Ok. I just recently moved to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, and I must say, I like the area. However, I have never seen SO MANY CRAPPY DRIVERS. Where the fuck did these people learn to drive, Assholes Automobile Association?
In all my time driving up North, I can count on one hand the number of long traffic jams that were NOT due to an accident or road construction. In other words, traffic jams just caused by idiots who either don’t know how to merge, don’t know what lane is for what, or both.
Down here in VA, it seems that the left lane on a divided highway is not for passing. No, no, no, it’s for the FUCKNUTS who want to drive 60 MPH in a 65. Now, in every state, you get the occasional moron who wants to drive below the speed limit in the passing lane. It causes a minor hiccup now and then. Not in Virginia!!!
No, in Virginia, 50% of drivers use the passing lane as their own personal lane. It doesn’t matter if traffic is backed up behind them for a mile, and they’re moving exactly the same speed as the right lane, they stay put. Yup. Even flashing your lights and honking will not get these assholes to move their slow asses over to the correct lane of traffic.
Now, I understand that not everyone wants to go very fast on the highway. In fact, I rarely ever do more than 8 MPH over the limit. But, when I stop passing cars, I move over to the right hand lane, until I come upon another car that is going slower, then I move left and pass, and move back to the right. THIS KEEPS TRAFFIC GOING!!! WHY can’t Virginians get it in their heads that this is what the lanes are for.
In the 3 weeks I’ve been down here, I have been in over 10, yes 10 traffic jams, not during rush hour, not due to an accident, not due to construction, that lasted over 25 minutes. This area is NOT that heavily populated. I lived in NE Ohio, which has about 3.5 million people, and never had these problems. I’ve driven in Boston, NY, Buffalo, Columbus, etc, and not had these problems. Sure, I’ll get in a traffic jam during rush hour from time to time, but not at 2:40 on a Saturday! Today, I was in stop and go traffic for 20 minutes because a bunch of idiots were RUBBERNECKING at a car that was simply pulled off to the side of the road. Not an accident, but just pulled over.
Please, people…learn to fucking DRIVE!!!
(sorry, road rage pent up until I could release here on the SDMB)