Do you think Ohio drivers have gotten faster? (Cincinnati, Dayton: how much, live)

[ohio_peasant]

Petulantly occupying the left lane, and refusing to yield to faster traffic, is a problem endemic to American roads. It's not limited to Ohio or its neighboring states, to rural or urban denizens, to the elderly or teens or any broad category of drivers. Americans in general don't accept the idea that in a divided highway, the left lane serves for passing, and not for steady cruising.

That said, I notice a slight increase in median highway speed along I-71 in the SW part of the state, and I-70 in the central and eastern part of the state. I drove from SW Ohio to the Washington DC area with considerably frequency, and indeed it does appear that Ohio highway traffic is moving 5 mph to 8 mph faster than under the 65 mph speed limit. I notice no difference, along this 470 mile drive, between driver behavior in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland or Virginia.

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

Petulantly occupying the left lane, and refusing to yield to faster traffic, is a problem endemic to American roads. .

But not doing that would take the fun out of driving!

(sorry but IMO legal passive-aggressive driving is the best kind haha).

What I have noticed that differentiates Dayton from a number of other cities even within Ohio is the insistence on "ramp-chasing", or at least that's what I call it. Basically, it happens when someone already on the highway refuses to let someone in who's merging from an on-ramp despite the fact that there's enough room where either they can speed up or slow down to let the other person in. I think a lot of the reason is because of entrance ramps that are too small (I-70 in Englewood) or construction zones (like the perpetual one downtown).

Otherwise, drivers for the most part that I observe in Ohio are pretty good.

[ohio_peasant]

Originally Posted by OHKID

But not doing that would take the fun out of driving!

(sorry but IMO legal passive-aggressive driving is the best kind haha).

What I have noticed that differentiates Dayton from a number of other cities even within Ohio is the insistence on "ramp-chasing", or at least that's what I call it. ....

I can't speak about Dayton vs. say Columbus or Cleveland, but I can compare three areas where I've spent considerable time: Dayton, Los Angeles and the Washington DC area. Los Angeles has some highway on-ramps that are even shorter and more tortuous than in Dayton, but the merging lane is clearly marked. In the Dayton region, many of our highways have gradual transitions where highway lanes just disappear. Signs are minimal, and it's difficult for a person passively cruising in the right-lane to take note of an on-ramp about to merge. As a result, drivers are caught off guard. The person merging can't tell that there's impeding traffic in the right lane, unless he/she is actively scanning. The person already on the highway, driving past the merging-lane, won't notice the merging vehicle unless he/she also scans. The bottom line is that it's poor highway design, and not driver behavior. At least that's my impression by comparing Dayton, Los Angeles and DC.

As for "passive-aggressive" hogging of the left lane, my humble opinion is that the mere fact that a given behavior is theoretically not illegal, doesn't make it acceptable or moral. If a driver briefly subjected me to such an experience, I'd likely dismiss it as mere misunderstanding or confusion on his part, and would accept this as an unfortunate overhead of sharing the public roads. But if it were a discernible pattern, where I clearly communicated to the driver my desire to pass on the left, and said driver repeatedly and intentionally played petty gendarme in blocking my progress, then let's just say that the escalated situation is best not to be literally described in a public forum.

[Wilson513]

I think it is pretty apparent that slower moving vehicles are the problem on limited access highways. Wave after wave of overtaking vehicles jockey around the slower moving vehicles with braking and lane changing, then return to their safe, orderly pattern of higher speeds.

And, Ohio Highway Patrol statistics bear this out. From memory, approximately 2/3 of all vehicles are exceeding the speed limit. But, only half of the vehicles involved in accidents are speeding making it statistically certain that a speeding car is less likely to be involved in an accident.

Of course, on surface streets where speed is related more to the ability to control the vehicles in turns, stopping distances, visibility, etc. the opposite is true.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by SWOH

I'm not going to lie, I get a kick out of going 75 mph in the left lane on I-70 through Indiana where everyone wants to go 80. Then they try to get around me in the right lane, and I keep pace until they get behind someone slower so they can't get around. And then I slow back down to 75 mph.

Passive-agressive behavior at its finest! And plus they should be driving the speed limit anyways so I don't feel bad about doing it. The simple joys of life...

You don't deserve a driver's license.

[Icemodeled]

I think its about 50/50 anymore. Some are flying well over the limit and others seem to have nothing to do, driving well under the limit.

[unfocused]

Yes. With each raise of the limit they push it harder. Back in the 80s when it was 55 I drove 70-75 often, I was flying past the right lane, and Id complain about slowpokes doing 57 in the left lane. Now I drive 70 in the right lane and often I am passed by almost everyone incuding box trucks and semis.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by unfocused

Now I drive 70 in the right lane and often I am passed by almost everyone incuding box trucks and semis.

Where? I drive 80+ up and down I-75 and never see trucks driving faster than 70.

[PerryMason614]

Originally Posted by SWOH

But not doing that would take the fun out of driving!

(sorry but IMO legal passive-aggressive driving is the best kind haha).

What I have noticed that differentiates Dayton from a number of other cities even within Ohio is the insistence on "ramp-chasing", or at least that's what I call it. Basically, it happens when someone already on the highway refuses to let someone in who's merging from an on-ramp despite the fact that there's enough room where either they can speed up or slow down to let the other person in. I think a lot of the reason is because of entrance ramps that are too small (I-70 in Englewood) or construction zones (like the perpetual one downtown).

Otherwise, drivers for the most part that I observe in Ohio are pretty good.

The car on the road has the right of way. It is up to the person entering the highway to yield to existing traffic. If you don't know how to speed up to enter the freeway, maybe you need a remedial driving class.

[PerryMason614]

Originally Posted by unfocused

Yes. With each raise of the limit they push it harder. Back in the 80s when it was 55 I drove 70-75 often, I was flying past the right lane, and Id complain about slowpokes doing 57 in the left lane. Now I drive 70 in the right lane and often I am passed by almost everyone incuding box trucks and semis.

You are the reason they have to pass to the right. Get out of the left lane.

Today I was on I-70 going west. I basically had to take the right lane from I-270 all the way to James Road to pass all the idiots hogging the left and center lane. And it was congested all the way. Once I got past James Road I was finally able to pass everybody and ...... the congestion disappeared.

Idiots who want to play sheriff of the left lane are the ones who cause problems. You are creating a safety hazard.