Bad Drivers and Their Habits

[5ontheFloor]

Just felt like letting off some steam. I've been traveling for work in my 4runner between Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. Mostly I-10, and the dreaded I-35 corridor and other misc backroads. Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that more and more people are driving in the passing lane doing 10+ mph less than the speed limit? Not even talking about the occasional granny just people cruising there holding up everyone else wanting to pass. It's been so frustrsting. I hate passing on the right. Feel free to vent. I know I needed to.

 

[Jernik]

There aren't words to describe drivers in Houston. At least none that can be used in a family friendly forum. :gun4:

Actually, I'm impressed that I-10 was moving fast enough for there to be a 10mph difference. Must've been your lucky day. :madgrin:

Love Texas... but I've learned to hate/avoid whenever possible any road that starts with "I".

 

[5ontheFloor]

Yeah I hear yah. And that's the annoying part is I'm seeing a lot of this "left lane driving" even in smaller highways like 71, 290, other assorted country roads. At first it was annoying but now it's just ridiculous.

And the MPH difference is early morning and evening. That's what makes it so frustrsting is traffic SHOULD be moving because there is less traffic.

Houston...yeah just have to sit back and strap in. When I'm in Houston I have to turn on "Survival Mode" and suppress my inner rage monster!

 

[Thefishguy77]

I live in Washington state and that super common up here. I assume it's because they are so engrossed with their phone they forget that there is a steering wheel in the car. It's super frustrating. But the moment you get away from the cities it does get better. Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia suburbs are the worst on the west side of the mountains here. Just sit back and pretend you are playing a game. The end game is just trying not to get hit by some idiot that can't figure out why your honking at them. After around 750,000 miles I have mostly made peace with it. Mostly...


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[Hepar]

Spend a week on the freeways in the Seattle metro area. You'll dream of your home roads I guarantee you.

 

[Hepar]

I live in Washington state and that super common up here. I assume it's because they are so engrossed with their phone they forget that there is a steering wheel in the car. It's super frustrating. But the moment you get away from the cities it does get better. Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia suburbs are the worst on the west side of the mountains here. Just sit back and pretend you are playing a game. The end game is just trying not to get hit by some idiot that can't figure out why your honking at them. After around 750,000 miles I have mostly made peace with it. Mostly...


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I don't think it's phones. I think (and this is all over the country) that people are in their own bubble whenever they leave their homes. Technology has made it worse of course. But it's everywhere you look. So many times when I pass people who are camping out, they're just putting along in their own world. Thinking about any and everything besides driving.

 

[-JD-]

Our local government has actually been pretty good on this issue. After a recent 'traffic review' they raised speed limits on some of our highways, installed giant signs like the ones below and promised better enforcement of the keep right rules.

 

[5ontheFloor]

Our local government has actually been pretty good on this issue. After a recent 'traffic review' they raised speed limits on some of our highways, installed giant signs like the ones below and promised better enforcement of the keep right rules.

Man that's what I'm talking about! There are so much delays because of those who don't let others pass.

 

[Breadman03]

You can't Snapchat from the right lane, SMH!

 

[ThorInc]

SMH = Shaking my head.

 

[JEMP1003]

You can't Snapchat from the right lane, SMH!

Yeah, and they can't catch pokemon either :mad2:

Just felt like letting off some steam. I've been traveling for work in my 4runner between Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. Mostly I-10, and the dreaded I-35 corridor and other misc backroads. Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that more and more people are driving in the passing lane doing 10+ mph less than the speed limit? Not even talking about the occasional granny just people cruising there holding up everyone else wanting to pass. It's been so frustrsting. I hate passing on the right. Feel free to vent. I know I needed to.

I HATE!! I10 between Houston and San Antonio, more specifically between Brookshire and Tx-71 that is just the worst section.

I can say however, coming from Miami, I can say traffic there is even worse than in Houston. At least in Houston most people drive fairly quick compared to SFL.

 

[mckennar]

Man that's what I'm talking about! There are so much delays because of those who don't let others pass.

I moved from Los Angeles to Arkansas last year. Aside from this place having zero personality, awful weather, more confederate flags per capita than south Louisiana... it's not terrible. But the worst part about it for me are the drivers.

This "left only to pass" phenomena is a completely foreign concept to people here. You'll have people in the left lane queued for almost a mile at 10 - 15mph under the limit just to pass one person in the slow lane going close to 20mph under the limit.

The crazy part is, when I hop in the right lane and speed up to the limit and start passing people in the left lane like they're going backwards... I feel like the *******.

Last December I was in the right lane going the speed limit when I passed a state trooper in the left lane. He pulled me over and asked where I was going in such a hurry. I told him I was going the speed limit, and he wasn't. He said "yeah but you can't just pass me on the right" so I told him since he wasn't passing anyone, he shouldn't have been in the left lane.

Then he gave me a written warning for going 61 in a 60 and said "I can't have people thinking they can pass a police officer on the right, here's a warning."

 

[5ontheFloor]

I moved from Los Angeles to Arkansas last year. Aside from this place having zero personality, awful weather, more confederate flags per capita than south Louisiana... it's not terrible. But the worst part about it for me are the drivers.

This "left only to pass" phenomena is a completely foreign concept to people here. You'll have people in the left lane queued for almost a mile at 10 - 15mph under the limit just to pass one person in the slow lane going close to 20mph under the limit.

The crazy part is, when I hop in the right lane and speed up to the limit and start passing people in the left lane like they're going backwards... I feel like the *******.

Last December I was in the right lane going the speed limit when I passed a state trooper in the left lane. He pulled me over and asked where I was going in such a hurry. I told him I was going the speed limit, and he wasn't. He said "yeah but you can't just pass me on the right" so I told him since he wasn't passing anyone, he shouldn't have been in the left lane.

Then he gave me a written warning for going 61 in a 60 and said "I can't have people thinking they can pass a police officer on the right, here's a warning."

Yeah that's frustrating. I have to "pass" them on the right lane knowing full well that's against the law. Unlike you I have not been pulled over like that I'm glad you got a warning but the principle of the thing is crazy. Where I am in Texas most highways have a posted speed limit now of 75mph. Highway 130 has a posted limit of 85mph. Some people have vehicles that can't cruise these speeds so you'd think they'd stay in right lane but not always.

Like I said earlier, just figured I'd vent here instead of you know on the road.

 

[mckennar]

Like I said earlier, just figured I'd vent here instead of you know on the road.

I don't blame you. Also... I didn't know passing on the right was illegal in TX. It isn't in Arkansas. The cop was just being a cop.

 

[5ontheFloor]

I'll have to check. Seems like I was told that at some point.

 

[Hepar]

They claim here in Washington that they're going to be cracking down more on it. We'll see.

State Patrol: 'Camp in the woods, not in the left lane' or get a ticket | KOMO

 

[ThorInc]

Moved real rural a few years back, best thing I ever did. When I head into a heavy traffic area I just try to stay as calm as possible and remind myself it is just temporary. It's not just the traffic but the mindset of the drivers in heavy traffic areas.

 

[mckennar]

I'll have to check. Seems like I was told that at some point.

TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 545. OPERATION AND MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES
Sec. 545.057. PASSING TO THE RIGHT. (a) An operator may pass to the right of another vehicle only if conditions permit safely passing to the right and:
(1) the vehicle being passed is making or about to make a left turn; and
(2) the operator is:
(A) on a highway having unobstructed pavement not occupied by parked vehicles and sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles in each direction; or
(B) on a one-way street or on a roadway having traffic restricted to one direction of movement and the roadway is free from obstructions and wide enough for two or more lines of moving vehicles.
(b) An operator may not pass to the right by leaving the main traveled portion of a roadway except as provided by Section 545.058.

Verbiage is confusing though, because of the "and" statement in (a). Seems to imply that you can only pass on the right if someone is making or about to make a left turn (1). Does someone else have any clarification on this?

Vs. Arkansas' reg on the matter is more apparent: § 27-51-308 - Conditions when overtaking on right. :: 2015 Arkansas Code :: US Codes and Statutes :: US Law :: Justia

(a) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:

(1) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn;

(2) Upon a street or highway with unobstructed pavement not occupied by parked vehicles of sufficient width for two (2) or more lines of moving vehicles in each direction; and

(3) Upon a one-way street or upon any roadway on which traffic is restricted to one (1) direction of movement where the roadway is free from obstructions and of sufficient width for two (2) or more lines of moving vehicles.

(b) (1) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting this movement in safety.

(2) In no event shall this movement be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway.

 

[5ontheFloor]

Yeah so if I'm right, you can pass on the right as long as a person is turning left off a two lane highway where there is no turning lane, and the shoulder is paved and of course no cars parked or stopped on shoulder.

 

[5ontheFloor]

Any TX law enforcement on here could correct me if I'm wrong