ABSURD SPEEDING

[Dougw1515]

I've gotta system I employ from time to time. @ 70-75mph if I can't see your parking lights in my review mirror we're probably going to have problems. If, at those speeds, I can not see the front of your hood - yep... we're slowing down. If it get's to where I can not see your windshield wipers in my rearview mirror... You ain't gonna be a happy camper at all. All of that said with the understanding that short of tailgating the vehicle in front of me or the fact that I'm in the slowest lane provided, short of the break-down lane - I'm going fast as I can.

 

[Army 1911]

Germany, when I lived there, had a law that said in effect, if you get rear ended in the passing lane it is your fault.

 

[benenglish]

If you don't like people in the Houston area exceeding 100mph, stay off 99, especially north of town, especially at night.

To the OP, yes, in the greater Houston metro area the level of speeding you describe is common on certain roads at certain times.

 

[Younggun]

Yes I DID read the PO, and that is exactly why I said what I said.

Obviously, from carefully reading your PO, you were at some point driving too slow to be in the left lanes - you admitted as much. AND my hat is off to you for having the decency to realize it and have the consideration for others to move yourself out of the darned way.

This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine! I'll say again, it makes no difference what the posted speed limit says. It also makes no difference what speed the flow of traffic is going. If those in the left lanes want to go 100mph, that is thier business, not yours. You are not the self-elected police to reduce the left lane speeds.

Texas highways have signs that say the left lane is for passing only. If you're in the left lane and you're not making an effort to pass someone, then you are being a complete ass. And it causes a very dangerous situation.

It’s funny that you say people should ignore the danger caused by not following one traffic sign because they are not their business, but then say ignoring another sign you are causing a dangerous situation.


I don’t tend to speed or drive in the left lane. But I thought it was a little ironic that you chose to have different standards for highway signage.


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[Brains]

It was a long CONSTRUCTION ZONE; number of lanes open varied. I do “get out of the way ASAP” !

The question was “Has this DEGREE of speeding become usual?”

For those of you who want others to drive within "the rules", here's how you can help with that: Harris County Sheriff's office recruitment

To answer your question, yes - and it's pretty much always been whenever possible. The 610 Speedway it used to be called. The Beltway 8 race track. Ben speaks of 99, I take that way home every workday, and whenever possible the prevailing speed of the left lane column (barring any human pieces of garbage) is between 90 and 100 mph.

Youngun, I'll toss you a question. Do you honestly believe speed limit signs exist for safety reasons?

People who try to "influence" others' driving while behind the wheel of their own vehicle, not only are they hypocrites (let me guess, you don't want people telling you how many and what type of guns you can own right?) they are directly or indirectly responsible for a multitude of traffic issues. Think of traffic flow like water flow. If you introduce a restriction, the entire system feels it. If you slow even ONE person down, that causes a "pressure wave" to move backward through the column of traffic, and it gets worse as it moves. You slow down, the car behind you brakes, the car behind them brakes, each time adding more distance with each braking event becoming more sudden and powerful. Have you ever been cruising along and wondered why freeway traffic slows suddenly, even coming to a complete stop, yet when you get moving again there's no signs of why? It's people like you who interrupted the laminar flow of traffic. You're the asshole. You screwed up traffic for everyone, congratulations.

 

[TipBledsoe]

It was a long CONSTRUCTION ZONE; number of lanes open varied. I do “get out of the way ASAP” !

The question was “Has this DEGREE of speeding become usual?”

Your question became irrelevant when I realized that you are one of THEM.
You're getting my blood pressure up. I had to delete the response I had started to make because it was just too far over the top.
You are one of THEM. And that's what self-centered folks like you do. No regard for anyone else.

 

[slumpychuck]

I’m in Southeast Texas, near South Texas, for the first time in a few months.

Yesterday, on US59 approaching metro Houston, I was driving over limit, but vehicles kept tailgating & “pushing” for faster.

Even above posted construction zone limit by 22mph, they were passing me “like I was going backwards”.

This wasn’t just one or three, but numerous vehicles of all types. It was so bad that I just got way over to the right & slowed to the limit, like it or not.

I estimate that many were driving 100+ in the CONSTRUCTION ZONE.

is everyone crazy or what? I spent decades in Texas, but never experienced that, even on the DALLAS freeways.

This is extremely dangerous.

Please comment.

leVieux

The only good this post did was provide quality entertainment during our morning coffee. So, thank you for that.

 

[Bozz10mm]

If someone gets road rage from an internet post, what are they like on the highway?

 

[Dougw1515]

I dunno.... I'm on both beltways, I-610 and Sam Houston Tollway, fairly regular during the day and I simply do not see the conditions noted by the OP and others. I do not, if at all possible, travel on those roads during morning/afternoon rush hour but during rush hour is not physically possible to hit 100mph, or anything approaching that speed. I'm not on 59 much anymore though. Drove 99 between Baytown and the 799 exit on I-10 as well, pulling a boat @ 70-75 and seldom was passed or even saw another vehicle for that matter.

 

[SQLGeek]

Move over and get out of the way.

That's just the prudent thing to do driving in Houston. The speed limit in the city limit is 55 or 60 usually but few do that. Of course there's always the driver doing 15 under in the middle lanes...

It was a long CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Construction zones in this area are odd. They are put up for miles without any visible work being done and then left up forever. As a result, people have a habit of ignoring them.

Do you honestly believe speed limit signs exist for safety reasons?

I do because they address the lowest common denominator. Most don't need them to drive prudently and within their limits. But I truly believe some do.

 

[TreyG-20]

If someone gets road rage from an internet post, what are they like on the highway?

 

[slumpychuck]

If someone gets road rage from an internet post, what are they like on the highway?

I would imagine these are the same guys that op has just come to know.

 

[oldag]

I've gotta system I employ from time to time. @ 70-75mph if I can't see your parking lights in my review mirror we're probably going to have problems. If, at those speeds, I can not see the front of your hood - yep... we're slowing down. If it get's to where I can not see your windshield wipers in my rearview mirror... You ain't gonna be a happy camper at all. All of that said with the understanding that short of tailgating the vehicle in front of me or the fact that I'm in the slowest lane provided, short of the break-down lane - I'm going fast as I can.

If you are only doing 70-75, get out of the left lane.

 

[Dougw1515]

That's just the prudent thing to do driving in Houston. The speed limit in the city limit is 55 or 60 usually but few do that. Of course there's always the driver doing 15 under in the middle lanes...

You're not supposed to add those speeds, 55 + 60, together? Who knew?????

 

[Dougw1515]

If you are only doing 70-75, get out of the left lane.

I don't be in the left lane only doing 70-75 mph unless the car in front of me is conducting a blockin' manuver!

You obviously did not read the entire post OR did not comprehend it?

 

[Bozz10mm]

I don't be in the left lane only doing 70-75 mph unless the car in front of me is conducting a blockin' manuver!

The old screen play. When two or three cars drive side by side at the speed limit. Or any speed.

 

[avvidclif]

Yep, hand up. I'm one of them. What's the hurry? Speeding is a habit not a need. If you're late you should have started earlier. Simple.

Two lanes I'm in the right lane, 3 lanes I'm in the middle, 4 or more I'm in the 2nd lane from outside. Normal driving I go the speed limit +/- conditions. Pulling my RV, 63-64. It's not my fault you're late.

Tailgating: Sore point, as previously stated, "Don't like the gear I'm in, you damn sure won't like the next one". It causes too many wrecks.

 

[Brains]

I do because they address the lowest common denominator. Most don't need them to drive prudently and within their limits. But I truly believe some do.

Then the 1970's are calling you back, because the 55mph limit was set for fuel consumption reasons.

Speed limits are actually set with a number of factors considered, and safety is really a collection of other decision criteria. First off, to gauge the safety aspect you have to take into account the multitude of variables: weather conditions, vehicle type, vehicle maintenance, driver ability, driver attentiveness, roadway condition, roadway design (# of lanes, lane width), sources of interruptions (entrances, exits, ramps, merges), visibility issues (blind curves, hills, obstructions, sun influence), accessibility to pedestrian traffic, etc .... There's a LOT that goes into a roadway speed, and often times the choice is made purely based on legislation.

There's a long, mostly straight stretch of Aldine Westfield that is a 4 lane divided boulevard, with a 30mph limit. Birnham Woods is a similar road, but has a higher speed limit. Why?

 

[Sam7sf]

I’m willing to bet most folks who think you aren’t going fast enough are from the same gene pool that ride inches from other rigs.

You can tell a lot about a person from how they drive. Who’s nice, a prick, or who’s not firing on all cylinders.

it takes a few seconds for the brain to be alerted, foot hits the breaks, and the gap between you and the vehicle ahead of you needs to be appropriate for the speed. People who tailgate are risking lives.

this is the culture we live in though...one hand on the wheel...watching some Netflix...tailgating...passing people even though your exit is only less than one mile away...passing on the right when the left lane is free and clear.

people are retards.

 

[TipBledsoe]

It’s funny that you say people should ignore the danger caused by not following one traffic sign because they are not their business, but then say ignoring another sign you are causing a dangerous situation.


I don’t tend to speed or drive in the left lane. But I thought it was a little ironic that you chose to have different standards for highway signage.


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Nope. You have completely misunderstood me.

By law, the left lane is the passing lane. Texas is one of the few states that has laws for AND posts signs saying "left lane for passing only," yet few people adhere to it and the police do not enforce it.

The unwritten yet well established rules of the road include that the left lane is the passing lane. If you're in the left lane, you'd better be passing someone. If you're not passing, or not passing fast enough, people behind are you going to tailgate you and may even flash thier lights at you to communicate that you are being rude, holding up traffic, and creating an unsafe driving condition.

Common practical sense says, If the police would enforce the "left lane for passing only" as much as they do the speed limit signs, then Texas highways would be much safer.