I’ll start. Stopping distance.
My commute is 95 miles one way to work, so I see a lot of the highway, in the rural part of the US. This means traveling at 70+ mph (112km/h) for almost the entirety of the drive. The amount of other drivers on the road who follow behind someone else with less than a car’s length in front of them because they want to go 20+ over the speed limit is ridiculous. The only time you ever follow someone that close is if you have complete and absolute trust in them, and also understand that it may not even be enough.
For a daily drive, you likely need 2-3 car lengths between you at minimum depending on your speed to accurately avoid hitting the brakes. This doesn’t even take into account the lack of understanding of engine braking…
What concepts do you all think of when it comes to driving that you feel are not well understood by the public at large?
Move the fuck to the right. Always drive in the right lane unless overtaking. If overtaking, do it then get the fuck back to the right. It’s not the “slow lane” and “fast lane”, it’s the driving lane and overtaking lane.
Sure just don’t be the guy riding my ass when I AM passing everyone in the right lane but aparently not fast enough for you.
This is generally the situation that prompted my post. When I pass on the left, I will speed up compared to the rest of the traffic flow before moving back to the right, but I still leave plenty of room just in case I need to stop or slow down. People behind me or in front of me don’t usually tend to do that.
I hate seeing a clump of like 3-4 cars in front of me all bunched together hitting their brakes in series because they didn’t leave room between them while the guy in front is already doing 80mph or something.
This. So much this.
There are so many signs on U.S. highways and interstates that say, “keep right except to pass”. It’s literally the law in most states.
Don’t be polite, be predictable.
This one. I live in the Netherlands and I walk our little kids to school. So I try to teach them the rules of the road. But then every motherfucker stops all the time to let us through because little kids. I know you’re all thinking “that’s considerate and safe” but really it’s infuriating. Be careful around children? Of course! Stop all traffic and insist on waving us through whether we want to or not? NO
Same thing happens to me when I ride a bike, especially with kids on the back. I’ve resorted to aggressively shaking my head “no” and gesturing that they have the right of way and need to fucking take it already.
It’s especially infuriating when the car could’ve gone before I even reached the stop sign but didn’t, so it forces me to come to a complete stop and put my foot down. It would’ve been faster for both of us if they’d just take their turn!
I’d suggest stopping at stop signs regardless of whether a car driver is trying to wave you through.
What I meant is that I have to put my foot down and wait instead of doing a quick track stand while looking both ways.
Fair enough. I was getting “run through the stop sign if you think you can get away with it” vibes, but it sounds like that’s not what you actually do.
As a rider, my nightmare is cars running me over just to be ornery.
As a driver, my nightmare is hitting cyclists who aren’t following traffic rules.
In both cases, I’m always disappointed at how many people – in both roles! – ignore traffic rules.
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Eh, I’d rather drivers be extra careful rather than run the risk of a car accident. Good on you for teaching your kids, but not every kid is taught to be predictable too.
My issue with people stopping for us when they shouldn’t is that it teaches the kids that cars will always stop for you. That’s not really what you want them to learn.
Or another way to say that is:
Being predictable is being polite
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Signal BEFORE you switch lanes. Like enough time for other drivers to see it before you make your move. Also, turn off your signal if it doesn’t automatically. I don’t understand how people don’t notice the continuous ticking and flashing light and just keep going as usual.
To add on to that, signal BEFORE turning! I see so many drivers signal just when the lights go green and they are about to turn.
The point of signalling is to notify other drivers and pedestrians, not for yourself!
You signal before BREAKING
I know you meant “braking,” but I’m imagining someone in an absolute shitbox going “ah, there’s my axle about to fall off again” and hitting their hazards or something lmao
Man even when I accidentally do that when I last minute realize I need to turn or switch lanes even i cringe and do everything I can to make sure I don’t do that again
Signal the intent not the event!
And give those assholes in the other lane a chance to block my lane change? I don’t think so.
/s
Taking your foot off the gas and slowing down gradually when you see a red light ahead. People seem to floor it up to the light then stop as quickly as possible.
But think of the 1 extra second they gained so they can sit at the light!
This is mostly due to the fact that yellow lights have an inconsistent amount of on time.
EDIT: My mistake, the comment I replied to was not talking about when a red just turns. My bad.
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In the US, the Federal Highway Administration has standards for yellow lights, speaking on this topic though. Many places don’t bother to follow these, however.
There’s a light where I’m at that is always red unless the sensors detect vehicles, then the light turns green just long enough for 1 maybe 2 vehicles to pass the street, then goes to yellow for less than a full second and then is red. Drives me nuts.
People can’t downshift anymore
I love having an automatic that still allows me to manually change gears. Engine braking is highly misunderstood and under-utilized as a driving mechanic now, and that’s a little sad, in my opinion.
Nobody knows how to coast. I still drive like I have a manual.
My father used to do that at red lights and stop signs. There was a street we’d go down to get out of our neighborhood that had two stop signs, one at the end of each intersection and the second intersection ended in a T. He’d turn at the first stop sign, then floor it to the second and slam on the breaks at the last second. It was a long block, but it was still just a block. Always scared the shit out of me. He’d do it other places too, and that was also scary, but this was really terrifying, especially in the winter.
But please also don’t crawl to the line like a snail. I have a start-stop engine, I want to full stop as soon as I can.
Coasting is one thing.
But slowly coming to a standstill, literal a few seconds per meter, just to conserve that 1% momentum is dumb as well.
Especially when the cars behind you are trying to move to a different lane so they can turn and you are blocking them because you think you are “saving energy”.
You’re supposed to accelerate as you merge onto the highway. Not stop and wait for an opening
And if you are already on the highway, don’t try to match the speed of the person merging. Ffs, speed up so they can get behind you. They may not be able to overtake you even if you slow down, and that’s not how it’s supposed to work anyway.
For a daily drive, you likely need 2-3 car lengths between you at minimum depending on your speed
It’s not car lengths, it’s seconds. You need roughly 2 seconds between you and the person in front of you. That gives you time to react and emergency brake if needed. At 70mph, 2 seconds is a little over 200 feet, not 3 car lengths. Average reaction time is about .75 seconds; you see something, and you start reacting to that thing–not you finish reacting–in .75 seconds. At 70mph, you will travel 75 feet before you can even realize that you need to get your foot off the gas and hit the brakes.
2 sec is not practical in daily driving in busy city. It is correct if there is some car stopped there then you need completely stop. People take the risk and follow closer because usually everyone brake so give you more time/distance.
But if there’s a road hazard hidden by the vehicle in front of you, or a person/animal steps out onto the road, if something falls off the vehicle ahead of you (note that I have had an entire wheel go through my windshield when it fell off the car ahead of me; good times), then you just aren’t going to have enough tie to do anything.
This is true. When I say “minimum” I should have been more clear, I usually leave a pretty sizable amount of room in front of me. It’s also nice to not have to worry about people merging right in front of me at the last second due to them not being prepared
I mean duh. People use car lengths because it’s easier to visualise than seconds.
The trick I learned was to watch their shadow pass a stationary object, then count how long until you pass it. Way easier than trying to visualize two car lengths
Say in your head “Only a fool, breaks the two second rule”. Takes about two seconds to say
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am i stupid or how would the person behind you see your windscreen being wiped, or at least notice it?
At high speeds, spraying your windshield will result in some overspray from the wind, meaning the person behind you gets their windshield sprinkled with drops of washer fluid
ohh ok thanks
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i see
While that guy’s response to you was completely unacceptable, you should know that there are several reasons not to use the wiper fluid while moving: it obstructs your view of the road for a period of time, in most cases you can and should use the wiper fluid before you start driving (I realize this is not possible if the windshield gets dirty in transit), and it’s inconsiderate to other drivers - you don’t have to be tailgating someone to be hit with their dirty soap spray and in general it’s best not to piss people off on the road if you can avoid it.
It may be unreasonable to ask someone to pull off a highway to use their wiper fluid every time they hit a bug, but it isn’t unreasonable to ask someone to consider waiting until there is some free space behind them and it isn’t unreasonable to ask them to wait until they are at a stop sign or stop light (if one is coming up).
Bro if my ass can’t see I’m not waiting until there’s space behind me to use my wiper fluid. I don’t have a waterfall coming down in the front you can usually see through it. What kinda car you got that pours a bucket of water down the front of your window
As I already mentioned, I’m not talking about situations where your windshield is suddenly obstructed since that situation is especially rare, so if you can see clearly enough to drive safely in the first place, then you can see clearly enough to evaluate your surroundings.
It seems obvious to me that spraying your windshield with soap obstructs your view for a moment, but I’ll admit that the occlusion is likely variable depending on the make and model.
I stand by the claim that it is safer to not use your wiper fluid while moving when possible. If you disagree, that’s okay. It’s a pretty minor point - there are many other driving habits that are far worse in my opinion.
The passing lane is for passing.
I know, I know… tough to understand, what with the fact that the lane is named after what it is meant for and all.
The passing lane is for passing, but if someone is passing at 65 mph and you want to pass at 75 mph, you do not get special super duper passing privileges. Calm down and drive empathetically.
In the state of Georgia it is illegal to be the slow thing in the fast lane. You are required to move over for faster traffic.
Same in Tennessee.
In fact, if you are in the left lane, you are supposed to pass, then move over to the right as soon as there is a reasonable gap in traffic. When people do not do this, the traffic behind them is allowed to create an audible signal to indicate them to move over. If they do not, you are permitted to pass on the right if there is ample room.
You won’t ever see a state trooper pulling left lane hoggers though…
Maybe in theory but I’ve never seen that enforced in the 30+ years I’ve lived here.
What if you’re driving the speed limit? Is it illegal to be the slow one when you’re driving the limit and others want to go faster?
It’s still better to make way and switch to the right lane to let them pass even if you are already driving at speed limit, imo.
Avoids people tailgating you or weaving between traffic, both of which risk causing bigger accidents.In Tennessee where I live, you must not impede the flow of traffic. If everyone else is doing 80, 85, etc MPH, and you merge over into the left lane to pass, but you go 70? You are breaking the law if there are drivers behind you still going that higher speed and they have to slow down or hit their brakes because of you.
Additionally, if you do not move to the right as soon as you are able to, they are supposed to audibly signal to you (honk) to move over, and if you don’t, they are permitted to pass on the right.
The flow of traffic thing applies to the right lane too, just doesn’t come up as often.
Which law is that? I was curious, and looked it up, and only found the “slow poke” law, which says that you have to be passing in the passing lane, but does not grant an exception to the speed limit.
I’m referring to the 2021 Tennessee Code Title 55-8-154
First part of it is:
“ No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.”
I guess I misread the law when I was researching this a while back, which is my mistake
Yes, you could simultaneously be ticketed for both speeding and impeding traffic.
That is pretty much true everywhere. Doesn’t mean it actually happens and almost no one gets pulled over for it, which only encourages people to plant their asses in the passing lane and go the same speed as everyone else (which is entirely not it’s purpose).
The passing lane is for passing.
I know, I know… tough to understand, what with the fact that the lane is named after what it is meant for and all.
I didn’t actually know this was a thing until recently. I’ve always heard people call it “the fast lane”
If you have a 4 lane highway, it goes:
L: Passing LM: Fast Lane RM: Cruising Lane R: Entrance/Exit lane
If you have 3:
L: Passing M: Fast Lane/Cruising R: Cruising/Exit
If you have 2:
L: Passing R: Cruising/Exit
There is always a passing only lane specifically for creating the opportunity for others to move around slow or stopped traffic, and for emergency vehicles to (in theory) have a clear path. Most people treat this as a fast lane though, and moreover, most driver’s tests do not ask you about this.
No it isn’t.
Right lane is the driving lane. Every other lane is a passing lane.
Unless you are passing someone, you drive in the most right lane.
That… doesn’t work for most multi-lane highways. For a 2 lane highway, yes. But you try driving in a city with a 4 lane highway with on ramps and exits all over the right lane and you’ll see why everybody who is not entering or exiting and just wants to go at a constant speed is a problem.
So they cruise in the next lane over. There is still another two lanes for them to pass. Technically, the “fast lane” is just another term for “long term passing,” as in they’re going faster than the other traffic for a long period of time… passing them in the process. They’ll move over when they are able to.
Ever see signs that say “TRUCKS USE RIGHT TWO LANES” and such? There’s a reason it’s not just the rightmost.
People don’t realise how little time they save by speeding and weaving in and out of traffic.
Just chill. You can spend 20 minutes relaxed and comfy, or 19 minutes gripping your wheel with white knuckles, screaming at grandmas and jacking off at red lights.
Choose wisely.
It is quite satisfying to amble up next to them at the next light… And the one after that… And the one after that.
Edit: I don’t recommend rolling down the window and shouting “IT’S NOT WORKING! WEAVE HARDER! WEAVE HARDER!” at them. I think about it, but I don’t recommend it.
I’ll admit it took me way too long to learn this one, but man, commuting is so much less stressful when you can take a zen approach and accept that 95% of your travel time is out of your control. Focus on some music or a podcast you enjoy and you probably won’t even care if it takes you an extra minute or two to get there.
I was a bus driver for 7 years. It’s hilarious when I’m driving this gigantic goliath and some speed demon winds up at the same light at the same time multiple times trying to be in the Fast and the Furious. Traffic don’t work like that. Chill out and you help everyone. Including yourself.
I agree.
But some people are really irritating to drive behind. So sometimes overtaking them is the only way to have a zen commute.
That’s a different thing. Normally people who are annoying are not safe.
100%. If I see a driver sifting back and forth over the edges of both sides of their lanes, I’m 100% going to stay backed rn further than I usually do. Until I have a clear shot to pass them, and them I’m going to slip by as quickly as possible and get some distance, because there is no way I’m sitting behind a wreck waiting to happen for a whole drive.
I look at it this way: I speed and weave on the highway, and save 5 minutes on my 35 minute commute. That’s one way. So 10 minutes per day, five days a week. That’s 50 minutes I save per week. 50 weeks per year, so I save 2,500 minutes or almost 42 hours a year. That’s basically a weeks worth of work I’m not in traffic.
Worth it.
I should mention that I ride a motorcycle half the year, but don’t weave in my cage, because I’m not a complete asshole. I still speed no matter what I’m driving, but not excessively
the average is 2 minutes a week I’m afraid
what people forget is you can make up a couple of minutes on the highway at best, but most destinations will be on residential streets, which are controlled with traffic lights, and then you have to find a parking spot, lock the car, walk to the destination…
I’m totally on board with you but how long does it take you to lock your car lol
I drive a Marley n Marley
I didn’t invent the phrasing, but I think most of these things can be summed up as people not understanding that driving needs to be a cooperative team activity rather than a competition.
Yeah, that sounds about right.
Honestly I sometimes wish there were open racetracks that anybody could just go on and drive wild to get it out of their system or something
NurembergringNürburgring has entered the chat. Don’t mess up though. They’ll make you pay to fix the trackNürburgring
In the US, when you come to a multi-way stop, the person that stopped first goes first. If people stop simultaneously, then the person farthest to the right goes first.
Trying to wave someone through to be “polite” just snarls traffic patterns.
My mom always said, “don’t be polite. Be predictable.”
When you turn onto a multi-lane road, you turn into the closest lane. THEN you signal and change lanes. This is a big cause of accidents.
My huge pet peeve - I tell my wife that people blank out and try to ‘choose their own adventure’ rather than sticking to a single lane through the intersection.
It’s so wildly dangerous to change lanes in an intersection, but people find it easier to adopt a ‘fuck you’ mentality while driving. There was a similar post to his on reddit a few years ago, and when this was pointed out it rapidly devolved into name calling.
Damn shame driving is so integral to the layout of the US.
The left lane is a passing lane, not a I’m going to go 5 over speed limit and coast lane. Learn to move over to the right. Please and thank you.
Exactly. Keep right except to pass. Unless you’re actively passing people, you should be in a right or center lane moving at your speed.
I don’t know why this concept is so foreign to the people in my area. My favorite are the drivers I see enter the highway then immediately cross two lanes to get to the leftmost lane only to get passed on the right by the cars coming up behind them.
This is my second biggest driving pet peeve. My biggest is people who pull out from a side street right in front of me (often without stopping) when there is no one behind me and then proceed to go under the speed limit. Road rage ensues
I feel like drivers should be required to pass a driving test every few years just so it’s a mechanism to keep people’s bs habits like these in check and as a reminder that we don’t own the roads.
We should also update our driving laws and tests to catch bs like this, which is incredibly dangerous.
I’m with you on all of this.
I believe it used to be different, at least here in Belgium.
Driving below the maximum speed was right lane, driving the maximum speed is middle, and driving over the maximum speed was left lane.
Some people still believe it to be like that.
It doesn’t matter what the posted speed limit might be - in traffic, the correct speed to drive is the same speed as the majority of the cars around you.
In many states, there are laws specifically to “not impede the flow of traffic,” for this very reason. Please follow the general speed of other drivers, for your own and others safety…
Zip merges really show who the dumb drivers are.
I’m a european who happened to be driving from New Orleans to Houston today, and while there are a few minor things that annoy me about american traffic, seeing miserable attempts at zipper merge on Sam Houston today was what caused me to swear out loud, something I don’t do very often.
EDIT: One thing I do like about driving here, though, is the right-on-red rules.
Beat me to it. People try to jam themselves into traffic right at the bottom of the ramp causing a snarl as opposed to using the acceleration lane. It’s fucking maddening
Come to Pennsylvania, we don’t have acceleration lanes on most of our on ramps. It’s nuts!
I lived in Philly for years. Traffic was gnarly.
My absolute favorite were the ramps in downtown Chicago that just yeeted you right into highway traffic
That’s not zipper merging. That’s just poor merging. I guess technically you can zipper merge on a ramp if there is traffic, and like you said you’d want to use the whole acceleration lane even though you won’t be accelerating in traffic.
Zipper merging is when 2 lanes goes down to 1 lane
It is better for all cars to use both lanes completely until it gets down to 1 lane.
People don’t understand it in the US.
If a mile down the road you see it going to 1 lane. You shouldn’t try to merge over soon. You should drive all the way down in your lane and merge at the last moment.
But you’ll get a mile long single file line of cars and the few cars that pass are considered assholes trying to cut to the front.
If you broke up that mile long single file line and had two 1/2 mile lines in 2 lanes that zipper merged. Everyone would get through the bottleneck faster.
