windshield for good measure. I WILL be burning some retinaes.
In the cities, there were typically no lane markers, just one-way roads roughly 3-5 car widths wide. And it was every man for himself. Buses and taxis were randomly stopped all over the road letting people into their vehicles. People swerving all over to get to the next light. Not to mention the immense pollution being spewed by most of the vehicles.
Then, on the rural mountain roads (which were typically only 2 lane), a solid yellow line meant practically nothing. If you were going too slow in front of someone they would tailgate, and if they didn't see anyone coming the other way, they passed you. Period. I'm not just talking little sports cars either--buses, big rigs, you name it, they passed on solid yellow. You definitely had to be on your toes. And it's not like they never had broken yellow lines painted. In fact, they were quite liberally present. But if they wanted to get around, they got around.
The weird thing was that, with one exception (a passing big rig almost head-on-ed a pickup), road rage never seemed present. When someone was passing (even on solid yellow), they usually gave a courtesy honk to let you know they were going around, and the other person would slow down or even wave. They took their driving seriously, but not personally.
2) IF I am in the process of passing another car, nobody else should be able to dictate how quickly I do so. If I decide I want to pass slowly enough that I can look over at the slower car's paint and pick out each and every individual scratch, I should be able to do so. If I decide that I want to pass slowly enough to see the other driver aging right before my eyes, I should be able to do so. Because the fact is, I should not have to be bothered to wake up from my day dreams and disable my cruise control long to pass at a speed that exceeds to rotation of the earth and get out of everyone's way.
3) Sometimes I get very important calls on my mobile phone, and goddarnit, I should be able to get into the lane that requires me to change lanes or turn my head as little as possible. This way I can hear my friend Buffy tell me about the traumatic operation her French poodle just had to repair injuries incurred while falling on the ground as she attempted to jump out of Buffy's Ford Excursion in the mall parking lot without having to concentrate too much on the road.
Everyone else just needs to slow down to 5 below the speed limit, same as me.
5) I have no problem with getting to the left, setting the cruise, and staying there for miles at a time at exactly the speed limit. But if I reach a very long gap in the right lane that might possibly allow frustrated drivers stuck behind me to pass, I suddenly feel a very strong motivation to accelarate to 10 above the speed limit to close the gap with traffic in front of me and maintain my sense of pride that nobody gets in front of me without my say-so.
> * Dim your headlights for approaching vehicles; even if the gun's
> loaded and the deer is in sight.
> * When approaching a four-way stop, the vehicle with the largest tires
> always has the right of way.
> * Never tow another car using hose and duct tape.
> * When sending your wife down the road with a gas can, it is impolite
> to ask her to bring back beer.
> * Do not lay rubber while traveling in a funeral procession.
1. Your brake lights are out!!!
2. Slow traffic keep right
3. Expletive
4. Expletive
5. Custom message key
I'll let you all know when I've got the thing figured out and am ready to take orders:-)
PS - If you see me LLC, it probably means I'm composing a message for my rear window display. Please be patient, I'll be finishing up soon and will then move to the right.