Your pet peeve?

[Mike Cruz]

Ole, there was a whole thread pretty much devoted to your last peeve. Both sides argued strongly. Neither side could convince the other it was right, despite citing law. What it boils down to is that in many to most states, the law states that if you are traveling in the left lane, and someone is coming up faster than you, regardless of their speed, you must move to the right. However, even in a state (New York) which has such a law, there is case study that disregards that law. Meaning a man that got a ticket for not moving over fought it in court. The judge dismissed the case saying something to the effect that he will not support that law. In Maryland, where I reside, we are one of the few states that do not require a vehicle in the left lane to yeild to another vehicle that is exceeding the speed limit. In Maryland, if you exceed the speed limit, you forfeit any right of way.

While some argue that you "should" move over even if the law does not require you to, I have to respectfully disagree. It is neither my duty nor my obligation to allow someone to break the law...any law...including speeding. The limit is there for a reason. Safety. Speed causes accidents. Speed raises insurance. Speed kills. While admittedly, I will drive, as you say +5, in the left lane, when I come up to someone going exactly the speed limit, I may be a little frustrated because I would like to go a little faster, but I by no means expect them to move over for me. They are abiding by the law. I'm breaking it. It is MY duty at that point to allow the law abiding citizen to continue to drive freely, safely, and without being tailgated. Even if I don't like it.

Now, the guy that goes -5, then +5, then -5, then +5 and can't keep a steady pace...THAT will drive me off a cliff!

[Ole Anderson]

Mike,

Like you, I have no quarrel with folks in the left lane doing the speed limit, as much as I would like +5. I do have a quarrel with folks who are consciously playing cop by forcing everyone else to accept their values, when all they would have to do is be courteous and simply move over. Unless, of course, they are keeping folks from passing on the right (not taking their turn, a fundamental kindergarten rule) when merging in a construction zone (my value, oops). Now in my MH it is -8 in a 70 zone, and I stay in the right or sometimes center lane, and stay out of the left lane unless I am passing or turning.

Personally, I get extremely uncomfortable when I know I am holding up someone behind me, regardless of my speed, and I feel that way until I get out of their way. Obviously most folks that don't share this condition.

[Jim Rimmer]

Ole:

In response to your "we need more signs..." comment. Several years ago here in Texas we had signs on all the multi-lane roads that said "Slower Traffic Keep Right". A few years ago, the state spent a large sum of money to change all those signs to read "Left Lane for Passing Only". I have lived in Texas 36 years. They have never enforced either law. I guess some state congressman had a friend or relative in the sign business.

Other than that, I agree with your other comments.

[Ole Anderson]

Texas must have more DOT money than Michigan to make a silly sign change like that.

Another pet peeve: When some states (like FL) overlay the interstate lanes with asphalt, they often don't overlay the shoulder at the same time, resulting in uneven lanes heights and leaving a ridge at the edge of the travel lane which really catches the front tire of an RV if you wander just onto the edge of the shoulder and then need to pull it back up onto the travel lane.

[Mike Cruz]

Karl, those (and all other stop signs...heck all other rules of the road!) are there for everyone else. Those stop signs (and all other stop signs...heck all other rules of the road!) are mere suggestions. You don't HAVE to obey them. Unless there is a cop around. Then make a complete stop, wave four families through, help an old lady across the street, and make sure the ducklings get out of the way. But around the next turn when there is no cop, pull out your cell to make a call, blow throught the stop sign, sneer at the families that are waiting to cross, flip the old lady off, and...oh, the poor ducklings...well, we know what happens to them.

Ain't it grand how the guy blowing by you at 80 in a 55 will slow down to 50 when he sees the cop on the side of the road? What's up with that? To a cop, that's gotta be the equivelant of a 6 year old with ice cream all over his face saying "not me".

[David Prince]

How about backing out of a parking spot at a store and while you are in the middle of the process people walk in front and in back of your vehicle when you go to shift from reverse to drive and you sit there in the middle of the driving lane half diagonal waiting for them to get out of the way so you can get out of the parking lot?

[Chris Padilla]

Well - the famous BMW brake dust takes only a couple hundred miles to recoat the wheels......but still - jet black is a bit over the top.

I'm more peeved at BMW's with automatics- I think they should make only standard transmissions - if someone needs a high-end car with an automatic, that's why they invented the Lexus......

I changed my pads because of this and, frankly, I'm TIRED of rowing gears. It used to be fun, but sometimes I prefer driving the truck over my BMW because it is an automatic. Nowadays, autos and manuals get the same mileage and further frankly, I'm too busy yelling at the kid, talking on my phone, and watching a DVD while I drive. (kidding...I actually bike more than I drive)

[Chris Padilla]

Regarding general traffic woes, why is it that cars pile up in the left lane? This happens mostly out in the open fields of our interstate system.

There are those few folks (truckers, mostly) that are in the right lane roughly at the posted speed limit so naturally, there are tons more folks who want to pass them.

Everyone seems afraid to pull over into the right lane. "Well, I'll pass this next guy who is 100 yards in front of me eventually. Gosh, if I pull over to the right, I'm sure to get stuck behind him."

Seems to me everyone must think this way. I get frustrated with this and will usually pass a buncha cars in the right lane...often without touching my cruise control that is typically set 5-15 miles over the posted speed signs.

Yes, I've been known to camp in the left lane but it is rare that I ever force someone to pass me on the right because I'm always glancing in the mirror to prevent this.

[Mike Cruz]

Chris, you sometimes prefer to drive a truck? Heck, I always prefer to drive a truck over a car...BMW or not. I don't care how nice the car is, I feel a grape on the road in them...ready to get squashed! Truck 100%...manual or automatic, I don't care, but truck, yes, definitely truck.

[Chris Padilla]

Well, the BMW is fun to drive and toss around but a manual is a curse in traffic. However, it gets way better gas mileage and is more fun to cruise at the, uhm, higher speeds sometimes allowed on our freeways.

[David Larsen]

A person driving a car that is 18 feet long that merges into an opening in traffic that is 22 feel long!

Or the person that speeds up to go around you and takes the next right turn after the completion of his / her pass.

People at the checkout counter that get their credit card declined and then dig through their wallet / purse to find another card that also gets declined and then they continue to dig while you wait PATIENTLY!!!