Re: Bad Drivers
 

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:54:39 -0400, Dave LaCourse
<dplacourse@pirateaol.com> wrote:

>On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:05:10 -0400, Mike Smith
><mikeUNDERSCOREsmith@acm.org> wrote:
>
>> that you must stay right when
>>not passing. That sure would be nice, but it just ain't so.
>
>Most states that I am familiar with have a "keep right except to pass"
>traffic law, and you will see the signs saying so. Some states even
>give a diagram sign that points out the passing lane, travel lane, and
>merge/slow lane.

This is what I see where I drive, mostly in New York and Ohio.

Re: Bad Drivers
 

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:54:39 -0400, Dave LaCourse
<dplacourse@pirateaol.com> wrote:

>On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:05:10 -0400, Mike Smith
><mikeUNDERSCOREsmith@acm.org> wrote:
>
>> that you must stay right when
>>not passing. That sure would be nice, but it just ain't so.
>
>Most states that I am familiar with have a "keep right except to pass"
>traffic law, and you will see the signs saying so. Some states even
>give a diagram sign that points out the passing lane, travel lane, and
>merge/slow lane.

This is what I see where I drive, mostly in New York and Ohio.

Re: Bad Drivers
 

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:54:39 -0400, Dave LaCourse
<dplacourse@pirateaol.com> wrote:

>On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 15:05:10 -0400, Mike Smith
><mikeUNDERSCOREsmith@acm.org> wrote:
>
>> that you must stay right when
>>not passing. That sure would be nice, but it just ain't so.
>
>Most states that I am familiar with have a "keep right except to pass"
>traffic law, and you will see the signs saying so. Some states even
>give a diagram sign that points out the passing lane, travel lane, and
>merge/slow lane.

This is what I see where I drive, mostly in New York and Ohio.

Re: Bad Drivers
 

Don't want to make this a UK/US debate - but you've pretty much
summed up all of my driving experiences in the US - anywhere!!

Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

Just come back from nearly 3 weeks in France - now they know how
to drive! the vast majority of motorways are 2-lanes and they
all flow beautifully no mater how much traffic there is, but I think
that comes from the fact that they are taught to drive properly
in the first place.

Matt.

Dave LaCourse wrote:
> While I am home safely from a 724 mile trip to a wedding south of
> Roanoke, Virginia, I remained amazed at the terrible driving habits of
> people from Virginia and Connecticut.
>
> We drove the RS6 down on Thursday with Biblical rain storms all the
> way. Cow pissin' on a flat rock? Try the entire herd! Traffic was
> light, so things went fairly well. But, coming home on
> Sunday.........
>
> It was impossible to move most Virginia drivers from the fast lane. A
> hand-held nuclear device would not have helped. One woman in a Saturn
> insisted on staying in the fast lane while driving 62 mph. She had
> traffic backed up for 200 yards in both lanes. I finally managed to
> pass her (after about ten other cars/semis did) on the right side.
> I'm sure she felt that she was not breaking any laws, but by not
> staying to the right, she was.
>
> She wasn't the only one. It was like a swarm of left lane bandits
> came out of the Virginia hills and took up station in the left lane
> driving below the speed limit. When a trailer truck passes you going
> up hill, you have *got* to see the error of your ways. But no, not
> those Virginia drivers. Lane discipline means nothing to them. And
> where the hell are the cops? These drivers are holding up traffic.
> The worst place you want to be while driving is in a large pod of
> moving cars/trucks. Get the hell out of the way and let the traffic
> find its rhythm. The left lane hogs are far more dangerous by holding
> up traffic than someone speeding 10 or 15 mpy over the speed limit.
>
> And Connecticut! Same thing, only bigger yuppie style cars, and you
> have to contend with left lane exits. Who is the brilliant traffic
> engineer to dreamed that one up?
>
> Anyway, rant mode off. Flame suit on.
>
> Dave
> RS6
>
>
>

Re: Bad Drivers
 

Don't want to make this a UK/US debate - but you've pretty much
summed up all of my driving experiences in the US - anywhere!!

Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

Just come back from nearly 3 weeks in France - now they know how
to drive! the vast majority of motorways are 2-lanes and they
all flow beautifully no mater how much traffic there is, but I think
that comes from the fact that they are taught to drive properly
in the first place.

Matt.

Dave LaCourse wrote:
> While I am home safely from a 724 mile trip to a wedding south of
> Roanoke, Virginia, I remained amazed at the terrible driving habits of
> people from Virginia and Connecticut.
>
> We drove the RS6 down on Thursday with Biblical rain storms all the
> way. Cow pissin' on a flat rock? Try the entire herd! Traffic was
> light, so things went fairly well. But, coming home on
> Sunday.........
>
> It was impossible to move most Virginia drivers from the fast lane. A
> hand-held nuclear device would not have helped. One woman in a Saturn
> insisted on staying in the fast lane while driving 62 mph. She had
> traffic backed up for 200 yards in both lanes. I finally managed to
> pass her (after about ten other cars/semis did) on the right side.
> I'm sure she felt that she was not breaking any laws, but by not
> staying to the right, she was.
>
> She wasn't the only one. It was like a swarm of left lane bandits
> came out of the Virginia hills and took up station in the left lane
> driving below the speed limit. When a trailer truck passes you going
> up hill, you have *got* to see the error of your ways. But no, not
> those Virginia drivers. Lane discipline means nothing to them. And
> where the hell are the cops? These drivers are holding up traffic.
> The worst place you want to be while driving is in a large pod of
> moving cars/trucks. Get the hell out of the way and let the traffic
> find its rhythm. The left lane hogs are far more dangerous by holding
> up traffic than someone speeding 10 or 15 mpy over the speed limit.
>
> And Connecticut! Same thing, only bigger yuppie style cars, and you
> have to contend with left lane exits. Who is the brilliant traffic
> engineer to dreamed that one up?
>
> Anyway, rant mode off. Flame suit on.
>
> Dave
> RS6
>
>
>

Re: Bad Drivers
 

Don't want to make this a UK/US debate - but you've pretty much
summed up all of my driving experiences in the US - anywhere!!

Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

Just come back from nearly 3 weeks in France - now they know how
to drive! the vast majority of motorways are 2-lanes and they
all flow beautifully no mater how much traffic there is, but I think
that comes from the fact that they are taught to drive properly
in the first place.

Matt.

Dave LaCourse wrote:
> While I am home safely from a 724 mile trip to a wedding south of
> Roanoke, Virginia, I remained amazed at the terrible driving habits of
> people from Virginia and Connecticut.
>
> We drove the RS6 down on Thursday with Biblical rain storms all the
> way. Cow pissin' on a flat rock? Try the entire herd! Traffic was
> light, so things went fairly well. But, coming home on
> Sunday.........
>
> It was impossible to move most Virginia drivers from the fast lane. A
> hand-held nuclear device would not have helped. One woman in a Saturn
> insisted on staying in the fast lane while driving 62 mph. She had
> traffic backed up for 200 yards in both lanes. I finally managed to
> pass her (after about ten other cars/semis did) on the right side.
> I'm sure she felt that she was not breaking any laws, but by not
> staying to the right, she was.
>
> She wasn't the only one. It was like a swarm of left lane bandits
> came out of the Virginia hills and took up station in the left lane
> driving below the speed limit. When a trailer truck passes you going
> up hill, you have *got* to see the error of your ways. But no, not
> those Virginia drivers. Lane discipline means nothing to them. And
> where the hell are the cops? These drivers are holding up traffic.
> The worst place you want to be while driving is in a large pod of
> moving cars/trucks. Get the hell out of the way and let the traffic
> find its rhythm. The left lane hogs are far more dangerous by holding
> up traffic than someone speeding 10 or 15 mpy over the speed limit.
>
> And Connecticut! Same thing, only bigger yuppie style cars, and you
> have to contend with left lane exits. Who is the brilliant traffic
> engineer to dreamed that one up?
>
> Anyway, rant mode off. Flame suit on.
>
> Dave
> RS6
>
>
>

Re: Bad Drivers
 

Don't want to make this a UK/US debate - but you've pretty much
summed up all of my driving experiences in the US - anywhere!!

Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

Just come back from nearly 3 weeks in France - now they know how
to drive! the vast majority of motorways are 2-lanes and they
all flow beautifully no mater how much traffic there is, but I think
that comes from the fact that they are taught to drive properly
in the first place.

Matt.

Dave LaCourse wrote:
> While I am home safely from a 724 mile trip to a wedding south of
> Roanoke, Virginia, I remained amazed at the terrible driving habits of
> people from Virginia and Connecticut.
>
> We drove the RS6 down on Thursday with Biblical rain storms all the
> way. Cow pissin' on a flat rock? Try the entire herd! Traffic was
> light, so things went fairly well. But, coming home on
> Sunday.........
>
> It was impossible to move most Virginia drivers from the fast lane. A
> hand-held nuclear device would not have helped. One woman in a Saturn
> insisted on staying in the fast lane while driving 62 mph. She had
> traffic backed up for 200 yards in both lanes. I finally managed to
> pass her (after about ten other cars/semis did) on the right side.
> I'm sure she felt that she was not breaking any laws, but by not
> staying to the right, she was.
>
> She wasn't the only one. It was like a swarm of left lane bandits
> came out of the Virginia hills and took up station in the left lane
> driving below the speed limit. When a trailer truck passes you going
> up hill, you have *got* to see the error of your ways. But no, not
> those Virginia drivers. Lane discipline means nothing to them. And
> where the hell are the cops? These drivers are holding up traffic.
> The worst place you want to be while driving is in a large pod of
> moving cars/trucks. Get the hell out of the way and let the traffic
> find its rhythm. The left lane hogs are far more dangerous by holding
> up traffic than someone speeding 10 or 15 mpy over the speed limit.
>
> And Connecticut! Same thing, only bigger yuppie style cars, and you
> have to contend with left lane exits. Who is the brilliant traffic
> engineer to dreamed that one up?
>
> Anyway, rant mode off. Flame suit on.
>
> Dave
> RS6
>
>
>

Re: Bad Drivers
 

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:22:49 +0000 (UTC), Matthew Maddock
<matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com> wrote:

>Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
>Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
>driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

I once taught police officers high performance driving but had to give
it up a couple of years ago because of health (age). Most will tell
you that the worst thing out there is tailgating, but they give few
tickets for it because they have no hard evidence (i.e., radar) to use
in court. Most won't bother to give a ticket for 10 mph over in a 65
mph because that is usually the speed most folks are going.

The trouble begins at the learner's level. Most driving schools
emphasize parallell and can't even get hand positioning correct. The
same school I taught is now teaching teenagers. I've sponsored
several friends' children and attend the school and teach that day.
These kids know nothing about driving except how to put the car in
gear and move. They all know how to parallell park, however. It is
very scarey. Hopefully the school will leave a lasting impression on
them and help them to survive today's crowded highways.

Their parents attend the school to observe, and I usually take them
for a demo ride through each of the exercises. Hopefully they too
will take home some proper driving techniques.

I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

Dave

Re: Bad Drivers
 

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:22:49 +0000 (UTC), Matthew Maddock
<matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com> wrote:

>Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
>Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
>driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

I once taught police officers high performance driving but had to give
it up a couple of years ago because of health (age). Most will tell
you that the worst thing out there is tailgating, but they give few
tickets for it because they have no hard evidence (i.e., radar) to use
in court. Most won't bother to give a ticket for 10 mph over in a 65
mph because that is usually the speed most folks are going.

The trouble begins at the learner's level. Most driving schools
emphasize parallell and can't even get hand positioning correct. The
same school I taught is now teaching teenagers. I've sponsored
several friends' children and attend the school and teach that day.
These kids know nothing about driving except how to put the car in
gear and move. They all know how to parallell park, however. It is
very scarey. Hopefully the school will leave a lasting impression on
them and help them to survive today's crowded highways.

Their parents attend the school to observe, and I usually take them
for a demo ride through each of the exercises. Hopefully they too
will take home some proper driving techniques.

I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

Dave

Re: Bad Drivers
 

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:22:49 +0000 (UTC), Matthew Maddock
<matthew.maddock@nospamplease.mmaddock.com> wrote:

>Still, we get our fair share of "fast lane hoggers" in the UK too.
>Problem here is that the driving test doesn't include any motorway
>driving, so no-one learns how to do it properly.

I once taught police officers high performance driving but had to give
it up a couple of years ago because of health (age). Most will tell
you that the worst thing out there is tailgating, but they give few
tickets for it because they have no hard evidence (i.e., radar) to use
in court. Most won't bother to give a ticket for 10 mph over in a 65
mph because that is usually the speed most folks are going.

The trouble begins at the learner's level. Most driving schools
emphasize parallell and can't even get hand positioning correct. The
same school I taught is now teaching teenagers. I've sponsored
several friends' children and attend the school and teach that day.
These kids know nothing about driving except how to put the car in
gear and move. They all know how to parallell park, however. It is
very scarey. Hopefully the school will leave a lasting impression on
them and help them to survive today's crowded highways.

Their parents attend the school to observe, and I usually take them
for a demo ride through each of the exercises. Hopefully they too
will take home some proper driving techniques.

I have driven in France, Switzerland, and Germany. You are correct -
they are excellent drivers and very unforgiving for us rude Americans.

Dave