driving epiphany
#31
09-13-2014, 06:11 AM
Sorry DRP, but although you write well, I don't think you are communicating well. Your follow-up post comes off as arrogant, and I still think you failed to make a valid point.
#33
09-13-2014, 07:49 AM
Somewhat-related story this AM, I went into work late, around 10:00 or so, and I'm in very light traffic with some old woman (my age 
) in a POS Honda. At every light, she moves over into the other lane that isn't occupied. She's been following me for a while, obviously she's not going faster than the ***** in the Porsche, but at every light she takes the "free" lane where there's not a car (me) in front of her. It must be some kind of habit with her, like, just in case that Porsche guy decides to drive slow. He ain't. And she was really slow too, so it's not like she was driving faster than most traffic. I see this a lot, and it usually happens in front of me (annoying me greatly). It's necessary to just take a chill pill.
) in a POS Honda. At every light, she moves over into the other lane that isn't occupied. She's been following me for a while, obviously she's not going faster than the ***** in the Porsche, but at every light she takes the "free" lane where there's not a car (me) in front of her. It must be some kind of habit with her, like, just in case that Porsche guy decides to drive slow. He ain't. And she was really slow too, so it's not like she was driving faster than most traffic. I see this a lot, and it usually happens in front of me (annoying me greatly). It's necessary to just take a chill pill.The other point to make is that if you think the average driver recognizes or cares what type car they pull out in front of you're most likely mistaken. It's not done intentionally to slow down the performance cars. It's just the belief their milliseconds are more valuable than those of on coming drivers. Nobody likes to make trips longer than needed, but the definition of the expected duration of a given trip varies from driver to driver. If you're in more of a hurry than most other drivers you're going to battle more traffic and most likely be more upset (if that upsets you). I often choose the path of least resistance which gives me more uninterrupted driving, even if it means slower speeds.
Moving from Germany to the US in 2009 I had to place car handling above speed in my list of what thrills. It's very rare to hit triple digits in the states during day to day driving. In Germany I did that practically every time I was behind the wheel. Now all the thrills have to come at much lower speeds (for me anyway).
#34
09-13-2014, 09:11 AM
After the slew of replies condemning my post, I had my wife read it and she immediately declared that I gave the wrong impression of me as a driver.
I go under the posted limits in town centers and I drive very slow in parking lots. I never speed in a neighborhood where kids might be found playing in the road. Our daughter is in 1st grade and people consistently drive over 50 (especially during the wee hours) on our 35 mph road. It's bothersome to say the least. When I mentioned speeding where landscaping trucks stop I had a particular type of road in mind. Almost daily I drive a road with 7,500+ sq. ft. homes on multi acre lots with very long driveways no sidewalks at all in a forested rural setting atop a mountain ledge. The speed limit on this road is 25. It's hilly and has many bends. Over the crests and around the bends often sit stationary landscaping trucks. It's simply unsafe. Its a motor vehicle violation to park in the road as is traveling below 40 mph on a highway.
Anyway. I was clearly preaching to the wrong choir with my post. I am not what you would call a reckless driver. In fact, I haven't had a point on my license since 2002. I am a PCA CVR member in the yellow run group (it took 2 track days to get promoted from green). I heel toe downshift with the sport exhaust and going down into 1st gear usually happens at approx. 5-10 mph. Rev matching on a downshift is not wrong or indicative of speeding in any way (although I get dirty looks all the time doing it at legal speeds).
What motivated me to write the post is the nonsensical driving I see on a daily basis, and what I perceive to be the undercurrent for the establishment of this driving as the norm - which is the systematic efforts of legislatures to demonize speed. Frankly, some of the replies seem to vindicate this theory.
Ask any traffic cop and they will tell you that you can be found at fault for an accident for a host of reasons; to wit following too close, failure to observe a stop sign or red light or failing to yield the right of way, but you absolutely cannot be found at fault for a motor vehicle collision for speeding. It's an aggravating circumstance not a cause of an accident.
So, as I said in closing before and meant it,
Safe Motoring
DRP
I go under the posted limits in town centers and I drive very slow in parking lots. I never speed in a neighborhood where kids might be found playing in the road. Our daughter is in 1st grade and people consistently drive over 50 (especially during the wee hours) on our 35 mph road. It's bothersome to say the least. When I mentioned speeding where landscaping trucks stop I had a particular type of road in mind. Almost daily I drive a road with 7,500+ sq. ft. homes on multi acre lots with very long driveways no sidewalks at all in a forested rural setting atop a mountain ledge. The speed limit on this road is 25. It's hilly and has many bends. Over the crests and around the bends often sit stationary landscaping trucks. It's simply unsafe. Its a motor vehicle violation to park in the road as is traveling below 40 mph on a highway.
Anyway. I was clearly preaching to the wrong choir with my post. I am not what you would call a reckless driver. In fact, I haven't had a point on my license since 2002. I am a PCA CVR member in the yellow run group (it took 2 track days to get promoted from green). I heel toe downshift with the sport exhaust and going down into 1st gear usually happens at approx. 5-10 mph. Rev matching on a downshift is not wrong or indicative of speeding in any way (although I get dirty looks all the time doing it at legal speeds).
What motivated me to write the post is the nonsensical driving I see on a daily basis, and what I perceive to be the undercurrent for the establishment of this driving as the norm - which is the systematic efforts of legislatures to demonize speed. Frankly, some of the replies seem to vindicate this theory.
Ask any traffic cop and they will tell you that you can be found at fault for an accident for a host of reasons; to wit following too close, failure to observe a stop sign or red light or failing to yield the right of way, but you absolutely cannot be found at fault for a motor vehicle collision for speeding. It's an aggravating circumstance not a cause of an accident.
So, as I said in closing before and meant it,
Safe Motoring
DRP
I didn't read the responses to your post as demonizing speed, just pointing out that the circumstances of speeding matter greatly. I've said in other posts, and I'd guess you'd agree, the average driver is not overly capable AND has no idea about your (or your car's) real capability. That can lead to some of the situations you describe. In the final analysis, the right place for speed is on a track.
Now let's all be careful out there....
#35
09-13-2014, 09:15 AM
Re: changing lanes at a traffic light. I do my best to travel in the rightmost lane unless overtaking. However, I always make an exception if coming to a red light where right turns are permitted on red. If the right lane is empty and I'm proceeding straight, I'll move left to allow people behind me to make the right on red and therefore not unduly delay traffic.
#36
09-13-2014, 10:22 AM
Wow, imagine if I told you about missing the Gun Turret option for my pick up. I keep telling my wife the roads would be safer if I had one. Then when a vehicle cuts me off entering from the right, and immediately flips on the left blinker and stops in the middle of the lane, having the roof top cannon, I could solve the issue. This would also be the perfect solution for the landscape trailer. Damn, next time I'll look closer at the options list.
Dan from Utopia
Dan from Utopia
#37
09-13-2014, 11:35 AM
Re: changing lanes at a traffic light. I do my best to travel in the rightmost lane unless overtaking. However, I always make an exception if coming to a red light where right turns are permitted on red. If the right lane is empty and I'm proceeding straight, I'll move left to allow people behind me to make the right on red and therefore not unduly delay traffic.
#38
09-16-2014, 04:01 PM
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: connecticut
Posts: 580
Rep Power: 50 
+1 Exactly what motivated me to post in the first place.
Yesterday I saw another egregious example of driving that is facilitated by excessively low speed limits... Checking the mailbox from your car, stopped in the road facing oncoming traffic on a one lane road. The s^it you see in a 25 zone....
DRP
Yesterday I saw another egregious example of driving that is facilitated by excessively low speed limits... Checking the mailbox from your car, stopped in the road facing oncoming traffic on a one lane road. The s^it you see in a 25 zone....
DRP
#39
09-16-2014, 04:16 PM
I am so glad I am not living in the Northeast for all the aggressive driving going on there.
Last edited by naples991; 09-16-2014 at 04:21 PM.
#40
09-16-2014, 06:35 PM
You may as well be in the northeast. You're in God's waiting room where northeasterners go to die.
#41
09-16-2014, 07:02 PM
I'm not from this hell hole so Texas can kiss my A too. Florida can too for that matter. Unfortunately too many people put non-specific 991 posts on here. Standard ignorance.
K--- M- A--
#43
09-16-2014, 07:24 PM
I was only toying with the poor lad. What caused him to get defensive? It's very accurate northeasterners retire to Florida in measurable numbers. They sure don't return.
#44
09-17-2014, 05:27 AM
I don't understand. Is it a one lane road, or a one-way road? If it's the former, then how would you go around them even if they were on the correct side?
