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Author Topic: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers  (Read 16550 times)

October 17, 2013, 01:11:55 pm

DogDiesel

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Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« on: October 17, 2013, 01:11:55 pm »
Here on the east coast, as you pass Washington DC, civility on the road is oftentime replaced by selfishness and inconsiderate driving, and in some cases bullying.  For some reasons, obvious and not-so-obvious, drivers move to the left and put it on cruise control (esp in MD).  Sometimes at the speedlimit, sometimes slightly above the speed limit and in many cases below the speedlimit.  Pulling up behind these drivers and being patient will simply not result in yielding to the right and allowing you to pass.  Thus, from DC to NY, you have to pass on the right far too often.  
Some left-lane-lazy (L3) drivers go further and ‘own-the-road’ thinking their control of the left lane creates safety and they set the pace.  I have observed these drivers speed up when you attempt to pass them on the right.  Hence Bullying L3 driving.  Which leads me to the point of my posting.  I have two vehicles, I thoroughly enjoy driving, because, if I want to pass you, you are going to get passed.  In most cases, there is nothing you can do about it.  One is my Caddy, now with a Giles pump, and the other is my Chevy pickup with a 6BT Cummins.  With both, I actually enjoy waiting until the freeway is going upgrade, put the blinker on and ‘whip’ around these L3 drivers, and in many cases that’s it.  I have had a few, that speed up and try to pass me and own the lane.  Normally, I like this, I love to find a ‘rabbit’ to set the pace and get the ticket, and if they fit that mold, I am good with it, but if they simply slow back down and go on cruise, which some will, THEY WILL GET PASSED again.  We can do this all day, and with my little Caddy, I’ll do it cheaper.

Throttle dispipline is do-able but with all power, it is intoxicating and it's easy to become a diesel power crack-head.  Too bad I can't make smoke on demand, like I could with one of my older pickups.  Both these will make exhaust plume but really won't make smoke, but they make 'move' well!
« Last Edit: October 17, 2013, 01:21:46 pm by DogDiesel »



Reply #1October 17, 2013, 02:20:24 pm

libbydiesel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2013, 02:20:24 pm »
Do you ever feel that the 'correctness' of the behavior of the other driver's might occupy too much of your own head space?  I know I do.  Do you ever feel that perhaps going with the general flow of traffic rather than trying to go faster than the general flow of traffic might actually be more fun?  I definitely feel that way.

Reply #2October 17, 2013, 08:39:36 pm

Syncroincity

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2013, 08:39:36 pm »
No, he's talking about willful, on-purpose ass-hattery by the American Anti-Destination League. NJ and NY are plagued with these mickey mouse  who feel it's their God-given right to drive slow in the passing lane. They get indignant at the suggestion they move over to the TRAVEL lane to allow everyone else to proceed at a normal pace. They are the single biggest cause of road-rage and reckless driving due to drivers attempting to find a path around them.
There is a special place in hell for these people. It's all about them, you do not matter, no one matters but them.
[/rant]
« Last Edit: November 13, 2013, 08:17:54 am by burn_your_money »
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Reply #3October 17, 2013, 09:10:28 pm

libbydiesel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2013, 09:10:28 pm »
I hear you.  My perspective is that any time that I spend using my mind to focus on other drivers and what they do when they aren't actually within my sight is too much, unless, of course, I enjoy thinking about them.  The 'mmm, diesel-power' feeling I can grok with satisfaction.  I guess I'm glad there's folks out there willing to try to 'teach the idiots a lesson'.  I've just never personally found any bang for buck there.  I tend to be satisfied with other driver's who are anywhere within 5MPH above or below the speed limit and relegate them into the 'reasonable' category as long as they're not aiming for me.  Then again, I don't live in NJ or NY, thankfully.     

Reply #4October 17, 2013, 09:41:26 pm

745 turbogreasel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2013, 09:41:26 pm »
We seem to have a lot of them on the Cali coast too,  go inland 25 minutes, and most of the people you encounter know  how to drive.

Reply #5October 17, 2013, 11:08:49 pm

ORCoaster

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2013, 11:08:49 pm »
My trouble with the set it on cruise and hang in the left lane are those that think that if the go just one mile per hour faster than the posted speed limit that gives them the right to take and stay in the left lane.  Forever!  Like the poster noted that causes all others that care to bump it by 5 mph faster to find a spot in another lane on the right to pass them.  Why they do the 1 + mph I don't know.  I do find that having the smaller car allows me to find holes through the crowd much easier. 

Now how do you deal with those going 5 mph less on roads that are only single lane each direction and the double yellow goes on for 10 miles.  Hit the passing lane and they up it 10 mph so you can't possibly pass as you are number 27 of 30 behind them.  At that point I do make the mental adjustment and pull off the throttle and stop fussing about my total trip time just extended by an hour. 

Some days you win and some you don't.

Reply #6October 17, 2013, 11:45:20 pm

libbydiesel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2013, 11:45:20 pm »
Someone driving the speed limit in the left lane is driving legally.  Exceeding the speed limit to pass that person on the left or the right is illegal.  Is the gripe that the person in the left lane going the speed limit is inconveniencing your ability to illegally drive in excess of the speed limit?

Reply #7October 18, 2013, 12:37:16 am

Syncroincity

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2013, 12:37:16 am »
Someone driving the speed limit in the left lane is driving legally.

The law actually is "Stay right except to pass." on a multi-lane highway... Several states have roadsigns stating that. States that don't post it suffer more from self-important d-bag drivers who are completely ignorant of the concept of lane discipline.
Try driving like that in Germany, you will have a 911 Turbo up your trumpet and Politzei pulling you over for impeding traffic. Cops in the States just don't care enough to enforce it.

 
Quote
Exceeding the speed limit to pass that person on the left or the right is illegal.  Is the gripe that the person in the left lane going the speed limit is inconveniencing your ability to illegally drive in excess of the speed limit?

Yes.  :) Ever get stuck behind two of these clowns riding abreast for 50 miles?

Keep in mind, most of our speed limits here are still 55, or even 45-50 on many highways. It's a long damn trip at those speeds.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2013, 12:43:14 am by Syncroincity »
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Reply #8October 18, 2013, 12:52:47 am

libbydiesel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2013, 12:52:47 am »
Just checking.   :)

Reply #9October 18, 2013, 01:01:02 am

funkaholik

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2013, 01:01:02 am »
California has a ridiculous number of these left lane campers, especially here in the SF Bay area.  The concept of staying as far right as your speed justifies, and moving left one lane to pass someone slower than you, is practically unknown here.  As a result, there are people doing at, below, or just over the limit in the far left lane, and speeders weaving in and out of lanes, or sometimes even just flying by in the right lane. 

By contrast, I just returned from 2 weeks of driving in France, and it was amazing.  The slowest vehicles stay right, moving left only to pass.  The next fastest lane to the left moves to their left only to pass, or the slower car will move right to allow them by.  The far left lane is for passing only, and a few speeders. Traffic flowed so beautifully.  I don't know how we could start to change the mess we have here into the smooth flowing system they have.  Is it even possible at this point?

By the way, my rental car was a 1.6 TDI Golf, and it was awesome.  Love the bluetec feature that shuts the engine off when you come to a stop, and fires it right back up when you're ready to go again.

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Reply #10October 18, 2013, 04:06:58 pm

DogDiesel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2013, 04:06:58 pm »
I served 31 years active duty in the Military, and have had the opportunity to drive in every state, Europe, Britain, France, Germany,Canada Japan, Korea, and the area I spoke of is the most frustrating.  I-95 in MD at minimum has 2 lanes, and many places 4-6.  With that much road, mathmatically a traffic jam is hard to make.  But there are jams unrivaled.  Unfortunately, my work keeps me traveling thru.

It is so bad, that MD recently started giving fines for obstructing traffic.  Yes a ticket for driving at the correct speed (on or off cruise), but failing to yeild.  Same for NJ.

And this movement is likely coming to your state

Now that we are getting a lot of Illegals on the east coast:

This is a 'there I was story..."  65MPH zone, traffic flowing fast, some much faster, and it began to lightly drizzel, traffic is flowing, north on I-95, TEN lanes on one side, yes 10!  On the beltway, traffic will go right to I-95 in 3 miles, and all of a sudden every car locked their brakes and stopped, slid to a stop, slid sideways, veered off the road, and allass... started moving again.  What the heck was that?  Creeping about 8 MPH for the next mile I saw the cause, and I could not believe it.  7 Mexicans were stopped in the lane between 9 and 10 on the left side of the beltway as it broke from the beltway to I-95 (more than 10 lane), and they were tying their mattress back to the top of their suburban.  Right in the middle of the road.  Since then, often I see them driving in the left lane slow, much slower than traffic, and below the speed limit.  I ask this question because I do not know the answer.  What are the rules for left lane, yeilding, passing and the like in Mexico.  While I have driven in Mexico, it was one trip back in the early 80s. Granted most blend in, some stand out intensly.

Reply #11October 18, 2013, 09:26:25 pm

745 turbogreasel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2013, 09:26:25 pm »
IDK, citizenship is hard to determine visually but  where I live is almost 60% Hispanic, and old people are by far the worst offenders.  the ones doing it because the are on the phone  bug me the most. 
I don't think I've ever had  issue with any car bearing actual Mexican plates.

Ca has had a 'no more than 5 cars stuck behind you' law since before the 80s.

Reply #12October 18, 2013, 11:38:29 pm

DogDiesel

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2013, 11:38:29 pm »
No my question was to what are the rules of the road in Mexico.  When I see patterns repeated, there must be a reason.  Mind you of the slow drivers, from Mexico, the offense is yeilding or correctly put, not yeilding.  These slow cases go real slow, like 10 MPH below and don't yeild like its the rule there. But back to the I-95 corridor topic.  When you boil the issue to its core, it is a lack of consideration, failure to obey law, and basically not caring about the law or others.  Or accepted practice.

I had a friend in my office, who was describing his driving habits, good guy, but someone wanted to pass and he ignored them because he was doing a few miles above the speed limit.  Said they flashed their lights at him and he brake checked them...  He was shocked when I told him he was an idiot, that he violated the law in multiple ways, and explained.  He was feeling proud of himself for not yeilding and brake checking a guy.  Could you have moved over?  Yes.  why didn't you then?  I told him, by law in VA and MD where it happened he could get a citation for obstructing traffic.  Later he told me he thought about it, and I was right.

Speeders are money maker and other violations are ignored by the patrolmen, sherrifs and police.  IMHO
Failure to yeild, failure to signal, and brake checking are actally more hazzardous to others than speeding within single digits to the limit.  Again IMHO.

Reply #13October 19, 2013, 08:38:48 am

bbob203

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2013, 08:38:48 am »
I don't think there are rules in mexico. Everybody for themselves.
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Reply #14October 21, 2013, 07:35:54 am

RabbitJockey

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Re: Bullying Left Lane Lazy Drivers
« Reply #14 on: October 21, 2013, 07:35:54 am »
California has a ridiculous number of these left lane campers, especially here in the SF Bay area.  The concept of staying as far right as your speed justifies, and moving left one lane to pass someone slower than you, is practically unknown here.  As a result, there are people doing at, below, or just over the limit in the far left lane, and speeders weaving in and out of lanes, or sometimes even just flying by in the right lane. 

By contrast, I just returned from 2 weeks of driving in France, and it was amazing.  The slowest vehicles stay right, moving left only to pass.  The next fastest lane to the left moves to their left only to pass, or the slower car will move right to allow them by.  The far left lane is for passing only, and a few speeders. Traffic flowed so beautifully.  I don't know how we could start to change the mess we have here into the smooth flowing system they have.  Is it even possible at this point?

By the way, my rental car was a 1.6 TDI Golf, and it was awesome.  Love the bluetec feature that shuts the engine off when you come to a stop, and fires it right back up when you're ready to go again.



my brother just made a trip to germany, and one of the biggest things he talked about was how well the traffic flowed, even in cities and towns where you're not really going that fast.  he said the attitude of drivers is totally different, they are alot more aware of whats happening around them, and they're not in competition with anyone.

I honestly can't stand people that ride the left lane either, and i am not a hammer head driver when i am on the highway i just pick a speed and set the cruise control, i pass people going slower than me and i get out of the way for people going faster.

people here are sooooooo selfish, i they think everyone needs to conform to their driving habits, like all the jerk offs pacing the left lane, are these the people that couldn't make it as cops or something?  when people are trying to go faster than me, i don't hold them up, or speed up when they try to pass me, i learned a few times when i was much younger they are probably 10 times crazier than i am, and who knows when you'll encounter some guy who just lost everything in a divorce, got fired, and found out his daughters doing porn all in the same day.

I served 31 years active duty in the Military, and have had the opportunity to drive in every state, Europe, Britain, France, Germany,Canada Japan, Korea, and the area I spoke of is the most frustrating.  I-95 in MD at minimum has 2 lanes, and many places 4-6.  With that much road, mathmatically a traffic jam is hard to make.  But there are jams unrivaled.  Unfortunately, my work keeps me traveling thru.

It is so bad, that MD recently started giving fines for obstructing traffic.  Yes a ticket for driving at the correct speed (on or off cruise), but failing to yeild.  Same for NJ.

And this movement is likely coming to your state

Now that we are getting a lot of Illegals on the east coast:

This is a 'there I was story..."  65MPH zone, traffic flowing fast, some much faster, and it began to lightly drizzel, traffic is flowing, north on I-95, TEN lanes on one side, yes 10!  On the beltway, traffic will go right to I-95 in 3 miles, and all of a sudden every car locked their brakes and stopped, slid to a stop, slid sideways, veered off the road, and allass... started moving again.  What the heck was that?  Creeping about 8 MPH for the next mile I saw the cause, and I could not believe it.  7 Mexicans were stopped in the lane between 9 and 10 on the left side of the beltway as it broke from the beltway to I-95 (more than 10 lane), and they were tying their mattress back to the top of their suburban.  Right in the middle of the road.  Since then, often I see them driving in the left lane slow, much slower than traffic, and below the speed limit.  I ask this question because I do not know the answer.  What are the rules for left lane, yeilding, passing and the like in Mexico.  While I have driven in Mexico, it was one trip back in the early 80s. Granted most blend in, some stand out intensly.

i hate heading down around the baltimore dc area.  those people drive wild, whipping in and out of lanes, and no one looks when they merge on to the highway, they just expect you to make a hole for them, and you better or they'll merge straight into you.  unfortunately too, before the housing market crashed, alot of those people started moving to york where i live because they could get 4 times the house for the same price, then commute an hour to work.


anyways, i feel better now haha.
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