Miami Driving Scene (Road Rage, illegal driving, Moving violations, etc). (Orlando: rental car, ski resorts)

[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by miami_winter_breeze

If someone is speeding in the left lane, he will eventually be pulled over. But the left lane is the passing lane, and if someone is going very fast, by default he is passing everyone to the right of him.

Also, you should never be the 'judge' if someone is going fast enough. If I'm going 85mph in the left lane and someone is approaching me at a high rate of speed, I pull to the right to let him go. I don't go "well, he's well above the speed limit and has no right to pass me." You never know if he has an emergency or pressing situation requiring him to go 100mph, and even if he doesn't, forcing him to zoom around you is how accidents happen and traffic bottlenecks as well.

The thing is, people do get over IF IT IS SAFE to do so. But if the lane right next to the left simply doesn't have enough space to make the lane change safely and there is traffic in front of me, don't expect me to get over, and don't expect me to tailgate the car in front of me either. I am not at all trying to judge that the guy behind me is going too fast, I am judging that is is not yet safe, given the reality of the traffic around me, to get over! Sounds pretty simple to me.

Sorry, I'm simply not going to risk causing an accident in this situation. Sorry, but you need to learn to slow down to a speed more appropriate for the reality of the traffic conditions. There are places like North Dakota and Nevada where you can drive as fast as you want. I am not "forcing him to zoom around" anyone, it is just the reality of the traffic conditions, which in Miami often means congestion. Sorry, you and I are not the only vehicles on the road. And no, you are not the most important vehicle on the road, no matter what you drive.

Now if the lane directly to the right has space and I see someone is approaching from behind faster than my speed, right turn signal goes on immediately and I get over right away. If I'm still passing and nobody else is in front of me, I'll even speed up a bit to be able to get over sooner and let you pass, as this is common courtesy.

[unquiltom]

Originally Posted by hurricaneMan1992

The thing is, people do get over IF IT IS SAFE to do so. But if the lane right next to the left simply doesn't have enough space to make the lane change safely and there is traffic in front of me, don't expect me to get over, and don't expect me to tailgate the car in front of me either. I am not at all trying to judge that the guy behind me is going too fast, I am judging that is is not yet safe, given the reality of the traffic around me, to get over! Sounds pretty simple to me.

Sorry, I'm simply not going to risk causing an accident in this situation. Sorry, but you need to learn to slow down to a speed more appropriate for the reality of the traffic conditions. There are places like North Dakota and Nevada where you can drive as fast as you want. I am not "forcing him to zoom around" anyone, it is just the reality of the traffic conditions, which in Miami often means congestion. Sorry, you and I are not the only vehicles on the road. And no, you are not the most important vehicle on the road, no matter what you drive.

Now if the lane directly to the right has space and I see someone is approaching from behind faster than my speed, right turn signal goes on immediately and I get over right away. If I'm still passing and nobody else is in front of me, I'll even speed up a bit to be able to get over sooner and let you pass, as this is common courtesy.

Not everyone thinks as rationally as you do. I've experienced drivers in the left lane going maybe 2 or 3 mph over the limit, and you can tell they've set their cruise control at that speed. Their thinking is they can stay at that speed and not have to brake for or pass anyone, and anyone that needs to pass them will have to do so on their right. They don't care about how much the traffic is backing up behind them, because in front of them, it's clear sailing. I feel this is one of the most inconsiderate driving practices, as the driver is only concerned about making his trip as easy for him/her as is possible and everyone else be damned.

[miami_winter_breeze]

Originally Posted by unquiltom

Not everyone thinks as rationally as you do. I've experienced drivers in the left lane going maybe 2 or 3 mph over the limit, and you can tell they've set their cruise control at that speed. Their thinking is they can stay at that speed and not have to brake for or pass anyone, and anyone that needs to pass them will have to do so on their right. They don't care about how much the traffic is backing up behind them, because in front of them, it's clear sailing. I feel this is one of the most inconsiderate driving practices, as the driver is only concerned about making his trip as easy for him/her as is possible and everyone else be damned.

I was going to say but didn't bother.

No one is saying 'change lanes when it's not safe or impossible to do so'. At least I'm not saying it.

But you better believe that people do hog the passing lane.

Some of those people are ignorant, but some of them are passive aggressive - thinking if they are going the speed limit to 5mph above, you have no right to passing.

I have had this conversation, irl, with many people. I can't tell you how many times I hear it - it's illegal for you to go faster than me when I'm driving the speed limit so tough luck on you -

[pslhomie]

I have no problem with people doing the speed limit in the left lane. After all it is the law. How would you explain it to the police if you got caught going faster than the speed limit in the left lane? If you are a law abiding person how can you possibly be mad at a person dong the speed limit? If you do then you are a hypocrite. That being said people should not linger in the left lane unless it is a car pool lane.

[miami_winter_breeze]

Originally Posted by pslhomie

I have no problem with people doing the speed limit in the left lane. After all it is the law. How would you explain it to the police if you got caught going faster than the speed limit in the left lane? If you are a law abiding person how can you possibly be mad at a person dong the speed limit? If you do then you are a hypocrite. That being said people should not linger in the left lane unless it is a car pool lane.

The left lane is the 'passing' lane. If you are impeding traffic, even if you're going the speed limit, you're breaking the law. Even though technically the person needs to break the law to pass you.

In certain jurisdictions, police will give you a ticket for impeding traffic in the passing lane, even if you're going the speed limit.

Of course people have the right to be angry, if you're preventing them from driving and taking evasive maneuvers, you're a bad/poor/inconsiderate driver.

[ruski]

Originally Posted by pslhomie

I have no problem with people doing the speed limit in the left lane. After all it is the law. How would you explain it to the police if you got caught going faster than the speed limit in the left lane? If you are a law abiding person how can you possibly be mad at a person dong the speed limit? If you do then you are a hypocrite. That being said people should not linger in the left lane unless it is a car pool lane.

So it is between the left lane speeder and the police officer, not your business.

[pslhomie]

Originally Posted by miami_winter_breeze

The left lane is the 'passing' lane. If you are impeding traffic, even if you're going the speed limit, you're breaking the law. Even though technically the person needs to break the law to pass you.

In certain jurisdictions, police will give you a ticket for impeding traffic in the passing lane, even if you're going the speed limit.

Of course people have the right to be angry, if you're preventing them from driving and taking evasive maneuvers, you're a bad/poor/inconsiderate driver.

Not sure where you come up with this stuff but it is wrong on a legal level and shows inconsideration. Per your theory no one can be in the left lane unless they are speeding. Bllllllllllllllllallaalalaalalallalalal what?

[miami_winter_breeze]

Originally Posted by pslhomie

Not sure where you come up with this stuff but it is wrong on a legal level and shows inconsideration. Per your theory no one can be in the left lane unless they are speeding. Bllllllllllllllllallaalalaalalallalalal what?

Continue being a bad driver, see if I care, but don't complain when people tailgate you, zoom around you, cut you off, etc.

The most popular law follows the Uniform Vehicle Code, which says a car driving below the "normal speed of traffic" should be driven in the right-hand lane. Because it indicates "normal speed" instead of saying "speed limit" a driver going above the speed limit but slower than most traffic is still in the wrong.

Left-Lane Passing Laws: A State-By-State Map

[unquiltom]

This morning, I saw a rare event, a Miami Dade police officer actually pulling a driver over for speeding!
This was on the Palmetto at about 5:30 in the morning, but here's the best part, the driver being pulled over just stopped in the right lane! Traffic is moving around 60 MPH and people had to swerve around the car and the police car stopped in the lane of traffic. He eventually got the idiot to pull over to the shoulder. How clueless do you have to be to stop in an active freeway lane of traffic? I hope he got another ticket on top of the speeding ticket for that move.

[miami_winter_breeze]

Originally Posted by unquiltom

This morning, I saw a rare event, a Miami Dade police officer actually pulling a driver over for speeding!
This was on the Palmetto at about 5:30 in the morning, but here's the best part, the driver being pulled over just stopped in the right lane! Traffic is moving around 60 MPH and people had to swerve around the car and the police car stopped in the lane of traffic. He eventually got the idiot to pull over to the shoulder. How clueless do you have to be to stop in an active freeway lane of traffic? I hope he got another ticket on top of the speeding ticket for that move.

How do you know it's for speeding?