PUCKER wrote:I had the pleasure to rent a nice Mercedes for a week's tour of Germany several years ago. Once you've driven the Autobahn at speed for several hours you really come to appreciate what courteous driving is. Over the course of a week and thousands of kilometers of 160-200 km/hr driving I never witnessed "ego/uncourteous/unsafe" driving. No passing on right, slower traffic keep right, flash to pass if you are in the fast lane and approaching a slower car - but I didn't have to do that as they'd always move over. It's really more of a courtesy thing (flash to pass), to let the car in front know that you are coming up FAST. I expected to see all kinds of exotica flying down the 'bahn - but typically the faster cars were little Euro wagons while the Porsche convertibles and the like were in the middle lanes just cruising. It's a completely different driving culture over there. I mistakenly made an illegal right turn on a red light in Munich, the cars behind me were honking at me after I did it, lesson learned.
Interesting to note: in Germany, the Polezi will give you a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic if you are in the left lane and have people stacked up behind you no matter how fast you are driving. Over there, the right lane is for driving and the left lane is for passing.
I don't tailgate - the 'if' statements were hypothetical. Shouldn't have used first person...
My point was that driving slow in the fast lane is rude. Sure, there are a few circumstances where it's justified (and I can recognize those), but I'm referring to those who intentionally clog the fast lane with their attitude and sense of entitlement and think it's their right/duty to do anything, anywhere they want as long as they aren't breaking a law - never once taking common courtesy or sense into consideration.
Also, I'm an internet lurker - not antagonist - so, I won't be adding anymore opinion to this thread. Just wanted to clarify my point a little and make clear that it wasn't my intention to condone tailgating.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. When I was taught to drive (many moons ago) I was always taught to pull over and let people pass, it is as much a part of my driving as putting a seat belt on. It bugs me when people are so impatient that they tailgate you and then overtake on the inside before you even get a chance to safely pull over. Again I was taught that it is safe to pull back into the lane when you can see the vehicle's radiator grill in your rear view mirror.
Again, sorry for any misunderstanding.
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Kevinf2349 wrote:When I was taught to drive (many moons ago) I was always taught to pull over and let people pass, it is as much a part of my driving as putting a seat belt on. It bugs me when people are so impatient that they tailgate you and then overtake on the inside before you even get a chance to safely pull over. Again I was taught that it is safe to pull back into the lane when you can see the vehicle's radiator grill in your rear view mirror.
Both of these principles are exactly what I was taught long ago, in a state far away (Minnesota). Those impatient people bug me, too.
Seeing the radiator grill in your (inside) rear-view mirror takes quite a while in a minivan.
davidtx wrote:I was under the impression that tailgating was also illegal. Is the requirement still 10 ft for every 10 MPH?
Two second rule is good. Regarding distance for every 10 mph, I thought it was a car length. The problem is that I, like many, tend to get frustrated with that distance because too many people view it as an invitation to occupy that space. So much for a safe distance.
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What drives me nuts on 75 north.
1) Accident in the south bound and and every on driving norths are slowing down to have a peek. It is just and accident and none of your concern, drive on!.
2) Some lady driving a beater in left lane and slowing down while talking on the phone. 5 miles strech is just clear ahead of her car. Move to the side, pull over, stop and a coffee shop and chat for an hour!
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davidtx wrote:I was under the impression that tailgating was also illegal. Is the requirement still 10 ft for every 10 MPH?
Two second rule is good. Regarding distance for every 10 mph, I thought it was a car length. The problem is that I, like many, tend to get frustrated with that distance because too many people view it as an invitation to occupy that space. So much for a safe distance.
Yea - I have no idea why I typed 10 ft, I meant 1 car length.
I used to drive RT 2 in MA to and from work. If you left much more than a car length, some idiot would squeeze in. One fine morning, I was the fifth car in a four car rear-end chain reaction (I was the first one that didn't hit somebody). As I was walking up the chain checking to see if everybody was OK, I passed a kid on the cell phone exclaiming that "it wasn't his fault". It took lots of will power for me to not grab that phone and explain otherwise. I found a different route for my commute after that.
I pull on to the shoulder all the time to let tailgaters pass. I stop short of waving - you just never know what's going to set somebody off.
