Prius Etiquette

See my problem is this. Every Prius driver I see is at least 134 year old. That might be part of the problem. I know there are younger drivers out there, I just never see them.

 

My simple rule, regardless of the car I'm driving is:
As long as I'm driving a legal speed and it is noticably faster than the speed of the car(s) in the lane to my right, I have a legitimate place in the lane I'm in.
(This means, that I don't feel an obligation to slow down and move to the right so that the car behind me can go even faster.)

 

You got that problem in CA too? My husband and I call them "lollygaggers" here in MD.

Dan passed one on the way to work the other day, looked at the driver and recognized one of the admins from work. He later asked her why she chose to drive in the middle lane. She said that she felt safest in the middle, that no one was going to merge onto the highway and hit her from the right, and that the speed demons had the left lane to pass her in.

She's oblivious to the traffic hazard she creates and her method of driving is popular here.

Rt. 95, a major artery for getting up and down the east coast, has left lane comfort stop exits, too. Other interstates have the occasional left exit ramp. Design flaws that feed the syndrome.

BTW, the admin. does not drive a Prius.

 

Do you immediately look to move to the right lane if anyone passes you on the right?

 

Can we establish the validity of going over the speed limit first?

Morons speed under all circumstances, fools most of the time, lameos occasionally.

I'll admit to being a lameo, but why should I conceed that morons and fools have the right of way?...

 

Depends on the situation in the lane to the right.
If moving to the right would mean I would have to slow down so some stranger could go faster, I feel no obligation.
Sometimes you get aggressive drivers who cannot bear the speed in ANY lane and weave all over the place and often pass on the right.

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

I was driving a friend one day and another car passed us on the right. My friend said that if anyone passed me on the right, I should consider the possibility that I was causing a hazardous situation, that I should either increase my speed or get over in the right lane.

He was right.

I've since observed drivers "weaving all over the place" in order to get around a lollygagger sitting in the middle lane. That driver was creating a hazard.

If someone passes me on the right, or if I'm not passing anyone in the right lane, I take the hint and get over.

 

Hey Two and Alpha!

Did you notice that Somerville, Kiloran, and mike all drive on the east coast?

 

Get along side the lollygagger - flip him/her off - then see it's an elderly person - drive past him/her and regret doing it.
Might be you one day.

 

Perhaps that's it. Some people let others push them around, some don't...

 

My daughter is in Italy now and many of the roads there are two to three lanes. It is expected that the slower traffic will move to the right. Trying to enforce YOUR WILL on the vehicles that do not choose to drive your way only endangers all. The Prius has taught me to drive better and I no longer feel the need to assert my driving style on anyone else because I know what it does for mpersonally. I am happier and everyone is safer.

 

You know... there are such things as wreckless drivers out there (for realz)... not all "dangerous situations" are caused by "wussy" drivers like people who drive Priuses... and people who get passed on the right are not always at fault.

There are places in the world where passing on the right is outright forbidden.... the legendary Autobahn for example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn

"Overtaking on the right is forbidden (except in traffic jams with caution)"

However they also have this rule:
"The right lane must be used when it is free (Rechtsfahrgebot)"
Which makes sense.

 

OK, whose will is being forced upon whom: the speeder wanting the person toeing the speed limit to move over, or the person toeing the speed limit (in whatever lane they feel like) despite prodding from the speeder?...

 

Look at it this way: it's good defensive driving to get out of the way, not to piss them off or "encourage" (you would say you can't force them to do anything, they would say that you had room to get into the right lane and should have done so) them to pass on the right.

It's not your job to try to force the morons and fools to drive within the speed limit. That used to be the responsibility of their parents and drive instructors, now it's the responsibility of the police. Don't try to control things that you have no control over. Matter of fact, your method of control makes the situation more dangerous for yourself and the other drivers around you.

Granted, speeders cause those hazardous situations, as do weavers or anyone who refuses to moderate their speed to match the flow of traffic. But your choice to move "out of their way" (as they would see it) can ameliorate the situation.

 

Yeah, well, the person who passed me and flipped me off the other day looked to be around 85.

Guess he wished he was my age. :lol:

 

I think you meant reckless but I like the idea of driving my Prius "wreckless"! :lol:

 

I have been the speeder and though I am not a plodder I definitely drive at a more reasonable speed than I used to. There are too many individuals that will stay in a certain lane just to block and slow down others. Most individuals should be able to reason that they are doing this and the speeder should be left to the cops to deal with.

Big Irritants no matter what you are driving:
1. The one who pulls over in front of you even though you were clearly going faster (faster does not mean speeding!) and there was not a single person in the lane they were in.
2. The one who stays in the fast lane but drives faster where there is a break during which you could pass him (literally 55mph to 72mph)
3. The one who is clearly exceeding the speed limit and barrels down the road oblivious to vehicle placement. I stay whereever I am and let them make their move and hope there is a cop somewhere near.

I believe in defensive driving, being aware of what is around you and applying driving laws in a reasonable manner for conditions presented.

 

It isn't really an issue of defensive driving, it's more of one where I could set my cruise control and just drive, period, except for the morons and fools. While 2-lane highways mostly have a Keep Right rule, some don't. Three or more lanes implies at least one left lane for the speeders, but even the middle ones of those are apparently to be conceeded just to avoid trouble. Conceeding at every turn seems rather wimpy. Safe Wimpdom is not a place I feel like going, but I'm not going to join the morons or fools in speeding either.

I do get out of someone's way when no rule demands it and I choose to. I simply refuse to believe I deserve to be forced into it by morons and fools...