Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Moving to the right just because some a-hole wants to do 60 (which is a big problem on Cary Parkway, reference the most recent fatality) is not realistic if the right lane is stop and go.
IMHO 47 is plenty fast on Cary Parkway, it's a not a straight, level road with no side streets!
I've handled car insurance claims for almost my entire adult life. The #1 factor in 90% of accidents is people going too fast.
Thank you.
My mom used to be an agent.
I will surely pull into either lane to avoid someone bearing down on me if I don't need to be in that lane. I can't control how fast other people drive.
I just think that reasonable people cannot expect others to inconvenience themselves just so they can drive as fast as they want.
And if a person has an emergency? They can flash their lights and honk. I'll move outta their way. Yanno?
__________________
When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
Another home run. How can someone look at that article and say "well they were speeding" - how about the person that pulled out in front of another moving vehicle, regardless of their speed...are they not at fault? They caused the accident...as a licensed driver you need to be able to judge how fast a car is going and determine "is it safe to pull out now?"
I'm thinking you aren't familiar with the intersection where this accident took place. There is limited visibility of oncoming traffic due to a curve in Cary Parkway, and I'm sure that the driver who died didn't expect someone to be coming up that fast. Yes, two people wouldn't have died if their car hadn't pulled out, but neither would they have died if the oncoming driver wasn't treating Cary Parkway like a freeway (the subject of this thread).
Sometimes that's true. In this case, it sounds like "I'm not getting over into stop-and-go right hand lane traffic so you can end up one car length ahead of me at the next light. And if GOD FORBID you should end up making that light and I don't, I'll see your back end again anyway in another mile or two".
The OP isn't a 23 year old guy, she's a professional working mother of several kids. Seriously doubt this was a pi$$ing contest.
I drive a Prius. I have no desire to be dominant on a road. I actually considered moving behind the stop and go folks to appease the man, but he passed on the right and the road looked so busy that I didn't see him getting to drive that fast anyway, even if I did slow down for his convenience.
__________________
When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
The #1 factor in 90% of accidents is people going too fast.
Do some more research.
To the degree that speed is a factor (it is) it's disproportionate speed that is the problem.
(That's like when on car is going much slower than those around them are going.)
Make room for others, signal your intentions, drive defensively...
and let the Moderator cut: language go by regardless of what law or right you may have on your side.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 08-07-2012 at 09:31 AM..
Reason: You are expected to use appropriate language in this forum.
He wasn't behind me more than a minute or two before he hopped into the right lane, slammed on brakes, we got to a light, I slowed down, he got in front, he continued to slam breaks behind cars in both lanes off and on and we both wound up at High House at the same time.
I'm not passive aggressive when I drive. I was just perplexed, as this sort of thing happens on Cary Parkway pretty much every day. No matter which lane I'm in.
I've also had impatient drivers tailgate me while I'm in the right lane, as they try to inch up enough to zoom back into the left lane. Maybe if we are in the right lane we should turn at the next intersection to let people pass as well?
I'm sure that the driver who died didn't expect someone to be coming up that fast.
I'm afraid that you're still missing the point. You do not approach an intersection, look at oncoming traffic, and say "That car is far away, if it was going the speed limit, I have plenty of time to cross the intersection.". You should look at the car for a long enough time that you can also judge its speed and determine how long it will take to reach you before you decide whether it is safe to proceed.
I've also had impatient drivers tailgate me while I'm in the right lane, as they try to inch up enough to zoom back into the left lane. Maybe if we are in the right lane we should turn at the next intersection to let people pass as well?
That's actually what this man in question wound up doing. Switching lanes, slamming on brakes. All the way down the road.
__________________
When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
Looks like a 60/40 split in moving over or not--I wonder what the age demographic of the "fors" and "against" left lane passing is? I'll voice my opinion in taking sides with those who drive defensively and move over. However, I can also argue that moving over during rush hour isn't an option either, so if the right lane is backed up then I guess the OP had a point. Still, the OP "should" keep up with traffic in front of him/her as to not cause anymore backups. I feel that the unwritten rule should be to keep traffic moving in the left lane, meaning DO NOT drive the same speed at the right lane (as a courtesy to others) even if you have to speed to keep up. We've all seen these (as stated be others) "passive aggressive" types that block traffic trying to "police" it--you know who you are (especially those on this thread who have a problem with the left lane being the passing lane).
Btw, most drivers don't ride your a$$ unless you've "camped out" in a lane that is normally used for passing (there are some rare A-holes that automatically do this though). So by the time someone is riding your a$$, you've probably been so oblivious to your surroundings that he/she has been trying to pass for the last 3-4 miles--defensive driving is knowing what is going on at all times. When I do have one of these "oblivious to my surroundings" moments, I squash my ego and MOVE OVER.
I'm afraid that you're still missing the point. You do not approach an intersection, look at oncoming traffic, and say "That car is far away, if it was going the speed limit, I have plenty of time to cross the intersection.". You should look at the car for a long enough time that you can also judge its speed and determine how long it will take to reach you before you decided whether it is safe to proceed.
No, I'm afraid your missing my point - I am at that intersection every day and I can tell you that it's not easy to judge oncoming traffic. It's also not easy to find a gap in traffic to make a left turn, and I sometimes drive a couple miles out of my way to avoid it (especially during rush hour). I always err on the side of caution and don't pull out unless I'm 100% sure I can make the turn safely, which of course annoys the people waiting behind me.
I guess the moral of the story is - no matter what you do when you are driving, you are bound to **** off someone who knows better than you what you should be doing!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
