ROTD: being too nice while driving

[hank8001]

Originally Posted by Raven

quote: or if i am driving my 20 year old car i slam on the brakes.

I only reserve stuff like that for the really flagrant, aggressive tailgaters. A lot of the time it's more of a passive thing, when the person clearly was going about 15 mph faster than you until they get up to your car. Then, rather than taking a little bit of initiative and passing you, they just hang behind you at the same distance. You speed up, they speed up. You slow down, they slow down.

[Krispy]

If you guys are in the left lane and tried that "slow down" %$%$%$%$, youd have a real fun time with me.
If someone wants to go faster, get the %$%$%$%$ OUTTA THE WAY!!!!!
Who do you think you are?

LIers are a pleasure compared to the a-holes I run across in New England.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by Krispy

If you guys are in the left lane and tried that "slow down" %$%$%$%$, youd have a real fun time with me.
If someone wants to go faster, get the %$%$%$%$ OUTTA THE WAY!!!!!
Who do you think you are?

LIers are a pleasure compared to the a-holes I run across in New England.

I'll second that Krispy, the "high speed lane" is actually a passing lane. EVERYONE should basically stay out of it unless you're passing or really flying down the highway. There isn't any good excuse for riding up on someone in a slower lane though. Unless of course someone is roadblocking the passing lane.

If you're in the high speed lane, matching the speed of the vehicles to your right, effectively creating a roadblock, there's going to be trouble.

Slower traffic to the right. It's always been that way as far as I know.

I'm going to ASSUME we all have somewhere we'd rather be then driving, observing basic traffic laws generally would get us there quicker.

[BigBo]

Originally Posted by Pete_G

I'll second that Krispy, the "high speed lane" is actually a passing lane. EVERYONE should basically stay out of it unless you're passing or really flying down the highway. There isn't any good excuse for riding up on someone in a slower lane though. Unless of course someone is roadblocking the passing lane.

If you're in the high speed lane, matching the speed of the vehicles to your right, effectively creating a roadblock, there's going to be trouble.

Slower traffic to the right. It's always been that way as far as I know.

I'm going to ASSUME we all have somewhere we'd rather be then driving, observing basic traffic laws generally would get us there quicker.

That's fine, but I don't want to drive 50 mph in one lane nor do I want to drive 80 mph in the other. That seems to be your only choices lately.oke:

[Pete_G]

I suppose there is center lane abuse going on also on your average 3 lane highway, but if the passing lane was open you could just pass and then settle back into the center lane. But I agree, there are as many center lane hogs as there are in the passing lane.

Germany has drving figured out. Only recently have most German cars received cup holders. You're in the car to drive and get from point A to B. And you're harrassed mercilessly if you sit in the passing lane. It might even be illegal.

[Thom]

I"m pretty sure in Mass if you are in the passing lane and driveing to slow they can and will give you ticket depending on the time of year and where you are driving. ThomT

[hank8001]

Originally Posted by Pete_G

I suppose there is center lane abuse going on also on your average 3 lane highway, but if the passing lane was open you could just pass and then settle back into the center lane. But I agree, there are as many center lane hogs as there are in the passing lane.

I wholeheartedly support the "get out of the passing lane if there's someone who wants to go faster" concept, but I have a hard time understanding the "center lane abuse" concept.

If A) I'm in the center lane and B) going at least the speed limit, which is hard not to do, and C) the lane to the left is clear, then I'm going to sit there all day if I please. If somebody else is going faster behind me in the same lane, they're free to use the lane to the left to pass me, as I would do in a heartbeat if I was in the center lane and coming up on them. If they want to make some kind of power game out of it where they're going to tailgate me until I get out of "their" lane, then let the games begin.

Incidentially, the grump I wrote about earlier (people come roaring up and then won't pass) most often happens when I'm driving in the rightmost lane, so that has nothing to do with being a passing lane (or even center lane) hog.

As far as the leftmost lane, like I say I completely support getting out of that lane to let somebody who wants to pass do so - when I can do so without screwing myself over. And when the person behind can maintain a respectful distance until that's possible it's a beautiful thing. More often than not, though, the person behind is a pushy A-hole who tries to intimidate you into getting out of the lane with tailgating. Again, turns into a power game at that point.

[Krispy]

To clear this up. Im not talking about moving out of the center lane to pass the car in front of you and moving back to the center lane. (unless you do it as Im coming up or you squeeze in when there is not enough room) Its the folks doing 75mph in left and sit there, thinking their Speedy McSpeed and wont move when I come up on them, because they are "already going fast".
The courteous thing to do is move into the center for those who are faster, and back into the left lane to pass.

Otherwise you could go from Boston to Miami in the left going a little faster than the center lane.
In traffic, alls fair..

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by hank8001

I wholeheartedly support the "get out of the passing lane if there's someone who wants to go faster" concept, but I have a hard time understanding the "center lane abuse" concept.

If A) I'm in the center lane and B) going at least the speed limit, which is hard not to do, and C) the lane to the left is clear, then I'm going to sit there all day if I please. If somebody else is going faster behind me in the same lane, they're free to use the lane to the left to pass me, as I would do in a heartbeat if I was in the center lane and coming up on them.

Doing what you're describing isn't the problem, people who crawl in the center lane create the problem. They are the reason a lot of people are unwilling to get out of the high speed, which is really the passing lane. Then that of course frustrates those who are traveling faster.

People seem afraid to pass these days. Or maybe they're just lazy, I don't know. I always try and travel in the center lane and then just pass as needed.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Krispy

If you guys are in the left lane and tried that "slow down" %$%$%$%$, youd have a real fun time with me.
If someone wants to go faster, get the %$%$%$%$ OUTTA THE WAY!!!!!
Who do you think you are?

LIers are a pleasure compared to the a-holes I run across in New England.

So If I'm driving in the fast lane and going faster than the other 3 lanes but you feel the need to go 90 mph.......I'm just supposed to get in a slower lane so you can get by.....I think not.

I agree that if I'm in the fast lane and driving the same pace as the rest of the traffic I should move over but if I'm going faster and just waiting to pass the slower traffic....then the guy driving up my ass and hitting the brights can basically pucker up and Kiss mine....I'm not moving.

Its like George Carlin said "Everyone going slower than you is an idiot, everyone going faster than you is an a$$hole"

[Krispy]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

So If I'm driving in the fast lane and going faster than the other 3 lanes but you feel the need to go 90 mph.......I'm just supposed to get in a slower lane so you can get by.....I think not.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thats exactly what you are supposed to do!!
The left lane is not "the fast lane". ITS THE PASSING LANE

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Krispy

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thats exactly what you are supposed to do!!
The left lane is not "the fast lane". ITS THE PASSING LANE

If I'm going faster than the other 3 lanes then am I not Passing them?

And aren't you just doing the exact same thing as me....I'm just not doing it as fast as you would like me to. so you ride up on my butt and expect me to move....again....not happening.

When I get past the slower traffic I'll move....Flashing your brights is'nt going to get me to a) Go Faster or b) Move out of the way.

[BigBo]

You got it TDF.

[Backbeach Jake]

Originally Posted by Krispy

If you guys are in the left lane and tried that "slow down" %$%$%$%$, youd have a real fun time with me.
If someone wants to go faster, get the %$%$%$%$ OUTTA THE WAY!!!!!
Who do you think you are?

LIers are a pleasure compared to the a-holes I run across in New England.

If I'm passing everything in sight and you glue yourself to my back bumper, who do you think you are? You think I'm gonna get stuck in the middle lane behind Ma and Pa Kettle just for you?