Move over, slowpoke

Washington Times ^ | Friday, August 2, 2002 | Eric Peters

[JohnHuang2]

Friday, August 2, 2002

Quote of the Day by Libloather

[stands2reason]

This became law in Texas recently, with a pretty good publicity campaign behind it. We took a trip across Texas and everyone behaved wonderfully--it was a pleasant drive. Then we crossed the border to Louisiana...ughh.

[Conagher]

Yes, Yes, YES!!!

Morons putting along in the fast lane ought to be considered as driving in a hazardous manner and fined!!!

(And drug from their mother-loving cars and beaten within an inch of their pitiful lives!!!!)

[Neanderthal]

"The claptrap taught in most state-approved driver's-ed courses suggests that it's sound policy to occupy any lane on the freeway — provided you are doing the lawfully posted speed limit."

This is news to me but it's been a few years since drivers ed. There certainly are many ignoramuses out there cruising in the left lane, making everyone pass them on the right.

I had no idea that this was caused by liberal PC. Can someone explain why it is PC to block the passing lane? The best I can come up with is that getting passed might hurt your self esteem. Or that its not fair that some cars are faster than others. Or that passing cars are going too fast so they use more than their fair share of fossil fuel thereby hurting Mother Earth. Or that passing causes global warming . . .

[rockfish59]

I agree. Idiots are everywhere, but I got a speeding ticket last week after passing two morons! lol!
They should just get a G**dammed horse & buggy!!

[Conagher]

I used to think passing someone on the right was a form of insult and I'd avoid doing it, but anymore nobody notices!

[Nitro]

Aside from the proper left/right lane courtesy...

we must instruct the American Public in the "zipper effect!!"

It can be explained with a Chinese Menu...

one from column A and one from Column B...!!

[Jeff Chandler]

Great Article!

[daler]

Interesting read.

My wife rides me constantly about my tendencies toward "road rage" (which I don't deny), and this article illustrates what I've said for years: it's the SLOW drivers, not the fast ones, that create carnage on our highways, because they force frustrated drivers to take unnecessary chances.

Has anyone also noticed the frequency with which slow-pokes (on two lane highways) seem to find the gas pedal once you try to pass them?

[Mr_Mayor]

It would be easy for them slower drivers to move over but them guys on their bicycles are always in the way.

[Caipirabob]

If you see a guy on the road who always signals, never hogs the left lane and clears out of it as soon as the right lane is free, it's me. I go out of my way to be courteous on the road. If only because I'm most likely to aggressively counter road-rage. At any rate, I don't give anyone a reason to be upset.

The thing is, I'm usualy pretty cynical about the people down here on the road, but my actions almost always turn out positive results and in my commute to work I find that most of the people around me are either signalling for me as well or yielding. This is South Florida, too. At any rate, I try not to get too worked up, avoid the creeps and things go well.

Please people, take the two nuerons it takes to fire the impulse to use the damn signal lights. A split second of courtesy may save you from a bad encounter some day.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I had no idea that this was caused by liberal PC. Can someone explain why it is PC to block the passing lane? The best I can come up with is that getting passed might hurt your self esteem. Or that its not fair that some cars are faster than others. Or that passing cars are going too fast so they use more than their fair share of fossil fuel thereby hurting Mother Earth. Or that passing causes global warming . . ."

Nah! It's "PC" because if the left-lane road hog happens to be driving the speed limit, he is "following the law" and the "speeder" should just go to hell. Never mind the fact that traffic conditions and road will safely allow a somewhat faster speed.

The "lane courtesy" rule above and "go with the flow" are actually far safer.

[Looking4Truth]

Good article.

In the mid-80's on I-64 going thru Newport News, VA my ex-wife and I came upon a little Toyota station wagon with middle-aged couple in it going exactly 55 in the left land. They had a license plate that said Y-SPEED and were smugly riding along as the self-appointed representatives of the nanny-state knowingly pissing people off.

We were in our early 20's at the time so when I finally got pissed enough to illegally blow by them in the right lane, they got a few not-so-polite yells and gestures. I wonder if someone hasn't 'capped dey ass' yet.

Re: Europe. The German Polizei will bust you for 'obscene' and threatening hand gestures and while I was living there, a judge fined a German driver 4000DM for flipping the bird while driving. That was about 2 grand American at the time. They already have very effective 'snitch' lines and will track someone down even days later to bust them for a traffic offense turned in by a snitch. We in America are getting the same crap with the new crop of 'road rage' laws coming out.

[TN4Liberty]

Granted, slower drivers should move to slower lanes. But just because you (the generic you) want to drive faster than I am, doesn't necessarily mean I am in the wrong. If I am in the left lane going 75 and passing cars on my left, I am not going to slow down and move into the slower traffic lane so someone going 85 can get through.

Driving is a system, not a competition. If the slower cars would speed up a little and the faster cars would slow down a little, it would all be better. But to lay the responsibility for road rage at the feet of slower drivers is silly. I'll pull over when I get finished passing people, thank you very much.

[dirtboy]

Of course, the flip side is I don't know how many times I have pulled into a queue of cars in the left lane to pass, generally at 10-15 mph over the speed limit, only to have some idiot come up right behind me and tailgate me, even though there is nothing I can do but pass at the rate at which the line of cars is going. Although there are pissy types who will go the speed limit in the left lane, the aggressive, idiot drivers are the greater hazard.

[NYpeanut]

How about the brain dead drivers who drive 42 no matter what--42 in a 55 zone, 42 in a 30. Would it kill them to move to the shoulder when they can see they are holding up someone with a place to go?

[AppyPappy]

We used to call it "tracking". Drivers who do not see well or have poor driving skills will instinctively use another vehicle as a speed gauge. That is why they speed up when you pass them and then slow down once you have gotten past them. They will then drive at a slower speed until another person comes along. I pass these people at the highest possible rate of speed and then cut in front of them to avoid accidents.

[savedbygrace]

Now that brings up another pet peeve of mine.

When you pass me and then immediately pull back over in the right lane directly in front of me, you're forcing me to tailgate you. Depending on the speed difference between my car and yours, I'm unwillingly tailgating you for 10 to 60 seconds, or even longer.

Rude and dangerous, IMO.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Fantastic article, and dead-on accurate, too.

Ever notice that the left lane hawgs always drive those gray Volvo station wagons---the ones with the "Think Globally, Act Locally" bumper stickers on the back?

[varon]

If I am in the left lane going 75 and passing cars on my left, I am not going to slow down and move into the slower traffic lane so someone going 85 can get through.

Why not, that's kinda selfish, doncha think?

If the slower cars would speed up a little and the faster cars would slow down a little, it would all be better.

Cool, then everyone will be going the same speed. Well then, why not make highways just one giant conveyor belt going at a constant speed? It would save a tremendous amount of gas because the engines can be shut off while on the "ride" ;-)