Nominations for Worst Drivers in Austin

[JERiv]

My two cents...

Anyone who gets within 1 foot of my rear bumper at 70 mph. (aka "Death Wish Driver". If I so much as sneeze and press the brake accidentally, there will be a crash. I just hope they don't take me with them! To the not-so-intelligent people who do this, you are putting your life on the hands of whomever is in front of you, who you are officially now p*****g off by getting so close... are you really that stupid?)

Anyone who weaves in and out of traffic like it's some sort of video game. (see note above on "Death Wish Driver")

[iceshots]

Originally Posted by readymade

I thought about this thread yesterday driving home. I was going about 70 in a 65 speed limit. Left passing lane. There was a car next to me probably going about 65. I was passing them, albeit somewhat slowly.

Then, someone going maybe 80-85 came up behind me and totally rode my tail. Got RIGHT in behind me, and wasn't happy about how slow I was going (even though I was going 5 miles over the speed limit).

What should I do? I couldn't get over because there was a car next to me. I didn't want to speed up and risk getting a ticket. I felt VERY tempted to slow down, but I didn't. I kept going about 70 until I'd passed the car on the right and then got over. The guy behind me was pisssed the whole time and was way too close to me.

According to some of you, I was in the wrong for going too slow in the passing lane.

As far as I'm concerned, you did EXACTLY the right thing. The person in the wrong was buddy going 80 on your tail.

However, if you had not pulled to the right when you were safely able to, then I would shoulder SOME of the blame on you. However, I will admit, that in exact situations like that, I have often put my right turn signal on as soon as I start to clear the car on the right, and then SLOWLLLY change lanes when it is safe. I can be just as petty as the other person.

However, if the speed demon slowed down and kept and appropriate distance behind me while I passed the other car, I will promptly clear the lane ASAP so he can go on his way.

I have no problem with people driving the way you were. I rarely speed down here as I find the speed limits are appropriate for the roads. In Ontario that was a different story. When I go back there now, I am a slow driver and have to learn to stay to the right.

My biggest complaint are those drivers who camp in the left lane when there is no need to. There is lots of room (1/2 mile) in the right lane but they will NOT move over because they are going a speed that will enable them to pass that car 1/2 mile ahead in about 5 minutes. in the meantime, I, and others, will have come up behind them, passed on the right, and moved off ahead of them.

In Ontario I had a neighbor with a big Suburban. I once drove with him for 1 hour on a near empty 2 lane divded highway with maybe a car every mile. He sat in the left lane the entire time while going 105 km/hr (65 mph). "Normal" speed on a road like that in Ontario is 120 km/hr (75 mph). We must have been passed by about 20 - 30 cars on the right but he never moved over. In his words "I'm not doing anything wrong, and I can't be bothered to keep changing lanes every time I have to pass someone." He was passing a car every 5 - 10 minutes. I never drove with him again.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by iceshots

If there is traffic to your right, you can be in the left lane as long as you are going the same speed or greater. If the lane to the right is empty, then you should move over.

In rush hour traffic the lane to the right will be just as packed as the lane to teh left. Therefore, stay where you are as long as you are keeping up with traffic ahead of you. If you are not, then move to the right.

Lets apply some common sense to this discussion and our driving habits and we will all be better off.

But I thought it was 'the passing lane'? Shouldn't I be passing on the left and moving into the right, ahead of the 'slower' cars, even during rush hour? So, it's not the 'passing lane'?

I'm being a little polemic, but it's to prove a point. We can't have individual interpretations of the traffic laws, and the speed limit is there for a reason, although you may agree or disagree with it. I obey the speed limit. I yield to incoming traffic. I drive friendly. That's what I do.