Journal Xerithane's Journal: The Revised Driving Laws, Revision 1.0 22
This journal is inspired by being cut off 3 times in no less than 200 meters. Twice by the same car, causing me to almost get rear-ended by a semi-truck. If you live in Portland, and are the driver of a Yellow early-nineties Jeep Wrangler with a black soft top, if I ever see you again I am going to let the air out of your tires as a message to you.
These laws shall pertain to freeway driving. A freeway is to be defined as a multi-lane (2+) high speed traffic thorough way with controlled exits and on-ramps. This is also largely US-centric, as I live here, and these Oregon and Washington drivers piss me off.
Regardless of how many lanes available, here is the golden rule: The far left lane is for passing purposes only. This means that if you are not actively passing, or will pass within the next 10 seconds, another vehicle, get your ass out of that lane. Move over. Seriously. You aren't passing fast enough for your speed difference over the other slack-jawed yokels to make a significant difference in your arrival time.
Second golden rule: While it is called a Speed Limit, it is the speed in which you are expected and should travel at. This means one simple thing: If you cannot drive safely at the posted speed limit, do not travel by means of the freeway. If your grandma cannot drive safely at all, it is your duty to keep her from driving. Do not give out that "It'll be awkward and she won't listen to me" reason. I don't want to hear it. That is like saying it's ok to bring a rabid dog to a childrens petting zoo, because if you don't he'll be cranky.
Keep your bad drivers at home. Keep your drivers that cannot properly drive within the expected normalities of the road at home. You aren't doing anybody any favors by keeping your mouth shut. In fact, you are risking lives. Probably your dear grandmothers. So go break her hip so she can't drive anymore, and do the neighborly thing.
Back to the speed limit. Lets define the speed limit as S, and under no circumstances if you are traveling at a rate of S do you belong in the left most lane. If it is a 3 or more laned freeway, the far right lane is for merging purposes only. After you have successfully merged, match traffic in the next leftmost lane and change into that lane. Leave the right lane for those merging and exiting the freeway.
An example:
|1|2|3|
1 - This is the passing lane. Any other usage should get you kicked in the jimmy. If you have no jimmy, please get off the freeway and ask for directions.
2 - This is the cruising lane. Your following distance should be between 6 - 8 seconds. No more, no less. If there is a car ahead of you with a larger distance (say, up to 30 seconds) it is your responsibility to close the gap so there is an even flow of traffic. Ensure those merging from lane 3 have the room by increasing the gap between yourself and the car in front.
3 - This is the merging lane. You should be in this lane no sooner than 300 meters, or approximately 1/4 mile before your intended exit, nor should you drive in this lane for more than 1/4 mile (or 300 meters) after entering the freeway. If you cannot succesfully change lanes within 1/4 mile, than see the point about your grandmother.
If there are more than 3 lanes, keep the rule of the furthest lanes and look at it as the center lanes being defined as different speeds:
|1|2|3|4|
1 & 4: Same thing.
3: Traffic in this lane should be flowing at a minimum of the speed limit. End of story.
2: Traffic in this lane should be flowing at a steady rate of S +
You are not the only asshole on the road. Get over yourself. Do not weigh your comfort over everybody elses. If you like driving in the left hand lane, get the fuck off the freeway. Seriously. You are a safety hazard, because people like me are going to pass you by cutting into the center lane. This requires anybody trying to merge to merge around me, when I just want to travel at a constant rate that is above the speed limit. A speed limit in which you are intent upon traveling, making everyone else on the road inconvenienced because you need some false sense of security.
Another sign you need to get out of the left lane: You get passed. If you ever get passed while driving in the left lane, move.
As I was driving this morning, I come up on this cock-jockey going the speed limit in the left hand lane and a semi-truck in the center lane. I expect him to move over after he passes the semi-truck, but that would have been foolish thinking, as the semi-truck passed him. Now, the lane is completely wide open except for a mini-van in the process of exiting the freeway. Mini-van exits, the recently-aquainted-with-the-gas-pedal mentally disfunctional jackass remains in the lane at which point I go to pass him. The best part, he flips me off when I hit the gas right next to him and switch back over to pass the semi-truck.
It really makes me wish I could just freeze time, go to his car and promptly remove some vital part... like the carbuerator or something, then get back in my car, unfreeze time and do the world a good deed.
Addendum (Score:2)
- end up in the far right-hand lane, or
- are not being passed on the right.
If, after you've performed the aforementioned procedure AND you are are in the right lane, the following applies to you: if the gap between you and the car in front of you is three times larger than the gap between you and the car behind you, and you are going slower than the speed limit, GET OFF THE FREEWAY. NOW.55 mph speed limit causes this crap (Score:2)
One of the Car and Driver editors is always railing against it, I like his theory. On the Autobahn you don't have these kind of problems, because people pay attention. They know if they make one mistake at 100 mph they are dead, so they pay attention and don't make mistakes and they maintain their cars.
Another thing, I'm not rabidly anti-cell phone while driving. But if you are talking on the phone (or putting on make-up) get the hell out of the left lane.
vote for me!!! (Score:1)
Tell me whatcha think. I like your ideas, we could discuss a co-captaincy of the position.
I'll have my people contact your people.
Re:vote for me!!! (Score:2)
Do you have a link? There are quite a few JEs dealing with the new Government
Tell me whatcha think. I like your ideas, we could discuss a co-captaincy of the position.
I would take a very strict approach towards driving. Similar to what they have in Japan.
You pay for an intense drivers education school, minimum of $2K. If you can't afford it, take the bus. If you can't pay $2K, you can't afford a safe and reliable vehicle, therefor you are a hazard to the other drivers. Take the bus.
Now, in Japan they also have Green and Silver stickers. It's your first year driving, you get a green sticker. It's prominently displayed, don't like it? Tough shit. You are old, you get a silver sticker. Also, if you get too many complaints, and this is another idea, you are first unable to drive alone (Lets call it a gold sticker... someone driving alone in a gold stickered car, instant revokation of driving privledges) then you are unable to drive except for short distances on limited streets.
Driving a vehicle is not an intrinsic right to your existence. It is a privledge. Municipal transit is a right, and if you don't like it, tough shit -- go move to Australia or something.
Now, what happens with the profits from the driving school and such? Municipal transit. I want long distance commuter trains. Portland to Seattle. San Francisco to LA. Miami to
I'll have my people contact your people.
Old quote, long story behind it, but everytime I hear this it pops back in my head:
Yes, and I know they're called dwarves now.
Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:2)
Once upon a time the speed limit was truly the fastest people went on a road, and the right lanes of multi-lane roads were expected to travel several degrees slower than the speed limit. But things have changed.
Few people now drive old cars. Most new cars are capable of exceeding one hundred miles per hour. most mid-size sedans can do 130 (depending on chip), and sports cars are usually topped out by their chip long before they run out of power. Speed limits are implemented to ensure the safety of all vehicles on the road, and so are set to the standard of the older, slower, "more dangerous" cars. This is one part of the problem, as newer, more capable cars are being held to standards they aren't made to cope with.
Speed limits are also reasonable averages for all times of day and night as well as weather conditions. While the road and the cars on it all may be fully capable of handling traffic 5, 10, perhaps even 15 miles an hour faster, the speed is limited by the potential for poor weather. To supplement the fact that some roads call for faster travel than a single speed allows, some roads are blessed with "Emergency Speed Limit" signs, flashing in bad weather.
What I think we need is an electronic speed limit system, with the speed updating due to weather and (possibly) traffic conditions. The implementation and maintenance of such a system would be a nightmare, but the positive benefits of setting an appropriate speed limit would be immense, in my opinion.
Alright, off the soap box for me.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:2, Interesting)
In France and Luxembourg, the speed limit is variable anyway: by law, on freeways you drive max 130kmh by clear weather and 110kmh by rainy weather.
On top of that, I disagree with Xerithane that it is the speed you have to drive at. It really is a limit. Trucks here are allowed 90kmh on freeways limited 130kmh. If I want to drive 90kmh, I can and will do so, but I will stay in the right-hand lane. It's that simple. I have done this before, on my way back from Antwerp: gas tank nearly empty and to save gas until I get into Luxembourg I just get off the pedal and drive 90kmh to save gas. You would do that to if you knew the price difference in gas between Luxemburg and Belgium.
I do agree however, that people should keep the left lane free as much as possible. That is right. What I hate most, is when on a 3 lane freeway someone drives in the middle lane when there is no traffic. Usually I tailgate them, and they get the message. For the record, in Europe you are not allowed to pass a car at the right side, you need to pass at the left side. This makes things way easier. I drive in the right lane most of the time.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:2)
Back to reality. Many young drivers lack the experience of poor road conditions. New car owners lack the experience of their vehicle's handling. Speeders lack patience. Bad drivers lack... something, clearly. Between all of the variables like these on the road, many people (myself included, on occassion) don't have the ability to accurately judge an appropriate speed for driving conditions.
Again, maybe it's just my annoyed view, or perhaps my location.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:2)
You are pretty correct in this. I speed, but it's not due to lack of patience, it's mostly because I enjoy driving and enjoy driving fast. It's just a more pleasurable experience when I'm driving faster than what is considered normal. I argue that I am perfectly safe doing so, in that I have much experience doing it
Having said that, when the weather turns bad, I don't speed. When there are distractions in the car, or undesireable road conditions... Because you nailed it -- to many people don't know how to judge the appropriate speed they should be traveling at. Either too slow, or too fast, both can be a danger.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
- Many young drivers lack the experience of poor road conditions -- That's very true *but* this should be stressed at driving school! Heck, I did my first attempt for my driving lisence in the winter and failed admirably.
-
New car owners lack the experience of their vehicle's handling. -- Right, and most new car owners drive carefully the first 6 months. That's what I did when I got my TT. It is just after 2 years of having it that I actually started to dare to park it in reverse. (Works fine now -- but visibility is shit... really)
- Speeders lack patience. -- As someone who drives 240kmh once in a while, it's not patience. It's the adrenalin kick. Oh, and actually, speed is boring. Accelleration: that's fun. (Next step: Motorcycles!)
While it is right that most people (including myself) lack the ability to decide a "good" driving speed, one should try to drive always a bit slower than you think you can. That way, you're safe. The rule in driving is simple: "Better underestimate yourself than overestimate yourself".Here in Luxembourg they extended driving school. If you have driven for 6 months, you *have* to do a safety driving school (you know, where you are put in hazardous situations) with *your own car*. If you don't do that, you lose your license.
On top of that: experience is gathered by making mistakes. I have two nice carwrecks as a proof of that. That's also the reason why you don't give an BMW M5 to a 18year old (Yup, I have seen that...)
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:2)
You realize that you just asked Americans to act with a sense of accountability and responsibility for their own actions? The land of the sheep, where you have to put warning labels on bleach to keep people from drinking it!
On top of that, I disagree with Xerithane that it is the speed you have to drive at. It really is a limit. Trucks here are allowed 90kmh on freeways limited 130kmh. If I want to drive 90kmh, I can and will do so, but I will stay in the right-hand lane. It's that simple. I have done this before, on my way back from Antwerp: gas tank nearly empty and to save gas until I get into Luxembourg I just get off the pedal and drive 90kmh to save gas. You would do that to if you knew the price difference in gas between Luxemburg and Belgium.
The difference is over here, the speed "limit" is a nice and bland 88kmh. This is on any freeway that is near city limits. I could understand a limit of 130kmh, and that's reasonable as a limit. 88kmh is not a limit, it's an absurd rate of travel that anybody except for your 98 year old grandmother should be able to exceed safely.
They tried to abolish it in Oregon, the vote one but the Traffic Safety board threatened to all walk if they raised the speed limit to ~105kmh. The rest of the country is at least 105kmh (65mph) and handles it just fine. Only in our hippie infested state does it seem to be a problem.
This is also the place where people cannot merge. I mean this literally, they are unable to merge. People will come to a near stop on the freeways in attempts to merge. Often.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
Yes, I do realise that. Perhaps I still have some hope in that bunch of irresponsible kids you are at the other side of the ocean. I don't get how that your educational system (heck, parents!) don't raise their kids that freedom comes with responsibility. Since you guys claim to be "the land of the free", that's a lot of responsibility. ;-)
BUT, I still have hope in you guys. I have seen americans with common sense. Okay, you have set my hopes a bit back since you elected that monkey as president, but I still have hope
I do realise that the 55Mph/65Mph is pretty slow. No worries, I have driven on your roads. As a matter of fact, many of your roads seem to be *normal* roads which are limited at 55Mph. That's the same as here: 90Kmh for normal road. (Definition normal road: one lane in each direction, no seperation). On the freeway that limitation does not make sense.
Actually, here in Luxembourg it used to be 120kmh on the freeway but they raised it for clear weather (and lowered it for bad weather).
Finally, merging: well, what I noticed in the US is that you guys seem to need a sea of space for everything you do in your cars. (Okay, I know many cars are bigger). I'm not really sure if I'd like to see an American driving in a dense European traffic. He'll probably go beserk from all the stress he'll feel. (Read: driving in the US is *RELAX* for a European, and I drove through San Fransisco in peak hours).
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:2)
I know a parent who lets his son run around with scissors because if he tries to take them away his son will cry, and he doesn't want to listen to him cry. These are not uncommon parents, and there is nothing I can do... it's no wonder what is wrong with America.
I do realise that the 55Mph/65Mph is pretty slow. No worries, I have driven on your roads. As a matter of fact, many of your roads seem to be *normal* roads which are limited at 55Mph. That's the same as here: 90Kmh for normal road. (Definition normal road: one lane in each direction, no seperation). On the freeway that limitation does not make sense.
I'm talking 2-3 lane in each direction, actual freeway being a standard 55mph through Oregon. California it's better, and a nice 65mph that nobody abides by anyway. Outside of the city it's 70mph+. California is nice to drive in, the people drive quickly, for the most part safely (unless they are in traffic, then they tend to rear-end people)
Finally, merging: well, what I noticed in the US is that you guys seem to need a sea of space for everything you do in your cars. (Okay, I know many cars are bigger). I'm not really sure if I'd like to see an American driving in a dense European traffic. He'll probably go beserk from all the stress he'll feel. (Read: driving in the US is *RELAX* for a European, and I drove through San Fransisco in peak hours).
Oregon is the epitome for all this. Seriously, it's ghastly. Most Americans could never drive anywhere in Europe. If they tried, European roads would halt for a while, as the effect of the stupidity would trickle down choking every major thoroughway.
Most American drivers get extremely nervous driving in a space that has less than a foot on each side (1/3 meter or so) of the vehicle. Their comfortable range is having a good meter on each side...
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
Well sure if there is no traffic, they should move to the right lane, but that is not a reason to tailgate them. It is highly dangerous to do that, even with no other traffic. I've seen babies killed just because people tailgated eachother at 3am in the night on a straight highway with good weather conditions and lighting.
I also get on my nerves from people who see that there just is no way they're gonna go faster if they pass me, and still tailgate me or start flashing headlights. Then I just gradually start to drive slower, leaving even more room before me, untill they get the message and back off.
However.. french people have a tradition to keep driving left when there's no other taffic on the right lane, and that's hugely irritating
I usually keep more distance then most other drivers.. usually you tend to see that people start following your driving rithm, once they figured it out. Yes I drive fast, but yes I try to drive safely when in proximity of others. Ah well.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
Now you might say that tailgating is reckless driving and hence against the law. Yes, however I leave much more space than 3cm. Heck, I'm not going to risk my car on an idiot who forgot basic lessons from driving school.
You might also want to know that I *never* flash with my headlights to get passed. If I'm on the left lane and someone is slower than me ahead of me I respect that. I am one of the few people that don't curse on trucks that pass, because I understand the pressure schedules that they have. My point is: never pressure someone to drive faster. I don't do that, but keeping in the correct lane is a completely different matter. I actually prefer people that stay on the left lane to those that monopolise the middle lane. Left lane drivers are usually way faster and keep up with traffic flow. People driving in the middle are there because they're scared to drive faster on the left line, and think the right lane is just for trucks. (Or they're scared from trucks...even if there is none in sight)
Oh, and I keep more distance than most people because I have one bad eye and have lots of difficulties estimating distances. That has the very annoying effect that often peoplpe jump into the gap I leave before me. That's highly irritating, but I understand them. They can estimate distances....
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
Hmm I wasn't specifically picking on you or anything, I just hate tailgating
Ah anyway.. as long as things happen safely.. I haven't had one single accident for the time that I've been driving..(still touching wood though) I think that says something about luck, but also about defensive driving, which is what I'm pretty good at, even if I sometimes drive too fast.. but you don't allways control all the parameters..
It is typical that most people tend to think they are good drivers, but think everybody else sucks.. strange , no ?
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
No, if there is one thing I can say is that I'm a bad driver.
There are some things I just don't like with other drivers: flashing lights is one, and driving in the middle lane another one. Just as you don't like people tailgating you.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
Sometimes I'm doing 120 km/h on the left or middle line. Why? Cause I simply _forget_ that I'm driving a car. That's just me. I end up there doing 160, and 5 minutes later I'm there doing 120 thinking about all aspects of life.
And on flashing your headlights, never forget, people cannot take a hint. You need to use, what I call 'boertigheid' in Dutch to get them to understand something. So, I love doing that, certainly to the Mercedes that did that to me 10 seconds before
Yes, I need to grow up.
Yes, I'm a terrible driver, I _hate_ it.
Re:Speed Limit: Good Thought, Bad Execution (Score:1)
Okay, please warn me beforehand when you hit the road so I can stay safely at home. I have known another person who actually told me that driving a car makes her sleepy. Scary!
For the record, you don't need to flash your headlights to let people back away. I have these nice Xenon headlights, and I just turn them on during the daylight. Most people go aside immediately if they see my car driving at 180kmh in the left lane. From time to time I have an arrogant BMW driver (usually those that drive diesels, I have no idea why) that wouldn't let me pass.
Of course there was this one instance that a Opel Speedster showed *me* his rear and I was unable to catch up. Fast little buggers, those speedsters.
Revenge (Score:1)
Personally I take the "revenge is best" option. If I'm in no particular hurry, I'll drop back behind the arse that cuts me up and follow them to their destination.
I take a note of the date, their address, description of the vehicle and number plate. Then I come back at least a month later and push a sharpened screwdriver into at least two tyres on the vehicle.
The way I see it, it will keep them off the road for a while, it will make the world a little safer as a whole (even if only in a small way), and I get to feel a little better.
My next plan is to make a 3 foot by 1.5 foot stencil saying something like "CAUTION I DRIVE LIKE AN ARSE!". Then just go and spray paint over it onto an arsehole driver's car with a nice yellow or red paint (dependant upon vehicle colour).
Benefits:
I have been considering starting up a web site where people can publish the details of arse drivers and put a reward in escrow for teaching the driver "a lesson".
Then when another user has uploaded pictures of the resultant "lesson", the cash is released from escrow to the final user. The important bit is that everyone remains anonymous. This way people who are not activists can still influence a bad driver's behaviour.
I guess this idea would apply to other things too. All sorts of anarchy could ensue
Of course there are down sides to this idea:
I think I may officially be an angry young man
BTW, You have mixed up left and right, oh no my mistake' you're in one of the colonies somewhere aren't you
Re:Revenge (Score:2)
I like the idea, but you could make it much more legal if it were a washable wax or something. If it didn't leave damage, they would get the idea and quite probably take their vehicle to a carwash. At least in the US, most people are far to lazy to wash their own cars (Pot, meet kettle... I never wash my car myself)
I think I may officially be an angry young man
I think you are definitely deserve that status
I think I may officially be an angry young man
BTW, You have mixed up left and right, oh no my mistake' you're in one of the colonies somewhere aren't you
I stated that it was US-based. The only other country that I could imagine living in now is Japan, which are backwards as well... Oh well.
It's raining in San Diego. (Score:1)
Tuesday night, at 'round 5:30pm (almost full-on dark), I went to my Stained Glass class from work. I drove on 3 freeways to get there, and as usual, 99% of the people trying to get home were driving a comfortable 25mph on the freeway (at least we were moving!). There was, however, one a-hole in a sports car going 80, weaving in and out of lanes, tailgating, and cutting people off. I wished that he would've come across a particularly slick part of road and smashed into a guard rail. Alas, it didn't happen; he continued to drive like an ass for as long as I saw him.
You'd think that with 5-lane freeways that traffic wouldn't come to an absolute stop during 'rush hour'... but you'd be wrong. Partly because no one knows how to merge. It's a competition to see who can let fewer people in, I think.
And there's always at least one car in the thoroughly wrong lane. Whether it's the guy in the far right (slow) lane going 80, or the old lady in the far left (fast) lane going 45, there's always someone. I'm trying to learn to use some restraint and pass legally (on the left) instead of doing what tons of other drivers do with total disregard to whether the lane to the left of the offender is open, passing on the right.
Sigh. You know what they say, though. "It never rains in California... it pours, man it pours."
Bleh. We need the rain; I just wish that there were some excuse to not have to go out in it with all of the a-hole drivers.
Re:It's raining in San Diego. (Score:2)
Coming from the bay area, I appreciate drivers who for the most part understand the philosophy of driving. The only thing is if they feel they are going fast enough in the left lane they will not move over. This could be 65 or it could be 70, nevermind that everyone behind them wants to go 75-80. Most of the people there know how to merge. I've never driven down in San Diego, but now I don't think I want to.