What's Up w/ NOVA Drivers? (Reston, Tysons Corner: costs, move, friendly)

[CAVA1990]

Is it considered appropriate to flash your lights to try to get someone going too slowly in the fast lane to move over into the right lane?

[chocolatelover]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Is it considered appropriate to flash your lights to try to get someone going too slowly in the fast lane to move over into the right lane?

I believe it is actually against the law to flash your high beams for any situation, though if anyone would actually get a ticket for that I don't know.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Is it considered appropriate to flash your lights to try to get someone going too slowly in the fast lane to move over into the right lane?

"Fast lane?" What's that. According to people on this sub-forum there is no such thing as a "passing lane", even though most other states make it CRYSTAL CLEAR that you should stay right except to pass.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Is it considered appropriate to flash your lights to try to get someone going too slowly in the fast lane to move over into the right lane?

Virginia Code:

§ 46.2-842.1. Drivers to give way to certain overtaking vehicles on divided highways.


It shall be unlawful to fail to give way to overtaking traffic when driving a motor vehicle to the left and abreast of another motor vehicle on a divided highway. On audible or light signal, the driver of the overtaken vehicle shall move to the right to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass as soon as the overtaken vehicle can safely do so. A violation of this section shall not be construed as negligence per se in any civil action.

[normie]

I think the words "certain overtaking vehicles" could come into play. I believe this is intended for emergency vehicles, not any vehicle. But, I'm not a legal expert so I could be wrong.

[SteelCityRising]

By the way, to those "holier than thou" types on here who claim I'm a menace to society and am endangering the lives of those around me may I add that I've only ever been in one accident in my nearly eight years of driving, and it was NOT my fault? I was rear-ended at a blinking red light in Pennsylvania because I stopped, but the SUV driver behind me thought a blinking light (regardless of color) just meant "yield." I've driven approximately 100,000 miles since receiving my license. The law of averages would dictate that if I'm as horrific of a driver as some of you are proclaiming I am that I already would have caused an accident. I haven't.

I fail to see how 55 miles per hour is an "unsafe" speed for Route 7. If people attempting to turn left onto Route 7 from intersecting roads without the aid of signals are unable to adequately judge whether or not it is safe to pull out, then perhaps they shouldn't be driving and living in automobile-dependent suburbs? The vast majority of accidents I've seen since moving here have not been the fault of a speeder. Many are caused by distracted drivers. Some are caused by people pulling out in front of others. Have I had close-calls where I've had to slam on the brakes on Route 7 and blare my horn at people who have completely cut me off? Absolutely. How is that my fault if others used poor judgment when entering the roadway into the path of another vehicle?

I'll never cease to be amazed by the apologists for inconsiderate drivers on this sub-forum. In another thread in the recent past when I said I would slam on my horn at anyone who dared to stop to turn left in front of me without using their blinker, I became the "bogeyman" because it's "no big deal" to not use a turn signal to most on this sub-forum. Instead of chastising the careless driver who opted not to signal most on here in a certain clique decided to bandwagon against me saying I was the one at fault because "what if your rude horn-honking woke someone up who lived nearby?"

Some of you seem to feel as if driving is a passive "hobby" of sorts. If that's the case, then get out of the way of those of us who lead very busy and stressful lifestyles trying to make ends meat and actually HAVE tight schedules. The Silver Line can't be completed soon enough for me. I will be the first one to hop on at the Wiehle Avenue station!

[normie]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

"Fast lane?" What's that. According to people on this sub-forum there is no such thing as a "passing lane", even though most other states make it CRYSTAL CLEAR that you should stay right except to pass.

I don't know if other states do that or not, but it doesn't really matter since you're in Virginia.

I definitely agree with you that there really isn't such a thing as a "fast" lane. When you're driving on the 7, both lanes move at about the same speed. If anything, the right lane sometimes moves faster because the left lane can slow down due to people making left hand turns.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by normie

I don't know if other states do that or not, but it doesn't really matter since you're in Virginia.

I definitely agree with you that there really isn't such a thing as a "fast" lane. When you're driving on the 7, both lanes move at about the same speed. If anything, the right lane sometimes moves faster because the left lane can slow down due to people making left hand turns.

My suggestion? Why not pave the median of Route 7 with a BUS LANE that would alternate inbound/outbound with the rush hours? This lane would go under all of the signalized intersections between Reston and Tysons Corner. I'd be willing to pay to take the bus if it could zoom on past stopped traffic. Right now what is my incentive to pay to sit on a bus in the same traffic that I, too, could be sitting in for free? Mass transit is great unless it becomes more costly and more time-consuming than driving.

[weezycom]

Originally Posted by It shall be unlawful to fail to give way to overtaking traffic when driving a motor vehicle to the left and abreast of another motor vehicle on a divided highway. [B

On audible or light signal[/b], the driver of the overtaken vehicle shall move to the right to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass as soon as the overtaken vehicle can safely do so. A violation of this section shall not be construed as negligence per se in any civil action. :

The key phrase in there is "as soon as the overtaken vehicle can safely do so."

A lot of times, the vehicle that's being tailgated doesn't have room to safely move to the right, and the amount of room that constitutes a safe amount is according to the judgment of the driver of the lead car, not the tailgater.

[brymax]

Man you all are a great bunch to get riled up. I love it.

SO much better than SoCal where everyone just wants to get along.
Screw that! Voice your opinion and argue a little! That's what being American is all about.

On this 55mph thing though, we killed that in Cali a long time ago. There is absolutely NO research that says people are safer @ 55mph than they are @ 65mph. There are some statistics once you get up over that. 55mph is just a ploy to give out tickets. I don't know about you all, but my company car is a Ford Fusion and to do even 60mph I actually have to take my foot on & off the gas pedal to hold that speed. Barely resting the tip of your foot on the pedal puts you at just under 70mph.

Everyone knows pushing your foot up and down on the pedal is not nearly as efficient as constant pressure such as cruise control. But you cant use CC in traffic. Kinda negates the whole fuel efficiency idea of driving slower. That's why Cali raised the maximum to 65mph in the cities and put it at 75 once you get out in the boonies. Accident rates didn't change at all. Neither did fatalities.

Anyway!

I like when yall get riled!