Community Forums

Mc2guy · 11-09-2009, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie Foy

Either speed up or slow down to create your own spacing. This is assuming I can't move over. If the lane to the left is open, I will move over. It is common courtesy.

Well, unfortunately that approach is also flawed depending on traffic and prevailing behaviors. Here in the northeast, folks will intentionally crowd up on the car in front of them to ensure there is no gap for a merging car to enter. If you use your signal too far in advance, other drivers will react and close down the space that may have been available. This is rampant around D.C., god forbid anyone be allowed to merge into "your" lane. This leaves the merging car no options.

Unfortunately, it is routinely the case that you have to "force" your way into the travel lane, even when you are alert and looking for a space to move into.

I always look as far ahead as possible to pick an opening to move into, but on occasion, there are no options but to turn your signal on and bully your way into a tight spot. Ironically, I have a much easier time merging in the motor home that the car; they seem to respect the mass, not the courtesy.

Lindsay Richards · 11-09-2009, 12:17 PM

Living here in Florida, the blue haired capital of the world, I can say that they do understand what the light flashing means. They will write into the mailbag complaining about it. "Some jerk kept falshing his lights at me to move over and I was going exactly the speed limit." If they have to turn left eventually, they will get into the left lane as soon as they have a big gap even though it might be miles before they have to turn. A left blinker also doesn't mean they are going to be turning left. I could just still be on from yesterday.

Eddie Foy · 11-09-2009, 12:44 PM

You are right. My post does not apply in Yankee land.
I will adjust my speed to make a hole if it looks like they are trying. If nothing else, I will slow to keep my safe interval.

What can you say about the left lane campers. One tactic to make them move over is to camp next to them or slightly behind. All the race cars pile up on their bumper. They soon get the message. However, I would never condone or do such a thing.

As DW reminds me. It's all good. We are on RV time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mc2guy

Well, unfortunately that approach is also flawed depending on traffic and prevailing behaviors. Here in the northeast, folks will intentionally crowd up on the car in front of them to ensure there is no gap for a merging car to enter. .

Eddie Foy · 11-09-2009, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindsay Richards

A left blinker also doesn't mean they are going to be turning left. I could just still be on from yesterday.

It means they are going arond the world to the left.

Izzyblueye · 11-09-2009, 07:20 PM

My big peeve is trucks passing other trucks in the mountains. For over 5 miles they have the lanes down to a crawl. Neither truck can out pace the other one and I am certain they know this when they start this stupid maneuver. In a motor home you lose your momentum and you are dead in the water.

SRT · 11-10-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MtManLee

The ones that irk me the worst are the two lane areas where it says to stay in the right lane except for passing and inevitably some jerk will never use that right lane. And 9 out of 10 times one has to go to the right lane to pass them. They dont understand what flashing your headlights means.

Yup, have seen them do that for miles and miles. They seem to think they own the left lane.

melvonnar · 11-10-2009, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRT

Yup, have seen them do that for miles and miles. They seem to think they own the left lane.

not only that; but I had one tell me that the rest stops were for truckers and RVs had no business there; he said thats what RV parks were for.

I;m not refering to truck stops either; these were interstate rest stops.

Lindsay Richards · 11-10-2009, 05:24 PM

I have heard them on the CB talking about blocking RV's on purpose. I have also heard them talking about various RV's as I think a lot of them are RVers also.

Izzyblueye · 11-10-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert h

not only that; but I had one tell me that the rest stops were for truckers and RVs had no business there; he said thats what RV parks were for.

I;m not refering to truck stops either; these were interstate rest stops.

I have heard those comments on CB's several times. There was a lady trucker on the forums not long ago that actually believed the rest stops were made for the truckers and they had priority. She learned the hard facts of life from some folks that have paying taxes for more than a couple of years.

**Janet H** · 11-10-2009, 06:24 PM

Pet peeve: Anyone towing a trailer in CA is REQUIRED to stay in the right lane. I tow a tiny trailer with a BIG truck. The right lane rots and is full of ruts and crazy people merging in and out.

Pet peeve: Drivers who put on makeup while underway. In CA I have seen male drivers do this as well; 'nuff said....

Pet peeve: pets in drivers laps. This is just as unsafe as having a kid in your lap. It's distracting for the driver and not safe for the pet in case of an accident.

rant over

GaryKD · 11-13-2009, 06:46 PM

For me the pet peeve worth mentioning is that drivers (in 4 wheel cars) do not know how to merge onto a limited access highway.

It must be my cross to bear, but when approaching an entrance ramp (I'm in the right lane) the car merging onto the highway just sits there matching my speed, equal or just a bit ahead of my front bumper. There always seems to be another 4 wheel vehicle in the left lane blocking me from moving over. I guess these drivers were never taught that the entrance lane is an acceleration lane so they can blend into the traffic. So,,,,, as we approach the end of the acceleration lane I must turn off the cruise so the 4 wheeler can move onto the highway. As soon as they get in front of me, they return to their NASCAR heritage and are off and running, like lightening looking for ground. This sure wastes a lot of fuel.

This is an equal opportunity pet peeve. I see no trend based on age or gender.

melvonnar · 11-13-2009, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

For me the pet peeve worth mentioning is that drivers (in 4 wheel cars) do not know how to merge onto a limited access highway.

It must be my cross to bear, but when approaching an entrance ramp (I'm in the right lane) the car merging onto the highway just sits there matching my speed, equal or just a bit ahead of my front bumper. There always seems to be another 4 wheel vehicle in the left lane blocking me from moving over. I guess these drivers were never taught that the entrance lane is an acceleration lane so they can blend into the traffic. So,,,,, as we approach the end of the acceleration lane I must turn off the cruise so the 4 wheeler can move onto the highway. As soon as they get in front of me, they return to their NASCAR heritage and are off and running, like lightening looking for ground. This sure wastes a lot of fuel.

This is an equal opportunity pet peeve. I see no trend based on age or gender.

you are no alone; I usually start leaning on the horn when I the car reaches the halfway on the on ramp.

Rick & Hope · 11-14-2009, 08:08 AM

First I have been driving 18 wheelers and rv's for most of my adult life. Today your average truck driver has less than 3 years experience driving a commercial vehicle. At any large trucking company you can go from walking in the door to driving a big rig in less than 2 weeks, and 90 days later be training other new hires. There are no Federal regulations for time behind the wheel in training, only what they need to know to pass the written test. The truck driving schools turn out 500,000 new drivers every year and yet there is "a driver shortage".Enough on that.
A lot of trucks now are team trucks, meaning that there are 2 drivers in the truck. The right lane in a lot of states is so rough that it is impossible for the driver in the sleeper to get any sleep. The last thing you want to do as a co driver is to try and sleep behind a driver who hasn't gotten any sleep during their time in the sleeper.
For solo drivers who have to shut down for 10 hrs after 11 hrs of driving the rest areas were a convenient and some what safe place to take their mandated break. A lot of states are closing their rest areas, (Arizona, and Virgina). This has put more pressure on the truck stops and in the case of Virgina created a huge shortage of places to get your rest.
As far as the interstate system it was designed to move troops and goods not for travel as we use it today.
The average 18 wheeler pay $8,959 a year in taxes.

Jack R · 11-14-2009, 12:32 PM

Hamguy,

you are correct. Lanes are numbered left to right. HOV is just HOV no number.

If your actually interested in laws of a state, stop at any big truck scale house and ask questions. There is usually a highway patrol officer there who will answer your questions with a smile.