Pickup driver's do not turn their lights on-WHY?

[brianl703]

By the way, the most recent example of lane-changing stupidity I've witnessed was a driver in the left lane with NOBODY in front of them:


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I'm car 5. Car 1 puts it's signal on. I continue driving at the same speed; there are no right exits for a good mile. Surely this person in car 1 realizes that it would make more sense to speed up a little and get in front of car 2 which has nothing in front of it, right?

WRONG.

30 seconds later, car 1's blinker is still on and I slow down a bit and she very hesitantly changes lanes into the space I made, as though she couldn't figure out whether her car would fit. (EDIT: There was room for her car before I slowed down, but apparently her depth-perception is on par with her planning ability)

Now the best part of this is that this woman was just in the left-most turn lane to the road we were on, I was in the right-most turn lane, and this woman had to get over all the way to the right lane for her upcoming exit.

Had she thought about it for half a second she would have realized that it would be better to be in the right-most turn lane so that she would end up in the right lane which is where she needed to be for her exit, particularly if she doesn't want to make any lane changes.

This is typical of the sort of moron behavior that I see on a daily basis. They won't think and they expect you to accomodate their lack of planning.

 

[JohnnyO]

quote:

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Originally posted by Russell:
Why is it that most pickup truck drivers never turn their headlights on at dawn or dusk? At least they DO NOT here in central KY.

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If you reach for the light switch you'll spill your beer. Gotta keep one hand on the wheel. Safety first!

 

[loudist]

I agree that there are a lot of people driving who haven't had enough training, or know the capabilities/limitations of the vehicle they drive.

In other countries, the road test for a driving permit is very comprehensive including negotiating tricky stuff. If someone pulls a move like you described (slow to merge when it was always safe to)... immediate fail.

It doesn't negate what I said earlier about conditioning.
The 'speed up' thing happens a lot.
I've experienced it, seen it, and also seen those results you have described (the slowing down business).
Just to clarify the law, no passing on the right.
So if someone on the right and not letting someone in by speeding up passing them, then they are in the wrong.

[edit]

You never mention whether you use your signal.

 

[brianl703]

It is a common misconception that passing on the right is illegal.

That is not the case in Virginia, nor is it in most other states. In fact, I don't know of a single state where it is illegal.

I almost always use turn signals. In the rare case that someone speeds up to keep me from getting in front of them, well, I just get behind them. EDIT: It's no big deal to me--like I said, I never wait till the last minute to get into the proper lane.

 

[JohnnyO]

quote:

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Originally posted by brianl703:
In fact, I don't know of a single state where it is illegal.

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They allowed that in PA in the late 70's when they also added the right turn on red. Now I think there is a limit on how far you can drive in the left lane unless you're passing but that would be pretty hard to enforce. Passing on the right is still okay AFAIK, which is important in western PA due to the large number of drivers from Ohio for whom standard operating procedure is 3-over in the left lane and don't move over anytime for anybody.

I tend to stay left because it's usually smoother, but then I'm normally the fastest car on the road.

I don't have a problem moving over.

 

[The_Jeff]

Just as well they don't run headlights.

Half the time they have cosmetic "fog" lights factory wired into the low beams that are forgotten about and left on. They're a glary joke. They could make the fog light switch reset to off every time the ignition is stopped.

 

[brianl703]

Best part is when you see one driving around with a burned-out foglight. What a way to advertise that fact that you're a moron.

 

[drive it forever]

quote:

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Originally posted by loudist:
When one uses signals 9 times out of 10 the person in the lane you are trying to get into will speed up trying to block your lane change.

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I have a friend who's dad was a columbus cop, and worked on the freeway patrol before being killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver on I70 west at brice rd, in columbus. I remember him saying not to use your turn signals on the highway for a lane change for this very reason.

 

[drive it forever]

Has anyone seen some of the custom choppers that have a rear tail light, on the side of the rear fender,the size of a silver dollar, with a 2 watt bulb in it?

 

[MarkC]

So, just for kicks, say someone is in the left lane going the speed limit. Someone behind him cruises up on him from going 10 over and wants the other one to move over so he can continue. Who's breaking the law?

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by drive it forever:
Has anyone seen some of the custom choppers that have a rear tail light, on the side of the rear fender,the size of a silver dollar, with a 2 watt bulb in it?

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Those bikes usually have another dim bulb on them

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by MarkC:
So, just for kicks, say someone is in the left lane going the speed limit. Someone behind him cruises up on him from going 10 over and wants the other one to move over so he can continue. Who's breaking the law?

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In many countries and some states, bothe of them.

If you want to regulate the flow of traffic, become a cop and get assigned to traffic detail.

 

[MarkC]

No thanks, my IQ is too high.

 

[brianl703]

The signs in Virginia say, "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT".

They don't say, "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT UNLESS YOU'RE GOING THE SPEED LIMIT".

Nor do they say, "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT UNLESS YOU DON'T WANT TO"

Going strictly by what the sign says, if you're being passed on the right, or doing "Northern Virginia drag racing" with the right lane (driving at the same speed), you're disregarding a highway sign at the very least.

 

[labman]

quote:

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Originally posted by MarkC:
So, just for kicks, say someone is in the left lane going the speed limit. Someone behind him cruises up on him from going 10 over and wants the other one to move over so he can continue. Who's breaking the law?

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If the guy has been out there for a while, I usually just quietly go around on the right. The sooner the dolt is behind you the better.

 

[MarkC]

Seems like it's a wash, if you're both breaking the law.
I don't think I've ever seen anybody get pulled for diving the limit in the left lane.

 

[1sttruck]

I went on the first long drive on the interstate with my daughter yesterday. A couple of times I mentioned to her that she was 'blocking' by driving at the same speed as the vehicle in the slower lane; if she was driving at the same speed as vehicles in the slower lane then she should be in the slower lane. She should either speed up and move into the slower lane, or if traffic permits the better way would be to slow down and then pull in behind the vehicle. I also pointed out the numerous dangerous moves on the road; zig zagging in front of vehicles across lanes, barely making exits by crossing one or two lanes, etc., and told her that making an exit isn't worth dying for and especially killing others in the process.

When I drive the truck I give myself a bit more distance to the vehicle in front, but as expected people always seem to move in. My favorites are people who pull in front and then slam on the brakes, when there is no behind me. For some reason moms in minivans and guys in BMWs or Honda Civics seem to more than represent their portion of vehicles on the road.

 

[motorguy222]

Hey Russell

I live about 45 miles south of you.

What gets me about P/U truck drivers is that some seem to think that the laws of the road dont apply to them.

What is really bad is when it is slick out while raining,snowing etc.,they zoom by you like the roads are dry.

This also applies to many SUV owners.

 

[MarkC]

You guys like to jump to conclusions quickly and then begin piling on a bit.
I didn't say I was driving in the left lane doing the speed limit. I rarely, if ever get in the left lane, no matter how fast or slow I'm going.
But....
How can you complain about someone else breaking the law just because it's messing with with the way you want to break it? If somoene's going the speed limit in the left lane , he shouldn't actually be 'slower traffic', should he?

 

[labman]

quote:

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Originally posted by MarkC:
You guys like to jump to conclusions quickly and then begin piling on a bit.
I didn't say I was driving in the left lane doing the speed limit. I rarely, if ever get in the left lane, no matter how fast or slow I'm going.
But....
How can you complain about someone else breaking the law just because it's messing with with the way you want to break it? If somoene's going the speed limit in the left lane , he shouldn't actually be 'slower traffic', should he?

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I like XS650's comparison to a pile of dog crap. For openers, how about the billions of our tax dollars being used to expand congested highways. The pathetic thing is I have drives some of these rural Interstates with 3 lanes. The right lane, an occasional truck. The center lane some more trucks and a few cars. The left lane? Bumper to bumper moving at the speed limit or less due to extremely inconsiderate people either totally oblivious or self satisfied about their control over all those speeders.

It would be far cheaper to divert the aircraft the states already have to apprehend those law breakers. I have actually heard low forms of life bragging about it.

Much of the pressure for our unrealistically low speed limits comes from people that can't stand people being allowed to do what they want.

[ April 11, 2005, 07:56 PM: Message edited by: labman ]