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trying to visualize a "straight turn".
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/20110608_Driver_s_Seat__A_little_left-la- ne_courtesy_goes_a_long_way.html
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The Seward Highway, which is easily the second-busiest in Alaska next to the Glenn Highway between Anchorage and Palmer, has come a LONG way in the last twenty years (wow - I can't believe it has been that long, honestly!). Back in 1991, it was a narrow, windy two-laner all the way to its ends (Seward or Homer). There were three or four relatively short three-lane sections for passing, and a few more stretches graced with a dotted yellow line, but other than that it was a matter of going the speed of the slowest vehicle on the road for hour, after hour, after hour....
Winter also sees much lighter traffic on the highway than during the summer months. Once the snow melts, traffic flow to the peninsula grows hand over fist between out-of-state visitors and residents going to enjoy dip-netting, deep-sea fishing, fly fishing, hiking, etc. Mix the two, and things can get ugly unless drivers are courteous.
Here in interior Alaska, traffic tends to be much lighter - a fact for which I am quite grateful. :shades:
I was referencing a statute that pertains to two-lane road, and states that a driver who is impeding traffic should pull over and let other vehicles around. But it specifically states that impeding traffic only applies at speeds under the speed limit.
When I looked back, he was now right next to the car in the right lane, matching it's speed. The last time I looked in my mirror, he had three or four cars piled up behind him and he was still right next to the car in the right lane. I guess he was having CHiP fantasies, and thought he was enforcing the speed limit.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
I wasn't aware of the law that you were referencing, but it would be nice to see it enforced! I would agree with this law, but it would be nice to have the courtesy of being able to get around the "slower" vehicle, even if they are doing the limit
I chalk it up to a driver who either had no idea of the rules of the road, or didn't care.
Oh, on the same stretch there was another Highlander, about the same year, driving along in the dark w/o lights on. I guess they finally noticed theirs was the only car on the road w/o lights and put them on, because they passed me (again) awhile later--they must have stopped off for awhile.
But my favorite of the night: a big red pickup flashed by me at what must have been triple-digit speeds. About 30 minutes later I saw a patrol car on the shoulder, lights flashing, and the officer was having a discussion with the driver of that pickup. The driver looked quite upset. Maybe he was trying to explain to the officer that his uber-pickup was more than capable of safely driving the speed he was clocked at.
There seem to be some brands of cars that skip on the $2 it would cost to install a sensor for automatic lights on at dusk. Even my Cobalt has that.
>was trying to explain to the officer that his uber-pickup was more than capable of safely driving the speed he was clocked at.
And that he was a superior driver to those "other" people the state allows to use "his" road.
I recall a person I worked with talking about in the 70s how he was clocked in his Chevy on I-75 at speeds of 120+. The trooper asked him why he was driving so fast on HIS (the troopers) road. No ticket.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Every now and again I hear someone tell the story of how they were clocked at very high speeds and didn't get a ticket. I seriously doubt that very many, if any, are true. It seems to be just bar talk.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
You would be surprised. I was tagged a long while back doing around 100 in a 65. I knew I was "dead to rights" so I pulled over and waited for the officer. There was no sense in having him chase me down.
He was really cool about the whole thing. I had forgotten to put my new insurance card in the glovebox, so that is the ticket I received. He could have easily written up that plus the speeding, plus reckless driving.
Also, a lot of people have family in law enforcement, a quick name drop can make all the difference.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Despite the hysteria from the safety-nannies, most cops realize that speeding isn't dangerous under certain conditions. A logical, thinking person realizes that going faster than permanent metal signs along the road may or may not be a dangerous thing to do, given varying conditions - weather, daylight, traffic volume, and yes, even type of vehicle and driver ability. Even if the big reflective sign indicates "55 MPH" is the speed limit, the safe speed may be as low as 15 MPH in heavy fog, it might be 35 MPH if it's snowing, and it might be 100 MPH on a dry day with no traffic.
I've talked to a number of cops about speeding tickets, and they'll privately admit they need to write up tickets as part of their job. Some write more than others, most realize that a lot of speed limits are too low, and some are completely aware of the speeder vs. cop game. A cop buddy of mine doesn't write anybody up unless they're going at least 15 MPH over, unless they are the weaving, obnoxious type.
It is another reason why enforcement camera's readily demonstrate they are really only for revenue enhancement.
Also saw a Prius merge onto a highway amusingly - 10 under the yellow sign on the curvy on-ramp, then floors it when the lane straightens out, almost hits highway speed, veers into the leftmost lane and then goes ~5 under to around the speed limit with traffic going by on the right. !@#$% hybrid drivers.
This one is true. This would have been back in the 60s when there was little traffic on that interstate back when it was being built in parts. It was very early in the morning and friend was just blowing the soot out of his 327 IIRC. He said the trooper was a very large, tall fellow.
I heard the story many different times over the years and it always was the same story.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Yep. When I see someone repeatedly changing speeds for an unknown reason, they are often talking on a phone, or worse, texting. I've had it happen many times. Weaving left and right is another indicator. I immediately get the heck away from them.
Don't want anyone injured, but maybe it takes a fast-food reastaurant hot coffee incident to wake up these jerks. Senior citizens would be highly vulneralbe to tripping over these trailer balls. If, when that happens, and smashed face/nose, broken arm, etc result, hopefully there will be witnesses nearby to not only call 911 for ambulance, but police to charge the offender.
That works. Had a red firebird once and seemed to be picked on by cops a lot and think red was a draw. Once in Chicago, an officer following me (I saw him in the mirror) and was very careful, but apparently he thought I did not put on my turn signal far enough in advance of an intersection to turn. He pulled me over and told me so. Was polite, did not argue. I gave him my license and then asked him if he new my first cousin (same last name as mine), a Chicago police officer. He said that he knew him and he let me go.
Another time, in a suburb of Chicago, stopped on residential street for going over, 5-10?, in a 25. Never met the officer, but recognized him from wife tellling me about him coming into legitimate business place, on official suburb police business, that my wife worked at. I told him who my wife was, he knew her well, and he let me go.
The police blotter is usually nothing but deer strikes and speeding tickets. I can only assume that the trooper knows the speeder's cousin and hates their guts for teasing them in the 4th grade.
The other thing Michigan cops are rumored to do is to make a U-Turn when they see an out of state plate on the front of a car and then go give chase. But front plates aren't required in Michigan and it's apparently okay put another's state's plate on your car. The transplants from Wisconsin and Illinois know better than to keep their old plates on the front as souvenirs, but you'll see a lot of New York or Oregon or Alaska plates on cars--when the cops turn around they see the Michigan tag in back and give up.
Did a 4 hour RT today and the only inconsideration noted were the two deer on the road. A third one was already road kill as were two porcupines. Had the in-laws and no towels, so didn't collect any quills (or dinner).
IMO anyone going 30 mph over the limit on a road with other traffic (including wild animal traffic) should get a ticket with a large price tag attached. Minimum. Unless it's a life-or-death situation (no, needing to get home in time to see Dancing with the Stars doesn't count).
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
That reminds me, coming home there were four of us in the van, some 4 grocery bags in the middle bench and the back of the van was crammed floor to ceiling with 256 sq. ft. of well compressed R38 unfaced batt insulation. Wish I had taken a pic; barely got the hatch to close. Not sure what the volume was compressed but you couldn't have squeezed in a pillow back there.
And I still managed to spot the ambulance coming up from behind on a lonely stretch of highway with just the side view mirrors in plenty of time to move to the shoulder. Not so considerate I suppose, but it sure is fun bragging about how much stuff you can cram into a minivan. Guess I could have tossed the road kill on the roof rack. :shades:
But on Sunday before Memorial Day a Mini Cooper passed with its roof loaded--wide load. The large over-sized bedroll stuck out about 2 feet past the edge of the roof to the left. It was handing out over the air on the left side of the car. There were various other things all over the roof. I kept watching for that roll of soft stuff to let go. He was not speeding but he wasn't going 55 in the right hand lane either. I was amazed at how loaded that roof was. I did not hae my camera.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Second place - driver who I won't describe in a Lexus GX, in traffic waiting for a free right turn. Cars would take their turn and go, so we'd creep up a little every 10 or 20 seconds. When this Lexus would stop after moving forward, it would slam on the brakes, making the car dive down. Did it 5 or 6 times, so it wasn't an accident, just an idiot.
Honorable mentions to two people I noticed while I was jogging, pulling out of parking lots directly in front of oncoming traffic. One Camry almost got nailed by an E55 like mine...MB driver didn't even honk, just went around. Classy. Other one was a Jeep with Texas plates.
I see all this and as i approach s/he is stopped in that through lane. Since I am making a right turn no big deal as I take the right turn lane slowly pass him and turn right. After I pass him he gets in the right turn lane and follows me riding my rear. I mean I cannot see his front bumper and its a 25 MPH residential road we are on. About a half mile or so down the road is another light and we both turn onto a 4 lane 45 MPH road, I accelerate to between 45 and 50 MPH and the guy just falls further and further back.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
As I was driving down the road at about 25-30 (probably a bit faster than I should have considering the depth of the water, although I didn't lose any traction), the water was somewhat deep (about 4-6 inches) and I was basically forging through, and barely noticed two morons walking down the MIDDLE of the road side by side (instead of the much safer sidewalk) with their backs to me. Instead of slamming on the brakes, I swerved slightly around them, spraying them with a nice wall of water. Don't think their umbrella was of much use at that point
However, not watching for cars coming and making way for them is a bad thing!
I run into similar settings when I have snow. The sidewalks aren't shoveled or have ice; the roads streets in our fair village are well plowed and/or salted. I often walk down the street for my exercise.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Understandable if the sidewalk is blocked or impassible, but when it is the better option... stay on it!
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Cabs were notorious about it, yes...also weirdly aggressive and not always too good at planning for gaps in traffic.
And even more surprising to me, every glimpse I saw of NYPD had them appearing to be pretty professional and well mannered. Didn't see any speed traps or revenue collectors wasting money chasing jaywalkers like they do in Seattle.
Horns can actually be a good thing, many people use it to let you know there is room for you. Or to get your butt moving if you sit at a green light for more than a second...
As for traffic cops, I think they do a fine job there. The one yelled at a bicyclist as I almost drilled him into the ground. The cop directing traffic was trying to get the traffic moving in my direction, and told the cross street (one way street from the left) to stop. Well, this above all rules bicyclist decided to ignore the cop (after the cop jumped in front of him blowing his whistle and held his hands up to get him to stop. He ignored the cop, and I ignored the bicyclist. Missed by a few inches at about 40 mph, just a dumb deer in the headlights stare from the guy on a bicycle.
I wasn't about to swerve left into the cop, nor did I want to risk being rear-ended by the guy who was directly behind me.
nor did I want to risk being rear-ended by the guy who was directly behind me.
Yeah, I have to totally agree with you there. I would always choose to risk hitting an inconsiderate cyclist, rather than take a chance that I might be rear-ended in my car. :sick: