I have a RANT .

[dave1949]

Thats a good way to get run over around here... Its worse if you get down near NYC/NJ (where traffic does 75-90MPH on the Long Island Expressway which is posted at 55MPH, but if you do less than 70 in the left lane, you will get run off the road)


Aaron Z

You shouldn't be in the left lane at that speed. I have no issue with people going slow in the right lane. That typically isn't where road rage happens so I don't think most people have an issue either.

I haven't been on the LIE in 12-13 years, back then it was fairly civilized compared to Boston.

 

[turnkey4099]

It's legal to pass on the right but I see two problems:
1) It doesn't work well when people are using two different sets of "personal" rules in the same space.
2) Passing left lane malingerers on their right seems to enrage many of them and they do speed up. Clearly they are control freaking sociopaths that deserve instant death, or at least have their gas pedal foot amputated. :laughing:

3) Pasing on the right assumes that the LLH (Left Lane Hog) won't suddently decide to move over and probably has no clue that you are anywhere in his vicinity.

Most drivers don't seem to know about anything around them except the trunk lid of the rig in front of them.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

In addition to the left lane residents, we also have a problem here with people clogging up the rightmost lane on a 3- or 4-lane highway. The way I was taught, that rightmost lane is supposed to be for people exiting or entering the highway. Well, around here, people use it as a travel lane, often going way under the speed limit. Almost every day I commute to work, I have to practically play bumper cars to get into that right lane to exit the highway. It's ridiculous. That exit serves an Air Force base and a business park, so a lot of people use it going to work. Yet whenever I exit, I'd say at least 3-4 cars in front of me and 3-4 in back keep on going. Next exit is 2-3 miles away and not a busy exit. I am convinced these must be dopes that just get on the highway and stay in that lane for days....

I have been in discussions about that. I am with you on trhough traffic should be one lane left going through congested urban areas with many exit/enters. Others are so adamant about Keep Right Except ot Pass that they just CANNOT see the logic. "you are blocking traffic if you aren't KRETP!" BS: If you are in a lane and traveling at the same speed as the other trffic in that lane you aren't blocking anyone.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

That does not happen in this part of the country.:laughing: I probably use the cruise control more than anyone you know, and if I set the cruise control on the speed limit, they all pass me; I'm unlikely to pass anyone.:laughing:

I've been coast to coast and N/S border to border more times than I care to count. I always run with the "flow" which seems to be around posted +10% in every state of the union. If it isn't I still stick with the prevailing traffic speed whatever it may be.

Non use of CC should be a punishable offense on the freeways unless road conditions (slick, wet) are such as to be "not recommended".

As to being passed multi times. Back in the 60s I was on and E to W coast trip and started the day somewhere around Chicago. Got out in open country, set CC to a bit over the posted and settled down to a long day. Car goes asround me at mach speed. About 3 hours later, same car, same thing. That same car passed me 4 times during that days drive thinking they were really covering ground.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

Who said anything about speed limits? I'm pretty sure I my average speed is below the speed limit. :laughing:

You are correct though, the least stressful and safest driving is done at 2-3 mph below a highway's speed limit.

That is a very good way to have every car behind you on a 2-lane road calling you names and shaking fists as they go by.

It is also a very good way to get a look at their rear license plates as everyone who can will be passing you.

Harry K

 

[dave1949]

That is a very good way to have every car behind you on a 2-lane road calling you names and shaking fists as they go by.

It is also a very good way to get a look at their rear license plates as everyone who can will be passing you.

Harry K

I was talking about interstates. But on a two lane, if that's the speed (just off the speed limit) that a driver feels comfortable with, that's fine with me. If I want to and can (see previous post ), I'll pass them.

Two-lanes are not intended for moving large volumes of traffic safely at a decent speed; that's what the interstate system is supposed to do and that is what we pay taxes to get. I may get peeved when the interstates are mis-used and I'm not getting what I paid for, but I don't take the same expectations with me to secondary roads. That would be nuts.

The distances normally traveled on two lane roads around here are not far enough that 5-10 mph is going to make much difference on how long it takes to get wherever I'm going.


New Rant :laughing::

Where I have seen two-lane traffic issues, are outlying areas that have grown around a city and the two-lane road is just over capacity serving as major feeder during commute times. It's not an interstate. People moved to a location knowing they would have to use that road. If they want to pass people shaking their fists at each other while moaning about fuel taxes--basically blaming the world for their choices--too bad.

Besides being a largely preventable situation, failing that there are fixes for those issues but they cost money. And the fixes will cost more money and be shorter-lived when no regional transportation mode planning is in place--because that would be Socialism and big expensive gubbermint don't ya know. It's much better to just keep shaking fists and moaning like a pack of asylum escapees.

 

[Looking4new]

My pet peeve is the morons with white or grey cars that don't use their lights in a snowstorm. I don't know too many people that can see white on white. Can you?

 

[bcp]

My pet peeve is the morons with white or grey cars that don't use their lights in a snowstorm. I don't know too many people that can see white on white. Can you?

Like this one?



Bruce

 

[turnkey4099]

I was talking about interstates. But on a two lane, if that's the speed (just off the speed limit) that a driver feels comfortable with, that's fine with me. If I want to and can (see previous post ), I'll pass them.

Two-lanes are not intended for moving large volumes of traffic safely at a decent speed; that's what the interstate system is supposed to do and that is what we pay taxes to get. I may get peeved when the interstates are mis-used and I'm not getting what I paid for, but I don't take the same expectations with me to secondary roads. That would be nuts.

The distances normally traveled on two lane roads around here are not far enough that 5-10 mph is going to make much difference on how long it takes to get wherever I'm going.


New Rant :laughing::

Where I have seen two-lane traffic issues, are outlying areas that have grown around a city and the two-lane road is just over capacity serving as major feeder during commute times. It's not an interstate. People moved to a location knowing they would have to use that road. If they want to pass people shaking their fists at each other while moaning about fuel taxes--basically blaming the world for their choices--too bad.

Besides being a largely preventable situation, failing that there are fixes for those issues but they cost money. And the fixes will cost more money and be shorter-lived when no regional transportation mode planning is in place--because that would be Socialism and big expensive gubbermint don't ya know. It's much better to just keep shaking fists and moaning like a pack of asylum escapees.

Try traveling somewhere outside your limited area. Out west past the Mississippi the main route mileage on 2-lane far, far outnumber interstate. I'll bet it even does in your area. Road taxes go for far more than just freeways.

People traveling on main routes under the speed limit are known as road hogs and that is the polite term we use.

Harry K

 

[Bird]

My pet peeve is the morons with white or grey cars that don't use their lights in a snowstorm. I don't know too many people that can see white on white. Can you?

The worst snowstorm I ever had to drive in was the night of March 26, 1991; 88 degrees when we left Dallas that morning, 29 when we got to Denver after midnight. We had headwinds of 40 to 70 mph in the Texas panhandle, rain around Raton, NM, then snow, and the last 50 miles getting into Denver were terrible; so much snow on the road that you could not see the pavement or any pavement markings at all. I was driving a one ton Chevy pulling a 32' fifth-wheel, and of course kept my lights on with the headlights on low beam at all times. And I was very much surprised when two different vehicles passed me that night with none of their lights on!

 

[dave1949]

Try traveling somewhere outside your limited area. Out west past the Mississippi the main route mileage on 2-lane far, far outnumber interstate. I'll bet it even does in your area. Road taxes go for far more than just freeways.

People traveling on main routes under the speed limit are known as road hogs and that is the polite term we use.

Harry K

Why would I need to drive like they do somewhere else? I don't live and drive, nor have the same roads or distances they do somewhere else. Where I live the speed limit on any road is 45 mph unless posted otherwise.

Let's do the math. distance = rate X time. Time = distance /rate.

It's roughly ten miles from home to the edge of town.

10 miles / 45 mph = .22 hours
10 miles / 50 mph = .20 hours
10 miles / 55 mph = .18 hours
10 miles / 60 mph = .16 hours

.22 - .16 = .06 hours or 3.6 minutes maximum time saved--if you could actually drive 60 mph all ten miles and stay out of the trees. That's why I say it doesn't bother me if people are poking a bit on secondary roads HERE.

I think you are looking for an argument over nit pics.

 

[cqaigy2]

Why would I need to drive like they do somewhere else? I don't live and drive, nor have the same roads or distances they do somewhere else. Where I live the speed limit on any road is 45 mph unless posted otherwise.

Let's do the math. distance = rate X time. Time = distance /rate.

It's roughly ten miles from home to the edge of town.

10 miles / 45 mph = .22 hours
10 miles / 50 mph = .20 hours
10 miles / 55 mph = .18 hours
10 miles / 60 mph = .16 hours

.22 - .16 = .06 hours or 3.6 minutes maximum time saved--if you could actually drive 60 mph all ten miles and stay out of the trees. That's why I say it doesn't bother me if people are poking a bit on secondary roads HERE.

I think you are looking for an argument over nit pics.

I used to be one of those that had to do anything to get a few extra MPH. On a long trip i got bored and actually started to use my brain just a little and came with this very similar numbers as yours. I thought, what the heck? Did the math a few more times, yup, numbers were consistent and probably correct. Dang it, all the effort and less the 10 minutes in travel time.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Why would I need to drive like they do somewhere else? I don't live and drive, nor have the same roads or distances they do somewhere else. Where I live the speed limit on any road is 45 mph unless posted otherwise.

Let's do the math. distance = rate X time. Time = distance /rate.

It's roughly ten miles from home to the edge of town.

10 miles / 45 mph = .22 hours
10 miles / 50 mph = .20 hours
10 miles / 55 mph = .18 hours
10 miles / 60 mph = .16 hours

.22 - .16 = .06 hours or 3.6 minutes maximum time saved--if you could actually drive 60 mph all ten miles and stay out of the trees. That's why I say it doesn't bother me if people are poking a bit on secondary roads HERE.

I think you are looking for an argument over nit pics.

Local travel is not a big deal when mileage is 10-15 miles. I know, I have 2 lane roads from my house to closest towns and always run into someone travelling 40 in a 55 zone but since there is rarely a safe place to pass, traffic just backs up behind the slow poke till we get to town where the road goes to 5 lanes.

However on longer interstate distances it makes a lot of difference in how long it takes you to go 500+ miles @45-50 vs 70+

 

[Jstpssng]

I used to be one of those that had to do anything to get a few extra MPH. On a long trip i got bored and actually started to use my brain just a little and came with this very similar numbers as yours. I thought, what the heck? Did the math a few more times, yup, numbers were consistent and probably correct. Dang it, all the effort and less the 10 minutes in travel time.

How many times do you pass a vehicle, only to come up on another half a mile up the road traveling at the same speed... or look in your mirror to see the guy just turning off? I always feel stupid when I go past somebody, only to get held up so that he pulls up beside me at a red light 10 miles down the road.

 

[kevin37b]

Another of my favorite sources of entertainment is the clowns that merge onto the interstate at 50 mph , oblivious to 2 full lanes of traffic , throw the turn signal on and come right on out ! 18 wheelers , the guy reading his paper and having breakfast and the gal doing her hair passing you ,and here comes this jackleg into the equation . Or , they merge as mentioned ,you move over , and they set CC to match your speed exactly .When I took DE in high school there were yield signs on the ramps , not that it would matter today . Oh one more .Follow me 10 miles , then pass me at the busiest cloverleaf in central IL. 57 / 74 . Enough .

 

[dave1949]

Another of my favorite sources of entertainment is the clowns that merge onto the interstate at 50 mph , oblivious to 2 full lanes of traffic , throw the turn signal on and come right on out ! 18 wheelers , the guy reading his paper and having breakfast and the gal doing her hair passing you ,and here comes this jackleg into the equation . Or , they merge as mentioned ,you move over , and they set CC to match your speed exactly .When I took DE in high school there were yield signs on the ramps , not that it would matter today . Oh one more .Follow me 10 miles , then pass me at the busiest cloverleaf in central IL. 57 / 74 . Enough .

That happens a lot. It doesn't take much thinking about common courtesy to avoid that either. A lot of people just don't think.

 

[turnkey4099]

Why would I need to drive like they do somewhere else? I don't live and drive, nor have the same roads or distances they do somewhere else. Where I live the speed limit on any road is 45 mph unless posted otherwise.

Let's do the math. distance = rate X time. Time = distance /rate.

It's roughly ten miles from home to the edge of town.

10 miles / 45 mph = .22 hours
10 miles / 50 mph = .20 hours
10 miles / 55 mph = .18 hours
10 miles / 60 mph = .16 hours

.22 - .16 = .06 hours or 3.6 minutes maximum time saved--if you could actually drive 60 mph all ten miles and stay out of the trees. That's why I say it doesn't bother me if people are poking a bit on secondary roads HERE.

I think you are looking for an argument over nit pics.

Yep, for short differences it doesn't matter. But everyone on the road is not doing "short distances". It also makes no sense to travel at less than the posted (assuming conditions allow it, i.e., no snow, rain, slick or other reasons). To travel at less then the posted as a standard practice indicates that that driver doesn't care about others on the same road. Actually, and I have already said it. I have rarely seen, even on local roads, where the 'flow' is even at the posted, it is almost always higher.

Ask any driver ed instructor and he will tell you that the safest speed to travel on the road is whatever the 'flow' is.

No, not looking for an argument, just posting things that have pissed me (and others) off over many years.

Harry K

 

[Bird]

It also makes no sense to travel at less than the posted (assuming conditions allow it, i.e., no snow, rain, slick or other reasons). To travel at less then the posted as a standard practice indicates that that driver doesn't care about others on the same road.

Err, uh, what does it say on those signs? Speed LIMIT?:laughing: Yep, as most of us, you look at it as the MINIMUM when legally it's the MAXIMUM speed allowed.:laughing: While not real common, there ARE roads that also have an ACTUAL MINIMUM speed also shown; most commonly 15 to 20 mph below the MAXIMUM, I think.

But as I said, you're in the majority, looking at it as a MINIMUM.:laughing: And in my experience, most police officers will not stop a driver doing less than 10 mph over the speed limit (except in school zones) and almost none of the officers will stop drivers doing less than 5 mph over the limit (except in school zones). So, yep, I'm a law breaker, too. I set my cruise control on the speed limit, but also sometimes 2 to 4 mph over the limit.

And I suppose many people don't know that in some places, you CAN actually be cited for Impeding the Flow of Traffic, and while I've not seen it happen, I've HEARD that it CAN happen even if you are driving the speed limit; e.g., staying in the left lane of a multi-lane roadway instead of moving over to the right lane when other vehicles are behind you.

 

[timswi]

Err, uh, what does it say on those signs? Speed LIMIT?:laughing: Yep, as most of us, you look at it as the MINIMUM when legally it's the MAXIMUM speed allowed.:laughing: While not real common, there ARE roads that also have an ACTUAL MINIMUM speed also shown; most commonly 15 to 20 mph below the MAXIMUM, I think.

But as I said, you're in the majority, looking at it as a MINIMUM.:laughing: And in my experience, most police officers will not stop a driver doing less than 10 mph over the speed limit (except in school zones) and almost none of the officers will stop drivers doing less than 5 mph over the limit (except in school zones). So, yep, I'm a law breaker, too. I set my cruise control on the speed limit, but also sometimes 2 to 4 mph over the limit.

And I suppose many people don't know that in some places, you CAN actually be cited for Impeding the Flow of Traffic, and while I've not seen it happen, I've HEARD that it CAN happen even if you are driving the speed limit; e.g., staying in the left lane of a multi-lane roadway instead of moving over to the right lane when other vehicles are behind you.

PA occasionally enforces that law on the interstates...There are warning signs on the highways about this.