Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You see, I see things differently here in WNC having come from the west coast (Oregon/California). I think a lot of y'all (general y'all ) are rude drivers in this area. Native or not, some people just lack complete common sense when it comes to driving skills. Mountain driving included.
I take the BRP a lot as a quick trip over to south Asheville and I abide the speed limit and for the most part notice others do too. On the other hand, I've witnessed my share of bad wrecks due to bad driving on the windy stretch of I-40 to Knoxville, TN due to speeding.
In my personal experience, I can be driving in the fast lane on I-40 (or 240 or 26...) going at least 5-10 mph over the speed limit and still have someone behind me tailing and swerving all over the place to make a point. My issue is... I'm generally - at that moment - not in a safe position to get over due to the fact that someone is right beside me in the slow lane OR I'm giving merging traffic room to get on the Interstate.
I had to laugh-out-loud and reread a couple Letters in the Mountain Xpress recently. Especially "Drive, He Said" and "The left lane is for passing." The latter writer wrote he was "Graced with a middle finger twice for tailgating in the fast lane while patiently waiting to pass." Is this really the normal driver mentality around here - the tailgating? Especially given my above personal example(s)?
And while I'm at it, what's up with drivers not giving the right away to emergency vehicles flying down the Interstate in these parts? Tsk tsk.
Forgive me as I come from the land of 4 and 6 lane Interstates and I'm still fairly new to Nascar country, but come on.
Total facepalm.
Last edited by angrycandy; 03-30-2011 at 12:34 PM..
I had to laugh-out-loud and reread a couple Letters in the Mountain Xpress recently. Especially "Drive, He Said" and "The left lane is for passing." The latter writer wrote he was "Graced with a middle finger twice for tailgating in the fast lane while patiently waiting to pass." Is this really the normal driver mentality around here - the tailgating? Especially given my above personal example(s)?
No, that mentality is thanks to the northerners and halfbacker's. Don't blame that on the natives that's for sure seeing as how a huge portion of the population is not from WNC anymore. There is a map somewhere that actually shows whos moving where, and everyone is moving to NC from the north, its amazing anyone is there still. http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/04/mig...nties-map.html
Well after a cross-country road trip my opinion has changed a lot...
I am a fairly new driver(less than 6 months) and lack experience and certain skills(i.e. parallel parking, u turn on narrow road)... When I first got to California, I was totally scared on the Interstate. In WNC people generally drive above speed limit b/c usually the speed limit is pretty low on the mountain(yes it's a low for a reason!!!), but an experienced driver should be able to handle it.
However in California, that's just insane. Driving downhill 2x the speed limit(clearly some cars are at 110mph while the limit is 55mph), reckless passing(at 80mph+ 1.5 car clearance is not safe for passing at all...). And in LA, 6 lanes in one direction all packed with traffic, and I can see wreck pretty much every time I get on the road....... I would like to drive in WNC mountains rather than California......
In my personal experience, I can be driving in the fast lane on I-40 (or 240 or 26...) going at least 5-10 mph over the speed limit and still have someone behind me tailing and swerving all over the place to make a point. My issue is... I'm generally - at that moment - not in a safe position to get over due to the fact that someone is right beside me in the slow lane OR I'm giving merging traffic room to get on the Interstate.
I had to laugh-out-loud and reread a couple Letters in the Mountain Xpress recently. Especially "Drive, He Said" and "The left lane is for passing." The latter writer wrote he was "Graced with a middle finger twice for tailgating in the fast lane while patiently waiting to pass." Is this really the normal driver mentality around here - the tailgating? Especially given my above personal example(s)?
Are you sure you aren't the one making a point by driving in the passing lane? You're "generally - at that moment" not in a position to get over? Sounds fishy to me. I drive up in WNC quite a bit, and have hardly ever been tail-gated. And NO ONE has ever weaved behind me while tailgating. Then again, I know that the left lane is for passing, and that it's the responsibility of the person getting onto the highway to merge into traffic, not for the car already on the highway to get over. If there is a car in the passing lane coming faster than you, don't pull into that lane - regardless of what's happening on the onramp. You can slow or speed up to aide the person entering the freeway, and you can get over if no one is coming upon you in the left lane.
I still haven't figured out how to drive on the mnt... My car gets the best gas mileage at 40-60mph. On my trip to Asheville I got 26mpg but after I came back to the mnt it never pass 20mpg......
The problem with mnt driver is I can't keep constant speed. Around where I live there are a lof of roads with 15mph/25mph next 2 miles but obviously that's not the speed most ppl drive. But sometimes I feel kinda losing control of the car(crossing the center line on a 2-lane mnt road) if I make a 270 degrees+ turn at 45mph....... I guess that's cuz I don't use brake in most turns.........
And there are many mnt roads without a center line... just two narrow for 2 cars.. I usually just drive in the middle and hoping there won't be incoming traffic at blind turns......
You realize how irresponsible and dangerous your driving is, right? You could kill somebody. Seriously.
Virtually anyone can get a drivers license, anywhere in the US, and most don't have the necessary skills to drive to the super market safely.
It should be mandatory that people have superior skills to obtain a license, no matter where they drive, then we would have virtually no deaths and very few accidents.
Rule of thumb. . . If you can't stay in your lane you're going too fast. Also, on 4 lanes keep right unless passing. And for God's sake, turn on your lights in rain and fog!!!
Wow, what a thread. People, get over if you're holding up traffic, don't go faster than your limits allow, and STAY IN YOUR LANE! It's so freaking simple. The worst road has gotta be US 64 between Cashiers and Highlands (and all in that general area). Texans and Floridians going 20 mph under the speed limit.
Motordavid, don't hang up that helmet! You just need to move to somewhere that isn't hopelessly overrun by idiots. Myself, I'm moving North, although I won't say where for fear of attracting said idiots to that place too. Or you should come ride around up here in north Buncombe/south Madison. Lots of great, windy mountain roads, free of the incessant flow of idiot traffic that plagues the parkway like so many locusts.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) are rude drivers in this area. Native or not, some people just lack complete common sense when it comes to driving skills. Mountain driving included. 
