The left lane is for PASSING you idiot!

Drive on the Autobahn and you WILL move out of the left lane. That kind of stuff is not tolerated in Germany where there is no speed limit. You can't pass on the right either, which seems to piss them off just as much. And the trucks. My God, the trucks. I've never seen so many trucks clogging up the right lane. So that presents a problem. The trucks are all behind one another doing 40-50 in the right lane and the Mercedes and Porsches are in the left lane doing 100 plus, and there is no middle lane. So what do you do? You are subject to getting munched either way.

reply to post by schuyler

Drive on the Autobahn and you WILL move out of the left lane.

Meh again, schuyler.

I've heard that one before. And I bet you have heard this one before: "Good thing we don't live in Germany".

It humors me a little to know that there are those out there that soothe their traffic horror by somehow going to an imaginary Autobahn where all of the cars click efficiently from one lane to the other with the crisp 'click' of a Swiss army knife.

It's like their Happy Place.

Whatever works, right?

I used to get quite annoyed with heavy traffic and bad drivers.

Then i bought a motorcycle and the morning commute became more of a pleasure than a chore.

Now - i have been knocked off 3 times in the ten years ive been riding it, all directly due to lousy car drivers, but im okay with it - 3 short instances of extreme annoyance and rage is worth ten years daily rage free

Originally posted by MystikMushroom


ETA: And yes, I WILL brake check you if you continue riding my ass.

Why lie and call it a brake check when you're really trying to intentionally cause an accident, that may result in nothing but an escalation often into what's known as road rage that endangers everyone on or near the highway, just to satisfy your ego?

Selfish & dangerous and I ask you to reconsider your stance - not for me but for yourself since you will have to live with the consequences of your actions for the rest of your life. While you seek to blame others for daring to infringe in your territory, the reality is, it is you who either sets up the battle or you who allows others to go about their business unmolested without imposing your morality or anger towards them.

When I get on the freeway or highway I attempt to do so without affecting traffic and when there is more than one lane of travel and I notice someone coming up from behind I try to get out of their way as soon as I can when possible - it is the courteous and responsible (respectful) way to treat others. It also keeps bottlenecks from building up, takes the stress away and prevents accidents.

reply to post by FortAnthem
Drive the interstate everyday and see this all the time, and you have to pass them in the right lane. Major pet peeve of mine also, along with people who don't let you merge onto the interstate even though the left lane is open, and people who order cars without turn signals. It seems even worse when your on the cycle, you need to have your head on a swivel.

Aww thats nothing.
My grandmother didnt get a driers license until she was around 50. You know the "suicide" turning lane? We used to call that " Grandmas special lane"/..... cause she used it almost exclusively. I was with her one day and we were trying to get to my uncles house. Now Im older and she is OLD... she takes the exit and I tell her she took the wrong exit. This nut actually does a u turn into the other lane and goes up the exit ramp the wrong way to get back on the overpass. My nails are digging into the arm rest and Im yelling YOURE GONNA GET HIT!! YOURE GONNA KILL US!! SHe calmly says.. no one will hit me.. I have a red car, they can see me.

I dont ride with grandma anymore. Thank God its a small town she is in. The joke was that when she is driving that car.. stay off the sidewalks.

reply to post by FortAnthem


Amen.

Everyone knows the left lane is for me.
This is explained very clearly here.Watchitburn's guide to highway driving.

1. The left lane is for me, Stay out of it!
2. If you have to use my lane, you should be prepared to drive at least 80mph.
3. You can exceed the posted speed limit by 9mph anywhere without worrying about getting a ticket.
4. If you find yourself in a group of 3 or more vehicles, you can go as fast as you want. Just don't be the last vehicle.
5. There is no reason to use your brakes on the highway. You have a gas pedal and a steering wheel for a reason, Use them!

Originally posted by Bybyots
reply to post by schuyler

 

Meh again, schuyler.

I've heard that one before. And I bet you have heard this one before: "Good thing we don't live in Germany".

It humors me a little to know that there are those out there that soothe their traffic horror by somehow going to an imaginary Autobahn where all of the cars click efficiently from one lane to the other with the crisp 'click' of a Swiss army knife.

It "humors you," does it? It hunors me that you are replying to what you imagine I said rather than what I actually said. I've been there and done that, behind the wheel, for hundreds of miles in Germany. It's not imaginary. I never implied it was a crisp "click." I didn't say that. Indeed, I painted an opposite picture of being between a rock and a hard place, between slow trucks in the right lane and fast cars in the left lane. There is no "driving 63 in a 65 zone" in Germany. The fact is, left lane hoggers are not tolerated, period.

reply to post by schuyler

It "humors you," does it? It hunors me that you are replying to what you imagine I said rather than what I actually said. I've been there and done that, behind the wheel, for hundreds of miles in Germany. It's not imaginary.

Yes, deeply. I lived there, too, schuyler, and in Italy, so I have done both Autobahn and Autostrada. So I know how folks that have lived there for a while come home with that sort of attitude. That's why I think it's funny.

There is no "driving 63 in a 65 zone" in Germany. The fact is, left lane hoggers are not tolerated, period.

No, no, I got you the first time. You are right.

Good thing we don't live in Germany.

*shrug*

P.S. Schuyler, I just think this is a fun debate because I live in one of the worst parts of the country in terms of traffic. I mean no disrespect. I hear you, driving in Europe is crazy and has its own set of serious problems.

It can get a bit like that here as well, only it seems the opposite; it can be really hard to get past the trucks to get off the highway.

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by FortAnthem

 

So our economy is crashing, Korea is threatening a nuclear war, our troops are still in the Middle East, there are shootings happening all over the nation, and you choose to get hacked off over someone driving two miles under the limit in the left lane?

Tell me more about how that is so irritating in comparison to the hell this world is going through.

edit on 12-3-2013 by AfterInfinity because: (no reason given)

Yea well... theres more to life than doom and gloom.

Plus: his economy may not be crashing, hes not in korea and doesnt give a damn, he's not and does not have anyone in the middle east, doesnt care about shootings and scare tactics and... well likes to drive.

Too many variables. You worry too much

reply to post by FortAnthem
I can relate to the frustration with slow drivers in the passing lane. On I-10 in my area the speed limit is 75mph. There are signs instructing slower traffic to keep to the right, and yet there will always be some yoyo riding the far left lane doing between 55 and 60mph- and they won't get over for anything! I am not a speeder; I have cruise control and I use it as much as possible. I have seen more wrecks occur from lines of traffic in the "passing lane" having to slam on their brakes because of these idiots than from any other cause. We do have a minimum speed limit, but I think a minimum of 45mph in a 75mph zone is way too slow. I feel if you want to drive that slow you should stick to riding the "feeder" road.

To be fair what if you plan on passing everyone? I cant stand people who think they can enforce traffic laws and dictate to the rest of us how we should drive. Thats what police and highway patrol are for, let them do their job. If they aren`t around write to your state reps. and complain. Glad they dont enforce it much where I live, it has and always will be the fast lane. Besides when people see my car coming they usually get out of the way anyways.

reply to post by FortAnthem


And there's no passing on the right on a single lane road! I've almost been hit three times in the last three months. I walk to work. The sidewalks are all ice and snow, so pedestrians have to walk on the shoulder of the road. Three times a car went to turn left and the car behind them swerved right to go around, almost hitting me. One time a cop was turning left and a car went around him and JUST missed me. That idiot got a ticket.

It's interesting some of you admit to being guilty of this... on purpose.

My primary goal once getting behind the wheel is to get from point A to point B as safely as possible. And I HATE it when someone comes up on my bumper and pushes me down the road. It's very uncomfortable. I'd rather just get out of their way so they can go on. If the speed limit is 70, I'm going 71, and the person behind me comes up at 72, I'll still get out of their way.

It's so much more leisurely to get the stress off from someone riding my butt.

Heck, even at the grocery store I 'pull my cart over' and hug the shelf so others can get buy. That helps me not feel so rushed to get out of the way and I can process my selection at my own pace.

Behind the wheel of the car, it's just not worth getting into an accident. I'm also a firm believer in that you never know what another person is going through. Maybe they're trying to get to the hospital or maybe they are late to something very important. If you're that worried about someone's dangerous speed, call it in. I'm not going to try to self regulate the traffic. As a self-admitted slow-poke, I'd rather just move over and enjoy my peaceful and safe drive while jamming out to some tuneage or enjoying the conversation with my passengers, if any.

hmmmm I think I've found a new way to peeve off people!!

It's not as good as my favorite, but close.

When people "tailgate" me, I like to slow down, really slow... until I get to a dashed line, then I speed up so they can't pass until we get back to the double yellow line and slow down again. I figure if they're gonna ride my bumper, they're gonna ride it slow

Just for the record, if they stay at a safe following distance, I will speed up for them, then ease off when we get to a passing zone so they can get by, it's only the tailgaters I do that to.

reply to post by kthxbai


I do that all the time too to people who tailgate me when there's a car ahead of me. Nothing pisses me off driving more than that. I can't go any faster than the person ahead of me. So I just slow to crawl, and speed up whenever passing is allowed.

Oh yah, S&F for the OP. It's just common courtesy. Not passing? Move over for someone who is. Want to enforce the traffic laws yourself? Go to the police academy and get a badge.

Common practice in South Carolina to drive in the left lane.
The car handles better.
In Kentucky,if you are driving 15 miles over the speed limit ,you are to slow because the cops pass you.

Originally posted by kthxbai
hmmmm I think I've found a new way to peeve off people!!

It's not as good as my favorite, but close.

When people "tailgate" me, I like to slow down, really slow... until I get to a dashed line, then I speed up so they can't pass until we get back to the double yellow line and slow down again. I figure if they're gonna ride my bumper, they're gonna ride it slow

Just for the record, if they stay at a safe following distance, I will speed up for them, then ease off when we get to a passing zone so they can get by, it's only the tailgaters I do that to.

I know it's terrible, but I do this as well, and find it hilarious. I know it's really not good to make matters worse, but nothing makes me angrier than someone riding your ass. There is a safe distance to keep when driving your car. When people ride your ass, it's them endangering my life, the life of anyone in my vehicle, as well as theirs, and anyone around them that could be affected. It really bothers me that they have such little respect.

Soooooo, I slow down. I'll slow down bad. I'll go 20 in a 30mph road. If they continue to ride, I'll go slower. Thankfully lately, most people get the hint, and back up. Once backed up, I quickly speed back up to the limit, and go on our merry way. Sometimes people get pretty pissy, though.

My g/f was driving us somewhere in Fort Collins(can't remember where we were going), and some bald jerk in glasses started riding our ass. So she got mad, and started slowing down. The guy wouldn't stop riding, even got closer. After a few moments he sped up, and just drove through the bike lane, rolled his window down, and called me a bunch of racial insults because I'm hispanic. I just waved at him, and laughed, because my g/f was the one driving, and she's white. lol

I've done the slow down thing for tailgaters too. It just seems to piss off the jerks in my area. I find the better way to get them to back off is to swerve unexpectedly a few times in front of them or drive like I'm drunk. Folks don't like following someone who may do something unpredictable.

I'd like to pull this stunt but, it would probably get me arrested.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/16f7fe1aed01.gif[/atsimg]

It might be worth it though...

OMG, I am from Chicago, but live in LA now. You should see the freaking idiots out here, and this is what your complaint is about?????????