Yesterday I was stuck in a little traffic caused by ignorantly timed stoplights, and several cars behind me a Murano got stuck in an intersection, its rear blocking half of the adjacent lane. A Civic Hybrid pulls up in that lane and just lays on the horn for like 45 seconds straight - not 45 seconds of toots, just a long whine. I thought hybrid drivers were supposed to be mellow and cool. The Civic this guy was driving must have been a loaner while his H2 or jacked up dually diesel pickup was in the shop.
Then I was driving on a 35mph suburban road divided by a double yellow line. I am in the left lane with a Focus in front of me. Traffic is light, and I will be turning in a turn lane in about 6 blocks. The Focus hits is left signal, to make what I guessed would be an illegal left turn into the housing developments on that side of the road, which the city in its infinite wisdom did not plan for with this stretch of road. So, I and several others get in the right lane and wait for the Focus to turn, so we don't get stuck. However, Focus guy keeps going and going, and I and several others get back in our lane to get into the upcoming turn lane, which the Focus also joins. He just decided to use his signal about 5 blocks before his turn...a real sharp cookie.
Could be ...he wasn't moving very fast either (which is another reason why I was sure he was going to turn)...but I want to say it did have local plates. Maybe a nav system that got ahead of itself.
I had a similar problem yesterday except I was driving and the bike cut me off. I was making a left turn at a stop sign, when a adult male bicycle rider did not stop for the stop sign on his street. He was looking at the lady bicycle rider next to my car.
She pedaled straight as I began my left turn. The male bike rider, cut me off and was a decent chap, he apologized to me and continued to speed up in the same direction was the good looking woman.
Glad we missed connecting as that was the last thing I wanted to happen was to hit a bicyclist.
Oh well, I hope all of us have a peaceful and excellent Memorial Day.
That is exactly why I installed a mirror on the passenger door of the 66 Mustang.
In your situation, the vehicle drove past the biker, enabling the rider to see the vehicle's Right turn signal flashing. Thus, the biker is obligated to adjust his travel.
Hahah, I, too, am glad it worked out well. I suspect he is not the only one who has been distracted in that way.
Wasn't there a story on this forum, somewhere, where a young fella was distracted by some shapely ladies on the sidewalk and ended up hitting a parked car? Things did not work out so well for him....
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
Thus, the biker is obligated to adjust his travel.
Ah, no. In such a situation when on overtaking vehicle making a right turn necessitates the biker to adjust their travel the overtaking vehicle should not overtake the bike but slow down follow the bike and make the turn behind the biker. By law a turning vehicle must yield right of way in that situation.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
As that very same thing happens literally every day for cars, it is the same for car and bikes as there is no differentiation.
While I (personally) drive to not make someone behind that "lets" me in change their travel, I think it would be a stretch to say that was the outcome 100% of the time.
As that very same thing happens literally every day for cars,
I don't think so, the same thing for cars would be you passing someone who is in the right lane and the immediately making a right turn from the left lane as soon as you get a head of them. In that case who is at fault for an accident?
That being said the law is that turning traffic has to yield to any traffic (foot, bike or vehicle) that is going through the intersection at that time (subject to traffic controls). In this case the vans driver failed to yield right of way,
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
You situation is not the drill. So for example, there are bike lanes and there are bike lanes. Some of the new standard "stripeing" makes that abundantly clear. The old stripeing (and most is still old) makes it literally impossible to not cross over into the bike lane. Unless of course to use your right hand turn from the left lane analogy, ie., you make the decision to not cross the bike lane. Indeed even under the new stripeing scheme, the bike lanes are crossed over almost as naturally as before and by bikers also.
Also some of the new stripeing schemes are enormously confusing. So for example in a major one close to me there is a stop limit line before the old stop limit line
Today was "nice driving day" or something like that in the Seattle-Tacoma area...there were random interviews on a news show, and one whiny guy was complaining about local drivers, saying everyone is "always in a hurrry". Hello?!? I've drive in a few states, and this area has by far the slowest drivers I have seen.
Ok I am again on my bike going to the gym to take the cycle class (yes biking to go biking). This trip is all along residential side streets and I have to cross one major road and I do that at a stop light. I am at the red light on the road waiting for the light to turn green. When it does I start across when all of a sudden from behind me a car enters the intersection and makes a right turn. We both hit our brakes (with me making an emergency right turn as I do) and we stop just inches away from each other. :mad:
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I agree. If there is a separate bike lane, as with a sidewalk, turning traffic must yield unless otherwise marked. If there was no bike lane and you were required to share the road lane, then you would need to yield even if the driver was being rude by passing you in the first place.
I tried pulling that "turn from the wrong lane" move once many years ago as a result of mis-reading the lane markings, and it did not work out so well.... :sick:
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
That ranking does not surprise me at all. Anyone who has driven all over the country could have likely written that list down with fair accuracy simply from empirical data. Yes, it really is that bad... especially in/near large cities.
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 enjoy driving in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon. The roads I drove on were excellent when compared to Disneyland-Ca, A person does not need a sign saying they are driving in Ca, they will know it by the potholed, patched, and congested roads.
I am looking forward to traveling back to Yellowstone this fall and will try to stay on Nev, Oregon and Idaho roads. And I also found the drivers seem to be more courteous than us Californians. But I am sure if you live in the above states you can find some discourteous ones too.
Good luck to all and stay safe, and a peaceful holiday to all.
I have seen a few things over the past few days that would warrant an "inconsiderate" post here, but by the time I get home I have either forgotten the incident or it really didn't seem to be important or "inconsiderate" enough to remember. But I saw one today that really got me. Headed out of town the road is basically a 2 lane highway with a few intermittent passing zones and in the direction that I was headed, one dedicated passing zone where the road becomes 3 lanes. I am behind 2 cars. The one directly in front is a Subaru driven by a somewhat older couple. In front of that is an old 70's Chevy pickup. It is loaded to the hilt with kids. 3 kids in the front and a gaggle of kids in the bed. I think there were 8 kids in the bed. They might not have been kids, but older teenagers 20 somethings so still kids because they were younger than me . Anyway, they are tooling along at about the speed limit which I really have no problem with although I like to travel a little above, but since they are at least going the limit, I can't and don't really complain knowing that a passing lane is coming up and I can get around them then.
Well the lane comes up and I get ready to get passed. The Subaru stays in the right hand lane and I start my pass. As I start to hit the gas to get past, the truck moves quickly from the right hand lane to the left and plants itself there and speeds up to about 5 over the limit. The Subaru in the right hand lane also adjusts his speed as well to match the truck's so that while the Subaru isn't directly beside the truck, he might as well have been as he didn't leave a large enough gap for me to get by with out squeezing bumpers. I think that maybe the truck is going to turn left soon (this has happened to me on this stretch before) so I hang back and hope that either the Subie will pass, or drop back enough for me to pass him, move over to the right and get past the truck before the lane ends.
We are now going about 60 MPH, but I know as soon as the lane ends we will drop back to around 55 which I really didn't want to do. This is really beside the point. The point is, the truck deliberately moved over to the left hand lane and matched speed with the car in the left hand lane to prevent anyone from getting by. Eventually, the Subie did fall back just enough that I was able to move over and get past just before the lane ended. Sure enough, once I was past and the lane ended the truck dropped back and resumed the right at the limit speed he was going before the lane began. I was now ahead, but I wasn't going so fast that I left them in the dust. If they had kept their speed that they were going while in the passing zone, they would have been munching my tail after I slowed back down after passing. As it was, they dropped back quite quickly after I got past leaving me to believe that the truck did just as I expected it would....
Found this. But it doesn't say anything about "adults".
811.205 Carrying minor on external part of vehicle; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of carrying a minor on an external part of a motor vehicle if the person carries any person under 18 years of age upon the hood, fender, running board or other external part of any motor vehicle that is upon a highway. (2) For purposes of this section, the open bed of a motor vehicle is an external part of a motor vehicle. (3) A person does not commit the offense described in this section if the person: (a) Is carrying a minor in the open bed of a motor vehicle and the minor is secured with a safety belt or safety harness that complies with rules adopted under ORS 815.055; (b) Is operating the motor vehicle in an organized parade; or (c) Is carrying a minor who is seated on the floor of the open bed of a motor vehicle in which all available passenger seats are occupied by minors, the tailgate is securely closed and the minor is being transported: (A) In the course and scope of employment, provided that the minor is transported in compliance with law and rules regulating the transport of workers; or (B)(i) Between a hunting camp and a hunting site or between hunting sites during hunting season; and (ii) The minor has a hunting license. (4) The offense described in this section, carrying a minor on an external part of a motor vehicle, is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §604; 1995 c.383 §53; 2003 c.107 §1]
so technically, it doesn't appear to be illegal for an adult to ride in the bed of a truck, just kids. For the vehicle I was following, as long as they were all over 18 they were legal (they were obviously not going to work or hunting). Was it safe?? Definitely not, but legal? Yeah it appears so. Still checking though.
I never really thought about it being illegal or not. As kids we used to ride in the bed of the truck all the time. We never really thought about it being unsafe. Sometimes we even used to sit on the tailgate and drag our feet on the ground kicking up the dust and making dust trails. Now that I am all growed up I think about that and wonder how and why we did what we did. I guess living on a farm that was just the way it was.
This story is a few years old so the info may be outdated now. Oregon isn't one of the states listed that allows passengers in pickup beds. (StarBulletin)
Wohoo! I'm going home to get my truck. Now I just have to find some kids..... :P
Naw, I am with Al on this one. I grew up riding in the beds of pickups as a matter of course and was not always safe doing so. Sometimes, I rode for relatively long distances (all the way across the state of Oregon, etc) in the back of a truck. We had a rail with plastic chairs on it in the primary truck, but the "belts" consisted of straps we tied off to the rail - probably not something that would hold up in a crash. But, when you have a single cab pickup and a family of five, what is less safe: Crowding the driver and being squeezed in the cab without belts, or riding in the bed of the truck? I think the squeezed cab is less safe as it increases the chances of a crash due to driver error, restrictions, distraction, etc.
I look back and think how I could have been hurt doing this or that, and even think "I would never do something like that now," but the fact remains that I did not get hurt doing it and none of my friends did either. Sure, if someone was hurt it would have been a great, avoidable tragedy, but the risk was still low.
I had to laugh reading the last couple lines in that article about the tethered pets versus children.... tether laws are not there to protect the animal in a crash, they are there to protect the animal (and others) at all other times.
Crashes happen - that is just the way of it. We all accept that risk, whether consciously or not, any time we use a vehicle.
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
It amazes me how many people speed up as soon as they hit a passing lane. They may stay in the right lane but they still speed up. All of a sudden you have everyone traveling above the speed limit and then as soon as the passing lane ends, everyone is forced to drive below the speed limit again. Fascinating. :sick:
In your case, that was a very lousy move by the truck to deliberately sit there. I wonder if both vehicles were together.
No inconsiderates tonight. But I did manage to kill a few thousand bugs that got in my way. The bugs right now are so bad that the wipers don't do any good and I have to clean the windshield every day. I have to go to the gas station just to use the window cleaner... (I should just go buy one and and keep it in garage huh?)
Oh and a deer jumped in front of me on the way home tonight. I was tooling along down the hill and up ahead I see this form jutting crookedly down the middle of the road. As it was dark I didn't notice him (her??) until I was almost upon it and then once I realized it was a deer, I hit the brakes and went for the shoulder and it was still in the middle of the road. It turned around, gave me the deer in the headlight look and jumped into my front driver headlight and fender area. I heard and felt the thump but by this time was going maybe 15 mph. I looked in my rear view mirror to see the deer loping off into the forest. I stopped, put my hazards on and got out my flashlight. I walked back up to where I had hit the deer but didn't see any tufts of fur or blood and the shined the light along the trees to see if I could see a stunned or dead deer lying around. I couldn't see anything and so I walked back to my truck to inspect the damage.
Fortunately there was very minor damage. Aside from a large thumb sized dent in the front edge of the fender over the headlight, there was none. The dent is noticeable, but nothing I am going to worry about. Just adds to the numerous dents already in the truck. I did find a little tuft of fur stuck in the rubber surround on the bumper, but nothing but dead bugs were caked onto the truck. Not even deer blood. For which I am very grateful. The last thing I want is a deer damaged vehicle and a dead deer to have to worry about. At least with another driver, the chance is greater that he'll have insurance!
ya - that's what really got me... I mean sure he was going the limit and I should have been glad for that and even satisfied by that. Even in the passing zone we were all technically "speeding", but that is not really the point. If we had never come to a passing zone and I had to stay behind him the whole time, as long as he was going at least the limit I would not complain, nor would I have really cared. Was it slower than I wanted to go? Slightly yes, but he wasn't really holding me up and it is common on this particular stretch to come upon vehicles that tool along right at the limit. It doesn't bother me even though I would prefer to travel at 5-9 over the limit since it's a wide open highway with wide shoulders and wide lanes... I also prefer not to be behind anyone and be subject to their driving whims.
It was when there was an opportunity to become unencumbered by a vehicle in front of me and the truck deliberately blocked that opportunity that it became an inconsiderate gesture - even if he was going above the limit.
Had another lady driver tailgate me again. Four lane highway. Little traffic. Apparently she doesn't want to pass and be going 5 over the limit as the first car the police trap might see. She'd rather tailgate and try to make the driver in front of her go faster so she can hide in the shadow. I'm going 4 over on a literally empty highway.
For tailgaters I tend to slow down to the limit. It's easy to stay right on 55 using my HUD. I give them a few chances where they can pass if they're so nervous about going faster than I'm going; then I start slowing the cruise control 1 mph at a time.
It amazes me how many people speed up as soon as they hit a passing lane.
I am probably guilty of that as well. Only because those passing lanes are on uphill stretches of road which will slow you down if you don't give it some extra gas as you start up it. Its hard to judge how much extra push on the accelerator to give so most times I tend to speed up. Not being a jerk or anything but in those cases I prefer to speed up as opposed to slow down.
Of course I have noticed that when I use cruise control the car will initially slow down then speed up to just pass the set speed going up hills like that.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
It amazes me how many people speed up when they are being passed, then let off the gas once the pass is complete. I see this all the time around here, it has happened to me on suburban roads and interstates alike.
The other night I got tailgated by a one-eyed Miata (the working light was on high beam, of course) as I was going about 68 in a 60. I didn't budge as the right lane was infested with 5-10 under the limit dawdling Sunday drivers...the Miata finally threaded the needle and got around me with a jerky unsafe pass, then about 30 seconds later, hit the brakes and veered right to make it to an exit. What a society...
Out west here that is really the oxymoronic thing. In the cities/suburbs you can probably go 4/5 mph over the limits and 7-9 mph over the limit on the highway for years on end and raise absolutely no eyebrows !!
I am at the stage anymore to let a tail gater go, even if I am in the extreme right hand lane. The corollary here is the extreme right hand lane is the defacto passing lane of choice, as there are few scofflaws actually going @ or below the speed limt.
On the other hand there is a statistical logic that if a cluster of cars is exceeding the limts, and the highway patrol is in the predatory customer service mode, it is a no brainer to be the slowest or middle speed of a 5 cluster.....
You can tell we both live in the Puget Sound area. However, I've seen this on trips all around the country. In fact, I always expect it now and I'm shocked when it doesn't happen.
And, Snake, I'm sure that if there was someone behind you, you'd be aware of your speed and would let them pass.
This reminds me of the story I shared from October '07 when I drove that huge truck/trailer combo down from Alaska. I still shake my head in disbelief when I think about that driver's behavior. But, at least passing him with that huge rig woke him up. When he soon passed me on a steep incline, I never saw him again. I suspect had I not passed, I would have been going 5+ under the limit for many more miles (even when NOT going up hill!).
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
the Miata finally threaded the needle and got around me with a jerky unsafe pass, then about 30 seconds later, hit the brakes and veered right to make it to an exit. What a society...
Well, maybe he was trying to prove something, make a point.
I very often see inconsiderates just before my usual exit from the interstate. Usually, I will get in right lane approx half-mile before exit and just maintain speed of 60-65 with right-lane traffic and keep modest/correct interval with car/truck in front. Frequently, somone coming up faster in left lane, who could very easily slip in behind me, or further back, just has to slip in just in front of me and just before the start of the off-ramp. Of course I follow them down the ramp and they gained one, or two car lengths. Big deal, suppose it gives them some sense of satisfaction.
Snake, I'm sure that if there was someone behind you, you'd be aware of your speed and would let them pass.
I do try my best for that. There have been times when in such a situation I have my cruise control on and there is a hill with a passing lane coming up with a car close behind wanting to pass. When I get to the hill I move to the right and leave the left lane free but the cruise control maintains my speed and the car behind me slows down due to the hill and never gets to pass.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
There must have been something going on today or my speedo was off. On my way home on the freeway it seemed as if I was constantly trying to stay out of people's way. The freeway is your typical road - 2 lanes in each direction. I generally go about 9 over on the freeway so I was going about 73-4 with the cruise set. When I go this speed, I will usually stay in the left lane unless the right is clear for a good long while. Also when going this speed, it keeps people from riding my tail, but it is also a good speed that keeps me from running up on anyone too. Basically, it is a speed that the general flow of traffic follows. As long as I watch my mirrors for any speed demons it is usually safe to stay in the left lane. I also usually stay in the left lane because the right is usually full of trucks and slower cars going anywhere from 55-65 mph and if I moved back over to the right lane after every car I passed, I would be switching lanes so much that I might as well never bother to turn my signal off.
But today, I found that I was constantly moving over to let people go by and then I would get stuck in the right lane behind a car going 55 while I waited for an opening to get back to the left lane. I kept getting passed all the way home, even though I was already going 9 over. This is generally enough to keep up with traffic, but apparently not today. I didn't really want to go faster - most everyone that past seemed to be going about 80-85 based on the rate at which they passed me. The work truck I was driving get's squirrelly above 75 and gets horrible mileage to boot...
So I just went along as best I could and dealt with it, but it sure seemed like everyone was in a hurry today.
I am very serious. The Altima that used to park beside me in my building's garage had a few photos on the gauges. I have seen it more than once. I don't want to stereotype...but the drivers tend to be not male, and not born on this continent.
I guess in the 70 stretches, 90 out here can move that fast too. In 60 zones, the right always seems to move 5-10 under, or when it gets sparse, is occupied by those going 70+ and wandering around.
Comments
Then I was driving on a 35mph suburban road divided by a double yellow line. I am in the left lane with a Focus in front of me. Traffic is light, and I will be turning in a turn lane in about 6 blocks. The Focus hits is left signal, to make what I guessed would be an illegal left turn into the housing developments on that side of the road, which the city in its infinite wisdom did not plan for with this stretch of road. So, I and several others get in the right lane and wait for the Focus to turn, so we don't get stuck. However, Focus guy keeps going and going, and I and several others get back in our lane to get into the upcoming turn lane, which the Focus also joins. He just decided to use his signal about 5 blocks before his turn...a real sharp cookie.
She pedaled straight as I began my left turn. The male bike rider, cut me off and was a decent chap, he apologized to me and continued to speed up in the same direction was the good looking woman.
Glad we missed connecting as that was the last thing I wanted to happen was to hit a bicyclist.
Oh well, I hope all of us have a peaceful and excellent Memorial Day.
jensad
In your situation, the vehicle drove past the biker, enabling the rider to see the vehicle's Right turn signal flashing. Thus, the biker is obligated to adjust his travel.
Wasn't there a story on this forum, somewhere, where a young fella was distracted by some shapely ladies on the sidewalk and ended up hitting a parked car? Things did not work out so well for him....
The Caddy
Ah, no. In such a situation when on overtaking vehicle making a right turn necessitates the biker to adjust their travel the overtaking vehicle should not overtake the bike but slow down follow the bike and make the turn behind the biker. By law a turning vehicle must yield right of way in that situation.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
While I (personally) drive to not make someone behind that "lets" me in change their travel, I think it would be a stretch to say that was the outcome 100% of the time.
I don't think so, the same thing for cars would be you passing someone who is in the right lane and the immediately making a right turn from the left lane as soon as you get a head of them. In that case who is at fault for an accident?
That being said the law is that turning traffic has to yield to any traffic (foot, bike or vehicle) that is going through the intersection at that time (subject to traffic controls). In this case the vans driver failed to yield right of way,
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Also some of the new stripeing schemes are enormously confusing. So for example in a major one close to me there is a stop limit line before the old stop limit line
link title
We're number 29!
We're number 29!
We're number 29! .......
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Today was "nice driving day" or something like that in the Seattle-Tacoma area...there were random interviews on a news show, and one whiny guy was complaining about local drivers, saying everyone is "always in a hurrry". Hello?!? I've drive in a few states, and this area has by far the slowest drivers I have seen.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I tried pulling that "turn from the wrong lane" move once many years ago as a result of mis-reading the lane markings, and it did not work out so well.... :sick:
On a serious note, I am glad you were alert and, therefore, are okay.
I am looking forward to traveling back to Yellowstone this fall and will try to stay on Nev, Oregon and Idaho roads. And I also found the drivers seem to be more courteous than us Californians. But I am sure if you live in the above states you can find some discourteous ones too.
Good luck to all and stay safe, and a peaceful holiday to all.
jensad
Well the lane comes up and I get ready to get passed. The Subaru stays in the right hand lane and I start my pass. As I start to hit the gas to get past, the truck moves quickly from the right hand lane to the left and plants itself there and speeds up to about 5 over the limit. The Subaru in the right hand lane also adjusts his speed as well to match the truck's so that while the Subaru isn't directly beside the truck, he might as well have been as he didn't leave a large enough gap for me to get by with out squeezing bumpers. I think that maybe the truck is going to turn left soon (this has happened to me on this stretch before) so I hang back and hope that either the Subie will pass, or drop back enough for me to pass him, move over to the right and get past the truck before the lane ends.
We are now going about 60 MPH, but I know as soon as the lane ends we will drop back to around 55 which I really didn't want to do. This is really beside the point. The point is, the truck deliberately moved over to the left hand lane and matched speed with the car in the left hand lane to prevent anyone from getting by. Eventually, the Subie did fall back just enough that I was able to move over and get past just before the lane ended. Sure enough, once I was past and the lane ended the truck dropped back and resumed the right at the limit speed he was going before the lane began. I was now ahead, but I wasn't going so fast that I left them in the dust. If they had kept their speed that they were going while in the passing zone, they would have been munching my tail after I slowed back down after passing. As it was, they dropped back quite quickly after I got past leaving me to believe that the truck did just as I expected it would....
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
811.205 Carrying minor on external
part of vehicle; penalty. (1) A person commits
the offense of carrying a minor on an
external part of a motor vehicle if the person
carries any person under 18 years of age
upon the hood, fender, running board or
other external part of any motor vehicle that
is upon a highway.
(2) For purposes of this section, the open
bed of a motor vehicle is an external part of
a motor vehicle.
(3) A person does not commit the offense
described in this section if the person:
(a) Is carrying a minor in the open bed
of a motor vehicle and the minor is secured
with a safety belt or safety harness that
complies with rules adopted under ORS
815.055;
(b) Is operating the motor vehicle in an
organized parade; or
(c) Is carrying a minor who is seated on
the floor of the open bed of a motor vehicle
in which all available passenger seats are
occupied by minors, the tailgate is securely
closed and the minor is being transported:
(A) In the course and scope of employment,
provided that the minor is transported
in compliance with law and rules regulating
the transport of workers; or
(B)(i) Between a hunting camp and a
hunting site or between hunting sites during
hunting season; and
(ii) The minor has a hunting license.
(4) The offense described in this section,
carrying a minor on an external part of a
motor vehicle, is a Class B traffic violation.
[1983 c.338 §604; 1995 c.383 §53; 2003 c.107 §1]
so technically, it doesn't appear to be illegal for an adult to ride in the bed of a truck, just kids. For the vehicle I was following, as long as they were all over 18 they were legal (they were obviously not going to work or hunting). Was it safe?? Definitely not, but legal? Yeah it appears so. Still checking though.
I never really thought about it being illegal or not. As kids we used to ride in the bed of the truck all the time. We never really thought about it being unsafe. Sometimes we even used to sit on the tailgate and drag our feet on the ground kicking up the dust and making dust trails. Now that I am all growed up I think about that and wonder how and why we did what we did. I guess living on a farm that was just the way it was.
Naw, I am with Al on this one. I grew up riding in the beds of pickups as a matter of course and was not always safe doing so. Sometimes, I rode for relatively long distances (all the way across the state of Oregon, etc) in the back of a truck. We had a rail with plastic chairs on it in the primary truck, but the "belts" consisted of straps we tied off to the rail - probably not something that would hold up in a crash. But, when you have a single cab pickup and a family of five, what is less safe: Crowding the driver and being squeezed in the cab without belts, or riding in the bed of the truck? I think the squeezed cab is less safe as it increases the chances of a crash due to driver error, restrictions, distraction, etc.
I look back and think how I could have been hurt doing this or that, and even think "I would never do something like that now," but the fact remains that I did not get hurt doing it and none of my friends did either. Sure, if someone was hurt it would have been a great, avoidable tragedy, but the risk was still low.
I had to laugh reading the last couple lines in that article about the tethered pets versus children.... tether laws are not there to protect the animal in a crash, they are there to protect the animal (and others) at all other times.
Crashes happen - that is just the way of it. We all accept that risk, whether consciously or not, any time we use a vehicle.
In your case, that was a very lousy move by the truck to deliberately sit there. I wonder if both vehicles were together.
Oh and a deer jumped in front of me on the way home tonight. I was tooling along down the hill and up ahead I see this form jutting crookedly down the middle of the road. As it was dark I didn't notice him (her??) until I was almost upon it and then once I realized it was a deer, I hit the brakes and went for the shoulder and it was still in the middle of the road. It turned around, gave me the deer in the headlight look and jumped into my front driver headlight and fender area. I heard and felt the thump but by this time was going maybe 15 mph. I looked in my rear view mirror to see the deer loping off into the forest. I stopped, put my hazards on and got out my flashlight. I walked back up to where I had hit the deer but didn't see any tufts of fur or blood and the shined the light along the trees to see if I could see a stunned or dead deer lying around. I couldn't see anything and so I walked back to my truck to inspect the damage.
Fortunately there was very minor damage. Aside from a large thumb sized dent in the front edge of the fender over the headlight, there was none. The dent is noticeable, but nothing I am going to worry about. Just adds to the numerous dents already in the truck. I did find a little tuft of fur stuck in the rubber surround on the bumper, but nothing but dead bugs were caked onto the truck. Not even deer blood. For which I am very grateful. The last thing I want is a deer damaged vehicle and a dead deer to have to worry about. At least with another driver, the chance is greater that he'll have insurance!
It was when there was an opportunity to become unencumbered by a vehicle in front of me and the truck deliberately blocked that opportunity that it became an inconsiderate gesture - even if he was going above the limit.
For tailgaters I tend to slow down to the limit. It's easy to stay right on 55 using my HUD. I give them a few chances where they can pass if they're so nervous about going faster than I'm going; then I start slowing the cruise control 1 mph at a time.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I am probably guilty of that as well. Only because those passing lanes are on uphill stretches of road which will slow you down if you don't give it some extra gas as you start up it. Its hard to judge how much extra push on the accelerator to give so most times I tend to speed up. Not being a jerk or anything but in those cases I prefer to speed up as opposed to slow down.
Of course I have noticed that when I use cruise control the car will initially slow down then speed up to just pass the set speed going up hills like that.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I am at the stage anymore to let a tail gater go, even if I am in the extreme right hand lane. The corollary here is the extreme right hand lane is the defacto passing lane of choice, as there are few scofflaws actually going @ or below the speed limt.
On the other hand there is a statistical logic that if a cluster of cars is exceeding the limts, and the highway patrol is in the predatory customer service mode, it is a no brainer to be the slowest or middle speed of a 5 cluster.....
You can tell we both live in the Puget Sound area.
And, Snake, I'm sure that if there was someone behind you, you'd be aware of your speed and would let them pass.
Well, maybe he was trying to prove something, make a point.
I very often see inconsiderates just before my usual exit from the interstate. Usually, I will get in right lane approx half-mile before exit and just maintain speed of 60-65 with right-lane traffic and keep modest/correct interval with car/truck in front. Frequently, somone coming up faster in left lane, who could very easily slip in behind me, or further back, just has to slip in just in front of me and just before the start of the off-ramp. Of course I follow them down the ramp and they gained one, or two car lengths. Big deal, suppose it gives them some sense of satisfaction.
I have never seen the right lane move 60-65...do you live near a stratch of Autobahn?
I like glancing in parked cars to see people with photos and knicknacks covering their gauges. You know those are bound to be excellent drivers.
Where I90 runs through rural. I90 right lanes do run slower closer in toward the nw suburbs of Chicago.
I do try my best for that. There have been times when in such a situation I have my cruise control on and there is a hill with a passing lane coming up with a car close behind wanting to pass. When I get to the hill I move to the right and leave the left lane free but the cruise control maintains my speed and the car behind me slows down due to the hill and never gets to pass.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
But today, I found that I was constantly moving over to let people go by and then I would get stuck in the right lane behind a car going 55 while I waited for an opening to get back to the left lane. I kept getting passed all the way home, even though I was already going 9 over. This is generally enough to keep up with traffic, but apparently not today. I didn't really want to go faster - most everyone that past seemed to be going about 80-85 based on the rate at which they passed me. The work truck I was driving get's squirrelly above 75 and gets horrible mileage to boot...
So I just went along as best I could and dealt with it, but it sure seemed like everyone was in a hurry today.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D