Rhum Runner: I’m sorry to contradict you so quickly, but I had stated that I am passing cars going the limit in the passing lane.
I believe people that use their cars to intimidate me into the slow lane are actually the jerks to which you refer. Also, I’ve been to Chicago on the 294. You will also notice I don’t chose to live there because of your hasty attitudes which reflects in your driving. To further correct you, I actually know that I am supposed to accelerate roughly on the merge ramp. I have a supercharger in my car so I can do just that! More often than not, I have the capacity to go much faster than most cars around me. So, you can drop your assumptions at the door. Who is Justhink? Someone else that doesn’t agree with what you have to say? Sheesh… what’s wrong with a healthy argument?
Voyager: Yes, didn’t I agree with that assumption already? Please refer to my reply to Master Wang-Ka’s comment. To further inform you, I’ve received three speeding tickets in my glorious past and I am sick of paying for them. Yes, us who obey the speed limit cause the congestion but it’s only because you want to go faster than the posted limit and get ahead of everyone else. What came first: the chicken or the egg? Give me some research because your opinion on pollution only contributes a small part.
Waverly: Oh, I’m sorry. Let me find your second question and answer it immediately. I see. I think I have answered this several times. I am overtaking cars, just at the legal limit in the fast lane. Thanks for your comment on my not making sense. IMHO, many of you don’t make sense, either. You have never asked me to clarify myself, so quit flashing those brights at me. Why not ignore me like others do? I really don’t care about your slapstick comments unless you have something real to add.
Sublight: I see you didn’t bother to check the link I provided.
Algorithm: We agree. The cops will sort out the speeders. Until then, I still refuse to budge.
Mangetout: A genuine emergency will make me respond in a generic way. How am I supposed to realize that an emergency exists if I am supposed to be focusing on the road and cars around me? Here is why: I believe the mistake that most people make is that they pay attention to the people in the cars–that is what causes accidents. Due to the fact that most people just want to speed along and react the same way (flashing their brights) they would in an emergency make me so indifferent. Congratulations on your new child; although, if she had to give birth on the side of the road, so be it. Mother Nature would pop out the kid anytime she chooses and that’s life. It would actually make for an interesting story. I will say that I am observant enough to not straddle the line, though.
Just to clarify one last time, if a guy is passing you on the right, YOU are in the wrong, regardless of what speed you happen to be going. Thank you for playing, there’s a lovely consolation prize at the door for you.
I think you are wrong to act as you do and the fact that you intentionally get in the way of other drivers makes you an asshole. You agree with that? Good.
Cheesesteak: You really can’t read can you? Yes, I know the handbook well. I will state this one more time. I am going the speed limit in the passing lane while passing cars in the slow lane. If you exceed the speed limit and flash your brights at me while I’m going the speed limit, you are breaking the law and annoying other drivers that want to go the limit. So, why should I move over into a lane of cars that choose to go slower than the limit?
The 1st, 6th, and 7th definition are the key as per dictionary.com:
Main Entry: 1lim·it
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French limite, from Latin limit-, limes boundary
Date: 14th century
1 a : something that bounds, restrains, or confines b : the utmost extent
2 a : a geographical or political boundary b plural : the place enclosed within a boundary : BOUNDS
3 : LIMITATION
4 : a determining feature or differentia in logic
5 : a prescribed maximum or minimum amount, quantity, or number: as a : the maximum quantity of game or fish that may be taken legally in a specified period b : a maximum established for a gambling bet, raise, or payoff
6 a : a number whose numerical difference from a mathematical function is arbitrarily small for all values of the independent variables that are sufficiently close to but not equal to given prescribed numbers or that are sufficiently large positively or negatively b : a number that for an infinite sequence of numbers is such that ultimately each of the remaining terms of the sequence differs from this number by less than any given positive amount.
Algorithm: I think people that flash their brights and ride my bumper when I’m going the limit are equally wrong. What do you have to say about that? Read the above arguement to Cheesesteak. By the way, can you think of something better to call me? I absolutely worship your use of colour metaphors!
**That is exactly the point; you can’t know whether or not the driver trying to pass you has a genuinely pressing reason to do so.
For the most part, it’s true - you will just irritate people who are trying to drive fast for no particularly good reason, but in rare cases, you will potentially be increasing the severity of an emergency, in other rare cases, you might be risking your own life and limb (as well as that of other nearby drivers) by annoying a person who is prone to dangerous acts of road-rage.
Is it worth ‘educating’* (say)a few hundred people at the expense of the life of one person?
*[sup]I highly doubt that anyone is ‘educated’ by your behaviour - they more than likely simply write you off as an annoying jerk - unless you’d care to provide some supporting evidence that speeding drivers are likely to see the error of their ways when obstructed…[/sup]
Nope, you’re quite wrong to assume that.
Given that it went on to be a very difficult labour, it would quite likely have resulted in a greatly elevated risk of loss of life to child, mother or both. Mother Nature doesn’t always choose to ‘pop’ kids out like shelling peas; I wonder if you care about that sort of detail though…
I’ve been asking to see that evidence the entire time. Also, perhaps that’s the reason why I’m asking the question. Maybe I can see an answer other than impatience.
I have not presented myself to be in the hurry that you obviously are. If you are harbouring a problem, you can do the adult thing and merge into the slow lane and continue about your merry way while ignoring the “asshole” going the limit in the fast lane. Or, you can go into detail about the difficulties with Mother Nature–but, it’s just survival of the fittest and I’m not in control of it, IMHO.
WTF? That isn’t what you stated. If you are passing cars then you have as much right to the left lane as anyone. When you are no longer passing, then you need to move over just like anyone else, that is the rule. You seem to think you don’t need to follow the rule.
Justthink was another t%^&@, er, I mean, “social experimenter.” See Master Wang-Ka’s comments.
**I thought that the idiot should get out of my way and let me get to the hospital, I didn’t expect to educate him.
You made the assertion that your obstructive behaviour is educational; I’d like to see you support that with some evidence.
**In what way does this relate to the incident I described? the road was an ordinary ‘B’ road - one lane in either direction, separated by a dotted white line in the centre; it was a road where there were good, straight stretches where overtaking would be safe and easy, but the driver in front decided it was his job to prevent me overtaking; in doing so, he unknowingly elevated a medical risk. Was his action justifiable? How does his action differ from the tactics you employ? Does your ignorance of any real urgency of the driver behind excuse your obstructing him?
Like I said, I didn’t expect you to care about those sort of details; do you honestly think though, if I’d lost my wife or child through (or partly through) the deliberate action of an inconsiderate driver, that I’d just shrug it off as survival of the fittest?
Please clarify how a person flies by you in the slow lane while you’re passing people in the slow lane.
As has been stated over and over again here, if you are in the process of passing, that’s A-OK. Once you are done passing, get back over to the right. The law is to stay right except to pass, even in your state.
Rhum Runner: Go back and read my prior posts. It’s in there, I promise. Regardless of the rule, it’s not worthy of a ticket to go the speed limit in the lane while overtaking cars of said argument.
Mangetout: Yes, this post is an attempt to educate how I feel about the matter at hand. In your case, I would not have been able to see your wife’s emergency. I can’t see over the door panels to see your wife’s dilation, and why should I be looking for an emergency anyway? Your argument sounds very selfish, and as well as I expect it to be! Of course I wouldn’t care about what you need to do and that’s my main point: just ignore what I choose to do and keep on going. I don’t have a problem overtaking a car in the slow lane if they are going below the speed limit in the fast lane.
Maybe not you, but I would. Don’t get me wrong, I have emotions, but I don’t dwell on events. I’m reactive under pressure, but I stabilize almost immediately. I see you haven’t gotten over the guy that impeded your emergency. Could it be that he didn’t see your wife in labour over your obsession riding his bumper? He was probably more worried about what he errands he had than your wife. It’s the same argument–all I am trying to find is why I am considered an “asshole” for not considering the other fellow when I feel that my obeying the law isn’t. I know a grey area exists. You have a rare case this is worthy of breaking the limit, and I respect that. On the other hand, I really wouldn’t be able to see your emergency. In my perception, I don’t help people with their emergencies because I’m reactive under pressure, and I could cause more of a problem helping you.
There we are, a volcano of putzes.
Drive in the friggin’ right lane if you want to go slow. The fact that you “obeyed the law” doesn’t make you or him any less dead.
Cheesesteak: Let’s be realistic. Cars in the slow lane are going below the speed limit. I am going the speed limit and traveling in the fast lane. I am going the limit while overtaking cars in the slow lane. Based on the assumption that most people do not have a reason to speed, logic would suggest that most people just want to race down the road for whatever their reasons. Please refer to the definition of limit.
I’ve been reading this whole thread just to see if I can find out somewhere along the line, WHAT is going on here!
GnominClature, I’m relatively new here, so I don’t know you. But I think it’s fair to say that most people responding on this thread don’t like you and will never agree with you.
Personally, that would irritate me. Which would frustrate me. Isn’t the whole point of the BBQ Pit to get stuff off your chest? To blow some steam? But now, aren’t you more frustrated than before you posted?
Don’t mind me … I’m still learning here…
Anyway, about the speed limit … I don’t drive in the USA very often, but as far as Montreal goes…
~ Driving AS SLOW as the speed limit is a death wish (and causes accidents often)
~ Driving 20% higher than the speed limit will probably get you to where you’re going without being killed
~ I usually stay with the flow of traffic in the middle of a three lane highway, regardless of my speed
~ The left lane is reserved for people going so fast that there’s no point to get back into the middle or right lane, because they’ll pass another car again. (That’s not the law, that’s just how it works out)
~ You’re lucky you weren’t doing that speed in front of my brother. It would make his week to terrorize you and follow you to wherever you were going (and make you wish you were wearing Depends)
But that’s just my 2¢
Bye bye.