That post was directed to you and/or Gabe. (Was that Semi on auto pilot?)
Actually, the quote was, “There is no such thing as tailgating in the left lane. If someone is ‘tailgating’ you in the left lane then you’re driving too slow. Get over.”
The first part of that statement I’ll admit I could have left out, but the rest is just the truth. Time to move over if someone is on or approaching your tail in the left lane.
I was referring to the entirety of the thread.
I’m sure Gabe appreciates your support. But, come on, you kind of give a rat’s ass about what we think. Admit it.
Hard to wade through the vitriol but… are you trying to say that if someone is tailgating you, you are prvented by the laws of physics from slowing down?
Not at all. But I wasn’t pitting the guy, I was using him as a point of illustration.
I guess I quoted Debaser rather than you. It doesn’t matter, you’re both saying the same thing in essence, he’s just doing so more directly. And you’re both wrong. Sometimes you cannot get over into the right lane before a faster-moving vehicle gets on your bumper in the left lane. Period.
I do have a pet peeve when people make mistaken assumptions. As long as you’ve got your facts right, derive whatever opinion you like.
And the award for non-sequitur of the thread goes to…
Gabe’s attempt to catch back up to the SUV Lady was not passive. I personally wouldn’t do that. But I applaud him for doing so in this situation. My tactics as previously discussed are most definitely passive.
Um, hello! If no one has those facts then why are you holding onto the passive blocking of an aggressive passer mentality - what facts do you have?. Why not just conform. It sounds like the bulk of the posters here would scootch over and let the guy pass.
The only ones that don’t are the ones that ‘get pissed’ off when someone tailgates them. Sounds like they have the problem, not the rest of us.
I said that too and that’s fine, just get over when you can and let the guy pass.
CandidGamera;
Since you are the fellow making a claim i.e. that you are increasing the overall level of safety through your actions, I’ll leave it to you to give us something to substantiate that claim other than that it is your “gut feeling.”
I will tell you this, in none of the driving courses that I have attended was there even the slightest suggestion that being obstructive was something regular motorists should do. I occasionally work for a Sheriff’s Office and being obstructive on the highway isn’t part of driving there ,either, where we are talking about people who are trained and empowered to enforce highway safety regulations on others.
What’s so tough about admitting that you just enjoy being a dick on the highway?
Because in absence of the facts, all I have to go on is my intuition.
Why not just conform? Conformity is not a virtue. Nor is it a vice, as some gothlings would have you believe. But to conform simply for conformity’s sake? No.
So if 80% of the kids bullied at a school happen to hand over their lunch money to Billy No-Neck, the other 20% should just cave and go with the flow.
So you’re withdrawing the bit about tailgating being impossible in the left lane, etc.?
Ghandi’s fasting and work stoppages were deliberate attempts to thwart the British Government in India. Because they were essentially based in inaction rather than action, they were dubbed passive.
I’m not asserting it as fact. I’m putting it forth as my gut feeling. I’m not required to substantiate a gut feeling - on the other hand, if someone expects me to modify my behavior to go along with THEIR Gut feeling, I require facts. If you want me to modify my behavior, provide facts. Otherwise, don’t waste both of our time.
If you were an observant driver, you would hav enoticed the ESM rapidly approaching in your rear view. You should have been finding the best and safest way to get over to the slow lane to let her pass. So that you were out of the way by the time she got up on you. If you would have been in the proper lane, she would not have to tailgate. This is your fault, and I believe people like you are the cause of the problem, not the solution. Stay the hell out of the fast lane.
70 in a 65 in the PASSING LANE is mosying! Why must people take it so personally when someone else is going faster??? I think you should just get out of the way. Why be an ass. She wouldn’t have to honk or tailgate if you would just check your mirror every now and then and stay the hell out of the fast lane.
If I’m in the fast lane on the interstate or a highway, I’m always looking around. Even if I’m doing 80 or so in a 70, I still happily get out of the way when cars are hauling ass behind me. That’s called “yielding to faster vehicles”… you know “slower traffice keep right”. I dont take it personally that someone is going 95… I dont find the need or urge to ‘teach him a lesson’, I just get out of the way like a courteous and responsible driver should.
Which is it? Are you just an overly cautious driver who can’t manage to get out of the way, or are you self policing the highways by blocking aggressive drivers?
You should really pick a story and stick with it. You’d be wrong either way, but at least you’d be consistent.
I knew one of you would come along eventually who’d fail a remedial reading test.
You and U.S. made blatantly incorrect statements. I objected, providing an example.
My discussion with Scumpup was regarding a different topic altogether.
The statements are not at odds with each other; I had done nothing to police the semi’s reckless driving when he came upon my bumper.
After he’d shown himself as a tailgater, however - well, I did the most safe and responsible thing I could do in the situation, in my opinion. I eased off the accelerator very slowly, finally diminishing my speed to 65 mph or so, and kept it there until the traffic in the right lane had sufficiently broken up and he had backed off enough to make a safe lane-change.
Except blocking the lane. You should really read the signs along the highway sometime. Especially the ones that say, “Slower Traffic Keep in Right Lane,” or “Left Lane for Passing Only.”
I assure you, and I drive every year more than twice as many miles as the average driver does (almost 40,000 in the last 14 months), that you presented the greater danger here. If you ain’t actively passing someone, (and passing someone at highway speeds should not require more than a quarter-mile, so put your foot into it, and/or turn off the goddamn cruise control) stay the fuck outta the left lane. If you’d simply sped up for a couple seconds and moved outta the way, you’d have stopped being a target, and the ESM could have zipped right by you. Problem solved - and there’s three fewer angry drivers on the road.
I’d also like to further note that, as far as I know, WV has no “Keep Right” law on the books; I recall some discussion of a subject in recent years, but the incident in question occurred 4 years ago. There are no signs directing the use of the left lane as passing only.
All this is a moot point, as **I Was Passing ** (You should try reading those posts you’re responding to sometimes), but I thought I’d mention it as a point of reference.
Exactly. How slow do you folks in WV drive anyway? Christ, on the Interstates in the Chicago area, where the posted speed limit is 55mph, if you ain’t going 75mph, you have no business in the left lane where traffic will often move at speeds well over 80mph - even in the right line at 70mph you’re liable to “tailgated.” Hell, the Highway Patrol boys whne they’re just cruising, will zip by 75mph traffic at 80+. If you’re moving too slowly, you’re a hazard; get the fuck outta the way.
Again, this is the highway we’re talking about. You’re not being bullied on the highway when someone tries to pass you.
Sigh Post 136; "You may be whipping along in the right lane coming up on slower traffic when you begin to merge into the left lane to pass, but, there is a guy behind you that is doing the same thing as you but at a higher rate of speed. He’s gonna catch you in the passing lane, it happens. "
Of course it happens, just let it happen for the shortest amount of time.
Glad you were able to withdraw the statement. Not really concerned about your recommendation for what to do in the situation, but my major point of contention with you is done.
