Re: Driving JERKS

My observations during our trip to Florida which took as down the eastern route I-90, 77, 85. Coming back was I-75. I guess I-75 is always under construction in Georgia. Best to avoid it.

Least lane hogs
Viginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, I only came up on one car hogging the left lane. It had an Ontario plate . Sure makes for pleasant driving when you're not forced to pass on the right.

Speed enforcement
Seems toughest in VA, WVA, NC, SC and Ohio. Rarely saw anyone at more than 5 miles over the limit in those states. Also saw quite a few troupers.

Gas stations in Southern states (Georgia, Florida) make it tough to buy gas.
Gas pumps require ZIP code for pay at the pump, so foreigners have to stand in line twice at the counter. Once to authorize and then again to pay/get receipt. PITA and time wasting.

Gas Prices.
It costs $15 - $20 less in the US on a 14 - 15 gallon fill up than it does in Canada.

Accordion effect
Obviously happens when roads are busy. Really noticed it on the way back on I-75 in both Florida and Georgia, where traffic is moving at a good pace, slows almost to a stop (you're thinking accident or construction, drat) and after a mile or so speeds up again for no apparent reason.

It seems to be the tailgaters that cause it. You can see them on the highway. Tail lights on, off, on, off, on, off. Get a bunch of them doing it and all of a sudden they all start to slow down. It just wastes everybody's time.

I don't understand why people tailgate. Do they really think they're going to get somewhere faster?

Comfort.
It's a lot warmer in Florida than Ontario in March.

Quote
Guenter in Ontario
Gas stations in Southern states (Georgia, Florida) make it tough to buy gas.
Gas pumps require ZIP code for pay at the pump, so foreigners have to stand in line twice at the counter. Once to authorize and then again to pay/get receipt. PITA and time wasting.

have you ever tried putting in 5 random digits? i think i tried that with my canadian credit card a while back and IIRC, it worked.

Quote

I don't understand why people tailgate. Do they really think they're going to get somewhere faster?

yes, I truly believe that some (most?) people are so illogical (read: frakking stupid) that they do think that. i have never, ever seen worse tailgaters than i have in france. they are so close that you can't see their front plate in your rearview mirror. and that's at 150KPH on a jam packed freeway. ar soles. complete and utter ar soles.

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

observing several cars in tight formation just barreling down the road. For tight formation read following each other way too close. Apparently the behavior is common and not objectional. When (and it is when not if) a vehicle in the slow lane pulls out to pass another vehicle. the drivers simply slam on the brakes and as one writer put it "let the ABS sort it all out".

Here in the bay area, I experience tailgaters every day. When I can I pull over safely -- sometimes the freeway lanes are just full and one can't change lanes without barging in between two other cars in close formation in the other lane -- and let the vehicle pass mine in hopes that it will run into a speed trap. No such luck.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

What I found works best is to just get out of there way. Oftentimes I end up making better time and go around the tailgater when he gets behind someone who won't pull over or is on the cell phone and doesn't even realize he's there. I've even seen tailgater ride the rear bumper of a car even if the other lane is clear and he could just swing out to the right and pass the slower vehicle. In a few of these instances, I've even see the tailgating driver flash his vehicle's headlights on high and this is also illegal.

But the cops don't enforce following too close laws so why should they bother over headlight flashing?

Sincerely,

MarcW.

... but along with those obnoxious "Baby On Board" signs, it's another thing that Europeans (at least the Germans) understand the proper meaning of, and in this case, "Please let me pass in the passing lane." Passing on the right is relatively dangerous, nicht wahr?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2011 05:02PM by Laz. (view changes)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2011 06:25PM by jwdbox. (view changes)

Quote
MarcW
In a few of these instances, I've even see the tailgating driver flash his vehicle's headlights on high and this is also illegal.

I was not aware of states having laws on the books regarding flashing to pass being illegal. I will often quickly flash semi-truck drivers to increase the probability that they see me behind them and notice that I intend to safely pass them on the left.

However I do seem to recall that a few have laws stating you can't flash on-coming cars to warn of policy ahead of them (with radar).

For about as long as I've been driving I've used a quick headlight flash as a way of letting a trucker know if it's ok to back in lane ahead of me. Countless times they've given a quick off/on with their running lights in acknowledgement. For me it's part of the fun and sense of community when driving. The local area of road is a shared neighborhood, albeit temporary.

sometimes turn the headlights on/off briefly if it is too bright for the foglights to be seen.

Also, for the truck driver to signal his 'thanks' though he is violating the law if he flashes his warning lights/parking lights. But what many truckers do is turn these off then on several times.

Once in a great while I've even spotted some rigs with special electronics controls connected to the wiring that will do this with some sort of goofy pattern.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

the driver of a private/commercial vehicle being able to flash the headlights of his vehicle to convey irritation that the lead vehicle doesn't recognize the inherent right of the butthead in the following vehicle's to the road whenever he wants.

[www.dmv.ca.gov]

Vehicle Code Section 25250.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

I don't want an agressive, tailgating or eratic driver behind me. I'd rather get out of their way and have them in front of me. It gives me more control of the situation. Obviously, they don't have self control.

I'm not going to spray MY car just to try to tick them off.

I wasn't aware that flashing your headlights is illegal - at least to let a driver know that you're there. It might be in some states, I guess. I'd rather flash a slow driver in the left lane than to pass them on the right. If they don't know you're behind them, they're for sure not going to see you in their blind spot as you're passing on the right.

I drive in some pretty hot and heavy traffic that not even the CHP signal before changing lanes. For a non-LEO vehicle the other vehicles will speed up to deny you the lane change. In fact my trick to speed up a slow poke in the fast lane is to pull up along side and almost invariably the other driver will speed up and close the gap between his car and the one in front. Then I lift off the gas and change lanes in the gap that has now opened up between the car next to me and the car behind.

But I got pulled over in AZ just short the western-most William exit by a AZ state trooper for failing to signal. I checked for cars both using my mirrors and looking over before changing lanes and cut no one off but he came up behind me (and me in the Turbo) with the lights just a flashing. Stopped me on the side of road after leaving the freeway. Even had me demo the signals worked before he gave me a lecture. I didn't arque with him. Traffic is a lot lighter on I-40 around Williams than it is on I-580 at any time. No ticket. Just a warning. Oh and a command to remove the NAV unit and the V1 from the windshield with the threat of a heavy ticket even confisication of the NAV and V1 if I didn't comply. The NAV unit he said ok to mount down low in the lefthand (or righthand) corner of the windshield. The V1 could likewise be mounted the same way but in effectual since it would be blocked some by the dash. I left it off until just outsize of AZ in NM. (The next trip I took along the V1 sunvisor holder and mounted V1 to the sunvisor.)

But the officer I think was right about the signaling. Just because most everyone in CA (present company save for me excluded) is a lousy driver is no reason to be a lousy driver when not in CA.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Because of the capability of the cars we drive I think it's safe to say that we honestly like to drive while many on the roads find driving to be either a bore, a chore or both.
One thing I see too often is when I'm driving on the Interstate on cruise control in a middle lane with the passing lane free and I find a car coming up behind me with daytime running lights getting way too large in my mirror. After a short while of them trying to get into my trunk, I take action! Over the years I've tried a few different tactics, but now my favorite is to just cancel cruise control and after a short while, with speed dropping, the turkey on my rear bumper finally figures out that there is a car in front, and goes on around. Yes, a few of the jerks are on a cell phone or chatting away, but a surprising number are just in a trance. I've thought that maybe I should put a message on my spoiler-I've considered that, but I'm not sure if that many of them can read!

When people tailgate I too sometimes just take my foot off the gas, but sometimes they don't get it and stay on my tail. At that point I just continue the tactic, I realize though that this could lead to road rage so I do not usually do that.

Guenter, that reminds me of an experience I had back in the 60's driving from New York to Florida. Every Christmas I would drive my Austin Healey down to Clearwater beach for a short vacation. I was moving briskly down the freeway somewhere in Georgia or South Carolina when I came upon a sign that said, "Last chance to buy gas at these prices." Being a frugal young man I immediately pulled into a station and filled up. Got back on the freeway and passed over the state line in a couple of miles. Sure enough the signs indicated that gasoline was 15 cents cheaper per gal.

Norm

Guenter, your right on a number of points. I had to go home to NY from Florida and was watching my gas through Florida and hoped for some lower $$ in Ga. Unfortunately, with the low fuel light flashing I pulled off about 5 miles into Ga. and got hit with $4 a gallon after filling up 35 cent less in Florida. I was ticked but was not sure how far the next station was. I later offset it in NC, at a Pilot gas station at $3.50! Just price gouging on the interstate at smaller stations.

As for the tailgaters, I just move over when I'm on cruise control at 80 to 85 and they are coming up quick. In three instances those that came up my rear where pulled over in NC by troopers who don;t appreciate dong 90 plus on their highways. Flashin I have always done when I come up on a "slow" moving vehicle in the left lane and cannot get around. Never knew or thought it's illegal. Just give the stalk a quick tap and hope they get the hint.

BTW, I'm back in Florida and it's been real warm!

Quote
Ruby

BTW, I'm back in Florida and it's been real warm!

Sure rub it in. Still cold and windy. Warmer tomorrow but rain. Not sure if I'm every going to get my poor Boxster out this "Spring".

Global warming - where art thou?

Maybe I do have to find me a spot down there in Florida.

Quote
Guenter in Ontario
My observations during our trip to Florida which took as down the eastern route I-90, 77, 85. Coming back was I-75. I guess I-75 is always under construction in Georgia. Best to avoid it.

You drove right past my house. I live right off I271, 10-minutes from the I271/I77 interchange.

Quote

Gas stations in Southern states (Georgia, Florida) make it tough to buy gas.
Gas pumps require ZIP code for pay at the pump, so foreigners have to stand in line twice at the counter. Once to authorize and then again to pay/get receipt. PITA and time wasting.

I am thinking it depends on the company. The Pilot truck stop at I76 & I71 requires this, but others don't.