Re: So, I'm out practicing my lane discipline...

You're right. Multiple highway safety studies show that traffic hazards are those driving 10mph above or below the average speed of traffic. Doesn't have a whole lot to do with the speed limit sign on the side of the road.

Hey, Ho, Go with the flow.

Actually, multiple studies show that 5-10 MPH above the average speed of traffic is the safest speed for all concerned; You're much less likely to be involved in a collision if you're going slightly faster than the flow.

Hear, hear! Not surprisingly, your chances of being involved in a collision rise sharply beyond +10 or -5 MPH from the average.

Your thinking seems to be one-dimensional.

Certainly, you must know that there is no such thing as a "constant speed", unless you're travelling a completely empty highway at three in the morning. Any bit of driving, whether neighborhood roads or lunchtime highway, involves an infinite number of adjustments to surroundings, taking all possible events into account.

For instance, in the situation I related, there was a time when I was part of the herd, driving the same 61mph, patiently waiting for things to shake out. When the road ahead became clear (read: clear), I resumed my normal speed of 80-85. Naturally, this brought me up to the next clump of 85 percentiles, who, again, were travelling at a speed less than my own comfort zone.

I did not "create" any hazard, but, as usual, waited my turn until, again, the road ahead was clear.

I don't drive in a vacuum, and I understand that there are PLENTY of other motorists on the road. I share the road. I also fully understand that for everyone who throws off the curve in one direction, there are as many who pull that curve down from the other end. I've always defended the driver who struggles just to maintain speed limit, since I know that some out there don't LIKE driving, ARE NOT GOOD AT IT, and need all of the patience and cooperation they can get from SUPERIOR DRIVERS LIKE ME.

I have one goal - to reach my destination without a scratch on my car.. I have one mantra - drive as fast as you like, but drive SMART. I think that where most yahoos go wrong is that "smart" thing.

dwight

I think that's part of the point of not being a hazard. Not doing so where there is traffic to flow.

"dwight" wrote in news:cNadnQXM_qhKINjbnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

No, YOUR'S is the one dimensional thinking. Everything you have said is all "ME" oriented. Let ME get to where I want to go as fast as possible and without a scratch on my car. You have shown absolutely no empathy or respect for anyone else who has the same rights to use the road as you do.

Drivers like you are the reason speed limits exist. Obviously, you lack self control.

:>You know, driving home on the highway at lunchtime, sticking predominantly :>to the center lane of three. Use my turn signal to move left to pass, use it :>again to return to the center lane. Good, solid lane discipline. :>

:>Then the highway goes from three lanes to two, and I naturally come upon a :>clump of about 10 drivers clogging up both lanes ahead.

Ah yes, "The Turd Train", made up of .... well "turds" who's sole objective is to form a slow moving pack so they can impede the smooth flow of traffic wherever they roam.

You're funny.

500,000 miles without an accident. I must be showing "some" empathy and respect for the otherguy...

dwight

No, drivers like grand ma, a 17 yo girl putting on make up and apparently you are why there are speed limits, otherwise *we* would have an Autobahn as well.

Hah! Thank you, but no.

The last time I drove in the DC area, I lost a tie rod end. Have they done any road repair yet?

:()

So the tailgaters leave enough room for a mustang to fit in between? The tailgating I saw being demonstrated last night (typical) was maybe the length of my mustang's fender, tops. This was at over 70mph btw. That said, I have a simliar, 'let's see you try that to me, asshat' type view.

Last night... one of the tailgating asshats decides to try it with me. He didn't like it when I forgot where my throttle pedal was once his head lamps disappeared from my rear view mirror.

I usually set my minimum following distance as greater than what that person is following someone in front of them.

:>> :>It's the same all over, as far as I've seen. The slowest car determines :>> the :>> :>speed we all must travel. :>>

:>> Anytime you're in the area dwight I'd be happy to cruise the streets :>> with you and show you at least for this area you're wrong. The "lane :>> whippers" make their own speed. :) :>>

:>> Regards, Sarah :>

:>Hah! Thank you, but no. :>

:>The last time I drove in the DC area, I lost a tie rod end. Have they done :>any road repair yet? :>

:>:()

Oh hell no! The roads in southern MD are really some of the best I've ever seen, but DC city streets are still filled with potholes and when they have a rash of exploding manhole covers and broken water mains it's even more of a challenge to get around. Never thought I'd say I miss up north when all I thought about the roadways was the occasional frost heaves. :)

The last time I was in DC I crossed the same bridge 4 times in a row and said to hell with it. Somehow I kept getting into the wrong lane no matter which lane I chose. :0)

For me it was worse than driving in LA. But we all adjust our driving to our surroundings. LA drivers become used to LA traffic. They become hazzards when they take that style elsewhere, and vice versa. I live in a rural part of California, and country folk drive like country folk. Seems to be a lot more politeness. They'll sit for an hour at a

4 way stop saying to a neighbor, 'no, you go first'. Then we had an influx of people from the major metro areas (LA, SF, etc) who brought their driving manners with them. Traffic became a nightmare. Not their fault. They learned to drive that way in order to survive metro traffic. Today, it's a sort of mixture of metro and country... but it works.

That you can than George Washington for..... it was his idea to build DC in a swamp and then land fill it. The water table is higher than the street level. HA :0)

"karinhall" wrote in news:V8udnR3mDIfXFdbbnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@usa2net.net:

In the DC area, nice drivers never get home before 8:00 pm. ;)

:>>>> :>> :>It's the same all over, as far as I've seen. The slowest car :>>>> :>> :>determines :>>>> :>> the :>>>> :>> :>speed we all must travel. :>>>> :>>

:>>>> :>> Anytime you're in the area dwight I'd be happy to cruise the :>>>> :>> streets with you and show you at least for this area you're :>>>> :>> wrong. The "lane whippers" make their own speed. :) :>>>> :>>

:>>>> :>> Regards, Sarah :>>>> :>

:>>>> :>Hah! Thank you, but no. :>>>> :>

:>>>> :>The last time I drove in the DC area, I lost a tie rod end. Have :>>>> :>they done any road repair yet? :>>>> :>

:>>>> :>:() :>>>>

:>>>> Oh hell no! The roads in southern MD are really some of the best :>>>> I've ever seen, but DC city streets are still filled with potholes :>>>> and when they have a rash of exploding manhole covers and broken :>>>> water mains it's even more of a challenge to get around. Never :>>>> thought I'd say I miss up north when all I thought about the roadways :>>>> was the occasional frost heaves. :) :>>>>

:>>> Hey, that's funny, you don't consider DC up north? :) :>>> And yes, DC drivers are some of the worst in the world. Consider a :>>> little rain, or god forbid, a little snow. Worst of the worst are :>>> female Asian drivers. Dare I say that? Not politically correct, but :>>> who gives a damn? It's a "cosmopolitan area", with drivers from all :>>> over the world. ROFL And I lived there from '78 through '91. :>> :>>

:>In the DC area, nice drivers never get home before 8:00 pm. ;)

LOLOL!!!! Touche'.

:>

:>> :>> :>It's the same all over, as far as I've seen. The slowest car determines :>> :>> the :>> :>> :>speed we all must travel. :>> :>>

:>> :>> Anytime you're in the area dwight I'd be happy to cruise the streets :>> :>> with you and show you at least for this area you're wrong. The "lane :>> :>> whippers" make their own speed. :) :>> :>>

:>> :>> Regards, Sarah :>> :>

:>> :>Hah! Thank you, but no. :>> :>

:>> :>The last time I drove in the DC area, I lost a tie rod end. Have they done :>> :>any road repair yet? :>> :>

:>> :>:() :>> :>> Oh hell no! The roads in southern MD are really some of the best :>> I've ever seen, but DC city streets are still filled with potholes and :>> when they have a rash of exploding manhole covers and broken water :>> mains it's even more of a challenge to get around. Never thought I'd :>> say I miss up north when all I thought about the roadways was the :>> occasional frost heaves. :) :>>

:>Hey, that's funny, you don't consider DC up north? :)

No, especially not when I'm from New England. :)

:>And yes, DC drivers are some of the worst in the world. Consider a little rain, or god forbid, a little snow. Worst of the worst are female Asian drivers. Dare I say that? Not politically correct, but who gives a damn? It's a "cosmopolitan area", with drivers from all over the world. ROFL :>And I lived there from '78 through '91.