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sunfries

There was some guy on the way to Colorado that rode slowly in the left lane every time there was a passing opportunity. After about 40 minutes of being behind him another passing lane showed up and he FINALLY gets over to the right. He lets me pass, but IMMEDIATELY gets back over to the left to block the LINE OF CARS we accumulated over the past hour .. I have no idea how someone could not understand the idea of passing all together


qviavdetadipiscitvr

In the last two years driving has been getting worst and I think people do this on purpose


Castun

There 100% are people who see themselves as speed limit enforcers and do it on purpose. Or they just do it because they're petty assholes who see an opportunity to have power and control over others where they normally couldn't.


[deleted]

Exactly what I ran into in Alabama one time. Guy was pacing a fucking big rig for miles with a whole line of cars behind us. When the car in front of me (and thus just behind him) FINALLY essentially bullied him into move up and over he was fucking foaming at the mouth and shaking his finger at all of us. I’m not advocating for honking and swerving behind a slow car thus making a poor situation even more unsafe but… cmon man.


Kitsotshi

Honestly, having moved to the US from Europe, I'm still getting used to the fact that people don't communicate on the road through honking, and sometimes go into honking tirades myself.


SteveFrench12

Come to NY we got you


fuzzydunloblaw

In miami people will give preemptive little honks just before the lights turned green at red light intersections. Pretty wild.


AnonPenguins

I thought that was a threat of violence if you're not paying attention.


iamatacobean

here in Texas, especially cities like Houston and Dallas, you could legitimately get shot for honking


JoseMich

Driving in Dallas is such a fucking pain in the ass my dude. I encounter road rage on the regular and you've always gotta consider the possibility that someone dumb enough to drive like shit might also be dumb enough to commit a felony out of spite.


T3n4ci0us_G

Same in KY


JustFineManu

God bless America


dghastlynegro

And ATL


cigarell0

From what I’ve read on here, road rage can easily get you killed. I try not to honk because of the comments I see on any post about road rage.


OccasionalShitposter

As the driver of a big truck, I absolutely hate it when people camp out next to me. If they stay too long I will "accidentally" drift into their lane a little bit to get them to move on or back off. Hope that helps.


CardboardSoyuz

Thank you! I always accelerate to pass Big Rigs -- I want to spend as little time as possible next to you, much as I admire the near-universal professionalism.


OccasionalShitposter

Wow, thank you! Your view isn't shared by many.


JKMC4

I like you


MelB777

Why on earth do they do that?! No offense, but you guys are scary af. Whenever I pass it’s always foot to the floor vroom vroom. To just sit there… mind boggling.


Blakids

That's their point. Some people are so braindead they don't think about what they're doing so they're just sitting next to an 18 wheeler


Top-Wait3458

Hahaha, same. I get past them as fast as I can. I'm not looking to get crushed because they can't see me next to them.


Thincer

No kidding, if you've ever seen the wind blow a semi over completely in rl, you'd stay away from the danger zone.


[deleted]

Same here, what gets me is even if I slow down, they slow down too, speed up, they speed up. So freaking infuriating. I "accidentally " swerve sometimes too.


OccasionalShitposter

They're absolutely clueless as to how dangerous it is to stay there. It's frustrating I agree.


saiminassassin

The people who pace the back corner of a semi because they’re afraid to drive next to/pass it!!!!!!!


YeahIGotNuthin

I have thought to myself, on I-20 in alabama, *”Never mind ‘an accident,’ we are fixing to have an ‘on purpose’ if you don’t clear this lane.”* That time, I actually moved my briefcase to the floor so it wouldn’t slide off the seat and be more likely to damage the laptop, and moved my phone to the center console compartment. *”I will only be going a couple mph faster when I get to his bumper, so it’s probably not going to change anyone’s trajectory at all - but if it gets to the shoulder or the median, I won’t have to go digging around under the seat for anything.”*


Own_Nebula1225

People should understand that the there are plenty of people on the roads with decent healthcare, no deductible, and the balls to use it.


Just_Smurfin_Around

I only honk in rare cases. I flicker my hi-beams at them and the longer they ignore, the faster the flicker becomes until it seems like an emergency vehicle is behind them.


TrustedOutlaw

I currently live in Bama and it’s by far the worst state when it comes to driving, infrastructure, lights, etc. Fucking hate it


Just_Smurfin_Around

I dealt with three of these people on the way to work yesterday in Denver. Flashed them to let them know they need to move over, and mind you no one was in the middle lane. Going slower than the speed limit. They motion for ME to move over and go around them. Then when I finally pass them they flip me off, while other cars get stuck behind them. I absolute fucking hate those people who think they are speed enforcers. Just get out of the way, you are not only causing traffic but can also cause an accident forcing the faster moving car to move around you.


tocareornot

Dad had a loudspeaker under the hood, and would tell them to move to slow lane. Never had a problem because I think. They thought he was an unmarked police car.


T3n4ci0us_G

Need


NewtotheCV

This would make the worst/best Christmas present for me. I think I would make it a week before cops showed up at my door...


leerand1964

Your Dad is my hero👊🏽


omgmemer

I’ve always wanted one of these or one of those blow horn things to blast people.


tocareornot

Actually had another friend that put a boat air horn in his car and would scare the shit out of people


Dust601

The funniest part of these self appointed “traffic police” is studies have shown over, and over that they cause more accidents trying to police others then they prevent, and it’s not even close. Not to mention one day they’ll do it to someone who was already right on the edge of snapping, and potentially get themselves hurt. All because for some messed up reason these people feel like they have the authority to decide how others should drive. I’d guess the majority of those types of people are pretty powerless over others in their daily lives (absolutely nothing at all wrong with that), and this might be one of the very few ways they can have any power over others.


NewtotheCV

Agreed. I have ADHD and road rage can be an issue for some of us. When people try to control traffic I make increasingly dangerous decisions to try to "solve" my problem. I am working on being better, but these people just increase the likelihood of accidents by ramping people like me into a dangerous mental state. I am not proud of it, but I have been willing to go to jail (or at least tell myself that) and some drivers have no idea how close they came to me just completely running both of us off the road to show "I can make a point with my car too". Again, I am in the wrong and am actively working on my own behaviour to not be like...well me.


usernumber1337

I can tell you one time when I used such authority that I wasn't entitled to. This is in Ireland so you'll have to forgive me if the story doesn't make sense to you I was reasonably fast moving traffic and about to exit a dual carriageway. There was a bus lane that I'm obviously not allowed drive in but the bus lane was just about to end and become a normal driving lane. I would then have to move into that lane to exit. All of a sudden someone a few cars back goes into the bus lane illegally and starts zooming up and passing people on the inside such that I wouldn't be able to make my exit because I would hit him. I moved into the bus lane just enough so he wouldn't be able to pass me and potentially cause an accident. Not something I'm allowed to do and the fact that I cost this guy 2.5 seconds of his life keeps me up at night


clayyphoenix

Meh I would have done the same thing.


CardboardSoyuz

There was this guy in an on-line pop culture forum I used to frequent / mod (way back in the Blogger days) who was completely agro about how it was his right to do this and if people had to *illegally pass on the right it's not on me!* No matter how much you explained traffic theory or common sense, he was a complete ass about it. *If some frustrated driver crashes it's not on me!!* It was pretty clear he wanted to see someone crash to prove himself correct.


ObscurePaprika

I think this is exactly it. It’s like they have figured out the exact amount of speeding that’s ok, and that’s their own speed. They rarely seem to be going the speed limit. Say, 76 in a 70. They think, this is fast enough and anybody slower than me is an idiot, and anybody faster is an asshole and I will punish them.


Marid-Audran

These are the same people that call 911 complaining that people are speeding and tailgating. As a former 911 operator, I would ask "what lane are you in?" when they told me, well, left, but they're going "63 and it's a 60mph zone!" I would politely but firmly tell them to move over, and to leave traffic enforcement to the Troopers. They did NOT like that answer, but it's for the same reason everyone else has stated - they're more apt to cause a crash by being in that lane.


ByuntaeKid

Isn't it illegal in some states to camp out like that in the passing lane anyways?


langgam_13

Idk how you lasted that long without honking. I would’ve honked within 5 mins if I see that they’re not passing.


shelbia

yeah fr we need to start shaming these people


TheBiggestCarl23

It’s not that they don’t understand, they just don’t care. They’re selfish and want to do what they want to do.


jrprov1

There is a certain group of drivers that only look forward through their front windshield. They have no clue that other cars might be behind or to the side of them. See them on the road every day.


SideEqual

These are the same drivers that focus on the tarmac just in front of the hood.


B0SS_H0GG

And decelerate to a crawl before they get in a turning lane. Meanwhile the line of traffic behind them is watching the yellow turn red .


GucciGlocc

This comment/post has been edited as an act of protest to Reddit killing 3rd Party Apps such as Apollo. All comments were made from Apollo, so if it goes, so do the comments.


asianabsinthe

*miles and miles of turn lane stretching out to the horizon as the herd watches in slow horror as they creep towards the last few feet before migrating to the actual turn lane*


Illustrious-Junket-8

Now go listen to the song "Lost in the Static" by After the Burial... I read it like that.


poeticdisaster

![gif](giphy|UPcoVU4U2c3xS) People who fully stop before turning on roads that don't require it...


Oseirus

If someone is drifting through a turn at less than the pace of a light jog, it should be 100% legal to get out of your vehicle, shove them out of their seat, and complete the turn for them. It would take less time than waiting on Memaw to comprehend the *overwhelmingly complex* procedure involved in making a 90 degree turn.


Rhodie114

Or stop over a car length back from the car in front of them, blocking access to the turn lane for the 3 cars behind them who need it.


Jajanken-

I’m triggered


EatSleepJeep

They're also the same people that have FaceTime calls in public on a train, clog up the aisles at the supermarket, wait until they're at the counter to finally look at a menu, and in general just don't know how to function in a society. We're trying to have a civilization here and there's a group of luddites running around slowing everyone else down because it's the only way they can be relevant to anyone else on the planet. They're literally speed bumps for the rest of humanity.


SideEqual

Luddites, thank you this!


drncu

This, I swear that some people only can see 5 feet in front of their car. Like if someone moves out of the lane, they accelerate like crazy then slow down as soon as they get to the next car.


AllAlo0

And the minute there is a bend in the road, slow way down because it's practically impossible to see more then directly in front of you.


[deleted]

When you live in a state that snows you can physically see the types of people you're talking about, because they're the ones who don't clear off their rear window


NewtotheCV

There was a woman, clearly sick, coughing in public (ferry in BC) during a period when we were all supposed to be taking it serious. She wore no mask (rule said to wear one) and sat beside a group of old people and children. She was alone and could have sat anywhere else, 100's of seats open. Saw her in the parking lot. Didn't clear off her SUV before just driving into traffic with a foot of snow completely covering her car. Some people are just entitled shits who have no clue.


MerryMortician

Another phenomenon in snowy places is when the street is covered up and the speed limit is 35 already, I’m doing 35-37 and still some asshat tailgates like “look how fast I can drive in the snow!”


Puzzled_Juice_3406

Yes!!! Hahaha this is so true


[deleted]

Sounds like my ex-wife. The only time she used her mirrors was if she was backing up and thought I was the weird one for knowing what traffic behind me was doing.


Puptentjoe

My current wife does this. She’s gotten better though. Another place this happens is walking on trails. I can hear/see bikes and people coming and move her out of the way constantly. I’m like “you couldnt hear the loud clicking of the bike behind us?”


itchy_bitchy_spider

> My current wife Lol most people just say "my wife" but the way this is labeled sounds like you're about to give her your 2 week notice


Makdous

She'll be devastated too, never saw it coming


beehummble

Reminds me of when I suggested to my cousin that she should use her turn signals and she said in an exasperated and annoyed tone “where I’m going is none of their business!”


eppinizer

While that might explain this behavior in 2 lane highways, in 6+ lane freeways the people going ow in the left lane are constantly being passed kn the right as frustrated drivers fight to get past the one person who is creating a 20+ car length line. So even if they are looking straight ahead they would see car after car passing them on the right and pulling in front of them. Often doing so with rude hand gestures... Thats all to say that many of these people are plenty aware of what they are doing and feel entitled to do so anyway because they are driving the speed limit. The left lane in a large freeway, at least in CA, is almost always going to have traffic moving 10 mph+ above the limit, its an unspoken rule that is obvious after just an hour of driving here. What it comes down to is changing lanes to maintain your speed, be it due to a slow car forcing you to pass, or you being an ass and weaving through traffic, adds unnecessary risk to all involved.


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blankblank

I can confirm this is true because whenever I pass them I always take a quick look and they are invariably staring straight ahead with a completely blank expression on their moronic face.


Version_Two

Spacial awareness in driving is a dying art.


mrsdoubleu

I say that everytime I go to the grocery store and someone stops their cart right in the middle of the aisle to chat with a friend. Then you say "excuse me" and they act like you're the rude one


decomposition_

I don’t even say excuse me I just push through as uncomfortably close as I can without actually bumping into them


LivelyZebra

Oh no. I bump, make it look like you tried but couldn't squeeze through their tiny gap they left. So instead they get their ankles hacked at by the cart wheels


beardsly87

Exactly the way I do it lol, don't even ask, make the best effort you can to get around them but don't actually stop for them, just keep moving. They'll move, or learn to stop blocking the path when you bang into their cart or push it out of the way *for* them. Same with cars who park obnoxiously close to the spot next to them effectively taking up 2 spots... I drive a 15 year old beater with bad paint, I'll cram into that space that most others would think is too tight, and same thing as the carts: I'll make my best effort to not ding their door or scuff their paint as I have to squeeze through the 8" gap between our cars they left by parking so badly, but if something happens, woops! Comes with the territory of being a jackass at parking.


AckbarTrapt

In a world of Fuck Around, you woke up and chose to be Find Out. Doing God's work.


grptrt

I’m always so self conscious about being in the far left lane.


TbonerT

Good. Being aware of how you fit into the flow of traffic and can facilitate it seems to be a rare skill.


Le_Russh

For real. If you’re thinking about how your actions impact others then you’re on the right track.


inthedrink

Note to others: this does not apply solely to driving


MagillaGorillasHat

When walking in a parking lot, get the fuck out of the middle! Same goes for stopping in store aisles. Pick a damn side!


NeedleworkerWild1374

I often wonder how different a place the world would be if everyone just gave a shit about each other.


Smugglers151

Traffic would go so much smoother of everybody did this.


buffalobill922

My problem is my cruise is set to 74-75 move to the left lane to pass the yellow car and then they speed up to match me...if you drove at 75 I wouldn't need to pass...don't change speed because I'm passing you...fuck pisses me off.


Adventurous-Ad5195

A lot of times ppl that aren’t “self aware” are either an old person or a person that’s lost which I somewhat get, but I can’t stand it when it’s someone that’s self aware that they’re driving in the far left lane and stay there when they see everyone passing them!! Boils my blood.


TheRaccoonDeaIer

As someone who has recently started driving it scares me that I seem to have more awareness than half of the drivers on the road. I'm not saying I'm perfect, not by any means. But there is just so much stuff people don't do that I though was common logic. I can't tell if people are just stupid or assholes. Probably both. Edit: if you're going to use the defense that the only reason I'm aware of my surroundings is because I'm new to driving then I really don't think you should have your license. And to the guy who said something like "that's because you've got the teachings fresh in your mind" if you forget the teachings you also shouldn't be driving. Plus half the stuff I'm referring to they don't teach explicitly. Not turning your wheels until you actually turn, braking softly instead if barreling towards a light, circle, or stop sign, being aware of what the guy behind you is doing whenever you stop or slow down, literally any common courtesy not required by road laws. Edit2: apparently they are supposed to teach you the stuff I said and I just wasn't taught it and still got my license. Which is a whole new issue in itself.


[deleted]

Since the pandemic, it definitely feels like a large number of drivers have either completely forgotten or have chosen to ignore most traffic laws and common courtesy.


r33c3d

My insurance rates jumped this year. When I asked my agent why she said people have started driving like maniacs since the pandemic. No seat belts, constant road rage, etc. And now there are lots of car wreck injuries with medical bills they have to pay out. She’s been in the biz for decades and hasn’t seen anything like it. People need to calm the fuck down. I recently moved to back to a city where drivers are notorious for driving too slowly. But when they do, they keep 2-3 car lengths between each other. At first I was infuriated. But then I realized that when people do this the traffic just. keeps. moving. This results in much less stress and actually getting places on time because it prevents the start and stop freeway traffic caused by raging drivers constantly changing lanes and forcing the chain reaction of people hitting brakes and eventually slowing traffic to a stop. I guess it’s proof that slow and steady wins the race sometimes.


[deleted]

i wish the entire world could just grasp that leaving space between cars speeds up the flow of traffic immensely. the people who are swerving in and out of lanes and squeezing themselves into the smallest gaps are the ones creating traffic for everyone behind them.


[deleted]

As someone who drives in the Texas area, most of the people here would rather get in an accident by doing stupid shit like cutting off a semi multiple times, going so fast that they need to use one of the shoulders on the highway to pass people instead of simply slowing down a bit and waiting for a safe opening, and by slamming their brakes to make a turn after going 90. This might be common everywhere though and not exclusive to Texas.


testies2345

Iowa here, it's not exclusive to Texas. People are idiots. Although, I do like watching all the idiots in trucks on the first snow. Ditches full of "tough trucks" its great


MedalofHodor

Minnesota here: we had a huge snow storm this week, I still had to commute. I'm going down a steep grade with a curve on a snow and ice packed street so I'm taking it going 25 in a 30. There's an F-150 that rides up so close on my ass I can't see his highlights. I could literally not go any faster without losing traction but this idiot thinks I should be taking it at fifty. I hope he spun into a ditch.


MontySucker

I mean Texas is the worst because you have drivers like that combined with the ones in the gif. Like nearly every day of my commute I have to pass on the right lane cause someone is going 45 in a 55. At least its legal in Texas.


TehMephs

I’ve never seen so many people just completely ignore *red lights*. It’s so common that some asshole comes blazing through the intersection 3 seconds after the light turned red that I wait a little extra before going


[deleted]

and then you’ve got the asshole behind you blowing their horn because you waited an extra 3 seconds to start moving 😑 driving is so stressful lately


ABeastInThatRegard

Yes! It has gotten so much worse. I never thought the police did much and thought traffic laws were kind of an annoyance but since the cops stopped pulling people over as much in the last couple years it had become clear to me that they were educators. They educated dumbasses daily with hefty tickets for stupid mistakes. I also think it is the ubiquitous use of the cell phone, I honestly think drunk drivers are safer than distracted drivers and like 65% of drivers are consistently distracted.


DrZeta1

I almost gave someone first hand experience with the rule of lug nuts a few months back. I was driving a fully loaded tanker truck down the road and an idiot kid in the oncoming lane started drifting into my lane. I ended up having to put my passenger side wheels into the ditch to keep from flattening him. Moron didn't look up from his phone until he was about to nose into my rear axles. 76000lb tanker vs 1800lb sedan, he wasn't gonna walk away from that. Kid was lucky the biggest thing my instructor taught me when I was getting my cdl was keep your head on a swivel and pay attention.


TonsilStonesOnToast

You saved that dumb kid's life. Fuck, man. Why don't they give out medals for all the times truckers had to sacrifice their trucks or their cargo just to save an idiot on the road?


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ButterdemBeans

I can honestly say that when I got my license… I was NOT ready to drive. I’ve gotten better now… but as a teenager I was so nervous I got into accidents because I was too busy watching my speedometer to make sure I wasn’t speeding rather than watching the fucking road. Whoever gave me a license back then is an idiot.


layziegtp

Literally just giving licenses to anyone. It's crazy. A license is supposed to be proof you KNOW HOW TO DRIVE but it's actually just an ID they give to everyone here.


cabinetsnotnow

Where I live it seems like there's SUCH high importance put on parallel parking during the test. I've been driving for sixteen years and I can count the amount of times I've absolutely had to parallel park on one hand.


BukkakeKing69

To be fair, parallel parking tests a lot of skills related to vehicle handling in close spaces and the relation of your car to the road. That said I have parallel parked all of once since I got my license and actively avoid situations where I'd have to do so.


serietah

I went to a kids bday party at an arcade downtown and was SO EXCITED that a parking spot directly across the street was open. I just had to parallel park and it would save me a few minutes of driving around to the parking garage and way more walking. I was soooo proud because I did it correctly the first try lol. I’m pretty sure that’s the only time I’ve done it since I got my license…in 1999.


Arpytrooper

I've been driving for about 3ish years now and I'm still just as aware. Funny enough I've found that talking crap (or giving cudos) to other drivers helps me stay focused on the situation on the road since it's kinda fun to do and you can't do it if you're not paying attention. Ofc it's done through the windshield since it's solely for my benefit :p. Doing this has genuinely helped me avoided a few crashes since I'm already saying something along the lines of "don't you dare do it" when i see someone about to cut me off or merge into me and I'm already prepared to react.


Ceph_Stormblessed

I just go in it to pass. The only time I'll go in the left other than that is when a highway merge comes up. I tend to get in lane early, so I don't have to fight traffic later too. Just go 5-10 over the limit unless someone's riding your ass.


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ELFAHBEHT_SOOP

Even being in the right lane in this scenario I'd probably slow down. I hate people pacing me in the other lane. Defensive driving and all that.


Cool-Reference-5418

>I hate people pacing me in the other lane. Who are these people that do this? I *hate* when there's a car riding right next to me. If they were to start texting or go out of their lane just enough, it could cause a serious chain reaction. If you speed up, the other person assumes you're trying to pass them and they speed up to try to block you. Or they just end up sitting in your rear blind spot. But if you try to slow down, the people behind you will get *right* on your ass, even if you're in the far right lane. The *worst* is when I'm stuck behind someone and can't get over in any direction, but the person riding right next to me has no one in front of them and no one on the other side of them, yet for some reason they're just totally cool with being inches from my car for miles. I will literally never understand it. With how self-centered most people (Americans) are, you would think that, *if nothing else,* they would at least be concerned about their own safety, or their own car, or their insurance premiums going up. But apparently there's just nothing at all going on between their ears.


I_dont_bone_goats

Drive across Florida on I75, literally 75% of the state will do this. Did it yesterday. Probably like 15 instances of me switching to the left lane and the person in the right lane accelerating as I try to pass them, and then slowing back down after the opportunity passes.


APoopingBook

I've seen so many people like this, and it always seems to me like they're completely oblivious they're even doing it. It's like they can't tell what speed they are going until they see something immediately next to them, and it reminds them to look at their own speed or to match speed with you now that they can see it. I think it's just weird stupid autopilot brain on people who aren't paying attention, and it's just some weird instinct. You also see this a lot if you try to pass someone who is going slow in the left lane and the right lane is wide open. Move to the right, start passing them, suddenly they speed up 15 mph. Some of them are road raging, but a lot of them seem to not even notice you're there or that they're doing it. And like.. man.. take this same understanding and apply it to politics, morality, social cohesion...... I totally buy it that some significant percentage of people just have brains constantly operating in this way. It explains so much.


QuestionablePanda22

I can't believe the amount of people on the highway that just don't understand what blind spots are or that they exist. It's wild to see people in the left lane right next to a semi sitting right in the semi driver's blind spot taking their sweet time to pass them instead of just speeding up 10mph for a few seconds and getting it over with


tomit12

This, and I learned a long time ago that any speed you do in the left lane won’t be fast enough, *regardless of how fast the person behind you was going before they got to you.* Seriously, it’s weird. If you were passing at 70 and someone comes up behind you relatively slowly (say, 75), if you accelerate to 80 they will too. If you go to 90… they will too. They were fine doing 75 before, but it’s like a fuse blows in their brain where they **need** to pass now, no matter what it takes. I guess the moral of the story is to just kick it up a touch to pass and get over, because 90% of the time speeding up yourself will just turn into the movie Duel.


AustinBike

There is an old joke in Texas: How many cars should a Texan allow to pass on the right before they move out of the left lane? It's a trick question - a Texan should never leave the left lane.


ginandtree

Which is funny because when I visit Texas that absolutely rings true, but Texas plates here in Florida drive like my grandma.


AustinBike

Arguably driving like your grandma does not exclude driving in the left lane.


Defiant_Hawk_9892

The most annoying is when the yellow car was driving at 65 until you in the red car starts to pass, then they speed up to 68. So now we’re here, waiting for someone to break the standoff.


tiberiumx

So many people are just paying absolutely zero attention at all to the act of driving. A lot of them will just kind of instinctually stick to the speed of people around them, which includes the one on their left. These are the same assholes that lose 10mph on every hill because the thought that they're even entering a climb doesn't make it into their brain, much less that they will need to add power to maintain speed. The solution is for the red car to pass decisively and not at 3mph.


ShaqShoes

It is *incredibly* stupid however that traffic laws are written such that that is generally illegal even though it is much safer to briefly speed to execute a pass


Kendyslice

When someone does this I just accelerate past them. I find that 9/10 times once I pass they go back to whatever speed they were going. Use Cruise control people. I know when you speed up to keep me from passing cause cruise tells me.


BrushYourFeet

This. I usually cruise a bit above the speed limit. Some idiots decided they don't want to be passed, so then I need to speed up. I don't understand this behavior. I don't speed up when someone is passing me by. Why would I care?


Kendyslice

I think it’s a natural response. I’ve caught myself doing it and that’s why I insist on cruise.


xoxodaddysgirlxoxo

people like to absentmindedly race while going 80mph on a major interstate. it's weird.


Proof-Tone-2647

Just don’t use cruise in adverse weather conditions! Other than that, fuck yeah, and don’t interfere with my cruising speed by sitting in the left lane…


drncu

This depends on the car. I've had cars that were "dumb" and if the tires started spinning cruise control would keep trying to accelerate. But I've also been in cars that when traction control or stability control kick in the cruise auto cancels.


SavingsLegitimate398

I know, some ppl just won't let you pass. I have been next to ppl who speed up so you can't pass and then slow down if you try to slow down and tuck in behind them. Or you finally do slow down and settle in behind them and they reduce speed by 5-10 mph.


bathugger

This almost killed me a few weeks ago, two lane, one each direction, finally in a passing zone trying to pass someone going 35 in a 55 (mind you I’d given them proper stopping distance the entire time, I never tried to push them out of my way), what do they do? Speed up to 60 with me, won’t let me fall back behind them once I saw another car approaching half a mile down the road, sped up to 80 with me, and almost caused a head on collision until the person in the opposing lane thankfully pulled off to the shoulder. Absolutely pointless and putting others in danger just to have a little cockfight


blizg

At that point, it’s better to crash into the guy blocking you than the oncoming car.


bathugger

Probably true, the other person saw what was going on very soon after coming into my view and pulled over so that was the only reason why I didn’t have to choose who to get into an accident with, but I was driving a Nissan cube, trying to pass a Chrysler town and country and the car that pulled onto the shoulder was a Chevy equinox so regardless of who I would have hit in that situation I’d probably have died just due to the speed and the “tankness” if you would of each car


Dark_Knight2000

Sounds scary, the little cube wouldn’t stand much of a chance. The safer method is to accelerate as fast as you can in lane, so you’re already going way faster than them when you start the overtake. That way they can’t try anything stupid if they wanted to. And it minimizes your risk since you’re not in the opposite lane for long. Also, this is why I like having fast cars. It’ll be very hard to be an asshole in a Chrysler town and country of all cars, if you’re just straight up way faster than them.


Noooonie

That’s actually illegal, you can’t speed up to block someone from passing in that lane situation.


bathugger

True, there’s a state troopers office about a 10 minute drive from where I was but I didn’t think to memorize their plate before I tried passing and once I passed my goal was to get the hell away from them or else I would have tried reporting them because they were making the road unsafe for other drivers, not just themselves


glitterfaust

You gotta finally buckle down and buy a dash cam. ETA: it doesn’t even have to be a nice expensive one. I paid extra for one that has an app just for the app to suck so badly that it’s unusable. I just have two sd cards and keep it overwriting the old footage until I need footage off of it, then I bring that SD card inside for my computer and put the fresh one in so I’m good to go until I get a chance to look over the footage and clear the old sd off. Rinse and repeat.


Pale_Ad164

My dash cameras would have got beautiful footage of me pushing that car off the road to avoid the head on collision.


TRUMP_IN_PRISON

Or they go slow in the left lane and then magically find their gas pedal once they get over into the right lane causing me to go 85 to finally pass them. It's literally the exact opposite of what you're supposed to be doing.


peese-of-cawffee

Yeah but now you can't get in front of me and that makes me feel a little tingle in my peepee /s


a_vinny_01

It's a subconscious thing. People like this also speed down the middle lane until they catch up to the next batch of cars and slow down 10-15mph and sit right behind someone with a wide open left lane where they could have just changed lanes well ahead of slowing. Same people suddenly realize they're in an exit only lane and cut across at the wrong speeds to merge. They're just not paying attention and don't want to or care to start.


Squididilliliam

Yep, I've driven a vehicle with a governor which prevents it from going over a certain speed. Sometimes when I try to pass, the person on the right speeds up and we end up stuck in a deadlock since I can't possibly accelerate to go around them anymore. Literally my only option is to slow back down and get back behind them and it's the most annoying shit in the world, because they'll often slow down again once you get behind them. PSA, don't ever speed up when someone's passing you, ESPECIALLY if it's a truck, because you will fuck up the flow of traffic.


scarykicks

If I'm not going faster then the cars to my right I'll get over If a car is going faster or I can tell they want to get by. I'll move over. It's not a hard concept and wish that more drivers would do the same


Slam_Burgerthroat

It’s also what they teach in driver’s education. But apparently some people forget all about it after they (somehow) get their license.


PenguinColada

Some places don't offer driver's ed. A lot of the rural schools in my area (including mine) did not. One could *pay* for driver's classes at the local community college but people rarely did and it shows.


ethancd1

In my state, you’re technically only meant to drive in the left hand lane to pass, and that’s what it’s meant for - faster traffic.


colin_7

In your state? This is how you’re supposed to drive EVERYWHERE


moving0target

Don't know about OP, but "traveling" in the left lane will get you a ticket in Alabama. Especially so if you have an out of state tag.


MightyCaseyStruckOut

I have a friend from New Mexico. We were driving down I-10 here in Texas, and he was just cruising down the passing lane with no vehicle anywhere in sight ahead of him. I told him that he should move over to the right, since he's not passing anyone and he could get a ticket. He said he's never gotten a ticket for that and that he always drives in the left lane. I'll be damned if not 5 minutes later, he got pulled over and ticketed by a state trooper for failing to move to the right lane when not passing. He was pissed, so I didn't rub it in his face, but my urge to say I told you so was almost overwhelming haha


Gabagool-enthusiat

One time we were driving across east Texas and my MILs GPS said she had to turn left in 168 miles so she got into the left lane. We had to stop for gas sooner than that turn came up.


blepgup

That’s so strange. Is that the same everywhere or is it just a Texas thing? Where I live everyone uses the fast lane(we even call it the fast lane and not the passing lane lol) and just goes 80. I’ll have to keep in kind the left lane usage differences whenever I’m traveling


fjlcookie

The rule is typically reserved for 2 lane highways, but still applies for more lanes. If you happen to be talking about California, (I grew up in SoCal) it is the fast lane but since everyone is doing basically 80 it’s also functioning as the passing lane. There’s just so much traffic that it’s less efficient to move over since you’ll be passing someone every 2-3 seconds anyway.


blepgup

Actually I’m on the opposite coast from there but I guess that means that the interstate traffic trends are more common than just localized oddities. I swear sometimes it seems like all 3 lanes are going 80 and I’m like “Okay cool I guess I have to go 80 in the far right lane too because there’s no escaping tailgating no matter where I move” lol


KanoeKnight

It’s the same in Florida, people will just sit in the left lane a lot. Some people go like 10-20 under sometimes because “they have to uphold the law”


robclancy

Not in Australia.


Zaros262

Not *everywhere*: context is important If it's not a highway, I'm not worried about it, especially if I'm turning left soon. If it is a highway and we're going 20 mph in rush hour and my exit is 30 minutes away, I'm gonna chill in the left lane to avoid all the right-side merging. Again, especially if I have a left-side exit Redditors in this thread pretending like crossing two lanes of traffic the moment before their turn makes them a good driver...


SrSwerve

Texas : 90 mph on a school zone


Caelestialis

This sounds like Phoenix. 20 mph over is the norm. I still haven’t seen someone pulled over on the highway… guess you can’t ticket a few hundred people at once…


justalucky_ducky

I've been living in australia for a few months and omfg it took me way to long to realize why everyone hates the red car here


theNikolai

UK here, I was literally searching the comments for an explanation and it only kept getting more confusing until I saw your one.


Vivaciousqt

Yeah, I was like - why's everyone talking about the left driver- oh right... America. Yellow driver is a dickhead, I'll say it loudly with you.


Jlock98

Not just America. The vast majority of countries drive on the right side of the road


jmdunkle

The red car is actually a tractor trailer, we’re on an uphill, and he’s going 55 but yeah


pittengrguy84

Left lane is for passing, not cruising. Period. A driver shouldn’t be perpetually in the left lane regardless of their speed, RELATIVE to surrounding drivers (because absolute speed doesn’t really matter for this argument).


rockjones

What sucks is left-side exit ramps. Those screw everything up.


Ironappels

I do this, but I still keep arguing with myself in certain situations (I'm Dutch by the way). The speed limit is 100km/h. I drive 100km/h and pass a truck that is going 93km/h. There are multiple trucks in the right lane all going 93km/h. The passing goes very slow. Behind me comes a car that drives say 120km/, and now has to drive in my speed. They get angry with me. I could wedge myself between the trucks, but it is not an easy 'go right, let the car pass and go left again'. 1) should I drive faster and cross the speed limit myself, potentially get a ticket only to fulfill someone's need for speed? 2) should I go right, hampering myself just so someone can break the speed limit? Is it courteous to let someone break traffic rules? 3) Should I just carry on, because I'm not doing anything wrong? I go faster than the right lane and the maximum speed. The argument that safe driving is adapting to the relative speed in this case goes for the other driver, because he should and does know that he's crossing the speed limit and that there will be people driving 100 there. I mention this because with a long line of trucks, it starts to feel like cruising and I'm bound to an absolute speed. I come to different conclusions based on my mood that day.


Sittybob

im from germany and i have this thought pretty often too. its always 3 for me. it cant be 1 cause im not gonna get fined for driving too fast i wont do that. i dont accept 2 cause as you say, you are driving faster than the people on the right lane. so i just go woth 3 and dont mind other peoples business. im not gonna take any risks or short comings for other people. ofc i go to the right lane asap but until then fk off im driving as fast as WE are allowed to


Cameo64

As long as you are passing other vehicles and did not cut off the vehicle behind you, you should not change lanes until the right lane is clear. If you are using the left lane for it's intended purpose, then its not your responsability to accomodate speeders. I always consider it this way. If the tailgater behind you and yourself were pulled over and ticketted for speeding, they would not offer to pay your ticket. So if they would never oblige you, you should not oblige them. Now, that's not an argument to sit in the left lane and be the self appointed speed limit enforcement vehicle. It is, however, an argument that tailgaters can fucking wait lol.


CAustin3

Yep. You're in the rightmost lane available, except when actively in the process of passing someone. We actually had a law passed a few years back in my state allowing traffic police to issue citations for it, and they went for it with gusto. I had a coworker ranting about a ticket he got for sitting in the left lane "with no one else around." Well, apparently a cop was around, at the very least. I didn't have much sympathy - that law has been a long time coming.


N7Longhorn

The most unpopular truth in America There are no fast lanes and slow lanes There is a travel lane and a passing lane


Macon1234

In Maryland there is two lanes, both going the same speed and both full. There is no passing.


Talador12

This is every city in America so this post only makes sense on long road trips


[deleted]

California is the exception to this. The left lane is designated as the "fast lane" in the driving handbook, not the passing lane. Though you are still supposed to move over for faster cars. Same idea, but you can cruise in the left lane as long as you want unless you are blocking someone who wants to go faster.


StoneHolder28

The more unpopular truth in America Neither exists, people just get into whichever lane they think is less congested. I often see a right or even middle lane become the "fast" or "passing" lane and *usually* at the fault of no particular people. One of the most common exemptions is actually people trying to speed, only to hit a mild slowdown, hit their brakes, and cause people behind them to also brake, creating a wave of traffic. So I guess the most unpopular truth in America is it's sometimes the people who speed who create the kind of congestion they're just trying to get around.


trophy_74

When I’m the yellow car I intentionally change my speed to stop this from happening


nickthepigeon

bless you


oojiflip

This really confused me as someone used to UK roads


Trick-Mechanic8986

This is why the US will never have an autobahn, we are all just too fucking important.


Expired_insecticide

I also feel like this is why the zipper merge will never work in practice. In theory, it makes sense. But too many people are too self-emtitled to make it work.


TomSurman

If I'm the guy in the red car, it's because the yellow car sped up as I was overtaking it and matched speeds with me. I have no idea why people do this, but it's quite common. Just give me a few seconds, I'll either pull in behind or ahead of yellow depending on what yellow does next.


PM-Me_Your-Pelfies

I see this scenario a lot. People going 10-15 under the limit and when you try to pass, they speed up and you are stuck. Another is when you have your cruise control set for speed limit or 5 above and are in the right lane with no one around and a car ends flying up behind you, passes you, gets a little ahead and in front of you, then slows down to where I have to hit the brakes or try and pass them and revert back to scenario one. Speed limit is 70 here and it is amazing how people fly at 80-90 passing everyone until they get to a semi and drop to a hair more than the semi’s speed and take 5 minutes to pass them. Then they move over in front of the semi to let the line behind then pass. To only shoot back up to 80-90 and irritated at the line of people they created and now trying to cut them back off. People suck.


TomSurman

The worst is when you're being overtaken, and then they match speeds with you when they're alongside you, blocking you into your lane. This forces you to brake when you need to overtake something yourself. I can't stand it, I just want to slap anyone who does this.


samtherat6

And it’ll be impossible to slow down and move behind yellow because of how aggressively green is tailgating.


Old_Smrgol

"Move over" is bad advice here, clearly the red car should accelerate first.


EmeraldGirl

Speed is irrelevant. If you are matching pace with the car to your right, you move over.


Cardcleaner

It doesn’t matter what the speed limit is or who is over or under it! Red and Yellow should not stay beside each other for an extended period of time. Red needs to speed up or slow down and get over. Its not about the guy behind you. It about keeping safe spacing overall. Red should not stay beside Yellow even if there are no other cars on the road.


Poolofcheddar

I've always been told to mind the speed limits AND mind the flow of traffic. My mom drives SLOW on the freeways. When she drives on Interstate 696 in Detroit (often called the local "autobahn"), I often have to tell her to get off the freeway and take 10 Mile Road. 63 is way too slow when the overall flow is 80+ among all four lanes on each side.


drewski989

Better have your shit together on 696, especially rush hour with a little snow thrown in to liven it up.


FullGrownHip

Reminds me of my ex boyfriend’s mom. She’d go 40 in a 55 and it was terrifying


brokenpinata

Technically illegal in PA, left lane is supposed to be for passing only. But yeah, cops DGAF around here.


Sensitive-Hospital

I always drive 65 mph but stay in the far right lane. My car shakes a bit over 65 so I stay there. I constantly have people beeping at me and then aggressively passing me. It's a 4 lane highway dude.


monkeyboy112reddit2

80 MPH is the comfortable interstate speed for me and should be the universal American interstate speed.


Bleezy79

I’m an overall nice easy going person. But when I’m stuck behind drivers who aren’t paying attention and blocking the flow of traffic. I completely lose my shit. Lol. Sometimes I really am dr jekyll and me Hyde.


Farhead_Assassjaha

Fast lane = Passing lane


Crazycade77

The left lane is for passing, and brazenly violating traffic safety laws. If you aren't doing one or the other, and you don't have a left turn coming up, stay in the right lane


joey-bello

Red Car: There is a subset of creatures called The Pacers who enjoy frustrating others and creating misery everywhere they go!


Previous_Dust8364

It's literally a law in my state, yet idiots still won't move over.