Artificial Traffic

[locobaz23]

Is caused by left lane whores, which can be male or female.

Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- There is a place for people who enjoy soaking in the beautiful colors of fall and all the other amazing scenes of nature as they drive down the open highway.

It's called the right lane.

If you're sightseeing or rubbernecking in the left, get your butt over.

Why is that rule so freakin' hard to follow?

As drivers, we do a lot of things that irritate each other.

We signal but never turn.

We turn but don't signal.

We forget who is supposed to go next at a four-way stop sign.

But nothing comes close to the level of irritation that comes from being stuck behind someone doing 55 in a 65 in the far left lane. Drive the speed you want, but why infringe on the rights of those in a hurry? To me, that's giving the rest of us on the road the finger in the most passive aggressive -- "Who me?"-- way possible. In fact, I would much rather have someone pull up beside me, roll down their window and flip me the bird as they go driving by than be trapped behind this vehicular anarchist.

The rest of the article:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/01/opinio...tml?&hpt=hp_c2

[Robstr]

Drive the speed you want, but why infringe on the rights of those in a hurry?

[Zyoid]

I agree...GTFOver or speed up

--edit--
Yay, a GR news topic

[Chutzler]

No kidding.

[l5gcw0b]

I agree...GTFOver or speed up

--edit--
Yay, a GR news topic

amen

[patrikman]

Wow, some TCLers do have real jobs on journalism.

[Chris_V]

"The right of the citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, either by carriage or by automobile, is not a mere privilege which a city may prohibit or permit at will, but a common law right which he has under the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

"The right to travel is a part of the liberty of which the citizen cannot be deprived without due process of law under the Fifth Amendment."

"The right to travel is a well-established common right that does not owe its existence to the federal government. It is recognized by the courts as a natural right."

I realize that some people have a problem with this idea. But the idea that it was a mere priviledge, like conducting business on the highway is, came about well after the invention of the automobile, and it did not affect horses or horse and buggy owners a mere hundred years ago. What happened? How did we get brainwashed into thinking travelling on public roadways iwith private property was a priviledge?

"...For while a citizen has the right to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, that right does not extend to the use of the highways...as a place for private gain. For the latter purpose, no person has a vested right to use the highways of this state, but it is a privilege...which the (state) may grant or withhold at its discretion..."

[Dr. Woo]

Ah, one of these threads again.

To throw in my two cents, I totally share the hate for left lane campers and continually hope that their engines suffer a fiery death, but these threads never amount to anything more than a circle-jerk with others coming in for some totally EPIC trolling.

[Air-over-water]

"The right to travel is a part of the liberty of which the citizen cannot be deprived without due process of law under the Fifth Amendment."

Right to travel =/= right to drive.

[InternetMeme]

If you want to see how a real highway should function go drive in Germany.

- It's illegal to use the left lane unless you're passing (this also includes traffic jams, which I'll get to)
- If there's an accident and no Police/Ambulance at the scene you're legally obligated to stop and assist the person(s) involved until help arrives
- During a traffic jam no one is allowed to occupy the left lane, as this lane will be used for emergency response
- It is illegal to stop on the autobahn unless it's an emergency or a traffic jam. Having your car break down or running out of gas are not acceptable reasons to stop and may result in massive fines and a 6 month license suspension (they figure your car shouldn't be in the conditions to break down if you're on the highway).

[AZGolf]

If you want to see how a real highway should function go drive in Germany.

- It's illegal to use the left lane unless you're passing (this also includes traffic jams, which I'll get to)
- If there's an accident and no Police/Ambulance at the scene you're legally obligated to stop and assist the person(s) involved until help arrives
- During a traffic jam no one is allowed to occupy the left lane, as this lane will be used for emergency response
- It is illegal to stop on the autobahn unless it's an emergency or a traffic jam. Having your car break down or running out of gas are not acceptable reasons to stop and may result in massive fines and a 6 month license suspension (they figure your car shouldn't be in the conditions to break down if you're on the highway).

That would never work in America because - wait for it - it requires severe enforcement of the law. Americans don't like it when laws are enforced.

[daveschi]

Right to travel =/= right to drive.

exactly. And right to travel =/= right to speed as fast as you ****ing want

[Air-over-water]

That would never work in America because - wait for it - it requires severe enforcement of the law. Americans don't like it when laws are enforced.

It also would require better drivers education programs. Americans do not like to learn more than the bare minimum required to scrap by in life, for the most part it seems.

[Air-over-water]

exactly. And right to travel =/= right to speed as fast as you ****ing want

I am not implying it does, but there have been quite a few studies that show current speed limits are set rather low considering the vehicles we have on the road.
Sure they might have been fine when they were set in the 70's/80's but cars have improved drastically in those 30-40 years.
Some areas have started raising speed limits on highways to 75/80/85.

[Dr. Woo]

Some areas have started raising speed limits on highways to 75/80/85.

With the staggering amount of stupidity I witness on a daily basis in my area, I would be terrified to drive 85+ mph on the highway.

The subtle nuances of efficient, courteous driving are totally lost on most people. Signalling, merging, speed matching, completing a pass in a reasonable amount of time - all pieces of an important puzzle that most drivers never bothered to try.

[You are to blame]

With the staggering amount of stupidity I witness on a daily basis in my area, I would be terrified to drive 85+ mph on the highway.

I wouldn't drive on the Highway if they raised it to those speeds. Too many idiots out there, totally oblivious to all the other drivers and lanes

[bwalzywolfsburg]

I drive on highways everyday to get to work. I completely agree with this article. I ****ing hate it when people ride in the left lane and don't let others pass them. It drives me insane. Each week I see the same drivers going slow in the left lane, and most of the time, I can get around them because most of my trip involves driving through a less congested highway, then once I keep driving south, I hit more drivers and it gets more complicated to get around them.

I used to be one of those people who would get on the ass of the other person, honk my horn to get them over then speed away in accomplishment. But since I drive so much, (I put 60K on my 09 jetta when I bought it with 17K within 1 year, I know not alot compared to others), I realized that I was putting my vehicle thru too much break wear and I was loosing gas mileage. (stop n go)

So if I see an opening around someone in the left lane, I go for it like a cheetah, so I can go on my way.

[Robstr]

Words

I say nothing of the right to travel or use publicly funded roads (If the road doesn't go some place, do you have the right to drive on a publicly funded road to get there?)

My point is, simply, that the right to travel faster than the dude that isn't going as fast as you are doesn't exist.

Yeah the left lane campers are a bitch and it'd be great if the rules were followed and enforced. But to assert that it's your right to pass them is silly. Especially so when, more often than not, the lane camper is travelling at or below the speed limit when you are travelling above it. Claiming rules of the road on someone when breaking the rules is hypocritical.

[Shmi]

I say nothing of the right to travel or use publicly funded roads (If the road doesn't go some place, do you have the right to drive on a publicly funded road to get there?)

My point is, simply, that the right to travel faster than the dude that isn't going as fast as you are doesn't exist.

Yeah the left lane campers are a bitch and it'd be great if the rules were followed and enforced. But to assert that it's your right to pass them is silly. Especially so when, more often than not, the lane camper is travelling at or below the speed limit when you are travelling above it. Claiming rules of the road on someone when breaking the rules is hypocritical.

You do have the right to go the speed limit though. So, as in the article, if someone's going 55 in a 65 in the left lane blocking you, you do have the right to travel faster than him, no?

[Robstr]

No you don't. They are well within the rules to travel slower than the speed limit as they see fit (in absence of a minimum posted speed).

If they're travelling slower than the right lane traffic they're in the wrong but that says nothing about it being your right to go faster them.

[flat6guy]

No you don't. They are well within the rules to travel slower than the speed limit as they see fit (in absence of a minimum posted speed).

If they're travelling slower than the right lane traffic they're in the wrong but that says nothing about it being your right to go faster them.

"Slow traffic move right" which means, if i'm going 1,000 miles per hour, get the **** out of my way. It's not "Slow traffic move right if you feel like it, or if the oncoming car is going below the speed limit"

Either way, In the event of a camper, I prefer to make a scene: I flash, honk, finger, and cutoff all of them. Maybe those zombies will finally get the hint.

[daveschi]

With the staggering amount of stupidity I witness on a daily basis in my area, I would be terrified to drive 85+ mph on the highway.

The subtle nuances of efficient, courteous driving are totally lost on most people. Signalling, merging, speed matching, completing a pass in a reasonable amount of time - all pieces of an important puzzle that most drivers never bothered to try.

agreed. it's exponential when increasing speed. Sure new cars have the tech, but older cars don't, and they'd be "allowed" to go just as fast. Add that to people's reaction times/driving habits/cell phone usage remaining unadjusted, and it's a huge recipe for disaster. Maybe different license tiers with different tests, or something like that would work.

[daveschi]

"Slow traffic move right" which means, if i'm going 1,000 miles per hour, get the **** out of my way. It's not "Slow traffic move right if you feel like it, or if the oncoming car is going below the speed limit"

Either way, In the event of a camper, I prefer to make a scene: I flash, honk, finger, and cutoff all of them. Maybe those zombies will finally get the hint.

This is what I tend to do. The lady hates it.

[Dr. Woo]

agreed. it's exponential when increasing speed. Sure new cars have the tech, but older cars don't, and they'd be "allowed" to go just as fast. Add that to people's reaction times/driving habits/cell phone usage remaining unadjusted, and it's a huge recipe for disaster. Maybe different license tiers with different tests, or something like that would work.

I'd rather everyone be held to the same speed limits, TBH.

Now, lane restrictions might be a pretty neat idea.

[jettafan[atic]]

"Slow traffic move right"

Bingo, this is what it's all about people. Ever take a minute to notice those signs on the road?

[Shmi]

No you don't. They are well within the rules to travel slower than the speed limit as they see fit (in absence of a minimum posted speed).

If they're travelling slower than the right lane traffic they're in the wrong but that says nothing about it being your right to go faster them.

Sorry, miscommunication. I was thinking more of a liberty right (privilege), not so much a Consitutional or inherent right. i.e. you have the liberty and privilege to pass them as much as they have the liberty/privilege to go under the posted limit, but this is not an inherent right.

[gizmopop]

My point is, simply, that the right to travel faster than the dude that isn't going as fast as you are doesn't exist.

Yeah the left lane campers are a bitch and it'd be great if the rules were followed and enforced. But to assert that it's your right to pass them is silly. Especially so when, more often than not, the lane camper is travelling at or below the speed limit when you are travelling above it. Claiming rules of the road on someone when breaking the rules is hypocritical.

It is not the left lane campers job to enforce the law.
In some places the police/Highway Patrol will pull you over for impeding the flow of traffic (I got a ticket for this while going to a VW event, even though it was another blue MKIV R32 that was camping in the left lane trying to get rolling shots...FHP pulled over the first car (me) that fit the description..)

[Navydub]

If you want to see how a real highway should function go drive in Germany.

- It's illegal to use the left lane unless you're passing (this also includes traffic jams, which I'll get to)
- If there's an accident and no Police/Ambulance at the scene you're legally obligated to stop and assist the person(s) involved until help arrives
- During a traffic jam no one is allowed to occupy the left lane, as this lane will be used for emergency response
- It is illegal to stop on the autobahn unless it's an emergency or a traffic jam. Having your car break down or running out of gas are not acceptable reasons to stop and may result in massive fines and a 6 month license suspension (they figure your car shouldn't be in the conditions to break down if you're on the highway).

I lived in Germany and I drove in traffic on the A8 in the Stuttgart area every day for nearly 2 years.

I'm here to tell you, when there's traffic the left lane IS occupied fully. Always. I never saw anyone cited for it. It would not make sense to have traffic and use only one or two lanes, when using the third lane could free the traffic jam.

You're right on most of the other things. Running out of gas on the autobahn is a fineable offense, because it was your fault. You knew you were low on fuel. Your car breaking down on the other hand, is an unpreventable circumstance. Again, seen it happen many times and have never seen anyone fined for it.

[Yo Teach]

If you want to see how a real highway should function go drive in Germany.

- It's illegal to use the left lane unless you're passing (this also includes traffic jams, which I'll get to)
- If there's an accident and no Police/Ambulance at the scene you're legally obligated to stop and assist the person(s) involved until help arrives
- During a traffic jam no one is allowed to occupy the left lane, as this lane will be used for emergency response
- It is illegal to stop on the autobahn unless it's an emergency or a traffic jam. Having your car break down or running out of gas are not acceptable reasons to stop and may result in massive fines and a 6 month license suspension (they figure your car shouldn't be in the conditions to break down if you're on the highway).

I wonder if this part has been relaxed in the past few years or so by the Fuhrer of Autos with the reliability problems of, for example, modern Mercedes.

[daveschi]

I'd rather everyone be held to the same speed limits, TBH.

Now, lane restrictions might be a pretty neat idea.

haha, I'd support that wholeheartedly.

[mikegilbert]

I say nothing of the right to travel or use publicly funded roads (If the road doesn't go some place, do you have the right to drive on a publicly funded road to get there?)

My point is, simply, that the right to travel faster than the dude that isn't going as fast as you are doesn't exist.

Yeah the left lane campers are a bitch and it'd be great if the rules were followed and enforced. But to assert that it's your right to pass them is silly. Especially so when, more often than not, the lane camper is travelling at or below the speed limit when you are travelling above it. Claiming rules of the road on someone when breaking the rules is hypocritical.

I would love to spin you off the road into a ditch.

[Robstr]

I'm not a slow driver.

But I'm sorry u mad bro. You're going to be the one to end up in a ditch because you're flipping a **** about something completely not worth the effort.

[mikegilbert]

You never know why someone is in a hurry. Why make it your business to hinder someone who just wants to get where they need to be. Move out of the way, and let them pass. It's that simple.

[Air-over-water]

With the staggering amount of stupidity I witness on a daily basis in my area, I would be terrified to drive 85+ mph on the highway.

Most of the roads that are 80+ are out in the middle of nowhere and mostly straight.
Our toll roads are 75 in some parts.

[Lwize]

There's far too much traffic in SoCal to allow the left lane for passing only.
Fortunately, the Prius hyper-milers hold up the carpool lane, leaving the fast lane for everyone else.

Driving below the posted speed limit in the fast lane (assuming weather and traffic conditions are normal) should be a capital crime.

Tailgating, however, should also be punishable by death, as should failure to use signal and cutting off other drivers. In fact, drivers should die for breaking traffic laws. (except me, of course)