# Carpool lanes are not the autobahn **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 7, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332 "2006-02-07T02:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/61 "2006-02-09T19:44:56Z")
Jesus, Sam, for that to even apply to you, traffic on the 101 would occasionally need to move faster than the speed limit of a residential street. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/62 "2006-02-09T20:05:01Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Absolutely. And if the accidents caused by road rage due to self righteous people who feel it’s their civic duty to keep the rest of us legal doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to move a few yards to the right, then I would suggest you consider what you feel you’re accomplishing by refusing to move. Other than your smug satisfaction, that is. So you are blaming your road rage on guys like me? Whatever. :rolleyes: I don’t have a badge and a gun, I am not a cop, it is not my civic duty to do anything about your driving (not counting extreme circumstances). My civic duty is to obey the laws of the stae I drive in. If I’m driving the speed limit in the carpool lane, and you come up behind me, expect to wait until it’s safe and legal for me to let you pass by me moving to the right. Why does that piss people off? Thanks, **Jackmannii**. I think we agree. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/63 "2006-02-09T20:11:13Z")
No Maureen, it’s 85. Traffic on 85 goes something like this: Merge at 60, accelerate to speed of traffic(70-75), the sheep realize that people are merging and promptly slow down to 25. Sheeples then see the person 3 feet in front of them opening the gap at 15 mph, and jam on the gas and close the 300 foot gap in .75 seconds at 40mph, promptly slamming on the brakes. When people reach a point in the road where there is unobstructed road with no merging, we accelerate to approximately 85 mph, until the sheeple see mergers ahead. Oooooooh noooo! Can’t merge like a bunch of civilized human-fucking-beings, so we now slowe doen to 15-30mph again. Once those damned 280 travelers get off the freeway, it miraculously opens up and we do very little of the 0-80-15-65-90-0-0-40 mph crawl. VTA finally finished my offramp at Shoreline, too, so I don’t have to deal with 101 at all. Yay me! Sam ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/64 "2006-02-09T20:19:29Z")
> [@](#): > > So you are blaming your road rage on guys like me? Whatever. No, I think she’s simply saying that the jackass like the broad I passed this morning who insists on driving in the fast fucking lane at fifty-fucking-five miles per hour and refuse to speed up or move over(when the slow lane moves faster and freer than her), and actually slow down when someone gets in behind them and get passed at 80 because they’re stopping up traffic like a pregnant woman’s intestinal tract and it pisses the world off as it completely inconveniences everyone else just so they can prove some small-dicked point, are to blame for it. Does that describe the way you drive? DO you insist on leaving 1/4-1/2 of a mile gap in between you and the car in front of you while traveling 20 miles under the flow of traffic around you? Do you insist on holding your ground in the fast lane despite your poor driving habits and behavior? Do you slow down when someone wants to pass you just to prove yet another point? If so, then yes. She’s talking about you. If not then no, but you still drive like a choad. Sam ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/65 "2006-02-09T20:25:56Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > Does that describe the way you drive? DO you insist on leaving 1/4-1/2 of a mile gap in between you and the car in front of you while traveling 20 miles under the flow of traffic around you? No. > [@](#): > > Do you insist on holding your ground in the fast lane despite your poor driving habits and behavior? No. > [@](#): > > Do you slow down when someone wants to pass you just to prove yet another point? No. > [@](#): > > … If not then no, but you still drive like a choad. Ha! Enjoy your higher insurance premiums and your traffic tickets, unless you never get pulled over, but you still drive like you’re trying to over-compensate for something. Sam [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/66 "2006-02-09T20:26:22Z")
Eurgh. Mountain View traffic is just nasty no matter what highway you take, apparently. I saw one guy in a BMW boxter weave in and out of lanes in fairly thick traffic, then right at the 85/101 cutoff, STUFF his car into the back of an SUV when traffic stopped. No clue why. Every lane was stopped, there was no moving. Yes, **BMalion** , I am accusing you and people like you of being responsible for all road rage everywhere. :rolleyes: If you actually get out of the way when it’s possible to do so, then you’re not the kind of person I’m referring to. I’m talking about people who intentionally drive precisely 65mph in the fast lane and refuse to move over, despite the fact that people pass around them, whether safe to do so or not, for several miles. They are the ones I refer to as people who consider it their civic duty to “keep the rest of us legal.” Those are the people who do cause road rage. Is it their responsibility to control it? Of course not. But it’s rather silly to deny that they’re one of the causes. Interesting side note. I was informed by someone living in Redwood City that police actually _pay_ retired seniors to drive along city streets at the speed limit. Anecdotal from a cop she knows, no actual proof. I wouldn’t put it past 'em, though. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/67 "2006-02-09T20:33:25Z")
On preview, what **GaWd** said. And it’s not _my persona_ road rage, although on occasion it certainly pisses me off if I happen to be running late for something and the person in front of me feels I should accomodate his/her schedule instead of mine. It’s road rage in general. Personally, my commute is all of 20 minutes, with not nearly enough traffic to cause the kind of pissed offedness that would come were I not travelling in the reverse commute direction. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/68 "2006-02-09T21:12:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Ha! Enjoy your higher insurance premiums and your traffic tickets, unless you never get pulled over, but you still drive like you’re trying to over-compensate for something. Ooooooooh! I’m telling! You said something mean about my pee-pee! Maureen, tell **pigmalion** to play nice or I’ll cry! Seriously, I though that was reserved for **SUV** drivers these days, not people driving with the flow of traffic, getting stuck behind dickheads who think they own the road… Sam ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/69 "2006-02-09T21:19:21Z")
[QUOTE=Maureen] Eurgh. Mountain View traffic is just nasty no matter what highway you take, apparently. I saw one guy in a BMW boxter weave in and out of lanes in fairly thick traffic, then right at the 85/101 cutoff, STUFF his car into the back of an SUV when traffic stopped. No clue why. Every lane was stopped, there was no moving. Yes, **BMalion** , I am accusing you and people like you of being responsible for all road rage everywhere. :rolleyes: If you actually get out of the way when it’s possible to do so, then you’re not the kind of person I’m referring to. I’m talking about people who intentionally drive precisely 65mph in the fast lane and refuse to move over, despite the fact that people pass around them, whether safe to do so or not, for several miles. They are the ones I refer to as people who consider it their civic duty to “keep the rest of us legal.” Those are the people who do cause road rage. Is it their responsibility to control it? Of course not. But it’s rather silly to deny that they’re one of the causes. …snip…QUOTE] I knew I liked you for some reason besides your wit and humor. Now I find out you also drive correctly, a big bonus in my book. **BMalion** You really, really should be self-righteous about driving the speed limit in the fast lane of a low access highway. Ask the next 5 cops you meet. They will tell you, you should move to the right and not worry that others are breaking the speed limits. Especially in California, Montana and NJ. This may not be true in the Midwest. Jim ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/70 "2006-02-09T21:20:25Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Eurgh. Mountain View traffic is just nasty no matter what highway you take, apparently. I saw one guy in a BMW boxter weave in and out of lanes in fairly thick traffic, then right at the 85/101 cutoff, STUFF his car into the back of an SUV when traffic stopped. No clue why. Every lane was stopped, there was no moving. > > Yes, **BMalion** , I am accusing you and people like you of being responsible for all road rage everywhere. :rolleyes: > > If you actually get out of the way when it’s possible to do so, then you’re not the kind of person I’m referring to. I’m talking about people who intentionally drive precisely 65mph in the fast lane and refuse to move over, despite the fact that people pass around them, whether safe to do so or not, for several miles. They are the ones I refer to as people who consider it their civic duty to “keep the rest of us legal.” Those are the people who do cause road rage. Is it their responsibility to control it? Of course not. But it’s rather silly to deny that they’re one of the causes. > …snip… I knew I liked you for some reason besides your wit and humor. Now I find out you also drive correctly, a big bonus in my book. **BMalion** You really, really shouldn’t be self-righteous about driving the speed limit in the fast lane of a low access highway. Ask the next 5 cops you meet. They will tell you, you should move to the right and not worry that others are breaking the speed limits. Especially in California, Montana and NJ. This may not be true in the Midwest. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/71 "2006-02-09T21:35:22Z")
He obviously doesn’t know anything about Hispanic pee-pees. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/72 "2006-02-09T21:38:01Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > He obviously doesn’t know anything about Hispanic pee-pees. Psst…it’s a Jewish one, so perhaps he does have a point :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/73 "2006-02-09T22:01:00Z")
Nah. No mohel is that sadistic. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/74 "2006-02-09T22:46:53Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > If you’re not comfortable to move at the rate of speed of others around you, you should probably reconsider traveling on that throughway. I am perfectly comfortable driving 65 in the fast lane. If you are not comfortable using your turn signal, changing lanes and avoiding me, I suggest anger management classes. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/75 "2006-02-09T23:10:35Z")
Fearboy, I believe you are the type of person Maureen is talking about. One of those who doesn’t follow signs that say “SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT”… ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/76 "2006-02-10T01:44:27Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > I am perfectly comfortable driving 65 in the fast lane. If you are not comfortable using your turn signal, changing lanes and avoiding me, I suggest anger management classes. If you’re driving 65 in the fast lane and not passing anybody, you’re breaking the law. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/77 "2006-02-10T02:03:53Z")
> [@jasonh300](#): > > If you’re driving 65 in the fast lane and not passing anybody, you’re breaking the law. Sez you. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/78 "2006-02-10T03:04:36Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Sez you. Nope, says [the law](http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs19thru22.htm) > [@](#): > > If you choose to drive slower than other traffic, do not drive in the “No. 1” (fast) lane. (more information) Always move to the right when another driver is close behind you and wishes to drive faster. Thanks for being concerned for my well being. Now get the fuck out of the way. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/79 "2006-02-10T03:15:14Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Nope, says [the law](http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs19thru22.htm) > …snip… [This link from your link should clarify it even more.](http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs22thru25.htm#choose_lane) Of course he still won’t believe it, he missed that lesson in drivers ed. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/80 "2006-02-10T04:09:50Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Thanks for being concerned for my well being. Now get the fuck out of the way. Your well being is in your own hands. Slow down and enjoy a long life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332.md?page=5)