Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Peeve Petting



I know it's been a long time since I've had a driver's ed class and so maybe things have changed since Jesus last roamed the earth in a pumpkin-colored Ford Pinto, but I was taught—and so I always thought—that the far left lane on any freeway anywhere in the entire universe was for passing not hanging.

Right?
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23 comments:

  1. KarlJune 20, 2012 at 12:45 PM

    Good afternoon Moi,

    That is correct. Stay right except to pass. Unfortunately along with the dumbing down of America, comes the dumbing down of drivers as well.

    "Left lane loafing" should be a capital offense. And it often is.

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  2. LẌJune 20, 2012 at 12:58 PM

    Ja, you are correct. In some jurisdictions, on the autobahn in Germany for example, it is ticketable offense to cruise in the left lane.

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  3. moiJune 20, 2012 at 1:09 PM

    Karl: Yup. Most accidents I come upon have occurred in the left lane.

    lx: As with most things concerning orderly, speedy transport, the Germans have it DOWN.

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  4. czarJune 20, 2012 at 2:31 PM

    Here it's mostly the truckers in the left-hand lanes that cause trouble. And the meth freaks and people texting. Going 60. In the left lane.

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  5. JennyJune 20, 2012 at 6:38 PM

    "since Jesus last roamed the earth in a pumpkin-colored Ford Pinto"

    BWAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH.

    I think ticketing for going slowly in the left lane should be done here. Now, that would raise the revenue of most cities/etc.

    P.S. You driving a lot recently? :-) and xoxoxo

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  6. darkfoamJune 20, 2012 at 7:11 PM

    Don't say drivers ed! My 15 year old is getting ready to get his drivers permit in the fall. Maybe I'll put him on our I 40 and send him your way for fine tuning.

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  7. czarJune 21, 2012 at 4:59 AM

    @foam: Classic line delivered by my brother's drivers ed teacher, circa 1971: "We're going to teach you to drive in a parking lot, because once you get your license, that's where you'll spend most of your time."

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  8. moiJune 21, 2012 at 5:32 AM

    Czar: Trucker's are banned from the left lane on our stretch of I-40 except to pass. They are actually the least egregious offenders in my neck of the woods. But I continually see people weaving in and out of lanes. Mo'fos are texting. THAT should be punishable by death.

    Boxer: I'm usually in town for work/errands a couple times a week. Lately, it's almost every day. Not good.

    Foam: Sure. I'll learn the feller :o)

    Czar: Yes. Looking for someone to buy beer. Or was that just me?

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  9. PamJune 21, 2012 at 6:18 PM

    I am soooo with you on this. And I see so many other just idiotic violations around here. For instance, for some unknown reason, people seem to think it is now okay to make a u-turn in the middle of a 4-lane main thoroughfare. What the what? I don't think so! You pull into a gas station and make a left turn, that's what you do. Argh. No one stops at red lights any more. You have to let 3-4 cars clear the intersection before venturing through. Give me a 1970's muscle car that was drag racing the second the light turned green ... that will teach those red light runners!

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  10. moiJune 21, 2012 at 6:59 PM

    Pam: I have yet to see anyone run a red light. But if that's the trend, I'm scared already. Muscle car? How about an AK-47?

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  11. BlazngScarletJune 22, 2012 at 9:19 AM

    My 16 year old nephew just got his license yesterday ... and HE even gets "road rage" about people "left lane loafing" (love that line Karl).

    The driving skills of people in general have seriously declined.

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  12. AnonymousJune 22, 2012 at 4:28 PM

    Ah, the relief of having left behind 2 metro areas of ~4M people for a tiny place of a few thousand in a state with only 1/2 M!

    Been there, done that, ans sure don't miss it!!!

    Serendipity

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  13. moiJune 23, 2012 at 5:59 AM

    Blazng: Some teens might actually be better drivers than adults because they're fresh out of school AND know they have something to prove. Whenever my niece is in the car with me, she points out other drivers' errors. Which gives me some small hope that she's actually not making them herself.

    Serendipity: The irony of my situation is that I live "in the country" on two private, quiet acres on a hill, but my artery into the city is I-40, only a mile away.

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  14. Aunty BelleJune 23, 2012 at 1:21 PM

    tell 'em sistah!

    ( in espana, they ride yore bumper iffin' ya tarry too long in left lane)

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  15. AnonymousJune 24, 2012 at 8:05 PM

    Hmmm...


    Texture; faux leather
    on tongue eases traffic stress.
    Not a freakin’ chance!

    Serendipity ;)

    (That photo is great! LOL. If I had thought of that my steering wheel in Houston would not have survived a month!)

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  16. Aunty BelleJune 25, 2012 at 1:29 PM

    another peeve to pet:

    drivin' 400 miles through sheeting rain ( Thanks Tropical Storm Debbie), guess how many cars did NOT have on their lights? Guess how many were silver or white? What igits!

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  17. fishyJune 25, 2012 at 3:29 PM

    You and Blowfish share a common grievance. It changes a good natured man into a savage in record time.

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  18. AnonymousJune 25, 2012 at 5:26 PM

    I have to agree with Blowfish and Aunty, but there is a reverse.

    Worse yet is in a blinding fog at dusk a line of dunces with flashers on. What little of your vision is working is soon shot by the opaque red and yellow strobes of lighted cloud in the solid wall. Do they really think at 10 mph someone cannot see their lighted tail-lights??? All 15 of them lined up? Geeze, knowing some epileptics, I think this would trigger a seizure. That would certainly help the situation.

    S~

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  19. moiJune 25, 2012 at 6:41 PM

    Aunty: I flash people :o) I hear Debby is kind of grumpy. Are you all home safe and sound?

    Serendipity: Good haiku! We can get a good thick foggy soup going out here on occasion. I hate driving in it, but have yet to see someone doing the flashers thing. That would make me nuts! And most likely homicidal.

    Fishy: Hah! I'm very, very, very, very easy-going. Until the day that I'm not. And then everything in my path is mulch. Or scrap metal.

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  20. Buzz KillJune 26, 2012 at 5:47 AM

    I'll weigh in (late) on one of my biggest driving pet peeves. In Jersey it is against the law to fail to stay right except to pass to the tune of $100 - $300. Nothing will cause dangerous passing on the right and road rage more than this one, ignorant act.

    And what I'm seeing more of on I95 and I295 are people in the left lane either a) texting/talking on cells or b) eating. These selfish bastards should be pulled over, dragged from their cars and beaten with sticks.

    I feel better now.

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  21. KarlJune 26, 2012 at 8:34 AM

    @ Buzz Kill: Just shoot zem. Shoot zem all...

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  22. moiJune 26, 2012 at 5:10 PM

    Buzz: I can always tell a texter. They're weaving. At a time of day way too early for them to be drunk. We need Super Blitzes for those a-holes, not people who have a couple beers at a party.

    Karl: Seven billion people in the world. Eh. Who'd miss a few crap drivers?

    ReplyDelete
  23. grinsJune 30, 2012 at 12:42 AM

    Have you ever considered that us older people have to get our kicks on Rt.66 too.
    I think the age to get a license should be raised to twenty on. If it wasn't for young drivers though I'd never do my carpal tunnel exercises most of which involve my middle finger.
    My last three articles were on driving.

    ReplyDelete

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