The flock.

[hardcore302]

The user rjacket (sorry if I gor your name wrong), reminded me of something that ticks me off to no end.

The "flock" of drivers who travel at the exact same speed, taking up all lanes, blocking everyone from passing them. They don't even do it on purpose! How do they get like that?

God forbid you flash to pass in the left lane. They either ignore you or slow down.

Ever get a look at their faces? They all look horrified that they are on the highway, staring straight ahead, seat all the way up, like absolutely must see one inch in front of their car.

Someone please explain this phenomena to me. I must understand it.

 

[JHZR2]

Or the idiot that sees someone moving away from them, so have to speed up or slow down to either stay nearby or "beat" the other person...

 

[TallPaul]

Sometimes I think there is even a subconscience thing that a driver will increase their speed when a passing car begins to overtake them. Too many times I am behind someone going 5 or 10 under only to find them going much faster when I am passing them.

Also, cars tend to group in packs, there will be congested sections of freeway with pretty empty space between each pack, somtimes of considerable distance.

 

[Scum_Frog]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul

Also, cars tend to group in packs, there will be congested sections of freeway with pretty empty space between each pack, somtimes of considerable distance.


They are getting the fuel saving benefits of drafting like in NASCAR

 

[SLCraig]

There is nothing that drives me more insane.
Same idea as people not passing, in the passing lane.
I wish police would pull these people over.
Road rage that they crack down on, is brought on by people who can't drive in the first place. They should get ticketed. The people that rage are probably just wishing the people who can't drive, could.

That's what happens to me when I get annoyed too. I am no hypocrite. I pass if I'm in the passing lane and move over after. I am a big believer in proper road etiquette but some people couldn't care less. Sad.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Many drivers just like to cruise on left lane(s). I saw many drivers when they entered highway, with their left turn signal blinking, changed 3-4 lanes within 4-500 feet to the left most lane, then cruise at the speed limit or 2-3 MPH faster. These same left lane drivers waited until the last couple hundreds feet crossing 3-4 lanes to exit.

On many 4-lane each way, there are a lot more vehicles on the left 2 lanes than the right 2 lanes.

Too may idiot drivers on the road !

 

[Spazdog]

ughh.....

at one point, US287 merges with I-20. To continue southbound on US287, you have to go from the left two lanes to the far right two lanes. You have two miles to do this. But NOOOOOoooo! People are stupid and panicky animals. They have to go NOW!!!! If they perceive a gap wide enough to force their way into, they will do it and they will bring 3 or 4 followers in with them.

Then you look at their faces. Full of righteous indignation. "I have to exit 1.9 miles ahead! I have to get over NOW! I don't care if I made you hang in your seatbelt with your ABS working hard, I need to be in the far right lane for the next 1.9 miles...."

They are just dangerous, panicky, and stupid animals.

I'll take the rolling roadblock drones over them anytime. Rolling roadblock drones do not deviate much. You can pretty much tell what they are going to be doing 5-minutes from now. Chewing their cud and rolling with the herd.

 

[Spazdog]

Then there is the "brake man"

He's rolling down the interstate, no problems, then BRAKES!

He picks up speed again then BRAKES!

It's a clear day with unlimited visibility. It's an Interstate with no stop-signs or traffic lights and BRAKES!!! No police radar traps (not that we were really speeding anyway)Just randomly steps on the brake and erases my interval.

What is he seeing that I'm not? If he wants to bleed off a little speed why does he not just lift off the throttle? Does he not understand that in his '80s GM that stepping on the brakes causes the gas gauge needle to read "F" but does not actually fill the tank?

 

[Drew99GT]

What about the creeps who won't pass a law enforcement vehicle going 5 miles an hour under the limit? That almost makes you look more guilty!

 

[abycat]

I agree with all of you. I get the flockers and the guys driving in the left lane like a [censored]. I dont see many cops driving under the speed limit but i would pass him if he was driving like my grandma. when i drive anywhere not just the highway i allow enough space so any sand or rocks will not hit the front of my car. or my work truck. I have gone years with mint windows and dont see a need to up someones [censored]. I also hate it when People tailgate. but i will say im a brake slammer when someone tailgates. I know some people are against it but they always seem to get the point after that.

Sometimes I have to lean on the horn for almost 30 seconds before they pull over to the other lane let alone flashing them. next time im gonna flash them something else when i pass them. Or the best is mergers. i have alsmost assited suicide countless times. people dont even seem to care that i drive a 23,000 lb truck that is 8" from one line to the other. so i have noo choice but to keep to my line and smear the stupid merger into the wall. Im never going to enter the other lane cause of someone else endangering someone innocent. If the other lane is clear sure, but it never is. It always has a minivan in it. Murphys law. Man i got myself worked up. No you guys did. Im gonna change my oil and wash my car to chill out.

 

[edhackett]

Driving with their fish brains. The schooling instinct is strong.

Ed

 

[Vikas]

How do I pronounce the word "flocker"? Is "L" silent?

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Sometimes I think there is even a subconscience thing that a driver will increase their speed when a passing car begins to overtake them. Too many times I am behind someone going 5 or 10 under only to find them going much faster when I am passing them.



I use to think I was imagining that phenomena. I decided I was not.

 

[01rangerxl]

The flock is a major issue here, especially on I-85.

I can usually work my way past the people who are just slow, but what really aggravates me are the aggressively slow people...the ones who go out of their way to keep you behind them. I cannot figure out the cause of this behavior; it seems to me they are just looking for confrontation with other drivers.

Another annoyance are the people who aren't always going too slow, but can't maintain a consistent speed. When traffic allows, I like to use cruise control, but then there's always the person in front of me who is fine with any speed between 55-75 as long as it's always changing. You pass them because they are going 55, then 30 seconds later they are riding your [censored] at 70 MPH. Why not just pick a nice average speed? I can excuse it with cars that may not have cruise control, but if it's a 2010 Lexus or something you know they have CC and just aren't using it.

 

[bigmike]

My dad always explained to me that people like to be around other people.

I try to drive an oddball speed and it keeps me out of the flock. It hurts MPG, but the safety increase is worth it to me.

 

[PF52]

I often drive rural interstates where traffic in theory is light. Yet more often than not I'll find a "friend" who wants to hang with me for miles, in my blind spot. How do I attract those people? I can speed up or slow down, but eventually they (or someone else) will re-position themselves there and stay forever.

 

[Norm Olt]

"Flock" indicates a goup of birds, in this case, clearly Dodo's.

I prefer the term "herd", as in SHEEP!

BAAAAAAA!

Cheers!

p.s.

I also like a MURDER of crows. Or a POD of whales.

 

[lexus114]

And of course by being a guy, most of these scenarios will get you into a fist fight here where I live if you dont handle it just right.

 

[hardcore302]

Thanks for the replies!

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Sometimes I think there is even a subconscience thing that a driver will increase their speed when a passing car begins to overtake them. Too many times I am behind someone going 5 or 10 under only to find them going much faster when I am passing them.

Also, cars tend to group in packs, there will be congested sections of freeway with pretty empty space between each pack, somtimes of considerable distance.


I see this all the time. On 4 lane freeways with the speed limit being 70 MPH, I usually set my cruise at 75 cuz I know the cops won't mess with you at just 5 over. Without fail, I'll come up behind someone in the left lane whose passing another vehicle doing 65-70. As soon as they finish passing they move over into the right lane and speed up. This makes no sense to me. If you're going to speed up, it should be done while you're in the left lane, not after you move back over into the right lane. Maybe some folks actually think the left lane is for slower moving traffic? Who knows? These days there are so many goofball drivers out there...