How do you deal with tailgaters?
#61
03-23-2007, 10:58 AM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: New England
Posts: 1,518
Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
What about the fact that if it had not been for the carpool lane benefit many like myself would not have bought a hybrid and would have continue to drive solo on the FWY. Thanks to this benefit alone I am now spending 45 minutes on hybrid instead of 1:30 minutes on my SUV. Look I am 28, I got my last speeding ticket 2 years ago, been there done that. The way I see it is that the legal speed limit is 65MPH +5 is reasonable, anything above that will be breaking the law. Why should I break the law just so you can go faster... keep in mind that in the carpool lane, you just can't move to the right lane. By the way the flow of traffic outside the carpool lane is 20MPH.
I don't care about people such as yourself that only bought the concept of the hybrid for HOV rights. It's pathetic.
#62
03-23-2007, 11:36 AM
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Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
I didn't get the impression Jeff was "mad" when passed by an uncourteous driver. As for HOV and express lanes, whatever happened to common sense? Flow-of-traffic is fine, but 85 mph, especially in bad weather conditions, is kind of risky, don't you think? In the safety of your car, does courtesy go out the window? The unfortunate thing is that many good drivers like those who post on this forum are injured/killed every year by those intent on mimicking a high-speed chase on the highway, solely to gain 30 feet in line at the next stop light or exit ramp. One of the few enjoyable things about high-volume traffic is having someone with the attitude demonstrated by the above qoute pass you--then seeing them pulled over 3 miles down the road.
#63
03-23-2007, 12:08 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 24
Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
Livvie
3
Hi Livvie didn't mean to make you angry but that was the initial reason, however be assured that because of it I have become a LOT more concern, aware, and active in a lot of the issues such as the enviroment that us hybrid drivers share.
So don't be angry and support any legislation that might encourage people to drive hybrids. I was so glad when I pick up my car and found out that I didn't need to plug it in...
If more people knew more about hybrids more people woud drive them, lets do whatever it takes to get more on the road.
I don't care about people such as yourself that only bought the concept of the hybrid for HOV rights. It's pathetic.
Hi Livvie didn't mean to make you angry but that was the initial reason, however be assured that because of it I have become a LOT more concern, aware, and active in a lot of the issues such as the enviroment that us hybrid drivers share.
So don't be angry and support any legislation that might encourage people to drive hybrids. I was so glad when I pick up my car and found out that I didn't need to plug it in...
If more people knew more about hybrids more people woud drive them, lets do whatever it takes to get more on the road.
#64
03-23-2007, 02:41 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: New England
Posts: 1,518
Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
Livvie
3
Hi Livvie didn't mean to make you angry but that was the initial reason, however be assured that because of it I have become a LOT more concern, aware, and active in a lot of the issues such as the enviroment that us hybrid drivers share.
So don't be angry and support any legislation that might encourage people to drive hybrids. I was so glad when I pick up my car and found out that I didn't need to plug it in...
If more people knew more about hybrids more people woud drive them, lets do whatever it takes to get more on the road.
3
Hi Livvie didn't mean to make you angry but that was the initial reason, however be assured that because of it I have become a LOT more concern, aware, and active in a lot of the issues such as the enviroment that us hybrid drivers share.
So don't be angry and support any legislation that might encourage people to drive hybrids. I was so glad when I pick up my car and found out that I didn't need to plug it in...
If more people knew more about hybrids more people woud drive them, lets do whatever it takes to get more on the road.
I meant to say the legislation is pathetic. I'm not angry with people taking advantage of this. Furthermore, I meant to say that I don't agree with such legislation because it sends the wrong impression about hybrids IMO. I believe incentives such as the HOV sticker hurt the advancements of the actual hybrid technology because manufacturers don't have to put forth the effort in making a hybrid attractive by itself.
Last edited by livvie; 03-23-2007 at 02:54 PM.
#65
03-23-2007, 02:48 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: New England
Posts: 1,518
Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
I didn't get the impression Jeff was "mad" when passed by an uncourteous driver. As for HOV and express lanes, whatever happened to common sense? Flow-of-traffic is fine, but 85 mph, especially in bad weather conditions, is kind of risky, don't you think? In the safety of your car, does courtesy go out the window? The unfortunate thing is that many good drivers like those who post on this forum are injured/killed every year by those intent on mimicking a high-speed chase on the highway, solely to gain 30 feet in line at the next stop light or exit ramp. One of the few enjoyable things about high-volume traffic is having someone with the attitude demonstrated by the above qoute pass you--then seeing them pulled over 3 miles down the road.
I agree with 2 statements in this thread.
1. If you are being tailgated and you made the effort to let the driver by and that driver doesn't go by... then tough luck on the tailgator (get a life).
2. If you are holding up traffic because you want to travel at a speed that isn't with the flow of traffic (or for any other reason) and are not in the slow lane, shame on you. Weather being perfect or otherwise, stay right unless passing.
#67
03-23-2007, 04:29 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: So. California
Posts: 1,120
Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
I tell them that I average 62.9 MPG in my hybrid and the get so jealous.
#68
03-23-2007, 05:25 PM
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Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
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Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
______PZEV____LEV II___Difference
NOx___0.02____0.07___3.5 PZEV vehicles = 1 LEV II vehicle
NMOG_ 0.01____0.09___9 PZEV vehicles = 1 LEV II vehicle
CO____1.0_____4.2____4 PZEV vehicles = 1 LEV II vehicle
PM____0.01____0.01____Equal
HCHO__0.004___0.018__4.5 PZEV vehicles = 1 LEV II vehicle
Yes, the HCHII, with just the driver, pollutes less per person than any SUV with a driver and a passenger.
As for your other comments, I was not impeding the flow of traffic. Re-read my note... I said that when the guy exited, there was no one behind him. Further, as Hybrid Glider pointed out, you can't just easily move over... the other lanes are much slower. So what am I supposed to do... slow down to 30 mph to fit into the left "regular" lane to let this guy pass, then zoom back up to 70? And at what speed am I NOT required to do this? 80 MPH? 90 MPH? Sorry... but if I'm already doing 70, it becomes the tailgater's problem.
Last edited by Anahymbrid; 03-23-2007 at 05:29 PM.
#69
03-23-2007, 07:07 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 441
Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
I deal with this alot as my drive to work is mostly along a straight two-lane road where the speed limit is 45. It has a few stop lights on it that you can see from quite a distance. I REFUSE to step on the gas when the light is red ahead (such a waste of gas) but other than that, I do drive the speed limit or 5 over. Apparently this is not good enough. I get illegally passed ALL the time and yesterday got cussed out and flipped off by a school bus driver.
I don't know. I realize there's nothing that I can actually do except accomodate the ones that I can and let the rest do whatever they're gonna do. Still, it gets me steamed from time to time. Is it really worth the risk of taking out somebody's kid to get to work one or two minutes early? When did driving the limit become such a bizarre thing to do?
#70
03-23-2007, 07:24 PM
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 9
Re: How do you deal with tailgaters?
The California Vehicle Code would argue that it is everybody's job to yield the right of way to faster traffic, regardless of speed.
Those of you that feel justified for whatever reason not to yield are the most dangerous drivers on the road, a major contributor to road congestion, unsafe driving conditions, and air pollution.
If you are overtaken by another driver in the lane you are driving in, you must move the the right lane at the first available safe opportunity regardless if you are in HOV or any other lane. Not only is it the law, it is the sensible safe, and intelligent thing to do.
What is not your job is to impede the traffic flow because of your own standards.
Remember: Don't be a dumbass, use the left lane only to pass!
Those of you that feel justified for whatever reason not to yield are the most dangerous drivers on the road, a major contributor to road congestion, unsafe driving conditions, and air pollution.
If you are overtaken by another driver in the lane you are driving in, you must move the the right lane at the first available safe opportunity regardless if you are in HOV or any other lane. Not only is it the law, it is the sensible safe, and intelligent thing to do.
What is not your job is to impede the traffic flow because of your own standards.
Remember: Don't be a dumbass, use the left lane only to pass!
