# Morons causing clusterfucks on the interstate **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 12, 2006, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165 "2006-10-12T06:26:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/41 "2006-10-13T00:53:42Z")
[QUOTE=Hirka T’Bawa] Oh My GOD! Thats GREAT! Going about I-285, The Georgia Autobahn at 55… The look of all those cars going over the hill between Memorial Dr. And Church St/Ponce de Leon. That was freaking hillarious! [/QUOTE] And illegal according to Georgia code 40-6-40(d): > [@](#): > > (d) No two vehicles shall impede the normal flow of traffic by traveling side by side at the same time while in adjacent lanes, provided that this Code section shall not be construed to prevent vehicles traveling side by side in adjacent lanes because of congested traffic conditions. I imagine few tears would have been shed had those kids been pulled over and arrested for their stunt. ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/42 "2006-10-13T01:15:15Z")
Yea, and the only reason I say it was great was because I wasn’t on the perimeter at the time. If I was, I would have been cursing those student’s names. Especially since I used to take that part of 285 every day to work, when I worked down US78. But I do agree with their point, about 285 having a speed limit of 55 and should be changed. NO ONE goes 55 on that road, not even the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/43 "2006-10-13T02:42:22Z")
[QUOTE=MaddyStrut] Her reason: she doesn’t like dealing with merging traffic. I don’t know what kind of hell merging traffic was when she learned to drive, but she is adamant about not dealing with it. Yes, I have tried explaining to her that any danger from merging traffic is probably less than the danger of driving slowly in the left lane. I’ve tried explaining to her that the chances of merging traffic on a long stretch of highway is minimal since there are few on ramps and she can easily see them coming and move over if that is her choice. It goes no where. She’s driven like that for decades. She’s not changing. [/QUOTE] She might be used to the type of merging traffic that comes to a complete stop at the yield sign and than pulls onto the highway at 5 mph. Which is, of course, a different rant entirely. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/44 "2006-10-13T03:13:41Z")
[QUOTE=jali] Great pit. A popular destination for these idiots is the metro Atlanta roadways. I can understand any of the the Dudley-do-rights who don’t wish to exceed 55 regardless of road conditions. I can’t understand why they feel they must block the passing lane. A U-Haul truck did just that this morning. Frustrating. [/QUOTE] I think a bunch of morons did just that, on purpose, right on the metro Atlantic roadways. They all went out (with a camera car) and each got in their lane, lined up side by side, and maintained a steady 55 MPH down the highway. It’s on Youtube somewhere… ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/45 "2006-10-13T03:15:17Z")
Oops someone beat me to that story. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![looking\_busy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@looking\_busy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/looking_busy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/46 "2006-10-13T06:12:07Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] No, your doing it right. Stick in the right lane and use the left lane to pass. But your passes shouldn’t take 5-10 minutes to perform like the OP states. Speed up a bit to make a pass if needed. [/QUOTE] You should **never** drive faster than you feel comfortable…and at 20 over the limit you are going more than fast enough to execute a pass…just pull to the right lane at the first reasonable opportunity you get. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/47 "2006-10-13T06:41:42Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] It’ll depend on your location. Here’s a list of [keep right laws](http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html) some of them include references to the speed limit, some only mention the ‘normal speed of traffic’. As in, if you’re going below ‘normal’ then you should stay to the right, unless you’re passing someone. I’m sure there are other impedment laws than these stay right regulations, which may or may not have a speed limit requirement of their own. [/QUOTE] Thanks for that link. I still don’t see where the person in the right hand lane, going the speed limit, is subject to citation. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/48 "2006-10-13T10:24:42Z")
I want to know why it is that the idiots doing less than the speedlimit in the hammer lane **always** seem to have a vehicle plastered over with Jesus freak bumper stickers? The ones that _really_ infuriate me are the folks in late model, high performance cars (BMWs, Benzes, etc.) who toddle along well under the speed limit. Hey, asshole! I’m generally driving a beater and I can at least do the speed limit! You’ve got a new car designed to zip along at speeds of well over 100 MPH, if you can’t do the fucking speed limit, buy a bicycle! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/49 "2006-10-13T10:36:41Z")
Okay, I did a search and here’s what I got: [California Driver Handbook (PDF file)](http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl600.pdf) > [@](#): > > (Page 21) > REDUCED SPEEDS > Heavy traffic or bad weather > You must drive slower when there is heavy traffic or bad weather. However, if you block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic by driving too slowly, you may be given a ticket. If you choose to drive slower than other traffic, do not drive in the “No. 1” (fast) lane. (See page 24.) Always move to the right when another driver is close behind you and wishes to drive faster. [California Vehicle Code](http://www.aroundthecapitol.com/code/code.html?sec=veh&codesection=21650-21664) > [@](#): > > 1. (a) Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits, any vehicle proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall be driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. Looks to me like you can get a ticket for going slower than the speeding traffic if you’re in other lanes than the right-hand lane; however, in the right-hand lane, you’re not ticketable. Can we get a CHP or other California LEO to comment? ---
**Author:** ![shizaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shizaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shizaru)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/50 "2006-10-13T11:31:23Z")
[QUOTE=LouisB] Unfortunately, my darling Marcie is one who adheres strictly to the posted speed limit. She is often guilty of doing the “pass by inches” dance; I cannot reason with her on this—the speed limit is the speed limit, by God, and she will obey it even if she causes traffic to stack up twenty miles behind her. She just does not get the concept of impeding the flow of traffic; in her view, everyone should obey the posted speed limit. I honestly fear that she will be run off the road and killed by someone in a fit of road rage. [/QUOTE] My wife is the same way. When we lived in Virginia she would swear allegiance to the posted speed limit hell or high water. The part that really got under my skin was that I think she did it on purpose after I pointed out to her how asinine it was. (maybe I shouldn’t have used the word asinine when I said it to her) It finally got to me so much that I would refuse to let her drive if we were going somewhere together. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/51 "2006-10-13T12:16:56Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] Thanks for that link. I still don’t see where the person in the right hand lane, going the speed limit, is subject to citation. [/QUOTE] Ah, I didn’t realize that was your point. That’s a ticket I’d go to court for. “Your honor, I was doing just under the speed limit in the right lane, is the court saying officially that people must exceed the speed limit on the highway?” If you’re in a multi-lane highway, people can go around you, so I don’t think there’s a case for “impedment” if you’re going slower than the rest of traffic but stay in the right lane. I know some highways have minimum speed signs to go along with the speed limit, so that cars/semis unable to go over 40mph know to stay off the road or be subject to a ticket. On a single lane (each way) road, there may be other laws on impedment, where you’re expected to pull over and allow others to pass if you’re going slower. I don’t know if they include speed limit allowances or not. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/52 "2006-10-13T12:37:50Z")
I’ve seen a _lot_ of people doing the ‘pass going one half-mile an hour faster than the guy in the slow lane’ thing in the last ten years. I’ve always assumed that they are lazy morons who don’t want to have to reset their cruise control. And I want to kill them all. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/53 "2006-10-13T13:25:07Z")
Let’s try a little experiment. Everyone drives at the posted speed limit and follows the 2 second interval rule. On second thought, no. Civilization as we know it would come to an end if that happened. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/54 "2006-10-13T17:20:45Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] The ones that _really_ infuriate me are the folks in late model, high performance cars (BMWs, Benzes, etc.) who toddle along well under the speed limit. Hey, asshole! I’m generally driving a beater and I can at least do the speed limit! You’ve got a new car designed to zip along at speeds of well over 100 MPH, if you can’t do the fucking speed limit, buy a bicycle! [/QUOTE] That is when they should be arrested for mopery. I have my own driving rants, too. I drive along anywhere from 60 to 70 mph depending on the day/weather. If I am at the upper limit of that, I’m in the middle of three lanes sometimes. Mostly I drive in the right except to pass. So when you come up behind me to pass, Could you please do it in a timely manner?! Stop showing off your assholishness by coming to within 3 inches of my bumper before you swerve madly over to the next lane. And if you aren’t able to get over, news flash - _it isn’t my fault_. Other than that, I agree with everything in this thread. Especially the merging. Here’s the rule - After you follow all road rules, MATCH THE SPEED OF THE TRAFFIC YOU’RE MERGING WITH, FUCKER. This means don’t slow down to 15 mph even though everyone else is going 60. Also don’t tear in at 90 mph - there is no place for you to go except into the bumper of the car ahead of you. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/55 "2006-10-15T00:30:37Z")
I never quite understood the laws like stay right except to pass and some of the others in this thread. Well, I _understood_ them, but seeing as I usually drive on single-lane highways, it never weighed on my mind. Even on some of the twinned highways I’ve been on, because I’m never on them at rush hour, I haven’t thought about it. And then we got a rental car and drove through part of Washington state in August. Going on the interstate between Olympia and Tacoma was fucking scary. Good thing we knew our exit was on the right, because Mom stuck to that lane like glue. It was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve had, coming from Saskatchewan, Land of Endless Skies. I mean, you’re going how many miles, little cities all along the way, with four lanes of traffic. I understand why Mom refused to drive to Seattle. I will never complain about going on the highway between Wakaw and Saskatoon again. I’ll give you Washington staters one thing though - your highways are _damn_ smooth. ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/56 "2006-10-15T21:42:50Z")
[QUOTE=Hirka T’Bawa] Yea, and the only reason I say it was great was because I wasn’t on the perimeter at the time. If I was, I would have been cursing those student’s names. [/QUOTE] Personally, I think a one-time inconvenience is a great idea if it makes people realize how fucking ridiculous a 55-mph speed limit is on that road. They weren’t doing it to be dickheads; they were making a point: “your speed limit is set too low. look what would happen if we actually followed it.” The response should be anger at the law that says you must drive 55 or less, not anger at the people following it. Bogus laws which are routinely broken and not enforced should be eliminated. They subject reasonable citizens to the whims of police arbitrarily deciding to enforce a law in a given situation. 65 in that 55 zone is obviously reasonable and doesn’t deserve a ticket, but anyone doing it could be pulled over if the cop wanted to. Do you like being in that situation? ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/57 "2006-10-16T20:10:32Z")
[QUOTE=galt] Personally, I think a one-time inconvenience is a great idea if it makes people realize how fucking ridiculous a 55-mph speed limit is on that road. They weren’t doing it to be dickheads; they were making a point: “your speed limit is set too low. look what would happen if we actually followed it.” The response should be anger at the law that says you must drive 55 or less, not anger at the people following it. Bogus laws which are routinely broken and not enforced should be eliminated. They subject reasonable citizens to the whims of police arbitrarily deciding to enforce a law in a given situation. 65 in that 55 zone is obviously reasonable and doesn’t deserve a ticket, but anyone doing it could be pulled over if the cop wanted to. Do you like being in that situation? [/QUOTE] While I see your point, what they were doing was in fact illegal - not to mention a fine example of asshattery. What if I do like legalized abortions? Should I go kill some babies to prove a point? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/58 "2006-10-16T21:06:06Z")
[QUOTE=kushiel] I never quite understood the laws like stay right except to pass and some of the others in this thread. Well, I _understood_ them, but seeing as I usually drive on single-lane highways, it never weighed on my mind. Even on some of the twinned highways I’ve been on, because I’m never on them at rush hour, I haven’t thought about it. And then we got a rental car and drove through part of Washington state in August. Going on the interstate between Olympia and Tacoma was fucking scary. [/QUOTE] I grew up in Tacoma and went to college in Olympia. I used to know every crack in the pavement on that stretch of road. Next time you’re there, stop at Hawks Prairie Inn. Have a milkshake. Trust me. But if that road freaked you out, don’t never try to drive in Boston. I was in Germany a couple years ago. I rented a car for a weekend to drive from Nűrnberg to Nűrburg (there’s an old race track there that is occasionally open to the public). There is one commandment on the Autobahn; “thou shalt keep right except to pass.” If someone behind you is flashing their lights, it means you’re in the way. There are slow trucks and low-flying Porsches, but when everyone knows where they’re supposed to be, it kicks ass. 120 in a Mercedes, the Beach Boys blaring from the stereo, may be as close to driving nirvana as I ever get. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/59 "2006-10-16T21:54:24Z")
[QUOTE=Klaatu] … and it’s rude as shit to let people jam up behind you on a wide open interstate highway… [/QUOTE] If people are jammed up behind you, then the road is hardly wide open, is it? 😛 ? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165/60 "2006-10-16T22:42:19Z")
There was a wall in Mercedes, in Stuttgart, full of traffic photos of my dad. It _is_ possible to speed on the Autobahn. For example, passing people in a cloverleaf on the inside, is, apparently, forbidden. Who knew? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morons-causing-clusterfucks-on-the-interstate/376165.md?page=4)