Left lane on Loop 360 (Austin, Howe: daycare, neighborhoods, school)

[steve9229]

I can't find this info anywhere so I thought I'd try here. Loop 360 is not a highway. There are many places where drivers need to make left hand turns. So, there's no reason not to drive in the left hand lane. Meaning it's not for passing only. However, I see people in the left lane getting tailgated and lights flashed at them all the time by other motorists. Am I missing something about driving in the left hand lane on 360? Or are drivers just assuming it works like a highway since you go 55-60 MPH depending on what stretch of road you are on? Drivers are very aggressive on 360.

[AlterEgo42]

360 is just a weird road. I think the constant traffic and congestion on that stretch just drives people crazy and they start acting like morons.

[Trainwreck20]

Just obnoxious drivers. I get that behavior sometimes on minor secondary roads (Brodie, Escarpment). Not sure what people are thinking some days.

The other day, I was turning left onto Wm Cannon from Escarpment during rush hour. It was backed up and no where to go if I tried to make the turn, so I stopped at the green light to see if it would clear and I could go. The lady behind me honked at me repeatedly, then eventually drove around me on the right to turn left across the front of me as the light turned yellow. She then proceeded to block the traffic for an extended period of time, resulting in much more honking. Very odd.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by steve9229

I can't find this info anywhere so I thought I'd try here. Loop 360 is not a highway. There are many places where drivers need to make left hand turns. So, there's no reason not to drive in the left hand lane. Meaning it's not for passing only. However, I see people in the left lane getting tailgated and lights flashed at them all the time by other motorists. Am I missing something about driving in the left hand lane on 360? Or are drivers just assuming it works like a highway since you go 55-60 MPH depending on what stretch of road you are on? Drivers are very aggressive on 360.

Some asshats are just in a hurry no matter what road they are driving on.
My son works near the Pennybacker Bridge and sees it all every day.

[Austin97]

People probably get confused because it seems like a highway. But with all the lights I agree, the left lane is not just for passing.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Austin97

People probably get confused because it seems like a highway. But with all the lights I agree, the left lane is not just for passing.

I don't think they get confused on Avery Ranch Blvd with all the left turns into neighborhoods, school zones and daycare centers and recreation areas; but it doesn't seem to change their behavior.

[TexasHorseLady]

Agreed. There are people whose temperament is such that they are afflicted with a combination of entitlement syndrome and immediate gratification syndrome, resulting in this kind of behavior. And they insist that "left lane for passing only" not only means there's no speed limit (at least for them) in the left lane but also that it applies to every road of any kind in the State of Texas which is, of course, not even close to being true. With the results you describe.



If only we could test for those kinds of issues when issuing driver's licenses.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Just obnoxious drivers. I get that behavior sometimes on minor secondary roads (Brodie, Escarpment). Not sure what people are thinking some days.

The other day, I was turning left onto Wm Cannon from Escarpment during rush hour. It was backed up and no where to go if I tried to make the turn, so I stopped at the green light to see if it would clear and I could go. The lady behind me honked at me repeatedly, then eventually drove around me on the right to turn left across the front of me as the light turned yellow. She then proceeded to block the traffic for an extended period of time, resulting in much more honking. Very odd.

You're saying she blocked the box when you did not do so? Too bad there wasn't a police officer around.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

I don't think they get confused on Avery Ranch Blvd with all the left turns into neighborhoods, school zones and daycare centers and recreation areas; but it doesn't seem to change their behavior.

And it seems nobody except me slows down for those 30 mph yellow blinking light by the park there. I get in the right lane to do that so nobody runs over me.

[steve9229]

Thanks for all the replies! I agree with all of you. Glad to hear it's not just me. I had a dummy in a Txdot truck tailgate me a few weeks ago. Yeah, I reported the idiot to txdot. How dumb do you have to be to drive right on someone's bumper doing 55 in a truck where it's easy to report them for bad driving? So now I started driving the speed limit more. If they are going to tailgate me I may as well irritate them as well. Sure doesn't help my stress level though.