National Speed Limit

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by Anthony

This thread died too early.



I'll tell you why. Just 2 days ago, I'm driving along in the middle lane (my mistake already) of a 6 lane hiway, 3 lanes each direction. I'm doing about 70mph with a limit of 65 mph, coming up on a slower medium flatbed, I guess going about 55 mph or so. I see a car approach me from behind in the fast lane, I guess 75 mph plus, and he passes me. What I didn;t realize what that he wanted to get off at the current exit, and obviously pulled right in front of me and slowed down, when there were no other vehicles behind me, and tried to make it in front of the flatbed, but couldn't, so slowed even more 50mph to pull behind the flatbed, and take the off ramp, with the flatbed continuing straight in the slow lane. I had to jam my brakes, knock off my cruise, and swerve in the fast lane to avoid this AH. I then reset my cruise, and this time I stayed in the fast lane. Let other AH's be inconvienced.

It's not the slower moving vehicle in the fast lane causing the accidents, it's all the impatient speeding AH's behind him that cause the accident, of which I'm occasionally guilty of myself.

And, if there is alot of traffic, it really doesn't make a difference. You'll get there maybe a minute later. Give me a break.

US hiways are no autobahn.

I'll continue to drive exclusively in the left lane. Just drive around me.

So you have encountered someone who is not courteous. Someone who is obviously an AH. And you decide that makes it right for you to be non-courteous to other drivers. The driver you complained about is an AH for a small percentage of the time he is on the road, just the small percentage of time it takes him to get over to the exit lane. I agree that is definitely wrong to drive the way he does and is dangerous. Your choice is to hog the left lane and let others pass you on the right. That could make you an AH for potentially 100% of the time you remain on the highway. The other day I was at the end of a line of about 15 cars stuck behind a left lane hog. I kept a cool head and left a good safety gap between the car in front of me. But the 14 cars infront of me were not. Brake lights are flashing up and down the line when the cars are too close. They were all riding each others bumper, creating a real safety hazard. Imagine if there was an accident, potentially all 14 cars in front of me could be involved. All because there is someone hogging the left lane at a speed that the other drivers consider slower than their daily average commute speed.

So you observe one AH and decide you should be a worse AH? That is really immature and extremely selfish on your part.

I used to be a somewhat aggressive driver when I was in my 20s and had a long commute. I'm in my 40s now, have a shorter commute and try to drive somewhat off of rush hour. I try to be courteous. I get out of the way of faster drivers. I appreciate it when slower drivers get out of my way. They don't always do that.

When your plan in life is to intentionally be non-courteous to other drivers, I just don't what to think of a person like that.