NA - Slow Drivers.

it must be terrible for those drivers behind the guy going the speed limit.

such a tragedy
 
Lol!
Although I wish we could drive the speed limit in any lane in Denver. With all the traffic every lane is crawling along.
 
ColoPilot said:
Lol!
Although I wish we could drive the speed limit in any lane in Denver. With all the traffic every lane is crawling along.
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It's one guy, early in the morning, going slow in the left lane that causes all that.
 
mscard88 said:
I think most left lane cloggers just do it intentionally. I can see a few of the characters on POA being that person.
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Apparently Bob Noel is one of them!

I don't mind if people are only going the speed limit in the left lane as long as they are actively passing people in the right lane(s). Otherwise, they are "policing" the lane and just doing it to be a prick.

I admit though that if I am in the left lane passing people in the right lane and some jerk comes up and starts riding my ass... zigging zagging back and forth like a douche... I will actually slow down to the speed limit (partly because they are creating an unsafe situation, partly because I'm a beetch). If they have those incredibly annoying blue/LED headlights, I'll go even slower. Because f' people with those things.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Apparently Bob Noel is one of them!

I don't mind if people are only going the speed limit in the left lane as long as they are actively passing people in the right lane(s). Otherwise, they are "policing" the lane and just doing it to be a prick.

I admit though that if I am in the left lane passing people in the right lane and some jerk comes up and starts riding my ass... zigging zagging back and forth like a douche... I will actually slow down to the speed limit (partly because they are creating an unsafe situation, partly because I'm a beetch). If they have those incredibly annoying blue/LED headlights, I'll go even slower. Because f' people with those things.
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Uh oh, read what I put in red, then read what you wrote after that. While I agree people acting like that are douches, better just to let them go then **** them off because they just get more aggressive. No substitute for horsepower in those situations.
 
PaulS said:
Uh oh, read what I put in red, then read what you wrote after that. While I agree people acting like that are douches, better just to let them go then **** them off because they just get more aggressive. No substitute for horsepower in those situations.
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I didn't say I am not occasionally a douche as well ;)

But I agree.
 
PaulS said:
Uh oh, read what I put in red, then read what you wrote after that. While I agree people acting like that are douches, better just to let them go then **** them off because they just get more aggressive. No substitute for horsepower in those situations.
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A 1911 will settle them down in a hurry. They can be ticked off all they want, when they find out you have the capability to remove their kneecaps along with everything below then all of a sudden they calm down.
 
Try it in Germany. I believe you can actually be ticketed for being a left lane prick (per Cajun lol).
 
mscard88 said:
Try it in Germany. I believe you can actually be ticketed for being a left lane prick (per Cajun lol).
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Pretty sure you can be ticketed in the US. Though I'm not sure I've ever seen it happen.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Apparently Bob Noel is one of them!

I don't mind if people are only going the speed limit in the left lane as long as they are actively passing people in the right lane(s). Otherwise, they are "policing" the lane and just doing it to be a prick.

I admit though that if I am in the left lane passing people in the right lane and some jerk comes up and starts riding my ass... zigging zagging back and forth like a douche... I will actually slow down to the speed limit (partly because they are creating an unsafe situation, partly because I'm a beetch). If they have those incredibly annoying blue/LED headlights, I'll go even slower. Because f' people with those things.
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I'd say you're creating a more unsafe situation by slowing down.. even the old lady got that.
 
ifly4fun said:
I'd say you're creating a more unsafe situation by slowing down.. even the old lady got that.
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If you keep your speed up and then have to hit the brakes suddenly (animal runs in the road or traffic quickly stops in front of you), the person behind you is going to slam into you. The faster you were going, the faster the person riding your ass was going - which means the harder and more dangerous the impact. While it would be their fault for riding too close, it's still on you to try to lessen the danger of the situation. Smartest thing is to slow down until you can get back over to the right lane. And then extend your middle finger out the driver's side window as they zoom by. Obviously ;)

I always wonder what goes through people's heads when they drive like that, though. Do they actually think if they get super close and zig zag back and forth with their brights on, you are going to say, "OH... well, gee wizz golly, I better move back over so this kind and obviously very important person can get by!"
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
I always wonder what goes through people's heads when they drive like that, though. Do they actually think if they get super close and zig zag back and forth with their brights on, you are going to say, "OH... well, gee wizz golly, I better move back over so this kind and obviously very important person can get by!"
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I'm sure it's like .001% of the time this happens but what if that person had an emergency? It doesn't hurt me any to get out of their way.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Smartest thing is to slow down until you can get back over to the right lane. And then extend your middle finger out the driver's side window as they zoom by. Obviously ;)QUOTE]

Yup I used to do that. But now with all the road rage going on some of these idiots are armed and just might take a shot at ya. So I just try to get out of the way. Most of the time anyway.
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Yep, I'm on both side of that fence with Cajun.

When I pass people, I do it intentionally and with consideration to people who are going faster then me. In that rare situation someone comes up behind me in the left lane while I'm passing, I will usually speed up to pass the people in the right more quickly then move over and resume my normal speed. But if they come up behind me and ride my bumper at a .5 second following distance, I will slow down to make sure it is a safer distance.
 
It happens in aviation too!! Just land that ****ing plane!!!! I'm #2 on short final!!

COME ON!!!! MOOOOOOVE IT!!

 
Mtns2Skies said:
I'm sure it's like .001% of the time this happens but what if that person had an emergency? It doesn't hurt me any to get out of their way.
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If they have an emergency, then they need to put their flashers on and/or have a police escort.

mscard88 said:
Yup I used to do that. But now with all the road rage going on some of these idiots are armed and just might take a shot at ya. So I just try to get out of the way. Most of the time anyway.
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Although I may do it in my head, I don't actually do the middle finger thing. Dated a guy way way way back in the day who turned out to be a complete psycho and, thus, a road rager. One day he was driving down the road with a friend of mine, when someone in another vehicle gave him the middle finger for cutting him off. So, in pure psycho form, he ran the dude off the road, grabbed a bat and tried to get the guy out of his truck to beat him up. We only lasted a couple weeks.
 
The big peeve for me are those folks that can't figure out their cruise control - especially in late model cars.

I have about an hour-long commute on mainly 4-lane roads. Half of it is along a lightly-traveled (in the morning) state highway, the rest on an interstate. The speed limit is 70, so my cruise is set for about 77. At least once a week, I'll pass a car that is traveling slower in the right lane and get back over, only to have them passing me on the left again in a minute, getting back in front of me and slowing down again, over and over. It's an eternal game of leapfrog that is incredibly annoying.
 
Remember, some of us have children in the car. We drive that way because we give a **** about our most precious cargo. When they want to drive like a jackass I am not going to drive like one just to get out of their way. I will move over when it is safe to do so. If in such a hurry, then you should have woke your dumbass up a bit earlier! Whenever we travel I always carry a sidearm, you never know what kind of looney is Hong to come across your path and with my children involved and my wife I will take no chances.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Apparently Bob Noel is one of them!
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He's not the only one. RTOT.

Mtns2Skies said:
I'm sure it's like .001% of the time this happens but what if that person had an emergency? It doesn't hurt me any to get out of their way.
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You may need to move the decimal point to the right to get to the percentage of time they are on their way to an emergency seeking a cause.
 
I typically do about 5 to 10 MPH over the limit, in the right lane, except at dawn or dusk in exceptionally deer-infested areas, at which times I slow down based on my experience with the road in question. There are no speed limits on most of our local roads, which by default makes them the state limit of 55 MPH with a prima facie override based on conditions. Deer are one of those conditions, in my opinion. They're even more of a nuisance than a-holes around here just because of their numbers.

I think my driving habits make me typical for these parts. The deer had an easy winter last year, so the population is bigger; and in any deer population, there are always that percentage who are depressed and attempt suicide-by-car. Prozac hasn't caught on in the family Cervidae. Practically everyone I know (including myself) has either hit or been hit by a deer at some point, and slowing down dramatically reduces that risk. Adequate spacing between cars also reduces the risk of slamming into the guy in front of you when he stops short to avoid a depressed deer, which is why the locals tend not to tailgate. We're all paranoid of deer.

What annoy me more than left-lane squatters, therefore, are right-lane tailgaters, almost all of whom are from out-of-town. If you don't want to give me some credit for knowing the risks of my local roads and driving accordingly, then just pass me if you think I'm driving too slowly. I won't be offended. I'll even smile and wave as you pass by. We like smiling and waving around here. It's somthing in the water.

When the annoying tailgaters finally do pass me, the vast majority are either from Connecticut or have license plate frames from downstate dealerships. I used to think that New Jersey drivers were the rudest and the worst in the world (even when I was one), but Connecticut drivers put them to shame. Their cars seem to have only two speeds: 35 MPH or 95 MPH. I think they have a toggle switch rather than an accelerator pedal because they never seem content to just go with the traffic flow.

New York City and Long Island drivers, however, are the most communicative. Unfortunately, their communication tends toward single-digit messages.

Rich
 
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And here I thought digital comms were the standard. Rich has characterized it as unfortunate....
 
According to Lt. Google of the Google PD: "Eleven states only allow the left lane for turning or passing. In 29 states, the law is that any car driven slower than the “normal speed of traffic” should be in the right lane, even if it's going at the speed limit. A few states, such as Alaska, don’t allow slow left lane drivers if they’re moving slower than the speed limit."


Ravioli said:
He's not the only one. RTOT.
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What does RTOT stand for?
 
Read The Other Thread.

There was one about 6 months ago where
<- that guy
got schooled on why it is illegal to NOT speed while everyone is rushing to where ever they aren't getting to on the roadways.
 
I raced cars for several years in my younger days. (not straight line, not driving around orange cones in a parking lot) I was full of **** and vinegar. I put a few drunks into the ditch, and even a few of those, its my road and I'll go whatever slow speed I want and I don't care how many cars I block, picked up new dents in their rear bumper. The chrome horn works...

I had a number of friends that were cops, and even they understood that their radio might not even catch me if I didn't want to stop.

Now that I am older,(and just full of ****) I usually put the cruise control on at about 4-5 miles over the limit and ride the right lane. I try to teach my wife that half of the time driving is spent looking in the rear view mirror.

As far as road rage from others, my two lawyers, Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson will end any arguments, if that driver can actually catch up to me.
 
In 1958 my older friend, who was old enough to drive, and I were driving home from an afternoon of waterskiing on LaCamas Lake. He owned a 1958 Impala "348" tri-power 3-speed column shift.

Some other hot car came alongside and revved up its engine. Sam floored it and went through the gears. We did pretty good and started to pull away. That tri-power setup really sounded good, especially with the air cleaner removed.

The best part........we were pulling the boat!!
 
PaulMillner said:
Are you sure? I don't know PA law, but in CA it's a prima facial speed limit, so the true limit is what's safe... are you certain PA law is different?

Paul
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CA is the Wild West. Back East, the speed limit is what's written on the sign (with the "per conditions" caveat, which is how they get you.)
 
PaulMillner said:
Are you sure? I don't know PA law, but in CA it's a prima facial speed limit, so the true limit is what's safe... are you certain PA law is different?Paul
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Does that mean the primary esthetician decides the speed limit?

Please continue this list of states who choose to disregard the federal mandated maximum speed law. We'll send that up to the Transportation department, cut their road funds, and spend the money on the military. The funds lost at the state level can be recaptured by enforcement/fines. Actually a better way to fund local roads in my OPINION.
 
I think some of it is a matter of two (or more) perspectives going on.

Slow driver thinks "What's your point in driving faster than me, we'll both get to our destinations within a minute of each other, and your way is more dangerous. I'll just shake my head at you as we arrive at the stoplight together."

Fast driver thinks "I feel comfortable going five over, if you can tell you're holding me up, will you please move over?"


They are both right; but the difference is in the perspective. Think of it from a pedal bike perspective; you are pedaling along at 15 mph. You catch somebody who is more comfortable (and safer!) only driving 10 mph. You communicate "On your left!" to the other pedal biker. They hear you, and move over to the right. AWESOME! That's just how it's supposed to go. They don't give you the finger, they recognize you wanted to go faster, you're taking the danger of said action into your own hands. You could possibly head-on hit another biker, or crash on gravel, but it's not 10 mph guy's job to police the bike trail. They are courteous and move over. Everybody is happy.

If the pedal biker tried to block you, and pedaled along at 10 mph along with somebody in the right side of the path, gave you the finger and yelled "EFF YOU!!!! What's your damned hurry? We'll get to the end of the path within minutes of each other!", you might respond "It's not about getting there one minute early, it's that I feel comfortable and gives me sanity traveling at 15 mph".

Now back to cars; you can't yell "on your left". You can't flash your lights (VERY offensive, don't you know), you can't honk. All you can do is catch up to the "mobile roadblock", and hope the guy in the left lane sees you catching up, and has some sense of courtesy to get out of your way. That's your way of saying "on your left". If they don't notice you, or don't care to go faster (for one reason or another), you have no recourse. There is no courteous way to say "on your left", at that point. Again, flashing lights, getting close to the guy, honking, all cause the slow guy to rage, and he/she will now try to punish you for being a jerk.

It's not about getting somewhere quicker, it's that one person has maybe a more capable vehicle, better tires, brakes, etc, and feels more comfortable going just a teensy bit faster than you'd care to go. Nothing wrong with that.

If somebody catches up to me, even one person, I'll speed up before they get to my rear end, if possible, and get in the right lane and let them by. I DON'T want them on my tush, I have nothing to gain by keeping them there. In my experience, if somebody caught me, they want to go faster than me, I move over, let them by, and never see them again.
 
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