Passing on the highway (US)

[chamberpot]

worst are those folks who come along rapidly in the left then hang right on your quarter panel for 5 miles pacing you just out of sight in your mirror

 

[jamiejamie]

I

I'll move in the passing lane as a courtesy. Too folks coming off the ramp.

Yea I do to that too to the middle lane,
Not 3rd left lane.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

worst are those folks who come along rapidly in the left then hang right on your quarter panel for 5 miles pacing you just out of sight in your mirror

I solve that problem: making sure there's nobody directly behind me, I hit the brakes...they dart right by. If they pull the BS again, I wait 10 miles, call 911 and report it as stalking. Only happened once for police involvement...turned out the driver was a coked-up mess, got DUI'd.

The roads are no place for games, exhibition or racing.

 

[Subtlerustle]

Okay. I will add another observation. We’ve all had some guy crawl up your arse even when you’re minding your own business in the right lane, typically in heavier traffic. Why is it always a male in a 3 series BMW? Is it the car of choice for all menaces? Decent car yeah, but why rabid aggression?
The Toronto Star once did an article about men driving German cars and their a-holery.

 

[dogboy]

Most people don't know how to drive. I had two cars I raced on the track and I typically crossed the traps around 130 mph. With all my driving experience, I'm now nervous about driving because of how badly others drive, especially the idiots who like to go 20 or 30 mph over the posted speed limit. Me and my racing buddies had an expression. If you want to speed or race, go to the track and race with people who know what they're doing.

 

[CLeazy928]

Okay. I will add another observation. We’ve all had some guy crawl up your arse even when you’re minding your own business in the right lane, typically in heavier traffic. Why is it always a male in a 3 series BMW? Is it the car of choice for all menaces? Decent car yeah, but why rabid aggression?
The Toronto Star once did an article about men driving German cars and their a-holery.

Lol in my town it's the Audi drivers that fit that description I've had little frustration toward BMWs over the years.

 

[foxkits]

I drove semi 24 years and worked on them for 3 years prior to that 1 stick 2 sticks there are some that are super truckers as I call them.
In the city I drove 5 mph under A driver can see better you being on the left side of his truck except the blind spot. In every state every one drives differently for the around the places they live. Companys cheat drivers and so do shipping receivers and we are used as a revenue stream. Those in Washington think any one can drive. Not so you must have a certain mindset really.

Most trucks are automatic now
So you don't need to know how.
Though you won't know what you're doing until you have driven many years.. I don't want to be out there anymore.

 

[MudPuppy]

I'm not fond of people passing me on the right. But if they do, I reassess why I'm not in the lane they're passing me in.

 

[Nowididit]

In the US, big diesels are forbidden to use the far left lane...unless the highway is 2 lanes in a direction and the big 'un is passing a slower vehicle then returning to the right.

Long ago, on a rural, 3-lane stretch of I-5 one grey afternoon, I was in the left lane in the Nissan, keeping pace with traffic ahead. I'd earlier passed a Canadian big-rig with a 53-foot box on back. A few minutes later, said big-rig was directly behind me, closing in, headlights on; it then charged to within 10 feet of my rear and hit the high beams. I hit my flashers...it flashed its high beams repeatedly.

My reaction was this: with my foot still on the gas, my left foot very lightly held the brake, scrubbing 1/2 mph. This was not a typical brake-check but the big-rig's reaction stunned me: the driver 'dynamited' the brakes! The big-rig shuddered, the high beams went to low, the truck fell back in very-rapid fashion. Then...it moved over to the center lane...and stayed.

Given my very subtle action, that was not the reaction I expected. But it happened. I won't repeat that deed, of course. And that was a one-in-10,000 jerk driver...the vast majority of CDL drivers are intelligent and courteous. Even if by slim margins.

As a trucker myself that is one of the stupidest things you could do. I'm glad you recognized what you did as being utterly dumb and now you obviously know something about the stopping distance with rigs and how a truck and trailer combo react to sudden breaking. I'm guessing since the truck shuddered and shook and the rapid decrease in speed it was empty. That driver probably almost went thru the windshield too. Had that truck been loaded there's a possibility we wouldn't be conversing right now.
I often say this and it's worth repeating. When ppl are getting licensed they should have to spend some time in a big rig, on a training course with a trained qualified driver to see how that vehicle reacts when ppl in cars pull stupid stunts in front of them.
Most ppl don't know this but when there is an accident involving a big rig and a car, 75% of the time the person driving the car had some involvement at causing the accident.

 

[foxkits]

As a trucker myself that is one of the stupidest things you could do. I'm glad you recognized what you did as being utterly dumb and now you obviously know something about the stopping distance with rigs and how a truck and trailer combo react to sudden breaking. I'm guessing since the truck shuddered and shook and the rapid decrease in speed it was empty. That driver probably almost went thru the windshield too. Had that truck been loaded there's a possibility we wouldn't be conversing right now.
I often say this and it's worth repeating. When ppl are getting licensed they should have to spend some time in a big rig, on a training course with a trained qualified driver to see how that vehicle reacts when ppl in cars pull stupid stunts in front of them.
Most ppl don't know this but when there is an accident involving a big rig and a car, 75% of the time the person driving the car had some involvement at causing the accident.

It had to do with road wear at first.
Certain states semi right lane.
Which gets very rutted and bumpy.
Worse for the semi where they would move to the Less bumpy lane.
That's why right lane law.

 

[SnepperStepper]

This used to bother me a lot, then I got some rides with friends and looked out the windows and saw how many people in crossovers are straight-up just texting, face-timing and watching tiktoks while driving on the highways, doing 70 or so. Clearly there's bigger problems these days.

 

[Mehrabad98]

Ohhhhh boy this topic gets me turned on. Cracks knuckles
So as you know I live in California. Luckily not LA, but near SF. People here have AWFUL driving etiquette and it's all because of inconsistencies in everything: the laws, the training drivers get, and differing attitudes in absence of a uniform policy

First off, our speed limit is an abysmal 65 mph (104 km/h) set by out of touch politicians who make it ILLEGAL for CalTrans to raise it beyond 70 mph on highways that really shouldn't even have a speed limit in the first place. People know it's bullshit, cops know it's bullshit, so there's an internal policy in the California Highway Patrol not to ticket people going under 80 mph (130 km/h). Now there's a problem. There are some people who are such goody two shoes that they INSIST that nobody should ever exceed the speed limit, and if you go 66 in a 65 you will go to hell. These people aren't content with sticking to the right lane. They will get into the left lane and make sure you don't DARE drive faster than the number on the sign. "It's a speed LIMIT", they always yap. And unfortunately, because politicians refuse to raise the limit for political reasons, the cops can't ticket them for obstruction. The law in California says that you must move over to let a faster moving vehicle pass, but you are absolved of any responsibility if you are already traveling the speed limit. They deliberately encourage such behavior.

This causes people to pull irresponsible passing maneuvers that put everyone in danger. Is it right to cut through traffic? Hell no. But people will do it if we don't follow a strict "keep right except to pass" attitude. Another issue is in the way our government uses speeding tickets as a hidden tax. I got a speeding ticket back in May 2023, and the cop said he would do me a favor and write me for the cheapest possible speeding violation (15 over, once you get into 16+ over the limit it gets more expensive). That "cheap" ticket was still 234 USD. Luckily I was able to get it dismissed, but if I had been found guilty, I would've been out 234 USD plus another 50 or so dollars for an "administrative fee" to do traffic school so they wouldn't unleash the insurance mafia on me. That's another issue. Not only do the politicians love to use speeding tickets as a way to tax us, the insurance companies love raking us over the coals for it. It's ridiculous that insurance companies in California are allowed to raise our rates for something that doesn't even cost them money.

 

[dogboy]

We have speed limits because most drivers are untrained to drive at the speeds you are suggesting. Having had two cars which I raced on the track, things can go very bad at high speeds like having a tire blow, or a wheel bearing freeze up, etc. Cars are not as well built as one might think and they do fail, especially at high speeds. I've seen many an engine blow on the track. To suggest that there should be no speed limits would be like letting a toddler loose on a motorcycle instead of a three wheel tricycle because mose drivers have toddler brains as they drive and play with their cell phones.

There there's the elderly who suddenly pull into traffic at 5 mph and remain at that speed for the next several miles before they're up to speed, 5 to 10 mph below the speed limit.

Speed limits are set to protect all drivers. Whether they're enforced is another issue. As a young man, I got my share of speeding tickets and having been a race car driver, I still have a heavy foot. That said, I also believe in keeping myself and others safe.

 

[Mehrabad98]

Speed limits may be set with the idea of protecting drivers, but I've analyzed data from various jurisdictions and found no correlation between highway speed limit and road death rate adjusted for population. Then there's Germany where 2/3 of highways don't have a speed limit, and their roads are among the safest in the world. Yes, drivers training plays a huge role in that, but that shouldn't be used as an excuse to not change things. All it says is that we need to train our drivers better. California's road death rate is double that of Utah, but Utah drivers are permitted to go 75 mph or sometimes 80 mph. Montana drivers have the same speed limits as Utah drivers but their death rate is insanely high, which suggests that other factors are at play.
I don't think I should lose my license for going 110 mph in a 7 year old sports sedan on a straight, empty highway that was recently repaved. Someone should lose their license for weaving in and out of moderately flowing traffic, even if they're 20 under the limit.

 

[Kirisin]

Ok so as a professional driver it isn't illegal to pass on the right. However the problem isn't passing on the right as much as what I call MIDDLE LANE HOGS. The rule is and will always be slower traffic keep right. The idea with using the middle and left lanes is it's less lane changes less likely to side swipe. Using the right lane means dealing with entering and exiting traffic. What that does unfortunately is it forces faster traffic to pass on the right. The biggest culprit are semi trucks unfortunately my trade. We have stickers on the back and side of trucks asking that you not pass on the right yet they force you to do exactly that. A good rule of thumb is left side safe side right side suicide. For Those reading this please keep right don't force faster traffic to pass you on the right. I however have proved I can stay in the right lane and never leave it staying at a steady pass and never impeding traffic continuesly passing MIDDLE LANE HOGS. what it proves is you do not need to use the middle lane to drive safely in the right lane.

 

[Tommy10]

In the US, big diesels are forbidden to use the far left lane..

Respectfully, you're wrong. By your logic, a gas-engine semi could use the left lane. There's no federal law that prohibits lane use based on fuel type. For that matter, laws relevant to lane usage are written at the state or occasionally the local level, not the federal and thus your nationwide notion is false.

Oh, I forgot: any vehicle towing a trailer is under the same law about left-lanes as big-rigs.

Where? I can tell you where that isn't the law, which is everywhere in the US I've ever driven. I'm not trying to burn you, but based on your diesel truck comment, I have my doubts when it comes to your accuracy, and I honestly find them funny.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

Well, I'm sorry I'm not Perry Mason enough.

 

[Tommy10]

Well, I'm sorry I'm not Perry Mason enough

I'm not a lawyer either, I just use facts.

 

[CptKirk]

The IDIOCRACY of some of the things I've seen on the highway blow the "passing on the right" issue COMPLETELY out of the water! I will weigh in on the issue though. I was taught that passing on the right, ESPECIALLY on "open access" roadways (roads with multiple intersections, usually like the main "4 lane highway" that is every town's "Main Street". I once had a GAPING ASSHOLE wind up getting airborne (not by much) as he tried to pass me on the right as I was in the right lane with my right turn signal on. Sounds incredible, but it gets worse. As fate would have it, there were THREE police cruisers sitting in the parking lot on the left side of the road I was turning onto. I lived no more than 1/4 mile away. Anyway, as I slow down to turn off of the road onto the side road that connects to the road I live on not far away I see headlights GLARING right at me, higher than they should have been. I had a TINY Toyota Starlet. I bought the car the year before as my first year in technical college was BRUTAL to me as my only car was my 442. NOT EXACTLY a commute friendly vehicle. I usually spent more per week on gas alone than I made from my job! THANK GOD I was at one time a very gifted billiards player (straight pool is my game but do to all of the damage to my spine I can not longer consistently stay in a proper stance, and my game reflects this! I'm nowhere near what I once was with a cue in my hands.) If not for winning just shy of 20 tournaments that year and finishing in the money the majority of the time, I wouldn't had been able to get to college! Anyway this car hits me and drives me more than 40' sideways, stopping INCHES from impacting one of the police cars! My passenger got thrown into me, my radio cut the shit out of my right arm as it broke free from the dash and ripped across the back of my right arm. My passenger side rear quarterpanel was pushed in more than 10" but thankfully, because this moron launched off of a sidewalk, he hit my car a good foot higher than he would had if he wasn't "airborne". That saved the car as the chassis was intact. This moron SWORE I had my left turn signal on, despite all 3 cops stating they clearly saw my right turn signal on! Of course he had no car insurance either! That's happened to me 5x so far, getting hit by uninsured drivers! I swear I have a nuclear powered electromagnetic ASSHOLE magnet somewhere in my body as they certainly are attracted to me and have been, all of my life!

Being from Pennsylvania, less than an hour to either NJ or NY, I always felt that NJ drivers were the downright WORST drivers on Earth while NY drivers were the most ignorant and usually hung out in the left lane, at the speed limit and NEVER would move over for faster traffic, FORCING a pass on the right or in once instance, going into the wrong lane into head on traffic (I had plenty of time and space) to do so as this asshole "blocked me" as soon as I flashed my high beams the 2nd time by getting alongside of a tractor trailer and slowing down to match the speed of the truck. When the finger came out the window I said "fuck-it" and as soon as I saw the opportunity, I passed him by going into the wrong lane. Having a big-block has MANY advantages and in this instance it was that despite him hammering his V8 powered Crown Vic, he stood zero chance of being able to keep up with the acceleration of my beast! NJ drivers are scary as they seemingly don't know what turn signals are or what they're used for. I saw one guy cause a massive pileup just outside of Philly as he INSTANTLY, without signaling or giving anyone a chance to react, swept across 4 other lanes (5 lane highway, he was in far left lane) as he swung his car HARD to the left, clipping the rear quarter of a station wagon (remember those?!) which sent that car spinning. I managed to not hit anything but did get "rapped quite hard" on the rear bumper, but no damage was done to my car. The guy behind me was driven into me as whoever was behind him either wasn't paying any attention or (unlikely) couldn't see ahead. The guy who caused the accident tried telling the cops he had signaled. Too bad for him so many vehicles were involved who were all behind him witnessed his attempt to jump off of an exit no more than 100-150 yards away by sweeping right across the 4 other lanes!

Then I went to work with my best friend in Tn. IF you want a REAL ADVENTURE, get on I-40 or I-65 near Nashville where it's as many as 6 lanes wide, EVERYONE running between 80-95+ mph with a high percentage of those driving texting or even playing fucking games ON THEIR PHONE, paying zero attention to the road the majority of the time! Seeing a fatality accident that I saw coming and slowed way down (which kept me out of the massive pile-up) when I saw a woman blow by like I was standing still, driving with her elbows as she tapped away on her phone! Ever since that day, I installed a dash cam in every damn vehicle my best friend owned for his business as well as both of our personal vehicles. Not a week after I installed a dash cam in his Ridgeline he was HAMMERED by a moron who blew through a red light. Of course every single person in that vehicle SWORE they had the green. My best friend was hospitalized for almost a week and the police were going to charge them until I reminded him he had a dash cam that would have the video on it. Clear as day, he had a green light. The other guy later admitted to trying to get his cell phone off of the floor after it fell out of his hands.

I don't have the time to get into seeing total pieces of shit that OBVIOUSLY are not SAFE driving 10-25 over the speed limit down there. Tn has no state safety inspections and only counties with a high enough population have emissions testing. The shit-boxes I saw flying by me on multiple donut spare tires, one with the R/F strut rod sticking through the hood with the R/F wheel VIOLENTLY oscillating in every direction imaginable blow by me while I was running with traffic (85 mph) left me stunned.....ESPECIALLY after he passed a TN State Trooper who must had been enroute to someplace as he took the very next exit. I can't imagine there's ANY other possibility of WHY that cop would not pull that shitbox over and have it towed for being completely unsafe, let alone at the 90+ mph this idiot was driving! I saw a LOT of that down there, things you won't see in Pa, especially if there's a State Trooper around to witness this shit. I have no clue what it is with guys (must be trying to make up for having tiny little schlongs) with radically lifted trucks that have tires that stick out 4-8" past the body. In Pa, I flunked a lot of trucks like this for the tires exceeding the body panels by more than the 1" allowed by the Pa State Vehicle Code. Besides the obvious damage those tires/wheels would do to your vehicle should they contact it, when it is raining, you MUST back off until you're far enough behind these ASSHOLES so you are out of range of the "roost" of water their tires are throwing 30-40' into the air! You literally can't see SHIT if you're even slightly behind these dickheads! I had one I tried to pass who had one hell of a hot-rodded Diesel with a massive turbo as he was able to accelerate much faster than the Tacoma I was driving. He intentionally forced me to stay WAY behind him (with everyone else) until the Interstate went from 3 lanes to 5, 20-is miles outside of Nashville. It seems like every single time it rained while I was on the road down there (almost all of '19) I wound up behind one of the ignorant, moronic pricks! Anyone who's witnessed the complete lack of visibility from the roost of water and debris thrown high into the sky knows how dangerous this is and those who don't should pray they never see it. IT IS THAT BAD!

Oh well. Done with my rant. I have a bunch of work I need to get done!

Take care!

CptKirk

 

[BabyHailey1977]

A few years ago I was behind a car that was camped out in the left lane. I switched into the center lane and may have switched back over a little too close in front of him lol. Anyway, he switched to the center lane and flashed a badge and told me to pull over. I did and he walked to my window and started yelling at me. He was in plain clothes, in his personal car, out of his jurisdiction, and off duty. He threatened to call a state trooper so I politely took his picture, agreed that it may be a good suggestion to call the troopers. That way I could report being illegally pulled over, harassed by an off duty and out of jurisdiction police officer. Then I reminded him that as a police officer, he should be upholding the traffic codes of the area he is traveling in…..and basically, get out of the left lane.

He shot me an angry look and walked back to his car. I got out, followed him and took a picture of his car, and his badge. I sent the pictures and a detailed description of what happened to his department and about a month later received a letter of apology from him and his supervisor.