Dangerous Unhinged Drivers in COS

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by mtngigi

You're right, if you aren't passing, you should stay in the right lane … here's the thing, though. That's not what the majority of drivers do. Personally, I like nothing more than to stay in the right lane, going the speed limit, not running red lights, etc.

But if I know I'm going to have a left-hand turn down the road aways, it's a problem. It's a problem because for some reason, lots of drivers do not want to let you in when you put your signal on to move over to the left lane. Even if there's room, even if we're coming up to a red light. Seems it's a major hassle to let up on the gas to let someone change lanes.

Because of this issue (and it is an issue), lately I've been driving in the left lane so as not to go through the hassle of missing my turn and having to turn around to get back to it. I'm not speeding or passing in the left lane, I'm simply being preemptive about my left-hand turns.

If drivers actually honored the amount of space there should be between vehicles, if drivers knew what that stick on the steering means when someone engages it, if, if, if, the streets would be a lot more pleasant to navigate.

Originally Posted by rochester_veteran

I do the same thing on the streets in Colorado Springs. I still use the GPS on my phone, so I know when I have to make a turn in advance and position myself in the proper lane to do so. I use my directional signals and if someone is barreling up in the lane I need to get into, I let them pass before changing lanes. I also try to be courteous and let other drivers in ahead of me when they use their directional signal. Other drivers have let me in and I do appreciate it and in turn, do the same myself!

I-25 is different and I only drive in the passing lane to pass and get back into the cruising lane. I watch out who is coming up behind me and get out of their way if I could. I was stationed in Germany when in the Air Force and that's the rule to be followed or you risk having a Mercedes bearing down on you flashing their brights to get out of the way! Most GIs drove high mileage cars and a few of mine didn't have the oomph like they used to and sometimes driving as fast as I could wasn't enough!

The law that designates the left lane as a passing-only lane only applies to highways, not surface streets.

One issue that does arise on highways is that, in situations where there is traffic, you sometimes have to stay in the left lane even if you can't pass because there is a car in front of you preventing you from going any faster. The left-lane-is-for-passing thing sort of breaks down in traffic situations, which are, by definitions, times when you want to go faster than is currently possible. But no matter what, if you are in the left lane, you should either be passing or being restricted from passing by the car in front of you. If no one is in front of you preventing you from passing, and you aren't passing someone, you should move over.

We just went to Texas for a couple weeks, and I will say this issue is much, much worse there. Coloradans aren't perfect about this, but it's much worse in Texas.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

....We just went to Texas for a couple weeks, and I will say this issue is much, much worse there. Coloradans aren't perfect about this, but it's much worse in Texas.

I've said that for years. Our trips to the D-FW area saw all sorts of craziness on the highways there, and their local streets had no scheme and were inadequate for the volume. I fault the lack of an income tax in TX for the state of highways there.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I've said that for years. Our trips to the D-FW area saw all sorts of craziness on the highways there, and their local streets had no scheme and were inadequate for the volume. I fault the lack of an income tax in TX for the state of highways there.

The bolded is becoming more common nation-wide, as some cities opt for higher density, rather than expanding endlessly into surrounding agricultural areas. It happened in Seattle back in the 90's already. It happened more recently in Santa Fe, as the City admin allowed development of the south end of town, and more recently has allowed more large apartment buildings to be built.

Stuffing more residents and their cars onto streets designed for a population of a smaller size is going to result in jammed streets, and in the case of larger cities (Seattle, SF Bay Area)--jammed freeways.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

Well, here's my encounter with a nut job driver in the Springs. Just as a joke, a friend had given me a bumper sticker which read, "My other car is a broom." .... !

Here's the all new, improved broom for 2022, at your local broom dealer. E Z Payments!

[pathrunner]

That's really cool, funny and ingenious! I'm not on TikTok so thanks for posting. (I guess they've relaxed the access for non-subscribers?)

[TCHP]

I"ve seen a half dozen speed traps over the last few weeks. Perhaps CSPD are finally stepping up basic enforcement.