Too fast, too slow

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Had some extra vacation cash to spend, so did a little shopping out of town tonight.

On the freeway on the way to the mall, I moved into the left lane to pass a truck. And behind me, from my right, came Mr. Or Ms. FIB (Friendly Illinois Brethren, really, honest) in an SUV passing me in the right lane and then darting into the left lane.

Here FIB ended up behind another vehicle. For some strange reason, FIB put on their left blinker, which made no sense at all because the next lane to the left was the grassy median, and then swerved around the other car. Further down the road I saw FIB go weaving around somebody else.

And then a county Sheriff's car came roaring past with its lights on.HAHAHAHAHAHAHA BUSTED EAT HOT RADAR GUN DEATH FIB!

Except the sheriff's deputy did not pull over the bobbing and weaving Illinois car, It just passed it by and continued down the road. Dammit.

A short time later, on the opposite side of the freeway, I saw the reason for the sheriff's car flying past. Somebody's 70s or 80, puke-tan, spawned-from-Detroit land yacht killed itself with fire. Guess it was the only way to be sure. And now:

To the Asshead in the White Range Rover On The Freeway In Front Of Me:

Don't know if you noticed, but the speed limit on this stretch of road is 60 MPH.

But here you are, going 50. That's how fast I can go without tailgating you and risking ass-ending you if you stop suddenly. Which is quite possible, because you're also riding the brake like it's Kate Upton in a Bic Mac bikini.

Further, I would like to point out it's a cloudless August day and the road is completely dry. Given those road conditions, if you're too chickenshit to do 60, or even 55 miles and hour, please sell that fuck-ugly substitute penis of yours and turn in your license. You nearly caused several accidents from people changing lanes and trying to get around you.

[Draper Mel]

And behind me, from my right, came Mr. Or Ms. FIB (Friendly Illinois Brethren, really, honest)

Riiiiiight. Whatever you say, Cheesehead.

Signed,
Mel, life long Illinoisian (except for that 6 year detour into Hoosierland)

[Ophbalance]

Don't know if you noticed, but the speed limit on this stretch of road is 60 MPH.

It's a limit Irv. That implies it has a starting and ending point. You can be mad about someone not driving at the maximum, but I feel you're going a bit far to demand that they drive it at that maximum posted on the sign.

[Teskeria]

It's a limit Irv. That implies it has a starting and ending point. You can be mad about someone not driving at the maximum, but I feel you're going a bit far to demand that they drive it at that maximum posted on the sign.

Depends. If they are going slower, they should be in the right lane. If they are in the left, they should be going the limit.

[ComputerNecromancer]

It's a limit Irv. That implies it has a starting and ending point. You can be mad about someone not driving at the maximum, but I feel you're going a bit far to demand that they drive it at that maximum posted on the sign.

Unless the road conditions justify driving that much slower than the limit, in many states you can be ticketed if you are obstructing traffic that way.

Heck, you can be ticketed for driving at the speed limit if everybody else is driving 10-15 mph *above* the limit.

Likewise, if the road conditions make driving at the limit unsafe, you can be ticketed for *that*.

Basic speed rule is that you either drive with the flow of traffic, or you drive no faster than the road conditions allow.

[Ophbalance]

Unless the road conditions justify driving that much slower than the limit, in many states you can be ticketed if you are obstructing traffic that way.

This only really applies to multi-lane highways. The other case is a single lane and you're driving below the minimum posted limit. And if you are below that limit, you need to yield to drivers by either pulling off or allowing them to pass in some way.

Heck, you can be ticketed for driving at the speed limit if everybody else is driving 10-15 mph *above* the limit.

This is ONLY true if you're in a multi-lane road, and you're preventing other traffic from overtaking using the left lane. In which case, the car should be in a right lane. But even then, the ticket isn't because you're driving the limit, it's because of traffic obstruction. You can never, EVER, be forced to drive above the legal posted limit just because "everyone else is doing it" on a single lane highway.

Likewise, if the road conditions make driving at the limit unsafe, you can be ticketed for *that*.

We agree here

Basic speed rule is that you either drive with the flow of traffic, or you drive no faster than the road conditions allow.

No. Nope. How is that driving has become synonymous with "well everyone else is doing it"? It's a LIMIT, it has a start and ending point. It is perfectly legal, and safe, to drive at either one of those ends! If a driver does not feel safe driving at speed X, but IS within the legal limit, then they are free to do so.

I will agree that it can be irritating to follow someone driving slower than you might, but it's not a demand you can foist on others to drive "more like how I would". Instead, chill, wait on a passing zone. Wait for the other driver to turn off. Find a good song to listen to. Talk to a passenger. Plan out what you might do at your destination.

[Caractacus_Potts]

It's a limit Irv. That implies it has a starting and ending point. You can be mad about someone not driving at the maximum, but I feel you're going a bit far to demand that they drive it at that maximum posted on the sign.

There was something in the news about a cop who ticketed a woman driving in the fast lane of the highway doing 2 MPH under the speed limit.

I admit being ticketed for 2 MPH below the speed limit seems a little extreme to me but there you have it.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/lo...197285901.html

[Gerrinson]

I will agree that it can be irritating to follow someone driving slower than you might, but it's not a demand you can foist on others to drive "more like how I would". Instead, chill, wait on a passing zone. Wait for the other driver to turn off. Find a good song to listen to. Talk to a passenger. Plan out what you might do at your destination.

Except for the jackasses around here who floor the pedal when you try to pass in the legal passing zone, then slam on the brakes as soon as the passing zone ends, just so they can stay in control of other traffic on the road. At that point, I have every right to be irritated in following them slower than the speed limit.

[Ophbalance]

Alrighty, ya'll are missing the point I'm trying to make .

Yes, the woman in that article got a ticket. And you know what, she deserved it. Why? Because she was using a lane meant for overtaking but not actually overtaking anyone. I agree 100%, move over to the right, as that's a multi-lane road.

I got the feeling that the OP was frustrated being behind someone on a single lane road, otherwise it wouldn't have been much to be frustrated at.

And yes, I agree again that blocking others from passing is really a dick move. But then, I also don't think that's where the OPs frustration stems from. Someone that's just traveling along slightly slower but DOESN'T hinder passing traffic is entirely different than what you're describing.

In a nutshell, don't be a dick is an essential part of sharing the road. Carlin probably summed this up best, in terms of how we perceive things, is that "have you ever noticed anyone who drives slower than you is an idiot, and anyone who drives faster than you is a maniac??"

If there's multiple lanes, you are required by law to move to the right. BUT you can pass slower moving vehicles and still be under the speed limit. You just need to move to the right to allow for traffic to flow. The exception being for left turns, like they have in DC. Though WHY they make traffic merge/exit on the left is beyond me. In a single lane road, if you are "significantly" below the limit, and there is NO means to pass then you MUST move over and allow traffic that has accumulated (typically it's worded that if there's "XX" amount of cars) to pass. Again, just because someone is going slower than you (and you really don't know the reason why) shouldn't just hang it the hell up and call it a life. That's overly harsh, and the person is operating within the bounds of the law.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

This happened on a busy urban freeway. Every time I tried to pass him, somebody would come zooming up from behind me in the middle lane and I had to stay where I was, unless I wanted to cut somebody off and risk an accident. I got stuck behind him all the way to my exit. At least if this was a lightly-traveled rural freeway I could've got around him easily.

In fact, I witnessed a near-miss when somebody behind me swung out to pass us and nearly sideswiped somebody else already in the middle lane. There was much horn-tooting.

Just because you can drive 10 to 15 miles under the speed limit on a freeway doesn't mean you should. I don't care if that's dickish.

[wolfie]

Also, ya gotta love those folks who, when a multi-mile "reduced to one lane" construction zone is coming up, floor it to get ahead of you and drop to 10 or 20 under the limit once the single lane starts.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Also, ya gotta love those folks who, when a multi-mile "reduced to one lane" construction zone is coming up, floor it to get ahead of you and drop to 10 or 20 under the limit once the single lane starts.

I've noticed that as well, but from my experience, the drop in speed is less because they're being doucherockets and more because traffic is moving THAT. FREAKING. SLOW.

Happened to me last weekend. Went up to PA for a wrestling show, coming back, the road I was on was going to undergo some major construction. Major enough that there were signs saying the road would be CLOSED between about 9 exits and to seek detours. Granted, the sign said the closure would be between 12AM and 6AM, and if all had gone well, I'd have been well clear of it.

Hahaha.

Traffic dropped to a C.R.A.W.L. because they'd taken it down to one lane. It took me more than half an hour to get past that congestion, to the point where I was seriously wondering what they would have done if the 12AM cutoff had come up before I was through. I made it by with about 15min to spare.

[wagegoth]

This happened on a busy urban freeway. Every time I tried to pass him, somebody would come zooming up from behind me in the middle lane and I had to stay where I was, unless I wanted to cut somebody off and risk an accident. I got stuck behind him all the way to my exit. At least if this was a lightly-traveled rural freeway I could've got around him easily.

There was a guy today doing 45 in a 65. Clear, beautiful morning. Nothing going on. Here you can be ticketed if you are consistently going too slowly on a multi-lane highway, as, I believe, it's considered a hazard. It's expected that there will be a range of speeds but someone going too slowly can cause problems to traffic flow and risk accidents. (We do have the single lane, get over if you're holding up traffic law.)

Now that I think about it, I think this was the same car I saw doing 35 on the interstate a few weeks ago in the right lane. As I finally got around him, I looked over and he was reading. He had a book open on his steering wheel. What. The hell.