Posted on 01/27/2005 6:08:40 AM PST by 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.
There used to be a stretch of I-10 in western Louisiana where the right
lane was like a washboard, so a lot of folks just used the left lane.
It really slowed down the flow.
"In your opinion, was his anger at me justified? Should I have moved over into the far right-hand lane. Or should he have moved into the 3rd or 4th lanes to pass me (without needing to bright me or give me the finger in the process)?"
No, it was not justified. There's a reason we have multi-lane roads, and that's it. Now when someone is blocking the left hand lane of a road with only 2 lanes in each direction, for no good reason, that is annoying and deserving of the flashing of lights and such, but not on a multi-lane road like you describe. The person in question was a big jerk.
Just be thankful he's not forcing his second hand smoke on you.
It's hell being deprived of your right to a private lane.
There you learn what the left lane is for, and should you decide to ignore the flashing lights in your mirror, you will quickly have a large Mercedes or Porche inches from your rear bumper, even though you might be travelling at 100 MPH.
Needless to say, people quickly learn the purpose of the left lane.
OK. I've explained this before, but some of you world travellers don't get it.
In Germany, the LAW is that the fastest car has the right of way.
In the US, the LAW says that you must maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front of you.
THEREFORE, when you are in Europe, feel free to tailgate anyone you like at 220 Km/Hr.
But when you return to visit the US, please keep your distance from the car in front of you.
"Just be thankful he's not forcing his second hand smoke on you."
Well, if he's slugging along in front of me on the highway - he is -- straight from his exhaust pipes!
All in all - I think I'd rather inhale diesel fumes than cigarette smoke though! :-)
"But when you return to visit the US, please keep your distance from the car in front of you."
You forgot one more thing:
SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT
It's posted repeatedly in every state...and it doesn't mean "slower than the posted speed limit" either.
It means slower than the person behind you who is trying to get on about their business!
>So pull over to the left when you see someone merging and pull back once you have passed the on-ramp. What's so hard about that?<
That's fine when traffic is light. You assume that the traffic in the left lane will always allow merging. Many times, it's hard to get out of the way of those merging from exit ramps, as the left lane cars want to travel attached to each others' tail pipes.
There is no reason for traffic to keep all the way to the right on a 3+ lane road. As long as the far left road is left reasonably clear for those needing to pass, and the center lane is not blocked by someone going less than the limit, the right lane should be left for really slow trucks/cars and for merging traffic.
The problem is multilayered and just dealing with left-lane bandits only covers up the real problems.
Our country is just waking up to the idea that driving is a fine skill that requires much practice to be good at. We have taught "defensive" driving tactics for so long that many of our drivers are afraid of what their car is capable of and how much space is needed to move efficiently. This is one instance where the Europeans are beating us, driver instruction.
First, we need to teach people about spacing and allowing people to merge into traffic, and we need to teach those people who are merging that the slip road is intended for them to accelerate to the pace of traffic then move into traffic.
Next, we need to reevaluate speed limits on limited access highways. Any reasonable interstate on a nice day is perfectly safe at 80 MPH. The state has already proven to us that the speed limit is merely in place to collect revenues. (How many years did some states insist that 55 was the safest maximum only to change it to 65 without any improvements on the road, its an aribitrary freaking number)
Then, we need to teach drivers to be courteous to each other in their travels. Not that drivers should be selfless but that they don't need to ride in the left lane, they don't need to enforce their idea of the speed limit, and they need to let other drivers move through when it will only cost them a second or two of time.
The problem is to propogate such changes in driver styles we would have to reeducate nearly the entire adult populace and then hope the new training would stick.
How about this:
Keep to the Right, except to pass.
And, after passing, at the first safe opportunity to do so, move back to the right.
I find that most drivers (even here on the traffic-congested East Coast) will not become enraged if they notice that someone in a left lane is going faster than traffic to the right, AND is attempting to move back to the right and let faster, left-land traffic by.
It's the passive-agressive left-lane road hogs who feel that it is their job to enforce their particular notion of how fast people should travel in the left lanes that are usually the subject of road rage.
THAT is precisely why they are such hazards.
"In this country we would have to allow a faster rate of travel in the far left lane. This will not pass muster because it would impact the revenues of the state and many highway patrols would have less to do."
Also, the powers that be have been pushing their "Speed Kills" line for so long that a large percentage of the population has bought it, despite the fact that their own behaviour on the roads is contradictory with this belief. In most places, at least, try to raise the topic of raising speed limits to reasonable levels and they all come out of the woodwork, saying there'd be carnage on the roads and so on.
>First, we need to teach people about spacing and allowing people to merge into traffic, and we need to teach those people who are merging that the slip road is intended for them to accelerate to the pace of traffic then move into traffic.<
Bingo.
I've often said that a feature on Cadillacs known as "rearview mirror" is the least used one on the vehicle...
Too bad you weren't his boss. THAT would have been fun!
"Texas has without a doubt, far and away, the worst drivers in the country."
Man - you are SO far off it's funny! I've lived in many places in the US - coast to coast and points in between - and I can tell you with ABSOLUTE certainty that Texas drivers are among the BEST! You're basing your conclusion on an isolated circumstance - and it's just plain WRONG.
Texans usually don't have to worry about snow - and as for rain....most parts of Texas get enough rain to keep the roads from having very much oil buildup that causes slickness. Sure - they may ride too close sometimes...but that happens EVERYWHERE, pal!
Texas has the best roads also. Wide shoulders almost everywhere. Texans (usually on rural, uncongested roads) will slide to the right a bit on the shoulder and give you room to pass if you don't have a clear shot due to oncoming traffic. I know that's a strange concept to a lot of folks - but it works quite well in Texas.
Texans the worst drivers? Not on your life, friend! Not even close!
Try DC. Or LA. Or San Francisco. OR THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA!
Im about 2 mins off of I-75 in Wesley Chapel ,Fl. Tampa bay area
FL chaper 216 does not say so.
The only obligation is to move over for emergency vehicles.
If you are going the speed limit then there is no need to move over. Particularly if there is a safty issue of moving over.
The easy solution for the maniac flashing is to put on the emergency flashing lights to flash back you are not moving and let them do the manuvering.
Remember speed limits are set at the 85% of the median speed, capping out at 70. (or unlimited in daylight time if in Montana)
I was in the middle of Montana two summers ago. We were doing about 95 for a hundred miles or so and every now and then we would come up to a car in the passing lane. With the exception of four cars, they would pull into the right lane long before we got to them. We had to pass the four cars on the right. They simply would not pull into the slow lane, even after politely giving my headlights a quick flash.
There is a punchline: Three of the four had Washington plates.
We have the Florida problem in Washington state, but not to the same degree. A good way to reduce road rage is to ticket people who are pissing others off by attempting to control others driving habbits - stopping the control freaks.
BTW, I regularly pass on the shoulder...
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