Left lane bandits!

[AustinN4]

Proud to be a Texan now, although I still don't get how it is I have an accent.

osmosis

 

[ZX9RCAM]

What causes the phenomenon of cars driving slow on the freeway 3 & 4 abreast, holding everybody back?

 

[Brains]

The biggest difference was that I trusted drivers over there not to do anything stupid while I passed. I can't say the same here. In fact, I fear someone would intentionally try to stop a motorcycle from passing that way. That is the only real danger that exists during such a maneuver.

This is why my wife panics any time I bring up buying another motorcycle. You can only trust drivers down here (Houston area) to do stupid things that will endanger your life. Both of us have seen car drivers intentionally do things to motorcyclists they'd never do to another car, simply because they "can". Usually it's on the freeway, where someone who wants to change lanes finds there's a bike in the spot they want, so they'll just move over anyway knowing full well the bike really has no choice but to avoid. We've both also seen bikers retaliate by kicking in a door, which IMHO is fully justified when someone tries to take you out.

 

[easy rider]

What causes the phenomenon of cars driving slow on the freeway 3 & 4 abreast, holding everybody back?

Back when the national speed limit was 55, I was travelling south from Seattle towards Seatac on the freeway. I wondered why everyone's speed was under 50. After some time I was able to get past the front cars and a state trooper was ahead, I sped up to 55 and as I passed the patrol car I saw the trooper laughing. I started laughing myself. Many people are morons.

 

[oldag]

Probably my biggest gripe is when one 18 wheeler is doing 55 mph in the right lane and the 18 wheeler behind him is doing 56 mph so the second 18 wheeler pulls out in the left lane to pass. And proceeds to take 15 miles to get around the 55 mph 18 wheeler and pull back into the right lane, still doing 56 mph the entire time.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Back when the national speed limit was 55, I was travelling south from Seattle towards Seatac on the freeway. I wondered why everyone's speed was under 50. After some time I was able to get past the front cars and a state trooper was ahead, I sped up to 55 and as I passed the patrol car I saw the trooper laughing. I started laughing myself. Many people are morons.

This happens a lot.
Most people are afraid to go faster than the police.


Many people ARE morons.

 

[TheDan]

What causes the phenomenon of cars driving slow on the freeway 3 & 4 abreast, holding everybody back?

Same thing that makes people become shrub nazi's I guess...

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Same thing that makes people become shrub nazi's I guess...

I happen to prefer trimmed shrubs...

 

[diesel1959]

MPH, as I had my US-specs Honda ST1100 at the time which is a very large sport-touring bike with saddlebags...

View attachment 140059

I routinely rode at 100-120+ MPH on the autoroutes/autobahns in Europe, as it was the norm. That particular bike was actually designed in Germany specifically for such speeds.

And, to be honest, I never was scared riding at those speeds in Europe. However, after coming back to this country I have all but given up on motorcycling after the number of close calls with inattentive drivers I had.

The CBR1000RR Repsol I bought as a retirement gift to myself in 2005 sat mostly unused in the garage, I just recently sold it...

View attachment 140060

While a helluva piece of technology, I just knew it was a matter of time before it would bite me. But in terms of getting around traffic, there are no substitutes. If I could steer the ST through heavy rush hour traffic coming out of Brussels at triple digit speeds, I can imagine the Repsol (which I got after I returned home) would make easy would out of it!

I too had an ST-1100 and it was a GREAT bike. I sold it when I picked up a BMW R1150GS. Then I got a Honda GL-1800 to go with it. The bike I was hurt on was my work BMW R1200RTP. Great bikes all. But I still don't agree with lanesplitting. Cheers!

 

[diesel1959]

If you were cool, you would have said "the 5".

I despise when folks refer (in California fashion) to roads with "the" preceding the number. If it's an Interstate, it's "I-10" or the given name--such as the Katy Fwy--but it's NEVER "the 10". ugh. "I" for interstates, "Route", or "US", or "HWY" for US highways, "State Route" for State Highways, and "FM" or "RR" or "CR" for others.

 

[TheMailMan]

Back when the national speed limit was 55, I was travelling south from Seattle towards Seatac on the freeway. I wondered why everyone's speed was under 50. After some time I was able to get past the front cars and a state trooper was ahead, I sped up to 55 and as I passed the patrol car I saw the trooper laughing. I started laughing myself. Many people are morons.

I've seen that exact same thing in that same area way too many times. The longest trip in the world was that stretch between Olympia and Seattle at 55 mph.

Probably my biggest gripe is when one 18 wheeler is doing 55 mph in the right lane and the 18 wheeler behind him is doing 56 mph so the second 18 wheeler pulls out in the left lane to pass. And proceeds to take 15 miles to get around the 55 mph 18 wheeler and pull back into the right lane, still doing 56 mph the entire time.

Actually the first semi is going 55. The second one is going 55.1 mph. I've had that happen. Got on I20 in Terrell and barely made the Wills Point Exit due to it.

 

[benenglish]

What causes the phenomenon of cars driving slow on the freeway 3 & 4 abreast, holding everybody back?

Sometimes it's deliberate. Louisiana made the news at least once (though I think it was several times) back during the 55 MPH era. They got tired of Texas drivers blowing through at higher speeds so the Louisiana State Police set up a gaggle of cars at the Texas border on a busy day. They all pulled out together on I-10 eastbound and drove the entire width of the state at a steady 55, always abreast and always using all lanes.

They had extra cars, too, for the road ragers who went nuts. Those extra cars, iirc, were needed on a couple of occasions.

 

[oldag]

Back in the 55 mph days, I was in a remote part of West Texas (more remote than most) doing about 70-75. DPS came up behind me and I thought "Oh, crap. I'm nailed." He passed me and waved as he went around and on down the highway.

 

[deemus]

Back when the national speed limit was 55, I was travelling south from Seattle towards Seatac on the freeway. I wondered why everyone's speed was under 50. After some time I was able to get past the front cars and a state trooper was ahead, I sped up to 55 and as I passed the patrol car I saw the trooper laughing. I started laughing myself. Many people are morons.

I see this regularly. If I can get past the idiots, I go 3 MPH faster than the speed limit and pass the cop. Never got a ticket.

 

[BRD@66]

Sometimes it's deliberate. Louisiana made the news at least once (though I think it was several times) back during the 55 MPH era. They got tired of Texas drivers blowing through at higher speeds so the Louisiana State Police set up a gaggle of cars at the Texas border on a busy day. They all pulled out together on I-10 eastbound and drove the entire width of the state at a steady 55, always abreast and always using all lanes.

They had extra cars, too, for the road ragers who went nuts. Those extra cars, iirc, were needed on a couple of occasions.

Called rolling roadblocks - they were used in Texas also.

 

[deemus]

Called rolling roadblocks - they were used in Texas also.

Yep, Dallas did this a few years ago to curb speeding.

 

[TxStetson]

Funny, I've lived near I-5 more than half my life, not sure I've heard it called that. Must be a Californut thing.

He said if you were cool. That’s why you never heard it.

 

[easy rider]

He said if you were cool. That’s why you never heard it.

You do realize I have a spreadsheet?

 

[Southpaw]

You do realize I have a spreadsheet?