Posted on 11/04/2009 8:43:59 AM PST by ExGeeEye
Assume the statutory speed limit of 70 MPH; the tendency of the local constabulary to ignore violations up to 5 MPH over; A stream of traffic in the right-hand lane averaging 68-72 MPH; and a certain sense of scofflawry and haste on my part that may rise to the level of a ticket without tipping over into the “reckless” category; and the fact that I am therefore in the continuous process of "passing on the left" all of those law-abiding drivers in the right lane.
A question: exactly how fast must I be going before I must make way for a non-emergency vehicle intent upon hitching ride in my trunk?
Someone once told me that 20-over is an acceptable maximum. That’s 90 MPH. I had to ask, "are you serious?"
And this 'education' includes giving drivers the idea that there is no speed limit at all in the left lane? That they have the right to tailgate and flash their lights at people who are driving with, or even faster than the speed limit, and the traffic flow in the left lane? I highly doubt this 'safety education' you speak of says the existence of a left lane means you can go 90 in heavy traffic and everyone should just get out of your way.
Then you'll move over, I'm sure, and won't have to worry about it.
Seriously, this is your defense? If traffic is moving 15 mph over the speed limit, you claim that you are relieved of your obligation to keep the left lane for passing only?
Seriously. This is ridiculous! What's with you guys trying to defend the odd, occasional buttmunch who just can't seem to get it into his pea-sized brain that when both lanes are FULL, he can't indulge his pathetic NASCAR fantasies?
The jackasses who need to "defend" (or better yet, amend) their behaviour are the headlight flashing, tailgating lane-weavers who arrogantly and ignorantly refuse to adjust their driving habits to match traffic conditions.
Fortunately, they are few.
At least, in NoVa they are few.
One can hope that their recklessness leads them to an incident with Odocoileus virginianus ... thereby ridding us of two pests.
I live in a metro area of about 2 million, so decently sized. I drive to work every day on the freeway. It's a four lane highway and traffic is, I would consider, moderately heavy. I drive between 70-75, which is 10-15 above the posted speed limit. I have no trouble keeping the left lane for passing.
It is not difficult. Pass on the left. When you are done passing, move right.
Yes the education is directed at people like you, traffic flow is what is important about keeping the freeways from locking up and people making dangerous lane changes trying to get around incompetent or hostile drivers that are in the wrong lane.
That, my FRiend, is why I moved out of Fairfax County.
When they stop citing speeders, I'll believe it. (All my tickets, other than two for parking where I shouldn't have, have been for speeding.) For even more impressiveness, they can do like Montana did for a while-- abolish daytime speed limits-- or post "Recommended Safe Speeds" with enforcement only happening after a collision.
We're talking about a different group of people than those that get on the freeway, immediately drive to the left lane, and sit there for twenty miles on their drive to work?
I just want to make sure we're talking about the right group of people who need to change their behavior.
Incidentally, I agree that tailgating lane-weavers are the most reckless drivers on the road. It is not excusable driving. It is primarily caused, however, by people that refuse to obey the concept of slower traffic to the right.
But as long as I am still passing the cars to my right, I’m not done passing or “holding up traffic”.
You don’t have any right to expect I must do all my passing at 90. Technically, the left lane also has a speed limit, the right lanes are for traffic that is slower than that. You don’t get to decide how fast I must pass them, and I don’t have to keep jumping back and forth to accommodate people who don’t want to slow down. You too, have to share the road and adjust to the flow of traffic.
If there are no cars to my right, I’ll move over. I am NOT obligated to slow down to merge right just because you want to go faster. I might if you’re nice, but if you’re a tailgating butt about it... I most surely won’t.
I have never seen CHP pull over a car that was within the traffic flow, even when the traffic flow was 80mph instead of the listed 65mph maximum.
(snicker)
I was just in the "back" sorting some parts and came up with a new t-shirt idea I might put on cafepress...and debating in my mind whether to actually use the word "ass" or use asterisks. Not really relevant except for the whole "nasty words" concept...
It is not difficult. Pass on the left. When you are done passing, move right.
I'm with you right up to the end (except for "keep[ing] the left lane for passing"). You assume that, at some point, one is "done passing". In my case, that often never really happens. The primary road that I use is 4-lane, divided, with a few at-grade intersections. A randomly selected "average" car/truck is moving at 65-70 mph. It has another car about 4 car lengths in front, one 4 car lengths in back, and a vehicle about 2 car lengths off each corner in the other lane.
Neither lane is clear, or is going to be clear under these conditions. To expect otherwise is folly.
We get the occasional speed-limit observer. They're OK, they stay in the right lane and the rest of us just flow around them.
We only have a problem when some worthless, ignorant, despicable, disgusting moron (who probably buggers sheep in his spare time) comes along trying to do 90mph ... and attempts to force his way through traffic, weaving from lane to lane in the process.
Your attempted defense of this guy is simply unconsionable.
There it is, the anal retentive control freak that can only gain some self esteem in his car. We see you guys everyday on our freeways.
I think the “anal retentive control freak” is the one who thinks no matter what the traffic flow is doing around us, I should move aside when I see coming.
It’s all about perspective. :~D
I’m not gonna do it. Not if I’m driving reasonably faster than the traffic to the right, and regularly passing cars. I’ve got somewhere to be too.
And I have never seen Michigan State Police pull over anyone that was doing 70 or less...
Doesn't mean neither of them happens...
I once did see a single OK state trooper pointing a radar gun at the freeway just north of the Texas state line...and radioing eight or ten cars another 1/4 mile up the road...
The pack of traffic I was in, flowing nicely at several numbers higher than the one on the rectangular sign, got 100% picked up. Including me. OK troopers wrote about six tickets in ten minutes.
For a change of pace, how about this question.
I now live in a place where for a few miles we only have two lanes until it opens up into the full four lanes. I have noticed that it is common for some wanker to be doing the speed limit or less in the fast lane, infuriating everyone and locking up traffic until he reaches the four lane where we can finally get around him on the left, that is when about 7 out of ten times they will suddenly shoot up to high speed and blissfully leave you in their dust.
It is a very weird pattern.
I'm NOT talking about the guy doing precisely the speed limit in the left lane on an otherwise largely empty road.
In fact, I'm not talking about largely empty roads at all.
I am, after all, talking about Northern Virginia.
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