Redneck Road Rage / Instant Karma

[jclalor 12]

kelpdiver

***
The thing that drives me crazy the most is when traffic is heavy in the fast lane, and people use the slower lanes to pass and the then get back in the fast lane before they rear end the approaching semi. Of course they don't care that there's no room in the fast last lane and they have no issue cutting you off getting back in. They then pass the semi and keep repeating the process. This is the one reason I wish they had undercover CHP.

The I-5 drive, perfectly summarized. It's a different problem from SoCal 5 lane freeways with the slow people in the #1, but both make you wish for a stinger missile, or maybe just an egg tosser.

I-5 is exactly what I was referring too.

It's interesting that you can almost always tell a Southern Californian from a Northern Californian by how they give directions; the So Cal person will always prefaces a freeway with "the" as in "you take the 5 to the 405 to the 15" A nor Cal person will just say "take 101 to 880 to 1"

[billvon 2,400]

>the So Cal person will always prefaces a freeway with "the" as in "you take the
>to the 405 to the 15" A nor Cal person will just say "take 101 to 880 to 1"

And in New York you'll get both:

"I'd take the LIE to the Wantagh, then take the Southern State to the Belt"
"No, you should take the Meadowbrook, the Wantagh is always a mess"
"I just take 135."

[kelpdiver 2]

jclalor

It's interesting that you can almost always tell a Southern Californian from a Northern Californian by how they give directions; the So Cal person will always prefaces a freeway with "the" as in "you take the 5 to the 405 to the 15" A nor Cal person will just say "take 101 to 880 to 1"

Some Friscans (ooh!) obsess about this for reasons I'll never understand, just as it's impossible to figure out how they think they're part of Northern California in any would be split, or how LA is stealing water (while they drink from Hetch Hetchy).

The difference stems from SoCal using the term freeway (as in "the 405 freeway") whereas here it is highway (as in "Highway 80").

[jclalor 12]

billvon

>the So Cal person will always prefaces a freeway with "the" as in "you take the
>to the 405 to the 15" A nor Cal person will just say "take 101 to 880 to 1"

And in New York you'll get both:

"I'd take the LIE to the Wantagh, then take the Southern State to the Belt"
"No, you should take the Meadowbrook, the Wantagh is always a mess"
"I just take 135."

Viva la difference

[champu 1]

Moving to LA from Chicago (about ten years ago now) my first thought was "where the hell are the mile markers / exit numbers?" My second thought was "where the hell are the cardinal directions?" For the uninitiated, you can come up on freeway interchanges and the two choices will just be two city names. No North, South, East, West, just "Fountain Valley" and "Seal Beach" and as a transplant I'm just thinking, "I don't know what that means! I want to go North!"

[kelpdiver 2]

champu

Moving to LA from Chicago (about ten years ago now) my first thought was "where the hell are the mile markers / exit numbers?" My second thought was "where the hell are the cardinal directions?" For the uninitiated, you can come up on freeway interchanges and the two choices will just be two city names. No North, South, East, West, just "Fountain Valley" and "Seal Beach" and as a transplant I'm just thinking, "I don't know what that means! I want to go North!"

There are a small number of mile markers out there, but you certainly can't navigate by it.

Now come up to SF and the cardinal directions will be visible, but nonsense. The I80 essentially goes East/West from Sacramento to Vallejo, and then the short distance from Emerville to San Franciso. The I280 is marked as North/South, but runs from SF to San Jose and back up to the Sacramento Delta in a U shape. 101 also has a long east/west section in the South Bay.

[rehmwa 2]

jclalor

Don't you think it's strange that you get to decide how much over the speed limit someone else should drive? I have no issue pulling into a slower lane, even if I'm going 80 mph and someone is approaching me at 90mph, I'll get over. Of course all bets are off if traffic is solid in front of me.

"I" don't decide. The speed limit is the law and society apparently decides that.

But my post was about the current setup with maximum speed limits vs a target speed we all have try to maintain. I'd prefer the target speed concept. Too fast and too slow are equally dangerous, yet we only ticket on one side.


Same as you, even though I move over also (it's courtesy and conflict avoidance, not necessarily the right thing to do though), it doesn't bother me if I come up behind a slower driver that doesn't mover over for me - provided they actually are somewhere near the speed limit and not terribly below it.

I refuse to fault a driver that's obeying the speed limit. That's just childish.

For that matter, getting mad while driving is about the most stupidest thing that all of us do. It's just a simple task and if people just drove predictably and by the laws of the road and kept calm about it, life would improved for everyone. I admit I get irked about a normal amount, but I do try my best to not let it happen - it's such a waste of energy.

I really have no comprehension when someone 'brags' about how angry they say they get when telling driving stories. Seems really dumb to me.

Edit: Ha ha "egg tossers". visualizing a hood mounted catapult. To examples, we had about 40 MPH on the backed up highway I take in every day. Along flies about 80 mph a car in the supplemental 'truck slow lane' that's there on an upgrade. I'd love to see that behavior caught and a license removed....Must more dangerous than pulling over the singles in the car pool lane.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[normiss 622]

Apparently we don't all put on our pants the same way.

[rehmwa 2]

normiss

Apparently we don't all put on our pants the same way.

you mean use the pants rack and an exercise trampoline to launch yourself into them each morning?

I'm pretty sure we do.


Edit: example - you come barrelling up on that guy in the left lane. he's going 70 in a 65, you wish to go 80 and have to slow down. you spend a couple miles behind him (not tailgating, just dealing with it), grumbling and complaining, then get off at your exit. you lost maybe 30 seconds commute time max.

tell me this - what good did it do you? you can answer after you take your daily heart meds......

for that matter - how do you know he doesn't have radar on and might have inadvertantly just saved you a speeding ticket?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[normiss 622]

Impeding the flow of traffic can also get you a ticket.

Studies have shown clogging the left lane is generally more dangerous to all of us on the highway than is moving over and letting others pass.

I also have some issues with 4 lane highways built for 65mph.
Lowered to 55mph.
Lowered to 40mph.
Lowered to 35mph.
Simply to generate revenue.
There was never a need to drop 75mph to 55mph on major highways for that matter, but it was.

[kelpdiver 2]

normiss

There was never a need to drop 75mph to 55mph on major highways for that matter, but it was.

This was a fuel economy measure during the oil shocks of the 70s. There's no question that it decreases consumption and that even a small decrease (in 2008 it was 8%) leads to a substantial drop in gas prices.

I've never seen a 4 lane highway that had a 75mph limit changed to 35.

[riggerrob 558]

True red-necks solve their own problems.

When I was too young to drive, I just kicked in the doors of cars that splashed me with gutter spray.

Then I got "doored" by a car - as I rode past on my bicycle, so I kicked off her side-view mirror. "What are you upset about lady? You were not using that mirror."

For a while, I carried an axe or machete in my trunk .. to chop off offending parts of cars that cut me off ... but now that I have grown up, I keep a chain saw handy. If you clip me with your rear corner, you will never have to worry about clipping anyone else with that corner of your car!

[normiss 622]

I've not seen those change that way either.
I have seen plenty of 55's go to 35's.

[BillyVance 34]

normiss

I've not seen those change that way either.
I have seen plenty of 55's go to 35's.

Yep... state route 59 (Gulf Shores Parkway) has such a situation. 55 to 45 to 35 in less than a mile. Got dinged once.

Harpersville is the worst. US280 has 6 different speed limits within 3 miles. See the Slavery thread by Amazon for info.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[rehmwa 2]

normiss

Impeding the flow of traffic can also get you a ticket.

it sure should - note my comments about all of us driving in the same speed range. BOTH top end and bottom end.

But I'd hesitate to say that the guy going 70 in a 65 would fit the description of 'impeding the flow'. (Ditto for the guy going 65 in a 65). I'd say purposely blocking would. Driving the wrong way. Straddling the lines, etc etc etc etc would.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[normiss 622]

Or staying in the passing lane.

Most of the major highways here do have minimum speed, so you'd be pretty happy with your "range" idea.

[kelpdiver 2]

BillyVance

Yep... state route 59 (Gulf Shores Parkway) has such a situation. 55 to 45 to 35 in less than a mile. Got dinged once.

Harpersville is the worst. US280 has 6 different speed limits within 3 miles. See the Slavery thread by Amazon for info.

Oh, that's different than lowering the entire freeway to that speed. I understand now. Obstensibly this is done where population develops. For that matter, I live on a major throughfare in SF that used to have a limit of 45, now has a limit of 35, and people are still crashing into each other and killing pedestrians at an unacceptable rate. Asshole behaviour is forcing worse options.

But yeah, I know many townships do this with a zero tolerance, maximum greed philosophy.

[rehmwa 2]

normiss

Most of the major highways here do have minimum speed, so you'd be pretty happy with your "range" idea.

I'd like a much tighter range and enforced on both ends.

But, yess

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Fast 0]

rehmwa

Same as you, even though I move over also (it's courtesy and conflict avoidance, not necessarily the right thing to do though), it doesn't bother me if I come up behind a slower driver that doesn't mover over for me - provided they actually are somewhere near the speed limit and not terribly below it.

I refuse to fault a driver that's obeying the speed limit. That's just childish.

For that matter, getting mad while driving is about the most stupidest thing that all of us do. It's just a simple task and if people just drove predictably and by the laws of the road and kept calm about it, life would improved for everyone. I admit I get irked about a normal amount, but I do try my best to not let it happen - it's such a waste of energy.

I used to drive faster than I do now. Primarily cause I had a car meant to go fast, which I don't anymore. I generally stay within the limit or mildly over it. I also used to get fairly angry and ragey at people who would hold up the left lane.

My views have shifted a lot. If not on the freeway/highway I consider all the lanes fair game for everyone. There are too many left turns/right turns that screw everything up.

On the freeway, if you're making progress in the left lane (or if I am) deal with it. I will make an effort to get out of people's way who choose to drive faster than I do but not at my own expense (i.e. I won't slow down 10mph to move right so you can go 5mph faster than what I am doing now).

I have also been working myself out of the habit of slowing down (although never enough to no longer be making progress passing) when people aggressively tailgate. I used to be really bad about it when younger and it's a hard habit to break. Driving around is a task that requires everyone on the road to work together, I wish more people understood that.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[rehmwa 2]

thanks for that - sounds familiar - nice to know there are a few grownups out there

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants