I must be losing my mind. Some people need to grow up!

[Ptero]

I just read a bunch of posts about people not driving in the right lane, about wanting to mouth off at cops, about some imagined "right" to drive slowly in any lane.

This is ridiculous and antisocial. It leaves me light-headed to read such crap.

I drive slowly in the right lane. I never try to "make a point" by maintaining slow speed. If it looks like the closing distance of a car overtaking me is going to be extreme, I will speed up. If this happens too often, I have to accept the fact that I am simply on the wrong roadway for hypermiling. My bad.

I would never argue with a cop or try to explain why I like going slow. I will always give him the respect he deserves for doing a dangerous job that most of us do not have the guts to do. And I am never in too much of a hurry not to stop and offer my assistance if an officer may need it.

I have never been pulled over for going slow. I have never created a situation to attract a cop's attention. Cops prefer to pull over fast cars. Cops are professional suspicious people. If you are going slow, they may wonder why. Are you distracted? Are you drinking? Are you stoned? Are you feeling guilty about something they should know about? I don't want to pull them away from their duties so I speed up a bit when they're around.

The primary purpose of a highway is to move traffic effeciently. Don't get in the way of that and no one will bother you as you pursue your excellent pastime of hypermiling.

[SVOboy]

It's a difficult issue, with arguments on both sides. You should be able to do the speed limit without fear of dying in any lane. Sometimes I have to take a left lane exit or something, and find myself going 20 mph over the limit just to not get rear ended before the exit comes up. This isn't safe for anyone.

Sure, freeways are for moving people around safely and efficiently, but overly aggressive drivers, in any lane, defeat that purpose.

It's a fine debate, let's just keep it civil

[jamesqf]

I have to disagree with your second statement: I refuse to grow up!

[Big Dave]

Growin' up leads to growin' old
Growin' old leads to dyin'

[cfg83]

Ptero -

Take a close look at previous threads on the subject and you'll read a nuanced definition for each driver.

I think I share many of your driving strategies, but I also try to respect the POV of other drivers on this forum.

CarloSW2

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I have to disagree with your second statement: I refuse to grow up!

Heard this is true (it is in my case): Boys mature until the age of 6, then they just grow.

[theunchosen]

My hierarchy goes like this to decide whether or not its ok for me to stay where I am.

1.) Is the person behind me a jerk
2.) Am I doing the speed limit

If the person behind me flies up on my bumper and I am doing a reasonable speed and they stay on my bumper I will accelerate to the speed limit but no more than that(assuming I was doing maybe 5 under).

If they are a traffic hazard(wreckless endangerment by weaving through traffic causing disturbances to regular traffic flow, or speeding more than a few miles over) I intentionally stay in front of them while I call the police and report it. Then after stalling them, while I inform dispatch where I am, what make model and year the car is and they give back an estimate on the nearest officer I slip behind them and read the license plate off to them and then remain on the line until an officer arrives.

The disptachers in Washington County TN and Putnam county TN are familiar and usually just ask where I am and what car. I've been to court several times as a witness to the case when drivers complain that the officer made up the WE charges.

Driving dangerously is a crime and its your civic duty to NOT do it as well as REPORT it. Also cops give out fewer nonsense tickets when they get 15-30 WE tickets off you a month in small towns.

<edit> speeding is breaking the law. If you are going to have a law it should be enforced or it shouldn't exist. period. If you report aforementioned dangerous drivers(speeders and aggressive drivers) they lose their license and the roads become safer for everyone and in the long run insurance tables allow for lower rates</edit>

[wagonman76]

^ Wow, you're quite brave. I wouldn't think of doing that unless I were driving an armored truck. Even then, I'd be worried about being followed home and murdered in my sleep.

[theunchosen]

Its really not that big of a deal. I mean, most people are not even aware you can call that kind of thing in, but after about the 4rth time I tried it and I saw a state trooper Hauling @$$ from like a mile away and then force a car off the road I was hooked. Since most people don't know you can do that they aren't watching for someone to report them. From my experience in court the defendant is always pretty shocked when they call someone as a witness for it, as if they thought they might be able to get away with just one witness(Dash cam usually settles it though).

As far as following me home. . .well if they step across the threshold I doubt they will be able to do it twice.

The disptach came across as annoyed the first. . .five or six times I called in for things like this, now they kind of expect it. Most of the time if I can keep the person stalled I see them get pulled over, but sometimes something goes awry and then get around me before the cops get close enough to observe.

[Piwoslaw]

If someone is sitting way too close to my bumper then I take my foot of the gas. For safety reasons. If I have to suddenly hit the brakes and have him in my trunk, I'd rather be going 30 km/h than 50. Unfortunately, this only increases the intensity of light-flashing and honking, and sometimes ends in almost getting pushed off the road. But I'd rather be pushed off at 30 km/h than at 50...