What are your thoughts about speed limits?

[gws]

I would be happy if people would understand that flash to pass means I am already going faster than you please let me go back without impeading my progress if you can and NOT!!! Your an asshose get out of my way no matter wat, dont block me I am better than you.


Fought with an idiot last week. Going down the freeway, 2 lanes. Started to pass 3 trucks in a line, some BMW SUV pulls up behind the trucks swerves behind me then flashes his headlights. He fully could see there was no where for me to go with trucks on one side 5 vehicles in front of me and a ditch on the other side. I got past the trucks pull over let him pass dropped behind him and watched him continually flash every driver. What an ****.

 

[sendero]

Your post explains in a nutshell why there has to be speed limits. There are just too many idiots on the road.

Now of course, one could make the argument that wise men don't need advice (i.e. speed limits) and fools won't heed it (i.e. speed limits), but nonetheless I don't think a world without speed limits would not work in the USA.

 

[popeye]

Don
I agree with you on the "magnetic car" theory. What trips my road rage is when you are in the right lane where you are supposed to be and rapidly approaching a slow moving vehicle in the right lane where he is supposed to be. Then some knucklehead comes flying up besides you, slows down until he decides he can pass the car in front of you. Which naturally means you have to slow down until his brain kicks and passes. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR As far as speed limits. the govt. is eternally trying to force Texas to post 55 mph speed limits. Which in this state is absurd considering the distances we travel on the interstates. Thanks for letting me vent I feel better now.
MIke

 

[mikim]

And it seems to me that the "official" speed limit in Texas is posted + 10 ... try to drive the posted limit and you'll get run over ... especially at rush hour.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Mike, I've found I can drive all the way across Dallas in heavy traffic on the freeways without ever slowing down if I just get in the middle lane and set the cruise control for the speed limit. Of course, I have cars and trucks sailing by on both sides. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[BigDave]

Ahhh, the autobahn - it works because there is one set of driving rules that everyone learns when they get their lisences. Here in the US, each state has their own set of rules and procedures for granting lisences. I grew up in New Jersey where keep right is the law, and you will be pulled over if you are cruising in the left lane during light traffic conditions. I have personally witnessed this. I have lived in many states, but my current state Maryland is the worst that I have ever seen. Many of the native Marylanders have no concept of keep right at all. The state legislature is considering "a pass on the left law only." Two problems here, this isn't a keep right law, and the locals think it is the stupidist thing they have ever heard of. From what I have been told they are the most fearful of frequent lane changes, so they have a tendancy to stay in one lane, the left lane being the safest. Locals don't exit the right lane to allow merging traffic to enter the highway. I was in the car with a Maryland native while cruising in the right-lane on I 405 in Los Angeles. He couldn't understand why the cars were entering the highway at a constant speed. He was actually vocalizing that they need to be more decisive and either get in front or behind of his car. Do I want to give this guy an option of travelling at 150mph...I don't think so. He would probably be travelling that speed while in the right lane. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[TresCrows]

"He couldn't understand why the cars were entering the highway at a constant speed. He was actually vocalizing that they need to be more decisive and either get in front or behind of his car. Do I want to give this guy an option of travelling at 150mph...I don't think so. He would probably be travelling that speed while in the right lane. "

-------but you don't think that there are stupid people in Germany? I think one difference between skilled drivers and American drivers (of which few are skilled it seems acccording to you guys) is that rather than worrying about whether the other guy is going to beat me through the red light or get to the next turn before me or is somehow not driving up to my standards, skilled drivers rather tend to their own buisness and make sure what they are doing is up to snuff, the other guy can take care of himself. If this were more common universely I think there would be less road rage temper tantrums. Also, I have been told by law officers that there is no keep right lane, no fast lane, no passing lane unless posted otherwise. Some freeways exit and enter from both left and right as well as the need to move left when there are split offs--how could someone stay right all the time and why should they be expected to? I think it would be better to mind my buisness and let them mind theirs. It might also help if drivers licenses were not automatically given as a right of passage, like a pilots license they should be earned and held to a stringent standard with periodic reviews--yeah, I like that and if you did not have the High Speed rating you would not for example be allowed on the freeway system. How about drinking and driving--how about a lifetime denial of a license. J

 

[BigDave]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Also, I have been told by law officers that there is no keep right lane, no fast lane, no passing lane unless posted otherwise.)</font>

JR,

Yes, I've come to learn this be true, but in New Jersey there are signs when you enter the state - KEEP RIGHT ITS THE LAW Left exits are extremely rare in the state, but that's why they have jug-handles that no-one from out of state seems to understand. If you want to make a left - exit to the right. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

On the subject of New Jersey - self-service gas is illegal - you pay the same price for full service that in most other states you pay for self-service. So, sometimes it's good to be different. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

On the subject of skilled drivers, there was a survey a few years back that found 85% of Americans were better than average drivers. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

What I don't understand is after a lifetime of following the "Keep Right" rule, why do NJ drivers (and those from everywhere else) retire to Florida, then drive slow in the left lane? One of my favorite bumper stickers (on a Florida native's car) said, "I can't wait until I retire, so I can move North and drive slow in the left lane."

Sadly, my own Mother, bless her heart, was one of the worst offenders. When I asked her, she couldn't explain. But, I have instructed my own kids - if they're ever riding with me, and they catch me driving in the left lane for no reason, they are to reach in the glove compartment, pull out the pistol and kill me on the spot, because I wouldn't deserve to live. If the judge is a Florida native, they would escape the charge for homicide and be given a medal... (needless to say, there is no pistol, but the oft-repeated story has been driven home to the kids, and I doubt they will ever drive needlessly in the left lane.)

 

[TresCrows]

Yes, I've come to learn this be true, but in New Jersey there are signs when you enter the state - KEEP RIGHT ITS THE LAW Left exits are extremely rare in the state, but that's why they have jug-handles that no-one from out of state seems to understand. If you want to make a left - exit to the right.

How can you exit to the right if the exit is to the left? In any case that is why I said unless posted otherwise. I have actually attended a driver ed class, when I was teaching school and the book said to drive in the left lane or middle lanes to allow easy entry and exit of other vehicles which naturally enter the freeway on the right--usually and usually exit to the right. I am still confused----, if the exit splits to the left how can you exit to the right--bushwhack the ditch? In fact I am positive many driver ed books say to drive in the middle or left lanes because the right lane is for merging and exiting traffic and when I had to get my motorcycle endorsement after allowing my license to expire the little booklet said the same thing--avoid the right hand lane, according to the course, most acccidents occur in the right lane due to rear ends and side swipes by merging cars or cars slowing to exit--why would I want to be there. I think the bluehairs all ride in the Left lane to avoid all the yahoos in the right lane. I think some folks need to realize our freeway system is not the autobahn--it could be in places with proper rules and training but the training we recieve and the laws as they are are not compatible with high speed in the left and slow in the right--I see no basis for that in current law or driver training except were posted otherwise or in some other circumstances. Could be wrong. J