Prius Etiquette

post #39 in thread was for mikepaul

 

I can definitely agree to that!

This has been a fun thread. I think I'll drive home soon and enjoy every minute of it because it is sunny and delightful here in SD

 

Thanks for the pointer.

I'm always fascinated with people who decide that people holding the short end of any stick should live with it. Commendable to not speed (all the time, anyway), but remember your place and get out of the way of those who do speed. Think not of being inferior in that you give way to your betters, just do it and everybody's safe. Hey wait a minute Mike, we're not BETTER than you, just speedier so just grin and bear it and remember to get out of our way like a good boy.

Uh, huh...

 

Hi Mike...

Hmm... "right" or "wrong", attacked, or defended? I don't usually think that way. Also, do I properly understand your position - you believe that no one should drive faster than the speed limit? Whoah - in D.C., that would be pretty dangerous just getting on the highway! It'd be like rolling out of your driveway right into of 15 mph traffic!
Well, I'll be the first to admit that I'm breaking the law... As for being "wrong" - I'm not sure, so I can't really defend myself. I consider being rude on the road to be both wrong and dangerous, whether it's the speeder or the "lollygagger", so I always drive with respect and consideration for other drivers.
I don't know if the law is "wrong" - I'd probably be much happier with autobahn rules. Incidentally, they also ticket people for driving rudely in zones where there is no posted speed limit - both speeders and "lollygaggers" alike.

BTW, I'm really enjoying this thread I'm tempted to start a thread on merge etiquette! (whoah - there's a touchy subject )

Dave

 

As long as you leave 'going faster than the car to your right' as one of the main criteria, I don't see what anyones in a flap about - thats pretty much what I think you SHOULD use the middle lane for.

I think the argument that I shouldn't be a self-appointed 'pace car' just loses any substance when used in the same sentence as proclaiming that 10 over is your way, and is good enough. Yes, it might be annoying, but the guy who wants to go 90 behind you is probably annoyed too.

To the OP, I HATE people who just sit in the center lane for safety's sake, and let people pass them on both sides. They make getting around a nightmare. Sorry to hear there's a Prius driver somewhere that's pissing off the asSUVs in our honor.

 

That was my last accident. The 8 East/163 South on-ramp. I am looking to get out of the 163 lane and into the 8 (not much time to get there). Some guy comes from behind me and pulls in front of me just as I am pulling into the lane he is now vacating but the lane I was in was going slower and he slams on his brakes. i can't quite clear him and my right front hit his back left. My turn signal was on but he HAD to get in front of me before changing lanes into the obviously slower lane.

So merge etiquette would go as wild as this one has!

 

Speeders do not have the Right of Way over people pulling the speed limit. No excuses, not even driving prowess...

Down here, the rule about people merging onto a highway has been replaced with one where the people ON the highway need to make room. Cruising at the speed limit in the right lane is dangerous. Hey, THAT'S why I can't move to the right: I'll get killed. Thanks for the opportunity to fit that in here... :lol:

 

I've been driving for 32 years, put hundreds of thousands of miles on dozens of vehicles, in the 80's I used to drive 1500 miles per week for my job, no accidents, no tickets since 1979, and I have seen some truly horrible driving in this country, along with a tremendous lack of courtesy.

Frequently, it is the speed differential between vehicles sharing the same road that causes accidents on multi-lane interstates. If you choose to drive slower than the majority of the other vehicular traffic, you need to drive in the far right lane for your own safety and the safety of others. There is a very good reason why "slower traffic, keep right" is the law. A traffic engineer explained to me that interstate highway traffic is like the flow of water - anything that constricts that flow is a hazard.

 

If you don't think that speed limits are political and arbitrary, consider crossing a state line and watch the limit change for the same road. Also, for old geezers like myself, remember impositon of the double nickels in the 70s thanks to the Arab oil embargo.

While we are at it. Anyone want to offer their opinion on how many of these slow drivers in the left lane are yaking away with a cell phone in their hand? I would estimate my experience at 75 percent or more. I'm not talking about hands free devices. Is there anything called "cellphone elbow, ear, whatever..". I'm not sure some of these morons even belong on an expressway, or maybe the ability to use a cellphone while driving is considered a sign of driving prowess.
I may not be a more capable driver than the next guy but, when I drive that is what I am concentrating on.

Oh well, time to go home. See you on the highway.
B)

 

AMEN!

 

Moderate your speed. Speeders slow down, lollygaggers speed up. It isn't so much speed that causes problems, but the DISPARITY in speed, most noticeable on interstates.

And there are not enough police to be the enforcrs of this...each person must be their own enforcer.

 

Please explain..this sounds rather ignorant. Are you saying there are no legitimate "laws of physics" arguments or engineering of the roaday and number of cars issues?

 

It is generally not "safe' to pass on the right....there are limited laws (liminted jurisdictions) where it is illegal.

 

Uh, have you "set" any speed limits? What is your background in saying this? Why don't you "re-set" speed imts in your area?

 

I agree with that. So we're not talking about the same thing then. We are just talking about etiquette though, right? I'd like to narrow our contention - I'd like to know what I'm doing "wrong" in your opinion. I've already made quite clear that I never bully any body around me, nor do I feel any entitlement to go fast just because I believe that I'm a very capable driver.

Riddle me this - if there's a guy going 50mph in the fast lane with everyone passing him on the right at the 70mph speed limit, I'd bet that you and I would have indistinguishable driving characteristics, because I believe that you too are a conciencious driver (even though you like to call *me* a moron - stone thrower! Anyway, I'd bet that you might even be a little annoyed with the guy. If I'm correct on that, then this in effect leads me to believe that the only thing that we disagree about is whether one should arduently adhere to the speed laws or not. For me, safety trumps the law, and so does enjoyment so long as I know I'm not hurting anyone else. Of course, I guess I am hurting the environment more so when I speed than not... Hmm... I think I'm talking myself into slowing down

When you've got a semi behind you going downhill in the Smokies, do you ride your brakes at the speed limit? Those poor truckers DO have to build up speed to get over the next hump!
By the way, if you see me on the highway driving a heavy load uphill and can't go very fast, you can be sure that I'll be sharing the road with you, from the right lane, like any good trucker.

Ack.. just rambling now I guess. Too bad I telecommute on fridays, otherwise I could enjoy the drive....

Dave

 

Ahh the joys of Metro escalators...lets see how fast we can run up/down an escalator that may break down at any moment! And dodge all the idiots who don't know to "stand to the right, walk to the left"

Regardless of speed, in VA there is a law that if the person behind you flashes their lights and you do not move right and let them pass, you can be ticketed.
I learned this in the Dr. Gridlock column in the WashingtonPost, and couldn't find the column, or the statute easily. I'll look again later once I have dinner in my stomach.

 

There's right of way or etiquette or being smart and playing it safe.

It's foolish to cling to your right of way and refuse to play it safe. After pulling over and letting those speeding "morons" go around you, you can pat yourself on the back for posessing good etiquette. So what if your mpgs aren't as great as they could have been if you used cruise control the entire trip; you made it home alive, without a scratch on your Prius!

About cruising at slower speeds in the right lane: In defensive driving if you're going slower than the other traffic, are in the right lane and there's a merge up ahead, you're supposed to speed up and move to the left (in a safe manner, of course). After the traffic pattern calms down again, you're welcome to move back into the right lane and slow down to your preferred travel speed. If there is no room for you to move to the left to make room for merging traffic, you're supposed to either speed up or slow down to allow for the entering vehicles. I prefer to speed up so the entering cars don't have to push their engines so hard.

Good driving is NOT a matter of using the cruise control and getting the best mpgs you can out of your Prius. Driving is much more interactive than sitting your butt in a chair, watching the "morons" weave and dance all around, and entertaining yourself by cursing at them. Driving's a matter of travelling in a safe manner and therefore giving everyone out on the road the best chance to make it home in one piece. Consider it a running communication with the other drivers, or whatever it takes to keep you aware, alert to developing problems, and proactive (rather than only reactive).

 

Boy, so how often do you get the finger? :lol:

 

I've always explained it like this:

Speed limits are 25% based on safety, 75% for revenue generation, or what I like to call, State sponsored "legalized extortion".

 

The problem is twofold:

(1) Safety according to whom? You? Or the hundreds of years of collective experience of the engineers and others who design, build, and maintain the roadway, signs, markings, etc. Or the lawmakers that put laws on the books many years ago that are still standing, unchallenged by the people you share the roads with.

(2) You may not know you are hurting someone else until you hurt them. No matter what reasonable scenario you come up with, there is always the possibility of something or someone unexpectedly derailing your enjoyable ride. Hindsight is 20-20 - anyone can look back and see that "so far" nothing bad has happened. If you really want to impress us, prove that the future will continue to safely allow your type of driving.

As for those who think it's proper to be a self-appointed pace car in the left lane, perhaps you should consider the possibilty that (a) it's illegal in many jurisdictions, so why get into that habit, and (B) what if the speeder coming up behind you is someone rushing an injured friend to the minor emergency center, or the police/volunteer firefighter racing to a scene to help someone (maybe their equipment isn't working properly?), and © what if some day that's you, racing to get to the hospital before a close family member dies. Surely you get the idea.

I'm sure speeding is a contributing factor in many accidents, but so are alcohol and unsafe lane changes. Staying in the left lane and causing cars to pass you on the right just makes YOUR roadway less safe, and the other drivers more irritated. On a major freeway, what is the liklihood that an accident between you and another driver will be limited to just those two vehicles?

Road rage is getting worse, so why not do us all a favor and obey the laws and drive defensively.

oops - was I ranting?