Slow Drivers cause majority of accidents--BS

The posted minimum speed on most interstates and other restricted access roads is 40-45. Varies by state, and very rarely enforced. Also…in most places, it’s against the law to be in the left lane, or outermost lane, unless you’re passing another vehicle. Even more rarely enforced.
Interestingly enough, some states have Prima facie speed limits (very rarely regarded) meaning that they recognize that there are times when exceeding the posted limit is safe and prudent (example---'speeding' past a large truck.) TIFWIW.

I think that the overarching problem lies in the fact that common sense, and common courtesy-----aren't. This is aggravated by the fact that the US has too many drivers that lack even the most basic driving skills, and by the fact that many people are too involved with what’s going on inside their vehicle to be bothered with trivial little things like collision avoidance….
Thankfully.....I live in a mostly rural area, so most of the road rage problems I hear about....I only hear about.

 

How fast did you want to be going on a street with 14 traffic lights in your near future?

 

Shared responsibilty? That's crazy talk! The roads and freeways are todays version of the high seas! It's every Pirate for himself!

So I say, get your gas saving slow butt out of my way...The Ice is melting in my Big Gulp and I've gotta pick up my lottery ticket before it's too late....

Of course I'm just kidding...you are correct. However I admit to human fraility and imperfection. And I would say, and admit to occasionally becoming frustrated by drivers going significantly slower than posted speeds and/or the flow of traffic.

This has occasionally resulted in a degree of lost civility. However, I strive to keep if from resulting in a loss of common sense.

You are quite correct...it is our shared responsibilty to hold back the urge actually stop my car, get out with some flags and help Grandma actually TURN THE CORNER.....

I've got to learn how to deal with it...the fault is entirely mine. Just because turning the corner in her 1978 Buick becomes a 3 minute exercise in caution doesn't mean I need to further rattle her by honking, swearing and/or making unappropriate hand gestures not approved by the American Society for Deaf Sign Language.

Someday, sooner than I think, I may become that elderly driver, intimidated by the capabilities of the very machine I strive to continue to operate and the very pace of the world around me.

Who cares if my Diet Coke is watered down? And I probably wasn't going to win the lottery anyway....

I'd like to thank you all for trying to teach me to slow down, in my hell bent desire to head rapidly towards the light...

 

I agree with the chief. Driving tests are an administrative practice and not an actual test. Heck...once you have it you don't even have to go to the dmv to renew...I just did mine online last year...weak.

If you instituted a new system tomorrow that required a REAL driving test and everyone had to take it by October 1 or something I bet half the drivers on the road wouldn't pass.

Maybe a license should also cost something kind of ridiculous...it would help the states with their mega deficit and keep "non serious" drivers off the road.

I am not talking 10k, but even 100 bucks for 5 years doesn't seem outrageous yet is 5x the current cost.

 

I believe it's pretty well established that:
- if you aren't in the right lane and you could be then you can impair traffic at any speed
- if you are in the right lane and traveling PSL you are not impairing traffic

 

I will wholeheartedly agree with that.

 

I'm pretty sure all of us have been there at some point or another.

When I said "the cause of aggressive drivers is aggressive drivers, period", I am not exempting myself. I certainly have been an aggressive driver on some occasions, and if I had caused an accident, it would have been my fault. Most recently was last week, and I nearly did cause an accident (with another aggressive driver) going around a stopped bus (not into oncoming traffic).... all so that I could stop in traffic 500' down the road.

 

Which leads to the following situation:
Right lane at PSL, everybody following at a safe distance (and no more)
Left lane: contains 1 person going PSL+5, another PSL+10, another at PSL+15, and so on.

What do you predict will happen?

 

Depends on who’s in front.....
Mostly....it doesn't matter.
If you're going PSL (given circumstances permit this) and you're in the right lane......you're golden, providing you're a safe distance from the person in front of you.

Yeah....I know. Some low-octane type will always pass on the right, usually in front of you, and you hay have to shed some speed to avoid these cretins....but that's life.
No big deal.
Mostly, I just try to do the stick and rudder thing for my vehicle, and leave the traffic enforcement gig to the pros.
Life's too short to get yer knickers in a knot over something as daffy as traffic rage.
I have a little more skin in the game when I'm on one of my motorcycles (pun almost unintended)---but I usually try to avoid high traffic areas when riding.
If I'm on a motorcycle, and you're in a car.....you fall into one of two categories:
1. You don't see me.
2. You do see me, and you're trying to kill me.

I act accordingly.

 

The person going +5 moves over to the right lane long enough to get the +10 person off his bumper? I'm not sure what you expected the answer to be here, but I have no difficulty grabbing a spot among the right-lane people I've been passing long enough to let someone else pass me.

 

Reminds me that just last week we had a (failed) legislative attempt in D.C. region (Maryland state) legislator put forth proposed legislation that essentially said left lane traffic had to yield to faster traffic even if the "slow" movers were going the speed limit. Proposal was shot down in about 2 days.

 

we are a very confused and conflicted people when it comes to agreeing on speed limits.

 

PSL+5 driver forces his way into the right lane, despite lack of safe following room for an additional vehicle. That causes the following car to slow down to regain safe following distance, and the next following car to hit the brakes, slowing down even more. The whole right lane slows down, prompting some PSL drivers to switch to the faster left lane, eventually slowing other over-PSL drivers before they can get past the slowed traffic and return to the right lane. A traffic jam wave develops.

Net result: both lanes slow down to lower speed and throughput than if the original PSL+5 driver stayed in the left lane.

Is this what you were looking for?

 

There's nothing cooperative about commuting, or even driving in general. It's a race, and there's only one winner. You can pass me when they pry my cold, dead fingers from the steering wheel seems to be how it is.

 

Is the site referenced associated with News Corp?

Seriously, this does not seem like a major publication, but more like a blog.

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I'm not going to pretend I know British driving habits that well, but will comment what I know about the US.

About 100 Americans die on the roads daily, 2/3 definitely avoidable with responsible driving.

- Liquor and drugs a factor in at least half of them.
- No seatbelts often reported in Dallas when a pickup flips and occupant ejected thru the window.
- Distracted driving is increasing - maybe 6,000 killed annually.
- Oh - improper speed....which direction are the majority in? Hint: reckless driving (legally going over 95mph+) has at least doubled in the last decade in Texas

Can't count past threads attempting to cast slow driver as the most dangerous on the road, causing most of the problems - classic example of letting hate getting in the way of fact.

 

Slow driving isn't the biggest cause of road deaths or accidents here but it is s small but significant factor. We still have deaths caused by drink driving (DUI?) but the sentences are quite strict - a limit of just over one pint with a minium 12 month driving ban, usually 18 months and 36 months ban for more serious cases. If you have an accident whilst over the drink drive limit then expect time in prison.

Seatbelt use is probably about 95% with minimal £30 fine if caught. Mobile phone use without a handfree kit is £60 and 3 points on your licence (12 points = a 6 month ban). Cause an accident whilst on the phone without handsfree and expect time away at Her Majesties pleasure (jail).

Severe speeding ticket issuing. £80 and 3 licence points if just over limit and a sliding scale upto an instant ban for 6 months if 30 mph over posted limit.

Trucks (HGV's here) have a maximum limited speed of 56 mph/90kph which helps avoid accidents. Notice I said limited speed in that they have a speed limiter legally built in and severe consequences if it's removed.

Check out the following link for stats on road death rates per 100,000 population - Sweden 2.9, the UK 3.59, Japan 3.85, Australia 5.2, France 6.9, Italy 8.7, Canada 9.2 and the US 12.3 (only slightly lower than Bangladesh 12.6) and Mexico 20.7!

List of countries by traffic-related death rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Never want to tell another Country how they should do things but I was surprised by those stats for the US. Come on guys

 

too bad IMHO. Don't know the details of proposal, and why it was shot. Perhaps b/c it is already covered by existing but not enforced law (left lane is reserved for passing and faster moving traffic?).

Pers I don't drive fast but if I am in left lane and someone comes behind I'll move out of the way. Maybe they are A-holes, maybe they have someone in hospital dying, or maybe they will cut across and slam the brakes or curse me; either way it is not responsible to create a situation on the road which may lead to accident.

 

There's just very little enforcement of traffic laws in the US, at least IME. Speeding up to 15 over the limit is de facto legal. Some of the worst tailgaters I've ever seen were state troopers. You see cops on cell phones every day. I see a car with one or no brake lights at least once a day. Turn signals are generally optional, etc.

 

The idea of speed limiters on trucks is excellent. It is also very good to ban them from the left lane as they do in New York. I also look forward to the time when high gas prices effectively kill off SUVs - they are a hazard because they block your view of the road and they have way too much weight in a collision.

 

As a number of you said, don't drive slower than the pack in the fast lanes, middle of rush hour, etc.

Still, I am one of those guys that do 50 on a 60 freeway.

Based on my experience, the problem everyone has with slow drivers is THEY DON'T LOOK AHEAD!!!

Can't tell you how many times someone that could easily get around me drives in a trance until they are tailgating then gets mad at me for failing to look more than two car lengths ahead....I'm not so sure it's just cell phones that are the distraction - people just don't pay attention to their driving!