another speeder gets what he deserves

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Michgal007 @ Jan 18 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]377178[/snapback]</div>

Stay exactly where I am at the speed I am. My daughter is learning to drive and gets nervous when a car comes up behind her. I have told her time and again that she has just as much right to drive on the road as the person behind her. She is doing a reasonable speed, although usually about 5 miles below the speed limit.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Beryl Octet @ Jan 18 2007, 10:14 AM) [snapback]377231[/snapback]</div>

Sorry, when I read the following in the opening post, "The speed limit is 35 so I'm doing 35 in the left lane of my side (four through lanes with a central left turn lane)." I didn't read it as being related to a single or even a two lane road.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ken Cooper @ Jan 18 2007, 11:03 AM) [snapback]377221[/snapback]</div>

People did this when I lived in Texas rather routinely for two-lane roads (one each way), I thought it was rather polite of them. When they slowed traffic and there were no good opportunities to pass, they'd simply pull over and drive on the shoulder while you went by, then they'd get back on after the backed-up cars had passed. I haven't seen this done elsewhere (okay, on rare occasions somebody going extra slow, like with a trailer, will pull off and essentially stop, but in NE Texas they don't even noticeably slow down, provided the shoulders are decent).

For multi-lane highways, it is NOT recommended to stay in the left lane when going the speed limit. Not only does it make speeders upset (which is 95% of the population, after all), but in some states, like Illinois, it's against the law to use the "passing" lane for other purposes. It's not your job to try to enforce the speed limit, and you can get arrested for that. I heard a friend-of-a-friend story where the person in the left lane saw a police car behind them, so they slowed down to the speed limit, then was arrested for obstructing traffic (or whatever that specific law states, it passed just a year or two ago). Essentially, if you're not actively passing traffic, or preparing for a left exit, or in congested traffic, then you need to stay to the right.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Jan 18 2007, 11:05 AM) [snapback]377223[/snapback]</div>

I probably would have taken a chance and bellowed at him: "Did you kick a$$!!!???"

Seriously, another site has discussed this plus if it's OK to go under the posted limit. Some have been advocating going with the pack, even if they are speeding. Problem is many pack driver get competitive trying to "stay ahead".

Before my hypermiler days, I'd notice cruising slower alone than in traffic - competition. If you are going with the pack, consider that some will compete to stay ahead regardless.

 

zasdfsdf

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Michgal007 @ Jan 18 2007, 11:10 AM) [snapback]377178[/snapback]</div>

Exactly the position I was in about 20 years ago on a snowy day going up a slight hill - another car was tail gating me, so I sped up just as I crested the hill, and started to skid into oncoming traffic - I pulled out of the skid but went off the OTHER side of the road into a ditch. Since then, I don't worry about people tail gating me - if there isn't somewhere for me to pull into another lane and I'm travelling the speed limit, I figure it's the tail gater who has the problem, not me! Fortunately, none of them have actually tried to crawl into my back seat, even though it seemed imminent.
Many of them will, however, decide that my speed-limit driving is unacceptable and so will opt to cross the double yellow line, passing me on a curve or a hill. Once they get past me, I'll usually slow down a little to make sure they get FAR ahead of me before I resume the speed limit, so I can avoid the accident the idiot may cause.

 

I don't think the best respose to a hulking tailgater is to be intimidated - that's what happens to battered wifes....maybe the Lorena Bobbit response?

 

What would that be, pulling the engine out of their H2? :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Jan 18 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]377356[/snapback]</div>

Sorry for the tangent, but I'd like to see a good survey of what veteans drive, and contrast it to how many non-vets drive the H2. I've heard stuff to suggest not that many vets drive Hummers.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Delta Flyer @ Jan 18 2007, 02:15 PM) [snapback]377359[/snapback]</div>

Given that an H1 is $110,000 or so (or was, they pulled the plug on the civilian version after lack of sales), I'm not surprised. The H2 and H3 are basically a Tahoe and Trailblazer respectively, although more expensive. I see plenty of those, but it's hard to say if the drivers are vets or not. Most of the vets I know personally drive a mixture of stuff, including imports.

 

The times I've seen the "most Hummer drivers never served", they seem to suggest real vets, real men don't need to resort to such stuff.

I kind of buy into that theory.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Jan 18 2007, 10:54 AM) [snapback]377276[/snapback]</div>

In the days before the current inter-state highway system (no comments on my age please) it was routine to pull over onto a shoulder or safe pull-out area when driving in mountains, on perpetually curvy roads, or if oncoming traffic was too heavy to allow for safe passing (I still do it on, for instance, curvy mountain two lane roads). It was just courtesy and common sense (and I don't remember ever hearing of an accident happening as a result of someone pulling over to allow someone to pass). For what it's worth, it wasn't all that long ago (at least in my mind) when almost all highways except in cities were two lane.

 

Man, do NOT, NOT, antagonzie drivers by tapping on your brakes when being tailgated....

...and if someone is tailgating you, if the situation allows it, let them pass, or pull off the road and let them go by. All you're doing is increasing the anger level of the driver in the car behind you. Your 5 seconds of getting out of the way will pay you dividends ten-fold...

To illustrate, I'll share with you some tidbits: In my younger days, I've smashed people's mirrors, kicked doors, smashed up the grille of a trucker, and even ran some a-hole right into the center median off the highway because he intentionally attempted to block my passing him for the 3rd, and final time.

It just isn't worth coming across someone like me who used to do that sort of thing, or worse yet, someone who has no problems pulling out a .45 (had someone actually me pull a shotgun on me once). You never, EVER, know what type of person is driving that vehicle. Get out of the way, and let them go, your job is not to police the roads...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Jan 18 2007, 02:53 PM) [snapback]377412[/snapback]</div>

And yet, every time someone gives in to the tailgater, he or she feels more and more a sense of entitlement, a sense that people *should* get out of their way. If everyone simply ignored these a-holes and continued traveling at the speed limit, i would bet they would soon wear down and stop feeling so entitled to using the road.

And please, Mystery Squid, if you ever come up on my nice person and i refuse to speed up for you, do something to me. Me (and my lawyer) would like to have an indentured servant for the rest of our lives.

 

Just set him up on a date with Lorena Bobbit.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Jan 18 2007, 06:10 PM) [snapback]377426[/snapback]</div>

Problem is, that isn't reality, people are still going to get irate, and you'll never get everyone to "ignore" the a-holes. So do what you like at your own peril... FYI though, it's usually not a sense of entitlement per se, but rather a sense of "needless obstruction"... Guess you've never owned a capable vehicle...

On top of that, speed limits are a function of revenue generation as they are safety, in varying proportions depending upon the situation, sometimes, it's weighed far more towards revenue generation...

:lol:

Yeah, ok....

Relax, I gave that up some time ago, and bought a Prius. It's why I always get out of the way, because I have the best perspective of anyone as to why one SHOULD get out of the way...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Jan 18 2007, 03:53 PM) [snapback]377412[/snapback]</div>