Are you a coaster?

[Tempest]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Around here, when I do that - which I do - the morons behind me often get frustrated (in rush hour highway traffic) - and pass me aggressively, only to have to slam on the brakes and ride the tail end of the backup ahead. Nobody ever seems to look ahead on the road to see the sea of brake lights less than a quarter mile ahead. It is doing such stupid things that actually cause and exacerbate the backups in the first place.

You can't fix or renovate the roads enough to compensate for today's levels of stupidity.

And it probably never occurred to you that slow people are causing the backup in the first place? And that you are in fact the one creating a navigation hazard by going slower than the flow of traffic?

The entire point of being in a car is to get somewhere quickly. Otherwise, you could just walk.

Quote:
And, further argument for getting personal choice out of the commute - at least on the highways.


What the heck does that mean?

 

[DBMaster]

Want to know what it means? It means that we humans are, for the most part, too immature and stupid to make the logical decisions required to ensure smooth traffic flow with the number of drivers on the road. It is almost always the drivers that cause traffic issues around here.

I am pining for automated highways is what I am saying.

Go on, tell me I'm wrong. I will add nothing further to this thread. Every time I start talking about driving behavior I become agitated and it's not good for my blood pressure.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
And it probably never occurred to you that slow people are causing the backup in the first place? And that you are in fact the one creating a navigation hazard by going slower than the flow of traffic?

The entire point of being in a car is to get somewhere quickly. Otherwise, you could just walk.


I stated in my earlier post about driving the same speed as the car in front of me. I just don't drive right on its back bumper. You proved my point, thank you very much, about drivers not being able to think logically.

I guess I lied right above about not posting on this one anymore.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

Lack of planning and poor execution on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.

Don't expect the rest of the world to set their watches by your watch. Ask yourself why you need to hurry. What value does it add. Or is it just habit and laziness that makes you get out of the house late and force you to feel you have to play Nascar on the way to work?

Really? Nobody cares. Drive like a adult.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
Drive like an adult.



This.

People drive like little kids on the bumper car course. Even if I'm running late to work, I drive respectfully. It is my fault I am late, and I would rather be a few minutes late to work than kill myself or someone else. Telling my boss I will be a few minutes late is much easier than telling someone I killed their son/daughter/brother/sister/spouse, whatever. Will it happen to everyone who speeds to work? Of course not, but it happens daily.

 

[DBMaster]

Ha! They ARE driving like adults, typical American adults. But, it's a skill and very few are good at it. The nicest people I know are the worst drivers.

Just about everything else in our lives has become faster and easier (with exceptions, of course), but driving in this nation of suburban sprawl is not one of those things. The cars are quicker and safer. They handle better, too. Yet we spend a lot of time stuck in traffic or sitting at red lights (which last a lot longer than they did even ten years ago). It is no surprise at all that driving has become a frustrating experience.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
Ask yourself why you need to hurry. What value does it add. Or is it just habit and laziness that makes you get out of the house late and force you to feel you have to play Nascar on the way to work?

The answer to all of the above is "none of your business."

Are you actually inconvenienced by people who drive faster than you, or are you just being sanctimonious?

 

[Mr_Incredible]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
The answer to all of the above is "none of your business."


EXACTLY! As it's none of your business why people drive less fast than you.

What makes you special? Why should we all rush to the side of the road when you come by, as if you had emergency lights. What makes people that want to go faster then everybody else so friggin' special (in their own mind.)

Or, as I tell my children, "You are unique and special. There is nobody else like you on the face of the earth. You are one in 6 billion. Just like everybody else..." Meaning: Don't think so much of yourself, and perhaps you might be though more of.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Are you actually inconvenienced by people who drive faster than you...


The answer to that is yes. I'm inconvenienced when I have to brake to let them in front of me when they cut it short. I'm inconvenienced when I have to brake as they cut left in front of me at a light. I'm inconvenienced when the come out of nowhere, FAST, from the rear as they cut through traffic and make me abort my lane change. And when they ride my a55, waiting for the next lane change to open. And the last two accidents I had that were both the other guy's fault...who were both in a hurry (one I was actually stopped and the other I was going the speed limit.)

The annoying part of going fast isn't simply the act of speeding in the left lane with nobody around. That seldom bothers anyone but left-lane bandits. No, it's all the other things that fast drivers do to all the other drivers as they work their way to the highway to GET into that fast lane.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
What makes you special? Why should we all rush to the side of the road when you come by

Maybe courtesy? Safety? Are you creating a safer, less stressful situation by being a mobile road block?

The entire point of being in a car is getting from one place to another quickly. Why is it so hard to get out someone elses' way that would like to go faster?

Is this some kind of civic duty or something?

 

[wrcsixeight]

I coast a lot more when there is nobody behind me.

I check my mirrors frequently for those in a hurry, if it is a single lane road and there is no doubt we are stopping, then they just have to deal with it. If there is a chance they are waiting to dart into the left turning lane, I'll hold speed and brake later so they can sit at the red arrow, or rarely, make the light.


Nobody is going to be able to influence another's driving style. I'd rather not have Mr or Mrs hurry up and stop behind me and getting angrier. They are likely to do something stupid.

Just check your mirrors often, put your dang phone away, and try not to be an obstruction to the flow and realize the roadways do not revolve around your own style of driving.

I think if more people would not delay moving after the car in front of them moves when the light goes green, the whole flow would work better. More cars would make every light. I'm usually rolling before the car in front of me is.

One of my friends whole heartedly agrees with the logic of quick response to green, but then waits for 3 car lengths to open up before even taking his foot off the brake.

Drive's me nuts.

 

[97f150]

The way I have been driving lately is sure to make several members on this thread proud...I have just been staying home.

I never saw the sense in going around someone just to jam your brakes on at the light they were slowing down for. Ever had someone pass you up at a ridiculous rate of speed, only to put their signal on and make a turn as soon as they got back over? I feel its sort of like that. I wont allow my vehicle to completely downshift to gear 1 and creep to the light, but I remove my foot from the accelerator when I see I am going to have to stop and by the time I actually have to use the brakes it takes very little braking effort to come to a stop.

 

[SevenBizzos]

Coaster here. Lights just changed to red or trains. Yes. Both my cars are manual so I have the option of a true coast or letting the engine slow me. Sometimes I've come to a complete stop without brakes or downshifting from 4th. I know it irritates people, but all of them irritate me, so I guess we're even

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
The answer to all of the above is "none of your business."


EXACTLY! As it's none of your business why people drive less fast than you.

What makes you special? Why should we all rush to the side of the road when you come by, as if you had emergency lights. What makes people that want to go faster then everybody else so friggin' special (in their own mind.)


When everyone works together to make a more efficient system, everyone becomes happier. I always move away so people can pass me if they want, so I'm not blocking traffic and I hope others do the same to me.

Or should I ask, what makes YOU so special that you deserve to block everyone behind you?

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Mr_Incredible
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Are you actually inconvenienced by people who drive faster than you...


The answer to that is yes. I'm inconvenienced when I have to brake to let them in front of me when they cut it short. I'm inconvenienced when I have to brake as they cut left in front of me at a light. I'm inconvenienced when the come out of nowhere, FAST, from the rear as they cut through traffic and make me abort my lane change. And when they ride my a55, waiting for the next lane change to open. And the last two accidents I had that were both the other guy's fault...who were both in a hurry (one I was actually stopped and the other I was going the speed limit.)

The annoying part of going fast isn't simply the act of speeding in the left lane with nobody around. That seldom bothers anyone but left-lane bandits. No, it's all the other things that fast drivers do to all the other drivers as they work their way to the highway to GET into that fast lane.

Oh. So your problem is with reckless drivers and inconsiderate drivers, not fast drivers.

Why didn't you just say so?

 

[supton]

Hmm...

Just dawned on me: I like to both drive 10 over, *and* coast to stops when I can. I like to hammer on it leaving tolls, but generally won't pass people on two lane roads unless if they are going 10 under.

Am I a bad person?

 

[andyd]

No, but you are young , I try to blend into the flow of traffic and not screw it up too much, meantime I am bouncing my field of view between your rear and the car furthest away in the line of sight. If traffic is playing well ,there is no need for the brakes. At least that is the theory .