Why Is Everyone In Such A Big Hurry?

[rusty pins]

Why is everyone in such a hurry? Because they want to fly like hell so they can get there faster-hell that is I hope they get there soon and go there alone The key to getting somewhere fast isn't your top speed, but your average speed I drive near the speed limit and because I'm smart, I arrive at my destination pretty darn close to when the speed demons do and in a lot less stressed-out state. It's easy to do if you're paying attention. On top of that I'm getting better fuel mileage, my car isn't getting stressed either so it will last longer, and I get fewer speeding tickets to boot And on the odd day I get to cruise past you as you're having a not-so-nice chat with that Patrolman on the side of the road. Yep, that was me laughing my a$$ off as I went by I hope that makes you feel better- it does me!

If you really want to know the why of this, as well as why we're in a world full of idiots and fools today, read "Future Shock" by Alvin Toffler. Even from 1970, he pinned the people of today right on target and guess what? It's only going to get worse Welcome to the future!

Bettypooh

Hear Hear! Excellent post!

[Diapered Jason]

And this is exactly why we should have a stricter driver training to get a license. Any one and their dead grandma can get one in the USA.

As the OP said it is a privilege...

And in Europe I have seen when someone comes up fast on someone they flash their lights, so they notice it and move over. Here you do that and the driver is just going to rage.

I think we just test the wrong thing. There is no test for freeway driving (at least in the state where I was from), which ironically, is the most the dangerous and most poorly driven. So many do not know how to merge, use their brakes too often, come too close, swerve such that they often come too close to the person in the next lane, drive too radically, change lanes too fast, block traffic, the list goes on. All this results in more traffic and of course a greater amount of accidents.

Wait a minute, you can't drive like you do in a drive test any way. You'll cause a traffic jam waiting at the stop sign for 3 seconds to ensure you have come to a complete stop, driving under the speed limit, and other stupid things you have to do in a drive test. To that end, the drive test will probably be a joke no matter what they test.

[I M Soaked]

What I don't understand, is, why people, knowing they are coming up on an on ramp, try to pass another vehicle, when there may be a vehicle coming off of the on ramp at the same time. This is one of the most danderous things to do, especially if the vehicle they are passing, is an 18 wheeler, and the vehicle on the on ramp is as well. Makes for a very nasty situation. Somebody is likly to die in a situation like that.

I drive an 18 wheeler, for a living, and see this happen, every day. I actually had it happen last week, and the car driver had the gaul to blow his horn at me, like I was the idiot. I just waved at him, as I hit the brakes, to let the idiot see the truck, I was avoiding.

Big truck on the right/Big truck in the middle/ SUV on the left= nobody wins, but somebody gets hurt, worse than the others.

[I M Soaked]

Another thing, that I can't stand, is people pulling along side of an 18 wheeler, so their kids can pump their arms at the driver, hoping he will blow his horn for them. That 'Horn' is not for your child's amusement, it is for their safety. We blow that horn, to let you know that we are unable to slow down, safely, and that you might want to take the given oppertunity to move out of our path.

[drynot]

but people who drive slower than the speed limit annoy me, especially the kind that vary speed or pass you, pull in front of you, then slow down for absolutely no reason.

OMFG...I HATE this!!! People pass you going like a bat out of hell....then slow down and drive slower than you were going originally. Or the people who pass you like you're standing still then turn right like 100 feet down the road.....

Fun times.....

[chad334]

I was driving my truck in Arkansas a few years ago when a semi came speeding up behind me and almost crashed into me.

I had to take my truck up too a hundred MPH in a 60 MPH zone just too get away from this fool.

Luckily a trooper was watching traffic and nailed him.

It was like in the movie dual where the Guy in the semi tries to run the Guy off the road.

Chad

[chad334]

And this is exactly why we should have a stricter driver training to get a license. Any one and their dead grandma can get one in the USA.

As the OP said it is a privilege...

And in Europe I have seen when someone comes up fast on someone they flash their lights, so they notice it and move over. Here you do that and the driver is just going to rage.

Lol. You know what my driving test in Arkansas consisted of? Your not gonna believe this.

All the tester had me do was circle around the post office.

That was it and she passed me.

Chad

[Rihanna]

I wasn't going to comment as I would repeating others. There are good, poor, and downright wrong opinions above.

Let me say that I drive within the group of at the limit, to +5, to 'going along w/traffic' as situation allows. Sure, the latter may get one randomly stopped, but studies have shown all traffic at the same speed is safest. WARNING, that won't work on I-94 near Detroit Metro Airport West of the D! Stay at or below the limit. Romulus cops will ticket everyone for any infraction and they have the marked, unmarked cars, equipment, and hiding places to do it. Got so bad, the airport put up warning billboards at both exits and approaches.

It's been 40+ years since I've been in any accidents or road rage and maybe a few years less for tatailgatee incidents. Well, maybe many less on the tailgating. I had to focus front and sides, so I didn't really bother looking or counting. lol I had a ~35 mile morning freeway commute home into the D from midnight shift. I wasn't in a hurry, but everybody else sure was. Three and four lane freeway from 70 MPH to zero, to 70 again repeated every mile or two, mostly caused by those who thought they could speed, weave, pass, then cut lanes causing others to slow/stop, thus the backups. It was always a laugh to see someone fly by, gain distance, then I would pass them stopped dead while my lane was still moving decently giving me over a mile lead they could never makeup.* The good thing is that over that distance in the D, there are many alternative routes. I found surface roads, mostly w/timed lights, where I could get home 20 or more minutes faster, much, much, calmer although they were 5-10 miles, (the scenic one,) longer.

*Traffic probably has changed in the 10 yrs since I retired, but I learned from my early days of driving big rigs that if one drives the same route at the same hour, nearly every day, one can learn to read where problems show.

Sorry for rambling as I mainly wanted to comment on this;

.....I enjoy diapers, but not road rage. It's stupid! Some day you may piss off the wrong person who just happens to have a gun on them......

DISCLAIMER/WARNING. Know your gun laws! Shall issue and "stand your ground" laws are not all they appear to be as is being evidenced in the Florida Peterson case. (In that case, I think he made mistakes that will have to be sorted out in court.)

Or that person might get the tables turned....

Michigan is a shall issue and stand your ground state. In an incident last year, a 'friend of a friend' was driving to the range with a trunk load of guns and his usual carry pistol on his person. Slowing for a light, he notices a red dot cross the A pillar and rest on his chest. He looks to his side and sees a female pointing a lasered handgun at him. He stands on the brakes leaving her to stop in another 2-3 car lengths. He pulls out his gun & cell phone. Next light he ends up being directly behind her and gets a plate number, calls the cops, and tails her until they arrive and pull her over.

Twists & turns in this case, she claims he did something on the road that made her fear for her life so she claims she was right in "brandishing" on him. He claims he was just out for a "Happy Days" type Sunday afternoon drive to the range. Even being a lawyer, I believe him, because of him being a lawyer, and I just being a lay person, we both know that driving with a carload (exaggeration... or not? ) of legal guns while carrying one can be big trouble from uneducated cops.

She had a legal CPL, (Concealed Pistol Lisense,) but the gun was not registered. She is the one who got tickets and hauled off to jail. (Handguns must be registered in MI. If you want the backstory, google "Ossian Sweet, 1927.") She should have been prosecuted on Felony attempted murder and loss of gun rights, but it got pled down.

Two points, first no matter what a law is called, or what friends and media tell you, one has to know it before one can implement their use of it.

Second, under the 'stand your ground' laws, he would have been fully justified shooting back as soon as the laser hit him. That would have greatly messed up both their lives, especially hers. He showed great restraint and handled it well. If he had shot it would have been his word against hers, if she would have had any left.

Dang, rambled again, but most of you know I'm a gun right advocate, so read, comment, or ignore as you wish.

[2sail2]

I think we just test the wrong thing. There is no test for freeway driving (at least in the state where I was from), which ironically, is the most the dangerous and most poorly driven. So many do not know how to merge, use their brakes too often, come too close, swerve such that they often come too close to the person in the next lane, drive too radically, change lanes too fast, block traffic, the list goes on. All this results in more traffic and of course a greater amount of accidents.

hmm, I heard years ago that highways were the safer than roads. There's no lights, stop signs, turns and the turn radii (I think the max % is around 20%) are minimized. Here's one http://www.freakonomics.com/2010/01/29/the-irony-of-road-fear/

"Federal transportation data have consistently shown that highways are considerably safer than other roads. (You can see the detailed numbers here.) For instance, in 2007 0.54 people were killed for every 100 million vehicle miles driven on urban interstates, compared with 0.92 for every 100 million vehicle miles driven on other urban highways and arterials, and 1.32 killed on local urban streets."

[Diapered Jason]

hmm, I heard years ago that highways were the safer than roads. There's no lights, stop signs, turns and the turn radii (I think the max % is around 20%) are minimized. Here's one http://www.freakonom...y-of-road-fear/

"Federal transportation data have consistently shown that highways are considerably safer than other roads. (You can see the detailed numbers here.) For instance, in 2007 0.54 people were killed for every 100 million vehicle miles driven on urban interstates, compared with 0.92 for every 100 million vehicle miles driven on other urban highways and arterials, and 1.32 killed on local urban streets."

Ok, now determine how many accidents occur overall in each type of road, then tell me the probability that an accident will occur on each type of road. After that, then determine the probability that an accident on a certain type of road will result in a fatality. Then multiply those two probabilities for each type of road to determine the risk, because risk is also a function of consequence. I think the result you will find is the probability that an accident occurring at higher speeds will result in a fatality will be greater.

I would also like to point out how ambiguous major arterials is, because many those are highways too, just like interstates. So, the superficiality of the conclusion is great. I think a note on posted speed limit ranges regarding those types of roads should be brought to light.

[lilJester]

i jsut love when the speed limit is 60, and when i actually only go 60....i get stuck behind someone going 40........WTF

[Bettypooh]

i just love when the speed limit is 60, and when i actually only go 60....i get stuck behind someone going 40........WTF

That almost never happens to me Hint: It's caused by watching the car in front of you

This is the kind of thing I spoke of in my earlier post All the time I watch speed demons fly by going to a 'clear' lane only to end up getting stuck behind someone slow then tailgating them and getting angry because they're not flying low anymore It's a fine point but you should never watch the car in front of you You should always see it, but you watch as far down the road as you can see That gives you plenty of time to see what is going on ahead of you (including the car right in front of you) and you will then know which lane you will want to be in when you get there When you watch the car ahead of you, you will not see the situation you will be dealing with soon since your focus isn't that far down the road- then you will get to experience all the surprises ahead of you instead of avoiding them Drive properly and this problem disappears- driving smarter always beats driving harder

Bettypooh