Back country passing....

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Riley

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Real question. What gives with people who refuse to be passed on back roads?

You know the folks doing exactly 2 or 3 under the limit, until you attempt to go around them at legal speed; who then accelerate to attempt to match your speed to prevent your pass? Not a few over, 15 to 20 over to get around them.

Not questionable, clear straight road, probably 2 miles of visibility, lights required but completely safe.

Who then tailgate and bright you for over twenty miles at significantly over the limit?

What gives? Is there some secret protocol that I need to know about that some how conveys an insult if such a pass occurs?

I'm serious about this, I had my young adult children in the car who are often vocal critics of my driving, who wanted to call 911.

I've noted it twice with drivers with MO plates. Are they so special they determine safe speed and can endanger anyone who disagrees with them? Amazing....
 

dennishoddy

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On our country roads, the ones driving 10mph below are just out cruising watching wildlife or something. Some of them even pull over to let us by.
When I had an 18 mile commute to the workplace before retiring, what you described was the norm.
Some people think they are road cops or something and need to control the flow of traffic. Two lane 95% of the way, one or two cars, (always the same two) would be driving 55-60 in a 65mph. Pass them, and they would start tailgating.
Coming home, we had a three mile stretch of 4 lane. You would see a big string of cars in front of you, join the string and do 55 all the way to the 4 lane, then the "pace car" would speed up to the speed limit as soon as they hit the 4 lane.
Used to make me mad, but after so many years of driving that road, I realized I only saved myself a couple of minutes getting home and the anger issues wasn't worth it. Just settled in, turned up the radio and enjoyed the drive.
 

Okie4570

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Frustrating as it is, you're still not supposed to exceed the speed limit when passing. Oklahoma in general is a frustrating place to drive.
 

NightShade

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The same thing happens to me on the interstate so it's not just country roads.
In fact today was behind someone doing five to seven under. Got in the lane to pass and got beside them and they were doing five to seven over so I couldn't pass. Meanwhile some jackwagon wanted to ride my bumper, like couldn't see the cars lights in the rearview mirror. After I get past the car who didn't want to let me get through they slowed down to five to seven under again.... It's irritating and it's constantly happening.

The other one is the person who will tailgate you in the right lane. I have the cruise set right at the limit generally 70 when this happens and they will ride you for miles like it's going to make me go faster. I kick the cruise off and slow down, they then whip out and stomp it, as soon as they start to move over I resume the cruise. Had one set while on 44 headed to Wichita Falls ride me till I was in the 40's and not go around, finally gave em some brake lights and they got off my tailgate. If you want to go faster and it's multiple lanes GO AROUND. You ride me and I am just liable to take and kick the cruise off and downshift.

The other one that irks me is the people who weave in and out to get one or two cars ahead or are just blowing your doors off passing but insist they are "going with the flow of traffic." Let me give a little lesson in that one "Flow" is directionality water "Flows" downhill while this can be at different speeds. What you need to be doing is the average velocity. If you are passing MANY more cars than you are being passed by yo are not traveling at the same average velocity of traffic.
 

dennishoddy

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When I was a kid, my dad got a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic in Ft Worth. At the time, the speed limit was 65, and he was doing exactly that. Traffic was moving at about 75-80. Cop told him he was the most dangerous vehicle on the road at that time. When traffic is flowing I drive with the flow.
 

NightShade

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When I was a kid, my dad got a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic in Ft Worth. At the time, the speed limit was 65, and he was doing exactly that. Traffic was moving at about 75-80. Cop told him he was the most dangerous vehicle on the road at that time. When traffic is flowing I drive with the flow.

And I would have fought that ticket. The interstate has a minimum and maximum. You must travel at the minimum speed and are not supposed to travel at a speed beyond the maximum. Generally there is a 20MPH disparity between them on the interstate. If my speed is within the same 20MPH of the average velocity of the rest of traffic I am within design parameters. If the speed of all traffic is very close it is much safer granted but it having some vehicles slower than others does not perform a great hindrance nor danger.
 

edl

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When I was a kid, my dad got a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic in Ft Worth. At the time, the speed limit was 65, and he was doing exactly that. Traffic was moving at about 75-80. Cop told him he was the most dangerous vehicle on the road at that time. When traffic is flowing I drive with the flow.

I had a guy tell me a story identical to that. Driving in left lane if I remember, doing speed limit, but traffic was going faster than speed limit. Got pulled over, ticket for, if I remember correctly, reckless driving. Driver protested, trooper said " fight it in court".
 

Larry Morgan

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When I was a kid, my dad got a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic in Ft Worth. At the time, the speed limit was 65, and he was doing exactly that. Traffic was moving at about 75-80. Cop told him he was the most dangerous vehicle on the road at that time. When traffic is flowing I drive with the flow.

This is absolutely true. While absolute speed matters to a point, your relative speed to the traffic average matters much more. Add to that the psychological effects of you being the slow guy aggravating everyone and likely making them more aggressive trying to get around you.

Some may not agree with it, but it's not how it "feels", it's the reality of the matter. Everyone here in TX assumes they are the fastest on the road, and just default to the left lane. It's mind numbingly infuriating. I've actually passed entire droves of people in the far right lane because no one will use it! They all think they belong on the left.

The other offenders are the people who ride bumper to bumper in rush hour traffic, not realizing they are contributing to the problem. In dense traffic, people need room to change lanes, move, etc. If you offer no buffer, every little thing sends out huge ripples backwards. Eventually it turns into the standing wave stop and start everyone is so familiar with. Coupling this with the planet-size jackweeds that think the on-ramp/exit only lanes are their personal expressway, which blocks it off for those who actually need to use it. Nobody has figured out that their "me first" mentality is actually slowing them down too. Probably never will either.

(/rant)
 

chuter

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Left/fast lane hogs doing the speed limit piss me off no end. I don't go much over the limit, but if you're not moving faster than the traffic in the right lane, then get over there.
 

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