Do you "flash" to warn of police patrol ahead? Speeding content and rant.

[fdcg27]

I used to, but not anymore. I dislike how many poor drivers are on the roads today. Inattentive, impatient, rude, ignorant, poor skills, and on and on.

^^
This.
I am appalled at what I see people doing behind the wheel on a daily basis. I'm also appalled at how common accidents have become. It is rare that on any given day NPR doesn't report traffic jam inducing accidents in this general area, even in perfect weather.
Driving is a cooperative activity, not a competitive one.
Finally, if your car lacks Bluetooth, you don't have cell access while driving.

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

Good post and you are correct in much you say.
I will end with this. I stopped, and ticketed, a Captain from my own agency; while driving his patrol vehicle! I worked in one of those open desert areas you referred. I was traveling north running radar and got a 103 mph hit coming south which ended up being a marked patrol vehicle. I turned on it and lit it up.
I knew who it was as soon as I got behind it. Conducted a textbook stop and directed him to stay in the vehicle. Wrote and issued the cite and left.
I'm absolutely sure that cite never saw the light of day but like I told him, I write speed and reckless cites for less than the speed he was traveling and he was making me and every other cop look bad for driving like an idiot.
I also stopped and cited the District Court Judge in the same area for doing 99mph. When I walked up on him he knew me from being in his courtroom many times. Nice guy, had his license and vehicle docs in hand as I walked up on him. Just basically said sorry Judge but you know how this has to go right? He smiled, said I sure do and handed me his stuff. As I gave him the ticket I joked and asked him if he was going to fight it in Court? He laughed and said no, you got me, I deserve it.
I started as a cop after 25 years in the military so even as a rookie, people and/or rank don't impress or scare me. I treated everyone the same. I conducted approximately 25-30 traffic stops per day for the last 5 years of my service. The VAST majority were either "courtesy stops" (stopping the car and giving verbal warnings) or written warnings. Basically if I wrote you an actual ticket you deserved it.
Of course I'm going to have a different view of cops, what they do, how they do it, and why they do it. But I'm also a realist. There are lousy cops, just as there are lousy employees in every field; it's human nature, we are flawed. I just never forgot the awesome authority that was given me. My Dad drilled into my head when I was a kid "don't ever do anything to allow your word, character, or name to be called into question." Something I lived by all my life. I definitiely fell short in many ways but I think I succeeded in holding to my Pop's idea of character.
But I absolutely observed things just like what you described from cops, lawyers, and just about every segment of society.

You are an honest man; and, unfortunately, this is becoming rare in society today. Don't let the Turkeys get you down. I also fall short in many ways but I can face myself in the mirror in the morning. And I'm tough on myself.

 

[GMBoy]

Move to Maryland and you would be right at home. Not a flasher myself... neither kind

Born and raised in MD (live in TX now) and MD is the worst place for left lane bandits lol

 

[TiGeo]

Timely post. The comments on the FB post indicate why we are where we are in the U.S. w/r to lane discipline on open highways.

A Reminder For Clueless Jerks: Don't Drive Slow In the Left Lane

Show this to the left-lane dawdlers in your life. If your roads are anything like ours, there's a lot of them.

www.roadandtrack.com

 

[brianl703]

Timely post. The comments on the FB post indicate why we are where we are in the U.S. w/r to lane discipline

Many times I've merged onto I95 from VA3 in Fredericksburg and happen to merge in front of a traffic clump.

Look in my rearview and what do I see? Three vehicles driving at the same speed in all three lanes with hundreds of vehicles behind them, and nobody in front of them for 1/4 to 1/2 mile or more.

I think the law ought to be if you're in the left lane pacing the vehicle next to you, you get a ticket. If you're going slower than the traffic in the right lane, you get a ticket.

 

[Slow Car Sport Mode]

How Long do you wait?

At a red light recently there was one car in front of me. The light changed to green and he did not move. How long do you wait and what do you do?

bobistheoilguy.com

Had to do this just this morning. Light is green... but no go? (Probably looking at your phone.) Saw a post in the above thread... wait about two seconds, them a quick "toot" on the horn (volume doesn't really change with how hard you press on it. Maybe slightly.) That worked.. she got moving. (Visibly annoyed I interrupted a text. This is 2023; It is what it is, I will handle the situation.) DON'T BLARE THE HORN... You are basically road-raging if you do that, and you get what happened at Exit 140 GSP N last night at rush hour sometime around 5P.M.: Merging to the ramp, lady in Black SUV wants to lay on the horn like I have control over the car in front of me.. this is a road rage, so I slow, maybe tap brakes first ("Why are you road raging at me" in car speak. Please calm down.) Nope, laying on the horn blaring.. This results in about 30 seconds of stop dead movement from me because we both know you aren't going to do anything. Maybe you'll stop shouting at me with that horn though.. Eventually I have to be on my way, can't do this all day.. I move forward, enraged driver on my tail, so we exchanged pleasantries with a certain kind of salute on my part before I continue in traffic. People's stupidity astounds me.

It should be noted in Florida, I would not have done the same due to possibility of other person being armed. Even then... "Well how do you know that person wasn't armed" - NJ tags? It's next to nothing possibility. And if there was.. they wouldn't have sat behind me in the first place they'd have cut around another car. Wasn't born yesterday.

As to road rages and speed . Well. I just outlined an example of a road rage, and an example of a "please move thank you" - Toot vs blare.

As to speeding in general... There are still HUGE sections of roadway with NO police. In NJ, you can largely see them from a mile away, know all their spots, and know when they will be there like clockwork. Generally. You would THINK they would learn new spots, like parking SUV up to the bumper to the concrete overpass on I-195 that one spot, how these guys (Staties) merge into traffic without getting slammed into is beyond me.... but no. As a result, MOST driving, MOST of the time, is the Indy 500. NASCAR is great but it still doesn't have actual turns, just an oval with banking....

Distracted driving is VERY dangerous.




Also, again, +1 on most people have no idea, including myself really (they are going to get in front of you or they are not, exact procedure please?) what flicking lights would mean. Would probably result in a brake check. Brave new world here. And that is still different than flicking at oncoming traffic, most old school know that generally means to slow up...

Use Waze...

OH and about the left lane.. Spotted yesterday. 80MPH. Safety is not high on lists.

 

[FranklinJL]

So American drivers are terrible. Always have been. They don't pay attention, always texting, will driver under the speed limit and not get over. I spent lots of time in Germany with real drivers.......I like to drive 150-190mph. Why? Have a car that can do it. We will never have a autobahn here because American drivers are absolutely horrible. I would pay for a no speed limit toll road lol

 

[FranklinJL]

Many times I've merged onto I95 from VA3 in Fredericksburg and happen to merge in front of a traffic clump.

Look in my rearview and what do I see? Three vehicles driving at the same speed in all three lanes with hundreds of vehicles behind them, and nobody in front of them for 1/4 to 1/2 mile or more.

I think the law ought to be if you're in the left lane pacing the vehicle next to you, you get a ticket. If you're going slower than the traffic in the right lane, you get a ticket.

Yep I hate slow dummy drivers. Then they all crash into each other going 50 lol

 

[FranklinJL]

Yep

 

[SC Maintenance]

Many times I've merged onto I95 from VA3 in Fredericksburg and happen to merge in front of a traffic clump.

Look in my rearview and what do I see? Three vehicles driving at the same speed in all three lanes with hundreds of vehicles behind them, and nobody in front of them for 1/4 to 1/2 mile or more.

I think the law ought to be if you're in the left lane pacing the vehicle next to you, you get a ticket. If you're going slower than the traffic in the right lane, you get a ticket.

I drove home from Florida last week - I-95 through FL, GA, SC. All 3 have left lane bandit laws. Middle of the week - not much traffic, but still several times all lanes were backed up for half a mile because of a left lane bandit.

Seen lots of pile ups on weekends, originated probably by left lane bandits. Of course they likely think otherwise because "everyone drives too fast." Blocking the left lane is the same level of traffic violation in those states as speeding, but no one is ever pulled over for it, and the same people seem OK with that. Hypocritical.

 

[Pew]

When on the interstate, my favorite (yes, that is sarcasm) is the driver that is passing a semi at a 1/4 mph faster than the semi, while other cars are backing up behind them. But as soon as they get around the semi, the driver speeds up to 12-15 mph over the posted limit - faster than the 90% (including me). So if you drive sensible, you aren't getting around them before they get to the next semi.

And then the driver starts the game all over again, with passing the next semi at 1/4 mph speed difference.

I've often wondered what is going through the mind of drivers like that. Does passing a big rig scare them, so they think driving slow next to the semi will make everything safer? Or are they actually control freaks, and are getting their kicks and giggles by being able to control traffic with their antics? Or something else all together? I don't know. But if you do, please tell me. I'd sure like to know.

The ones that clog up the left lane and won't pass a cop are pretty bad too. A few years ago down I44 in MO (70mph), there was a nice looking Audi S4 that was probably doing around 80 but came up to a cop and wouldn't pass. The cop even slowed down to 45 and the Audi still wouldn't pass him, slowing himself down to 45mph in the left lane while clogging up the left lane with what looked like half a mile worth of traffic. After like 15-20 minutes of this the cop exited the highway and everybody cut him off really close.

 

[flash7210]

Left lane bandit law?

I have never seen or heard of that law ever being enforced.

And every time I've driven I95 through SC both lanes are always going exactly the same speed

 

[SC Maintenance]

Left lane bandit law?

I have never seen or heard of that law ever being enforced.

And every time I've driven I95 through SC both lanes are always going exactly the same speed

I agree with you - the drivers are morons, and the police that are supposed to enforce it simply don't. I have seen state troopers fight getting around the same left lane bandits then just go on their way - no enforcement.

"Wed, 08/04/2021
COLUMBIA – The SC Department of Public Safety informs motorists of a new South Carolina law that will require drivers to “move right” except when passing. Starting August 15, 2021, the new law, Section 56-5-1885, will require drivers to only use the far left-hand lane on controlled access highways while they are passing or overtaking another vehicle. "

They even post the law on the overhead traffic digital signs, but still no one pays attention.

GA has has had a similar one from around 2008. Florida has one but it is apparently not clearly enough worded, even though it sounds quite clear to me.

New Law Requires Drivers To Move Right Unless They Are Using Left Lane To Pass | SCDPS

scdps.sc.gov

 

[flash7210]

And what's up with drivers who don't know how to merge onto the highway?

Come on! You gotta accelerate and act like you actually want it.

I'm not gonna send you a written invitation.

 

[brianl703]

And what's up with drivers who don't know how to merge onto the highway?

I've actually seen the same Virginia driver merge onto a highway going slow, then approach a light that turned yellow and accelerated much harder to beat the yellow than he did to merge onto the highway.

 

[SC Maintenance]

And what's up with drivers who don't know how to merge onto the highway?

Come on! You gotta accelerate and act like you actually want it.

I'm not gonna send you a written invitation.

I even slow if I can't move over, and they still don't go.

 

[TiGeo]

How Long do you wait?

At a red light recently there was one car in front of me. The light changed to green and he did not move. How long do you wait and what do you do?

bobistheoilguy.com

I always pause a second and look both ways/check the intersection before going when I'm first and it turns green - mom taught me that when I was learning to drive. If the person behind beeps, so be it. Saves a lot of t-bones from late red light runners.

 

[wag123]

And what's up with drivers who don't know how to merge onto the highway?

Come on! You gotta accelerate and act like you actually want it.

I'm not gonna send you a written invitation.

I even slow if I can't move over, and they still don't go.

Worse yet are the morons that come to a complete stop on entrance ramps. These drivers should have their driver's licenses immediately revoked.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

Absolutely not.

 

[shortyb]

I agree with you - the drivers are morons, and the police that are supposed to enforce it simply don't. I have seen state troopers fight getting around the same left lane bandits then just go on their way - no enforcement.

"Wed, 08/04/2021
COLUMBIA – The SC Department of Public Safety informs motorists of a new South Carolina law that will require drivers to “move right” except when passing. Starting August 15, 2021, the new law, Section 56-5-1885, will require drivers to only use the far left-hand lane on controlled access highways while they are passing or overtaking another vehicle. "

They even post the law on the overhead traffic digital signs, but still no one pays attention.

GA has has had a similar one from around 2008. Florida has one but it is apparently not clearly enough worded, even though it sounds quite clear to me.

New Law Requires Drivers To Move Right Unless They Are Using Left Lane To Pass | SCDPS

scdps.sc.gov

I've been enforcing that law since it's inception. LLBs are dangerous. So are the ones that don't move over for stopped emergency vehicles when there is plenty of room to do so. I write them too.