How To Drive

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

I have no idea how to diagram this, but the worst thing about other drivers is: they don't anticipate and accommodate. The entire process of driving can be summed up in those two words (outside of the mechanical nuts and bolts of what the steering wheel does, etc). Pay attention around you. Determine what other people want to do (or are likely to do (or might possibly do)). Act accordingly while communicating your needs and intentions. It's an active process that requires your attention but it's not difficult.

[El Guapo 8]

I almost never drive in the right lane on the freeways around me. That is where truckers drive. One of two things happens, I have to move to my left ever minute or so to pass them then move back, or the freeway is so messed up in the right lane that I am getting beat to hell so I move over to the left lane.

[speedz99 145]

Or just freak out and pretend that justice in this world is your right.

This reminds me of a fantastic Louis CK routine. I mean, aside from your choice of going 'holier than though' instead of being funny about it.

"Oh really, what happened next? Did you FLY THROUGH THE AIR LIKE A BIRD?"

[brvheart 1,752]

I almost never drive in the right lane on the freeways around me. That is where truckers drive. One of two things happens, I have to move to my left ever minute or so to pass them then move back, or the freeway is so messed up in the right lane that I am getting beat to hell so I move over to the left lane.

Certainly there are sections of road that are exceptions, but many many many times, I am passing and moving back every minute or so. A minute is a long time when you're going 80mph.

[runthemover 39]

JLL, if you just get up to 141.62 km/hr then you can skip the whole road thing anywayIf we can back in time for a minute, I believe freeway speed limits used to be 55 mph (I can't drive 55). I can't even drive 65 so 55 must've been prittay shittay.Also, can we talk about an exception to the snag? If one car whose turn it is leaves a big space then that big hole is just asking for a thread to get caught in the zipper. That spot is now open season so the other car is free to take that spot.Finally, I always knew I hated people in red cars.

[brvheart 1,752]

With all this left lane talk, everyone just skipped BaseJester's post, which was very good. I also HATE that guy.

[Tactical Bear 3]

Certainly there are sections of road that are exceptions, but many many many times, I am passing and moving back every minute or so. A minute is a long time when you're going 80mph.

"What's heavier? A pound of feathe-""Shut up. Just... shut the fuck up."

[vbnautilus 48]

The left lane is for going faster than the other guy.

Yes.

If there is no other guy, you should be in the right lane.

No. There's just no reason for this part. It's the fast lane, it's for going fast. If I am driving fast, and move into the right lane, then I have to move back in to the left lane for the next car I encounter, and then back into the right lane after I pass him... all of these extra lane changes increase the danger involved. If I am going faster than the average traffic I should stay in the left lane even if there is no one currently in the right lane -- because soon there will be.

I almost never drive in the right lane on the freeways around me. That is where truckers drive. One of two things happens, I have to move to my left ever minute or so to pass them then move back, or the freeway is so messed up in the right lane that I am getting beat to hell so I move over to the left lane.

Exactly. Maybe in Canada and Iowa they just don't encounter other drivers very often.

[Balloon guy 158]

With all this left lane talk, everyone just skipped BaseJester's post, which was very good. I also HATE that guy.

The correct way to handle this is for all lanes to be equal and then merge right at the closed lane. Lining up like Lemmings until the lane is so long that someone can do this is the problem.Of course, I am past this bottleneck already because I left 5 minutes early.

[brvheart 1,752]

"What's heavier? A pound of feathe-""Shut up. Just... shut the fuck up."

Certainly you understand what I was getting at (running a spirit race, last minute of a basketball game, etc. etc etc), even if you fall on the other side of this issue. You cover an awful lot of ground in one minute, and it's not as terrible as one might think, to just move over after passing someone.Also, I'm not sure that I deserved a shut the **** up on that one. It feels like there is a little too much luster on that phrase to waste it on that particular comment.Of course, I do appreciate the quotes, since that takes a little of the sting out.

[brvheart 1,752]

If I am driving fast, and move into the right lane, then I have to move back in to the left lane for the next car I encounter, and then back into the right lane after I pass him... all of these extra lane changes increase the danger involved. If I am going faster than the average traffic I should stay in the left lane even if there is no one currently in the right lane -- because soon there will be. Exactly. Maybe in Canada and Iowa they just don't encounter other drivers very often.

Very true, but I've personally driven in 40+ of the 50 states, and I still disagree with your conclusion. Furthermore, if we look at the link you provided, we will see that the far majority of states (42?) have laws on the books against just driving in the left lane because at some point in the future you may encounter a vehicle, regardless of the vehicles behind you. Remember what the original discussion was about. It's about us coming upon a driver in the left lane. You seem to have changed the topic to you driving on your own through the Nevada desert with no car anywhere in the left lane except for you.I am absolutely wonderful with you driving in the left lane for no reason when no one else is around you for miles.

[vbnautilus 48]

Very true, but I've personally driven in 40+ of the 50 states, and I still disagree with your conclusion. Furthermore, if we look at the link you provided, we will see that the far majority of states (42?) have laws on the books against just driving in the left lane because at some point in the future you may encounter a vehicle, regardless of the vehicles behind you.

Every state says you have to move over if someone wants to go faster than you. Very few say you can only go to the left if you are passing, which was your original claim. You're kind of changing your stance now, which is good because it's becoming more right.

Remember what the original discussion was about. It's about us coming upon a driver in the left lane. You seem to have changed the topic to you driving on your own through the Nevada desert with no car anywhere in the left lane except for you.

Actually, it was about something else (two cars simultaneously switching lanes where the back car overtakes the first in the process), so you were the topic-changer mister. But that's fine, what you said was that it was wrong to drive in the left lane unless you were passing. You got all judgmental about "left lane drivers". I think the real problem is slow left lane drivers.

[CobaltBlue 662]

I generally move over to the right lane unless I'm passing. I've heard that you're more likely to get pulled over in the left lane. (Obviously, there may be more correlation to the fact that you're generally going faster than your left/right location.)

[ShakeZuma 585]

if I'm correct in assuming that what bid dave here is talking about is the construction merge where a lane is closed up ahead and invariably some asshole speeds in the closed lane until the last second trying to pass all the non-satanic child molesters that have already merged into the good lane, then I agree, this person is the worst. every time I'm in this situation, I stay on the lookout for this guy and do everything in my power to stop him. I've actually gotten out into the middle of the road before just to block a person like this. that was fucking satisfying.

I don't know...I also hate people who don't move out of the left lane when someone comes up behind them, clearly wanting the pace to increace. The left lane is for whoever wants to go the fastest. If someone refuses to move for me I'm not against going around them and then slowing them down to prove a point.

see this is correct here. it's not so much that you're driving in the left lane at all times, it's that if you are a driver that drives in the left lane at all times, then you've already proven that you have at least some of the self centered asshole driver genes in you, so you're obviously much more likely to not obey the additional rules of driving that come with driving in the left lane, i.e. getting over in a timely fashion. now guapo did bring up a few of the exceptions to the rule of always driving in the right, i.e. poor road conditions or high traffic that would require lots of weaving in and out, but by and large, the left lane is for passing and the right lane is for driving, and I don't give fuck all about what's on the law books about it, this is god damn common decency.I will say though, that if somebody's a left lane driver but does obey the other rules that go along with it, it's only a mild annoyance to me. just a "oh this guy. what a tool." kind of thing.

I'm just sayin' that I have never been "snaked" in all my life. If there are people coming up behind me on the interstate, obviously exceeding the speed limit by 40, I'm still moving over. Also, if it's a situation where I'm passing a slow moving vehicle, and someone faster comes up behind me, I move over immediately after I finish passing, thereby cutting off any possibility of "snaking" by using the slow vehicle in the right lane as a blocker of sorts.

then you're constantly cutting people off, which is almost as bad as snaking. the situation I'm in most where the snake occurs is at a stop light where the two people in the front lanes take off and the snaker is in the 2nd spot on the left lane, and sneaks in before the left lane person has a reasonable chance to get over. you shouldn't be returning to the right lane unless there's at least 2 car lengths between you and the slow car, but the snaker takes the car to car 1/2 link from you before you have the chance to make the right move. had somebody do it to me recently and if I saw that same truck this morning, I would very likely run him off the road. what a piece of shit.

Anyway, leave 2 minutes early and you will be SO far ahead of where you would have been that any delays will be irrelevant.

oh shut the hell up old man

[SBriand 4]

I think most cities freeways are busier than hohum Iowa. Generally my commute is 3 or 4 lanes. Speed limit on the freeway here is 70. The far left lane is the ONLY lane where you will find anyone going the speed limit. I personally am driving anywhere from 75-85 mph and the nearest right lane is doing 60-65, the next lane is where the idiots are doing 50-55. Now when I went on my roadtrip out west a few years back, yes, I will pass on the left and then get back on the right because for the most part there were no more than 5 cars seen on the road at any time. But for everyday driving in my town, driving in the right lane like a podunk iowan fag I would add 30-45 minutes to my commute. Eff that.Edit: we need a poll

[wsox8 10]

I've been with people on 4 lane rds going south in IL and they were in the left lane the whole time. I can't stand that. The left lane is for passing, god damn. Multiple times I would tell them to stay in the right lane but that obviously didn't last long. Besides that, it didn't make me feel any safer that anytime they laughed at a joke that was told they would swerve a little bit. It was bad.

[iZuma 764]

I think We're getting confused here as to what types of roads the no left lane driving rule applies. the only real time it applies is for 4 lane highways from town to town where the left lane is the only other option to the slower right lane. for inner city freeways with 6 or more lanes, you actually should stay in the left lane if you're going at a decent pace and not approaching your exit. it's the people in the left lane of a 4 lane highway that are the horrible ones.

[SBriand 4]

I've been with people on 4 lane rds going south in IL and they were in the left lane the whole time. I can't stand that. The left lane is for passing, god damn. Multiple times I would tell them to stay in the right lane but that obviously didn't last long. Besides that, it didn't make me feel any safer that anytime they laughed at a joke that was told they would swerve a little bit. It was bad.

Were they going too slow to pass anyone? I don't get it. I am in the left lane at all times on my way to work and no one is passing me. Or the car in front of me. Or the car behind me. Because we are all going at least the speed limit and everyone in the faggot lanes are going under the speed limit.

[wsox8 10]

Were they going too slow to pass anyone? I don't get it. I am in the left lane at all times on my way to work and no one is passing me. Or the car in front of me. Or the car behind me. Because we are all going at least the speed limit and everyone in the faggot lanes are going under the speed limit.

Oh yeah and they weren't using cruise control, which should always be used on long trips with little traffic. I can't remember how fast they were going because it wasn't consistent. Probably avg speed on the road but when you have to worry about many cars having to use the right lane to pass then you know you shouldn't be in the left lane.Back to the joke part they would hit the gas harder and let go when a joke was told. Headache cityI'm talking country area in IL on I-57 and yeah the policy is you stay in the right lane unless you are passing or going so much faster than everyone else that you stay in the left because you'd be switching back and forth so frequently. Most people abide by this rule. not my pic, just a random one showing the road. pretty standard.

[SBriand 4]

Probably avg speed on the road but when you have to worry about many cars having to use the right lane to pass then you know you shouldn't be in the left lane.

Well there it is. People who are in the left lane driving slow cause the issues in the left lane. I drive fast, so the left lane is my lane. I will stay in that lane as long as I am still going faster than the people in the right. I will also move over if there is someone going faster than me in the left. But that is rare. I own the road.

[brvheart 1,752]

I've actually gotten out into the middle of the road before just to block a person like this. that was fucking satisfying.

Dread, if you don't hate this also, then I don't know what to say.ps. Nice job, Shake.

then you're constantly cutting people off, which is almost as bad as snaking.

I never cut anyone off, because my rate of speed is always much higher than the vehicle that I'm passing. Also, I'm very conscientious of things like that.

[wsox8 10]

Well there it is. People who are in the left lane driving slow cause the issues in the left lane. I drive fast, so the left lane is my lane. I will stay in that lane as long as I am still going faster than the people in the right. I will also move over if there is someone going faster than me in the left. But that is rare. I own the road.

Do you use cruise and what's your normal speed and the speed limit?sorry for extra stuff vb. I want more pics!

[SBriand 4]

Do you use cruise and what's your normal speed and the speed limit?sorry for extra stuff vb. I want more pics!

I use cruise on long car free stretches. Better on gas milage because your not fluctuating as much. But I will toot my own horn and say that I can maintain a constant rate of speed with my foot unlike most of the slumps I see driving around me. I hate getting behind someone who fluctuates 10 whole mph up and down for no reason.Speed limit on my everyday commute is 55 and 70. On my way into work I am doing no less than 75 the whole way. Sometimes 80 depending on the traffic. On the way home I rarely get over 25mph.

[brvheart 1,752]

like a podunk iowan fag

Over the line.

[SBriand 4]

Over the line.

Sorry I was driving too fast and couldn't see the line.