Quote:
Originally Posted by Weather Spotter
If there is another lane, I use it, Soulster was taking about using the shoulder to pull over on. Doing that is only some thing I do if doing so is:
1. Safe (no debris on shoulder and lots of stopping distance)
2. Roads are dry, no rain, snow or ice.
3. If I know traffic flow will be helped by me moving over (on roads I know I can tell how bad traffic is)
4. traffic can not pass me in the other lane.
In the case mentioned early in the tread, all 4 were met.
1. Shoulder was clean, over a car's width.
2. all dry
3. I had about 10 cars that were on my tail (did not quite pass me a mile back in the passing lane). 6 of them got past me before I turned (lets see how much gas was saved by 6 cars and suvs not accelerating from 30 to 60+MPH).
Also 2 of the cars on my tail had passed me earlier on my drive (they must have stopped) and when they had passes before they very risky spots to pass (traffic was coming so they gunned it and made the other drivers break to avoid a crash). I decided that the shoulder was the safest option.
4. I had cars coming the other way, no way I would have passed (but the driver on my tail was close to going around me).
Might I have been wrong, yes. Did I have some good justification for it, yes.
I doubt any reasonable cop would have given me a ticket.
Will I make a habit of this, No.
|
That's a very long, elaborate rationalization. It's called "guilty with an explanation."
Let's review the exact words of what you originally posted: "The complaint was for using the shoulder to slow down on, US2 is a busy road and I did not want to slow traffic down as I coasted the .6 of a mile to my turn off, shoulder is over a lain wide so I let 6 cars go by as I slowed down".
You admit you "coasted the .6 of a mile to my turn off". By any definition, that
is driving on the road shoulder or breakdown lane. Do you think any cop would buy your story while viewing the bragging rights stickers on the back of your car? (I swear officer, I've never done any coasting on the road shoulder before!)
BTW, coasting is also technically illegal in most states. (Hard to prove unless you admit it, but seeing you were driving for over half a mile on the shoulder is quite obvious.)
Nope, it's not worth making a habit of it. And if it's anything less than legal, it's best to keep a low profile.
