Posted on 12/10/2008 8:53:48 AM PST by Smogger
In these days of longer commutes and simmering tempers, nothing seems to set off already-testy motorists like the left-lane camper -- the guy or gal who drives in the passing lane and bars faster drivers from easily passing. Web sites have cropped up to educate other drivers, or to vent. There's a (somewhat painful) YouTube song called "Keep Right."
Even bigwigs get frustrated. Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, weary of having his limo slowed down by such left-lane pokies, ordered an aide to have the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission install signs a few years ago reading "Keep Right, Pass Left. It's the Law."
And now some states are cracking down on left-lane campers, both to keep traffic moving and to tamp down the road rage that goes from zero-to-60 faster than ever before.
That's not just a pretext. Last year, a driver was arrested on Interstate 79 outside Pittsburgh after allegedly brandishing a semiautomatic pistol at a driver who was on his tail.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.moneycentral.msn.com ...
You said — “Outside of the city traffic, real Texans will move to the shoulder to let someone pass, ... “
I can confirm that, as when I came down to Texas for a while (a number of years) from Oregon, I found that out when going up through Commerce and Paris and up to the Indian Nation Turnpike in Oklahoma. That’s where I first noticed it. People would drive on the wide shoulders and let me pass on by (we’re talking about two-lane roads)....
And the other interesting thing was that those two-lane Texas roads/highways had driveways coming straight out to the road from houses along the road — but — they had 70 MPH speeds signs on those roads. I appreciated that, because you could really “make some times” on some of those (so-called) back roads... LOL...
When they aren’t on the road, the people are really nice. :) I love the fact we are very close to the Super Wal-Mart as well.
You must drive the Mass. Pike...;)
Passive-aggressive drivers will also hook up with slower drivers in the other lanes to create rolling roadblocks.
These people are rude at the least and very likely troubled. Maybe they don't even want to go home and get a buzz from preventing people who do want to get home to do so expeditiously.
Apparently those lane obstructor are already hated so don't mind being hated on the highway.I had an airhorn installed in my last car that helped a lot and I'm getting a hankering for one in my Jag.
If you drive in Dallas or Houston, you are not driving with “Texans”, you are driving with escapees from other socialist states. Don’t pin their driving habits on us.
Texans move over, regardless of the speed limit, because we already know we are real Men, or Women, and don’t have to block someone’s progress to feel good about ourselves.
The ones I am referring to have Texas tags.
An airhorn is good, but what they deserve are RPG’s.
But, yes, I should not have generalized so much since I do remember when I drove country roads (has been awhile) that people were incredibly nice, much more so than in Kansas.
My experiences here are related to city traffic here vs. city traffic Wichita, KS (which is much bigger than Midland)...as well as interstate traffic.
I do see your point about the people driving through, but these experiences are the commuters every morning.
Same in France and (if I remember correctly) Germany. It does make sense once you see it a few times... it seemed weird to me at first.
lol.
Yes, if they move left, they would be in the grass. :)
Of course I meant right....yikes.
Laws for all 50 states here: http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
You’ll be surprised at how many states qualify it with the speed limit. Many simply state the maximum speed, while other state clearly state that you cannot be impeding traffic unless you’re going 10 miles or more under the limit.
You said — “I don’t understand what’s so hard to understand about “speed limit”. This whole “impeding the flow of traffic” garbage is exactly that, garbage.”
WELL..., it’s *the law* — that’s why. You *must* move over (at least in Oregon and all these laws are state laws), or you will be ticketed, no matter what speed you are going.
Therefore, it has nothing to do with “following the law” as you’re trying to indicate with someone driving the speed limit. NO..., it has to do with that person *breaking the law* by refusing to pull over...
And “that’s the law...” LOL...
I carry a gun and am left handed. Don’t think I haven’t thought of putting those hateful people out of their misery.
There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing miles of empty highway ahead of three vehicles driving abreast at 50 and a few hundred people behind them who want to kill the bass turds.
You said — “People that pass me on the right make me the maddest!”
Well, that’s exactly what I’ll do when I see that the guy in front of me is not going to move over to the right... LOL...
I had a carpool partner that did that and I stopped riding with him because of it.
Not because I was afraid for my safety. I have made far more unsafe moves. Thats not an unsafe move, thats a mentally retarded idiot move.
Unfortunately for us, it’s the best they feel all day. “Whoooo, look at me! I’m holding up 8 cars! Aren’t I powerful!”
You said — “Another Texas oddity is the night speed limit. Does any Texan here actually follow that rule?”
Well, I do... LOL... It’s easier to get nailed at night... I really don’t want to get a ticket. I may creep it up to about 4 over, but that’s about it. I’m always glad to get to the Oklahoma border (at night) and bump it up to 70. Then, when I hit the turnpike, I can step it up to 75... :-)
On Highway 75, coming down south from Oklahoma, they’ve got several sections that will step the speed down from 70 to 65 to 60, and usually the troopers are there, right after the speed steps down... LOL..
But, once you get into Dallas, it seems you can step the speed back up again, even though the speed limit is still lower. They drive fast in Dallas... :-)
Speed envy kills. Left lane leftists spark most cases of road rage. Surprisingly many of these mini-dictators are normally conservative people that don't otherwise envy what other people do. Getting passed triggers some primordial competitive response in them.
In some jurisdictions, yes. In others, no.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.