Drive Friendly? (San Antonio, Anton: move to, county, work) - Texas (TX) - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

nolanwright · 04-27-2011, 09:09 AM

Wow, I feel silly replying to this when the OP hasn't written anything on it in 5 years, but even though I am not a native Texan this struck a nerve. I like to use good grammar as much as anyone and have even been known to make fun of a particularly bad mistake, but it is a pet peeve of mine when people try to correct other people's grammar without knowing what they are talking about.

On dictionary.com and merriam-webster.com "friendly" as an adverb is listed as an acceptable use. The one print dictionary I could lay my hands on agreed. The Oxford English Dictionary does not list it, and there are some writing guides and such that say there is no adverb form or recommends using a phrase to avoid the issue as in "Drive in a friendly way". The point is that you can get a different answer depending on the source you consult. If someone started a thread to debate whether the signs are correct, that would be one thing, but to just say that they are wrong and are an indictment of Texas education is ridiculous.

If someone wants to be the grammar police, they should at least make sure they don't send someone to jail without a trial.

Paycheck2Paycheck · 05-11-2011, 09:09 AM

I'm not arguing the fact that tailgating is unsafe/illegal; I'm simply explaining what "drive friendly" means, which I have explained: drive in the shoulder to let someone by. As pointed out above, this doesn't apply to four-lane highways, interstates, etc; it applies to the two-lane highways and county/country roads.

One more time: I'm not arguing the fact that tailgating is unsafe/illegal, but consider this:

While you're cursing the guy behind you for being an a-hole or whatever, he's cursing you for being ignorant.

Or you can look at it this way: Who's more dangerous? The tailgater? Or the person who's [inadvertently] making themselves an obstacle? The answer could very well be, "both are equally dangerous."

One more time: I'm not arguing the fact that tailgating is unsafe/illegal; I'm simply explaining what "drive friendly" means.

Are we clear yet? Or do you still need further explanation?

L210 · 05-11-2011, 09:51 AM

If most people on the road are driving slightly below to slightly above the speed limit, then the speeder is creating his or her own obstacles.

Paycheck2Paycheck · 05-11-2011, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L210

If most people on the road are driving slightly below to slightly above the speed limit, then the speeder is creating his or her own obstacles.

Does that mean you should be discourteous and not let them by?

Would you like to know how many times I've let a speeder go by, only to find them pulled over by a trooper two or three more miles down the road?

Or would you like to know how many times I've encountered vehicles driving 10-20 miles an hour below the posted speed limit? On a two-lane highway with too many hills for safe passing?

For the record, I don't speed. But I expect people to be courteous to me on the road, just as I am to them.

One more time: "Drive Friendly" means "Let the vehicle behind you go by."

Guess what? You just eliminated the possibility of them even tailgating you in the first place, didn't you? I.E., it just became a non-issue by virtue of the fact that you extended some courtesy, even if you disagreed with their speed.

Let them speed: they'll be stopped sooner or later.

But that's still not the point. The point is the sign, and what it means, which is...???

L210 · 05-11-2011, 11:27 PM

So dozens of cars on the road should go out of their way to make way for a couple of speeders? That has nothing to do with courtesy. The left lane is there for a reason. The speeders who think they should own the road are the ones being discourteous to everyone else. If I'm in the middle or right lane doing the speed limit, the speeder can just go around me. When the person could easily move over to the PASSING lane (that's what it's there for), they are being discourteous by tailgating someone who is driving the proper speed in the proper lane. Why should people be courteous to those who are being discourteous to them?

I can understand people moving over when they are driving slowly on a country road where there is no place for the person behind them to around. The actual drive friendly website focuses on how to not be an aggressive driver. It only mentions getting out of the way to avoid a conflict with aggressive drivers. I'd suggest that everyone read the various pages on this website to know what is NOT considered driving friendly.

Say NO to Aggressive Driving

L210 · 05-11-2011, 11:29 PM

So dozens of cars on the road should go out of their way to make way for a couple of speeders? That has nothing to do with courtesy. The left lane is there for a reason. The speeders who think they should own the road are the ones being discourteous to everyone else. If I'm in the middle or right lane doing the speed limit, the speeder can just go around me. When the person could easily move over to the PASSING lane (that's what it's there for), they are being discourteous by tailgating someone who is driving the proper speed in the proper lane. Why should people be courteous to those who are being discourteous to them?

I can understand people moving over when they are driving slowly on a country road where there is no place for the person behind them to go around. The actual drive friendly website focuses on how to not be an aggressive driver. It only mentions getting out of the way to avoid a conflict with aggressive drivers; meaning, don't estimate what the aggressive driver might do. The aggressive driver could be violent. I'd suggest that everyone read the various pages on this website to know what is NOT considered driving friendly. Driving friendly = not being an aggressive driver.

Say NO to Aggressive Driving

Quote:

Be a courteous driver yourself. Keep in mind that you are not the only driver on the road. Yield the right-of-way at intersections. Give proper signals well ahead of time to let others know what you are going to do. Remember not to tailgate. When possible, maintain a constant speed. Avoid frequent lane changes, especially those likely to irritate other drivers. Give the right of way to emergency vehicles. Everyone has the power to set an example, and this will help make our roadways safer. Use that power.

plwhit · 05-11-2011, 11:37 PM

This thread is hilarious, the OP was posted 1.17.2007 and was talking about what signs they noticed on IH-10 in West Texas and we wind up with people talking about intersections and aggressive drivers

Nothing like staying on-topic........

OP was about the grammatical English used on the signs.....

Paycheck2Paycheck · 05-12-2011, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L210

That has nothing to do with courtesy. The left lane is there for a reason.

Left lane? What left lane? There IS no left lane. In every post that I’ve made, I’ve been talking about two-lane roads that have paved shoulders. Not four-lane highways, not interstates, not freeways, etc. Two-land roads with paved shoulders. I don’t think I can make that any more clear.

Regardless…

Scenario, involving me:
I’m on a two-lane road with paved shoulders (mentioned yet again). Another driver comes flying up behind me. I ease to the shoulder, drive there, and let them by, just as I’ve seen hundreds of other people do all over Texas. He drives by, I ease back into the lane of traffic. He’s no longer a threat to me.

Scenario, involving you:
You’re on a two-lane road with paved shoulders (mentioned yet again). Another driver comes flying up behind you. You stay in your lane. He sits back there and festers, getting angrier, and remains a threat to you.

But who’s the aggressive one now? Believe it or not, that sign applies to you just as much as it applies to him.

Result of my scenario:
I’m safe because I’m out of harm’s way. I’m out of harm’s way because I took a bad situation and made it better. I made it better by being courteous, even though he was being aggressive.

Result of your scenario:
You’re not safe because you’re still in harm’s way. You’re still in harm’s way because you took a bad situation and made it worse. You made it worse because you chose to be discourteous.

So I wonder… is your response to the situation one of payback? Is that how you treat aggressive drivers? And doesn’t that in itself now make you the new aggressor?

With all due respect, I think my way is better...

L210 · 05-12-2011, 11:26 PM

You're still only applying driving friendly to one end. You don't seem to expect the aggressive driver to change his or her behavior. The driver in front moving out of harm's way is not being courteous, they are saving themselves from someone who is being discourteous. Yes, the OP's post was about grammar, but you were responding to people complaining about aggressive driving. These people are complaining about how people drive in the city. I am rarely on a two-lane road with a shoulder and driving friendly mostly applies to aggressive drivers. So unless one is driving out in the country, people rarely run into the situation you're talking about.

TexasRedneck · 05-13-2011, 09:32 AM

Frankly, I'm not there to determine whether someone is speeding or not. If I can move to the right so that they can pass, I'll do so. It doesn't hurt me, doesn't put me at risk - and for all I know, it's someone with a real need to get somewhere faster than I am.

I don't have the time or inclination to play hall monitor.....