Left Laners, Aaarrrgh!

a reply to: waftist

While I agree that these slower drivers in the fast lane are a nuisance on the roads the danger they cause is not as bad as others, the ones who are the opposite of the slow drivers.

The ones that I hate are the other 'individualists' on the road. While the ''slowpokes'' are expressing a kind of ''me first'' individualism, their brand of individualism is not as big a threat to road safety as the others.

These others are the drivers who believe that the freeways are meant for them to drive as fast as they want. These are the drivers who often give no regard for ''safe'' stopping speeds between cars traveling at 65 to 75 mph. As the right lane is so often for truckers traveling at ''truck'' speeds, say, 55 to 65 mph often a line of autos will be passing on the left, often at speeds of about 75 mph.

Often, most drivers can see that slower semi up ahead of them in the right lane and find a safe opportunity to move into the left lane where a line is forming to pass the semi or other slow vehicle that is in the right lane, leaving a considerably clear lane behind the slower semi.

The MFers I hate are the ones who think so highly of themselves that they speed through this clear area behind the semi, passing those in the left lane and then at the last moment squeeze their car into the last possible 'safe distance'' slot before they crash into the rear of the semi and then immediately have to put on their brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of them while the car they have just ''cut off' must now slow down causing the car behind them to brake and the car behind them to brake on down the line.

So while I think the ''slowpokes'' should be sent back to drivers school I think these others should be sent away to Devil's Island where they need to be shackled one leg to another and forced to walk behind the one in front of them keeping their outstretched hand on the shoulder of the person ahead teaching them about how to keep their place in the grand parade of life. All day long.

I forgot to mention people who slam on the brakes in the rain and snow! How could I forget such a great group of drivers.

The first thing to do in tight traffic in slippery conditions is slam on your brakes out of no where and not turn into the right lane when it's open.

originally posted by: Edumakated

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: waftist

Depends on if lanes are free to the right and how much over the speed limit I'm traveling. Many people who are going faster will just pass me on the right before giving me time to move over anyways because they are just moving so fast that they are already forced to weave around traffic.

I do get annoyed with people driving too fast... There have been times where I am literally doing like 80mph in a 55mph and you still get some dipwad coming up on you tailgating because you aren't going fast enough.

I have a friend who does this. He's constantly speeding and tailgating the people in front of him. He gets annoyed at their speed being too low, then he flips out when others do it to him.

a reply to: Krazysh0t
I recall a car commercial propaganda slogan from two or three decades ago, i forget which manufacturer. The slogan was ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM. Not advertising the safety assets of the car nor the comforts or such but rather just how fast it would go, zooming in and out of an obstacle course, swerving and darting. I thought at the time, just what that was doing to the over all gestalt of public driving, placing so much emphasis on the ''race car'' mentality that they sought to attract.

Someone who was going to be attracted to buy this car and pony up ten's of thousands of dollars for their new sleek and jet streamed wundercar would want to use that new car for precisely that reason, to go zoom zoom zoom. And where would they do that? Would they take it to a ''course". Would they take it to some out of the way road and go zoom zoom zoom? At times, sure. But mostly they would go zoom zoom zoom in and around other drivers who were more interested in getting home safely rather than zooming.

Basically, it's illegal: Stay in the right lane except to pass. Period. My pet peeve is semis who want to pass each other so they can go 1/2mph faster on a hill. I've seen them stop up all three lanes of a freeway and cause long back ups for that extra 1/2 mph. And in some cases, they can't make it around and must fall back behind. Swift drivers are the worst at this (though there are a lot of them, which may skew the results.)

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
a reply to: waftist

While I agree that these slower drivers in the fast lane are a nuisance on the roads the danger they cause is not as bad as others, the ones who are the opposite of the slow drivers.

The ones that I hate are the other 'individualists' on the road. While the ''slowpokes'' are expressing a kind of ''me first'' individualism, their brand of individualism is not as big a threat to road safety as the others.

These others are the drivers who believe that the freeways are meant for them to drive as fast as they want. These are the drivers who often give no regard for ''safe'' stopping speeds between cars traveling at 65 to 75 mph. As the right lane is so often for truckers traveling at ''truck'' speeds, say, 55 to 65 mph often a line of autos will be passing on the left, often at speeds of about 75 mph.

Often, most drivers can see that slower semi up ahead of them in the right lane and find a safe opportunity to move into the left lane where a line is forming to pass the semi or other slow vehicle that is in the right lane, leaving a considerably clear lane behind the slower semi.

The MFers I hate are the ones who think so highly of themselves that they speed through this clear area behind the semi, passing those in the left lane and then at the last moment squeeze their car into the last possible 'safe distance'' slot before they crash into the rear of the semi and then immediately have to put on their brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of them while the car they have just ''cut off' must now slow down causing the car behind them to brake and the car behind them to brake on down the line.

So while I think the ''slowpokes'' should be sent back to drivers school I think these others should be sent away to Devil's Island where they need to be shackled one leg to another and forced to walk behind the one in front of them keeping their outstretched hand on the shoulder of the person ahead teaching them about how to keep their place in the grand parade of life. All day long.

You should see how people drive here in Chicago. The stuff I see regularly every morning on my commute:

1) Driving in emergency lanes. People literally using the emergency lane as a passing a lane just so they don't have to sit in traffic.

2) Weaving in and out of lanes (no turn signals either). Literally, driving like they are playing Mario Kart.

3) The most egregious thing I see people doing is using a LEFT TURN lane as a passing lane. You will have say 15 cars at a stop light in middle lane (lane to go straight). There will be a left turn lane with no one in it. These dipwads will jump in the left turn lane to pass all the cars sitting at a light to go straight then as soon as light turns green, they shoot out in intersection from left lane to merge back in front of the cars going straight.

I ride motorcycles and it gives you entirely new perspective on how bad people drive.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

I think I remember those commercials. I think they were from Mazda.

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

Pretty sure that was Mazda.

I remember thinking the same whenever it came on. I wasn't even driving age at the time and it annoyed me. I would think to myself "How did this get through even the most basic of whatever steps the ad guys take in creating a slogan?"

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

While these slow drivers are annoying you absolutely have a point about them not being the biggest road safety hazard.

In this animation they show how traffic jams come to be and through personal experience I have noticed that the red car in this simulation usually is a BMW/Audi executive line type of car with a "very important" businessman inside who actually only uses the left lane until the very last moment when their exit comes up.



Peace

originally posted by: operation mindcrime
a reply to: TerryMcGuire

While these slow drivers are annoying you absolutely have a point about them not being the biggest road safety hazard.

In this animation they show how traffic jams come to be and through personal experience I have noticed that the red car in this simulation usually is a BMW/Audi executive line type of car with a "very important" businessman inside who actually only uses the left lane until the very last moment when their exit comes up.

Peace

The issue is the slow drivers cause people to get impatient and thus change lanes frequently. Their darting in and out of a lane causes drivers to hit the brakes which then causes an accordion effect leading to a traffic jam. The best thing you can do to not contribute to traffic jams is 1) stop being so impatient and changing lanes every five seconds (i.e. red car) 2) speed up to flow of traffic and don't be a slow poke and 3) not riding brakes. I see people hitting brakes far too frequently when all they probably have to do is just take foot off gas and let car slow down naturally in heavy traffic. Instead they are so busy yapping on phones or fiddling with the ipad on their dash, they don't sense the traffic slowing and hit their brakes abruptly causing all the cars behind them to brake...

a reply to: operation mindcrime

This is certainly one cause not all causes.

Usually the semi pace car isn't in traffic. They just don't like not being able to not see and pace the truck side by side creating a jam behind.

Then there are the overgrown 8 year Olds who stare at construction or emergency vehicles.

And of coarse those who don't use there mirrors and slam on the brakes in slippery conditions not paying attention to where the safest place to escape is.

Worst drivers by car imho:

1) Dodge Challenger/Charger: Almost always driven by some hood rat. Really aggressive driving, weed blowing out the windows, and you know the car payment is more than their section 8 rent.

2) Infiniti G30: Always some vaping bro with a flat brim hat and black socks. Car is a luxury fast and furious. Did ok and usually works in IT or sales. May also be driving a Subaru WRX.

3) Pick Up Truck Contractors: Usually some lifted f250. Some blue collar/contractor type guy. Guy rides all up on your bumper essentially pushing you out of the way.

4) Lexus rx300: Typically some surburban mom to engrossed in putting on her eyeliner to actually see what is going on around her.

In Oklahoma and Kansas, it is illegal to drive in the left lane on the highway unless you are passing. The highway patrol between Tulsa and tahlequah are having a heyday writing tickets for this now, tickets are for impeding traffic.

a reply to: waftist

In most places the left lane is just a lane. Anyone can use it for however long they desire.
The left lane on the Jersey turnpike is reserved for passing and in many places the left lane is a designated HOV lane like on 64 in Virginia. But most of the time it's just another lane.

a reply to: Sillyolme

Ahhhh...okay. It explains a lot...

In Europe (I believe most countries anyway) it is always law to drive as far right as you can and only use the left lane for overtaking. Not that most are bothered by this rule but sometimes they actually pull people over for this..

Peace

I'm just outside of Toronto and travel the 400 series daily. I feel your pain. That is when traffic is moving at all.

a reply to: schuyler

I hate it when semi's are competing over 1/2 a mph....it take so freaking long!!!

I don't know if the American rules are different in this aspect but over here, trucks are only allowed to use the first two lanes so no trucks on the third or fourth lane. We also have stretches of two-lane highways where trucks are not allowed to overtake..

Peace

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

I can’t agree more about this. I drive a limo 250 miles round trip every day in Arizona on the I17, for work. Everyone wants to be in front of me. Sometimes only leaving inches between our bumpers when they cut me off. Limo’s don’t have special ‘limo brakes’. I drive fast — flowing with the traffic.

To use that space behind a semi to cut everyone off in the passing lane just slows down traffic even more. Why can’t these people see that they are the cause of their initial frustration in the first place??? IMO, they are self entitled. They are the first to get pissed when someone does it to them. Then it becomes a back and forth with no end. Every day I wish I didn’t have clients in my limo, so I can give these @$$hole drivers a piece of my mind. Sometimes I have seen them at the same destination — we were going to the same place. I tell them their a f’ing a’hole and to learn how to drive. Of coarse they act as if they don’t know what I’m talking about and basically cowar (I’m not a small dude and have been told I have an intimidating look to begin with). Amazing how cocky people are behind the metal of their cars. Once their is no car, they are cowards.

You’d think it would be young kids. But it’s not, it’s usually middle aged men and 20 something year old woman.

As far as the left laners, they are all ages and sexes. Experienced it enough to know that it’s 50/50, either self entitled a’holes or people just completely oblivious to their surroundings. I honestly don’t know what’s worse. I’m not fond of either personality type. I would like to see cops pull these people over, but they don’t. They only pull over people egregiously speeding. So to further my statement, cops a facilitating this bad behavior by doing nothing about it.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Edumakated
I just find in general that people are not very good drivers. They are inattentive to their surroundings.

I can drive with my knees while texting better than anyone.

Same here. Skimming through YT for music vids via car stereo, texting and having a conversation takes mad skillz yo.

a reply to: swimtim

...and it's against the law. Not once have I seen anyone pulled over for hogging the middle lane.

On the bright side, we can overtake police at 80 when the limit is 70. Take the rough with the smooth.

Bear in mind, on highways that go thru contested or urban areas with frequent exits, it is advisable to stay in the left lane so vehicles can enter and exit the freeway easily.

Other than that, dig a big hole somewhere and toss them all in it.