Driving under the speed limit

[mks57]

@pseudotriton ruber ruber

Lee–happens all the time on the Harlem River Drive, which I will drive the length of about three mornings a week, at 5 a.m. There’s always some clueless outofstate ditz going about 28 MPH in the center lane, one about every mile or so, making himself (or usually herself) into a traffic hazard for faster- moving traffic.

What is it about these goddamned people that keeps them from driving in the right hand lane–or better yet keeps them from surrendering their licenses in the first place?

I think every urban area has roads that are dangerous for out-of-state or inexperienced drivers. It takes experience to learn the “rules”, hazards, and traffic flow. It is much easier for the drivers who travel on them daily. They have all of this memorized and they don’t have to think about it.

Some drivers also have minimal experience with congested traffic on urban highways. Many of my relatives live in rural areas or small towns where the main traffic hazards are wildlife and the weather.

[asterion]

@GorillaMan

They’re not passing lanes, but crawler lanes. Not an opportunity for the fast vehicles to pass, but a refuge for those which will be unbearably slow up the hill. (Not a justification for a lack of doubling elsewhere on a route, but an explanation of their being on hills.)

Yes, but they also often get used as a passing lane. And I’m grateful for them when there is a posted 20 MPH limit for trucks for several miles up and down a hill.

[GorillaMan]

@lee

My mother did not want to be in the right lane because of all the on ramps ans exits. That and she might not be able to merge if a lane ended.

If she’s that incompetent (or nervous), she shouldn’t be behind the wheel.

[bannerrefugee]

I think that there are 2 issues here. The OP seemed interested in what is safe and polite driving while driving on streets with limits of around 35. The bulk of this thread seems to be about what is safe and polite while high way driving.

While I agree that going with the flow is usually safer and more polite on the highway, I believe it is clearly impolite and unsafe to speed through residential surface streets. Not just to other drivers who obey the limits but more importantly to the residents.

[SusanStoHelit]

That and she might not be able to merge if a lane ended.

She doesn’t know how to merge and they let her drive? :eek:

[SlyFrog]

Let us not forget the sister to the OP; the divided three lane highway wherein each lane is blocked off by three drivers riding abreast at exactly the same speed.

As earlier posters have mentioned, going progressively left in lanes should get progressively faster. Please do not sit in the left most lane and drive at the speed limit along with the car to your right. You don’t have to block traffic; if you want to get there slower, please don’t impose that on everyone else behind you. You are free to drive behind the slowpoke in the right lane who is also driving your speed.