Highway driving etiquette

I had to drive about 300 miles yesterday on the highway (hwy 5 for anyone/everyone who knows it) and encountered some really annoying things that drivers tend to do quite often.

The most prevalent is this: I am driving along with cruise control on at 80mph, not changing speed at all. About .1 miles ahead is a semi-truck in the right lane, and I am in the left lane. I notice a vehicle approaching me rapidly from behind... so the courteous driver I am, I move to the right so they don't have to slow down or anything.

Then, of course, they slow down anyway, and pace me... slowly gaining on me at maybe 1mph. This whole time I'm approaching the truck in my lane and by the time I reach the truck, they are right beside me. I have to slow down and get behind them, or speed up to get in front.

It was almost comical at how many people do this, or similar things during long stretches of road. Are they purposely doing it to piss me off, or am I missing something?

k?

Try driving in Canada, it's like a night and day difference.

Originally Posted by Allure

Try driving in Canada, it's like a night and day difference.

how so?

That's not too bad... In the last month i have travel quite a few miles. From little rock to Atlanta (~600 miles) from Atlanta to Miami (~650 miles) Then back from Miami to Little Rock (~1200) miles.. Yeah, i know.. Long drive... Anyway, i have noticed other stupid Sh&% people do on the road.. Not only people will drive by the speed limit )) in the left lane but the will drive slower than that... Then they won't let you pass, and when you try to pass them in the right they speed up, not allowing you to squeeze through the traffic to pass..
Another problem i noticed was the truck drivers, it seemed they were all doing it on purpose especially around Memphis area, they would be traveling in the right lane behind someone else , as soon as you would be about 20 yards away from them in the left lane, they would decide to pass that person they were following fro the last 3-5 miles.. What's up with that?

Originally Posted by kuksul08

how so?

Everyone moves the fuk out of your way and stays in the right lane until they need to pass someone. Trucks don't spontaneously merge to the left to pass another truck which takes about 10 minutes.

Originally Posted by johnyvirsis

That's not too bad... In the last month i have travel quite a few miles. From little rock to Atlanta (~600 miles) from Atlanta to Miami (~650 miles) Then back from Miami to Little Rock (~1200) miles.. Yeah, i know.. Long drive... Anyway, i have noticed other stupid Sh&% people do on the road.. Not only people will drive by the speed limit )) in the left lane but the will drive slower than that... Then they won't let you pass, and when you try to pass them in the right they speed up, not allowing you to squeeze through the traffic to pass..
Another problem i noticed was the truck drivers, it seemed they were all doing it on purpose especially around Memphis area, they would be traveling in the right lane behind someone else , as soon as you would be about 20 yards away from them in the left lane, they would decide to pass that person they were following fro the last 3-5 miles.. What's up with that?

Yeah, this too. They take miles and miles to pass a single truck.

People are stupid. I hate said people.

Originally Posted by Allure

Everyone moves the fuk out of your way and stays in the right lane until they need to pass someone. Trucks don't spontaneously merge to the left to pass another truck which takes about 10 minutes.

U sure about that?

What stretch of 5 op? And one time I was driving on the 5 north of Williams and I'm doin about 80 and some guy in a mid 90s white POS ford station wagon is comin up behind me so I speed up a bit to about 90 to try and pass the people in the right lane to pull over to let him by...thinking I was nice...anyways this takes about a minute to pass all these cars and I see him getting anxious and angry. So I pull over in the right lane and he kindly gives me the bird haha I give it back. Needless to say he speeds past me probably doing 95 and I see him on the side of the road 5 miles later with a cop writing him up...funniest thing I've ever seen. Made my drive a whole lot better the rest of the way

who caresssssssssss

Originally Posted by m1356guy

What stretch of 5 op? And one time I was driving on the 5 north of Williams and I'm doin about 80 and some guy in a mid 90s white POS ford station wagon is comin up behind me so I speed up a bit to about 90 to try and pass the people in the right lane to pull over to let him by...thinking I was nice...anyways this takes about a minute to pass all these cars and I see him getting anxious and angry. So I pull over in the right lane and he kindly gives me the bird haha I give it back. Needless to say he speeds past me probably doing 95 and I see him on the side of the road 5 miles later with a cop writing him up...funniest thing I've ever seen. Made my drive a whole lot better the rest of the way

Haha, epic. It was between LA and the bay area, a solid 300 miles or so. I will usually speed up a little just like you in that case. Some people get it, but most don't.

Originally Posted by nojoda

who caresssssssssss

Me!!!

Originally Posted by m1356guy

What stretch of 5 op? And one time I was driving on the 5 north of Williams and I'm doin about 80 and some guy in a mid 90s white POS ford station wagon is comin up behind me so I speed up a bit to about 90 to try and pass the people in the right lane to pull over to let him by...thinking I was nice...anyways this takes about a minute to pass all these cars and I see him getting anxious and angry. So I pull over in the right lane and he kindly gives me the bird haha I give it back. Needless to say he speeds past me probably doing 95 and I see him on the side of the road 5 miles later with a cop writing him up...funniest thing I've ever seen. Made my drive a whole lot better the rest of the way

Feel for the guy..

The last few times I've driven up to NoCal on the 5 I've noticed that the right lane has become the passing lane. When the phawk did this happen??

I like to think of myself as a courteous driver. If I'm cruising along in the left lane and someone comes up behind me going faster I'll move over in a timely manner and let them pass. Seems like people go out of their way to slowdown in the left lane forcing you to pass on the right especially on the 5 between LA and the bay area. Annoying and dangerous.

Originally Posted by kuksul08

Haha, epic. It was between LA and the bay area, a solid 300 miles or so. I will usually speed up a little just like you in that case. Some people get it, but most don't.

Ya I'm not gonna do over 90 just to let someone by on the 5 when i know there are cops ALL OVER IT..its ridiculous what some people do. And what pisses me off the most is trucks passing other trucks in a crowded area

Yeah, I5 has been real suckful lately. Its quite bad when you are towing like a car trailer or something because you go faster than the big rigs but slower than everyone else. It really blows

Originally Posted by Allure

Everyone moves the fuk out of your way and stays in the right lane until they need to pass someone. Trucks don't spontaneously merge to the left to pass another truck which takes about 10 minutes.

Where is Canada was that? Here in Vancouver EVERYONE drives on the left and your lucky if you can pass anyone at all. It makes me SOOO angry!

Originally Posted by 323ci newbie

Yeah, I5 has been real suckful lately. Its quite bad when you are towing like a car trailer or something because you go faster than the big rigs but slower than everyone else. It really blows

15 is just as bad. 4-5 lanes of everyone driving the same speed


I just get pissed off when i'm in the 2nd lane from the right, CC at 65mph, and there are cars in front of me doing 60. It's like... come on!

Originally Posted by Allure

Everyone moves the fuk out of your way and stays in the right lane until they need to pass someone. Trucks don't spontaneously merge to the left to pass another truck which takes about 10 minutes.

yup, this is also the case in europe. you stay right unless you have to pass someone. and if you pass you check your mirrors to see if someone isn't aproaching rapidly.