Flashing high beams at other drivers

[bbhero]

I drive 8 to 9 mph over the speed limit on interstate highways. I have NEVER flashed my lights for someone to get out of my way. I also realize that everyone has their own "pace" they drive at. It may well be slower than mine. I do not tailgate the slower drivers in the left lane. If I can pass them on the right then fine. If they are passing cars on the right but slower than I would like.. then i am ok with it. If they are not passing cars on the right then I get annoyed IF they can get over and out of the way. But if its like 2 by 2 by 2 like Noah's ark, then I just chill.. Why get all worked up over that? Nothing nobody can do about that sometimes.
Now if I am going 8 or 9 mph over and I see someone catching me in a hurry and I can get out of the way without any trouble. I do so gladly. Now if I cannot get out of the way because the right lane is full and or I am passing cars at a good clip than the person going 90 or 100mph is just going to have to deal with it until I can get over to the right lane and it's opened up to do so. Which I would gladly do so.[/b] I dont want to hold someone else up but I am not going to get to the right lane and get freight trained either. I had one time I was driving 79 moh in a 70 zone.. at 1 am. I saw some headlights coming and they were catching me kinda fast .. I got over to the right. I am dead serious those motorcyles had to be going 150 or 160 mph.. Crazy. I never have seen anything like this before. But I am glad I got out of thier way for sure and to the right.

 

[DBMaster]

I will ALWAYS move over for someone who wants to drive faster than I do. Since most municipalities around here seem intent upon filling budget gaps with traffic fines I am happy to allow someone else to contribute to the cause.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: bbhero
I had one time I was driving 79 moh in a 70 zone.. at 1 am. I saw some headlights coming and they were catching me kinda fast .. I got over to the right. I am dead serious those motorcyles had to be going 150 or 160 mph.. Crazy. I never have seen anything like this before. But I am glad I got out of thier way for sure and to the right.

You should be on right lane all the time at the speed you like to drive, especially when it was empty of traffic. Unless some section of highway you are driving has smoother left lane.

One late night I was going home from San Diego on almost empty I5 in my S2000 going 80 MPH on the third lane of 4 lane each way, suddenly a black S2000 passed on the number 1 lane at speed no less than 150-160 MPH. I was very glad that I follow my driving rule of cruising at any speed on the next to the right most lane, because I was a little scared of that car speed.

 

[bdcardinal]

Anyone else, at least the California residents, see people try to block motorcycles from lane splitting? I always move over in my lane to give them some room, and get plenty of waves and thumbs up for it.

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
I will ALWAYS move over for someone who wants to drive faster than I do. Since most municipalities around here seem intent upon filling budget gaps with traffic fines I am happy to allow someone else to contribute to the cause.
This seems such a simple concept but even at BITOG (which we can assume have better drivers than average) some of them are just not getting it.

 

[DBMaster]

YES. Very simple. Logical minds do not prevail.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I see plenty of people driving in the left lane going maybe 10 mph OVER the limit yet STILL have clowns flash them to get out of the way.

Which part of "Slower traffic keep right" do you not understand? It makes absolutely no difference at what specific speed you are going. If there are other cars going faster than you, then you are the "slower traffic" and you should keep right if there is space there to do so.

http://www.slowertraffickeepright.com/



I do keep to the right. So....I guess I'm not the one that is having difficulty understanding?

Still....what gives YOU....or anybody else for that matter....the right to speed....and yet DEMAND that others should "keep right" (in accordance with most state laws) by flashing them because they aren't going 125mph? So only SOME laws are good for YOU....but others aren't? What dictates that?
Hypocrisy perhaps? Narcissism?

Asinine.

 

[OVERKILL]

Because they are still obligated to keep right. I understand your point, but two wrongs don't make a right. If somebody wants to speed, playing traffic speed clown by intentionally slowing them by not moving over isn't any smarter.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
which we can assume have better drivers than average


We cannot assume anything since we have already witnessed one poster threatening another based upon name-calling.

The fact that road rage exists and that I have seen a number of us express fairly violent thoughts in relation to driving habits tells me that many of us are not in very good control of our emotions. I am counting myself as a member of the deficient, in case you were wondering.

 

[andrewg]

My main point is that people need to stop being so obnoxious on the road....and try to follow ALL applicable traffic laws. Be courteous of others...and TOLERANT when somebody may not be driving as fast as you'd like.

We have far more problems just treating each other kindly on the highways than we do having difficulty with a left lane slow poke.

The attitudes of many on here proves that.

 

[OVERKILL]

Perhaps.

Places like Germany, you are required to keep right and it is heavily enforced. One of the reasons is that there are many locations without speed limits and playing lane cop is a good way to get rear-ended by a Benz doing 300Km/h (legally).

That sort of lane discipline, friendly or not, would be beneficial here, even without the elimination or partial enforcement of speed limits IMHO.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
Still....what gives YOU....or anybody else for that matter....the right to speed....and yet DEMAND that others should "keep right" (in accordance with most state laws) by flashing them because they aren't going 125mph? So only SOME laws are good for YOU....but others aren't? What dictates that?
Hypocrisy perhaps? Narcissism?

Asinine.

I am not defending speeders. Speeding is illegal. But so is left lane hogging. Both are wrong and two wrongs don't make it right. But the best thing you can do about a speeder is let them pass you as quickly as possible so that you minimize his contact with you.

 

[andrewg]

First of all...this isn't about Germany. This isn't about the autobahn.
The U.S. is a far different place in many ways...especially traffic habits, history, and laws.

On one of the main highways I drive on daily....it would be impractical and unsafe to stay in the right lane. That lane constantly has merging traffic every mile or so.....horribly slow big-rigs....foreign drivers going ten under.....you name it. I drive in the right lane when I can. I always go the speed limits or slightly over. Now when I need to go into the left lane to avoid slow merging trucks (or whatever)....I find it HIGHLY rude and annoying when some fool flashes me to get out of his way because he wants to do 80 in a 60. That is HIS problem. He KNOWS that the right lane (where I commute) gets congested at every merge. It's precisely THAT type of person that needs to knock it off and grasp the situation. But they never do.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
First of all...this isn't about Germany. This isn't about the autobahn.
The U.S. is a far different place in many ways...especially traffic habits, history, and laws.


Right, but those habits are a serious part of the problem. The complete lack of driver discipline for example, which was where I was going with my comments.

Originally Posted By: andrewg
On one of the main highways I drive on daily....it would be impractical and unsafe to stay in the right lane. That lane constantly has merging traffic every mile or so.....horribly slow big-rigs....foreign drivers going ten under.....you name it. I drive in the right lane when I can. I always go the speed limits or slightly over. Now when I need to go into the left lane to avoid slow merging trucks (or whatever)....I find it HIGHLY rude and annoying when some fool flashes me to get out of his way because he wants to do 80 in a 60. That is HIS problem. He KNOWS that the right lane (where I commute) gets congested at every merge. It's precisely THAT type of person that needs to knock it off and grasp the situation. But they never do.


OK, now take your highway, triple the number of available lanes and have the left lane doing 130-140Km/h (80-85Mph) and the three or four lanes to the right going slower than that, and you have the 401, our major highway. Now add the same stuff we are discussing to it and you can appreciate why it frustrates some people. Sure, when you have a limited number of lanes and poorly disciplined drivers it can be frustrating. But when you have a mass of lanes and idiots are still going into the left lane and doing less than 60Mph just to play traffic clown, well.....

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: andrewg


Still....what gives YOU....or anybody else for that matter....the right to speed....and yet DEMAND that others should "keep right" (in accordance with most state laws) by flashing them because they aren't going 125mph? So only SOME laws are good for YOU....but others aren't? What dictates that?
Hypocrisy perhaps? Narcissism?

Asinine.


I think it's the desire for a better world. If everyone, without fail, moved over, people wouldn't have to pass on the right. Traffic would be more predictable and drivers would have a better feel for how flow is coming up behind them. (Of course, they don't look...)

Getting 100% of drivers on board with anything is a long shot. I wish 100% would run snow tires so they don't get stuck on an uphill traffic light, blocking the lane behind them.

PS, speeding in the left lane is lazy driving! You only have traffic coming in from the right, and "the show" is taking place in your windscreen. Who needs to watch their mirrors, once you pass someone they're irrelevant. To do this lazy "right", though, you have to be ripping along near the 100th percentile for speed, which will get you tickets.

 

[clinebarger]

Flashing to pass does no good because people don't pay attention for the most part, The ones that do notice automatically assume your being a A$$ & slowdown or brake check you.....A polite one will just keep their speed.

A good driver will ALWAYS move to the right for faster moving traffic. If you think different....Your wrong. If your a Dumb/Zombie driver....Turn in you DL & take the bus.

Congested traffic conditions are another story of coarse.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: andrewg
First of all...this isn't about Germany. This isn't about the autobahn.
The U.S. is a far different place in many ways...especially traffic habits, history, and laws.


Right, but those habits are a serious part of the problem. The complete lack of driver discipline for example, which was where I was going with my comments.

Originally Posted By: andrewg
On one of the main highways I drive on daily....it would be impractical and unsafe to stay in the right lane. That lane constantly has merging traffic every mile or so.....horribly slow big-rigs....foreign drivers going ten under.....you name it. I drive in the right lane when I can. I always go the speed limits or slightly over. Now when I need to go into the left lane to avoid slow merging trucks (or whatever)....I find it HIGHLY rude and annoying when some fool flashes me to get out of his way because he wants to do 80 in a 60. That is HIS problem. He KNOWS that the right lane (where I commute) gets congested at every merge. It's precisely THAT type of person that needs to knock it off and grasp the situation. But they never do.


OK, now take your highway, triple the number of available lanes and have the left lane doing 130-140Km/h (80-85Mph) and the three or four lanes to the right going slower than that, and you have the 401, our major highway. Now add the same stuff we are discussing to it and you can appreciate why it frustrates some people. Sure, when you have a limited number of lanes and poorly disciplined drivers it can be frustrating. But when you have a mass of lanes and idiots are still going into the left lane and doing less than 60Mph just to play traffic clown, well.....

I see your point....and actually agree with you more than you realize.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: clinebarger
Flashing to pass does no good because people don't pay attention for the most part, The ones that do notice automatically assume your being a A$$ & slowdown or brake check you.....A polite one will just keep their speed.

A good driver will ALWAYS move to the right for faster moving traffic. If you think different....Your wrong. If your a Dumb/Zombie driver....Turn in you DL & take the bus.

Congested traffic conditions are another story of coarse.





Another post I am in pretty much agreement with.

 

[Spazdog]

I actually high beamed someone today.

I got on the freeway following a Kia Seoul. She was barely accelerated on the entrance ramp. Then merged on the 60 mph freeway at 35 mph. She then STAYED at 35 mph.

The cars approaching from behind at least at the posted limit were terrifying. So many cars panic braking behind us. Close calls as they floored it and whipped into the adjacent lane. She's still going 35mph. Cars highbeaming us, horns blaring. "FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD ACCELERATE!"

I didn't even see her head move to the mirrors. She was content to maintain 35 mph.

Saw an opening, gave her the flash to pass, and got the [heck] away from her.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
This is the problem in America, too many bad drivers. If they're flashing their lights, it means you're going too slow so you should move over. There's a reason it's called flash to pass, but that's mainly for passing on 2 lane roads.

Driving in Germany is amazing compared to the US, you don't even need to flash anyone, all you do is come flying up on someone and they just move right over. They pay attention to the roads unlike here where people feel entitled to hog the left lane. Basic rule is to keep right unless passing. Doesn't matter if you're already going a little over the speed limit.


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