Share the Road

[RockHard]

I'll go anywhere with a handsome man at the wheel.

 

I found traffic in Florida terrible. Many slow drivers.

 

With all due respect, the Sunshine State has the highest percentage of senior citizens in the U.S. In 2010, 17.3 percent of Floridians were in the 65-plus bracket.

 

Losing your driving privilege due to old age can be devastating. For many, it marks the end of life. Those of us who love to drive will one day face this issue, if we live long enough. It seems to me, some compassion and empathy will go a long way to suggest, if you want to play Mario Andretti on the road, stay away from Florida.

 

Europeans drive faster but use the left lane only for passing.

 

I don't know where you spend your time in Europe, or on what road, but as Epigonos mentions, the Italians dominate the Left Lane on the A1 in Italy. If you're a tourist in the driver's seat, and you don't want an Italian car up your ass, you'd be smart to drive on the right.

 

Funny how so many folks seem to regard driving (poorly) as a right rather than a privilege.

 

Sort of like gun ownership. And both can kill.

 

Yes, many drivers think they own the road, the entire road. The most offending state in my experience is Ohio.

 

In answer to Mr. Draker's question, I use every lane I can, especially if I'm in a hurry. I, too, like to drive fast, but I also love taking in the vistas in a slow-moving convertible.

[Bart]

Jeez what is it with drivers and the middle. You stay in the right lave, period. Even if driving fast like l like to do I will stay in the right lane until ready to pass. If I see a stream of traffice doing the speed limit in the right I will stay in the left as I pass them unless I see someone else coming up than I move over. Rules of the road:

1. You must allow car entering traffic to enter, which means slow up if you have to. I cant tell you how many times I have been cutoff.

2. If a driver is coming up in the rear you are suppose to move over and allow him to pass, you are not the speed monitor, that is what the highway patrol is for.

3. If someone has their indicator on to move over you are suppose to allow them in, not block them.

4. Dont stop in the left lane because you cant get over, my God do you know how ofter I see someone slowing to a crawl so they can move over, oh yeah the same jerk who drove 10 miles in the middle lane with cars passing on the right and left and 500 feet from exit decides to move over.

5. Use your indicator for God's sake just start moving over than look, Damn.

6. Pull over when you see an emergency vehicle coming, I just saw some idiot racing the guy.

7. Put your damn phone down if you are going to make moves on the road.

 

I am almost 60 and I prefer the fast lane. All highways should have an 80 mph lane.

[Phil_musc]

All right, I'll confess. I agree with justaguy and RH: I'll drive in whichever lane allows me to make the best time. Sorry, you have found me out - I'm just an immoral, self-centered driver that doesn't give a shit about what anyone else thinks. Rules of the road are just suggestions that I may or may not choose to follow. Now I guess I'll have to take my punishment - spank me now! After you're finished, with any luck I can go out and do the same sinful thing again. Followed by more punishment(s)? Ooo, one can only hope...

 

Actually you guys are pussies about Americans and driving. If you want a truly thrilling experience, go drive in India. There you will encounter people who have no fear (passing going around a bend while going up hill, etc.), as well as motorcyclists who are always on a rampage. Then too, there are the pedestrians who seem to have no concept of what a moving automobile might do to them upon impact. Last but certainly not least, there are the cows (who have a divine right to walk out onto the road at any moment - woe to thee if you should have the misfortune to hit one of this favored class of creatures) as well as the occasional herd of goats which may decide to cross the road at any time, lying down camels, and of course elephants. Now that's an animal that you don't want to mess with on the road. This is all true, believe me. When I was there on a tour bus, everyone was expected to take a turn in the front seat - no one ever volunteered for the post after having experienced being in the front passenger seat once.

[RockHard]

Oops, that ain't me.

 

I agree with...RH: I'll drive in whichever lane allows me to make the best time...I'm just an immoral, self-centered driver that doesn't give a shit about what anyone else thinks.

 

Sorry to say, you misunderstood my post. I am not an immoral, self-centered driver, and I care very much about my behavior on the road and my fellow drivers. Yes, I am a fast driver, and I tend to favor the left lane or the "express" lanes. If I'm in the left lane, and I see someone climbing on my ass, I will switch to the middle to let him pass. If I'm in a hurry, I will pass in the right lane if it's the only lane open. I don't enjoy weaving in and out of lanes but sometimes there is no choice. I ALWAYS use my turn signals, no matter what the situation.

 

My first car was a 5-speed manual. I know how to drive a stick-shift in crazy big-city traffic, and I know how to be aggressive, safe, and considerate on the freeway. I should also add, I've never received a ticket for speeding.

[instudiocity]

I should also add, I've never received a ticket for speeding.

As a dear friend, retired Alabama State Trooper (aka Highway Patrolman) once said to me, "There's only two kinds of people: The Caught and The Uncaught."

 

My dear Mom made it to 65 before she received her first ticket for driving 10 mph over the then 55 mph speed limit.

[Steven_Draker]

I'll drive in whichever lane allows me to make the best time. Sorry, you have found me out - I'm just an immoral, self-centered driver that doesn't give a shit about what anyone else thinks. Rules of the road are just suggestions that I may or may not choose to follow.

 

My observation is that Americans have much more relaxed attitude on the road than Europeans.

 

The Highway code in Europe stipulates that while on the highway (Autobahn, autopista, autoroute, autostrada, autosnelweg, freeway, motorway) you SHOULD drive in the RIGHT LANE or as far to the right as possible allowing faster vehicles to pass. If there are no other vehicles on the highway and you're caught driving in the left lane you get a ticket !! I'm serious.

 

Passing is ALWAYS on the left. Passing on the right is a big NO NO and the fine is even more harsh.

 

Thanks to all who posted in this thread.

[Phil_musc]

Sorry to say, you misunderstood my post. I am not an immoral, self-centered driver, and I care very much about my behavior on the road and my fellow drivers. Yes, I am a fast driver, and I tend to favor the left lane or the "express" lanes. If I'm in the left lane, and I see someone climbing on my ass, I will switch to the middle to let him pass. If I'm in a hurry, I will pass in the right lane if it's the only lane open. I don't enjoy weaving in and out of lanes but sometimes there is no choice. I ALWAYS use my turn signals, no matter what the situation.

 

My first car was a 5-speed manual. I know how to drive a stick-shift in crazy big-city traffic, and I know how to be aggressive, safe, and considerate on the freeway. I should also add, I've never received a ticket for speeding.

 

RH, you didn't read my post in the spirit it was intended. It was pretty over the top, I thought, for anyone to miss my humor; and I thought the passing reference to the famous honey badger posts would have tipped my hand. I actually am a pretty careful driver, although I do tend to drive faster than a lot of others. I find though that with my new hybrid car that I'm not as speedy a driver as before. The driver who appalls me is the one who constantly weaves from lane to lane and allows barely a handbreadth when cutting in front of another car. All of my cars until my present one have been stick-shift and I too know how to drive in big city traffic. We're really not so far apart here I think.

 

Steven, I've heard about the rules of the road in Europe and I'm sure that works there, but here we have more issues with lawmakers curtailing our driving/traveling rights. Not saying that's a good thing (it's not, IMO) but that is how it is.

[MiamiLooker]

My observation is that Americans have much more relaxed attitude on the road than Europeans.[/color]

 

LOL. Do the following comments (from posts on this thread) sound like they’re from drivers with a relaxed attitude:

 

“The driver who appalls me”

“hate people who”

“I hate people who”

“It ABSOLUTELY infuriates me”

“the drivers are really assholes”

“are much despised”

“I hate folks who”

“I was absolutely horrified”

 

There’re a lot of older drivers in Florida. And, yes, sometimes they hang in the passing lane. But they’re not usually the problem. I find the passing lane is often crowded and used as a cruising lane by those of all ages, the right lane is empty, and the middle lane(s) is the slow lane. For those drivers that have an aversion to driving in the right lane, try it some time. Your vehicle will operate just fine in the right lane. You will hardly notice the difference, except that you won’t see other cars passing you on your right.

[Phil_musc]

Thanks, Miami, you've given us a new driving strategy - use those empty right lanes to your advantage!

[instudiocity]

Thanks, Miami, you've given us a new driving strategy - use those empty right lanes to your advantage!

In LA, I've found the FASTEST lane is the right lane. Seems like California is SO LIBERAL, that 40% of the drivers will only drive in the left lane - no matter what. I mean, Slower Traffic Keep Right is a POLITICAL OPINION!

 

I can't tell you the number of times I've seen entering and exiting cars move directly (almost perpendicularly) to the opposite side of the freeway in the first and last minute of driving on the freeway.

[leigh.bess.toad]

The one thing that really unnerved me a bit when I was in LA last year was the motorcycles who were "white lining" -- driving on the white lines between traffic when it was backed up. One person suddenly tries to cut over and it could get ugly really quickly.

[Bosguy]

The one thing that really unnerved me a bit when I was in LA last year was the motorcycles who were "white lining" -- driving on the white lines between traffic when it was backed up. One person suddenly tries to cut over and it could get ugly really quickly.

 

Lee,

 

You shouldn't have been looking at their asses in chaps leaning over. Wait till you get to Barracks or Eagle!!!!!

 

Boston Bill