Carlos from Spain

Ignacio - I´ll bear that in mind as I´m going over there this summer for vacation but I still remember my three speeding tickets in my last year of college over there un the U.S.
Of course the fact that I´ve been driving cars and bikes since I was 12 and 11 years old respectively and the fact that I never had an accident on the streets in my life didn´t matter to the guy with the handheld laser

I think its a matter of being curtious and drive as you would like the other drivers to drive. Of course there is always SOB´s who don´t care about the other drivers...

Carlos from Spain
996 C4
Suzuki GSX-R1000
Yamaha YFM660R Raptor

John..

Here in the Midwest, the problem is worse than I have seen elsewhere in the country. The states of Ohio and Kentucky have no state inspection, so often you get some real POS in the left lane....like missing mirrors, bald tires, etc. These people look at you like you are crazy because you want to pass.

The real problem is with law enforcement of this issue. Sitting in the left lane at ANY speed when there is room to move over, should be considered a violation of the law. People just don't understand this. Sure we may mention this in our training, but it is not followed as a rule.

I have been around a lot of Switzerland, Italy France and Southern Germany, and I can tell you first hand, that as a rule, the skill set a European driver has far surpasses the skill set most US drivers have. The Swiss are pretty good drivers as are the Germans.

I generally avoid passing on the right, as it is a quick way to cause accidents. It is not the speed that scares me, it is the next driver who I worry about. Those who change lanes, play games, etc.

Basically, all I want to do is get home without sitting in traffic every day. Here in Cincinnati, I-75 and I-71 carry a lot of traffic, but we also have these lane blockers, rubber neckers, etc.

I have come to the conclusion that you can't win with these people. They are the rule, and not the exception (please remember this). Our law enforcement needs to start cracking people for these types of violations. Personally, I don't have a problem if someone wants to drive 100+ MPH. As long as their equipment is up to par and they have the skill and are responsible (most who drive these speeds are not) it is not a problem. It is the other 90% that needs to learn the skills that the 10% have to make our highways a safer place.

On another note....too often here I see Police Officers clocking and pulling people over in the high speed break down lane. This is an accident waiting to happen, and you all know that if anybody had an emergency and had to use this lane for it's real purpose and hit a police car, there would be hell to pay.

I was pulled over in NH one time (out of inspection) and stopped in the left hand break down lane....the guy driving the safety wagon (as we used to call them) stopped traffic and made me pull over on the right hand side of the highway. I was 16 and was scared, but my actions were stupid. In New Hampshire they would never pull people over on the high speed side of the highway. I will not stop there ever again, even if directed to do so. My life is worth too much to chance it by stopping in the high speed break down lane for a traffic violation.

My point is this.....if law enforcement sees it as appropriate or normal to stop people in what IS the high speed or passing side of the highway, why would they ever police "keep right except to pass"?

ignacio

john

i agree with most of your comments but imo the first step would be to make it illegal to pass on the right. i don't think most u.s. drivers have ever heard of a passing lane! chaos reigns!! <img src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" border="0" alt="[soapbox]" />

Ed Newman

Sorry if I an being a left lane hog. I do move over for almost everyone. Except those that do not belong going faster. i.e. 1982 Hyundai.

I agree that drivers ed (not PCA DE) does not etach you much. It does not teach you how to drive, or how to be safe, we did learn how to go through a drive thru McDonalds though.

pfb

Seems like 30% of the left-lane roadblockers want to enforce their own brand of justice and impede "speeders".

The other 70% are just clueless and blissfully unaware. I always get a kick out of the crazy, last minute head-checks these drivers do when changing lanes. Don't they keep track of the traffic around them at all times? Guess not!

I find that flashing high-beam's antogonizes the first group and is usually ineffective with the second. A left turn signal has better results, perhaps because they really don't now what it means, but most of the time it seems you have to just wait, or (tsk! tsk!) pass on the right.

ignacio

a fast closing speed with headlight on during the day helps sometimes but most u.s. drivers are clueless morons <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />

karl k

[quote]Originally posted by ignacio:
a fast closing speed with headlight on during the day helps sometimes but <strong>most u.s. drivers are clueless morons <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>To introduce the "Left Lane = Passing Lane" concept into the USA, the lead would have to come from DOT and started with the interstate highway system. (a similar effort re "U.S. Metrification" was lead by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce and is still incomplete after some 30 years!!)

In order to institute this "Left Lane = Passing Lane" concept, it would have to need the grass roots support and support of the elected reps, -- which would be difficult to get from S. Florida.

However, abolition of lane markings, - speed limits, - all traffic lights would gain widespread support.

FYI:

The annual passenger vehicle emmission inspections were just abolished in all of Florida last year -- with the support of Jeb Bush.

dom4471

i find uk drivers on motorways some of the worst in the world for sitting in the fast lane. its some sort of macho thing abt moving over. sometime u can see the fast line chokka with cars with only one of two cars in the slow lane - i find french/italian drivers better when on autoroute they move over when anything faster arrives behined and if u really are motoring u just stick on yr indicator permenantly when u are in the fast lane to indicate u are travelling at speed and 99 pct will pull over for u. the italians off the autostrada are another matter...

paul s uk

Ignacio

I have just come across a video posted in the Lounge Area and wondered whether you had seen it. Click on <a href="http://civis.wigner.bme.hu/020530fahrschule/" target="_blank">http://civis.wigner.bme.hu/020530fahrschule/</a>

adrial

[quote]Originally posted by pfb:
[QB]Seems like 30% of the left-lane roadblockers want to enforce their own brand of justice and impede "speeders".

The other 70% are just clueless and blissfully unaware. I always get a kick out of the crazy, last minute head-checks these drivers do when changing lanes. Don't they keep track of the traffic around them at all times? Guess not!
QB]<hr></blockquote>

Guess I'll be staying away from you on the road...

If you feel that there is no need to turn your head to check blind spots...then its just an accident waiting to happen when someone comes flying up the left lane...you don't see them and you change lanes into them.
What, you mean to tell me that you check your mirrors every 5 seconds? Hope there's no deer sitting on the side of the road waiting to leap accross...


You can be aware of the typical joe blow drivers around you...but that guy in a vette flying up the left lane..hah...turn the head if ya ask me.

ignacio

paul

the video is hilarious! lol! <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

it came as no surprise to me that it was done in italy

Graygoose997

&lt;&lt;Seems like 30% of the left-lane roadblockers want to enforce their own brand of justice and impede "speeders".&gt;&gt;
I have my own pet peeve. I'm sitting at a light, and the very second the light changes some a-hole is blasting away on the horn. My technique, which woks very well on a single lane road, is to pull away and drive at the slowest possible speed..we are talking 10-15 mph. I've been known to do that for a 1/2 mile, and it's funny because they never blow th horn again..they either think that the Porsche driver is a nut, or they just get the message. Perry

Shark01

Been watching this thread for a couple of days.....I guess you can call me a left lane bandit The roads here in Houston are so congested, that if people used the left lane for passing only, you couldn't get back into the right lane since it would be bumper to bumper. US roads just aren't designed with that in mind.

LastV8

Most of the time when LA's highways are congested I'm able to breeze right on down the right lane because all the fools are stacked up in the left. These low speed limits aren't helping anyone. We need higher speed limits if any at all and let mother nature sort out the weak.

ignacio

perry-with respect- i don't think your response is too smart one fine day some obnoxious yahoo in a pickup truck or suv will rear end your pretty porsche i suggest you take off quickly instead displaying that universal sign on contempt from the middle of your hand <img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />