What's Up w/ NOVA Drivers? (Reston, Tysons Corner: living in, legal, bus)

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by car54

Well, maybe it's always worked SO FAR. Jamming on the brakes is a dangerous game, girl. One day, you might get one that's working on a text message, or similarly distracted, and they're gonna hit ya!

Oh, and between 10 and 20 percent (over 30 million, nationally) of the cars on the road don't have a dime's worth of insurance....

My son, in his BMW, was rear ended while sitting at a light in Vienna. The driver was on the phone and didn't notice the line of stopped cars in front of her! Fortunately she had insurance and his car is as good as new. She also got a ticket.

The worst tailgater I ever had was on an entrance ramp for rt 66. A middle aged woman was all over me during that very short distance. I hit the brakes, but did not fully stop, and she went nuts, fishtailing all over the place, trying to get her big Buick under control. It was actually pretty funny. She was furious, flipping me the bird and screaming at me. I was laughing when I let her fly by on route 66. She didn't much like that either!

In Virginia, can't we call the police on aggressive drivers? I have NO problem doing that. I hope everyone will report tailgaters and other aggressive drivers. Having to appear in court a few times might settle down some of those young men.

Did you know that people driving red cars get more tickets than any other color? People who tailgate me lately seem to be middle age men in dinky little cars or vans, black or silver. They seem to hate BMW's. Now I know to also look out for dinky little red cars too! Haha

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by Denton56

Where's that law? I know that ''stay right to pass'' is the rule on the autobahn, but in Virginia? huh? Are you inventing your own laws for Virginia?

I love to have people like you tailgate me. My BMW has HUGE breaks that stop on a dime. I love to use them on tailgaters. Nothing like hitting the breaks and watching some jerk fishtail all over the road with a look of total terror on his face! It's hilarious and it always work, they always back WAY off. No one wants to rear end a BMW and watch his insurance soar AND get a big ticket! To say nothing of the pain that you would bring me. I'm pretty sure that my whiplash would last for years and cost a fortune in physical and mental anguish. So bring it on Scranny!

LIS > Code of Virginia > 46.2-804

1. Any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions existing, shall be driven in the lane nearest the right edge or right curb of the highway when such lane is available for travel except when overtaking and passing another vehicle or in preparation for a left turn or where right lanes are reserved for slow-moving traffic as permitted in this section;

Let the record show that a poster from Kentucky actually took the time to find the proper law.

So you are willing to have your neck snap in two for an accident to prove a point so someone you don't even know? Well like the bible says, you will reap what you sow.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by normie

I predict a few tickets in your future. But hey, we can use the money.

If you are serious about doing 50-55 in the left lane, I predict a few birds flying your way and I ain't talking about the ones with feathers.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Denton56

People who tailgate me lately seem to be middle age men in dinky little cars or vans, black or silver.

I usually turn my lights on when that happens so it looks like I'm braking. Doesn't do much but makes me feel better. I'm surprised the car companies haven't come out with LED signs for your rear bumper that flash "Back off!" or "Warning: Ebola vials in trunk".

[normie]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

If you are serious about doing 50-55 in the left lane, I predict a few birds flying your way and I ain't talking about the ones with feathers.

So what? I'm not a person who is easily bullied.

What I am is a person who has lived here for a very long time and will still be here long after a lot of you transitional people have moved on. I've been dealing with aggressive traffic since before many of you were born. I've never gotten a ticket, I've never gotten an ulcer, and driving on Rt. 7 doesn't make me crazy. If someone wants to yell and use hand gestures, why should I care? He's the one giving himself an ulcer, it doesn't affect me.

It's so much healthier to just relax and let traffic be traffic... but that's a hard lesson for some people to learn.

[still_waiting]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I usually turn my lights on when that happens so it looks like I'm braking. Doesn't do much but makes me feel better. I'm surprised the car companies haven't come out with LED signs for your rear bumper that flash "Back off!" or "Warning: Ebola vials in trunk".

Well they do have LED signs that you put at the back of your window where you can customize the message. Here's a link

10"x2" LED Scrolling Message Sign With Remote Control - For Car or Small Biz

[bmwguydc]

And, if one reads the link that Alanboy395 was kind enough to provide, the discussion is "normal speed of traffic, under the time and conditions existing" not driving at 70+ in a 55 zone. For example, if someone runs into another person who was driving at 55 in the left lane, the police are not going to issue the person in the left lane a ticket for impeeding traffic.

Moreover, the link also says that one is allowed to travel in such lanes below the "normal speed of traffic" if they are preparing for a left turn. Now, knowing the particular road under discussion as I do, that can mean getting into the left lane well before the turn, because of the traffic at various times of day. So, just because someone has safely made a lane change to prepare for a left turn a half mile before said turn does not mean that they have to be intimidated into moving over just because someone else wishes to exceed the speed limit.

One thing to remember when inerpreting the "normal speed of traffic" language is that it is subject to the speed limit, meaning that any argument that someone who was obeying the law by traveling at the posted speed is in violation of the statute has no standing because the complaint that one wished to travel above the posted speed limit is illegal.

What would be enforceable is someone who deliberately travels at 35 miles per hour in the left lane, not preparing for a left turn, when travel conditions would allow for faster progresss, to the stated limit, since no court will enforce a provision to allow someone else to break the law, despite assumptions on the part of motorists who say that they accept risk and consequences. Now, someone traveling at 50 miles per hour, who does not zoom up to the bumper of the car in front of them, actually leaving braking distance, with moderate traffic conditions is not in violation of the statute to move over because someone wants to drive 70 miles per hour to get one car ahead to start the game over again. In summary, the statute cannot be used to point the finger at someone else to excuse an aggressive driving mindset.

[Caladium]

Nicely stated, bmwguy. That code was intended for cement mixers and other REALLY slow moving vehicles, not for cars driving the speed limit. If you are driving the speed limit, you can drive in both lanes. There just are not enough roads here to have the luxury of an entire lane devoted to passing.

BTW, here's something to think about. If you do get into the left lane to pass a line of cars that are going the speed limit in the right lane, that means you will be speeding for a bit of a distance (and it also means you're likely to get a ticket sooner or later, even if you tell the officer that you were "trying to pass in the pass lane.")

I know the slower traffic can be frustrating at times, but those of us who've lived here for awhile see a benefit that you newcomers may not. Ever since they became serious about enforcing the speeding laws, traffic deaths have gone way down. WAY down. Which is amazing, you'd think the way things are growing around here that traffic deaths would be up.

Virginia Traffic Deaths Lowest Since 1966

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by normie

So what? I'm not a person who is easily bullied.

What I am is a person who has lived here for a very long time and will still be here long after a lot of you transitional people have moved on. I've been dealing with aggressive traffic since before many of you were born. I've never gotten a ticket, I've never gotten an ulcer, and driving on Rt. 7 doesn't make me crazy. If someone wants to yell and use hand gestures, why should I care? He's the one giving himself an ulcer, it doesn't affect me.

It's so much healthier to just relax and let traffic be traffic... but that's a hard lesson for some people to learn.

Wow! Great post! I've never had a ticket either.

[Denton56]

I just remembered, it was a Loudoun county deputy Sheriff who told me to tap my breaks when I am being tailgated. He also said we could call and report dangerous, aggressive, drivers.