This was a divided road with a tree lined median - left turns only at major intersections, being every half mile or so.
Every half mile is a lot of opportunities to turn left onto and off of a road.
Slower traffic, or in this case mentally challenged traffic, should stay right.
Again this is a very hard rule to follow on city streets. Especially with traffic turning onto and off of the road at regular intervals. "Keep right except to pass" does not apply to city streets for the reasons I mentioned before.
no excuse to get into the left lane when a faster car is approaching.
Well you did say that there were left turns along the street. If she was going to make one of those real soon what should she do? Merge or hit her brakes to let you pass and inconvenience someone else? Yes she has to share the road, but then again so do you.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
"Every half mile is a lot of opportunities to turn left onto and off of a road. "
Moot point. She didn't turn. I kept an eye on her irresponsible self after I passed. None of the "if" conditions apply here, and none of them would justify her lack of speed as well.
"Again this is a very hard rule to follow on city streets."
The road was almost deserted. There was the RL, the Corolla, and me. I passed the RL and then the Corolla made a random lane change. There is nothing difficult about lane discipline on suburban roads. This was not a crowded urban environment. Moot point once again, bravo.
" If she was going to make one of those real soon what should she do? "
Check her mirror before making a lane change. This isn't rocket science. When a faster car is coming down a lane you wish to enter, you can wait to change lanes until after that car passes. You have no right in the world to uphold traffic. Had she actually desired to travel at a speed near the speed limit, it wouldn't have been an issue. I shouldn't have to brake an crawl for an irresponsible airhead who lacks the common courtesy and the situational awareness to look before making a lane change. It's just that simple.
You probably shouldn't tell me what I "have" to do, thanks. I actually pay attention to my speed and placement relative to other vehicles. If more people did likewise, there would be a lot less aggravation on the roads.
I know fintail, I was just teasing you. And yes, if one owns a fast car, then one does need to try it out.
I was on a freeway near where I live when a puke in a car ahead threw out a full water bottle which hit my windshield. I believe he deliberately did it to hit my car. I chased that "person" about two miles and up to about 125 mph. Sanity reappeared and I got back to speed limit speeds. The RL does move out.
Its been about six months but I still look for that car. Some day I hope I wll grow up, I just hate people like that.
Sorry for the rant. Good luck to all ans stay SANE!!
Shouldn't we, the enlightened drivers who read Edmunds, who precisely know all the driving rules and etiqutte and know and see all the shortcomings of lesser drivers just be cool and "let it go" most times. We can see improper things other drivers do as they unfold and can easily compensate without signalling our displeasure to them, who, omigosh, "Wronged us". Perhaps Jensad would agree with this.
Flashing headlights, dirty looks? Do 2 wrongs make a right?
Here are some tips from our State's 2009 Rules of the Road:
Be patient and courteous. Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt - all drivers make mistakes. Avoid all conflict, even if you are right. Allow extra time to get to your destination.
>something like a Kia Rio or a cushy Buick if he's afraid to hit the 40mph barrier.
Is it possible to not use Buick as an example of cars for people who won't hit the 40 mph mark? There are lots of us Buick drivers who, well, excede that speed and have all their teeth.
> was on a freeway near where I live when a puke in a car ahead threw out a full water bottle which hit my windshield....Its been about six months but I still look for that car
Reminds me several years back complaining to police chief of an adjoining police department about drivers in his area. One of his officers had picked up a new car at the dealership along a 4 lane highway in a business area where people tend to expect everyone to be out of their left lane so they can go faster. It was a Sunday afternoon. The office and family got in the left lane to make a turn up ahead. They were tailgated extremely closely by a wanna-be-speeder.
The next day the office appeared at the driver's door, identified he was the driver, and gave him the citation.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
If I had a bazooka hidden under the front of my car, there'd be one less Corolla on the road right now. It'd be a lot easier to simply remove them rather than become aggravated....and maybe even a little fun.
I guess it's for the other thread...it all comes down to driver training and how serious a business driving is perceived to be. On this continent, both ideals need massive improvement. In an ideal situation, such people wouldn't be on the road. I guess globalization has us in a race to the bottom in many ways. Dumb it down a notch.
I didn't know off duty revenue collectors could issue citations. Another one to take to court to waste publicly funded resources, the men in blue are very skilled at that.
I don't recall if the Chief said it was a citizen's arrest or if the office made a complaint and was able to serve as a credible witness against the criminal tailgater.
The road was one with a 40-45 mph limit but many people viewed it as a divided throughway with a 60 mph speed limit or higher because it was a main highway leading out into the provincial boondocks after it crossed an interstate. Lots of speeding abuses.
I agree. Isn't that what this topic is for? Instead of flashing lights, honking horns, etc., we come home and post our frustrations here. Pity the drivers who get frustrated and don't have Edmunds!! :surprise:
Two wrongs don't make a right, but two Wrights made an airplane :P
Malady of the day here the last couple of days has been the folks that just have to be in the left lane until just before their exit, then they dive right across one or two other lanes to their offramp.
Can't be the full moon, because it's not... but what's that star or planet right next to the moon recently? Cause and effect?
IF I could have caught up with the dirtbag, I would have gotten the vehcile licence number, and a description of the driver and his friends and then drove to the old CHP office and filed a complaint.
And yes if it went to court I would have carried it through until adjudication.
I appreciate the posters that mentioned just turn the other cheek, but I am one of those old bull dogs and finish what is started. I have taught martial arts Hawaiian style, over 45 years, and I am still an old bulldog.
I liked the Recoiless rifle idea. I always wanted on the patrol cars two rocket launchers, each under the headlights as we chased cars at 100 mph or more. But the Captain always rejected our ideas.
Hey its over and I guess its time for me to move on.
Good luck to all and stay stay safe. And we are getting the blessing of the much needed rain in Cal, er, Disneyland.
but what's that star or planet right next to the moon recently?
Venus, the brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon. Venus in mythology was the goddess of love. Maybe some of these last-minute lane-changers were madly in love? :confuse:
Got behind an old couple in a Eurovan camper on a highway off-ramp. It was yellow-signed at 45mph (which means a 1951 London double decker bus could take it at 60) and leads onto a 40mph road. They were going maybe 32. By the time the ramp ended there were several cars backed up.
Yesterday I was stuck in a bottleneck caused by an old man in a pristine first-gen Taurus wagon who was pacing a very short woman in an Accord coupe. This on another 4 lane 40-mph suburban road - and they were both going 30. There must have been a good 15-20 cars clustered together by these halfwit blockers before I finally got to turn off that inane road. These people simply shouldn't be driving.
Speaking of slow drivers, I encountered something last night that I had previously thought to be a myth. There are a high percentage of Subaru vehicles in Fairbanks - probably more so than anywhere else outside of Alaska. I have heard lately many people saying, "I hate being behind Subarus because they drive so slow." As a Subaru driver who does not fit this stereotype, I thought, "Huh? Why would Subaru drivers go slow when they are driving one of the more capable vehicles on the road?"
Well, yesterday we got 9-10" of heavy, dense, wet snow. Our plows have a philosophy that it is best to wait until 2-3 days after a snowfall to clear it, rather than making multiple passes during the event. This makes for messy roads and slow traffic movement. But, by late last evening, the main roads were fairly clear, at least in one lane, as a result of traffic volume.
I was safely traveling along at about 50 on a primary local highway when I quickly approach a Subaru wagon up ahead. 35 mph. 35! I could not believe it. I thought maybe the driver was using racing slicks or something to warrant such a ridiculously slow speed.
So, I guess there is some truth to the argument these folks presented. Yes, Subarus are among the more capable of winter vehicles, but never discount the "driver mod."
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
I'm always using the pullouts on the road to the ski hill to let people pass me in my Outback. I'm no hurry and I'm driving on all-seasons, and I know there are plenty of slick spots in the shadows.
But I bet you've never snuck up on a WRX STi. :shades:
Well, that's not to say that I am not passed by other drivers when I drive a Subaru, but that does not mean I am driving unreasonably slow, or even slow at all. It just means that there is someone else on the road going faster. This driver, though, was driving unreasonably slow, which caught me by surprise.
Hah - if I did, I think I would try to flag the driver down and switch vehicles! I did see an STi owner driving incredibly slow once, but the guy had just purchased the car and it comes with summer tires. He was limping his way from the dealership to a nearby tire shop to swap out with some sticky winter tires. He was going REALLY slow, so much so that I thought there must be something wrong and followed him with my hazards on for a 1/2 mile or so. He stopped and let me know what he was doing, so I suggested he use his own hazards (which he did) and I went on my way.
That was a long time ago. I am not sure if STi vehicles still come with summer tires by default, but it seems odd to me.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
I have been behind many Subarus merging onto 60mph highways at around 40mph....but that's not a Subaru fault, it's a general local driver fault which exists for most makes.
Using 4 way flashers is indeed the "signal/sign/procedure " for going less than the acknowledged lower speed limit, in addition to taking the far right lane !! Certainly to this august population this is not new. To anybody not knowing about this; look to ones' appropriate state vehicle code.
Ran into this fellow (actually it was a gal, but whatever) yesterday. On my way home on the freeway which never gets wider than 2 lanes, I ended up behind a line of about 3 cars doing around 63 MPH. Speed limit is zoned 65 but traffic usually travels around 70. The right lane is filled with trucks which are zoned at 55 mph and they are maintaining about that. There are several gaps between the trucks and other traffic that is keeping to the right lane.
I had been going about 70 mph when I happened on the bunch of cars. At the time the lead car was in the middle of passing a semi and so I figured it would move over when it was done doing so. So I hung back a little so I wasn't tailgating (the car in front of me was however) to wait so I could resume my original speed. Once the lead car got in front of the semi however it shot forward to about 75 mph. The cars directly in front of me did the same. I thought that maybe the lead car realized what how "slow" she was going and decided to speed up. She didn't move over, and neither did any of the other cars in front of me, nor did I as there wasn't anybody munching my tail to get by and the right lane was full enough with slower traffic that I would only have to move back over to the left in short order.
So I stayed in the left lane maintaining 73 or so which was a good pace. I didn't gain on the traffic in front of me (in the left lane), nor was anybody gaining on me. This only lasted as long as the gap that was in the right lane however. The lead car (an older Lexus SC) came upon another group of semi's and other traffic and slowed right back down to about 63. Grrr. This bunch of traffic seemed to be going a little faster than the last bunch as it took longer to get past them. Once again, the lead car shot forward after clearing the bunch. This happened again at the next bunch as well.
That's it. I'm done with this I said to myself. As soon I cleared what was now the 3rd bunch of traffic that this had happened on, I moved over to the right and floored it. I was able to clear 1 of the cars in front of me, but I had to do about 85 to do so as the whole group was going 75 while it was clear. I was forced to move back over to the left lane lest I slam into the back of a semi. Luckily, there was enough room for me to move back to the left lane with out feeling like I was cutting in front of the car that had been directly in front of me. When we were going 63 mph, he couldn't help but tailgate the car in front of him, but when the speed increased to 75 he ended up leaving a sizable gap. That gap was also the reason I was able to pass only him and not the other two.
So now for the 4th time the lead car slows down to 63 mph to get past another bunch of slower moving traffic. I am particularly perturbed at this point. Why can't you just maintain a constant speed! That is what was really bugging me. As soon as I cleared the bunch of slower traffic I pulled my maneuver again. I shot into the right lane, floored it and this time I didn't let up. I probably got to around 90 as I passed the lead car. I pulled back into the left lane as I cleared her (it was a her, but I didn't pay too close attention as I was doing 90 and most of my attention was focused on getting around her "safely" and not the actual personage doing the moronic driving.
I was able to clear the bunch I had been stuck in now for several miles and set my cruise to a good 73ish mph and keep that speed for several more miles till the speed limit changed. That's all I wanted. I just wanted to go a constant good steady speed.
Heres one I have not seen because you americans are all guilty of it!!!Sign says left or right lane closed ahead and you all stay where your at then mess up traffic because your thinking I can get ahead of these people and you just slow every thing down for no reason. Then you have the balls to get pissed off because us drivers who do get over when we see the signs don't let you in when you run out of room in the lane you were stupid enough to stay in!!!!!!!!!!
Oh joy... we get to have this discussion again. Sigh. :sick:
Some people want everyone to move over right away. It can be the nice, courteous thing to do. However, the heavier the traffic, the more challenging that can be. Sometimes the backups can start before anyone can even see the signs, which makes it really tough for those new to the area.
Sometimes one sees the signs and tries to move over but no one will let that person in, even at the first sign. So NOW what does he/she do? Some drivers just try to get ahead, which causes grief for those who got over early. Technically, those drivers aren't doing anything wrong because it is legal to drive in a clear lane.
Others feel that the zipper method should be used... that is, stay in both lanes for as long as possible and then merge every other car at the end. In a perfect world, that would be the most efficient... and fair. But the world is far from perfect.
Therefore, neither method is going to prevent someone from getting very angry, frustrated, etc.
Interestingly enough, in my area, the traffic enforcers encourage using both lanes for as long as possible and having a clean merge. Don't know what they prefer where you live.
You encountered FOUR (4) separate bunches all traveling slower than you wanted to while expecting those in front to do you bidding? You drove 90 Mph to accomplish your goal?
After plowing through two or threee bunches all driving reasonably and safely, You should get the hint that perhaps you are also obligated to follow suit and submit to the traffic conditions by being a good follower as your behavior is not to be admired. :mad:
It sounds like where you were, there were many "lost drivers" as they all appears to slow down other traffic. We drove to Mojave and then came back on I 5 last Jan. I mentioned this before. All of the vehicles including our vehicle were traveling 75-80 mph in the left lane. About 1/2 ways down, all the traffic suddenly slowed down to about 40 mph.
Turned out that a vehicle was being driven about 30 mph in the right lane. And all the faster vehicles were forced to pass on the left instead of passing on the right due to slow drivers in the left lane.
We stopped at a rest stop, and started out after a 30" break and guess what, about 50 miles from the rest stop, we caught up to the traffic and the slowwww driver was ahead of us. We got home safely with our little 9 week old Goldie we purchased in Mojave about 1 1/2 hours late, but we did get home safely.
I guess I am trying to say is that those drivers drive me abit (more) crazy too, I can relate to your situation.
I don't believe it was four separate bunches. I took it that it was the same car each time that was leading others. The car would slow down below the speed limit when passing and then speed up (over the SL) when there was no one in the right lane. I think Big Al just wanted to go a steady speed.
The lead car should have pulled over to the right lane (oo-oo, let's start a "Keep Right Except to Pass" argument too!!) after passing the trucks and maybe keep it at 63 so that others could pass and do the speed limit.
Kind of reminds me of the drivers on a two-lane road who go slow and then when they get to a passing lane, speed up so that no one behind them can pass, then drop their speed when the passing lane ends. :sick:
The problem wasn't the cars being passed, it was the lead car (he said it was a woman driving an older Lexus SC). She slowed down each time she came up on trucks driving in the right lane. She was in the left lane with nothing in front of her.
At least that's how I read it. I'm sure The Big Al will clear it up.
Where I live and some neighbouring state you can get a ticket for not getting over and useing a lame excuse like nobody would let me in when you most times have 2 or more miles to get over
While that might happen if you take the lane which is closing right up to the end, usually people will let you in (and I live in NY where all drivers want to be first in line).
Most often what I see is the open lanes slowing down because of the bottleneck caused by drivers waiting until the last minute to merge. These drivers are usually the ones speeding past all the slower moving traffic and then expecting to squeeze in. I know when I see that my first inclination is to not let these lane jumpers in.
Similar to the above example are the people who pass everyone on the right while merging off the highway ramp. These folks blast past you (often on the shoulder or even the grass) and then try to force their way in at the end of the ramp.
I can't understand that as they are then stuck in the same slow moving traffic abet a 100 feet ahead of you. I've even seen fender benders when one of these characters forces his way in and hits a car that didn't yield.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Where I live and some neighbouring state you can get a ticket for not getting over and useing a lame excuse like nobody would let me in when you most times have 2 or more miles to get over
Wow... I'd love to see that law. I understand someone getting upset about someone waiting until the last minute to get over but how would you give a ticket to a driver who is driving in a legal lane?
Give a ticket to a driver who goes past cones when the lane is closed, yes, but how does one determine when to give a ticket with just a lane closed ahead sign??? Do you have to get over as soon as you see a "Lane Closed Ahead" sign? Will they give you a ticket if you go 20 feet past the sign? 500 feet??? :confuse:
For the record, I always got angry with drivers who waited until the last minute to get over but after sitting in a lane of traffic while others blew by me on the right, I started doing some research. Many traffic engineers and law enforcement officials now encourage the zipper method.
"She slowed down each time she came up on trucks driving in the right lane."
If you've never driven in a rainstorm and have had to contend with the wheel spray generated by semis, you will not empathize with the lady who was slowing down so as to gain some vision ahead while passing.
She could have also been dodging ice chunks, tornadoes, truckers throwing junk out of their window, etc. Of course, none of that has anything to do with the original event, just like rain! :P
Trucks and big jacked up inbred pickups and SUVs both are terrors to drive with on poorly designed water pooling wet roadways.
Today I saw two dumb birds of the same moronic feather.
First I was in a small line of cars at a light. A Corolla in front of me, and a few cars in front of it. One lane in each direction 35mph road on the outer edge of a suburb. The cars in front of the Corolla got to at least the speed limit quickly, and left the Corolla (and me) in the dust. The older woman in the Corolla would get to about 30 and then let off the gas. But the worst part was her lane positioning - she was riding and crossing over the white line, and had there been a car parked, she would have slammed into it. She dawdled and weaved around for about a mile, then made a painfully slow right turn. Get her off the road.
Several hours later, I have just moved into a left turn lane, and a DTS makes an abrupt unsignalled lane change into it. Very old man driving...but I was stopped for the light anyway, so I wasn't too irked. The light changes, he pulls off OK, onto another 35mph one lane in each direction road. He gets up to about the speed limit, but when he got to about 32 or so, he'd tap his brakes. Over and over he did this. But the worst part was he too was straddling and sometimes crossing the white line as he ambled along. I was pretty sure he'd eventually drive off the road into the shrubbery, and I'd have to point and laugh and keep going. At the next intersection, maybe a mile later, he made a right turn at about 2mph, and I had to honk.
As a lifelong resident of western Washington, I'm quite familiar with the spray from large trucks. I tend to get past them in a hurry rather than slow down and relish the spray. Slowing down while passing them keeps you in the spray longer and thus, keeps you with that poor vision longer.
The Big Al didn't mention rain, however, even if that were the case, the lead car should have moved to the right lane after passing.
Oh yeah, I saw someone doing that today, I think. I want to say it was a Volvo wagon...it would get up to 15-20mph and the brake lights would be on the whole time. I had to wonder how they were doing that.
I'd hope both of the slowpoke meanderers were past that point in life, at their ages...although in the globalized new world order the 'greatest generation' has given us, we might see a lot more older delivery drivers as time goes on...
Or if you were making a crack about me....I'm past that point too...although there are worse things to do, like dealing meth in the drughaven of Clark Co, etc...
(b) Left turn.--The driver of a vehicle intending to turn left shall approach the turn in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of the vehicle.
Because the vehicle behind you is legally entitled to;
(a) General rule.--The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under one of the following conditions: (1) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn, except that such movement shall not be made by driving off the berm or shoulder of the highway.
Just outside the Shrewsbury area on the trail. There is PLENTY of room for cars to pass you on the right without going off the shoulder as you make the left into your subdivision. Your "Hitler-Like" failure to hug the left side of the lane to allow traffic to pass is technically against the law and you are impeding a thoroughfare. Break open PA Motor Vehicle Code Section 75.... If you can read.....
Last I looked, your Toyota Sequoia was NOT a tractor-trailer requiring a wide turn.... The only reason your not getting a traffic ticket is the cops are way to busy with other more important items.
The problem here is that if you read the language of the law as listed at the start of your post, you will see that the requirement is only to occupy the left-most lane available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of the turning vehicle. Therefore, if you are on a two-lane road (one in each direction), and a vehicle signals a left turn in front of you, there is no requirement for that vehicle to hug the dividing line in order to allow you to pass on the right. Yes, it is the courteous thing to do, but there is no legal requirement to do so and, therefore, if a LEO stopped the driver, a citation could not be issued based on the information you provided above.
The moral is this: Laws and courtesy are two separate codes of conduct.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Comments
Every half mile is a lot of opportunities to turn left onto and off of a road.
Slower traffic, or in this case mentally challenged traffic, should stay right.
Again this is a very hard rule to follow on city streets. Especially with traffic turning onto and off of the road at regular intervals. "Keep right except to pass" does not apply to city streets for the reasons I mentioned before.
no excuse to get into the left lane when a faster car is approaching.
Well you did say that there were left turns along the street. If she was going to make one of those real soon what should she do? Merge or hit her brakes to let you pass and inconvenience someone else? Yes she has to share the road, but then again so do you.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Moot point. She didn't turn. I kept an eye on her irresponsible self after I passed. None of the "if" conditions apply here, and none of them would justify her lack of speed as well.
"Again this is a very hard rule to follow on city streets."
The road was almost deserted. There was the RL, the Corolla, and me. I passed the RL and then the Corolla made a random lane change. There is nothing difficult about lane discipline on suburban roads. This was not a crowded urban environment. Moot point once again, bravo.
" If she was going to make one of those real soon what should she do? "
Check her mirror before making a lane change. This isn't rocket science. When a faster car is coming down a lane you wish to enter, you can wait to change lanes until after that car passes. You have no right in the world to uphold traffic. Had she actually desired to travel at a speed near the speed limit, it wouldn't have been an issue. I shouldn't have to brake an crawl for an irresponsible airhead who lacks the common courtesy and the situational awareness to look before making a lane change. It's just that simple.
You probably shouldn't tell me what I "have" to do, thanks. I actually pay attention to my speed and placement relative to other vehicles. If more people did likewise, there would be a lot less aggravation on the roads.
I was on a freeway near where I live when a puke in a car ahead threw out a full water bottle which hit my windshield. I believe he deliberately did it to hit my car. I chased that "person" about two miles and up to about 125 mph. Sanity reappeared and I got back to speed limit speeds. The RL does move out.
Its been about six months but I still look for that car. Some day I hope I wll grow up, I just hate people like that.
Sorry for the rant. Good luck to all ans stay SANE!!
jensad
Flashing headlights, dirty looks? Do 2 wrongs make a right?
Here are some tips from our State's 2009 Rules of the Road:
Be patient and courteous.
Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt - all drivers make mistakes.
Avoid all conflict, even if you are right.
Allow extra time to get to your destination.
Is it possible to not use Buick as an example of cars for people who won't hit the 40 mph mark? There are lots of us Buick drivers who, well, excede that speed and have all their teeth.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Reminds me several years back complaining to police chief of an adjoining police department about drivers in his area. One of his officers had picked up a new car at the dealership along a 4 lane highway in a business area where people tend to expect everyone to be out of their left lane so they can go faster. It was a Sunday afternoon. The office and family got in the left lane to make a turn up ahead. They were tailgated extremely closely by a wanna-be-speeder.
The next day the office appeared at the driver's door, identified he was the driver, and gave him the citation.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
If I had a bazooka hidden under the front of my car, there'd be one less Corolla on the road right now. It'd be a lot easier to simply remove them rather than become aggravated....and maybe even a little fun.
I guess it's for the other thread...it all comes down to driver training and how serious a business driving is perceived to be. On this continent, both ideals need massive improvement. In an ideal situation, such people wouldn't be on the road. I guess globalization has us in a race to the bottom in many ways. Dumb it down a notch.
The RL can go above 40, I knew it!
The road was one with a 40-45 mph limit but many people viewed it as a divided throughway with a 60 mph speed limit or higher because it was a main highway leading out into the provincial boondocks after it crossed an interstate. Lots of speeding abuses.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I'd like to see how that held up in court. Sounds like another winner of a town.
I agree. Isn't that what this topic is for? Instead of flashing lights, honking horns, etc., we come home and post our frustrations here.
Malady of the day here the last couple of days has been the folks that just have to be in the left lane until just before their exit, then they dive right across one or two other lanes to their offramp.
Can't be the full moon, because it's not... but what's that star or planet right next to the moon recently? Cause and effect?
Cheers!
Paul
And yes if it went to court I would have carried it through until adjudication.
I appreciate the posters that mentioned just turn the other cheek, but I am one of those old bull dogs and finish what is started. I have taught martial arts Hawaiian style, over 45 years, and I am still an old bulldog.
I liked the Recoiless rifle idea. I always wanted on the patrol cars two rocket launchers, each under the headlights as we chased cars at 100 mph or more. But the Captain always rejected our ideas.
Hey its over and I guess its time for me to move on.
Good luck to all and stay stay safe. And we are getting the blessing of the much needed rain in Cal, er, Disneyland.
jensad
Venus, the brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon. Venus in mythology was the goddess of love. Maybe some of these last-minute lane-changers were madly in love? :confuse:
Got behind an old couple in a Eurovan camper on a highway off-ramp. It was yellow-signed at 45mph (which means a 1951 London double decker bus could take it at 60) and leads onto a 40mph road. They were going maybe 32. By the time the ramp ended there were several cars backed up.
Yesterday I was stuck in a bottleneck caused by an old man in a pristine first-gen Taurus wagon who was pacing a very short woman in an Accord coupe. This on another 4 lane 40-mph suburban road - and they were both going 30. There must have been a good 15-20 cars clustered together by these halfwit blockers before I finally got to turn off that inane road. These people simply shouldn't be driving.
Well, yesterday we got 9-10" of heavy, dense, wet snow. Our plows have a philosophy that it is best to wait until 2-3 days after a snowfall to clear it, rather than making multiple passes during the event. This makes for messy roads and slow traffic movement. But, by late last evening, the main roads were fairly clear, at least in one lane, as a result of traffic volume.
I was safely traveling along at about 50 on a primary local highway when I quickly approach a Subaru wagon up ahead. 35 mph. 35! I could not believe it. I thought maybe the driver was using racing slicks or something to warrant such a ridiculously slow speed.
So, I guess there is some truth to the argument these folks presented. Yes, Subarus are among the more capable of winter vehicles, but never discount the "driver mod."
But I bet you've never snuck up on a WRX STi. :shades:
Hah - if I did, I think I would try to flag the driver down and switch vehicles! I did see an STi owner driving incredibly slow once, but the guy had just purchased the car and it comes with summer tires. He was limping his way from the dealership to a nearby tire shop to swap out with some sticky winter tires. He was going REALLY slow, so much so that I thought there must be something wrong and followed him with my hazards on for a 1/2 mile or so. He stopped and let me know what he was doing, so I suggested he use his own hazards (which he did) and I went on my way.
That was a long time ago. I am not sure if STi vehicles still come with summer tires by default, but it seems odd to me.
I had been going about 70 mph when I happened on the bunch of cars. At the time the lead car was in the middle of passing a semi and so I figured it would move over when it was done doing so. So I hung back a little so I wasn't tailgating (the car in front of me was however) to wait so I could resume my original speed. Once the lead car got in front of the semi however it shot forward to about 75 mph. The cars directly in front of me did the same. I thought that maybe the lead car realized what how "slow" she was going and decided to speed up. She didn't move over, and neither did any of the other cars in front of me, nor did I as there wasn't anybody munching my tail to get by and the right lane was full enough with slower traffic that I would only have to move back over to the left in short order.
So I stayed in the left lane maintaining 73 or so which was a good pace. I didn't gain on the traffic in front of me (in the left lane), nor was anybody gaining on me. This only lasted as long as the gap that was in the right lane however. The lead car (an older Lexus SC) came upon another group of semi's and other traffic and slowed right back down to about 63. Grrr. This bunch of traffic seemed to be going a little faster than the last bunch as it took longer to get past them. Once again, the lead car shot forward after clearing the bunch. This happened again at the next bunch as well.
That's it. I'm done with this I said to myself. As soon I cleared what was now the 3rd bunch of traffic that this had happened on, I moved over to the right and floored it. I was able to clear 1 of the cars in front of me, but I had to do about 85 to do so as the whole group was going 75 while it was clear. I was forced to move back over to the left lane lest I slam into the back of a semi. Luckily, there was enough room for me to move back to the left lane with out feeling like I was cutting in front of the car that had been directly in front of me. When we were going 63 mph, he couldn't help but tailgate the car in front of him, but when the speed increased to 75 he ended up leaving a sizable gap. That gap was also the reason I was able to pass only him and not the other two.
So now for the 4th time the lead car slows down to 63 mph to get past another bunch of slower moving traffic. I am particularly perturbed at this point. Why can't you just maintain a constant speed! That is what was really bugging me. As soon as I cleared the bunch of slower traffic I pulled my maneuver again. I shot into the right lane, floored it and this time I didn't let up. I probably got to around 90 as I passed the lead car. I pulled back into the left lane as I cleared her (it was a her, but I didn't pay too close attention as I was doing 90 and most of my attention was focused on getting around her "safely" and not the actual personage doing the moronic driving.
I was able to clear the bunch I had been stuck in now for several miles and set my cruise to a good 73ish mph and keep that speed for several more miles till the speed limit changed. That's all I wanted. I just wanted to go a constant good steady speed.
Some people want everyone to move over right away. It can be the nice, courteous thing to do. However, the heavier the traffic, the more challenging that can be. Sometimes the backups can start before anyone can even see the signs, which makes it really tough for those new to the area.
Sometimes one sees the signs and tries to move over but no one will let that person in, even at the first sign. So NOW what does he/she do? Some drivers just try to get ahead, which causes grief for those who got over early. Technically, those drivers aren't doing anything wrong because it is legal to drive in a clear lane.
Others feel that the zipper method should be used... that is, stay in both lanes for as long as possible and then merge every other car at the end. In a perfect world, that would be the most efficient... and fair. But the world is far from perfect.
Therefore, neither method is going to prevent someone from getting very angry, frustrated, etc.
Interestingly enough, in my area, the traffic enforcers encourage using both lanes for as long as possible and having a clean merge. Don't know what they prefer where you live.
After plowing through two or threee bunches all driving reasonably and safely, You should get the hint that perhaps you are also obligated to follow suit and submit to the traffic conditions by being a good follower as your behavior is not to be admired. :mad:
Turned out that a vehicle was being driven about 30 mph in the right lane. And all the faster vehicles were forced to pass on the left instead of passing on the right due to slow drivers in the left lane.
We stopped at a rest stop, and started out after a 30" break and guess what, about 50 miles from the rest stop, we caught up to the traffic and the slowwww driver was ahead of us. We got home safely with our little 9 week old Goldie we purchased in Mojave about 1 1/2 hours late, but we did get home safely.
I guess I am trying to say is that those drivers drive me abit (more) crazy too, I can relate to your situation.
Good luck to all and stay safe.
jensad
I don't believe it was four separate bunches. I took it that it was the same car each time that was leading others. The car would slow down below the speed limit when passing and then speed up (over the SL) when there was no one in the right lane. I think Big Al just wanted to go a steady speed.
The lead car should have pulled over to the right lane (oo-oo, let's start a "Keep Right Except to Pass" argument too!!) after passing the trucks and maybe keep it at 63 so that others could pass and do the speed limit.
Kind of reminds me of the drivers on a two-lane road who go slow and then when they get to a passing lane, speed up so that no one behind them can pass, then drop their speed when the passing lane ends. :sick:
Failure to do so should warrant one losing their driving credentials, which LLCs really don't deserve anyway :sick:
Stay to the right where you belong, please.
At least that's how I read it. I'm sure The Big Al will clear it up.
While that might happen if you take the lane which is closing right up to the end, usually people will let you in (and I live in NY where all drivers want to be first in line).
Most often what I see is the open lanes slowing down because of the bottleneck caused by drivers waiting until the last minute to merge. These drivers are usually the ones speeding past all the slower moving traffic and then expecting to squeeze in. I know when I see that my first inclination is to not let these lane jumpers in.
Similar to the above example are the people who pass everyone on the right while merging off the highway ramp. These folks blast past you (often on the shoulder or even the grass) and then try to force their way in at the end of the ramp.
I can't understand that as they are then stuck in the same slow moving traffic abet a 100 feet ahead of you. I've even seen fender benders when one of these characters forces his way in and hits a car that didn't yield.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Wow... I'd love to see that law. I understand someone getting upset about someone waiting until the last minute to get over but how would you give a ticket to a driver who is driving in a legal lane?
Give a ticket to a driver who goes past cones when the lane is closed, yes, but how does one determine when to give a ticket with just a lane closed ahead sign??? Do you have to get over as soon as you see a "Lane Closed Ahead" sign? Will they give you a ticket if you go 20 feet past the sign? 500 feet??? :confuse:
For the record, I always got angry with drivers who waited until the last minute to get over but after sitting in a lane of traffic while others blew by me on the right, I started doing some research. Many traffic engineers and law enforcement officials now encourage the zipper method.
Here are some links:
State of Minnesota
New Zealand
Blogger describing Germany
One driver's epiphany
Finally, you should check out this book: Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do
If you've never driven in a rainstorm and have had to contend with the wheel spray generated by semis, you will not empathize with the lady who was slowing down so as to gain some vision ahead while passing.
This condition is very frequent in the Northwest.
I guess I must have missed that. :P
Yeah, I always slow way down when passing semis in the wet. I love to linger in the roadspray.... Oh, wait. No I don't.
Trucks and big jacked up inbred pickups and SUVs both are terrors to drive with on poorly designed water pooling wet roadways.
First I was in a small line of cars at a light. A Corolla in front of me, and a few cars in front of it. One lane in each direction 35mph road on the outer edge of a suburb. The cars in front of the Corolla got to at least the speed limit quickly, and left the Corolla (and me) in the dust. The older woman in the Corolla would get to about 30 and then let off the gas. But the worst part was her lane positioning - she was riding and crossing over the white line, and had there been a car parked, she would have slammed into it. She dawdled and weaved around for about a mile, then made a painfully slow right turn. Get her off the road.
Several hours later, I have just moved into a left turn lane, and a DTS makes an abrupt unsignalled lane change into it. Very old man driving...but I was stopped for the light anyway, so I wasn't too irked. The light changes, he pulls off OK, onto another 35mph one lane in each direction road. He gets up to about the speed limit, but when he got to about 32 or so, he'd tap his brakes. Over and over he did this. But the worst part was he too was straddling and sometimes crossing the white line as he ambled along. I was pretty sure he'd eventually drive off the road into the shrubbery, and I'd have to point and laugh and keep going. At the next intersection, maybe a mile later, he made a right turn at about 2mph, and I had to honk.
I think the Corolla driver was his daughter.
As a lifelong resident of western Washington, I'm quite familiar with the spray from large trucks. I tend to get past them in a hurry rather than slow down and relish the spray. Slowing down while passing them keeps you in the spray longer and thus, keeps you with that poor vision longer.
The Big Al didn't mention rain, however, even if that were the case, the lead car should have moved to the right lane after passing.
I wonder if he was using two feet to drive, keeping the left foot barely on the brake. I see that fairly often.
And please keep right, except to pass.
Or if you were making a crack about me....I'm past that point too...although there are worse things to do, like dealing meth in the drughaven of Clark Co, etc...
No inherited family business fiefdom for me...
Because the vehicle behind you is legally entitled to;
(a) General rule.--The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under one of the following conditions:
(1) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn, except that such movement shall not be made by driving off the berm or shoulder of the highway.
Just outside the Shrewsbury area on the trail. There is PLENTY of room for cars to pass you on the right without going off the shoulder as you make the left into your subdivision. Your "Hitler-Like" failure to hug the left side of the lane to allow traffic to pass is technically against the law and you are impeding a thoroughfare. Break open PA Motor Vehicle Code Section 75.... If you can read.....
Last I looked, your Toyota Sequoia was NOT a tractor-trailer requiring a wide turn.... The only reason your not getting a traffic ticket is the cops are way to busy with other more important items.
Yeah, Adolf was a notoriously rude driver. :P
The moral is this: Laws and courtesy are two separate codes of conduct.