As posted by someone else on another BBS that I posted the original link to:
"Certainly the Camaro driver caused the accident...but the pickup driver could have prevented the accident, and chose not to."
I think that’s a correct statement.
No doubt. The Camaro driver was a wreck looking for a place to happen and the pickup driver decided to help him find a good location.
Unfortunately, this kind of scene is played out countless times every day all across the country and in most cases doesn’t end up in a wreck like this due to sheer luck, the grace of God, or whatever.
"Certainly the Camaro driver caused the accident...but the pickup driver could have prevented the accident, and chose not to."
Absolutely correct.
Defensive driving involves doing what you can to reduce the possibility of a collision, and that includes things like not blocking the passing lane, and not taunting drivers who are already displaying reckless behavior.
Driving slowly in the left lane is rampant here in MA and NH. It’s the #1 complaint among commuters. They also say it’s one of the leading causes of road rage…I don’t doubt it. I’ve been very frustrated with these jerks who just sit in the left lane not passing anyone…now everyone has to somehow go around these jerks on the right…then there’s the group that won’t let you pass…once the right lane is clear to pass them…they’ll speed up to over 100 until they come across someone in the right lane doing 65…then they’ll slow down to 66…and take several miles to finally pass…then speed up again.
“Driving slowly in the left lane is rampant here in MA and NH”
Imagine a string of cameras spaced every half mile or so.
Pattern recognition software could identify cars loitering in the left lane and take freeze frames.
A human reviewer picks out the valid cases and a ticket (and photos) is mailed to the car owner, much like red light and speed cameras.
“Driving slowly in the left lane is rampant here in MA and NH”. So is driving way over the speed limit.
I drive a lot in those states, and frequently find myself in the left lane, doing my usual speed limit+5, passing someone moving at a slower speed. But not passing quickly enough, apparently, as sometimes I will see someone come up behind me and them move over two lanes to pass on the right.
Well, sorry, but I don’t drive faster than speed limit+5, and if I’m passing someone at that speed, and someone wants to pass me, they have to wait.
b
The cameras could catch someone who drives mile after mile in the left lane beside the same car,
with traffic piling up behind them.
The cameras could catch someone who drives mile after mile in the left lane beside the same car, with traffic piling up behind them.
In MA and NH…they don’t seem to care. I’ve seen people driving in the left lane all the time…along with state troopers passing them on the right…completely ignoring them and not pulling them over.
If only that Camaro had been orange with 01 on the door, then the vast majority of the public would understand who they were dealing with and give those boys all the room they wanted to get away from Cletus.
"In MA and NH....they don't seem to care. I've seen people driving in the left lane all the time..along with state troopers passing them on the right...completely ignoring them and not pulling them over."
Then those troopers might want to emulate our NJ State Troopers…
(Warning: Some obscene language toward the end of the video.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZhdvl_P1Zc
^Don’t forget, though, that “lane discipline” really is only applicable when traffic is light enough that there are GAPS in traffic, and one can switch lanes more or less at will.
When rush-hour congestion makes for two or more solid streams of traffic (regardless of whether or not traffic is at a standstill) you pretty much are resigned to pick a lane and hope fortune favors you.
@VDCdriver I got a kind of a chuckle out of the trooper coaxing that driver over but isn’t that trooper doing a no-no?
They’re at freeway speeds and that trooper looks to be excessively close to the driver. What if the driver panics, brake checks, the trooper rams them, and there’s a massive pileup?
Wouldn’t it have been safer for the trooper to get up beside them, get their attention, and motion them over or to speed up?
I agree, the trooper was tailgating.
b
Forty years ago in California CHIPS would use their bull horn to inform driver to move to the right when traffic was behind them. Even when driving at 10 mph over the speed limit they insisted on me moving to the right. They seemed to think that blocking the fast lane was a greater problem than speeding. At that time the posted limit was 55, or as the truckers called it “double nickels.”
I remember the first time I was in the L.A. area and me and a buddy decided to go up on the Sunset Strip; just to see what it’s all about. (Not much as we discovered unless a crowd of dopers cheering some guy on to jump from a 3rd floor balcony is considered sport…)
Once I was on the freeway doing 55 in the far right lane a CHP trooper pulls up beside me and motions me hgher with his hand. Looking down at the speedp I was good and thought ?. After looking back at him he motioned again so I picked the speed up again to which he nodded.
He motioned several more times until I was doing 70 in the far right lane, gave me a thumbs up, final nod, and sped off.
The traffic was actually light so it’s not like I was holding anyone up.
ok4450: that was very strange. And what if he (or the trooper behind him) had then given you a speeding ticket?
@“Donald Duck” if all the evidence is available, and the Camaro driver survived, he could be very well brought on felony charges, let alone loose his licence. Assuming he was obeying the speed limit, the only real innocence in this mess is the tractor trailer driver.
As far as " flashing a heater" around is concerned, you are right, that could easily be construed as criminal threatening and always seems to escalate the situation as does using an auto in a similar fashion. As far as being followed too closely, the best options are non aggressive which include getting out of the way or in situations where that is unsafe or impossible, putting on your flashers.
I think that blaming the traffic that gets in the way of aggressive drivers for the accidents that aggressive drivers cause is misplaced. Most jerks will find a way to blame their victims.