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Post Subject:

YES! FINALLY!!!

Reply from: Don Bruder
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 07:57
YES! FINALLY!!!


Just caught a blurb on the local radio station. Washington State
Troopers are launching a special traffic enforcement operation.

Not the usual Ho-Hum crap of trying to screw people over for not
buckling up, or a crackdown on speeders or drunks - Although I agree
those are worthwhile efforts, they pale in comparison to one of my
"favorite" pet peeves on the road.

What they're specifically looking for in the next several weeks are the
idiots that don't understand that the left lane is for passing, not
playing roadblock.

It's about friggin' time! If you're gonna drive on the freeway in
"exactly the speed limit or lower" mode, I've got no problem with that -
So long as you pull your head out of your ass and do it in the rightmost
lane! Not only is it common sense/good courtesy/the right thing to do,
but it's been explicitly stated law here in Washington for quite a few
years - including being clearly and frequently posted on every stretch
of multi-lane-per-direction pavement I've driven on in this state -
"KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS" and/or "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT" signs are
almost as frequently seen as speed limit or "don't litter" signs.

What kind of brain-dead does a person need to be in order to fail to
comprehend that ultra-basic rule of the road?

For once, I'll be rooting for the cops! :)

--
Don Bruder - dakidd@sonic,net - If your "From:" address isn't on my whitelist,
or the subject of the message doesn't contain the exact text "PopperAndShadow"
somewhere, any message sent to this address will go in the garbage without my
ever knowing it arrived. Sorry... < http :// www .sonic,net /~dakidd> for more info

Reply from: BRUCE HASKIN
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 09:01
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

GOOD JOB, Don ! I'm with you on this one. If the drivers would just read
and follow the signage, the traffic would flow much better. The way they
drive now days just pisses everyone off then someone pulls out a gun to
make everything his way !! I drive the speed poasted and everyone wants
to run over me even when I am in the outside lane. Just SLOW DOWN ! I
hope WSP makes good on their plan.

Bruce "Bing" Garnet Red 03 LS
IN Seattle


Reply from: boxing@sasktel,net
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 14:18
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

the left lane is those exceeding the speed limit? how does that work?

Reply from: Brent P
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 14:27
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

On 2008-06-24, boxing@sasktel,net <boxing@sasktel,net > wrote:
> the left lane is those exceeding the speed limit? how does that work?

The left lane is for passing. But starting in the 1970s the joan
claybrooks of the world decided that limited access highway speed limits
should be set absurdly low. This then incouraged all the self-rightous
slow is safe types out there to sit in whatever lane they chose. The
absurdly low speed limits still exist in many states, others have raised
speed limits back to what they were in the 1960s, but automotive
technology has had 40 years of advancement since then.



Reply from: N8N
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 15:06
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

On Jun 24, 8:27 am, Brent P <tetraethylleadREMOVET...@yahoo,com >
wrote:
> On 2008-06-24, box...@sasktel,net <box...@sasktel,net > wrote:
>
> > the left lane is those exceeding the speed limit? how does that work?
>
> The left lane is for passing. But starting in the 1970s the joan
> claybrooks of the world decided that limited access highway speed limits
> should be set absurdly low. This then incouraged all the self-rightous
> slow is safe types out there to sit in whatever lane they chose. The
> absurdly low speed limits still exist in many states, others have raised
> speed limits back to what they were in the 1960s, but automotive
> technology has had 40 years of advancement since then.

And those were 40 *good* years of innovation. Keep in mind that the
typical used car in 1974 had four wheel drum brakes, 6.something-15
bias ply tires, and a live rear axle. Granted, it is still possible
to safely drive such a vehicle on today's roads, but it does take a
little more care and attention than the average driver is willing to
take. "Innovations" that were only found on high end sports cars back
then are now standard equipment on the most plebian econobox.

The *best* thing we could do to improve traffic flow and lane courtesy
would be to raise speed limits to their proper 85th percentile levels
and free up the cops to enforce other traffic laws, with a special
emphasis on lane courtesy.

nate

Reply from: Steve
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 17:06
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

N8N wrote:
> On Jun 24, 8:27 am, Brent P <tetraethylleadREMOVET...@yahoo,com >
> wrote:
>> On 2008-06-24, box...@sasktel,net <box...@sasktel,net > wrote:
>>
>>> the left lane is those exceeding the speed limit? how does that work?
>> The left lane is for passing. But starting in the 1970s the joan
>> claybrooks of the world decided that limited access highway speed limits
>> should be set absurdly low. This then incouraged all the self-rightous
>> slow is safe types out there to sit in whatever lane they chose. The
>> absurdly low speed limits still exist in many states, others have raised
>> speed limits back to what they were in the 1960s, but automotive
>> technology has had 40 years of advancement since then.
>
> And those were 40 *good* years of innovation. Keep in mind that the
> typical used car in 1974 had four wheel drum brakes, 6.something-15
> bias ply tires, and a live rear axle.


You're a few years off there, Nate. By 74 front drum brakes were
EXTREMELY rare (I don't know if they were even available on Chrysler
products anymore at that time). And radials were coming into the
mainstream too.

>Granted, it is still possible
> to safely drive such a vehicle on today's roads,

I do it all the time ;-)

It amazes me that freeway speed limits aren't up close to triple digits.
If you think about the progress of technology in the first half of the
last century, it was amazing. It was 30 years before "average" cars
could do what a 30s Duesenberg could do, and traffic laws moved right
along with the technology. But then sometime in the mid 70s the
technological progress slowed dramatically, and traffic law went into
reverse :-(



Reply from: Brent P
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 17:33
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

On 2008-06-24, Steve <no@spam.thanks> wrote:
> N8N wrote:
>> On Jun 24, 8:27 am, Brent P <tetraethylleadREMOVET...@yahoo,com >
>> wrote:
>>> On 2008-06-24, box...@sasktel,net <box...@sasktel,net > wrote:
>>>
>>>> the left lane is those exceeding the speed limit? how does that work?
>>> The left lane is for passing. But starting in the 1970s the joan
>>> claybrooks of the world decided that limited access highway speed limits
>>> should be set absurdly low. This then incouraged all the self-rightous
>>> slow is safe types out there to sit in whatever lane they chose. The
>>> absurdly low speed limits still exist in many states, others have raised
>>> speed limits back to what they were in the 1960s, but automotive
>>> technology has had 40 years of advancement since then.
>>
>> And those were 40 *good* years of innovation. Keep in mind that the
>> typical used car in 1974 had four wheel drum brakes, 6.something-15
>> bias ply tires, and a live rear axle.
>
>
> You're a few years off there, Nate. By 74 front drum brakes were
> EXTREMELY rare (I don't know if they were even available on Chrysler
> products anymore at that time). And radials were coming into the
> mainstream too.

For the '74 _model_ year there were only a few models left with
standard front drums. These weren't 'low' production vehicles either.
"EXTREMELY rare" doesn't fit what was probably a couple hundred
thousand vehicles total. But that's not what Nate was refering to.
The average car in 1974 is of the vehicle fleet. The vehicle fleet had
many 4 wheel drum brake cars.



Reply from: N8N
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 20:12
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

On Jun 24, 11:06 am, Steve <n...@spam.thanks> wrote:
> N8N wrote:
> > On Jun 24, 8:27 am, Brent P <tetraethylleadREMOVET...@yahoo,com >
> > wrote:
> >> On 2008-06-24, box...@sasktel,net <box...@sasktel,net > wrote:
>
> >>> the left lane is those exceeding the speed limit? how does that work?
> >> The left lane is for passing. But starting in the 1970s the joan
> >> claybrooks of the world decided that limited access highway speed limits
> >> should be set absurdly low. This then incouraged all the self-rightous
> >> slow is safe types out there to sit in whatever lane they chose. The
> >> absurdly low speed limits still exist in many states, others have raised
> >> speed limits back to what they were in the 1960s, but automotive
> >> technology has had 40 years of advancement since then.
>
> > And those were 40 *good* years of innovation.  Keep in mind that the
> > typical used car in 1974 had four wheel drum brakes, 6.something-15
> > bias ply tires, and a live rear axle.  
>
> You're a few years off there, Nate. By 74 front drum brakes were
> EXTREMELY rare (I don't know if they were even available on Chrysler
> products anymore at that time). And radials were coming into the
> mainstream too.

Keep in mind that not everyone drives a new model car though. My dad
kept his '67 Cutlass into the early 80s, and nobody thought that was
particularly odd. He'd Also manufacturers kept making a big deal
about "radial tuned" suspensions etc. so people with older cars
sometimes were convinced to buy bias ply tires for replacements even
after radials were commonly available, mostly because there was a lot
of misinformation out there. (that is, an older car with radial tires
will still handle better than an older car with bias plys, even though
it may not ride or handle quite as well as a car designed around
radial tires - but back then, some people didn't agree with that
statement. Remember, we didn't have the intarwebs back then, so
sometimes you had to rely on the advice of the corner mechanic or the
guy at the tire store not to buy the wrong thing. How did we ever get
by?)

>
> >Granted, it is still possible
> > to safely drive such a vehicle on today's roads,
>
> I do it all the time ;-)
>
> It amazes me that freeway speed limits aren't up close to triple digits.
> If you think about the progress of technology in the first half of the
> last century, it was amazing. It was 30 years before "average" cars
> could do what a 30s Duesenberg could do, and traffic laws moved right
> along with the technology. But then sometime in the mid 70s the
> technological progress slowed dramatically, and traffic law went into
> reverse :-(- Hide quoted text -

yeah, I'm saddened that the offerings at my local Chevy dealer still
can't do what an early 70's Ferrari Daytona or Lamborghini Miura could
do (nor do any new cars meet the styling benchmarks set by those
venerable icons...)

Hell, I'd settle for some black perforated leather seats. Would a
little class for my a$$ be too much to ask for?

nate


Reply from: Rodan
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 15:52
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

boxing@sasktel,net wrote:

the left lane is those exceeding the speed limit?
how does that work?
_____________________________________________

Brent P" wrote:

..The left lane is for passing. But starting in the 1970s
the joan claybrooks of the world decided that limited
access highway speed limits should be set absurdly low.
This then incouraged all the self-rightous slow-is-safe
types out there to sit in whatever lane they chose. The
absurdly low speed limits still exist in many states,
others have raised speed limits back to what they
were in the 1960s, but automotive technology has
had 40 years of advancement since then.
____________________________________________

Driving above the posted speed limit is not necessarily speeding,
because speed limits are not absolute. Driving faster than the
posted limit is "prima facie" evidence of a violation, but a person
so cited has the right to the court defense of claiming that the
cited speed was legal because it satisfied the "basic speed law"
of being safe and reasonable.

Those who block traffic lanes at any speed for moralistic reasons
rob all other drivers of the right to judge safety or reasonableness,
rob any driver of the necessary passage in an emergency, and rob
the safety of all drivers by inviting road-rage incidents. Traffic
lane blockers themselves are breaking the basic speed law, and
are a serious threat to everyone's safety.

Rodan.







Reply from: tnom@mucks,net
Date: 25 Jun 2008, 00:08
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!


>Those who block traffic lanes at any speed for moralistic reasons
>rob all other drivers of the right to judge safety or reasonableness,
>rob any driver of the necessary passage in an emergency, and rob
>the safety of all drivers by inviting road-rage incidents. Traffic
>lane blockers themselves are breaking the basic speed law, and
>are a serious threat to everyone's safety.
>
The violation is impeding the flow of traffic. You can be in violation
of this offence even if you are going above the speed limit.

Reply from: HLS
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 15:47
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!


"Don Bruder" <dakidd@sonic,net > wrote in message
> What kind of brain-dead does a person need to be in order to fail to
> comprehend that ultra-basic rule of the road?

Most people here in Texas seem to be brain dead about this, Don.
Very inconsiderate to hog the passing lane, and dangerous too.
Police (snort..laugh) do it themselves here, as well as pass you on the
right
using the shoulder.

Hope this catches on.


Reply from: SINNER
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 16:32
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

* HLS wrote in rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata:

>
> "Don Bruder" <dakidd@sonic,net > wrote in message
>> What kind of brain-dead does a person need to be in order to fail to
>> comprehend that ultra-basic rule of the road?
>
> Most people here in Texas seem to be brain dead about this, Don.
> Very inconsiderate to hog the passing lane, and dangerous too.
> Police (snort..laugh) do it themselves here, as well as pass you on the
> right
> using the shoulder.
>
> Hope this catches on.
>
>

On sections of I30 they are starting to keep trucks out of the left lane,
on the higgways in Jersey there is signage that desgnates left lanes are
for passing and I have seen cops ticket drivers for this. In Texas, there
are no signs which might help curb the problem if theyd put some up.

--
David

Reply from: Steve
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 17:09
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

SINNER wrote:
> * HLS wrote in rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata:
>
>> "Don Bruder" <dakidd@sonic,net > wrote in message
>>> What kind of brain-dead does a person need to be in order to fail to
>>> comprehend that ultra-basic rule of the road?
>> Most people here in Texas seem to be brain dead about this, Don.
>> Very inconsiderate to hog the passing lane, and dangerous too.
>> Police (snort..laugh) do it themselves here, as well as pass you on the
>> right
>> using the shoulder.
>>
>> Hope this catches on.
>>
>>
>
> On sections of I30 they are starting to keep trucks out of the left lane,


This is true of I-35 from north of Austin all the way to south of San
Antonio now. Of course it hardly matters because since NAFTA and all the
population growth (I'd like to blame it all on Californians moving here,
but that's only about 50%) that stretch of 35 is just an 80-mile long
parking lot anyway :-p


Reply from: Frank Berger
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 18:27
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!


"SINNER" <arcade.master@gmail,com > wrote in message
news:Xns9AC7610DDD261louiscypherhellorg@140.99.99.130...
>* HLS wrote in rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata:
>
>>
>> "Don Bruder" <dakidd@sonic,net > wrote in message
>>> What kind of brain-dead does a person need to be in order to fail to
>>> comprehend that ultra-basic rule of the road?
>>
>> Most people here in Texas seem to be brain dead about this, Don.
>> Very inconsiderate to hog the passing lane, and dangerous too.
>> Police (snort..laugh) do it themselves here, as well as pass you on the
>> right
>> using the shoulder.
>>
>> Hope this catches on.
>>
>>
>
> On sections of I30 they are starting to keep trucks out of the left lane,
> on the higgways in Jersey there is signage that desgnates left lanes are
> for passing and I have seen cops ticket drivers for this. In Texas, there
> are no signs which might help curb the problem if theyd put some up.
>
> --
> David

My father once got a ticket in Pennsylvania for cruising in the left lane on
the interstate I don't believe he was hindering anyone; in fact he was
probably speeding most of the time. He just never bothered to move back to
the right and I guess that in itself was a violation.



Reply from: N8N
Date: 24 Jun 2008, 20:15
Re: YES! FINALLY!!!

On Jun 24, 12:27 pm, "Frank Berger" <frank.d.ber...@dal,fr b.org>
wrote:
> "SINNER" <arcade.mas...@gmail,com > wrote in message
>
> news:Xns9AC7610DDD261louiscypherhellorg@140.99.99.130...
>
>
>
>
>
> >* HLS wrote in rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata:
>
> >> "Don Bruder" <dak...@sonic,net > wrote in message
> >>> What kind of brain-dead does a person need to be in order to fail to
> >>> comprehend that ultra-basic rule of the road?
>
> >> Most people here in Texas seem to be brain dead about this, Don.
> >> Very inconsiderate to hog the passing lane, and dangerous too.
> >> Police (snort..laugh) do it themselves here, as well as pass you on the
> >> right
> >> using the shoulder.
>
> >> Hope this catches on.
>
> > On sections of I30 they are starting to keep trucks out of the left lane,
> > on the higgways in Jersey there is signage that desgnates left lanes are
> > for passing and I have seen cops ticket drivers for this. In Texas, there
> > are no signs which might help curb the problem if theyd put some up.
>
> > --
> > David
>
> My father once got a ticket in Pennsylvania for cruising in the left lane on
> the interstate  I don't believe he was hindering anyone; in fact he was
> probably speeding most of the time.  He just never bothered to move back to
> the right and I guess that in itself was a violation.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

yes, in PA it is. They made a big deal about it when they enacted a
stronger law a couple years back. I remember my grandmother knew I
was coming home to visit for Christmas that year and made sure I knew
about it. I simply thanked her for the warning rather than pointing
out that I actually did know how to drive, and therefore wasn't
particularly worried about violating this law...

nate


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