Left-lane drivers beware( Tampa, FL article about I-75 )

Bay News 9 - Tampa, FL ^ | 01/27/2005 | Bay News 9

[devane617]

Aggressive driving along Interstate-75 appears to be more problematic than ever.

"We're seeing the problem of road rage increasing," said Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Norman Parks, who has been patrolling the interstates for almost 15 years.

"It's scary to drive down here," said one driver.

"Weaving, tailgating, cutting people off," said another driver.

"When you get all of that, it can pose real problems," said Parks.

That's why Florida Senator Mike Bennett is pushing for the Road Rage Reduction Act to be made into law. It's designed to reduce the amount of people in the left lane.

"We have a lot of people in the state of Florida who unfortunately, drive in the left-hand lane and block traffic," said Bennett.

Signs in the median advising people to only use the left lane for passing don't seem to be working.

"We need a better tool to specifically deal with this issue," said Parks. If the bill gets passed, there will be more signs like these and bigger ones.

If the bill gets passed, you'll not only see more signs and billboards on the roadways warning drivers to stay out of the left lane, but greater enforcement of that.

"We're trying to figure out a way to increase traffic flow and prevent citizens from accidents and road rage," said Bennett.

Bennett says the Department of Highway Safety's involvement is key to the bill working. If the bill passes, the department will be required to work with the Florida Highway Patrol to educate the public about the new law through an awareness campaign.

[RobRoy]

I think most road rage is propogated by slow pokes in the left lane. I did have a guy point a "fake gun" at me one time though, and it had nothing to do with that.

I needed to take an exit and had been in the far left HOV lane (there were three lanes total). I moved into the middle lane and then turned my signal on again to move into the far right lane. The guy in the pickup in the far right lane (a really nice truck, btw) then sped up to cut me off. The turn was coming so I simply moved over. He had no choice but to back off or go through the hassle of getting his truck fixed. He backed off. As I was leaving the freeway, he pointed his "gun" at me. I waved and smiled (which is what I always do when drivers get ticked off.

When I pass guys on the right, even though they should have moved over for me, I don't get mad. I just pass and move on, driving to my destination. Their incompetence is no longer my concern once I am safely past. I have more "pressing" matters to concern myself with.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Often the roads around here have the right lane all beat to hell while the left is smooth as glass. Rather than pound the crap outta my car I will drive in the left until someone wants to go by then I let him and pull back after he is gone.

I like to have people go by me at a higher speed since I figure they can attract the interest of Smokie not me.

[Chemist_Geek]

IMO the DPS guys need to spend more time on addressing the rage driving issues instead of making people who are going the speed limit get out of their way so they can speed.

Hear, hear! If the speed limits are set too low, well, we have a democratic Republic; they can be changed. Ignoring the speed limit is not an option.

[The Lumster]

Ok - so the next time YOU drive over the speed limit I'm sure you'll take your own advice and turn yourself in

Rom 2:1
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

[RobRoy]

>>Remember speed limits are set at the 85% of the median speed, capping out at 70. (or unlimited in daylight time if in Montana)<<

Nope. That ended about four years ago. I drive to eastern South Dakota from Seattle every spring. I used to maintain 115 MPH for hundreds of miles. It was a pretty fast trip. The speed limit is now 75 and enforced.

[savedbygrace]

You've gone from silly to ludicrous. You're saying I suggested people turn themselves in? Where exactly did I say that?

[RobRoy]

>>So long as I'm still passing cars in the right lane, it is okay, assuming the rule is keep right except to pass.<<

That is exactly how I see it as well.

[CORedneck]

Nothing like a state rolling road block. One time, I was driving on I-70 between Terre Haute and Indianapolis back in the 1980's when we still had the 55 mph limit (65 mph was not passed yet), there was an Indiana State Police cruiser doing exactly 55 mph in the right lane. I was right behind him. I looked behind and there was a massive gridlock of cars behind me. I witnessed an accident that almost occurred. The trooper got off at an exit and within several miles, the traffic jam behind disappeared. Kind of idiotic. Back in the 55 days, I read about IL state troopers driving side by side in the rural areas doing exactly 55 mph and you see the pictures and the amount of cars behind the troopers. With these official rolling road blocks, it does not garner respect for the law, it garners contempt. The 55 mph speed limit was one of the laws that citizens had the most contempt towards it. Thankfully, it R.I.P. since 1995/1996. It would be nice to see some of the states East of the Mississippi raise their limits up like IN, OH, IL, KY, IL, WI, PA beyond the 55/65 mph limits. All those state touch a state that has a 70 mph speed limit and have a reasonable speed limit for the 4 lane divided highways. In Indiana, 4 lane divided highways like US41, 31, 24 are posted at the ridiculous 55 mph.

We came upon this massive pack of cars and I thought, this is ridiculous. I got in the passing lane and inched my way around. I found it odd that I was able to, actually. Anyway, when I got towards the front, I noticed the front car was a CHP. Now, I believe the speed limit was 55 so I st my speed to 60 and continued on. Once I was past him, that jerk got on his PA and told me I was speeding and to back off. Naturally I did

[RobRoy]

>> And you determine their motivation how? Because they won't drive 95 to stay in front of you?<<

I cannot always determine their motivation. Sometimes they are just oblivious. But sometimes it is quite obvious. For example, when you try to pass on the right, they floor it and try to cut you off before you catch up to the car in front of you in the right lane.

Comments?

[Flightdeck]

I've driven in rush hour in LA, SF, Miami, DC, NY, Chi, nearly everywhere in the country except around Seattle and Maine, and it's not even funny how pathetic Texas drivers are. I've lived here for years. Everyone here who moved to Texas is in horror at how retarded these drivers are. If Texas drivers are the safest as you unbelievably claim, then why is our insurance among highest in the country? Why is there a driving instruction class on every third block? If you're a native, that's fine to defend the ol' homeland, but you are wroooooong. The only good drivers in Texas are the imported ones.

[RobRoy]

You start your post with this:

" And you determine their motivation how?"

And end it with this:

"everyone must clear the way so you can get to the doughnut shop in time for the breakfast special. It apparently never occured to you that you could leave earlier and allow enough time to get there without speeding."

Who is attempting to interpret whos motivation here?

Fact is, if I am going to the donut shop, I am not on the freeway.

I do lots of long distance driving. That's how I put 100,000 miles on my Chrysler 300M in less than three years. The reason freeways exist is to allow people to rapidly and safely travel from one place to another. Sometimes I am on the road for 24 hours straight except for fuel stops. You do the math on a 1500 mile trip at 60 vs 85 mph. It will give you a feel for why truckers hate truck speed limits.

BTW, I usually commute by bicycle. Talk about your interesting stories and close calls...

[B4Ranch]

You'd be surprised what a good bumper sticker can do;

KEEP HONKING-
I'M RELOADING

[hershey]

Is this increase in road rage because senior citizens get in the left lane and drive slow? Those of us stuck in snowy New England need more facts.

[RobRoy]

>>I like to have people go by me at a higher speed since I figure they can attract the interest of Smokie not me.<<

Heh, heh. I used that last year. We were about 30 miles west of Ellensburg headed east on I'90 and these two skinheads (probably military) flew past us at 95 in an "arrest me red" Grand Am. I followed about 200 yards behind them and matched their speed, all the time looking for airplanes. Sure enough, after about 25 miles, as we were approaching Ellensburg, there's a cop who had been going west with his facing radar, was duing his u-turn in the median to get the guys. I backed off, passed the cop as he was pulling out, and pulled into the right lane as he hit the blues. He flew by us and nailed the kids in the Grand Am.

I was probably doing 80 when I passed the cop (speed limit is 70).

[The Lumster]

Your original post contained this little gem

"We're enabling road-ragers by this kind of crap. Instead, throw 'em in jail for awhile"


I'm suggesting that if your gonna go by the screen name of savedbygrace, perhaps you could extend a little of that grace to others.

[RobRoy]

>> Ignoring the speed limit is not an option.<<

Actually, it sort of is. I have several friends that are cops. Even on surface streets they say they don't pull you over unless you are doing ten over. That is, unless you are a kid and they have other motives. 8^>

[hershey]

Now that I think of it, I recall the MA. son of Fla. retireee parents laughing about his pop's complaining about other elderly drivers -- two hands on the wheel and you can't see their heads....and they drive in the left lane at thirty miles per hour, tops. His parents kept calling him up by mistake, trying to get the local Home Depot. He'd say, 'Pop, it's me, Mike. Pop!!' They must have had him on speed dial, right above Home Depot.

[ut1992]

I agree with you. I learned to drive in Germany (former Army Brat) and it was beat into our heads about "driving right" in Europe. I still use what I learned driving in the States. Many of my buddies here in Chicago laugh when I use my turn signal to enter the left lane to pass, and then as soon as it is clear, turn signal to merge back into the right lane.

Last summer we road-tripped to the Black Hills of North Dakota/Wyoming for a camping/fishing vacation and experienced those left-lane hogs almost the whole way across Wisconsin, Minneasota and North Dakota.

We were pulling a travel trailer, averaging 65-70 mph (even in 75 zones) on the interstate (in the right lane), and on hills/mountains when we tried to pass trucks these idiots would be going the same speed in the left lane. Once they finally got into the right lane we didn't have much left under the hood to pass them; i.e. 4.0L 6 cylinder Jeep Wrangler, fully loaded and pulling a 18 foot trailer.

However, I used the unwritten European/trucker rule that is helpful. As we were attempting to pass I left my left turn signal on, which indicates that I was aware that there are a line of cars behind me, and as soon as I could get into the right lane I turned my right turn signal on and then merged into the right lane.

[MEGoody]

In the Kansas City area, we have a problem of people who are too impatient to wait for you to pass someone. Instead, they weave in and out of traffic, engine screaming, just to get around you.

Then about 90% of the time, they slow down, and I end up passing them by going over to the center lane.

Ugh. Impatient morons.

[RobRoy]

>>Tampa, FL article about I-75 ), B4Ranch wrote:

You'd be surprised what a good bumper sticker can do;

KEEP HONKING-
I'M RELOADING<<

I've had friends tell me I am going to be shot by someone with road rage. I tell them that if I ever bought a lottery ticket I would have a better chance of winning the lottery.

Without risk, there is no life. 8^>

BTW, I don't honk. I use my lights to let them know I would please like to pass. If that doesn't work, I try to find a way to pass, not a way to piss them off. They are merely an obstruction to get by - nothing more, nothing less. It is not an emotional thing for me.