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;^)
Again you make a good point about dropping back x amount of distance behind someone you intend to pass. The fact of the matter is that a tailgated in the critical moments, if he is say two or less car lengths behind, makes a TERRIBLE passer! Why? He cannot go instantly 20 mph faster in one or two car lengths?!!! Which means he will spend precious seconds trying to make his car "wind up" enough to pass, in the oncoming lane!!!!.
Using this principle, I don't tail gate to pass. Why? Oh Jeopardy, What is the meaning of DUMB? If a guy is in front of you and if he does not move when you are legally behind him (ie safe distance) chances are he is not going to get out of the way with you on his tail!! So at the very least one should look to pass long before you are tailgating.
Oh yes I got that !
Part of the problem with passing are cars stacking up behind a slow vehicle in traffic, a honey dipper, for example. They are inexperienced, incapable of making a decision, or just afraid to pass the slow vehicle. They also speed up to not let someone trying to pass pull in in front of them, So that 2-3 cars out of the 7-8 stacked up behind the honey dipper can be passed at one time. Car number 3 will race the passing vehicle to try to keep the passer from getting in front of them. I have experienced this more than once.
I used to be much more confrontational. I now realize that I share the road with an unlimited number of anal pores. But, old habits are hard to break.
I am glad you brought up an example. To tell you the truth I don't know if TX has a similar 5 vehicle back up law as CA, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say yes for they have a slew of "slow" moving equipment paying taxes to share the road. Not to mention it is a great aggie state. And did I forget BEEF!!??
1. You don't have to take your shoes off to count to 5.
2. So a slowpoke didnt have to look in a mirror and wonder if he is one.
3. Even if you have a 5th grade reading level past the 12 grade. ALL can count to five, if the cops ever gave a ticket.
The way traffic is in California, might they just put "bunching ticket" booths at every urban interstate on ramp? ...every picture I see of LA freeways has a lot of bunched cars.
Well, every police officer has a LOT of discretion. Like today I saluted a CHP as I was going by him, at let us say at approximately the speed limit.:) He just smiled and actually saluted back. Other times I have been passed like I was standing still by CHP without his lights on.
So if I was to give a rule of thumb 5-9 over the speed limit on freeways, (sleeps ville) at 10 mph over if they have some program goals they might pull you over.
But I have to tell you during my latest trip to and through Los Angeles 80-90 in a 65 zone and you were barely keeping up with the flow. As a matter of fact, I followed a bomb squad truck for app 35 miles. As the cars moved out of its way (lights and siren on) my daughter counted 25 cars following this police vehicle (it was going 90-95)
While they were pulled over, traffic resumed its normal speed and was whizzing by at 75-80 mph, which is pretty typical for the Turnpike...
Well in the spirit of dedicated public service, I will gladly let some other customer be served first!!
That's not a value statement for others - just my choice of driving strategy. :-)
I think that is the beauty of our highway and freeway systems, anybody can almost set their own speeds ! The "no impediment" laws are really there so that the greater % of drivers can share the road as SAFELY as possible.
I also use my blinkers (I try to 98-99% of the time) and the incidence is not very high. I have on some occasions changed lanes quickly and closely and even with that does not elicit the response as you have mention. I also try to make a lane change where it does not force someone to slow down. I also wave at folks in the rear glass when they let me in. Also, if I can, I try to put some more distance between the one who let me in and me.
I know for me, I get a bit frosted if someone gets in front of me and slows down. I can understand folks needed or wanting to get in position for next move, off ramp etc. Keep talking and a pattern might emerge.
I agree with all the comments of dropping back, then picking up speed at the appropriate time to pass in the left (oncoming) lane. That is an easy task.
I think what we are talking about here is a different situation. Described as follows:
1. Car #1 going 70 in a 55.
2. Car #2 approaching from rear at 80.
3. Car #1 does not speed up or slow down to impede Car #2, but rather continues at 70.
4. Car #2 decides to get 2 feet from the bumper of Car #1.
Apparently, the only way Car #2 can maintain a speed of 80 is to force Car #1 to do so, because Car #2 apparently has not mastered the difficult art of passing on a two lane road. Or Car #2 doesn't have the patience to wait 60 seconds for a passing zone.
Either way, Car #2 is in the wrong.
There is a certain "this is the sound of one hand clapping" going on in your scenario. Car number #2 is not heeding the "keep right except to pass" law! Which to my way of dreaming should be more vigorously enforced.
But in truth it is a defacto speed obstacle. For that reason it is not only tolerated but is rarely enforced. So what would car number 1 think and do if car number 2 got in front of car number 1 and proceeded to slow to 55 mph? You know it is the speed limit and I as car number two am now THE ENFORCER!!! Now not only is 55 safe, I can now safely pull out my cell phone and do my nails and pick my teeth in the rear view mirror!!??
I would submit and I would suspect you would just see the positions in the circle jerk reversed is all.
A more proactive approach: My take is car number two should have passed car #1 on the right long before he was in a position to tailgate. Car number 1 was advertising for a long time that he was not going to move out of the way.
In addition, if I was car #1 I would move right slightly in the lane to give car #2 a better sight pattern. As soon as he started to pass I would get off the gas (decrease or level out my own speed)so he can get over safely ASAP. (We all need to remember that on alternate times and days, sometimes we are the bug and sometimes we are the windshield.)
On the multi-lane highway issue, both cars should be right until the need to pass arises.
To answer the question of a car moving to the left lane and slowing down, I would simply pass on the right. Note that it is easier to give the salute this way!
I can really twist this thing around if we are talking rush hour traffic (but that has been beat to death).
Kinley, technically speaking, both cars are speeding. However, with the way traffic is these days, in many instances (one exception being bad weather) going at the speed limit is rather dangerous.
Well for sure but like I said it is easy to reverse the circle jerk. If I as car #2 pass car #1 and suddenly get religion and get back down to 55 making the car in back go from 85 to 55 and do all those other things car number one who is now car #2 that is now his issue?
One take can be aggressive mets passive aggressive. Does this really help in sharing the road?
I'm driving on a divided freeway, 2 lanes in each direction. I'm in the RIGHT lane, driving at SL+, minding my own business. No traffic. A car gradually catches up from behind, doing maybe SL+10. When he gets to me he changes into the LEFT lane, and begins to pass. So far, so good.
Irk #1: He advances into my left blind spot, and matches speed.... mile after mile, he just rides there. No traffic, no reason, just stays there. Why? He had to have been moving faster than me to catch up, why not go on and pass. Complete the maneuver! Do it! Execute!
Irk #2: Same guy, but he passes as he should, changes back into the right lane, and promptly drops speed until I'm on top of him. Now I have to turn cruise off or pass him back. Why do so many people do that? If I pass someone I feel an obligation to maintain the same or more speed than them, at least for a while, so as not to inconvenience them.
Comments?
- when there is a passing zone and I'm passed by another car while maintaining my speed, and finding the rear bumpers of that car a mile further because the driver slowed down;
- when I'm passing and the guy on the right lane accelerates...
The scenario I set forth above did not plan for one car passing another and then slowing down, which is of course irritating.
Everybody is in a significantly more dangerous situation than if they were allowed to separate at their own speeds.
The Smith System Defensive Driver Training program lists 5 main defensive actions every driver should always take. One of them is "Leave yourself an out." Bunching up traffic like that eliminates everybody's "out." Any mistake by any single driver will almost certainly result in a multi-vehicle collision.
Onother Smith System action is to "Look for impediments well ahead." They recommend 15 seconds ahead, which is a long way, but in that pack nobody can see more than a few seconds ahead.
That sort of rolling roadblock contributes to a much more dangerous situation, and constrains people to sit through it whether they wish to or not.
They can call it whatever they want, but my take on the 3 ship police cruise was merely a SHOW of force.
The patrol cars do not cause the "bunching up". The bunching up is the result of the individual drivers electing to do so. What prevents them from staying behind the patrols at safe distances and driving as though the patrols were absent? When the followers choose to chomp at the bit, that is not the fault of the patrols. Each individual driver has the responsiblity to follow at a safe distance, leave 15 seconds, and have an escape formula, but they don't and higher speeds will not provide those factors, only individual driver decisions will. I've never heard of a major crash as a result of or participating in a safe patrol. Those who try to fly without wings cause the crashes.
The fact is that cars will gradually catch up to the pack and proceed in a bunch. Longing to replace "what is" with "what should be" is idealism. That's fine for setting standards and selecting a direction. Ignoring "what is" all together is somewhere between ignorant and stupid, and not what we employ police for. They are demonstrably causing more of a problem than they are fixing.
There is also an invisible phenomenon that happens as a result of the "safety maneuver" or more commonly after an accident. I do not think it has a name, but if someone knows it please post.
On the freeway,have you ever been backed up behind and come to a place where there was an accident and or safety maneuver and ALL folks stop with no apparent reason?(longer after the event has gone?)Now if this is a a good safety practice why do we not put up stop signals to effect this phenomenon??
"Why can't we all just get along" - Rodney King
That would include having some courtesy and respect for your fellow motorists.
Aim High in Steering (15 seconds ahead)
Get the Big Picture (306 degree visibility and attention)
Keep your Eyes Moving
Leave Yourself an Out
Make Sure they See You
Pretty much common sense in my view.