Passing slower cars

[Instrument 41]

I drive about 3500 to 4000 miles a month. Not sure ifs it me or really happening. I notice than when I'm on the interstate and pass some slow poke in the left lane, that when I pass in the slow lane and I'm coming up to them they speed up. Especially if there is a slower car in the right lane that I am coming up behind. Or you pass someone on a 2 lane road, and as soon as you pass them they speed up and ride your bumper for a few miles then back off. With out sounding racist/prejudice the description on this driver is a black female and most of the time on the cell phone. Anyone else see this frustrating crap on the road?

[flatbutt]

Yes all the time. "how dare you pass ME!"

[Tervuren]

What you describe are just natural human defensive reactions that take training and thought to counter.

Passing on the right is really just asking for trouble.

[Tervuren]

There is a natural reaction humans to react abrasively to what they consider someone else's abrasive behavior.

You are likely just triggering this reaction by how you drive.

There is a general short sightedness exhibited by drivers in areas around here where
people are obviously running in the rat race.(High income, high debt, etc...)

[Baz]

It's because the airhead you are passing is not in touch with their driving at all - until you pass them - then they wake up to the fact that they are in control of their vehicle....and it has an accelerator pedal...that can actually be used (to make the vehicle go faster).

It's like a buzzer going off under their butt......

[Mark Henry]

Here I'd say it's mostly older white guys playing "speed limit cop".

If you're being passed on the right you're a pizz poor driver and in the wrong lane. Not your job to police the speed limit, you're just making the situation more dangerous for everyone.

[stevej37]

Was she driving at the speed limit?

[The Synergizer]

We have laws against that left lane crap in this state. If you're riding the left lane playing traffic cop you can be ticketed... It's nincompoops from California that I always see. It's like it's acceptable in that state to clog the freeway?

[dad911]

Hate to say it but I pass on the right all the time. NJ police tend to park in center divider, and shoot the left lane. Mingling with traffic and passing on the right, I have never been pulled over. If someone is driving in the left lane, at or below the limit, I'm going to pass them.

[slow&rusty]

Originally Posted by Instrument 41

With out sounding racist/prejudice the description on this driver is a black female and most of the time on the cell phone.

Doesn't sound prejudice whatsoever.

[gshase]

The RIGHT lane is for slower cars...The Left lane is for putting on make up, Reading a book, Talking and Texting on a phone. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Baz

It's because the airhead you are passing is not in touch with their driving at all - until you pass them - then they wake up to the fact that they are in control of their vehicle....and it has an accelerator pedal...that can actually be used (to make the vehicle go faster).

It's like a buzzer going off under their butt......

This is why I will generally creep up on them and then drop a few gears and pass them with alacrity. Don't want to be anywhere near other vehicles, especially SUV's or big rigs.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by gshase

The RIGHT lane is for slower cars...The Left lane is for putting on make up, Reading a book, Talking and Texting on a phone. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS.

On three lane interstates the middle lane is for the texting on the phone and putting on make up, and you wander into the left and right lane as your needed extra space to do so.

[Mark Henry]

One I've been getting lately is guys flipping out when I pass with long off oncoming traffic. I can safely pass a car in a couple hundred meters (less) if oncoming is a klic away (1/2 mile). Also passing on the solid line, totally legal here as long as it's safe. I've had old men (mostly) just losing their poop because I will do this.

I'm not an overly aggressive driver, but I'm not going to sit behind some azzhole sunday driver.
A lot of my solid line passing is where there used to be a dotted lines. Just near my house there's two 2 mile straight stretches that were always dotted that are now solid lines.

[RANDY P]

When you pass them, leave them in the dust. Chick in wrong lane, on phone, doing makeup- all day, see it most of the time. 'Multitasking'

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Instrument 41

With out sounding racist/prejudice the description on this driver is a black female and most of the time on the cell phone.

I see the behavior, but around here, it could be anyone. I don't think there's a particular group.

Originally Posted by Tervuren

What you describe are just natural human defensive reactions that take training and thought to counter.

Originally Posted by Baz

It's because the airhead you are passing is not in touch with their driving at all - until you pass them - then they wake up to the fact that they are in control of their vehicle....and it has an accelerator pedal...that can actually be used (to make the vehicle go faster).

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

Here I'd say it's mostly older white guys playing "speed limit cop".

I think it's all of these things at times. Most of what I see is people who aren't paying attention and just naturally entrain with the cars around them. The solution to that is usually to goose it a bit. Some folks don't want to be passed and try to guard against that. The solution for them is usually the same. Once you pass them, they usually lose interest. I have seen, but not in a while, the folks who think "they don't need to be going faster." They usually just block when there's enough traffic that they can.

If you're being passed on the right you're a pizz poor driver and in the wrong lane. Not your job to police the speed limit, you're just making the situation more dangerous for everyone.

agreed.

Passing on the right is really just asking for trouble.

really, why? I've checked. To me, the way the laws read here, you aren't allowed to pass on the right when the right is the shoulder of the road, ie, not a lane. To me, the laws don't look like they care when you're talking about multi-lane roads (unless you're passing on the shoulder next to the far right lane).

Would it probably be best if you could ALWAYS pass on the left regardless of how many lanes there are? Sure, that would be the most orderly and efficient.

90% of the time around here, the left lane is 75% full, the middle lane is 50% full and the right lane is 25% full. And that's not because the left lane is moving fastest or passing everyone in the middle lane.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by dad911

Hate to say it but I pass on the right all the time. NJ police tend to park in center divider, and shoot the left lane. Mingling with traffic and passing on the right, I have never been pulled over. If someone is driving in the left lane, at or below the limit, I'm going to pass them.

I looked, I'm certainly no lawyer, but in Texas, it doesn't look like it's illegal to pass on the right unless you're doing it on the shoulder, but I may just be reading things incorrectly. I'm sure different places may have different laws too.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by gshase

The RIGHT lane is for slower cars...The Left lane is for putting on make up, Reading a book, Talking and Texting on a phone. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS.

Just proves that you ARE definitely in Texas.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

On three lane interstates the middle lane is for the texting on the phone and putting on make up, and you wander into the left and right lane as your needed extra space to do so.

Ok, true, as well. That's how drivers in Houston work. "We've got lots of space, if I drift around, people will move so they don't hit me.(vs 'so I don't hit them')"

I'd love to have a train horn on my car.

[dad911]

^^ or NJ.

To clarify, I did not mean shoulder. Would never pass on shoulder.