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I mentioned this elsewhere and thought this might make a good topic. It seems like I am learning to drive slowly. I was always a fairly slow driver, but there does seem to be a process of learning how to do this in a safe way esp on the highway. I'm not sure quite why except thru practice but it seems easier to do this. I am more comfortable with the whizzing past me and also finding the way to stay easily passable (I think this might have to do with some DWB skills emerging?).

Anyway, I'd be interested in comments.

--des

Probably related to paying more attention to what's behind
you and accomodating what those folks will need [within reason]
by the time they reach where you are. Some of them might
need a little wakeup call, but you can usually tell if they're
planning ahead for their passing move, or just staying
oblivious until they're right on your butt and then being rude
about getting around you. For me, the mere fact that I'm
tracking all that a lot more closely makes it all a little
less frightening.
.
_H*

I don't normally do allot of hiway (interstate) driving, but I like to find a truck going the speed limit or slightly below and just hang out behind 'em. It seems to cut down on the number of people who tailgate. Plus you get the advantage of a wind break, I'm usually uncomfortable following any closer than about 3 seconds or so back though.

Find a slow(er) moving vehicle in the right lane and tag a respectful distance behind them. This seems to work in town as well as on the highway. For example, on one of my frequently traveled roads there's a part where there is a stoplight, a long slow uphill, and another stoplight where I need to turn right, and between the two the speed limit jumps from 30 to 40. However, there are usually semi trucks in the right lane and they naturally accelerate slower up the hill. I tag behind them, hit 30 and glide toward my turn, and no one cares. If there are no trucks people really start to get annoyed and whip around me.

I think that is a good suggestion (following after something pretty slow moving). It doesn't always work. I do find people passing me. I wouldn't guess they are terribly annoyed (at least in most cases), as long as they can pass easily without a lot of difficulty. I think a slow driver is easier to pass, and they don't need to worry that I might suddenly speed up (I have seen this-- just as I used to try and pass some people they would speed up, as if to not want to be passed).

---des

Try putting your blinker on about 1.5 miles before your exit. My rule is as soon as I pass the last turn that isn't mine, the blinker goes on. Since there are about 2 miles between the exits on my highway jaunt, that makes for a long period of blinker. As a matter of fact, I'd say my blinker is on at least 50% of my commute.

Anyway, nothing gets someone in the passing mood more than the sight of a blinker. They ease off your bumper too, because the last thing you do before you turn is brake, and lots of people aren't thinking ahead enough to know that your signaling a bit early.

In Houston, emergency flashers just seem to drive people into a rage. May be the local, but I highly recommend against the use of flashers in Houston.

Anyway... works great for me.

11011011

In 2-3 lanes, I drive 5MPH below limit while everyone else is 15mph above. I stay in right lane, they pass with no problems. If single lane ill do speed limit or above so their is no jam up behind me. And just keep any eye on your rear view mirror in case a cannon ball is flying up your rear and he has no where to go but in your trunk, flash the hazards and hit the horn may snap the driver out of his trance.

Today I was in the middle lane of three on the interstate, with traffic stop and go, and a semi comes up behind me and hits the horn and then flashes his lights. I was about three car lengths behind the car in front of me, so I guess he expected me to speed up so he could gain another 30 feet or so.
As soon as there was a break, he pulled over into the left lane, revved it up and went past me, only to have to stop again in twenty seconds and watch as I went by in the middle lane... I was so tempted to flip him off. If anyone should understand the reasons not to tailgate in traffic it should be a trucker.

This never fails to amuse me.

BTW, I like the blinker idea. Not sure just how useful it will be to me but I can keep it around anyway-- I have basically the exit I got on in and the exit I got off in, there is also a junction type merge.

--des


As soon as there was a break, he pulled over into the left lane, revved it up and went past me, only to have to stop again in twenty seconds and watch as I went by in the middle lane... I was so tempted to flip him off. If anyone should understand the reasons not to tailgate in traffic it should be a trucker.

If I came up behind someone with a blinker on for that long,
I would surmise that they'd forgotten about it. Maybe not such
a good idea -- makes you *less* predictable, because people
will assume you're being oblivious. I see this all the time --
someone with a signal still on from when they deigned to use
it for a lane change a while back, and then they do an
*unsignaled* lane change in the other direction which you
totally can't predict! [unsignaled because the wrong-way
directional is still on.]
.
_H*

Des, here’s one tactic I’ve formulated for "slow, careful driving". Probably obvious to most, but maybe not for those still getting used to the thought process.

Situation: When waiting at a red light to make a right turn, with oncoming traffic from the left.

I find it’s better to wait for the green to make my turn, than turn at the first convenient gap of cars in oncoming traffic. If I just turn into a gap, there’s still going to be cars that I THOUGHT were far away, who are now on my tail and mildly irritated that I’m front of them. (Either because they sped up or because I'm going the speed limit or below.)

But if I wait for the green to make my turn, I can turn slowly and come up to speed gradually and pressure-free, because all traffic behind me is now blocked by the red. Also, if I’m already stopped (and engine off) at the light, there’s no downside in waiting a little longer for the green.

Otherwise, I turn on a red only when all oncoming traffic has passed.

I love going slower too. I never thought I would be the "old gramma sunday driver type". But thanks to your wonderful site and all the god ideas it me now. I find that I am way more relaxed on the road and off. Calm Relax. All good. I still go nuts riding with my wife in the van:-) She hates when I drie. She has not yet seen the LIGHT.

I don't normally do allot of hiway (interstate) driving, but I like to find a truck going the speed limit or slightly below and just hang out behind 'em. It seems to cut down on the number of people who tailgate. Plus you get the advantage of a wind break, I'm usually uncomfortable following any closer than about 3 seconds or so back though.

When my husband & I were dating, he lived in Justice (SW of Chicago), then Wheeling (closer to the WI state line :) ), & we would spend alternate weekends at each others' places. When it was my turn to take the tollway down to his house (in Friday PM rush-hour traffic :( ), I discovered another advantage of driving behind a semi was that while I might be moving more slowly, I was making steadier progress. I was driving a MT Toyota Tercel at the time, & by sticking with a big rig, I didn't have to shift as much, & my speed was more constant. Another perk (this was before the open-road tolling IL has now :) ) was that I got through the toll plazas quicker, because 1 semi=3-4 cars :D :D

Another perk (this was before the open-road tolling IL has now :) ) was that I got through the toll plazas quicker, because 1 semi=3-4 cars :D :D

That's one of those little tidbits I got from my parents that I never would have learned in driver's ed: At a toll plaza, move all the way to the right and get behind the trucks. The line may be twice as long but it will move much quicker!