To draft or slow down?

[monroe74]

"Are you saying that some motorists (i.e. drivers) actually shot and killed other motorists (i.e. drivers) over non-collision events?"

Road-rage shootings are not unusual. Google it (again, I see holycow already said this).

"why bother trying to protect against such a microscopic probability?"

I just drove to the store. The odds of me having an accident on this particular short trip were microscopic. But I wore my seat belt, anyway.

It's possible you could enhance your life expectancy by adjusting your attitude about what constitutes "bother."

"I'm pointing out things that he/she may not have previously considered."

You're right, I hadn't previously considered that anything other than safety should be my highest priority as a driver.

"Years of 'slower traffic keep right' and 'pass on the left' rules in this country"

Those are good rules. Here's another one: always maintain a safe distance. All these rules get broken sometimes. And sometimes they're broken for a good reason, and sometimes they're broken in the absence of a good reason. For example, someone might decide to break one of these rules because they think it would be a good way to teach someone else a lesson. Even though breaking the rule creates danger, and they know it. Know anyone who drives like that?

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior

The aerodynamics of the sitch are usually that there's a "draft" out to 3 lengths of the vehicle making it, so a nice big semi with 20ft of rig followed by 55ft of trailer has draft out to 225ft at 65mph. However a typical van will only have draft out to about 50ft. So obviously the bigger the vehicle you follow, the further back from it you can be, and the safer it is.

What's the cut off point for this? At some point that formula must no longer work. If you were to follow a road train that had 5 trailers of 250 feet, would you still get a draft out to 1250 feet?

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by R.I.D.E.

I have moved over when the vehicle behind me got too close for comfort, especially if it has no effect on the overall traffic flow. This is rare around here. Generally my driving habits are constantly adjusted for the situation, with my basic premise being to have the least effect on other drivers unless they are totally inconsiderate. A good example is the space case tailgater, they dont know how to drive, just how to follow someone too closely to be safe, even on an empty road. They get the pulse and glide treatment.

regards
gary

I find that people get annoyed pretty quick if they are trying to tailgate you when you are P&Ging. They usually figure it out that you are not going to pick a constant speed before the 3rd or 4th P&G and pass. Sometimes people just slow down, which is always curious.

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by rgathright

Ok, please understand driving in reverse is rare for me as well. I only do it to avoid accelerating to 75MPH in my Jeep.

It doesn't make sense because the rude, tailgating drivers are likely "smarter" where you live. Your average speeder may know to stay in the left lane and fly by traffic. I live in Louisiana and drive through places like Vinton, LA; Vidor, TX and Beaumont, TX to get to Houston, TX. The "I rule the road" mentality is as strong as the moonshine sold at the local drive thrus down here.

In the Northeast only about 40% (if that) of drivers moderately adhere to the proper lane at the proper speed, and about 5% drive nearly like they got their driving test in Germany (ie, very adherent to using signals and sticking to the proper lane.)

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by diver1972

A pain? Really? How?

I agree that it is a pain for a big rig; moreso if the rig is ladened. hard to explain--you'd have to be a truck driver to appreciate it I guess. If I've been driving for a long time, I sometimes get fatigued and can't be bothered to change lanes anymore, and just stick to one lane. I know a lot of people (mostly women, sorry,) that don't like to change lanes when they drive on the highway, at all, if they don't need to. Look at the cars too lazy to go around a car--it takes a lot more mental and physical effort for a truck driver to change lanes than a car driver. But I can certainly understand how this would be puzzling to you.

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by diver1972

[snip] I'd first employ the headlight flashing from a safe distance. If not noticed or ignored for a reasonable time (about 20 seconds or so, sometimes longer), then I'd politely honk (assuming that they didn't see me already). If their ignoring continued, then I'd just ride their bumper while honking steadily until they moved over. You wouldn't believe how many people just flat out refused to obey the rules of the road (not to mention common courtesy of highway driving in this country for many, many years) and stayed firm in their left-hand (inside) lane choice.

I heard somewhere that passing in the right lane is not an actual violation of the law and not a punitive action. Not sure if that's only true for some states like Massachusetts. I can't remember where I heard it, but it was second hand that someone was told by a cop that it's not enforceable. Nevertheless, I get pretty bent out of shape at times for LLL.

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by monroe74

"Do you mean that you actually pull off the paved surface onto the dirt/grass shoulder?"

Yes, depending on the conditions.

"Why not simply slow down just enough to allow them a feasible opportunity to pass (if and when the lane markings and oncoming traffic conditions permit it)?"

You answered your own question. Sometimes the conditions don't offer any other means to safely pass.

In New Zealand, it is expected that you pull over for someone on a two-way highway, rather than making them wait for a safe place to pass. But NZ is a much friendlier, more courteous place than America (it also has way fewer motorists.)

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by dosco

[snip]

I also noted that behavior in NY (grew up in upstate NY, college in Long Island). If I were traveling, say 70 to 75 in the left lane, and that wasn't fast enough, people would simply go around - usually on the right.

Frankly, I'd prefer that to the tailgating.

Even better would be the European rules along the lines you specified. However that doesn't work in the US. Not sure why. I spent a month in Italy, and let me tell you that driving there is simply heavenly compared to stateside.

This is very common in Massachusetts--and the closer you get to a big city (Worcester, Boston) the more common it becomes (same with New York as you approach the city)
I am definitely one of those people that passes people on the right if they're not going fast enough in the left lane for my liking (even if they're going 80mph) But I almost always give people the chance to get into the proper lane; the only time I might not is when I've become fed up waiting for people to abide by the rules, and remember that it's not an actual law in Massachusetts. But I still dream of the European ideal.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Originally Posted by 1993CivicVX

What's the cut off point for this? At some point that formula must no longer work. If you were to follow a road train that had 5 trailers of 250 feet, would you still get a draft out to 1250 feet?

In still air, there would be a technical wake there still but it's probably too turbulent to take advantage of much past 500ft or so.

[1993CivicVX]

Originally Posted by diver1972

[snip]
Well, what if you compare a 2,500-pound small car to a 7,500-pound large SUV? There's a 3:1 weight ratio there. Using your logic, why not move over for the large SUV (assuming that you're in a smaller passenger vehicle)?

The operator of the SUV is not a professionally trained driver who respects the laws of the road. He's some yuppy full of ego. (What are vehicles proportionally incongruent with cars and having superfluous ground clearance doing on highways anyway?)