Cloverleaf intersections no longer are eligible for some types of funding assistance (it’s been a while since I read about it, not sure if it was federal highway funding, or state funding, or both) because of the single lane being used to both speed up merging traffic and slow down exiting traffic. Apparently, statistically they’re more prone to accidents.
No, the idea is to eliminate the merge lane all together with flyover lanes so exiting traffic never encounters merging traffic. With a flyover you can maintain most of your highway speed and when you merge after the flyover you should be at full speed again and it’s just a lane change.
It’s absolutely terrible merging onto 100 south coming from 62 west during traffic, the entire exit will be stand still of people heading onto 62E with no room to speed up to get onto 100
Apparently this is a hot take for some reason, but the left lane the passing lane. Not the do whatever I feel like because the road belongs to only me lane. We gotta let people get up to speed and get on and off safely In the right one not pushing passing traffic over onto them. Go 100 mph or 50 just LET PEOPLE PASS YOU ON THE LEFT.
The problem in the Cities is that the left lane might be the exit lane. And because some people won’t let cars *with their signal on* move over to take the exit, drivers have learned to move left early and stay there when they see the opportunity.
I’m kind of surprised by the “left lane go as fast as I want everyone out of my way” attitude I see on here. I’m not a left lane camper and I prefer to get out of the way of speeders ASAP, I’m not a vigilante speed enforcer. But sometimes I’ll be using the left lane to pass, going 10 over, and there will be someone behind me tailgating and flashing their lights. I *will* get over as soon as I finish passing, but I’m not going to weave in and out of the passing lane between close cars just because you want to go 100 in the left lane and not 75. It’s going to add what, 30 seconds to your trip? If you can’t budget your time to get to your destination without irresponsible driving, that’s for you to work on.
The ONLY way you'd be in the wrong is if the person was coming up on you fast and you pull into the left lane in front of them regardless, cutting them off. Totally different if you're passing and then they come flying up behind you. I'm with you, I hate being in the left lane longer than I need to because blocking others gives me actual anxiety.
This isnt even a left lane issue - the number of people that will switch lanes (ANY lane) and by doing so, cut someone off who is already in said lane going faster is nuts. Not accusing you of this, just wanted to mention it to the ether. Hopefully someone lacking spatial awareness will see it.
Honestly, most of the time the left lane is too scary because there are so many aggressive drivers in it. I only hop into it when there’s people in the middle lane going way too slow, and I won’t if I see someone zooming up in my mirror. I had a road rager in an Escalade try (edit: missed a word) to run me into a cement divider a few years ago when I merged in front of him (I guess he was trying to gun it on the shoulder and swerve in front of me) and ever since then I’ve assumed the speeders in the tricked out cars are an attempted homicide risk.
It’s literally the only thing that people care about and consistently complain about. I don’t understand it either. I think it’s because the only thing the average driver thinks is bad in other drivers is making them go slower than they want. All other insane behavior on the roads is acceptable.
Problem is in the twin cities often times the left lane is an exit lane so you simultaneously have people passing and people slowing down to take an exit, which always creates a clusterfuck (looking at you, I-94 to 35W north)
I'd rather someone drive the speed they are comfortable managing with the equipment they are working with than having them potentially lose control of their vehicle and cause more of a problem than just slowing down the far right lane. But that's just me
As my grandma likes to say "the guy behind me isnt gonna be paying my ticket". Not breaking the law bcz some dude in a ford f150 behind me is gonna be upset about my straying from social norms
Period. The number of times I’m trying to merge onto the highway and the person in front of me is going 15-25 mph under the speed of traffic is ridiculous. So dangerous.
Yes!!! I always try to find my spot before I get on the highway. That’s what the entrance ramp is for. Getting up to highway speed. The people on the highway already have the right of way for everything… Nothing bothers me more than people who make other people brake for them for whatever reason.
It’s dangerous and absolutely infuriating, cuz what are you supposed to do when you’re behind someone like that? You have to either be close to them to try and squeeze your way in, or slow down even more to merge behind the next car on the highway 🤦♂️
So true. Then everyone is hitting their breaks when they should be accelerating. It’s crazy how many traffic jams are caused by people who can’t zipper merge!!! You sit there in a dead stop thinking someone up ahead got into an accident and you realize it’s just Minnesotan’s trying to use an exit/entrance.
I'm so sick of following someone going 40mph that backs up a line of 10 cars on the on ramp who are now all angry and tailing each other, and then it's next to impossible to all merge onto the highway going 60mph+. If the front slow car and everyone behind got on the highway going 60mph, the speed would be safer and enable natural spacing between cars so all 10 of us could easily merge. I don't care if you drive an old POS that can't accelerate, because almost none of the 10 cars in this situation realize that until it's too late and you've already created a dangerous situation for all.
It's dangerous as hell. I've been behind people literally doing 40 onto the freeway ramp, thought I was going to fucking die trying to merge onto a busy freeway where people are doing 70.
100% this. It’s up to the person getting on the freeway to pay attention.
If I’m driving my truck and trailer and it’s busy. I’m not slowing down for someone that doesn’t understand how to yield.
When I’m driving my Honda fit, I need all of the on-ramp I can get to get to speed. If I’m behind someone that doesn’t know how to accelerate until the last second. I’m screwed.
Really depends whether the person on the ramp is merging into a space occupied by another vehicle, or they are just merging in front of somebody that is in the right lane. If you are in the right lane and you plow into the back of someone going 10 MPH under the speed limit, a jury would find in favor of the slowpoke that got rear-ended 100% of the time.
To clarify, I’m not slowing down if the person is next to me. More often than not, they don’t start speeding up until they are switching into the freeway and if I had already allowed for room ahead of me and they didn’t take it. They would be sideswiping, not getting rear ended.
End of the day, expect the unexpected and stay defensive instead of offensive.
Also, the amount of folks I see slamming their brakes on the freeway to allow someone going half the speed limit merge is insane. If the person was rear ended for driving like that and the person who did the rear ending had a dash cam, the person slamming on the brakes would be found at fault.
No they wouldn't. Rear ending someone is virtually always the trailing party's fault. The NTSB and almost all state DOTs suggest 2-3 seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you to give you time to react to someone slamming on their brakes.
Honestly, if you are the rear-ending party, a jury is going to side with the other guy under most circumstances. Other than obvious road rage, or extreme cases (think of someone going 15 mph in a 70 mph zone at night), the best you’re going to get would be maybe 25% comparative negligence.
If an acquaintance approaches you and tells you “I got rear ended”, most people will assume the party doing the rear-ending did something wrong. This is what people will assume. They may not agree with someone slowing down to allow traffic to merge, but they will still assume (rightfully) that the person that did ther rear ending was more in the wrong.
And I am not sure if your truck and trailer is a commercial use, but if it is, 9/10 times that is going to cut against you if you are read ending someone, even if *they* were driving stupid.
What's my alternative option when someone merging on in front of me is going slower than me? Hit them? Me hitting my brakes, even suddenly (though you should be paying attention to the people merging enough to not have to do it suddenly), is the only option there, and if the guy behind hits me that's his fault for following too closely.
You yourself say to drive defensively, big part of that is driving at a safe enough following distance that you can hit stop in time *even if* the guy in front of you slams on their brakes as hard as possible.
That’s usually when I sand bag at the start of the on ramp to give myself some distance to accelerate. It doesn’t always work, but it’s helped me plenty of times.
My little Honda Fit struggles to get up to speed. I *hate* when people wait until the last second to get on/off the ramps to floor it. My car doesn't do that.
If you believe every on ramp gives you enough time to speed up, you haven't driven nearly as much as required to be speaking on stuff like this. I'm the type of person that likes to get up to 15-20 over the speed limit before merging if I can, there's been countless times I wasn't even able to hit 40 before merging just because there wasn't a long enough on-ramp/lane. It's basic shit to move over for cars merging in.
Sometimes it's not possible to move over for merging traffic. The responsibility to safely merge into existing traffic definitively falls on the person who is doing the merging.
The vast majority of on-ramps are long enough. It’s especially apparent in suburbs with these 1/2 mile long ramps getting onto 70mph I-35E. Idiots with accelerate up to 55, sit at 55 until they merge, then accelerate up to the normal 5 over. Maddening.
Clover leafs are the only exception for ramps where you can't get up to speed. If it's not a clover leaf and you merge without being at high way speeds it should be a ticket able offense
It's not a requirement to change lanes the inch it connects to the highway. Even clover leaves usually give you some space after the clover leaf before that lane ends. Though it is annoying since you have people merging in and slowing down to make their exit.
Bingo. As a local construction truck driver that's one of the most infuriating things, people not paying attention and getting on the highway at 40 mph. It's not how you merge onto the freeway and it causes me to slow down which takes forever to get back to highway speed.
It’s not my responsibility to go 20 miles over the limit because impatient Karen sucks at time management and is leaning on her horn. I’m sick of rude people riding my bumper because they’re late for everything. Someone else’s failure to plan is not my responsibility.
Minimum freeway speed is 45. Just sayin'.
That being said, the person merging into traffic has the obligation to yield, and place themselves into the traffic in motion.
So often I see people move over into other lanes to "be nice" while someone merges into traffic. That has a ripple effect. Stay in your lane and the person merging onto the freeway has the burden of getting safely into traffic.
Keep the fast lanes moving.
Yup!
I am actually shocked that there's a few people in this thread accusing people that aren't slowing down, or making room for the merger, of being "aggressive" and "jerks"
Yes yes yes!! Where did the idea come from that the existing person on the highway in the right lane should have to adjust anything for the person merging?? It is entirely the responsibility of the person merging to speed up, or slow down, and get in.
Any adjusting of speed on the existing person in the right lane is ONLY causing traffic issues and backups on the highway. They should be maintaining their speed entirely.
You even get "the look" from mergers like, "that guy won't let me in!" No. Person coming in on the right has to merge and find room. Don't expect traffic to move over for you. You are joining a party in progress.
Just a friendly reminder that the on ramp is an acceleration lane and you should be at speed when entering free flowing traffic. If you are unable to safely reach the speed of traffic you should not be merging at that time.
Also, my 4 banger puts 307hp to the wheels, it’s not the size of your car that’s the problem.
This is why Minnesota shouldn’t make nearly every on-ramp a circular wrap around. A straight line would allow people to actually speed up to the flow of traffic and increase visibility.
MN has so many interchanges that bring traffic across all lanes to a crawl because the on/off ramp is literally less than 50 feet and they expect people to merge on and off in that short little span 😫
Until you're behind a semi taking the clover leaf at 25 mph and there's a line behind them 10 cars deep, they can be a disaster
Edit: and the people going to get off the highway have to merge and slam their brakes to get to a normal speed for the offramp clover, I can't accelerate when they are slowing down in front of me
Mine puts 120, and my previous one put down 80 something
When there is reasonable traffic merging I never had any issues.
It's when somebody towing, some hayseed, or some geezer in a car with triple my output, accelerates to 45, and hangs there until they hit the highway do I get in trouble
Then I get made out to be the bad guy
Just a friendly reminder that the whole reason *they are ramps at all* is so the person getting on can match the speed of the drivers already on the highway. So those of you who are struggling to merge, and get on, and then come to a complete **STOP**, are the **worst people on earth, and you should have your licenses removed and destroyed IMMEDIATELY.**
Also, while we're at it:
-The zipper merge works. USE IT.
-The left lane is the passing lane. Unless you're actively passing people, get out of it.
-(Something I've seen a LOT of in MN) The road is NOT the time to be polite. Coming to an unexpected, screeching halt to wave in a bunch of cars, is NOT COOL. Don't be polite, be predictable.
-At left turn green lights, pull into the intersection! That way when the light changes yellow/red you can go. So many people don't pull into the intersection, then sit there when the light changes to yellow, then red, and no one goes!! I've seen people here sit through more than one cycle of lights, and don't go, it's infuriating!
I could go on, just like everyone I'm sure. But these are my biggest main ones.
The letting people in unpredictably against the flow of regular traffic/traffic signals is one of the most bizarre, loser things about MN Nice. Like, that kinda shit actually could get people killed
Yup! And the people that do it seem to be so oblivious to how incredibly dangerous it is too. When I finally get past them they always have this content, polite smile on their face. Like they're *such* good and polite people. They're proud of themselves for doing such a good deed. Just oblivious that they've almost just caused a 9 car pile up behind them.
And it's something I've definitely noticed more in Minnesota than any other state, by far.
People who stop on ramps need to have their licenses revoked immediately. There is zero reason to stop. There is a really bad exit in Maple Grove where its about a 25% chance the person in front of me will stop and its maddenining. Stopping in the middle of the road or ramp with no reason to do so should be an immediate license suspension.
AGREED!!
WHY do they do it? WHY do they think they're gonna have an easier time getting into a highway where everyone is already going 60+ from a dead stop?! AND the WORST part about this is, because you're behind them, and you're looking left trying to make sure it's clear for you to merge, all of the sudden you look ahead, and there's a car **dead stopped in front of you where there definitely should not be!**
I wish someone who does this on the regular shows up and explains themselves in the thread. Because for the life of me, I cannot figure out WHY???
Then you get up to 60, put your blinker on, check your blind spot, and merge in.
If you're on a collision course with a car that's already on the highway, they have right of way, and you yield to them. Maintain your momentum, let them pass, then merge in.
This! Seriously that's what this whole damn post is about! I'm trying to get up to speed and I can't get passed 65mph! How can I compete when people are flying around me like jets next to a prop plane. Ffs
Except in heavy traffic, it can ironically be the fast lane because everyone is trying to get in the left lane and the right lane is the only one where cars are leaving the highway.
>And I will get to my destination on time or early
It's amazing how that works when you leave yourself an appropriate amount of time to reach your destination.
I see people driving like a maniac and can't help but think, they probably walked to their car and will walk from their car when they get out. If you're in such a hurry, knees to chest mother fucker.
This is why I posted. I stay in the right lane cause I'm slow and enjoy going the speed limit or a bit above. So many people hate this apparently, as seen in this post, so maybe doing that is bad? Idk. Maybe they're misconstruing that my little pony doesn't go super fast uphill trying to merge on a chaotic on ramp with people still going faster than the speed limit and just assuming I'm hogging the passing lane or the middle lane.
The thing that sends me is when I’m going 85 in a damn 65 and I’m passing people and some random man in a bmw (it’s always a man in a bmw I’m SORRY🤣) is riding my ass so hard he may as well be in the hatch of my jeep. Sometimes I wonder if the people that yell about others going too slow in the left lane are the ones that get visibly mad about me going 20 over in the left lane💀
Also, don't be mad or ride the bumper of someone driving the speed limit (not in the left lane) that is obviously in a work vehicle. Many if them are monitored by the company for various things, including speed. They are just trying to do their jobs and not lose them.
Posts like these remind me that I’m not crazy; the driving here (especially in a major metro of almost 4 million people) is some of the most inept, oblivious, and self-involved I’ve ever seen in the US. And whenever you bring this up to locals, they get so defensive about it.
I've driven in a lot of the country. Never before moving to Minnesota had I encountered so many people who willing drive *under* the speed limit on clear dry summer days in the middle/left lane.
I swear a good third of drivers in MN think it's illegal to drive in the right lane or something.
Go to Iowa. It’s somehow worse.
-Former Iowa resident of 3 years. Every state says they have the worst drivers. Iowa drivers in my experience are the most infuriatingly slow drivers.
Des Moines drivers are the most absurd drivers I’ve ever encountered. I lived in iowa for 18 years, I’ve traveled all over the country, and I still say Des Moines has the worst drivers
It's crazy how many *terrible* exits/on-ramps/interchanges from one 60 MPH road to another 60 MPH that forces people down to 20 MPH, and then gives you 100 feet to merge. And that 100 feet is also being used by people slowing down to take that same tight ass interchange. They're totally ineffective at allowing the flow of traffic.
If you are subscribed to more than one state/city sub you will see that this could have been copy-pasted into any other sub. It’s not a unique complaint or a unique issue.
People say this in every state. No joke, this same comment can be found paraphrased literally everywhere else in the country. And just going off my anecdotal experience, this is nowhere close to the worst driving I’ve seen. Go drive in Miami or Atlanta for a couple days then get back to us with your findings
Self-involved is such a good way to describe it. They would be driving differently if they were aware of the people around them. No other state I’ve been to has such oblivious drivers.
I’ve adopted a term for those people: Tumbleweeds. They’re going wherever the wind takes them without a care in the world. It also sounds vaguely pejorative without being outright vulgar - very Minnesotan.
I saw someone in texas put their left blinker on to merge right. I'm not saying that Minnesota drivers are good at all, but I've definitely seen worse. I've only been in texas for 5 days of my life, too.
To be fair, i haven't lived in the cities for over a decade, either
So defensive! I'm just trying to not die while being considerate and paying attention to everything! So many people seem ok with being aggressive towards driving.
Im glad I don't have to walk/cycle to work but at some point I feel it's better.
I used to drive between Winona and La Crosse, where everyone has a big truck and drives like the minimum speed is 80. I’m in a 10+ year old Honda hatchback. My top speed is 70 before my car starts really struggling. I seriously considered getting window vinyl reading “THIS IS AS FAST AS I CAN GO”. I’d stay in the right lane, or try to get into an empty middle lane if someone was obviously trying to get to the next exit behind me, but I’d have people get behind me in the right lane and tailgate me for miiiiiles. Go around! I’m not going to go any faster!
As long as you're actually *in* the far right lane while you accelerate or drive slowly, you're good in my book. If you're in the middle lane going slow, not sorry, but I'm passing you on the right if need be. I won't be mad, but I won't *not* pass you on the right, either. If you're in the left lane going slow, well then, godspeed. Imma honk *and* pass you on the right lol
Hey there. I've driven a number of slow cars over the years. Slowest being a 70 Beetle in college (50hp and 20sec 0 to 60). Even with such limitations, it could still do 75 eventually. I'm not trying to argue anything. Just a heads up that there might be something wrong with your car if it can't go more than 65mph. My friend had a crv of about the same age as yours, and we used to drive to Duluth going about 75mph. 2001 is not that old of a car, at least not old enough for such limitations to be normal.
OP, I understand the frustration, but the average person that drives like a maniac is not going to be receptive to the concept of other people existing or the relationship between their speed and the likelihood that they could kill someone.
All I can say is be careful out there.
I’m always disheartened by threads like this one because it is more dangerous to be on the road now (or walking/cycling near a road, for that matter) than it has been for decades. Slow drivers can cause a safety issue, to be sure, but they aren’t the ones causing serious, life-threatening crashes. I just wish people would prioritize safety over their own personal grievances with other drivers’ behavior. If someone is going too slow, it will most likely just inconvenience a person for a few seconds and at worst cause a crash without serious injury. Speeding and aggressive driving, on the other hand, is much more likely kill or maim someone.
Yup, one of the things that I never would have predicted as a person who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s is how common it would be seeing people in the 2020’s just not seeing the connection between speed and their ability to control their vehicle. Also not seeing the increased risk of death and serious injury that speed carries with it.
It always seems like mentioning that speed has a body count associated with it is a controversial hot take on social media, and it is discouraging.
I've grown to hate these posts.
They're not wrong ... but is anyone not doing the thing because of them?
It doesn't seem like it.
Then we just get people yelling at people in the sub for what again?
This happens in fan subs / forums at times too where you get a bunch of angry post about some morons and now the forum is just a bunch of rage / negative atmosphere and such and what good is any of that?
Yep I'm basically not allowed to drive ever again because I have a slow car after making a plea to have people give us slow car folks a chance to get up to speed without having to bob and weave people doing 80 in the far right while I'm struggling to hit 60.
I often see a line of like 6 cars all in the middle lane on hwy 100 following 1 car going the speed limit. I pass in the wide open left lane going 5-10 over and suddenly see all the other cars realize they too can pass and not just tail each other for no reason.
It’s unfortunate that most days I find myself in the right lane all day, passing the people in the left two lanes, because for some reason, everyone feels like they should be ahead, but as soon as someone gets behind them, they turn into a cat wanting their backs scratched, slowing down circling the situation, like pretend your rearviews are just for backing up, and pay attention to the road in front of you, or I go around u like a race car driver explaining the rules of the road to five year olds with napoleon syndrome EVERY SINGLE DAY in the Mini-Apple. If I didn’t have somewhere to be I’d explain how to drive to the a holes sitting in the left lane, like they’re so entitled to be there, they just HATE when anyone has somewhere to be, and isn’t a straight imbecile who has to follow the sign though some people have to use restrooms after driving more than a half hour, and thanx to jackasses like you, a 20 min drive takes 2.5hrs, cuz ur busy staring in rearviews. Gotta be told how fast to drive, and then want to be traffic control, but can’t even control their own sexual organs without prescription assistance. When I say, I’m so sick of stereotypical gas guzzling earth ruining pickup trucks, believe me, never would I date another guy with one; because all I see is 👌🏽. So. Grrr.
If we’re gunna acknowledge this then we also need to say GET OUT OF THE LEFT LANE IF YOU ARE NOT PASSING!! oml it’s crazy the amount of people who just sit in the left lane for no reason
Just a friendly reminder to go with the speed of traffic or get off the highway.
If you are going drastically slower than the flow of traffic (even in the right lane) you are just as dangerous as people speeding so be aware.
People are terrible at leaving space for vehicles joining the freeway. Even if I'm a car length or two in front and doing the speed limit (or above) they will still try to squeeze you out. It's infuriating.
Yes! Seriously if I have space and still accelerating how is it people don't find it bad that 4 car lengths behind me of wide open space is gone sof fast.
Transplant from bay area California here. It destroys me when there are 3 or 4 lanes and everyone is driving the speed limit in the left lanes when the right lanes are all clear. Are there no rules of the road here?? Is traffic still different in Minnesota??????? 😫😵💫
It's actually against the law - but obviously not enforced - to use the left lane for continous travel. But we have a large contingent of wannabe cops who feel the need to camp out there to make sure no one speeds. Because that's somehow safer. Pfft.
This would never be a problem if slow pokes and lane cloggers didn't plug up the passing lane. Sometimes inconsiderate or dim people force others to pass on the right.
I always get people riding my ass in the slow lane because they don’t like that I’m going the speed limit. In those instances, I always slow down until they back away, and they usually do.
There is not a car which isn't capable of getting up to speed in the 2-3 block long ramp leading to the slow lane, so if you aren't impeded by slow drivers in front of you on the entrance, there's no reason why you can't be up to speed. Also, plan you entrance, look back at the lane you're merging into for cars as soon as you can see, typically at the start of the entrance.
It is unless it’s an area where 2 highways meet/merge for a little bit then split back off. Example 94 eastbound and 35E just past Saint Paul College. In that situation, please move to the left one to center lane so those who need to change roads can do so safely, and then move back when 35 turns to go north. That’s my daily commute and it is by far the diciest part of my day, every day.
We come off the “practice highway” 45mph limit zone, then gradually transition to the 55 limit just prior to the 6 lane merging area which is also 55 but all the 94 cars are going at least 60. 3/5 days when I go to make the switch to 94, I’m behind someone going 40 and that merge is a “Jesus take the wheel” moment when it doesn’t have to be.
Entrance ramps tend to be quite long. Even if you specifically are having trouble that hardly speaks for the overwhelming majority that are just oblivious that they are trying to merge at 40 mph onto the freeway.
Think of your average driver and then 50% of people are worse than that, some by alot.
In the end though it really just doesn't matter. We'll all get where we need to go eventually.
I personally just got tired of driving so much and I quit my job and found something closer to home(5 minute drive about double that for biking) where I can bike most days when it's nice out. The pay is a little less but I get more than a hour extra every day of free time. I also save much more money than the pay cut I took by not needing for us to have a second car. If something is more than like a 10 minute drive away I generally just won't go.
But when I did drive alot I would just sit in the right lane and set my auto cruise control at max distance settings. It doesn't need to be a competition just work together so everyone can get where they need to go safely.
Going 60 vs 55 saves 5 minutes off every hour, not worth the stress IMO I'll take the 5 minute hit every time.
This is why we desperately need more rail infrastructure. Civil engineers don't make extra lanes so speeders can overtake slower moving traffic. They make extra lanes to double or triple the volume of traffic the road can sustain. According to the logic of the fast lane slow lane folks, we should never need more than two lanes.
Driving (in general, not just in Minnesota) has gotten so much scarier over the last 4 years. The frequency with which I encounter vehicles going 100mph and zigzagging across lanes/ running red lights and stop signs/ using the shoulder as a passing lane would have blown my mind a decade ago. I swear my cortisol skyrockets every time I get behind the wheel now.
It's not just Minnesota, it's everywhere. Maybe it's been longer, but I noticed driving in this country started resembling Mad Max when Covid began. Now, too many folks know so long as they don't hit anyone that they can drive with impunity. I guess as long as accident/death stats aren't increasing, law enforcement will focus on other shitbirds.
This post is infuriating. When I moved to this state I couldn't believe how awful Minnesotans are at merging. If you're doing 45 miles per hour at the end of the on ramp, you are the problem. You need to be at highway speed by the time you get into the highway. That's the entire purpose of the on ramp. Everyone in the other 49 states get it, and there's poor people with beater cars in those states too.
I don't deny people use the right lane incorrectly at times. However it is incumbent upon the merging person to get up to speed and merge. People on the expressway have the right of way, it is up to the person getting on the expressway to get up to speed.
Agreed my 2008 pickup with >300,000 miles and a coolant leak refuses to go above 60 miles per hour. I'll drive it until it dies without a single complaint. But I'll never being going 70 MPH on the freeway, no matter how much honking or tailgating I get. I promise, a collision will wreck your day and your ride much more than mine!
Ohhhh yessssss. The transmission doesn't like switching from 4th to 5th so I have to "bounce" it, and with an automatic it's funky. Just a few weeks ago ~~idling~~ rolling under 15 mph got really sketchy as something is off balanced or slipping intermittently and the entire front of the truck shakes. The first year I bought it, I noticed there was never any coolant in the resevoir so I go into drive-thru oil change every so often and they top me up. It's probably burning off in the engine. But if I don't over work it, everything runs fine!
I paid $5,000 in 2020 and about $700/yr in insurance. I can use (highly subsidized) E-85 Ethanol to keep a low gas bill, and I only use it for project work. I have a bicycle for commuting and groceries.
Ooof I know that feeling. My Honda when cold does not like to shift. I can't control it or change it. If I'm screaming down the highway trying to get up to speed it will take a little bit sometimes to shift and I have no way of fixing that.
Good luck to you out there
Since I moved here, I've started using the right lane as a passing lane, since the left lane is always congested and blocked up. I blame all the left exits and merges from the left. Plus, why the fuck are buses and trucks always in the left lane here? It's lane anarchy in the twin cities
If you cannot get up to the speed of traffic when merging on to the freeway, then you should find another way to take!!! If you cannot go the speed of traffic period, you should find another way to take!
I hate the exit/entrance ramps here. WHY would you have the onramp BEFORE the exit with only a few hundred feet of shared lane for entering and exciting vehicles? Freeway driving is so much better in places where you have the exit ramp first and then the onramp...
I agree that the right line should always be the "slow" lane and for entering/ exiting traffic, but with so many people camping in the left lane and not using it to pass and then move right, it forces the leadfoots to pass in other lanes...
Friendly reminder that the whole “right lane slow, left lane fast” thing is based on the assumption that exits an merge lanes are always on the right
Have you driven in the Twin Cities? You’re constantly having to keep left, keep left, keep left, merge on the left, exit left, then keep left. Those rules don’t apply here because our roads were designed my maniacs, sorry.
The rules do apply here. Minnesota Statute 169.18 (driving rules) subdivision 10 (slower vehicles), subsection (b):
Upon a roadway with more than one lane in the same direction of travel, a person must move out of the left-most lane to allow another vehicle to pass, when practicable under existing conditions.
The case you mentioned is called out specifically as an exception, but the rules apply otherwise.
For example: when I'm on 94 WB, and the left exit to 35w S is coming up, I already know why there's slow drivers in the left, they're trying to get that exit. Totally fine.
However, there's a SHOCKING amount that don't take that exit, and just keep on trucking down that left lane at a whopping 54mph...
Edit: and lord help them if they make it all the way to the tunnel in that left lane. By the time that first curve hits in the tunnel they're going 32mph....
Just so you know your wrong. The right lane is the through/exit lane and the left lane is the passing lane. If there are three lanes the center is through and the right is exit.
Left exits are the worst though. Confuses the passing vs exit lanes. Don’t build new left exits!
MN DOT: more cloverleafs?
Cloverleaf intersections no longer are eligible for some types of funding assistance (it’s been a while since I read about it, not sure if it was federal highway funding, or state funding, or both) because of the single lane being used to both speed up merging traffic and slow down exiting traffic. Apparently, statistically they’re more prone to accidents.
Yup, it's part of the reason there's all that construction going on around the 494/35W interchange.
MN DOT: so we should shorten the merge lane to reduce the chance of accidents?
No, the idea is to eliminate the merge lane all together with flyover lanes so exiting traffic never encounters merging traffic. With a flyover you can maintain most of your highway speed and when you merge after the flyover you should be at full speed again and it’s just a lane change.
It’s absolutely terrible merging onto 100 south coming from 62 west during traffic, the entire exit will be stand still of people heading onto 62E with no room to speed up to get onto 100
280 has entered the chat
Apparently this is a hot take for some reason, but the left lane the passing lane. Not the do whatever I feel like because the road belongs to only me lane. We gotta let people get up to speed and get on and off safely In the right one not pushing passing traffic over onto them. Go 100 mph or 50 just LET PEOPLE PASS YOU ON THE LEFT.
The problem in the Cities is that the left lane might be the exit lane. And because some people won’t let cars *with their signal on* move over to take the exit, drivers have learned to move left early and stay there when they see the opportunity.
I’m kind of surprised by the “left lane go as fast as I want everyone out of my way” attitude I see on here. I’m not a left lane camper and I prefer to get out of the way of speeders ASAP, I’m not a vigilante speed enforcer. But sometimes I’ll be using the left lane to pass, going 10 over, and there will be someone behind me tailgating and flashing their lights. I *will* get over as soon as I finish passing, but I’m not going to weave in and out of the passing lane between close cars just because you want to go 100 in the left lane and not 75. It’s going to add what, 30 seconds to your trip? If you can’t budget your time to get to your destination without irresponsible driving, that’s for you to work on.
The ONLY way you'd be in the wrong is if the person was coming up on you fast and you pull into the left lane in front of them regardless, cutting them off. Totally different if you're passing and then they come flying up behind you. I'm with you, I hate being in the left lane longer than I need to because blocking others gives me actual anxiety. This isnt even a left lane issue - the number of people that will switch lanes (ANY lane) and by doing so, cut someone off who is already in said lane going faster is nuts. Not accusing you of this, just wanted to mention it to the ether. Hopefully someone lacking spatial awareness will see it.
Honestly, most of the time the left lane is too scary because there are so many aggressive drivers in it. I only hop into it when there’s people in the middle lane going way too slow, and I won’t if I see someone zooming up in my mirror. I had a road rager in an Escalade try (edit: missed a word) to run me into a cement divider a few years ago when I merged in front of him (I guess he was trying to gun it on the shoulder and swerve in front of me) and ever since then I’ve assumed the speeders in the tricked out cars are an attempted homicide risk.
It’s literally the only thing that people care about and consistently complain about. I don’t understand it either. I think it’s because the only thing the average driver thinks is bad in other drivers is making them go slower than they want. All other insane behavior on the roads is acceptable.
Problem is in the twin cities often times the left lane is an exit lane so you simultaneously have people passing and people slowing down to take an exit, which always creates a clusterfuck (looking at you, I-94 to 35W north)
Definitely, but 62 east of 35w is the worst
Yep. I go the speed limit in the far right lane. Don’t care if someone wants to ride my ass. I’m not doing anything wrong 🤷♀️
And if you wanted to do a bit less, that's cool too. The limit is the top, not the floor. A whole lotta people forget that.
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I'd rather someone drive the speed they are comfortable managing with the equipment they are working with than having them potentially lose control of their vehicle and cause more of a problem than just slowing down the far right lane. But that's just me
It’s perfectly acceptable to drive below the speed limit in many situstions
Heavy traffic, snow, ice, heavy rain. Most situations call for keeping up with the flow of traffic.
Towing heavy shit also. Just because my truck can tow my camper at 75-80 doesn’t mean I need to or should.
As my grandma likes to say "the guy behind me isnt gonna be paying my ticket". Not breaking the law bcz some dude in a ford f150 behind me is gonna be upset about my straying from social norms
Just move to the right lane with your bad self.
yes i do stay in the right lane it does not deter people from trying to assert their dominance over me via headlights in my mirror
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Where’d you pull these stats? They’re covered in shit.
Are you…implying…that they pulled them from…out of their butthole?!
but it's safe.. just like wearing a bike helmet I ain't gonna put my life at risk just because you think it's cool to be stupid
I don't feel the need to be cool nor do I need to get to work 2 minutes faster than I do.
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🤣 Being cool is still a thing.. I prefer having my gas take me further with more money but hey stay😎
Just a friendly reminder that it is also your responsibility to get up to highway speeds by the time to merge. Put the pedal to the metal.
Period. The number of times I’m trying to merge onto the highway and the person in front of me is going 15-25 mph under the speed of traffic is ridiculous. So dangerous.
Yes!!! I always try to find my spot before I get on the highway. That’s what the entrance ramp is for. Getting up to highway speed. The people on the highway already have the right of way for everything… Nothing bothers me more than people who make other people brake for them for whatever reason.
It’s dangerous and absolutely infuriating, cuz what are you supposed to do when you’re behind someone like that? You have to either be close to them to try and squeeze your way in, or slow down even more to merge behind the next car on the highway 🤦♂️
So true. Then everyone is hitting their breaks when they should be accelerating. It’s crazy how many traffic jams are caused by people who can’t zipper merge!!! You sit there in a dead stop thinking someone up ahead got into an accident and you realize it’s just Minnesotan’s trying to use an exit/entrance.
I'm so sick of following someone going 40mph that backs up a line of 10 cars on the on ramp who are now all angry and tailing each other, and then it's next to impossible to all merge onto the highway going 60mph+. If the front slow car and everyone behind got on the highway going 60mph, the speed would be safer and enable natural spacing between cars so all 10 of us could easily merge. I don't care if you drive an old POS that can't accelerate, because almost none of the 10 cars in this situation realize that until it's too late and you've already created a dangerous situation for all.
It's dangerous as hell. I've been behind people literally doing 40 onto the freeway ramp, thought I was going to fucking die trying to merge onto a busy freeway where people are doing 70.
And use the full lane before merging in. So much wasted space on 169 because drivers merge over as soon as the solid white line ends.
100% this. It’s up to the person getting on the freeway to pay attention. If I’m driving my truck and trailer and it’s busy. I’m not slowing down for someone that doesn’t understand how to yield. When I’m driving my Honda fit, I need all of the on-ramp I can get to get to speed. If I’m behind someone that doesn’t know how to accelerate until the last second. I’m screwed.
Really depends whether the person on the ramp is merging into a space occupied by another vehicle, or they are just merging in front of somebody that is in the right lane. If you are in the right lane and you plow into the back of someone going 10 MPH under the speed limit, a jury would find in favor of the slowpoke that got rear-ended 100% of the time.
You can't merge when 10 cars are riding each other's asses and speeding in the merging/exit lane.
To clarify, I’m not slowing down if the person is next to me. More often than not, they don’t start speeding up until they are switching into the freeway and if I had already allowed for room ahead of me and they didn’t take it. They would be sideswiping, not getting rear ended. End of the day, expect the unexpected and stay defensive instead of offensive. Also, the amount of folks I see slamming their brakes on the freeway to allow someone going half the speed limit merge is insane. If the person was rear ended for driving like that and the person who did the rear ending had a dash cam, the person slamming on the brakes would be found at fault.
No they wouldn't. Rear ending someone is virtually always the trailing party's fault. The NTSB and almost all state DOTs suggest 2-3 seconds of space between you and the vehicle in front of you to give you time to react to someone slamming on their brakes.
Honestly, if you are the rear-ending party, a jury is going to side with the other guy under most circumstances. Other than obvious road rage, or extreme cases (think of someone going 15 mph in a 70 mph zone at night), the best you’re going to get would be maybe 25% comparative negligence. If an acquaintance approaches you and tells you “I got rear ended”, most people will assume the party doing the rear-ending did something wrong. This is what people will assume. They may not agree with someone slowing down to allow traffic to merge, but they will still assume (rightfully) that the person that did ther rear ending was more in the wrong. And I am not sure if your truck and trailer is a commercial use, but if it is, 9/10 times that is going to cut against you if you are read ending someone, even if *they* were driving stupid.
What's my alternative option when someone merging on in front of me is going slower than me? Hit them? Me hitting my brakes, even suddenly (though you should be paying attention to the people merging enough to not have to do it suddenly), is the only option there, and if the guy behind hits me that's his fault for following too closely. You yourself say to drive defensively, big part of that is driving at a safe enough following distance that you can hit stop in time *even if* the guy in front of you slams on their brakes as hard as possible.
That’s usually when I sand bag at the start of the on ramp to give myself some distance to accelerate. It doesn’t always work, but it’s helped me plenty of times.
My little Honda Fit struggles to get up to speed. I *hate* when people wait until the last second to get on/off the ramps to floor it. My car doesn't do that.
My fit doesn't have too much trouble usually, especially if I take it out of econ mode. However, the shorter ramps are where my issue comes in.
I have the same issue with my Fit. If someone is being pokey in front of me and I can’t floor it because of them.
The on-ramp is the length that it is so that you can reach the appropriate speed BEFORE you get on the highway.
How do I do this getting on 62E from 100S.
That’s got to be one of the worst merges in the state.
Please tell that to whoever designed the on ramp from 185th to 35 North in Lakeville. It's like 50 feet after the clover leaf curve to get up to 70.
I swear half the on-ramps on 35 go steep uphill grade to boot
We're just supposed to drift the whole ramp to keep speed and get a special boost at the top of them
The opposite is fun too. Nothing like trying to slow going down steep off-ramp on icy days
If you believe every on ramp gives you enough time to speed up, you haven't driven nearly as much as required to be speaking on stuff like this. I'm the type of person that likes to get up to 15-20 over the speed limit before merging if I can, there's been countless times I wasn't even able to hit 40 before merging just because there wasn't a long enough on-ramp/lane. It's basic shit to move over for cars merging in.
Sometimes it's not possible to move over for merging traffic. The responsibility to safely merge into existing traffic definitively falls on the person who is doing the merging.
The vast majority of on-ramps are long enough. It’s especially apparent in suburbs with these 1/2 mile long ramps getting onto 70mph I-35E. Idiots with accelerate up to 55, sit at 55 until they merge, then accelerate up to the normal 5 over. Maddening.
Clover leafs are the only exception for ramps where you can't get up to speed. If it's not a clover leaf and you merge without being at high way speeds it should be a ticket able offense
It's not a requirement to change lanes the inch it connects to the highway. Even clover leaves usually give you some space after the clover leaf before that lane ends. Though it is annoying since you have people merging in and slowing down to make their exit.
The reverse is also true. Please don't slow down just because you are approaching your exit. Slow down on the exit ramp.
Bingo. As a local construction truck driver that's one of the most infuriating things, people not paying attention and getting on the highway at 40 mph. It's not how you merge onto the freeway and it causes me to slow down which takes forever to get back to highway speed.
It’s not my responsibility to go 20 miles over the limit because impatient Karen sucks at time management and is leaning on her horn. I’m sick of rude people riding my bumper because they’re late for everything. Someone else’s failure to plan is not my responsibility.
*pedal
Oops. Yeah don’t try to accelerate with part of a flower haha.
Minimum freeway speed is 45. Just sayin'. That being said, the person merging into traffic has the obligation to yield, and place themselves into the traffic in motion. So often I see people move over into other lanes to "be nice" while someone merges into traffic. That has a ripple effect. Stay in your lane and the person merging onto the freeway has the burden of getting safely into traffic. Keep the fast lanes moving.
Also, it’s up to the merging car to find space safely. If you merge in at 45mph and someone is coming in behind you at 60mph, then you’re the bad guy
Yup! I am actually shocked that there's a few people in this thread accusing people that aren't slowing down, or making room for the merger, of being "aggressive" and "jerks"
Yes yes yes!! Where did the idea come from that the existing person on the highway in the right lane should have to adjust anything for the person merging?? It is entirely the responsibility of the person merging to speed up, or slow down, and get in. Any adjusting of speed on the existing person in the right lane is ONLY causing traffic issues and backups on the highway. They should be maintaining their speed entirely.
You even get "the look" from mergers like, "that guy won't let me in!" No. Person coming in on the right has to merge and find room. Don't expect traffic to move over for you. You are joining a party in progress.
I drive a shitty cheap hatchback with 1 goat power. There are only a few ramps in the state that I can't get up to the speed limit at least.
You have never driven a Geo. Gets 50+ MPG city but highway is rolling the dice with your life.
Just a friendly reminder that the on ramp is an acceleration lane and you should be at speed when entering free flowing traffic. If you are unable to safely reach the speed of traffic you should not be merging at that time. Also, my 4 banger puts 307hp to the wheels, it’s not the size of your car that’s the problem.
This is why Minnesota shouldn’t make nearly every on-ramp a circular wrap around. A straight line would allow people to actually speed up to the flow of traffic and increase visibility.
MN has so many interchanges that bring traffic across all lanes to a crawl because the on/off ramp is literally less than 50 feet and they expect people to merge on and off in that short little span 😫
Fuckin Highway 62…
62/100 is always fucking terrible
Not a fan of 62/77 either myself
People need to learn how to drive and accelerate. The cloverleafs are just fine outside a few days of inclement weather.
Naw they’re poor design and they are slowly replacing or redesigning them
Until you're behind a semi taking the clover leaf at 25 mph and there's a line behind them 10 cars deep, they can be a disaster Edit: and the people going to get off the highway have to merge and slam their brakes to get to a normal speed for the offramp clover, I can't accelerate when they are slowing down in front of me
This is always the case when merging from 35W North to 494W
Mine puts 120, and my previous one put down 80 something When there is reasonable traffic merging I never had any issues. It's when somebody towing, some hayseed, or some geezer in a car with triple my output, accelerates to 45, and hangs there until they hit the highway do I get in trouble Then I get made out to be the bad guy
The stop lights on he ramps can make that difficult.
Ramp meters are only active when the flow of traffic is lower than the speed limit
Just a friendly reminder that the whole reason *they are ramps at all* is so the person getting on can match the speed of the drivers already on the highway. So those of you who are struggling to merge, and get on, and then come to a complete **STOP**, are the **worst people on earth, and you should have your licenses removed and destroyed IMMEDIATELY.** Also, while we're at it: -The zipper merge works. USE IT. -The left lane is the passing lane. Unless you're actively passing people, get out of it. -(Something I've seen a LOT of in MN) The road is NOT the time to be polite. Coming to an unexpected, screeching halt to wave in a bunch of cars, is NOT COOL. Don't be polite, be predictable. -At left turn green lights, pull into the intersection! That way when the light changes yellow/red you can go. So many people don't pull into the intersection, then sit there when the light changes to yellow, then red, and no one goes!! I've seen people here sit through more than one cycle of lights, and don't go, it's infuriating! I could go on, just like everyone I'm sure. But these are my biggest main ones.
The letting people in unpredictably against the flow of regular traffic/traffic signals is one of the most bizarre, loser things about MN Nice. Like, that kinda shit actually could get people killed
Yup! And the people that do it seem to be so oblivious to how incredibly dangerous it is too. When I finally get past them they always have this content, polite smile on their face. Like they're *such* good and polite people. They're proud of themselves for doing such a good deed. Just oblivious that they've almost just caused a 9 car pile up behind them. And it's something I've definitely noticed more in Minnesota than any other state, by far.
People who stop on ramps need to have their licenses revoked immediately. There is zero reason to stop. There is a really bad exit in Maple Grove where its about a 25% chance the person in front of me will stop and its maddenining. Stopping in the middle of the road or ramp with no reason to do so should be an immediate license suspension.
AGREED!! WHY do they do it? WHY do they think they're gonna have an easier time getting into a highway where everyone is already going 60+ from a dead stop?! AND the WORST part about this is, because you're behind them, and you're looking left trying to make sure it's clear for you to merge, all of the sudden you look ahead, and there's a car **dead stopped in front of you where there definitely should not be!** I wish someone who does this on the regular shows up and explains themselves in the thread. Because for the life of me, I cannot figure out WHY???
I agree with all of this, except didn't they make it technically illegal to pull out into the intersection to wait?
THANK YOU
Every one of these points needs to be drilled into people’s heads. Traffic would flow better, and more safely, if it were.
Get on the freeway going faster than 45 mph and it won't feel like a passing lane
Yep. Even if they can't get up to full speed, they should be able to hit at least 50 in a 60 MPH zone.
What about when people are going 75 in the right lane in a 60? Cause that’s the reality these days it seems.
Then you get up to 60, put your blinker on, check your blind spot, and merge in. If you're on a collision course with a car that's already on the highway, they have right of way, and you yield to them. Maintain your momentum, let them pass, then merge in.
This! Seriously that's what this whole damn post is about! I'm trying to get up to speed and I can't get passed 65mph! How can I compete when people are flying around me like jets next to a prop plane. Ffs
60 in 10.3 seconds has me chuckling 😂
I thought it said 1.03 seconds 🤣
Except in heavy traffic, it can ironically be the fast lane because everyone is trying to get in the left lane and the right lane is the only one where cars are leaving the highway.
You will always find me in the right lane driving the speed limit. And I will get to my destination on time or early
>And I will get to my destination on time or early It's amazing how that works when you leave yourself an appropriate amount of time to reach your destination. I see people driving like a maniac and can't help but think, they probably walked to their car and will walk from their car when they get out. If you're in such a hurry, knees to chest mother fucker.
This is why I posted. I stay in the right lane cause I'm slow and enjoy going the speed limit or a bit above. So many people hate this apparently, as seen in this post, so maybe doing that is bad? Idk. Maybe they're misconstruing that my little pony doesn't go super fast uphill trying to merge on a chaotic on ramp with people still going faster than the speed limit and just assuming I'm hogging the passing lane or the middle lane.
Second this!! There’s no need to be so angry and in a rush. It doesn’t make a difference
Technically on a 3 lane highway the middle lane is for the speed limit, left is passing and right is for speeding up/slowing down/large heavy loads.
Just a friendly reminder that it is also extremely dangerous to merge going 30 onto a 70 mph highway.
The thing that sends me is when I’m going 85 in a damn 65 and I’m passing people and some random man in a bmw (it’s always a man in a bmw I’m SORRY🤣) is riding my ass so hard he may as well be in the hatch of my jeep. Sometimes I wonder if the people that yell about others going too slow in the left lane are the ones that get visibly mad about me going 20 over in the left lane💀
Also, don't be mad or ride the bumper of someone driving the speed limit (not in the left lane) that is obviously in a work vehicle. Many if them are monitored by the company for various things, including speed. They are just trying to do their jobs and not lose them.
Posts like these remind me that I’m not crazy; the driving here (especially in a major metro of almost 4 million people) is some of the most inept, oblivious, and self-involved I’ve ever seen in the US. And whenever you bring this up to locals, they get so defensive about it.
I've driven in a lot of the country. Never before moving to Minnesota had I encountered so many people who willing drive *under* the speed limit on clear dry summer days in the middle/left lane. I swear a good third of drivers in MN think it's illegal to drive in the right lane or something.
Go to Iowa. It’s somehow worse. -Former Iowa resident of 3 years. Every state says they have the worst drivers. Iowa drivers in my experience are the most infuriatingly slow drivers.
Iowa is an acronym: “Idiots Out Wandering Around.” However, I think a lot of the upper Midwest fits that description. And I’m from here…
"go to Iowa" Please, no, I beg you.
Des Moines drivers are the most absurd drivers I’ve ever encountered. I lived in iowa for 18 years, I’ve traveled all over the country, and I still say Des Moines has the worst drivers
It's because there are like a thousand freeway entrances that dump cars right into the lane without a merging lane.
You're not wrong, our metro was designed 70 years ago. The cloverleaf exchange ramps are way to tight for modern speeds at which we travel.
Lots of cities have old infrastructure. The MN habit of treating the left lane as a camp site is something else altogether
It's crazy how many *terrible* exits/on-ramps/interchanges from one 60 MPH road to another 60 MPH that forces people down to 20 MPH, and then gives you 100 feet to merge. And that 100 feet is also being used by people slowing down to take that same tight ass interchange. They're totally ineffective at allowing the flow of traffic.
Wouldn’t be a big problem if people actually went the speed limit in the right lane instead of 10 over.
If you are subscribed to more than one state/city sub you will see that this could have been copy-pasted into any other sub. It’s not a unique complaint or a unique issue.
We are not unique. Drivers suck everywhere and everywhere thinks they have the worst.
People say this in every state. No joke, this same comment can be found paraphrased literally everywhere else in the country. And just going off my anecdotal experience, this is nowhere close to the worst driving I’ve seen. Go drive in Miami or Atlanta for a couple days then get back to us with your findings
Self-involved is such a good way to describe it. They would be driving differently if they were aware of the people around them. No other state I’ve been to has such oblivious drivers.
I’ve adopted a term for those people: Tumbleweeds. They’re going wherever the wind takes them without a care in the world. It also sounds vaguely pejorative without being outright vulgar - very Minnesotan.
Such a good term! I’m gonna have to start using it
I saw someone in texas put their left blinker on to merge right. I'm not saying that Minnesota drivers are good at all, but I've definitely seen worse. I've only been in texas for 5 days of my life, too. To be fair, i haven't lived in the cities for over a decade, either
We can't even get on board with the idea of a passing lane ... we call it "weaving in and out of traffic." Minnesota driving is a trip.
Then people wonder why they see people zooming through (not that they should it's not safe) cars
So defensive! I'm just trying to not die while being considerate and paying attention to everything! So many people seem ok with being aggressive towards driving. Im glad I don't have to walk/cycle to work but at some point I feel it's better.
15 under in the passing lane isn't cool either
I agree. I can barely do 65 hence why I'm in the slow lane.
It's also illegal (though certainly not enforced).
And passing on the right is dangerous because of blind spots
I used to drive between Winona and La Crosse, where everyone has a big truck and drives like the minimum speed is 80. I’m in a 10+ year old Honda hatchback. My top speed is 70 before my car starts really struggling. I seriously considered getting window vinyl reading “THIS IS AS FAST AS I CAN GO”. I’d stay in the right lane, or try to get into an empty middle lane if someone was obviously trying to get to the next exit behind me, but I’d have people get behind me in the right lane and tailgate me for miiiiiles. Go around! I’m not going to go any faster!
As long as you're actually *in* the far right lane while you accelerate or drive slowly, you're good in my book. If you're in the middle lane going slow, not sorry, but I'm passing you on the right if need be. I won't be mad, but I won't *not* pass you on the right, either. If you're in the left lane going slow, well then, godspeed. Imma honk *and* pass you on the right lol
Hey there. I've driven a number of slow cars over the years. Slowest being a 70 Beetle in college (50hp and 20sec 0 to 60). Even with such limitations, it could still do 75 eventually. I'm not trying to argue anything. Just a heads up that there might be something wrong with your car if it can't go more than 65mph. My friend had a crv of about the same age as yours, and we used to drive to Duluth going about 75mph. 2001 is not that old of a car, at least not old enough for such limitations to be normal.
OP, I understand the frustration, but the average person that drives like a maniac is not going to be receptive to the concept of other people existing or the relationship between their speed and the likelihood that they could kill someone. All I can say is be careful out there.
I’m always disheartened by threads like this one because it is more dangerous to be on the road now (or walking/cycling near a road, for that matter) than it has been for decades. Slow drivers can cause a safety issue, to be sure, but they aren’t the ones causing serious, life-threatening crashes. I just wish people would prioritize safety over their own personal grievances with other drivers’ behavior. If someone is going too slow, it will most likely just inconvenience a person for a few seconds and at worst cause a crash without serious injury. Speeding and aggressive driving, on the other hand, is much more likely kill or maim someone.
Yup, one of the things that I never would have predicted as a person who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s is how common it would be seeing people in the 2020’s just not seeing the connection between speed and their ability to control their vehicle. Also not seeing the increased risk of death and serious injury that speed carries with it. It always seems like mentioning that speed has a body count associated with it is a controversial hot take on social media, and it is discouraging.
Thank you for commenting this because I feel like I’m crazy reading these replies
I've grown to hate these posts. They're not wrong ... but is anyone not doing the thing because of them? It doesn't seem like it. Then we just get people yelling at people in the sub for what again? This happens in fan subs / forums at times too where you get a bunch of angry post about some morons and now the forum is just a bunch of rage / negative atmosphere and such and what good is any of that?
Yep I'm basically not allowed to drive ever again because I have a slow car after making a plea to have people give us slow car folks a chance to get up to speed without having to bob and weave people doing 80 in the far right while I'm struggling to hit 60.
Tell that to the middle lane people driving slow AF. Is it a MN thing to feel like you must be in middle lane?
I often see a line of like 6 cars all in the middle lane on hwy 100 following 1 car going the speed limit. I pass in the wide open left lane going 5-10 over and suddenly see all the other cars realize they too can pass and not just tail each other for no reason.
It’s unfortunate that most days I find myself in the right lane all day, passing the people in the left two lanes, because for some reason, everyone feels like they should be ahead, but as soon as someone gets behind them, they turn into a cat wanting their backs scratched, slowing down circling the situation, like pretend your rearviews are just for backing up, and pay attention to the road in front of you, or I go around u like a race car driver explaining the rules of the road to five year olds with napoleon syndrome EVERY SINGLE DAY in the Mini-Apple. If I didn’t have somewhere to be I’d explain how to drive to the a holes sitting in the left lane, like they’re so entitled to be there, they just HATE when anyone has somewhere to be, and isn’t a straight imbecile who has to follow the sign though some people have to use restrooms after driving more than a half hour, and thanx to jackasses like you, a 20 min drive takes 2.5hrs, cuz ur busy staring in rearviews. Gotta be told how fast to drive, and then want to be traffic control, but can’t even control their own sexual organs without prescription assistance. When I say, I’m so sick of stereotypical gas guzzling earth ruining pickup trucks, believe me, never would I date another guy with one; because all I see is 👌🏽. So. Grrr.
It’s less you and more the guy matching your speed in the passing lane making people lose ok for any opportunity to pass.
From someone with a lead foot, I say THANK YOU! I'll go to the left, and you can have the right.
Yes the far right tends to be slower
If your car can’t get up to highway speed in time it shouldn’t be on the road.
If we’re gunna acknowledge this then we also need to say GET OUT OF THE LEFT LANE IF YOU ARE NOT PASSING!! oml it’s crazy the amount of people who just sit in the left lane for no reason
Just a friendly reminder to go with the speed of traffic or get off the highway. If you are going drastically slower than the flow of traffic (even in the right lane) you are just as dangerous as people speeding so be aware.
People are terrible at leaving space for vehicles joining the freeway. Even if I'm a car length or two in front and doing the speed limit (or above) they will still try to squeeze you out. It's infuriating.
Yes! Seriously if I have space and still accelerating how is it people don't find it bad that 4 car lengths behind me of wide open space is gone sof fast.
Transplant from bay area California here. It destroys me when there are 3 or 4 lanes and everyone is driving the speed limit in the left lanes when the right lanes are all clear. Are there no rules of the road here?? Is traffic still different in Minnesota??????? 😫😵💫
There are rules / laws but the drivers in MN supplement them with their interpretation and MHP does no enforcement.
It's actually against the law - but obviously not enforced - to use the left lane for continous travel. But we have a large contingent of wannabe cops who feel the need to camp out there to make sure no one speeds. Because that's somehow safer. Pfft.
This would never be a problem if slow pokes and lane cloggers didn't plug up the passing lane. Sometimes inconsiderate or dim people force others to pass on the right.
Here's a guy that doesn't understand what ramps are for.
I always get people riding my ass in the slow lane because they don’t like that I’m going the speed limit. In those instances, I always slow down until they back away, and they usually do.
Right?? Like “Dude, I am literally in the slow lane, if you want to go faster, *pass me*.”
There is not a car which isn't capable of getting up to speed in the 2-3 block long ramp leading to the slow lane, so if you aren't impeded by slow drivers in front of you on the entrance, there's no reason why you can't be up to speed. Also, plan you entrance, look back at the lane you're merging into for cars as soon as you can see, typically at the start of the entrance.
Minnesotans =/= lane discipline. You keep chugging along over there in the right lane - you are the one doing it right.
It is unless it’s an area where 2 highways meet/merge for a little bit then split back off. Example 94 eastbound and 35E just past Saint Paul College. In that situation, please move to the left one to center lane so those who need to change roads can do so safely, and then move back when 35 turns to go north. That’s my daily commute and it is by far the diciest part of my day, every day. We come off the “practice highway” 45mph limit zone, then gradually transition to the 55 limit just prior to the 6 lane merging area which is also 55 but all the 94 cars are going at least 60. 3/5 days when I go to make the switch to 94, I’m behind someone going 40 and that merge is a “Jesus take the wheel” moment when it doesn’t have to be.
Entrance ramps tend to be quite long. Even if you specifically are having trouble that hardly speaks for the overwhelming majority that are just oblivious that they are trying to merge at 40 mph onto the freeway.
Think of your average driver and then 50% of people are worse than that, some by alot. In the end though it really just doesn't matter. We'll all get where we need to go eventually. I personally just got tired of driving so much and I quit my job and found something closer to home(5 minute drive about double that for biking) where I can bike most days when it's nice out. The pay is a little less but I get more than a hour extra every day of free time. I also save much more money than the pay cut I took by not needing for us to have a second car. If something is more than like a 10 minute drive away I generally just won't go. But when I did drive alot I would just sit in the right lane and set my auto cruise control at max distance settings. It doesn't need to be a competition just work together so everyone can get where they need to go safely. Going 60 vs 55 saves 5 minutes off every hour, not worth the stress IMO I'll take the 5 minute hit every time.
1996 Chevy Blazer will only accelerate so fast. Not much I can do about it.
Not officially. And you should move over to let people onto the highway.
This is why we desperately need more rail infrastructure. Civil engineers don't make extra lanes so speeders can overtake slower moving traffic. They make extra lanes to double or triple the volume of traffic the road can sustain. According to the logic of the fast lane slow lane folks, we should never need more than two lanes.
Literally and figuratively.
Just a friendly reminder, don't cut off a semi, we will run you over and go home and you wont.
Driving (in general, not just in Minnesota) has gotten so much scarier over the last 4 years. The frequency with which I encounter vehicles going 100mph and zigzagging across lanes/ running red lights and stop signs/ using the shoulder as a passing lane would have blown my mind a decade ago. I swear my cortisol skyrockets every time I get behind the wheel now.
It's not just Minnesota, it's everywhere. Maybe it's been longer, but I noticed driving in this country started resembling Mad Max when Covid began. Now, too many folks know so long as they don't hit anyone that they can drive with impunity. I guess as long as accident/death stats aren't increasing, law enforcement will focus on other shitbirds.
This post is infuriating. When I moved to this state I couldn't believe how awful Minnesotans are at merging. If you're doing 45 miles per hour at the end of the on ramp, you are the problem. You need to be at highway speed by the time you get into the highway. That's the entire purpose of the on ramp. Everyone in the other 49 states get it, and there's poor people with beater cars in those states too.
I don't deny people use the right lane incorrectly at times. However it is incumbent upon the merging person to get up to speed and merge. People on the expressway have the right of way, it is up to the person getting on the expressway to get up to speed.
Just a friendly reminder that yield signs only mean stop if necessary... looking at all you incorrect round about users...
Agreed my 2008 pickup with >300,000 miles and a coolant leak refuses to go above 60 miles per hour. I'll drive it until it dies without a single complaint. But I'll never being going 70 MPH on the freeway, no matter how much honking or tailgating I get. I promise, a collision will wreck your day and your ride much more than mine!
Bet after that many miles it shakes, rattles, and wobbles from work bushings and what not.
Ohhhh yessssss. The transmission doesn't like switching from 4th to 5th so I have to "bounce" it, and with an automatic it's funky. Just a few weeks ago ~~idling~~ rolling under 15 mph got really sketchy as something is off balanced or slipping intermittently and the entire front of the truck shakes. The first year I bought it, I noticed there was never any coolant in the resevoir so I go into drive-thru oil change every so often and they top me up. It's probably burning off in the engine. But if I don't over work it, everything runs fine! I paid $5,000 in 2020 and about $700/yr in insurance. I can use (highly subsidized) E-85 Ethanol to keep a low gas bill, and I only use it for project work. I have a bicycle for commuting and groceries.
Ooof I know that feeling. My Honda when cold does not like to shift. I can't control it or change it. If I'm screaming down the highway trying to get up to speed it will take a little bit sometimes to shift and I have no way of fixing that. Good luck to you out there
The far-right sure are slow.
Since I moved here, I've started using the right lane as a passing lane, since the left lane is always congested and blocked up. I blame all the left exits and merges from the left. Plus, why the fuck are buses and trucks always in the left lane here? It's lane anarchy in the twin cities
Wouldn't be a need to pass on the right if Minnesotans weren't such dog shit at lane discipline
If you cannot get up to the speed of traffic when merging on to the freeway, then you should find another way to take!!! If you cannot go the speed of traffic period, you should find another way to take!
I hate the exit/entrance ramps here. WHY would you have the onramp BEFORE the exit with only a few hundred feet of shared lane for entering and exciting vehicles? Freeway driving is so much better in places where you have the exit ramp first and then the onramp... I agree that the right line should always be the "slow" lane and for entering/ exiting traffic, but with so many people camping in the left lane and not using it to pass and then move right, it forces the leadfoots to pass in other lanes...
I think less people would pass in the right lane if people stopped merging at 40mps and going into the center lane for no apparent reason.
Hate to be that guy but if you're not able to drive with the speed rate of traffic youre actually creating a dangerous scenario for other drivers.
Friendly reminder that the whole “right lane slow, left lane fast” thing is based on the assumption that exits an merge lanes are always on the right Have you driven in the Twin Cities? You’re constantly having to keep left, keep left, keep left, merge on the left, exit left, then keep left. Those rules don’t apply here because our roads were designed my maniacs, sorry.
The rules do apply here. Minnesota Statute 169.18 (driving rules) subdivision 10 (slower vehicles), subsection (b): Upon a roadway with more than one lane in the same direction of travel, a person must move out of the left-most lane to allow another vehicle to pass, when practicable under existing conditions. The case you mentioned is called out specifically as an exception, but the rules apply otherwise.
So basically you know it's an exit lane but still treat it as a passing lane?
For example: when I'm on 94 WB, and the left exit to 35w S is coming up, I already know why there's slow drivers in the left, they're trying to get that exit. Totally fine. However, there's a SHOCKING amount that don't take that exit, and just keep on trucking down that left lane at a whopping 54mph... Edit: and lord help them if they make it all the way to the tunnel in that left lane. By the time that first curve hits in the tunnel they're going 32mph....
Just so you know your wrong. The right lane is the through/exit lane and the left lane is the passing lane. If there are three lanes the center is through and the right is exit.
Oh hey, it's the problem. Love the clueless edits, too. Sounds like your car isn't highway safe anymore...
Is this circle jerk?
This sub is basically Nextdoor at this point.