Bad Drivers

In article >,
Dave LaCourse > writes:
>
> In other words they are saying, "I will select your speed limit."
> Never escalate. Never impede. If I am traveling in the fast lane, it
> is because I am passing someone, or I am in a line of traffic. When I
> pass someone, I pull into the right (or center) lane, especially if
> there is someone behind me. He wants to go faster -- who am I to deny
> him? Left lane bandits are more dangerous than speeders - not as
> dangerous as tailgaters, but right up there with causes for accidents.

I drive south on Rt. 95 from NH to MA every morning. The 3rd lane
of 4 is filled with clueless dopes going 55-60, sometimes even less,
who aren't passing anyone, they're just forcing others to clog up
the 4th lane. 90% of these people are from Maine, where their own
Maine Turnpike has signs to keep right. I use headlights, horn
and/or quick French-style lane returns after passing in an effort
to get them to see they're in the wrong lane. 1 in an 50 will move
over.

It's our own home-grown problem and here's an example. A couple
months ago, I pick up my son from driver's ed class. Next to me
is a guy apparently picking up his son. The son hops in the SUV,
neither one is buckled up. The dog is on the the driver's lap.
Leaving, no turn signals are used and he just whips through a
stop sign. Good example Dad! And I see cops breaking common rules
almost daily. How the hell is the average Joe supposed to drive
well?

I've driven in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland and
all over the US. We just suck when it comes to driving. I think
a lot of it is the "it's a free country, I'll do what I want"
attitude. The rest is just ignorance of what's going on around
them. Very lame.

Glad I didn't get started about cell phones....

--
- Kyle

Left lane cruising is epidemic here in Louisiana-- it should be a capital
offense, IMHO...
I often dream of the traffic laws here changing to favor the German standard
where rear-ended collisions in the left lane of the expressway are the
person in front's fault for not getting out of the damn way!


"Dave LaCourse" > wrote in message
...
> While I am home safely from a 724 mile trip to a wedding south of
> Roanoke, Virginia, I remained amazed at the terrible driving habits of
> people from Virginia and Connecticut.
>
> We drove the RS6 down on Thursday with Biblical rain storms all the
> way. Cow ****in' on a flat rock? Try the entire herd! Traffic was
> light, so things went fairly well. But, coming home on
> Sunday.........
>
> It was impossible to move most Virginia drivers from the fast lane. A
> hand-held nuclear device would not have helped. One woman in a Saturn
> insisted on staying in the fast lane while driving 62 mph. She had
> traffic backed up for 200 yards in both lanes. I finally managed to
> pass her (after about ten other cars/semis did) on the right side.
> I'm sure she felt that she was not breaking any laws, but by not
> staying to the right, she was.
>
> She wasn't the only one. It was like a swarm of left lane bandits
> came out of the Virginia hills and took up station in the left lane
> driving below the speed limit. When a trailer truck passes you going
> up hill, you have *got* to see the error of your ways. But no, not
> those Virginia drivers. Lane discipline means nothing to them. And
> where the hell are the cops? These drivers are holding up traffic.
> The worst place you want to be while driving is in a large pod of
> moving cars/trucks. Get the hell out of the way and let the traffic
> find its rhythm. The left lane hogs are far more dangerous by holding
> up traffic than someone speeding 10 or 15 mpy over the speed limit.
>
> And Connecticut! Same thing, only bigger yuppie style cars, and you
> have to contend with left lane exits. Who is the brilliant traffic
> engineer to dreamed that one up?
>
> Anyway, rant mode off. Flame suit on.
>
> Dave
> RS6
>
>
>

The message >
from (Kyle Tucker) contains these words:

> And I see cops breaking common rules
> almost daily. How the hell is the average Joe supposed to drive
> well?

We get that here, too. A local copper was nicked recently for doing
nearly 60mph in a 30mph zone and 159mph in a 70mph zone. Worse, he got
off.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...9/nspeed19.xml

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 16:49:39 +0000 (UTC), (Kyle
Tucker) wrote:

>Glad I didn't get started about cell phones....


d;o) Yes. Let us not venture into that hornet's nest.

Son's taking driver's ed, eh? Do him and his mom a favor and enroll
him in the Stevens Advanced Driver Training, aka Skid School. Their
site is www.msada.org. School is half day, typically 16 students
with four new Volvos. Cost is $300, with Mass Auto Dealers Assoc.
picking up $150.

They emphasize abs braking (and non-abs braking to those who want it),
car handling (starting with proper seating and hands positions),
emergency reaction, tailgating, and the dangers of backing-up. Great
school. I used to work for Stevens when he taught cops (VT, Md, MA)
and if I sponsor a kid, he will use me as a demonstrations driver for
the kids' parents.

Dave

In message <EdSBe.37971$up5.37529@lakeread02>
"Jay Jones" > wrote:

> Left lane cruising is epidemic here in Louisiana

.... whereas right lane cruising causes us a problem in the UK.

I wonder what would happen if we sent all our right lane cruisers over
to you and you sent your left lane cruisers here?

--
Peter Bell (Note Spamtrap - To reply, replace 'invalid' with 'bellfamily')

In article >,
Dave LaCourse > writes:
>
> Son's taking driver's ed, eh? Do him and his mom a favor and enroll
> him in the Stevens Advanced Driver Training, aka Skid School. Their
> site is www.msada.org. School is half day, typically 16 students
> with four new Volvos. Cost is $300, with Mass Auto Dealers Assoc.
> picking up $150.

Well he's had his license for a few months now, but we are real
ball-busters about driving correctly *and* wearing seatbelts.
I read about this course in the Globe's Automobile section one
week. According to the website's schedule notes, it's only open
to residents of certain Massachusetts towns listed, depending on
which session.

--
- Kyle

The message >
from Dave LaCourse > contains these words:

> >Glad I didn't get started about cell phones....


> d;o) Yes. Let us not venture into that hornet's nest.

http://www.newscientist.com/article....mg18725083.200

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:47:30 +0000 (UTC), (Kyle
Tucker) wrote:

>it's only open
>to residents of certain Massachusetts towns listed, depending on
>which session.

Anyone in Massachusetts may attend. The towns listed are *where* the
school will be taught on those days. I usually use Devens (the old
airfield runways) when I sponsor a kid. I've sponsored about 4 or 5
this year so far. You can choose which site you want, i.e., Ayer
(Devens), Bedford, West Springfield, etc.

It sounds like you are giving him what he needs, but believe me, he
will benefit greatly from all the exercises in Stevens' school. And,
he (and you) will have a ball doing it. d;o)

Dave

On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 18:46:00 +0100, Peter Bell >
wrote:

>I wonder what would happen if we sent all our right lane cruisers over
>to you and you sent your left lane cruisers here?

Ever heard of reverse polarity, Peter? Your rightlaners would love
our left lanes. d;o)

The message >
from Peter Bell > contains these words:

> > Left lane cruising is epidemic here in Louisiana

> .... whereas right lane cruising causes us a problem in the UK.

> I wonder what would happen if we sent all our right lane cruisers over
> to you and you sent your left lane cruisers here?

They'd all form a concretion along the central reservation, which I
think you call the median strip.

--
Skipweasel.
Ivor Cutler - "Never knowingly understood."