How much over the speed limit is too much?

[eljefino]

Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by Nick1994

Originally Posted by grampi
Tailgating is a sign of respect? That's hilarious! It doesn't get any more disrespectful (unless you just flat slam into the other car) than tailgating. It's a sign of aggression that says get out of my way so I can break the law"...
You know what's even more disrespectful than tailgating? Driving slow in the left lane.


In the twisted minds of today's drivers, your comment doesn't surprise me. What surprises me is the hypocrisy. Most of today's drivers are perfectly fine with speeding and tailgating, but they want other drivers to abide by the law when it comes to staying out of the left lane...in other words, they only support people obeying the driving laws that suit them...


The tailgater likely came up behind four other cars before yours and they moved over. He's wishing you'd do the same. He assumes you don't want to be passed on the right so he's waiting for you to take the hint. It's an "excuse me please" position. Since he can't talk to you face-to-face he has to use "car body language" as though he were on stage. If he blows by you on the right, you'll think he's an idiot. Sitting back there, he thinks you're the idiot.

By stalling in the left lane so cars build up behind you, you yourself are also supporting the infraction of tailgating.

It's not hypocritical to wish everyone a pleasant journey at the speed in which they desire, and to do what it takes to help one's fellow man. Changing lanes to fulfill that desire isn't hard, unless you're a terrible driver. It's the same courtesy as letting someone turn left into a parking lot in front of you when you're stuck in traffic-- you aren't losing position in line and someone else got ahead.

 

[DBMaster]

I will always do my best to move over and clear the left lane for someone to pass me, even if it requires me to slow down a bit to do so. My logic is that it is always better to have a faster driver ahead of you on the road.

Now, what irritates me is when someone decides they want to move left to pass RIGHT NOW, regardless of whether or not there is an approaching vehicle to their left. It doesn't take too much deduction to realize you might have to wait a few seconds to give the faster driver the opportunity to finish passing before you pull in front of them. Apparently, that is too much to expect.

There are too many nuances to driving that are missed by inattention. The inattention is the result of distractions or plain apathy. Driving is necessary, but it is a skill that many don't have any interest in improving.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by grampi
I'm the problem because I don't drive like a maniac? Again, for the billionth time, I only drive in the left lane long enough to pass, then I move right. If that forces someone to slow down to only 5 or 10 MPH over the limit until I finish my pass and move right, I don't see how that makes me the problem....


Do you speed up to pass, trying to complete the process in an expedited manner so as to be courteous to other drivers, or are you like a semi that's passing somebody at 1/2 a mph faster than they are going?

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted by DBMaster
My logic is that it is always better to have a faster driver ahead of you on the road.


^^This

Let them be the decoy!

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted by DBMaster
I will always do my best to move over and clear the left lane for someone to pass me, even if it requires me to slow down a bit to do so. My logic is that it is always better to have a faster driver ahead of you on the road.



Originally Posted by aquariuscsm

Let them be the decoy!

I call them the rabbit( for the cops). I like them going faster than i and i try to stay in a lane to the right of them. You can run a bit faster. Then when they are gone, you slow down and wait for another rabbit.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by eljefino
The tailgater likely came up behind four other cars before yours and they moved over. He's wishing you'd do the same. He assumes you don't want to be passed on the right so he's waiting for you to take the hint. It's an "excuse me please" position. Since he can't talk to you face-to-face he has to use "car body language" as though he were on stage.


The Highway Patrol here looks for guys like that - they considered it aggressive driving. The Highway Patrol has about 100 totally unmarked cars (even with normal license plates) to be totally under cover. Funny when a tailgater comes flying up on one and they flip on the red & blue lights, then pull them over.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted by eljefino
Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by Nick1994

Originally Posted by grampi
Tailgating is a sign of respect? That's hilarious! It doesn't get any more disrespectful (unless you just flat slam into the other car) than tailgating. It's a sign of aggression that says get out of my way so I can break the law"...
You know what's even more disrespectful than tailgating? Driving slow in the left lane.


In the twisted minds of today's drivers, your comment doesn't surprise me. What surprises me is the hypocrisy. Most of today's drivers are perfectly fine with speeding and tailgating, but they want other drivers to abide by the law when it comes to staying out of the left lane...in other words, they only support people obeying the driving laws that suit them...


The tailgater likely came up behind four other cars before yours and they moved over. He's wishing you'd do the same. He assumes you don't want to be passed on the right so he's waiting for you to take the hint. It's an "excuse me please" position. Since he can't talk to you face-to-face he has to use "car body language" as though he were on stage. If he blows by you on the right, you'll think he's an idiot. Sitting back there, he thinks you're the idiot.

By stalling in the left lane so cars build up behind you, you yourself are also supporting the infraction of tailgating.

It's not hypocritical to wish everyone a pleasant journey at the speed in which they desire, and to do what it takes to help one's fellow man. Changing lanes to fulfill that desire isn't hard, unless you're a terrible driver. It's the same courtesy as letting someone turn left into a parking lot in front of you when you're stuck in traffic-- you aren't losing position in line and someone else got ahead.


Drivers don't have an opportunity to pass me on the right because like I said, the only time I'm in the left lane is when I'm passing. If the lane to the my right is empty, then I wouldn't be in the left lane...

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by grampi
I'm the problem because I don't drive like a maniac? Again, for the billionth time, I only drive in the left lane long enough to pass, then I move right. If that forces someone to slow down to only 5 or 10 MPH over the limit until I finish my pass and move right, I don't see how that makes me the problem....


Do you speed up to pass, trying to complete the process in an expedited manner so as to be courteous to other drivers, or are you like a semi that's passing somebody at 1/2 a mph faster than they are going?


Yes I do...

 

[Shannow]

And if they pull up behind you, you often slow down...

 

[doitmyself]

My solution to the problem being discussed here is to simply remain in the right lane until a large enough gap exists that I can then pull into the left lane and pass at MY desired speed without having someone come up on my rear and tailgate me. This means that sometimes I have to inconvenience myself a bit by remaining in the right lane longer than I would like to. Who cares? Not me. On the occasions where I still get a speeding tailgater on my rear, I step it up a just a bit and move over to the right in a reasonable amount of time. Nowadays I drive hyper defensive and avoid all situations that might turn bad as much as reasonable.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted by Shannow
And if they pull up behind you, you often slow down...


Only on a two lane road, but never on a freeway...

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by Shannow
And if they pull up behind you, you often slow down...


Only on a two lane road, but never on a freeway...


And this results in road rage and dangerous passes.

Why would you intentionally slow down if it is obvious the person is going to overtake you when the opportunity presents?

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by Shannow
And if they pull up behind you, you often slow down...


Only on a two lane road, but never on a freeway...


And this results in road rage and dangerous passes.

Why would you intentionally slow down if it is obvious the person is going to overtake you when the opportunity presents?


You would prefer I brake check him? What's the point of tailgating on a two lane road anyway? What am I supposed to do, move off onto the shoulder to let the speeder pass?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by Shannow
And if they pull up behind you, you often slow down...


Only on a two lane road, but never on a freeway...


And this results in road rage and dangerous passes.

Why would you intentionally slow down if it is obvious the person is going to overtake you when the opportunity presents?


You would prefer I brake check him? What's the point of tailgating on a two lane road anyway? What am I supposed to do, move off onto the shoulder to let the speeder pass?


Just keep going the same speed until he can overtake you would be the normal behaviour, rather than causing road rage by slowing down

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted by grampi
What am I supposed to do, move off onto the shoulder to let the speeder pass?


In some of the less populous areas in Texas people still do this. If the shoulder allows it I find it to be very courteous.

 

[irv]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by Shannow
And if they pull up behind you, you often slow down...


Only on a two lane road, but never on a freeway...


And this results in road rage and dangerous passes.

Why would you intentionally slow down if it is obvious the person is going to overtake you when the opportunity presents?


Like I said in the another thread that got locked, there are those that get it and those who simply never will, sadly.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted by irv
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by Shannow
And if they pull up behind you, you often slow down...


Only on a two lane road, but never on a freeway...


And this results in road rage and dangerous passes.

Why would you intentionally slow down if it is obvious the person is going to overtake you when the opportunity presents?


Like I said in the another thread that got locked, there are those that get it and those who simply never will, sadly.

I get it. Society is so upside down now that speeding and tailgating are considered normal, and people who try to follow the rules are the bad guys. When I'm on a highway, there are normally other lanes I can move to if I'm being tailgated. That's not the case on a two lane road. Tailgating on a two lane road is a violation of personal space for the driver being tailgated. Slowing down is a way of telling the tailgater they are too close and to back off. It works, and it's a much nicer message than a brake check.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Just keep going the same speed until he can overtake you would be the normal behaviour, rather than causing road rage by slowing down

Continuing on at the same speed doesn't do anything to stop the tailgating. Slowing down does...you might not mind being tailgated, but I don't like it...

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by grampi
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Just keep going the same speed until he can overtake you would be the normal behaviour, rather than causing road rage by slowing down

Continuing on at the same speed doesn't do anything to stop the tailgating. Slowing down does...you might not mind being tailgated, but I don't like it...


I'm not a huge fan of it either, but I don't slow down, which would simply make the person angry and might cause them to do something stupid that could affect both of us.

I try and avoid tailgating personally, but overtaking has resulted in strange behaviours from other drivers, like them speeding up and tailgating me, despite my approach speed eclipsing their's by >10Km/h

 

[Smoky14]

Tailgating may be necessary at times on 2 lane and mountain roads. The lack of power in 4 cylinder engines make it necessary to time your overtake in the time/distance allowed. I live in the mountains and flat landers who are afraid their SUV will tip over on curves them go over the speed limit when the road has a passing zone make overtaking a dicey experience.
YMMV
Smoky