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Old 04-14-2017, 07:33 AM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
6,650 posts, read 5,553,233 times
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Are the people driving under the speed limit just driving slow or are they distracted by their cell phones? I'm usually too frustrated to pay attention haha

Posted this in another thread but I saw a report yesterday that said that states in the southeast had the highest % of people using their cell phones while driving (due to slack state laws compared to other states and lack of enforcement). North Carolina was #15 out of 50 states for cell phone use. (I chuckled about the abrupt turns one which NC is ranked #2 in which is probably due to people not using their turn signals)

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/...y-hold-answer/
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:11 AM
 
Location: Apex
188 posts, read 150,871 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pierretong1991 View Post
Are the people driving under the speed limit just driving slow or are they distracted by their cell phones?
There's a little of that anywhere you go, but this is different. There is this weird "defiance" thing going on with so many drivers from VA. They get in the left lane, and they are FULLY aware of what's going on around them (long line of cars behind them), but they just make a commitment to being a difficult person, tilt their head back as if to say "you can't make me move". They know it's illegal (at least most I think), but they feel that since they can't be penalized, why not go ahead and play god and have the satisfaction of knowing they've created delays and issues for many people.

I don't know why that's such a Virginia thing. North Carolina drivers are relatively good at acknowledging what needs to be done to keep the highways running efficiently, and they are just more courteous drivers.

And for all the folks with VA tags that do know how to drive, sorry for the generalization. Your fellow citizens are giving you a bad rap. Hopefully the new laws in VA and NC will result in some change.
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:17 AM
 
Location: Morrisville, NC
9,131 posts, read 14,699,556 times
Reputation: 9037
Quote:
Originally Posted by pierretong1991 View Post
Are the people driving under the speed limit just driving slow or are they distracted by their cell phones? I'm usually too frustrated to pay attention haha

Posted this in another thread but I saw a report yesterday that said that states in the southeast had the highest % of people using their cell phones while driving (due to slack state laws compared to other states and lack of enforcement). North Carolina was #15 out of 50 states for cell phone use. (I chuckled about the abrupt turns one which NC is ranked #2 in which is probably due to people not using their turn signals)

Where are the nation's worst drivers? This data may hold the answer | PBS NewsHour
Part of it is also that we seem to have a great number of newly licensed adult drivers in the area. When you learn to drive at 15/16, you think you'll never die and drive faster. Do it at 35 and your much more afraid of everything on the road.

But, the left lane prohibitions do not apply to surface streets like High House.
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:29 AM
 
Location: Danville, VA
7,181 posts, read 6,756,049 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by route66 View Post
There's a little of that anywhere you go, but this is different. There is this weird "defiance" thing going on with so many drivers from VA. They get in the left lane, and they are FULLY aware of what's going on around them (long line of cars behind them), but they just make a commitment to being a difficult person, tilt their head back as if to say "you can't make me move". They know it's illegal (at least most I think), but they feel that since they can't be penalized, why not go ahead and play god and have the satisfaction of knowing they've created delays and issues for many people.
I encounter that crap nearly everyday. The cops don't care. People willl swerve, text while driving, etc., in front of the cops and they won't do jack****. But, if you dare go just a few miles over the speed limit (3-7 over) then BAM! "License and registration, please.".

Another issue I've encountered since I've been here is people LOVE to pull out in front other vehicles. They'll wait until you get close and pull out, even when they had ample opportunity to get onto the road beforehand. Piney Forest Road (US-29 Business) in Danville would make for a great episode of "Fear Factor"...
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:42 AM
 
Location: NC
3,441 posts, read 2,792,024 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by route66 View Post
There's a little of that anywhere you go, but this is different. There is this weird "defiance" thing going on with so many drivers from VA. They get in the left lane, and they are FULLY aware of what's going on around them (long line of cars behind them), but they just make a commitment to being a difficult person, tilt their head back as if to say "you can't make me move". They know it's illegal (at least most I think), but they feel that since they can't be penalized, why not go ahead and play god and have the satisfaction of knowing they've created delays and issues for many people.

I don't know why that's such a Virginia thing. North Carolina drivers are relatively good at acknowledging what needs to be done to keep the highways running efficiently, and they are just more courteous drivers.

And for all the folks with VA tags that do know how to drive, sorry for the generalization. Your fellow citizens are giving you a bad rap. Hopefully the new laws in VA and NC will result in some change.
What I notice is that they will get on the highway and immediately move over into the left lane. They treat it like a travel lane and you have to pass them on the right in order to get around them because they will NOT move over. Usually when I see a car traveling in the right lane, I will make a friendly bet with my husband that it's someone from VA (he never takes it since it's a losing bet). The majority of the time, I am right.
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Old 04-14-2017, 11:02 AM
 
81 posts, read 86,112 times
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LOL!! I moved here after spending most of my adult life in NoVa and the one thing I don't miss are the left lane lingerers. VA is the worst for that, way worse than any driver in NC.
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Old 04-14-2017, 11:46 AM
 
117 posts, read 95,864 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LM117 View Post
I encounter that crap nearly everyday. The cops don't care. People willl swerve, text while driving, etc., in front of the cops and they won't do jack****. But, if you dare go just a few miles over the speed limit (3-7 over) then BAM! "License and registration, please.".
Maybe it's not that they don't care, but that they can't pull people over and fine them when there's no legal reason to do so. Maybe making left-lane obstruction into a legal offense carrying a fine, like speeding already is, will enable the cops to pull people over for it. And encourage them to do so, since a $200 fine sounds to me like it's a bigger fine than the speeding fine.
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Old 04-14-2017, 12:09 PM
DPK
 
4,594 posts, read 5,700,879 times
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More good news on this potentially rolling into NC:
Slow drivers in left lane could face new penalty :: WRAL.com

Quote:
House Bill 827 would impose a $200 penalty for drivers who drive in the left lane on a highway and won't move over, even when cars are lined up behind them waiting to pass. Drivers who do that could be charged with a new infraction called "impeding the steady flow of traffic," even if they're traveling at the speed limit.

House Bill 856, would make road rage an aggravating factor in criminal cases. If someone is convicted of assault, he or she would face harsher penalties if the victim is the driver or passenger of another vehicle or bicycle – or a pedestrian – and the incident happens on a roadway.

House Bill 831, would ban drivers from using a handheld phone or other communications device while operating a car – only hands-free devices would be permitted. The measure makes exceptions for emergency calls, as well as navigation units mounted on the dashboard and smartwatches, as long as the driver is just checking the time. Violators could be fined $50.
Yes to all these things please.
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Old 04-14-2017, 12:24 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
6,650 posts, read 5,553,233 times
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My main problem with House Bill 827 is that it includes people traveling at the speed limit. What sort of message does this send about speed limits if someone traveling at the fastest legal speed is ticketed for impeding the flow of traffic?

If someone gets pulled over for impeding traffic, will the people behind them also get pulled over for exceeding the speed limit?

The law makes sense looking at it initially but once you delve into the legal issues/conflicting messages, it makes less sense.

Setting reasonable speed limits seems to be the answer instead of punishing people who do obey the speed limit. I'm totally on board with fining people who are holding up traffic in the left lane purposely and driving under the speed limit.
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Old 04-14-2017, 01:25 PM
 
Location: Morrisville, NC
9,131 posts, read 14,699,556 times
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Actually, it's fine the way it's written. Yes, if a cop sees you speeding above whatever threshold they decide, you can get a ticket, but if you make the law specifically call out speed limit, it will actually embolden the wannabe Barney Fifes out there to camp in the left lane right at the limit. People should leave the law enforcement to the police.

But, I might think differently on this if speed limits were set with sound engineering practices rather than politically.
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