Anyone like traffic circles-roundabouts?

[Gee Ray]

I love the fact that of several you justify breaking the law because others are breaking the law. Again nowhere did I state that I stay in the left lane. I do wonder were I am to drive with a heavily laden truck. Can not drive in the left lane and impede the speeders who want to drive at whatever speed they want or do I ride the right lane where people cut you off because they do not know how to merge.

The people and their poor driving skills that are repeatedly displayed are the ones that need the self examination. A lecture from you just demonstrates the poor judgement you use as you are driving. Pulling into the buffer zone as a truck approaches a traffic light, the people that pull out in front of an on coming truck so they are not trapped by a truck in traffic, cars that will race behind a truck that is backing up all demonstrate very poor judgement but hell we can justify the poor driving skills because a lot of other people do it.

If people drove more defensively instead of aggressively as as several have condoned there might be fewer accidents. Fewer accidents would be a good thing in my book. Fewer people killed, lower insurance rates, less property damage but heaven forbid we say such things............. Just get out of my way so I can drive faster.

All the state highway trucks in Ohio at one time had "Speed Kills" painted on them. I guess the laws of physics do not apply anymore. So you drive as fast and carelessly as you wish and I will do the best I can to not get in your self righteous way.

 

[Torvy]

Pot, meet kettle. You are railing against speeders as 'law breakers' and being self righteous. That is 100% what you are doing. You are breaking the law. You are being self righteous. Speed doesn't kill you, it is the abrupt stop. People driving slower than prevailing traffic, especially in the fast lane, create the abrupt stops that kill people. If you insist on no higher than the posted limit, even when passing, you need to remain in the right lane and do not pass. Ever. If you are a trucker, you are the guy that gives good truckers a bad name. Most truckers are excellent drivers and follow all of the laws, they don't cause traffic issues or accidents trying to force others to drive your way. In most, if not all jurisdictions, you are just as guilty as someone going 5 mph over the limit. SMH.

 

[newbury]

On the subject of traffic flow and speed limits - I used to "drive with the flow", mostly in a VW Sportwagen, it had acceleration, brakes that would stop on a dime. Occasionally I'd "find" my self doing 90 (with the flow) on my drive form Va. to Ms. But then I got my diesel dually and long trips usually involve towing a 5 ton dual axle (4 brakes) trailer. When I want to speed up, I call down to the engine room. Locking all the brakes barely prevents me from hitting the little sport car that jumps in front of me and stops on a dime.
I found that for my sanity I had to change my operations.
The same 814 mile trip that I used to complete in less than 12 hours now takes 2 days.
Now on limited access highways in "urban areas" with frequent exits/entrances and 3 lanes of traffic I'm usually a "middle" lane driver. I leave so much room in front of me that cars are constantly jumping in and out. I only pull in the "slow" (right) lane when I'm fairly sure I'm not going to have to slow for someone getting on or off the highway.

Because of that I rarely exceed the speed limit any more, and I'm sure there are hundreds of drivers I've aggravated because I'm "slow" and not exceeding the speed limit.

There's one stretch from Knoxville to Chattanooga that the "flow" usually got up to 80 or 90. I don't go that fast anymore.

 

[ultrarunner]

Begs the question if the flow is 80+ in heavy urban traffic and posted is 65 and I'm towing so for me it is 55...

Plenty of whacked out drivers racing by... makes me want a traffic cam...

God help you if driving at minimum 45 mph...

 

[ljjhouser]

There are a lot here. Single ones are ok. The other day, we saw a guy turn left into one (confused) heading to the road he wanted against traffic. Also, there is a highway, two lane, straight, 60 speed limit that has two of them. They have a sign about saying 15 mph about 100' before. The only thing good about that is they used rounded curbs - I guess people go straight across them - probably don't slow down much. Not fun at night. And I really don't like those that are 2 or 3 in a row - can't tell who's coming from where or where others are trying to go. A place for a collision center company.

 

[ljjhouser]

Spare a thought for the Poms at Swindon:

View attachment 714390

What? I am think that some guy, 50 years ago, with a slide rule and a crayon thought this would be funny at the turn of the century. Where is the lane that you stop and watch the video about how to use it? What are the lanes with squiggly lines by Queens Dr.? Is that a fountain in the center?

 

[Jchonline]

What really gets me are the people that think they have the right to break the law. If I am at the speed limit I am not going to move over so that you can speed. Honk your horn and flash your lights will result in nothing from me. I will drive the speed limit until the lane beside me turns or slows or whatever. I am not obligated to brake or break the law so that you can speed.

In Colorado if you are in the fast lane (left lane) on a 2 lane or wider road and aren’t actively passing someone, you are breaking the law.

 

[ArlyA]

In Colorado if you are in the fast lane (left lane) on a 2 lane or wider road and aren’t actively passing someone, you are breaking the law.

In most state its that way.

 

[Jstpssng]

I was riding with my brother, trying to explain how a rotary works. We were on the center lane and he wanted to get outside so he-
Stopped. Just as I was saying "You DON'T stop in a rotary, somebody hit us. Luckily nobody was hurt.

Fifteen years later on the interstate, I came up on the offramp leading to a mall complex and traffic was backed all of the way up into the travel lane, so I was in a line of traffic in the left lane. Suddenly the driver in front of me realized that was her exit so she slammed on the brakes and stopped-dead- in the passing lane. While braking hard and downshifting I checked to make sure that nobody was behind me, otherwise I would have taken the median strip and let the car in front of me get rear ended at 60 mph.

 

[plowhog]

Begs the question if the flow is 80+ in heavy urban traffic and posted is 65 and I'm towing so for me it is 55...

If I'm in heavy urban traffic, with reduced maneuverability and stopping distance due to towing, I'm going to use Gee Ray's "my way or the highway" approach and drive at a slower speed necessary for safety-- no matter how many horns are blaring at me. I'm solely responsible for the safety of my vehicle, so in those particular circumstances there really isn't any better choice.

But, on the open highway, outside of such congestion, I contend it's a different situation ....