HOV lanes closed? (Houston, Howe: neighborhood, price, safe)

[Grunn]

Why are people obeying the law 'idiots'? I obey the law however stupid I personally think it might be. I don't smoke marijuana in your country because it's prohibited (I might choose to do that once in a while in a more enllightened country), likewise I don't drive above the limit as I might in a country that doesn't have a very low limit.

On the other hand I'm of the belief that it's a good thing your government bans drinking to the age of 21, driving faster than 65/70mph and proscribes relatively harmless drugs given the level of ability and education of the population. Frankly I don't think most of the idiots I see day to day driving on the freeway are fit to be driving a vehicle of any type and the amount of avoidable so called 'accidents' I see and hear about on a daily basis back that observation up.
The standard of driving I see on a day to day basis is pitiful, can anyone really tell me that driving almost on top of other vehicles or talking on a telephone improves their ability to react to other vehicles? I've driven in over 21 countries, this one seems to have the largest proportion of poorly skilled, wreckless and pathetic losers of all.

It's a shame because I have to share the roads with them. Never mind after hours driving when I have to share the roads with obviously drunk losers who presumably can't control their drink habit and endanger me and everyone else. The police should just execute every drink driver at the side of the road when found guilty because those asspipes are the ones putting us all at risk. I've never lived anywhere as bad as Houston for these irresponsible drink driving scumbags

[Grunn]

I should add that given a poorly educated driver driving too close to me in an attempt to make me speed up I will adjust my speed lower in a safe and controlled manner to take account of my higher stopping distance given a blow out, debris on the road etc.

This can mean that the complete idiot/toerag tailgaiting me will find his/her speed reduced by about as much as 20mph.

Anyone who cares to do the simplest most basic research will find this course of action is in compliance with best practice for advanced drivers. It's my responsibility to take account of the lack of skill or education of lesser vehicle operators who have little or no skill.

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by Grunn

Why are people obeying the law 'idiots'? I obey the law however stupid I personally think it might be. I don't smoke marijuana in your country because it's prohibited (I might choose to do that once in a while in a more enllightened country), likewise I don't drive above the limit as I might in a country that doesn't have a very low limit.

On the other hand I'm of the belief that it's a good thing your government bans drinking to the age of 21, driving faster than 65/70mph and proscribes relatively harmless drugs given the level of ability and education of the population. Frankly I don't think most of the idiots I see day to day driving on the freeway are fit to be driving a vehicle of any type and the amount of avoidable so called 'accidents' I see and hear about on a daily basis back that observation up.
The standard of driving I see on a day to day basis is pitiful, can anyone really tell me that driving almost on top of other vehicles or talking on a telephone improves their ability to react to other vehicles? I've driven in over 21 countries, this one seems to have the largest proportion of poorly skilled, wreckless and pathetic losers of all.

It's a shame because I have to share the roads with them. Never mind after hours driving when I have to share the roads with obviously drunk losers who presumably can't control their drink habit and endanger me and everyone else. The police should just execute every drink driver at the side of the road when found guilty because those asspipes are the ones putting us all at risk. I've never lived anywhere as bad as Houston for these irresponsible drink driving scumbags

I really dont feel like agreeing with you but I have to.....except for your first paragraph. Everything else you said I suspect everyone would agree with. I been a victim of a drunk as well as a victim of pig abuse.

I have no idea how things work in Germany but here the fat azzed donut munching connoisseurs are not at all interested in protecting and serving the peasants who pay their salary. Do German pigs live on a boston cream diet like here? Just curious. Anyway here the pigs are just there to extort money from hard working motorists to fill city coffers and most of us find to be despicable.

What is breaking the law to you? Doing 66 in a 65? 69? 70? What tips your scale? I find very few speeders around here. I find far more idiots who plant themselves in the left lane and do 45 in a 65. Dont ya think that is far more dangerous then doing 5 over the artificially low limits?

Oh....and driving age in the states range from 14 to 17 to get a permit. Is it 21 in Germany? I can imagine a 21 or 17 YO driving 140 MPH. YIKES!!!

[lhafer]

Since when are 60 and 65 miles an hour artificially low limits?

Speed limits in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you notice on the map...the areas that have the "lower" speed limits (with the exception of Oregon) are highly populated areas (and this includes Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston). Perhaps this is because there is a higher per capita number of people.

You can see that good ole' California has a higher speed limit, and we all know what the average California traffic jam is like. So why bother having a 70 mph speed limit when you can only crawl 25 mph because so many people are driving?

And I don't particularly care for police officers either. I don't always think they do their job. But I don't feel the need to disrespect them or their profession by calling them pigs. I find that offensive. And it's hard to offend me.

You seem to have a lot against the profession, but I highly doubt you would be willing to do their job.

[Grunn]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

What is breaking the law to you? Doing 66 in a 65? 69? 70? What tips your scale? I find very few speeders around here. I find far more idiots who plant themselves in the left lane and do 45 in a 65. Dont ya think that is far more dangerous then doing 5 over the artificially low limits?

Oh....and driving age in the states range from 14 to 17 to get a permit. Is it 21 in Germany? I can imagine a 21 or 17 YO driving 140 MPH. YIKES!!!

I haven't got an absolutist stand on the law, I obey it because it exists not because I feel 60 or 65 is safe. It's nothing to do with that, I just don't want to break laws and be punished. I don't know what tolerance law enforcement has for speeders so I drive more or less at the limit.

If that means someone has to sit behind me in a HOV lane then that's just tough luck.

[cla]

Driving below the average speed (not posted speed, but average speed of drivers on the road) is unsafe and causes more accidents than speeding. I was taught to drive at the speed of the flow of traffic around me. The police aren't looking to pull over the 85% of people who are driving 5 to 10 miles over the speed limit, they are looking for that driver that is driving well above the prevailing speed.

Meanwhile, if you are that driver who is holding up the flow of traffic, you are pissing off a lot of people, thereby creating an unsafe environment for everyone on the road. Personally, I believe you should "go with flow" on that stretch of road where people can't pass you (again, are the cops going to pull everyone over?) and when the road splits into two lanes, move over to the right and slowly and safely reduce your speed to the speed limit.

[Grunn]

I agree that sticking to the limit increases danger from other road users and I also believe that 'going with the flow' is the correct thing to do.

When I'm in Europe that's exactly what I do because I know the environment and what will or will not be picked up by law enforcement.

However here in the states I've been advised that driving above the limit will result in fines, suspension of licence and possibly the withdrawal of my VISA for enough offences. Therefore I don't do it.

While we're on the subject I often feel as if I'm being 'forced' down off ramps by idiots who want to carry on doing 60mph despite the posted limits being as low as 35mph. In those special circumstances I will drive faster than the posted limit merely to avoid an accident but I don't like doing it. More often than not it still isn't fast enough for the dongrels behind and they cross the double white lines which as far as I can see could be extremely dangerous.

The problem here isn't me, I drive according to the rules of the road which I learned a few months ago passing the laughably easy Texas driving test with a score of 100% on the theory and no points whatsoever on the road test (ie a perfect score). I think the real problem lies with people who have no idea what the rules are and have very, very little skill in handling a vehicle and observation.

[tstone]

Those yellow speed limit signs are only advisories. The white (and red) speed limit signs are the law.

Otherwise, when in Rome.......

It's amazing how many idiots, dongrels, etc disappear when one simply goes with the flow of traffic.

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by tstone

Those yellow speed limit signs are only advisories. The white (and red) speed limit signs are the law.

Otherwise, when in Rome.......

It's amazing how many idiots, dongrels, etc disappear when one simply goes with the flow of traffic.

Yes you are correct. If a speed limit sign is yellow it is a suggested speed limit. Technicaly there is no speed limit there but there is an unsafe speed at which you can do of course, that is of the opinion of the pig in any case.

Quite a few states, especially back east you will see a ramp sign and a smaller sign below it. It could be yellow or white. This will also be a suggested speed limit.

[Grunn]

Originally Posted by tstone

Those yellow speed limit signs are only advisories. The white (and red) speed limit signs are the law.

Otherwise, when in Rome.......

It's amazing how many idiots, dongrels, etc disappear when one simply goes with the flow of traffic.

I don't think driving with the flow of traffic is going to make pathetic cellphone using idiots magically disappear, likewise tailgaiting morons who seem unable to move over one lane to continue breaking the law by speeding. I drive in lane 1 whenever possible and facilitate the progress of others by allowing them in rather than the popular 'accelerate and block' beloved of many Houston drivers.

If the law allowed me to drive at 70mph in the HOV lane I would, as it is other road users who want to break the law are going to have to wait until they can leave the HOV or there is another lane.

The bottom line is neither me nor anyone else should be castigated by other road users on here or out there on the highways for obeying the law.

The posted speeds on the yellow signs are there for a reason- as I understand it the police could have a case against you if an 'accident' (I don't believe most crashes are accidents, they are usually caused by someone driving like an idiot) ensued caused by your exessive speed. Again I follow the advice and people behind will just have to wait for the few seconds it takes for me to move over.

Often if people tailgate me I have to slow down further to take account of their severely reduced braking distance as I said before. If it 'pisses them off' then that's an issue for them rather than me.