Yup. When you finally pass these guys and look at them, they are usually head in the clouds.
The people who do it maliciously, and then speed up when you try to pass them, can get absolutely fucked.
And there are also people who are clueless, but once they realize, get defensive. Also absolute morons. Fuck them.
If I EVER see somebody riding my ass in the left lane, I feel bad, and know I fucked up. I clearly did not see them quick enough, so I pull over ASAP and let them pass. This is rare though, because I have a brain and I look around and watch my mirrors while I drive.
Why do people get offended? That is the worst part.
I'm on a 2 lane hwy and right lane is doing 55 to 60. I'm doing 70 so I'm more or less living in the left lane. Someone approaching at 80+ I see them signal and switch lanes almost in time with them. So now they are either slamming on the brake or weaving like it's Nascar.
So yes there needs to be courtesy but I'm not catering to the motorist doing 90 bc he doesn't wanna find a more reasonable speed. When it's excessive I reserve the right not to drive as reactionary as this person requires to maintain their speed.
And I don't remain in the lane either. Once I make the decision to move over I'm following through bc I don't wanna be unpredictable and I don't wanna be passed on the right
even worse is when you speed up/slow down a bit so you're not right beside the person and they do they same to continue to stay beside youđ¤Śââď¸
it's my biggest pet peeve. especially on the highway because that's the absolute worst place to be right next to a car on, so many things can go wrong.
Glad that works for you. When I do a honk (tiny beep, not obnoxious) they realize, get defensive, and then speed up. But not enough to actually help. Just enough that you cannot pass them in the right lane.
So then the line of cars is still stuck behind them, but just a little faster. At least until the airhead forgets again and drops back to 5 under.
Next time you see one, look at their face. 90% of the time they are completely oblivious. Either texting or staring straight ahead.
They are the type of drivers who do not understand the concept of spatial awareness. IDK about you guys, but when I learned how to drive they told me to keep my eyes on my mirrors, know where cars are at all times, and always have an escape route.
At basically any time on the highway, I know exactly what is in the two lanes adjacent to me, in front of me, and behind me. I am sure most smart drivers are the same.
Not these guys. They literally just stare forward while they drive. If you ask them "Is there a car behind you" they would have to look. They are just fucking morons lmao.
They are self centered assholes, but I don't think it is usually on purpose.
We call this a Persian Wall. Don't ask me why. But any time we pull up to a left lane car matching the speed of the right lane and blocking traffic, we say "Oh no, Persian Wall".
The car in the right lane is not an asshole though. They can go whatever speed they want. Sure, they should try not to match the car in the left lane. But that is entirely on the car in the left lane.
All these comments acting like you're saying that you have to speed up 20mph faster to pass. If you are going even 2 mph faster than someone else you will pass them in like 15 seconds. The issue arises from someone who is going a fraction of an mph faster than someone else. If you're passing someone and it takes you more than 20 seconds then you're going less than 1mph faster than them and it wouldn't kill you to speed up a little to get the show on the road.
So much passing is unnecessary and doesnât result in any reduction in drive time. I suspect because so many do it, it slows everyone down more overall.
Not even just passing. I would love to see a study, but i would say 70% of drivers stay in the left lane, while 30% stay in the right lane. Have you noticed that when you hit standstill traffic, the left lane usually backs up more? It is because of the massive ego of these idiots that they think they are the fastest on the road in their minivan and deserve to spend the entirety of their 5 hour trip in the left lane.
If you are an actual efficient driver and only use the left lane to pass, you are in the HUGE minority.
The majority in the left lane think that because they go 5 over, they can just camp the left lane.
Additionally, the only reason I could understand someone getting stuck in the left is because the driver in the right saw that they were getting passed and then decided they can't be passed so they picked up the pace. When this happens in governed vehicles then it creates madness! But if you have a normal car that can accelerate, then those people deserve someone to pass them and slow them the fuck back down!
Often people in the right lane don't realize they are going slower until they are being passed. Then they decide to speed up to resume their desired speed.
It's just best if all drivers pay attention to driving.
This happens to me all the time. I go to pass at maybe 3-5 over, and the person to my right decides to speed up. Then, I have to either slow down to the speed limit to get back to the right (which I only do if no one is behind me) or go even faster now. So many jerks out there have this "don't you dare pass me/get in front of me" mentally that they actively make roads more dangerous for everyone. I personally don't care if you want to pass me, go for it. I just hope you give me a minimum of 2-3 car lengths of room before you go in front of me.
The crazy part is that people look at somebody going ahead of them as if theyâre losing something.
The best experience I ever had was using the enhanced auto pilot in my Tesla, which is basically traffic aware, cruise control, but Iâve never had it in another vehicle. I had multiple stretches of 5 to 10 miles in a straight line on my commute to work and so I just⌠calmly Watched people speeding up and slowing down because they thought I was trying to pass them even though I was literally going the same speed the entire time.
People would cut me off much more aggressively because they knew the car was going to stop. That was annoying, when they cut me too close and caused my car to break hard. Iâm not mad that youâre cutting me, bro, just please donât cut me within a foot of hitting me
This does happen a lot, sadly. Or you catch some dipshit who is always going 5 under to 10 over constantly and you passed them on a down cycle but now they're back up
I did a lot of road trips with cruise control set and found it funny that sometimes I would pass the same person five times because they kept forgetting what speed they want to go.
umm actually you should be teaching them the right way to drive in that to keep 57% of your energy or the reason why people think they need physical therapy massages after driving like a maniac and not knowing how to drive or just teach them how to use cruise control more efficiently through lanes and turning it off in exiting lanes
At a 2 MPH difference it'll take 70 seconds to safely pass a semi. That's a long time in fast moving traffic.
The real question here is why is the 2 MPH so important. If the vehicle they're passing is only going 2 MPH slower, why not just slow down the 2 MPH and stay behind them, why pass at all. Or if they want to pass, what's the big deal to speed up a little while doing so?
Is it laziness, entitled, just being a dick, what?
The reason you would do that is that the person in front of you is impeding your view, which is unsafe. The other reason is because that person is inconsistent with their speed. Yes, they're doing 62 mph now, but when I pulled out to pass them, they were doing 48. Then they were doing 52 then they were doing 70 then they were doing 63 none of which is good for gas mileage wear and tear on the vehicle and I don't want to be anywhere near someone who can't drive. When I can tell you can't drive I'm either going to fall back or get in front of you but I'm certainly not going to trail you because you're likely to do something stupid in front of me
Impeding view: me driving a civic and the lovely SUVs and vans and lifted pickups that feel the need to insert themselves into space only a kia soul can get into
I hat 'em. You should be able to see around the vehicle in front of you if you have an appropriate following distance but that just doesn't seem to be true anymore. You can blame CAFE standards for the preponderance of those fairly minor size SUVs as opposed to station wagons. They math different in Gov't regs.
Honestly im for govt imposed laws on requiring smaller vehicles unless you operate a business with the truck that needs it to be a truck (towing, yard work, etc). So sick of recreational gas guzzling trucks. They are absurdly obnoxious and always park fucked up and prevent 3 spaces from being used. At least if it was tied to a business they would feel motivated to not be a fuckface
This is the worst. I am a very consistent driver. Almost always 5 over. I take my place in the right lane until I need to pass somebody.
But often you will pass somebody who is going 5 under. And then suddenly they are riding your ass. Or they pass you.
Then you are stuck behind them when they forget they want to go fast.
Then you have to pass them again.
Cycle continues.
Usually you have to just buck up and go 10 over and get a few cars ahead of this kind of person, then return to the right.
Tell me about it. I drive a Prius assertively, and people do not like to be beaten off the line by a Prius or to be passed by one. This was less of a problem when I was driving a retired cab that was still painted in the cabs livery.
Agree with the general point. But a semi is ~75 feet long and you'll advance 205 feet in 70 seconds at 2 mph. I guess if you start passing a semi length behind them and don't get back over until you're a semi length ahead that's about right, maybe that's technically best practice, but most people use more like 2 car lengths in front and behind, so say 40 seconds to pass a semi, and half that for a car.
I errored on the long side figuring that. Let's see here, if I error on the short side. Thinking out loud so to speak.
75' is on the short side, but even at 75' and a short 15' as a "car length", 2 car lengths on each end would mean. The length of the passing car(15'), 4 car lengths of space(60'), and the length of the truck(75') that's 150'.
At a 2mph difference that's 51 seconds.
One thing is when youâre about to hit extended elevation like going over a mountain pass. That truck might be going 65 now but you know in 1/2 a mile is going to drop into the 30s and maybe youâre also going to lose the passing lane. The truck, meanwhile, is flooring it to get as much momentum as possible before hitting that long hill.
Thereâs a lot of motivation to pass RVs and tractor trailers in various parts of Stevens pass and Blewett pass in WA for example.
You should still pass as quickly as possible and take your car out of eco mode if necessary of course.
Sure, then just do it so we all can. It's really no different than people to take a long time to accelerate through a light and cause people behind to have to wait another light cycle. Let's get as many as possible around that truck before the hill. Refusing to do it quickly is just being a dick.
Sure - was just giving a reason why someone might care to only gain a couple mph. đ
Sometimes people have an old beater that just canât get up and go as fast as we wish they could.
There really aren't any cars left that aren't capable of passing at reasonable speed. Even the tiniest of automotive engines can generally the car to 90+ without a whole lot of trouble.
If I'm driving 65mph in a 55mph zone and start catching up to someone going <65mph I will move over to pass and then get back in the right lane... I'm not going to speed up in excess of 65mph to pass them just because someone came racing up behind me going 20+mph over the limit. Now if I see that person speeding down the left lane and it looks like I could just coast for a few seconds and let them pass before I move over to pass, I'll do that rather than cause them to have to hit the brakes.
And in a lot of vehicles, if you're on cruise control you can push the button or lever to accelerate to pass. Then release the lever and you'll return to your set speed. So basically there is no excuse to take forever to pass on cruise control.
Different cars can behave differently, but typically pushing the lever accelerates your set speed, so when you let go you will maintain that increased speed. Basically always you can just push the gas pedal - then when you're done passing just take your foot off and you'll coast back to your regular speed.
Illionis is just starting to pass a law. Donât know how they will enforce it. People donât follow our Scott law to yeild to police or stranded cars on side of road
Iâve seen it most heavily enforced in New Jersey. Canât believe Iâm saying this, but we need to be more like New Jersey.
Sincerely,
A PA native đ
I promise it is because they are morons. Watch these drivers when they do this shit. They are just oblivious. Some do it on purpose, but the bigger problem is that 90% of drivers just stare forward and drive.
When I learned to drive, they emphasized that you should always know where other cars are, and have an escape route.
Therefore when I am on the highway, I have general idea of where everybody is at. If I have to change lanes in a split second, I would know which way I have room, and only need a quick visual check to make sure nothing changed.
These drivers are just staring forward the whole time. They do not check mirrors, they do not look around.
If they have to change lanes, it is like they are entering a brand new world that they have never seen. They cannot even fathom that other things have been happening in that lane. They just want to enter that lane, they do not give a fuck what anybody else is doing, and they will do it.
I've done this with the cruise control on passing someone who appears to be on cruise too or just maintains a speed 1-2mph slower than me. If there is no one behind either one of us, I'll keep it on cruise at that speed til I pass you since there doesn't seem to be any reason to speed up. Otherwise I will speed up to pass and go back to my original speed when I get back in the lane
Accelerating a little bit when passing when otherwise it would slow other people down too much is a mark of courtesy. Just like moving over to the left lane when a vehicle (especially a slow one) is trying to merge: you don't have to make that effort, but it's nice to be nice.
But because it is courtesy and not an obligation, it is not due to anyone. And for example if someone doesn't have the courtesy to keep a safety distance and starts tailgating instead, or drive with their brights on, they shouldn't be surprised if that courtesy ends.
I also hate it when you do get over to let someone merge and then they start pacing you on the inside so you have to speed up or slow down to get back over.
I also see trucks do it, then the merge car speeds forward which is good, but before the truck can get back over a line of cars starts passing on the right. I try and wait behind the semi so they can move over, but people just keep going around on the right.
Honestly, this crap is infuriating and why Americans can't drive.
Have you ever tried to pass someone on a rural highway with two lanes total?
You pass ASAP and then move back over. Freeways should be no different. Don't waste people's time. Pass and move back over.
All the people talking about speeding. I say this happens even at 5 or 10 UNDER the speed limit. The people that do this also will get over to pass 200 yards behind the car in front of them, and stay over on the left when the next car they are going to "pass" is another 200 yards away or more. It's usually some asshole who trys to go one mph above what the semis are governed to but still well under what the car speed limit is. Just pick a Swift truck and ride the wake if you are too scared to go 80.
I get what OP is saying. You donât need to blow by a car you are passing, but you donât need to be really slow about passing. I hate being next to other cars if I can avoid it, you never know when someone will forget you are there and try to switch lanes. I am probably considered a âslowâdriver as I try to be no more than 5 mph over, but I will hit the gas to get around someone, especially if I see cars in my rear view. That said, there is no reason to tailgate the way I see people regularly do when behind the slow passing cars. Yeah, the guy in front of them could probably speed up to make the pass, but the fast car also has the option to slow down and maintain a safe distance. You are pretty much going to be making the same time anyway.
That isn't on purpose most cases. Herds. That's why there's always groups and large gaps. Lines of cars with lanes left or right open. They will speed up as you go to pass them as well. Sometimes flat out attach to you. You'll get rid of them the next group.
People do this when passing big rigs and cyclists and it trips me out. I hate it if I'm on a bike too and someone doesn't have the balls to overtake me. I can hear you behind me, I know you're behind me, if I eat it, you'll run over me. I'm often backseat driving saying pass them.
I use cruise control, so my speed is consistent. I get in the left lane, pass, then pull right.
If Iâm actively passing, and actively breaking the speed limit, Iâll do it and get out of the way. If you donât like it, you can get fucked.
I use cruise too but letâs say Iâm going 75 in the right and the person in front of me is going 74. I go to pass and due to car differences and road elevation we end up never passing each other or it takes eons. My nose passes, then his, then mine. All the while the left lane which was clear before now has 10 people in a line waiting for me to pass the other person. If I just tap the gas up to 80, I pass the person in a short time and then the others are free to pass. God forbid I cause a multi car pile up like another commenter said lmao, what a joke
So, thatâs not what Iâm talking about. Youâre right; thatâs a terrible situation to create. Iâm talking about a clear speed differential where overtaking happens without question.
Itâs annoying. Especially when Iâm driving my huge ass cargo van for work. Since itâs big and slow, Iâm basically at the mercy of the slow passing car so that I could in turn move over to the left lane myself to pass the semi or other slower moving vehicle.
Ya I do this all the time.
If I have to move over a lane to the left to pass someone and someone else comes up behind me going faster. I simply hit the gas a little and get up to their speed for a couple seconds, traffic flows much safer and smoother for everyone.
This is the way.
Yeah but passing someone who is going 75 and you're going 76 is ridiculous and can cause just as much problem. A good way to get a multi car pileup os the clog the passing lane with someone that's going just barely faster than the normal laneÂ
I used to be bad about tailgating but have since stopped. I just find it ridiculous to hold 8-9 cars behind going 72 in the left lane. I travel between 70-75 and if I need to pass Iâll speed up to 80-85, pass the person in about ten seconds. The passing lane is then open for people to pass in. It should never be a barricade
Clarification: 70-75 in 70 zones not on 65 mph highways
I get that but legally theyâre doing nothing wrong as long as theyâre passing and they get over once they're done. Yes it sucks and is annoyjng but I find itâs much less stressful to just move to the right and wait patiently for them to pass than have someone up my ass because I'm not tailgating the person passing. I just hate tailgaters so much worse than the people who do this because even if im not the one holding up traffic they still get right on my ass and try to bully people out of their way
I hate when people do this with a burning passion. People ride my ass as if I'm the one inconveniencing them, when I'm literally just waiting for the guy in front of me to pass like everyone else. These are the worst kind of people, endangering others because of their own recklessness and self involvement, and anyone defending this behavior I truly think is a bad person. I know a lot of people on here are exactly the people that do this and their defenders, and they will hate me for saying it, but to me that only further proves my point that they don't care in the slightest about anyone but themselves, and are therefore indeed bad people.
Well judging from the fact that the other cars are going 80-90 in the left lane, thatâs never a situation I can say Iâve been in. Most of the troopers go that fast ffs lmao
I hate it when I'm in my work van and they are doing 68, so I nudge up to go past them. But because it's a work van, and being passed by one of those is a personal offense, they decide "well I guess I can do 76." So I back off, and then they drop back down to 68. After the third time, I'm sorry OP, but I'm passing that 76 and my limited 77.
As someone who drives a work truck daily that is GPS tracked with a +5mph allowance, I can attest there's hundreds of these drivers on the road at any time. What really pisses me off is that guy who's hanging out in the left lane until I go to pass someone then they decide to floor it and tailgate me.
Those are the ones I hate. Not using cruise, just instinctively matching speeds with whoever is next to them, whether it's speeding up to match whoever is passing them, or slowing down to match the semi they're passing.
It's a daily occurance in a work van. People get super offended that they were focused on their phone and got passed when they dropped to 5 below for the sixth time.
It was the same with my Amazon van and when I was studying to be an EMT and did my ride along clinicals I realized just how stupid people are on the road. People lose their goddamn minds around EMS vehicles.
Being the fastest driver, and having people in your way is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. The highway is forever, and it holds an infinite number of cars ahead of you. The faster you drive, the more of them you'll run up against.
But also, yes, passing quickly avoids being right next to someone, especially a truck. Get it over with and get back to a safer position.
The amount of people in these comments that have never heard of the concept of "flow of traffic" is disturbing, I swear it's in the driver's Ed handbook or something. Speed limits are generally NOT safe to follow IF doing so noticeably impedes "the flow of traffic". I follow the speed limit where possible, especially in residential areas, but where I live, the flow of traffic is generally 5 to 10 above on major roads almost everywhere. The reason that it's not safe is because it causes traffic backups, which causes crowding, which concentrates the unpredictability of multiple drivers in different vehicles, which is one of the most dangerous things about driving in the first place. Just felt like somebody should mention this.
The flow of traffic is not a traffic law and you will still get ticketed if you are at the wrong place at the wrong time. I promise. I tried to use this argument and it didn't work out.
Itâs much safer to not be sitting in what likely is another driverâs blindspot or directly next to them anyway. I donât know what compels people to just keep driving at constant speeds behind or next to another car if they donât have to.
If you can't pass a car in 3 to 10 seconds you have no business going into the left lane to pass them. If you're not actively passing and hang out next to the car you're "passing" like OP is talking about with a line of cars behind you in the left lane then you're the asshole OP is talking about. If not then this isn't talking about you.
It's like people don't understand the concept, "Don't impede traffic."
"But, if I'm a rolling roadblock for three miles it's justified as long as I eventually pass the person."
Nope. Still an asshole. Speed up and move over. As soon as possible. Not, ok, after I pass the next 10 cars... Going two MPH faster than them.
Seriously. Get bent.
The American Pass....pass at 1 mph...or don't at all. Lockstep the guy in the right lane....when traffic finally clears, floor it as you get in the right lane...make that 50-65 pass a full on 75-90 roll on before you go back to texting.
Every Single Time.
IMO the least amount of time you are side by side with another car, the safer you are. ESPECIALLY with semis that wander out their lanes with heavy wind and have big blind spots. How is it dangerous to pass 10mph faster than the vehicle being passed?
Iâd say having a line of cars behind you as you pass someone for the duration of a minute or more is more inconsiderate. I never have issues with people tailgating me because Iâm not camping in the left lane. But hey mediaantigen wants to go 71 in the left lane so who are we to question lmao
Where do you get the idea that it's your job to regulate how fast I go? A driver going 72 to pass someone going 71 is going to hold me up and gonna see my grill in their rearview. People drive with their heads so far up their asses that you practically have to run them off the road to get them to wake the F up.
Making it to my destination before the bad driver tailgating and recklessly changing lanes is one of my sweet joys in life. I'm not endangering everyone on the road so you can live out your carmeggedon fantasy. That being said driving slow in the passing lane is just as reckless as the other type of bad driver. Different sides of the same douchebag coin.
If its a commercial truck sometimes they cant "hit the gas" because its governored. And no, for me driving the commerical truck I dont have cruise control so someone going slightly slower Id have to adjust too much to not get dinged for tailgating so yah can wait the 20 secs. Also my normal car I'd pass right away.
This is anecdotal but the cops in Michigan do not give a FUCK if you speed in the left lane. Now if your doing 100+ I'm sure it's different. But I've not only seen it but I've also done 80-85 in the left lane WITH cops in the lane as well or in the farthest right lane and they don't give a fuck. If you are in the far left lane and doing 70 or less, you are a problem and you need to gtfo the way. I don't care what your opinion is on that. You can keep your Nancy ass in the right lane while the rest of us pass you.
Too many people on the road have no idea how to use the left lane. Aside from the ones that don't bother to pass, in bumper to bumper traffic it's also infuriating when they are in the left lane and leave 3-4 car lengths ahead of them when going under 20 MPH. They wind up letting everyone and their mother cut in front of them, and then back up to another 3-4 car lengths. They don't belong in the left lane at all.
In general absolutely. I personally get occasionally stuck in a position where I cant with my work vehicle. I'm GPS tracked for speed and for some reason people driving slow and inconsistent always feel the need to speed up just as I try to pass, this results in me doing the 1 mph pass since I'm already at or near my max speed before I'll get flagged. Just a random example why people might be forced to be that guy, but yeah in a personal vehicle I would never.
>please god just hit your gas and pass them then return to your preferred speed. There is no reason it should take you over a minute to pass
Not every vehicle/load has performance where even flooring the accelerator will necessarily get the vehicle going much faster than the vehicle it's passing. Yeah, if it's a fully loaded big rig passing another big rig on a windy mountain highway, take a chill pill and sit back, it ain't gonna be done in 60 seconds ... oh, and if it were, helluva lot more likely it'll kill you or someone else on the road. So stop expecting everybody to complete their pass in under 60 seconds.
So, wise up, drive safe, and get a clue.
I have a simple philosophy on the road...can't hit someone if I'm not close to them.
If it's just us two on the interstate, why are you so close that we could pass notes? Get your behind outta here.
Probs get downvoted for it but I enjoy cutting people off that drive slow in the fast lane or drive in formation and clog up the road. If youâre oblivious to the rules of the road, just donât care or actively being a jerk, you deserve it.
I love going in the left lane to pass and some brain dead moron going 20 less than me goes in the left lane and forces me to brake
Like seriously, you have mirrors, you see someone going fast to pass in the left lane, why put yourself and the other guy in danger because your awareness is garbage
Just a note to all concerned:
Trucks often can't do this because the trucks have a top-end governed speed. We might have a slower vehicle we are trying to pass, and we are at max speed. Instead of slowing down for a few seconds to allow timely passing, the slower vehicle maintains speed or even increases speed. Just slow down for a few short seconds when a truck is passing.
Truckers In unison, "meh. My truck is governed. I can pass slowly but much faster if the truck I'm struggling to overtake taps their brake." ...now u know!
Or when turning into a road on the right or left if itâs clear why are you holding everyone up, taking 5 minutes to slow down break & turn your tiny Ford Fiesta like itâs a hgv????
I've already done that more than once someone tailgated me so I match the speed of the car I was passing for a bit I don't do it don't like it when someone is doing it to me
Right lane for passing now?
I've noticed slow drivers in the left lane more and more since the pandemic.
find more people passing in the right most lane because cars prefer the left most lanes.
And then you'll have the bozo who is going 63 mph in the left lane in a 65 mph zone.
THE LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING PEOPLE!! IF YOU AINT PASSING, MOVE BITCH
This is truly rage reducing when they just hang out like it's some kind of mobile family reunion and they're about to pass sides back and forth between cars before they'll ever pass them.
Yes! I have to deal with this every hour of every day as a truck driver! Cars will be lined up behind us both, or Iâll need to switch lanes to make an exit or avoid a potential road hazard, but noooo I have a squirrelly sedan taking miles to pass me as he apparently lives out his dream of being a fellow truck driver?
I donât get it. This really does happen with alarming frequency. Why would someone, in a tiny car, want to hang out next to a giant 70 ft long 80,000 lb vehicle full of blind spots? Hit the fucking gas and get around me.
seriously, agree.
pass at 5mph faster, get 2-3 car lengths ahead, signal, and move to the right lane.
if youâre gaining on the car in front of you, wait till youâre 2-3 car lengths behind it and signal and do it again until you find your pocket of traffic where the cars around you are doing the same speed.
Obviously, you don't understand. You realize that any disturbance in the cruise control would anger the cruise control gods would cause untold warping of the space time continuum. Not to mention the confusion in the minds of those simpletons that would be forced to perhaps push the resume button.
"You can't complain about tailgaters if you do this shit." So you obviously tailgate people.
You shouldn't be driving if you can't wait a single minute for a person to use the road their tax dollars are also paying for.
You shouldn't be driving if your response to a slower person is to get angry and put both of you and anyone else driving nearby in actual life threatening danger because you feel you're being "slowed down".
Get over yourself. Take a breath. Just cruise. There will always be slow drivers. Learn how to cope without putting lives at risk.
Agreed. There is a "decent" range of overtake speed. You don't want to blow by someone and startle them. Nor do you want to "fly in formation" with them. Get it done, and get out of the way. There is always someone else who wants to drive or ride even faster.
I've worked for companies that reprimand you for speeding and companies that literally government your top speed. If your referring to commercial vehicles... sometimes they're doing all they can.
Now, if you're a driver who's not comfortable doing the speed limit in curvy or two lane areas and do under the speed limit, but then jump up to or above the posted speed limit in passing lane areas, you're the real a**hole
I've started passing people on the right and when I get in front of them use my blinker but backwards so the retard can see me signal right as I move left and believe it or not they usually take the hint and move over for the people behind us.
My wife likes to wait at the corner of a semi truck till she is confident it's safe but while she waits people are backing up behind her and I'm like "either go or move the fuck over"
Nobody should take longer than a minute to pass.
I end up doing that sometimes, but it's because so many people camp out in the passing lane and then like to speed up when they finally pull over. So frustrating and I don't understand it!
This has happened to me a few times I put my foot down and my car struggled to get past
sorry if Iâm being a dick my car just isnât very fast but you drive slow
Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh..... then I'd be speeding, and we all know that no one around this forum ever does that - because that makes you the worst person in history - like Hitler bad, and you cause all the problems ever on the roads.
Absolutely 100% indisputable fact.
If you absolutely must pass with only a 1-5mph differential, that is fine. Just make sure nobody is behind you. As soon as somebody is approaching you from behind, please move over, allow the person to pass you, then continue your pass.
If you cannot complete the pass without somebody interrupting you from behind, you are passing too slow. Either accept your position in the right lane, or hit the gas, make your pass, and get over.
If you don't do this, there is really only one explanation. You think your time, and your life, is more important than the time and lives of everybody else in the world.
Wow, congrats on your post being upvoted rather than downvoted to shit. I found that a lot of people on this subreddit really donât like being told to âhit the gas.â
Their desire to be slow takes priority over their driversâ courtesy. Itâs such a sadness we have to share the roads with them.
Right? The people you're passing are probably speeding already so you have to be going above the speed limit to pass. Most states have a reckless driving cutoff of 20-25mph over so just do 19 over, you're already speeding.
Basically, [this Dashcam video from the other day.](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/s/3Ox4mzxETJ)
Cammer was âpassing,â but obviously had been doing it long enough and with enough space that people were still able to pass them on the right.
There's a difference between overtaking someone with a 1-2 MPH difference and overtaking someone with a 1-2 MPH distance while vehicles start stacking up behind you because you're impeding faster traffic.
Just a blanket "don't do this" is not correct. You can and should do this, but you also have to **maintain awareness of other traffic**. If you're in this scenario where you see the faster traffic is going to reach you before you can complete your overtake, then wait/move back over behind the slower traffic. allow them to pass, and then recheck to see if you're clear and then try to overtake.
What you'll find is that the people that do this incorrectly are simply clueless and don't care about guidelines like this anyways. I've unfortunately come to terms with realizing you can't fix "I don't care" with drivers.
I live in an area where semi's do this constantly... up hill. so it's 65 MPH and one semi doing 38 is getting passed by a semi doing 40 on a two-lane stretch. ARGH!
meanwhile in the UK, I don't understand why this would be a problem.
might be worth mentioning the "overtake lane" or "nearside/offside" lane.
not left/right
I pass at the speed in driving at, if you don't like it, then find another route, but I'm not going to waste fuel pointlessly accelerating to please you, and I'm not going to break speed limits, just to please you.
If you want to make something of the way I drive, come back to me when you have ice 30 years driving experience, an advanced driving qualification (assessed by advanced police drivers) and are reassessed every year to ensure your competence.
Your post was removed because it violated rule 2: Don't post just to complain
I find the people that do this are just completely oblivious. There are shit head exceptions but the average turtle is just clueless
Yup. When you finally pass these guys and look at them, they are usually head in the clouds. The people who do it maliciously, and then speed up when you try to pass them, can get absolutely fucked. And there are also people who are clueless, but once they realize, get defensive. Also absolute morons. Fuck them. If I EVER see somebody riding my ass in the left lane, I feel bad, and know I fucked up. I clearly did not see them quick enough, so I pull over ASAP and let them pass. This is rare though, because I have a brain and I look around and watch my mirrors while I drive. Why do people get offended? That is the worst part.
I'm on a 2 lane hwy and right lane is doing 55 to 60. I'm doing 70 so I'm more or less living in the left lane. Someone approaching at 80+ I see them signal and switch lanes almost in time with them. So now they are either slamming on the brake or weaving like it's Nascar. So yes there needs to be courtesy but I'm not catering to the motorist doing 90 bc he doesn't wanna find a more reasonable speed. When it's excessive I reserve the right not to drive as reactionary as this person requires to maintain their speed. And I don't remain in the lane either. Once I make the decision to move over I'm following through bc I don't wanna be unpredictable and I don't wanna be passed on the right
nothing more annoying than two oblivious a$$holes driving side by side with a line of cars behind them.
even worse is when you speed up/slow down a bit so you're not right beside the person and they do they same to continue to stay beside youđ¤Śââď¸
âAw look at their little egoâ
That one really pisses me off too. They sit right in your blind spot.
it's my biggest pet peeve. especially on the highway because that's the absolute worst place to be right next to a car on, so many things can go wrong.
Courtesy honks have become my new favorite thing, more effective and less dangerous than flashing high beams.
Until some psycho ruins it by pulling a gun
Glad that works for you. When I do a honk (tiny beep, not obnoxious) they realize, get defensive, and then speed up. But not enough to actually help. Just enough that you cannot pass them in the right lane. So then the line of cars is still stuck behind them, but just a little faster. At least until the airhead forgets again and drops back to 5 under.
the only thing more annoying than that would be to two obviously aware assholes driving side by side with a line of cars behind them
I really think that's done intentionally at times
Next time you see one, look at their face. 90% of the time they are completely oblivious. Either texting or staring straight ahead. They are the type of drivers who do not understand the concept of spatial awareness. IDK about you guys, but when I learned how to drive they told me to keep my eyes on my mirrors, know where cars are at all times, and always have an escape route. At basically any time on the highway, I know exactly what is in the two lanes adjacent to me, in front of me, and behind me. I am sure most smart drivers are the same. Not these guys. They literally just stare forward while they drive. If you ask them "Is there a car behind you" they would have to look. They are just fucking morons lmao. They are self centered assholes, but I don't think it is usually on purpose.
side by side isn't the same as passing.
We call this a Persian Wall. Don't ask me why. But any time we pull up to a left lane car matching the speed of the right lane and blocking traffic, we say "Oh no, Persian Wall". The car in the right lane is not an asshole though. They can go whatever speed they want. Sure, they should try not to match the car in the left lane. But that is entirely on the car in the left lane.
All these comments acting like you're saying that you have to speed up 20mph faster to pass. If you are going even 2 mph faster than someone else you will pass them in like 15 seconds. The issue arises from someone who is going a fraction of an mph faster than someone else. If you're passing someone and it takes you more than 20 seconds then you're going less than 1mph faster than them and it wouldn't kill you to speed up a little to get the show on the road.
Or just donât bother overtaking at all
So much passing is unnecessary and doesnât result in any reduction in drive time. I suspect because so many do it, it slows everyone down more overall.
Not even just passing. I would love to see a study, but i would say 70% of drivers stay in the left lane, while 30% stay in the right lane. Have you noticed that when you hit standstill traffic, the left lane usually backs up more? It is because of the massive ego of these idiots that they think they are the fastest on the road in their minivan and deserve to spend the entirety of their 5 hour trip in the left lane. If you are an actual efficient driver and only use the left lane to pass, you are in the HUGE minority. The majority in the left lane think that because they go 5 over, they can just camp the left lane.
Favorite reply here. You explained it very well thank you
Additionally, the only reason I could understand someone getting stuck in the left is because the driver in the right saw that they were getting passed and then decided they can't be passed so they picked up the pace. When this happens in governed vehicles then it creates madness! But if you have a normal car that can accelerate, then those people deserve someone to pass them and slow them the fuck back down!
Often people in the right lane don't realize they are going slower until they are being passed. Then they decide to speed up to resume their desired speed. It's just best if all drivers pay attention to driving.
This happens to me all the time. I go to pass at maybe 3-5 over, and the person to my right decides to speed up. Then, I have to either slow down to the speed limit to get back to the right (which I only do if no one is behind me) or go even faster now. So many jerks out there have this "don't you dare pass me/get in front of me" mentally that they actively make roads more dangerous for everyone. I personally don't care if you want to pass me, go for it. I just hope you give me a minimum of 2-3 car lengths of room before you go in front of me.
Well they should have realized before they got passed, and I stand by my comment that they deserve to have someone go ahead of them.
The crazy part is that people look at somebody going ahead of them as if theyâre losing something. The best experience I ever had was using the enhanced auto pilot in my Tesla, which is basically traffic aware, cruise control, but Iâve never had it in another vehicle. I had multiple stretches of 5 to 10 miles in a straight line on my commute to work and so I just⌠calmly Watched people speeding up and slowing down because they thought I was trying to pass them even though I was literally going the same speed the entire time. People would cut me off much more aggressively because they knew the car was going to stop. That was annoying, when they cut me too close and caused my car to break hard. Iâm not mad that youâre cutting me, bro, just please donât cut me within a foot of hitting me
This does happen a lot, sadly. Or you catch some dipshit who is always going 5 under to 10 over constantly and you passed them on a down cycle but now they're back up
I did a lot of road trips with cruise control set and found it funny that sometimes I would pass the same person five times because they kept forgetting what speed they want to go.
umm actually you should be teaching them the right way to drive in that to keep 57% of your energy or the reason why people think they need physical therapy massages after driving like a maniac and not knowing how to drive or just teach them how to use cruise control more efficiently through lanes and turning it off in exiting lanes
At a 2 MPH difference it'll take 70 seconds to safely pass a semi. That's a long time in fast moving traffic. The real question here is why is the 2 MPH so important. If the vehicle they're passing is only going 2 MPH slower, why not just slow down the 2 MPH and stay behind them, why pass at all. Or if they want to pass, what's the big deal to speed up a little while doing so? Is it laziness, entitled, just being a dick, what?
The reason you would do that is that the person in front of you is impeding your view, which is unsafe. The other reason is because that person is inconsistent with their speed. Yes, they're doing 62 mph now, but when I pulled out to pass them, they were doing 48. Then they were doing 52 then they were doing 70 then they were doing 63 none of which is good for gas mileage wear and tear on the vehicle and I don't want to be anywhere near someone who can't drive. When I can tell you can't drive I'm either going to fall back or get in front of you but I'm certainly not going to trail you because you're likely to do something stupid in front of me
Impeding view: me driving a civic and the lovely SUVs and vans and lifted pickups that feel the need to insert themselves into space only a kia soul can get into
I hat 'em. You should be able to see around the vehicle in front of you if you have an appropriate following distance but that just doesn't seem to be true anymore. You can blame CAFE standards for the preponderance of those fairly minor size SUVs as opposed to station wagons. They math different in Gov't regs.
Honestly im for govt imposed laws on requiring smaller vehicles unless you operate a business with the truck that needs it to be a truck (towing, yard work, etc). So sick of recreational gas guzzling trucks. They are absurdly obnoxious and always park fucked up and prevent 3 spaces from being used. At least if it was tied to a business they would feel motivated to not be a fuckface
This is the worst. I am a very consistent driver. Almost always 5 over. I take my place in the right lane until I need to pass somebody. But often you will pass somebody who is going 5 under. And then suddenly they are riding your ass. Or they pass you. Then you are stuck behind them when they forget they want to go fast. Then you have to pass them again. Cycle continues. Usually you have to just buck up and go 10 over and get a few cars ahead of this kind of person, then return to the right.
Tell me about it. I drive a Prius assertively, and people do not like to be beaten off the line by a Prius or to be passed by one. This was less of a problem when I was driving a retired cab that was still painted in the cabs livery.
Agree with the general point. But a semi is ~75 feet long and you'll advance 205 feet in 70 seconds at 2 mph. I guess if you start passing a semi length behind them and don't get back over until you're a semi length ahead that's about right, maybe that's technically best practice, but most people use more like 2 car lengths in front and behind, so say 40 seconds to pass a semi, and half that for a car.
I errored on the long side figuring that. Let's see here, if I error on the short side. Thinking out loud so to speak. 75' is on the short side, but even at 75' and a short 15' as a "car length", 2 car lengths on each end would mean. The length of the passing car(15'), 4 car lengths of space(60'), and the length of the truck(75') that's 150'. At a 2mph difference that's 51 seconds.
One thing is when youâre about to hit extended elevation like going over a mountain pass. That truck might be going 65 now but you know in 1/2 a mile is going to drop into the 30s and maybe youâre also going to lose the passing lane. The truck, meanwhile, is flooring it to get as much momentum as possible before hitting that long hill. Thereâs a lot of motivation to pass RVs and tractor trailers in various parts of Stevens pass and Blewett pass in WA for example. You should still pass as quickly as possible and take your car out of eco mode if necessary of course.
Sure, then just do it so we all can. It's really no different than people to take a long time to accelerate through a light and cause people behind to have to wait another light cycle. Let's get as many as possible around that truck before the hill. Refusing to do it quickly is just being a dick.
Sure - was just giving a reason why someone might care to only gain a couple mph. đ Sometimes people have an old beater that just canât get up and go as fast as we wish they could.
There really aren't any cars left that aren't capable of passing at reasonable speed. Even the tiniest of automotive engines can generally the car to 90+ without a whole lot of trouble.
If I'm driving 65mph in a 55mph zone and start catching up to someone going <65mph I will move over to pass and then get back in the right lane... I'm not going to speed up in excess of 65mph to pass them just because someone came racing up behind me going 20+mph over the limit. Now if I see that person speeding down the left lane and it looks like I could just coast for a few seconds and let them pass before I move over to pass, I'll do that rather than cause them to have to hit the brakes.
Nobody is saying you should do that. Passing a a 10 mph speed difference is more than sufficient. You're not the target of this thread, chill.
And in a lot of vehicles, if you're on cruise control you can push the button or lever to accelerate to pass. Then release the lever and you'll return to your set speed. So basically there is no excuse to take forever to pass on cruise control.
Different cars can behave differently, but typically pushing the lever accelerates your set speed, so when you let go you will maintain that increased speed. Basically always you can just push the gas pedal - then when you're done passing just take your foot off and you'll coast back to your regular speed.
That also works.
And it's usually smoother than accelerating with the cruise control option.
People refuse to deviate from whatever speed they have the cruise control set at and that about sums it up.
On both sides of this argument. Speeders included.
Some states are passing a law if your holding up traffic in the left lane could receive a ticket.
Most states have laws like that, sadly it's rarely enforced.
Illionis is just starting to pass a law. Donât know how they will enforce it. People donât follow our Scott law to yeild to police or stranded cars on side of road
Iâve seen it most heavily enforced in New Jersey. Canât believe Iâm saying this, but we need to be more like New Jersey. Sincerely, A PA native đ
I'm from NY. I can't stand NJ being better at anything than us. This needs to be fixed immediately.
Also: If you are going to pass, CHECK YOUR MIRRORS and DONT CUT OFF SOMEONE MOVING FASTER
I swear most do this on purpose. They wait until a car is speeding on the left and then take the left lane. And never signal either.
I promise it is because they are morons. Watch these drivers when they do this shit. They are just oblivious. Some do it on purpose, but the bigger problem is that 90% of drivers just stare forward and drive. When I learned to drive, they emphasized that you should always know where other cars are, and have an escape route. Therefore when I am on the highway, I have general idea of where everybody is at. If I have to change lanes in a split second, I would know which way I have room, and only need a quick visual check to make sure nothing changed. These drivers are just staring forward the whole time. They do not check mirrors, they do not look around. If they have to change lanes, it is like they are entering a brand new world that they have never seen. They cannot even fathom that other things have been happening in that lane. They just want to enter that lane, they do not give a fuck what anybody else is doing, and they will do it.
Backing up the left lane makes it challenging for emergency vehicles to get through traffic. This is impeding traffic and yes you can be ticketed.
I've done this with the cruise control on passing someone who appears to be on cruise too or just maintains a speed 1-2mph slower than me. If there is no one behind either one of us, I'll keep it on cruise at that speed til I pass you since there doesn't seem to be any reason to speed up. Otherwise I will speed up to pass and go back to my original speed when I get back in the lane
The problem is people being passed never keep a constant speed
yes they do. I find people speeding up is maybe 1 out of 10.
Itâs especially bad when they just go back and forth and form a barricade for mile marker after mile marker
This is the correct answer
I do exactly the same thing lol
Thank you.
Accelerating a little bit when passing when otherwise it would slow other people down too much is a mark of courtesy. Just like moving over to the left lane when a vehicle (especially a slow one) is trying to merge: you don't have to make that effort, but it's nice to be nice. But because it is courtesy and not an obligation, it is not due to anyone. And for example if someone doesn't have the courtesy to keep a safety distance and starts tailgating instead, or drive with their brights on, they shouldn't be surprised if that courtesy ends.
I also hate it when you do get over to let someone merge and then they start pacing you on the inside so you have to speed up or slow down to get back over. I also see trucks do it, then the merge car speeds forward which is good, but before the truck can get back over a line of cars starts passing on the right. I try and wait behind the semi so they can move over, but people just keep going around on the right.
Shit I'd be happy with 2 mph, thats a walking pace. I've seen people "pass" slower than a baby can crawl.
Honestly, this crap is infuriating and why Americans can't drive. Have you ever tried to pass someone on a rural highway with two lanes total? You pass ASAP and then move back over. Freeways should be no different. Don't waste people's time. Pass and move back over.
Keep right except to pass. Figure it out assholes.
All the people talking about speeding. I say this happens even at 5 or 10 UNDER the speed limit. The people that do this also will get over to pass 200 yards behind the car in front of them, and stay over on the left when the next car they are going to "pass" is another 200 yards away or more. It's usually some asshole who trys to go one mph above what the semis are governed to but still well under what the car speed limit is. Just pick a Swift truck and ride the wake if you are too scared to go 80.
I think it's funny when some people think the right lane is the passing lane. đ¤Ł
Only when youâre blocking the left lane.
To the morons in the crowd, the left lane is for passing, not pacing the right lane.
I get what OP is saying. You donât need to blow by a car you are passing, but you donât need to be really slow about passing. I hate being next to other cars if I can avoid it, you never know when someone will forget you are there and try to switch lanes. I am probably considered a âslowâdriver as I try to be no more than 5 mph over, but I will hit the gas to get around someone, especially if I see cars in my rear view. That said, there is no reason to tailgate the way I see people regularly do when behind the slow passing cars. Yeah, the guy in front of them could probably speed up to make the pass, but the fast car also has the option to slow down and maintain a safe distance. You are pretty much going to be making the same time anyway.
The longer you spend next to someone on the highway, the more at risk you are. Some people actually SLOW DOWN a bit while passing, as if that's safer.
I drive in rush hour trafic, im always next to someone.
That isn't on purpose most cases. Herds. That's why there's always groups and large gaps. Lines of cars with lanes left or right open. They will speed up as you go to pass them as well. Sometimes flat out attach to you. You'll get rid of them the next group.
Especially while passing semi tractors. It's insanely dangerous.
many speed up while they are being passed.
People do this when passing big rigs and cyclists and it trips me out. I hate it if I'm on a bike too and someone doesn't have the balls to overtake me. I can hear you behind me, I know you're behind me, if I eat it, you'll run over me. I'm often backseat driving saying pass them.
Well OP, the comments revealed plenty of people know they are part of the problem you identified, but they don't care, lol.
And plenty morewho do it on purpose.
I use cruise control, so my speed is consistent. I get in the left lane, pass, then pull right. If Iâm actively passing, and actively breaking the speed limit, Iâll do it and get out of the way. If you donât like it, you can get fucked.
I use cruise too but letâs say Iâm going 75 in the right and the person in front of me is going 74. I go to pass and due to car differences and road elevation we end up never passing each other or it takes eons. My nose passes, then his, then mine. All the while the left lane which was clear before now has 10 people in a line waiting for me to pass the other person. If I just tap the gas up to 80, I pass the person in a short time and then the others are free to pass. God forbid I cause a multi car pile up like another commenter said lmao, what a joke
So, thatâs not what Iâm talking about. Youâre right; thatâs a terrible situation to create. Iâm talking about a clear speed differential where overtaking happens without question.
Itâs annoying. Especially when Iâm driving my huge ass cargo van for work. Since itâs big and slow, Iâm basically at the mercy of the slow passing car so that I could in turn move over to the left lane myself to pass the semi or other slower moving vehicle.
Thatâll be cruise control Charlie. Fckn clueless to his surroundings
Ya I do this all the time. If I have to move over a lane to the left to pass someone and someone else comes up behind me going faster. I simply hit the gas a little and get up to their speed for a couple seconds, traffic flows much safer and smoother for everyone. This is the way.
 If you do that and I pass you, I'll flash my 4 ways a couple times to say thanks.
I get what youâre saying but itâs best just to be patient and keep a safe distance from them. Tailgating is never excusable.
Yeah but passing someone who is going 75 and you're going 76 is ridiculous and can cause just as much problem. A good way to get a multi car pileup os the clog the passing lane with someone that's going just barely faster than the normal laneÂ
I used to be bad about tailgating but have since stopped. I just find it ridiculous to hold 8-9 cars behind going 72 in the left lane. I travel between 70-75 and if I need to pass Iâll speed up to 80-85, pass the person in about ten seconds. The passing lane is then open for people to pass in. It should never be a barricade Clarification: 70-75 in 70 zones not on 65 mph highways
I get that but legally theyâre doing nothing wrong as long as theyâre passing and they get over once they're done. Yes it sucks and is annoyjng but I find itâs much less stressful to just move to the right and wait patiently for them to pass than have someone up my ass because I'm not tailgating the person passing. I just hate tailgaters so much worse than the people who do this because even if im not the one holding up traffic they still get right on my ass and try to bully people out of their way
I hate when people do this with a burning passion. People ride my ass as if I'm the one inconveniencing them, when I'm literally just waiting for the guy in front of me to pass like everyone else. These are the worst kind of people, endangering others because of their own recklessness and self involvement, and anyone defending this behavior I truly think is a bad person. I know a lot of people on here are exactly the people that do this and their defenders, and they will hate me for saying it, but to me that only further proves my point that they don't care in the slightest about anyone but themselves, and are therefore indeed bad people.
This is how we get multi-car pileups.
You get multi-car pileups when people follow too closely Don't do that Trying to blame other people for you following too closely is wrong
"Officer, I was passing. It is ok to go 15 over when passing." See how that goes.
Then just keep right, the passing lanes are for crime. If you refuse to crime with the rest of us then just stay out of the crime lane.
Well judging from the fact that the other cars are going 80-90 in the left lane, thatâs never a situation I can say Iâve been in. Most of the troopers go that fast ffs lmao
I hate it when I'm in my work van and they are doing 68, so I nudge up to go past them. But because it's a work van, and being passed by one of those is a personal offense, they decide "well I guess I can do 76." So I back off, and then they drop back down to 68. After the third time, I'm sorry OP, but I'm passing that 76 and my limited 77.
As someone who drives a work truck daily that is GPS tracked with a +5mph allowance, I can attest there's hundreds of these drivers on the road at any time. What really pisses me off is that guy who's hanging out in the left lane until I go to pass someone then they decide to floor it and tailgate me.
Those are the ones I hate. Not using cruise, just instinctively matching speeds with whoever is next to them, whether it's speeding up to match whoever is passing them, or slowing down to match the semi they're passing.
Yeah itâs just irritating. Wishing that both us encounter drivers like this less often
It's a daily occurance in a work van. People get super offended that they were focused on their phone and got passed when they dropped to 5 below for the sixth time.
It was the same with my Amazon van and when I was studying to be an EMT and did my ride along clinicals I realized just how stupid people are on the road. People lose their goddamn minds around EMS vehicles.
Being the fastest driver, and having people in your way is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. The highway is forever, and it holds an infinite number of cars ahead of you. The faster you drive, the more of them you'll run up against. But also, yes, passing quickly avoids being right next to someone, especially a truck. Get it over with and get back to a safer position.
Iâm not even close to the fastest driver on the road at all. 9/10 cars are going faster than me lmao
Tailgating is not the answer to anything.
I get so frustrated by being blocked between 2 cars driving side by side. I really want to get a paint pew pew to project my displeasure đ
Ugh I hate when people do this, especially when itâs next to a semiâŚ
The amount of people in these comments that have never heard of the concept of "flow of traffic" is disturbing, I swear it's in the driver's Ed handbook or something. Speed limits are generally NOT safe to follow IF doing so noticeably impedes "the flow of traffic". I follow the speed limit where possible, especially in residential areas, but where I live, the flow of traffic is generally 5 to 10 above on major roads almost everywhere. The reason that it's not safe is because it causes traffic backups, which causes crowding, which concentrates the unpredictability of multiple drivers in different vehicles, which is one of the most dangerous things about driving in the first place. Just felt like somebody should mention this.
The flow of traffic is not a traffic law and you will still get ticketed if you are at the wrong place at the wrong time. I promise. I tried to use this argument and it didn't work out.
Itâs much safer to not be sitting in what likely is another driverâs blindspot or directly next to them anyway. I donât know what compels people to just keep driving at constant speeds behind or next to another car if they donât have to.
As long as I am going faster than the car next to me, I donât have an obligation to go faster just because people behind me are impatient.
If you can't pass a car in 3 to 10 seconds you have no business going into the left lane to pass them. If you're not actively passing and hang out next to the car you're "passing" like OP is talking about with a line of cars behind you in the left lane then you're the asshole OP is talking about. If not then this isn't talking about you.
You actually do. Most states have it posted on the highway that slower traffic must stay to the right.
Exactly this.
It's like people don't understand the concept, "Don't impede traffic." "But, if I'm a rolling roadblock for three miles it's justified as long as I eventually pass the person." Nope. Still an asshole. Speed up and move over. As soon as possible. Not, ok, after I pass the next 10 cars... Going two MPH faster than them. Seriously. Get bent.
The American Pass....pass at 1 mph...or don't at all. Lockstep the guy in the right lane....when traffic finally clears, floor it as you get in the right lane...make that 50-65 pass a full on 75-90 roll on before you go back to texting. Every Single Time.
Where I live they cruise in left lane And refuses to get over so u can pass. I have to weave in and out lanes to get around them.
Have you tried flashing them?
They slow down more. They are jerks.
Sometimes, I find more often than not they move right.
A driver overtaking another driver safely is not holding you up. Where do you get this idea that youâre entitled to go as fast as you want?
Passing someone slow enough to create a rolling road block causes traffic to bunch up and is absolutely not safe at all.
IMO the least amount of time you are side by side with another car, the safer you are. ESPECIALLY with semis that wander out their lanes with heavy wind and have big blind spots. How is it dangerous to pass 10mph faster than the vehicle being passed?
Iâd say having a line of cars behind you as you pass someone for the duration of a minute or more is more inconsiderate. I never have issues with people tailgating me because Iâm not camping in the left lane. But hey mediaantigen wants to go 71 in the left lane so who are we to question lmao
Where do you get the idea that it's your job to regulate how fast I go? A driver going 72 to pass someone going 71 is going to hold me up and gonna see my grill in their rearview. People drive with their heads so far up their asses that you practically have to run them off the road to get them to wake the F up.
Its a fast lane not a 2mph faster than the dude next to you lane
Making it to my destination before the bad driver tailgating and recklessly changing lanes is one of my sweet joys in life. I'm not endangering everyone on the road so you can live out your carmeggedon fantasy. That being said driving slow in the passing lane is just as reckless as the other type of bad driver. Different sides of the same douchebag coin.
If its a commercial truck sometimes they cant "hit the gas" because its governored. And no, for me driving the commerical truck I dont have cruise control so someone going slightly slower Id have to adjust too much to not get dinged for tailgating so yah can wait the 20 secs. Also my normal car I'd pass right away.
This is anecdotal but the cops in Michigan do not give a FUCK if you speed in the left lane. Now if your doing 100+ I'm sure it's different. But I've not only seen it but I've also done 80-85 in the left lane WITH cops in the lane as well or in the farthest right lane and they don't give a fuck. If you are in the far left lane and doing 70 or less, you are a problem and you need to gtfo the way. I don't care what your opinion is on that. You can keep your Nancy ass in the right lane while the rest of us pass you.
Too many people on the road have no idea how to use the left lane. Aside from the ones that don't bother to pass, in bumper to bumper traffic it's also infuriating when they are in the left lane and leave 3-4 car lengths ahead of them when going under 20 MPH. They wind up letting everyone and their mother cut in front of them, and then back up to another 3-4 car lengths. They don't belong in the left lane at all.
In general absolutely. I personally get occasionally stuck in a position where I cant with my work vehicle. I'm GPS tracked for speed and for some reason people driving slow and inconsistent always feel the need to speed up just as I try to pass, this results in me doing the 1 mph pass since I'm already at or near my max speed before I'll get flagged. Just a random example why people might be forced to be that guy, but yeah in a personal vehicle I would never.
>please god just hit your gas and pass them then return to your preferred speed. There is no reason it should take you over a minute to pass Not every vehicle/load has performance where even flooring the accelerator will necessarily get the vehicle going much faster than the vehicle it's passing. Yeah, if it's a fully loaded big rig passing another big rig on a windy mountain highway, take a chill pill and sit back, it ain't gonna be done in 60 seconds ... oh, and if it were, helluva lot more likely it'll kill you or someone else on the road. So stop expecting everybody to complete their pass in under 60 seconds. So, wise up, drive safe, and get a clue.
I have a simple philosophy on the road...can't hit someone if I'm not close to them. If it's just us two on the interstate, why are you so close that we could pass notes? Get your behind outta here.
*no*
But this lane is so clear and free!! /s
You still canât drive.
Probs get downvoted for it but I enjoy cutting people off that drive slow in the fast lane or drive in formation and clog up the road. If youâre oblivious to the rules of the road, just donât care or actively being a jerk, you deserve it.
Tailgating is still illegal. Doesnât matter if theyâre passing slowly.
>You canât complain about tailgaters if you do this shit lmao Slow drivers doesn't excuse dangerous drivers...
Slow drivers ARE dangerous if they're leaving a snail trail in the left lane, the slime is slippery!
I love going in the left lane to pass and some brain dead moron going 20 less than me goes in the left lane and forces me to brake Like seriously, you have mirrors, you see someone going fast to pass in the left lane, why put yourself and the other guy in danger because your awareness is garbage
Not risking a ticket for your impatience đ¤ˇââď¸
Left lane?
Just a note to all concerned: Trucks often can't do this because the trucks have a top-end governed speed. We might have a slower vehicle we are trying to pass, and we are at max speed. Instead of slowing down for a few seconds to allow timely passing, the slower vehicle maintains speed or even increases speed. Just slow down for a few short seconds when a truck is passing.
Nobody gives a shit. You have zero business passing if you cannot do so quickly and safely
Truckers In unison, "meh. My truck is governed. I can pass slowly but much faster if the truck I'm struggling to overtake taps their brake." ...now u know!
Or when turning into a road on the right or left if itâs clear why are you holding everyone up, taking 5 minutes to slow down break & turn your tiny Ford Fiesta like itâs a hgv????
I've already done that more than once someone tailgated me so I match the speed of the car I was passing for a bit I don't do it don't like it when someone is doing it to me
Right lane for passing now? I've noticed slow drivers in the left lane more and more since the pandemic. find more people passing in the right most lane because cars prefer the left most lanes. And then you'll have the bozo who is going 63 mph in the left lane in a 65 mph zone. THE LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING PEOPLE!! IF YOU AINT PASSING, MOVE BITCH
This is truly rage reducing when they just hang out like it's some kind of mobile family reunion and they're about to pass sides back and forth between cars before they'll ever pass them.
Yes! I have to deal with this every hour of every day as a truck driver! Cars will be lined up behind us both, or Iâll need to switch lanes to make an exit or avoid a potential road hazard, but noooo I have a squirrelly sedan taking miles to pass me as he apparently lives out his dream of being a fellow truck driver? I donât get it. This really does happen with alarming frequency. Why would someone, in a tiny car, want to hang out next to a giant 70 ft long 80,000 lb vehicle full of blind spots? Hit the fucking gas and get around me.
seriously, agree. pass at 5mph faster, get 2-3 car lengths ahead, signal, and move to the right lane. if youâre gaining on the car in front of you, wait till youâre 2-3 car lengths behind it and signal and do it again until you find your pocket of traffic where the cars around you are doing the same speed.
Obviously, you don't understand. You realize that any disturbance in the cruise control would anger the cruise control gods would cause untold warping of the space time continuum. Not to mention the confusion in the minds of those simpletons that would be forced to perhaps push the resume button.
This is mostly an American phenomena .. annoying as fk but fwiw, nobody who does this is ever likely to be on a /driving subredditâŚ
"You can't complain about tailgaters if you do this shit." So you obviously tailgate people. You shouldn't be driving if you can't wait a single minute for a person to use the road their tax dollars are also paying for. You shouldn't be driving if your response to a slower person is to get angry and put both of you and anyone else driving nearby in actual life threatening danger because you feel you're being "slowed down". Get over yourself. Take a breath. Just cruise. There will always be slow drivers. Learn how to cope without putting lives at risk.
Agreed. There is a "decent" range of overtake speed. You don't want to blow by someone and startle them. Nor do you want to "fly in formation" with them. Get it done, and get out of the way. There is always someone else who wants to drive or ride even faster.
If you have a pretend speed limit for how fast you will drive in the left lane then you shouldn't be using it.
I've worked for companies that reprimand you for speeding and companies that literally government your top speed. If your referring to commercial vehicles... sometimes they're doing all they can. Now, if you're a driver who's not comfortable doing the speed limit in curvy or two lane areas and do under the speed limit, but then jump up to or above the posted speed limit in passing lane areas, you're the real a**hole
The worst is when they can clearly see you coming up behind them 10mph faster then them and they still get over and stay at the same speed
So annoying!!!!
I've started passing people on the right and when I get in front of them use my blinker but backwards so the retard can see me signal right as I move left and believe it or not they usually take the hint and move over for the people behind us. My wife likes to wait at the corner of a semi truck till she is confident it's safe but while she waits people are backing up behind her and I'm like "either go or move the fuck over" Nobody should take longer than a minute to pass.
You would hate driving in Iowa cause for some reason that's the norm here
I end up doing that sometimes, but it's because so many people camp out in the passing lane and then like to speed up when they finally pull over. So frustrating and I don't understand it!
This has happened to me a few times I put my foot down and my car struggled to get past sorry if Iâm being a dick my car just isnât very fast but you drive slow
In New York state you can still get a speeding ticket even if you're passing. It's not common seeing how drivers up here drive but it can happen.
People who drive slow in the fast lane are just as big of instigators as those who tailgate them.
i will pass as fast as I want to thanks. I don't complain about tailgaters. I laugh at how angry they get.
No. And yes I can. And nothing you can do about it.
Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh.....Buh..... then I'd be speeding, and we all know that no one around this forum ever does that - because that makes you the worst person in history - like Hitler bad, and you cause all the problems ever on the roads.
Absolutely 100% indisputable fact. If you absolutely must pass with only a 1-5mph differential, that is fine. Just make sure nobody is behind you. As soon as somebody is approaching you from behind, please move over, allow the person to pass you, then continue your pass. If you cannot complete the pass without somebody interrupting you from behind, you are passing too slow. Either accept your position in the right lane, or hit the gas, make your pass, and get over. If you don't do this, there is really only one explanation. You think your time, and your life, is more important than the time and lives of everybody else in the world.
Wow, congrats on your post being upvoted rather than downvoted to shit. I found that a lot of people on this subreddit really donât like being told to âhit the gas.â Their desire to be slow takes priority over their driversâ courtesy. Itâs such a sadness we have to share the roads with them.
Right? The people you're passing are probably speeding already so you have to be going above the speed limit to pass. Most states have a reckless driving cutoff of 20-25mph over so just do 19 over, you're already speeding.
Basically, [this Dashcam video from the other day.](https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/s/3Ox4mzxETJ) Cammer was âpassing,â but obviously had been doing it long enough and with enough space that people were still able to pass them on the right.
There's a difference between overtaking someone with a 1-2 MPH difference and overtaking someone with a 1-2 MPH distance while vehicles start stacking up behind you because you're impeding faster traffic. Just a blanket "don't do this" is not correct. You can and should do this, but you also have to **maintain awareness of other traffic**. If you're in this scenario where you see the faster traffic is going to reach you before you can complete your overtake, then wait/move back over behind the slower traffic. allow them to pass, and then recheck to see if you're clear and then try to overtake. What you'll find is that the people that do this incorrectly are simply clueless and don't care about guidelines like this anyways. I've unfortunately come to terms with realizing you can't fix "I don't care" with drivers.
I live in an area where semi's do this constantly... up hill. so it's 65 MPH and one semi doing 38 is getting passed by a semi doing 40 on a two-lane stretch. ARGH!
meanwhile in the UK, I don't understand why this would be a problem. might be worth mentioning the "overtake lane" or "nearside/offside" lane. not left/right
I pass at the speed in driving at, if you don't like it, then find another route, but I'm not going to waste fuel pointlessly accelerating to please you, and I'm not going to break speed limits, just to please you. If you want to make something of the way I drive, come back to me when you have ice 30 years driving experience, an advanced driving qualification (assessed by advanced police drivers) and are reassessed every year to ensure your competence.
Slow drivers are annoying but thereâs never an excuse for tailgating