Road Rage - what would you have done?

[TripleDigitRide]

So, how quickly should I pass a semi on the interstate without breaking the speed laws?

Considering 95% of the trucks running up and down the Interstate are governed at or below 70 mph, this should rarely be an issue.

Edited December 1, 2013 by TripleDigitRide

[RobertNashville]

Huh? You said that someone who is going slower than others "MUST" move over, and the post you were responding to was referencing passing another vehicle. You capitalized the word and everything. Putting such a stress on such a word suggests that the person traveling slower than the person behind them "MUST" do something, right?

As for the insults, cool your jets hot shot. You're attempting to do your passive-aggressive Internet tough guy thing in an attempt to mask that you're wrong and baseless with your assertions. How bout we just stick to the subject, eh?

The law, at least where I read it, specifically uses the word "must"; I chose to emphasized it to make the point that it it's a requirement; not a suggestion since DaddyO didn't seem to think there were laws covering the issue at all. I'm not interested in "what-if" scenarios.

[TripleDigitRide]

Wow! Before reading this thread, I had no idea that something as simple as driving a vehicle could possibly be so over-thunked.

Edited December 1, 2013 by TripleDigitRide

[RobertNashville]

Considering 95% of the trucks running up and down the Interstate are governed at or below 70 mph, this should rarely be an issue.

Which, other than small vehicle drivers who don't understand the phrase "passing lane"; is a significant part of the problem...one truck going 62.3 because that's where he gets his best MPG while another is most efficient at 62.6 so the "faster" truck pulls into the passing lane and takes five miles to pass the "slower" truck...I regularly see this on I24 heading toward Chattanooga with literally two dozen cars backed up because of one semi riding in the passing lane.

[TripleDigitRide]

Which, other than small vehicle drivers who don't understand the phrase "passing lane"; is a significant part of the problem...one truck going 62.3 because that's where he gets his best MPG while another is most efficient at 62.6 so the "faster" truck pulls into the passing lane and takes five miles to pass the "slower" truck...I regularly see this on I24 heading toward Chattanooga with literally two dozen cars backed up because of one semi riding in the passing lane.

I agree. The company I drive for had always had their trucks governed at 70. The recently started backing that down to 65-67. This makes passing much more difficult. Thankfully (knock on wood), mine is still set at 70. Even at 70, I pass far more trucks than trucks pass me. If I don't think I can pass in a reasonable amount of time, I stay put. I get paid my the hour, and I have all day.

[Peace]

     Courtesy and communication.   If I can safely accommodate someone, I will. If I am in the left lane and loose SA, and someone gives a couple of quick flashes of their Headlights to communicate their intent to pass (why that feature was created, btw... it's not an "I'm p***ed at you" feature) I read it as such, and accommodate them as safely and succinctly as possible. I would hope for the same in return.

 

     We are essentially connected parts of an organism when we are on a freeway like that. It makes good sense to work together... but... it doesn't take much to make that very difficult.

 

 

     Oh. as has been mentioned. please do not linger next to any semi. everybody makes mistakes. don't be a consequence of one. I was run off of I-40 years ago at speed, in traffic. it was eastbound between Nash and Knox - divided interstate, sloping grass down into woods. I had been in traffic, passing a semi with others. I was boxed in and without warning he/she just instantly came over on top of me. For at least that once, an iroc-z was capable of a slight drift (long before it was popular) sideways on downward sloping grass hill at 70mph... easy does it.

     I was very fortunate for the lack of guard rails, bridges, and ditches. I stopped at the next rest stop to take a breather.

 

My brother, who had been immediately behind me in his car and saw the whole thing, didn't miss a beat. In a dry, calm manner, the first words out of his mouth were, "How are your britches?". :)

Edited December 2, 2013 by Peace

[daddyo]

I don't see any reason why other drivers need to be held to your standard of "reasonable"!

 

OK, then, give me YOUR definition of "reasonable" as it applies to the statute.

Edited December 1, 2013 by daddyo

[TMF]

I don't see any reason why other drivers need to be held to your standard of "reasonable"!
 
I agree, tailgating is dangerous but it begs the question of how often is the tailgating occurring because someone simply won't pass the vehicles to their right or because a vehicle pulls into the passing lane just a few seconds before overtaking traffic reaches them?
 

I get tailgated driving in the right lane with a mile if traffic in front of me. Tailgaters just like riding up people's butts because they haven't been beaten on the side of the road yet. In fact, I get ridden in the passing lane when I'm passing and have a line of cars in front of me also passing, but at a lower speed at which I would pass. I don't ride their ass because I don't see the need to cause an unsafe situation, but the people behind me always seem to think I can magically fly over the traffic to my front. Either that, or tailgaters are just incredibly inconsiderate and impatient children. You seem to be defending these malcontents a little too much.

[RobertNashville]

OK, then, give me YOUR definition of "reasonable" as it applies to the statute.

For what purpose? So that you can tell argue that my definition is wrong and yours is right?

 

If your speed is causing a backup of traffic behind you then you are impeding traffic...why is that so difficult to understand?

 

Now, if I'm behind someone and they are going the speed limit AND actually passing the vehicle(s) in the right lane I'm not going to get any heartburn over that; I'm more than happy stay a safe distance back and let them pass until they can get over safely; then I expect them to get over!

However...if they are just sitting in the passing lane with no traffic to their right or if they are inching along at 1MPH faster than the vehicle(s) they are passing or if they purposely slow down so as not to pass at all just to screw with people then they are simply being stupid, lazy or an ass (or a stupid, lazy ass) and deserving of whatever visual or auditory signals they get from other motorists as well as deserving of a ticket per TN state law.

Edited December 1, 2013 by RobertNashville

[Murgatroy]

 ...someone gives a couple of quick flashes of their Headlights to communicate their intent to pass (why that feature was created, btw... it's not an "I'm p***ed at you" feature...)

 

 

I wish more folks understood this. I have folks brake check me nearly without fail every time I flash them.

 

It is the same equivalent to saying 'track' when you are behind someone when running.

[Garufa]

I wish more folks understood this. I have folks brake check me nearly without fail every time I flash them.

 

It's amazing how rapidly driving skills and knowledge have decreased over the past 20 or so years.  Flashing to ask leeway to pass used to be quite common, now people have not clue what's going on.

[RobertNashville]

I get tailgated driving in the right lane with a mile if traffic in front of me. Tailgaters just like riding up people's butts because they haven't been beaten on the side of the road yet. In fact, I get ridden in the passing lane when I'm passing and have a line of cars in front of me also passing, but at a lower speed at which I would pass. I don't ride their ass because I don't see the need to cause an unsafe situation, but the people behind me always seem to think I can magically fly over the traffic to my front. Either that, or tailgaters are just incredibly inconsiderate and impatient children. You seem to be defending these malcontents a little too much.

Nothing I've said could rationally be construed as defending tailgaters/malcontents.

Edited December 1, 2013 by RobertNashville

[daddyo]

For what purpose? So that you can argue the my definition is wrong and yours is right?

 

Wasn't my intent at all. Didn't mean to upset you; sorry.

Edited December 1, 2013 by daddyo

[Peace]

Is it worth it to let this devolve into a personal battle? There are other forums where that is the norm. I would hate to see TGO be like that.

We each see things differently, and we can make our case, but at the end of the day we still want to have and express respect for each other.

[Guest Riciticky]

Everyone here has been tail gated. Can't we all just get along?

[DaveS]

It's like this; if I'm doing the legal speed limit and you fly up on me...get a grip, because I'm not going to speed up to satisfy your stupidity!

 

DaveS

[peejman]

It's amazing how rapidly driving skills and knowledge have decreased over the past 20 or so years. Flashing to ask leeway to pass used to be quite common, now people have not clue what's going on.

Yep. People think "flash to pass" is some massive insult. Spend a couple weeks driving in Europe and then come back here, the difference is astounding.

[TMF]

It's amazing how rapidly driving skills and knowledge have decreased over the past 20 or so years.  Flashing to ask leeway to pass used to be quite common, now people have not clue what's going on.

It's still normal in Europe and the mid-East. When I get flashed I move the hell outa the way, I just don't see that here too often. If I'm getting flashed my assumption is that the person has some place really important to be. I've had a few blow past me at 90-100 mph with their hazards on flashing at drivers in front. The few I've seen weren't driving aggressively, just very fast and trying to alert other motorists. For all I know there is a woman giving birth in the back seat or someone bleeding out on the way to the hospital.

Tailgaters are simply impatient children though that make the road unsafe for everyone.

[94user]

This thread has affirmed what I concluded years ago, that the majority of drivers on the road are selfish and could care less about anyone else. Why don't people realize that the biggest risk to thier lives every day is during thier driving to and from work or as in my  and many other cases driving daily here and there in the commission of my job ? Lack of courtesy and respect for the other drivers on the road will get you killed faster than the thug you may come across that we all carry our guns for.  Just saying.

[daddyo]

This thread has affirmed what I concluded years ago, that the majority of drivers on the road are selfish and could care less about anyone else. Why don't people realize that the biggest risk to thier lives every day is during thier driving to and from work or as in my  and many other cases driving daily here and there in the commission of my job ? Lack of courtesy and respect for the other drivers on the road will get you killed faster than the thug you may come across that we all carry our guns for.  Just saying.

 

That hasn't been my experience. While there is no shortage of rude and selfish drivers, there are still plenty of courteous motorists.

[94user]

That hasn't been my experience. While there is no shortage of rude and selfish drivers, there are still plenty of courteous motorists.

No, there is not, especially here in Memphis. I have to drive about 100 miles a week on the interstate here and I stand by what I said. Courteous drivers are few and far between here. My point is that I fear for my safety more when I'm behind the wheel of my work truck than I do any other time.

[TripleDigitRide]

Hey! Did you all hear about Zimmerman being arrested a week or so ago? 

[Varmint]

WOW....I thought I got time-warped back into the bicycle thread.

[RichardR]

I view tailgaters the same as I do any other reckless, dangerous & criminal behavior that creates a "reasonable fear of SBI or death".

[DaveS]

Hey! Did you all hear about Zimmerman being arrested a week or so ago? 

Dang straight! And he got caught speeding in Texas not long ago too!

 

Dave