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Today I was going to my WW meeting but ended up having to go to the doctor...I've been dizzy the past day or so. Anyways I was driving to the doctor, driving to the pharmacy, you get the idea. Slow lane all the way...going the posted limit of 55. Guy cuts in on the space in front of me and slows down....I have to slow to 50. Another guy does the same thing so I have to cut it to 50. Then I pass them and get her back up to 55. Then the guys do the same thing. Happened two or three times. I had to get her up to 60 or 65 to pass them in the process.

I personally wanted to jerk them out of their cars and tell them, "DO NOT PASS ME!!! YOU STOOPID IDIOTS-THE LIMIT IS 55 AND THAT IS WHAT I WAS GOING UNTIL YOU TWO DUMBUTTS CAME ALONG!!!"

What's wrong with that? Just cruise along at 50. :)

What's wrong with it is that this is NOT a place where you cruise along at 50. Do that and you get somebody's car up your rear end. You go the limit.

What's wrong with it is that this is NOT a place where you cruise along at 50. Do that and you get somebody's car up your rear end. You go the limit.

I do 45-50 MPH on I-275 all the time, which is a freeway with three lanes in each direction, a posted speed limit of 65, and cars regularly fly on by doing 80+. If I can do 50 without getting killed you can do 50 in a 55 :)

The question is why did the guys pass someone doing 55 pull into the lane and then start doing 50. While doing 50 is no big deal passing someone who is going faster and then pulling in front of them and slowing down multiple times is questionable. Makes me wonder just what was going on here. Were they irritated, drunk, on the cell phone - just what was it?

That's the problem...I live in a small town and I have to drive about fifteen miles to get to my doctor in the next town. Which means I have to take I-40 to the I-430 interchange. I-40 is not the problem, at least not that stretch of it. Then I hit 430 south, which is three lane interstate in each direction. Not a problem until you get into Little Rock, near the I-630 interchange. That's where everybody thinks they have to be in the right hand lane. Then I-630 is worse...again three lanes both directions but this time you're going through town. Everybody thinks they have to be in either the right lane or the middle lane. Then going back home I have to stop at the North Little Rock Wal-Mart to get my paycheck and my prescription filled. Which means I have to continue on I630 to I30 north. Three lane interstate both ways, most of it on a narrow bridge or overpass. Again everybody thinks they have to be in the slow lane or the one next to it. And that dude that lost his box out on the interstate didn't help, either. And what causes a lot of the wrecks is someone comes up on it thinking they're going to zip along at 80 mph and then BAM!

The question is why did the guys pass someone doing 55 pull into the lane and then start doing 50. While doing 50 is no big deal passing someone who is going faster and then pulling in front of them and slowing down multiple times is questionable. Makes me wonder just what was going on here. Were they irritated, drunk, on the cell phone - just what was it?

I could not see them. IN Arkansas, what they're doing is called impeding traffic and it is illegal. If the car in front of you is going 55 by law you are not supposed to pass it and slow down to a lower speed. That is why I do not do 50 in a 55. I do 55.

Hi PTDixeGal,

I'm confused on this. I understand that you feel obligated to do 55 and not hold up traffic. This is fine and admirable. What I don't understand is why you have to pass the person doing 50 infront of you. It seems to me that it would be a good thing for you to have slower traffic in front of you, that way you don't feel obligated to go faster.

Just a thought. Does that make sense?

Because, as I said earlier...THEY ARE IMPEDING TRAFFIC ON AN INTERSTATE WHICH IS ILLEGAL!!! In Arkansas the law says, in a nutshell, get your butt on the gas pedal and hold it at the posted limit!

Because, as I said earlier...THEY ARE IMPEDING TRAFFIC ON AN INTERSTATE WHICH IS ILLEGAL!!! In Arkansas the law says, in a nutshell, get your butt on the gas pedal and hold it at the posted limit!

Something is wrong with this statement. Pulling in front of someone and deliberately slowing down may well be impeding traffic and illegal. But I very much doubt that any state or country for that matter requires you to drive at a specific speed and that is what you are saying.

It is clearly illegal to drive over the speed limit and now you are saying that it is also illegal to drive under the speed limit. You are saying if the speed limit is 55 if you go 56 you can get a ticket and if you go 54 you can get a ticket.

When you make such claims you lose all credibility with your claims about the other drivers.

I seriously doubt if that is true, in Arkansas or anywhere else in the United States. No one is required to drive at the posted speed limit. The posted speed limit is the NOT TO EXCEED limit. I realize that many people drive faster than the posted speed limit, but doing so is illegal and makes the driver subject to a traffic ticket or arrest.

So it is perfectly legal for someone to drive, for example, at 55 MPH on an Interstate that has a posted limit of 65 MPH.

But use a little common sense. Driving at a speed that is much slower than the average speed of the surrounding traffic is just putting you at risk of a rear-end collision. It wouldn't be your fault, but you would be just as dead.


Because, as I said earlier...THEY ARE IMPEDING TRAFFIC ON AN INTERSTATE WHICH IS ILLEGAL!!! In Arkansas the law says, in a nutshell, get your butt on the gas pedal and hold it at the posted limit!

The actual AK law reads:

27-51-208. Minimum speed regulation.

(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law.

(b) Whenever the State Highway Commission or local authorities, within their respective jurisdictions, on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation, determine that slow speeds on any part of a highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the commission or the local authority may determine and declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law.

It does not say anything about not driving below the speed limit but rather driving "at SUCH a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.........." and part (b) states that if a stretch of road has a consistent problem then a minimum speed limit can be imposed.

I do 45-50 MPH on I-275 all the time, which is a freeway with three lanes in each direction, a posted speed limit of 65, and cars regularly fly on by doing 80+. If I can do 50 without getting killed you can do 50 in a 55 :)

+1. They'll go around eventually. :D

The actual AK law reads:

27-51-208. Minimum speed regulation.

(a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law.

(b) Whenever the State Highway Commission or local authorities, within their respective jurisdictions, on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation, determine that slow speeds on any part of a highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the commission or the local authority may determine and declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law.

It does not say anything about not driving below the speed limit but rather driving "at SUCH a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.........." and part (b) states that if a stretch of road has a consistent problem then a minimum speed limit can be imposed.

It's AR, not AK. AK is Alaska.

Something is wrong with this statement. Pulling in front of someone and deliberately slowing down may well be impeding traffic and illegal. But I very much doubt that any state or country for that matter requires you to drive at a specific speed and that is what you are saying.

It is clearly illegal to drive over the speed limit and now you are saying that it is also illegal to drive under the speed limit. You are saying if the speed limit is 55 if you go 56 you can get a ticket and if you go 54 you can get a ticket.

When you make such claims you lose all credibility with your claims about the other drivers.

So...let me ask you something.

IF those two cars force me to slow down and there is an EIGHTEEN WHEELER up my tailpipe (which there was AFTER they got in front of me and slowed down) is that a SAFE SITUTATION on the road? I don't think so!!! And don't tell me to pull off-there's a string of traffic every way and I'm trying to get to the doctor! It's bad enough I'm driving dizzy unless I keep my head perfectly still!

dixiegirl, are you ok? you don't sound like your usual self.....and no, this is not meant to be a snotty question, i am really concerned...in all the posts of yours that i have read, i never noticed a reaction like the one you are having today.

No, I am not myself. I am sick...I was on my way to the doctor when that happened. I had to drive myself and I had to keep my head still while doing it, otherwise my head would start spinning about like the propeller on a helicopter and I'm so drugged up right now with zyrtec, meclizine and (as needed) acetaminophen.

Bummer PT :( I hope you feel better tomorrow!
last time I had to go to the doctor I was running late and got stuck in traffic and when I finaly got in and had my BP checked and it was through the roof and my pulse was like 150! I had to explain to the Doc why I was so stressed out! I hate going to see Drs!:rolleyes:

Thanks..the trip to the doctor was unplanned...I started getting dizzy yesterday but it got better so I didn't see the doctor until today when it got worse...and worse...and worse...

Take care of yourself, okay?

will do...I think the meclizine's kicking in again...

It's AR, not AK. AK is Alaska.

Yep, I had the right law, just wrong state abreviation. I should know them better than that.

I could not see them. IN Arkansas, what they're doing is called impeding traffic and it is illegal. If the car in front of you is going 55 by law you are not supposed to pass it and slow down to a lower speed. That is why I do not do 50 in a 55. I do 55.

Any chance of pointing me to specific law about that? While I agree what they are doing is wrong and harrasing, and possibly illegal due to general impedement of traffic, I don't see anything that specificly prevents someone from doing it. Certainly if you passed someone, and the speed limit changed, you could/should slow & while they might not have intended to slow (some people do 55 no matter the limit), you couldn't be held accountable in that case.

Fixed in time had the right idea. Frankly if you were suffering a medical condition, then slowing down below the speed limit would definatly qualify "as needed" for safe operation. No legal reason you couldn't have gone 50. However if you don't feel safe at 50 on that road, you shouldn't do it, and this person shouldn't have made you. Maybe they wanted to go slow, and thought you were a mark for someone who would stay slow behind them & protect them from the big nasty semis.

Hope you feel better.

Any chance of pointing me to specific law about that? While I agree what they are doing is wrong and harrasing, and possibly illegal due to general impedement of traffic, I don't see anything that specificly prevents someone from doing it. Certainly if you passed someone, and the speed limit changed, you could/should slow & while they might not have intended to slow (some people do 55 no matter the limit), you couldn't be held accountable in that case.

Fixed in time had the right idea. Frankly if you were suffering a medical condition, then slowing down below the speed limit would definatly qualify "as needed" for safe operation. No legal reason you couldn't have gone 50. However if you don't feel safe at 50 on that road, you shouldn't do it, and this person shouldn't have made you. Maybe they wanted to go slow, and thought you were a mark for someone who would stay slow behind them & protect them from the big nasty semis.

Hope you feel better.

I think the law I cited above (27-51-208. Minimum speed regulation. (a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law.) pretty much covers the situation and PTDixieGirl is correct. If I pull in front of someone doing 55 and then slow down to 50, especially if I do it multiple times then it would be impeding traffic under the law - at least as I read it.

That fact that she could slow down to 50 if she wanted to is not really relevant.

PTDixiegal,

I hope you feel better. I had a similiar thing a few years ago. It was an inner ear infection. It caused my head to spin and spin. I had it to the point I could not walk. Not fun. the good news is that the medicine I took (some kind on antibiotic) cleared the infection up and it has not returned. So there is light at the end of the tunnel. It took about a week for all of the effects to go away.

Hopefully you'll go back and re-read this whole thread once
you're right again. Your 55 is an UPPER limit, not a lower one,
and that holds true in any state. Interstates usually have some
lower limit, which may or may not be posted but is generally
40 or 45 depending. Any travel speed down to that is perfectly
legal, and even less so when you consider a truck grinding its
way up a hill at 35 with the flashers on -- because they have
to, not because they enjoy it. With other lanes available for
passing, you are not impeding traffic in either scenario and
to even vaguely imply that your vehicle will be physically rammed
by other drivers at 54.833 MPH is completely ridiculous. It
is their responsibility, especially in the case of trucks, to
CONTROL THEIR OWN VEHICLE properly and maintain safe following
distance in a whole variety of traffic conditions. Whether there
is available room to pass or not.
.
Would you apply the same twisted logic to a traffic jam? When
all lanes are crawling at 20 MPH, would you say that a driver
coming up behind this has a right to ram into the back of the
pack because nobody was moving "fast enough"? C'mon.
.
And generally I find it sort of hard to see out the windshield
when my butt is on the gas pedal; it's much more convenient to
use my foot.
.
_H*

Unless someone is impaired or their brakes go out, you (most likely) won't get rammed going 50 in a 55 MAX zone (in the right lane of course). And if someone IS impaired or their brakes go out, going 55 isn't going to help you.

Unless someone is impaired or their brakes go out, you (most likely) won't get rammed going 50 in a 55 MAX zone (in the right lane of course). And if someone IS impaired or their brakes go out, going 55 isn't going to help you.

I think her added concern, if I can sort it all out, is that she had an 18-wheeler tailing when the car pulled in front and then slowed down. I'm just not sure how close the guy was to her tail. That is not a situation anyone wants to be in.

I think her added concern, if I can sort it all out, is that she had an 18-wheeler tailing when the car pulled in front and then slowed down. I'm just not sure how close the guy was to her tail. That is not a situation anyone wants to be in.


Let me just put it this way...I'll be short since the meclizine is kicking in again...the guy's grille covered most of my rear view mirror. And you're right...he wants to slow down let the 18 wheeler get on his tail, not mine since he wants to slow down so much.

And to the person who posted the comment about the minimum speed limit...in Arkansas, that's rare. Usually what they will have on say, I-40 is "SPEED LIMIT 70," "TRUCKS 65." That's in rural areas...if you get into the metropolitan areas it will be something like SPEED LIMIT 65, TRUCKS 60.

And to the person who posted the comment about the minimum speed limit...in Arkansas, that's rare. Usually what they will have on say, I-40 is "SPEED LIMIT 70," "TRUCKS 65." That's in rural areas...if you get into the metropolitan areas it will be something like SPEED LIMIT 65, TRUCKS 60.

That does not surprise me. If you look at the copy of the law I posted earlier in the thread the implication is that if there is a problem with slow drivers on some stretch of road they will look at the issue and perhaps post minimum speed limits along that stretch. Given that kind of approach I don't expect to see those signs very often. You can go under the speed limit, they just don't get specific about how low you can go, but basically only says don't impede the flow of traffic.

And to the person who posted the comment about the minimum speed limit...in Arkansas, that's rare. Usually what they will have on say, I-40 is "SPEED LIMIT 70," "TRUCKS 65." That's in rural areas...if you get into the metropolitan areas it will be something like SPEED LIMIT 65, TRUCKS 60.
Regardless of that, the signs are still an upper limit and it is still legal to go down to the lower limit.

Regardless of that, the signs are still an upper limit and it is still legal to go down to the lower limit.

That's not being argued so please don't assume that it is.

Would YOU would like an eighteen wheeler up your tailpipe and two guys you keep passing to try to get away from the eighteen wheeler stopping you? THAT is the question.

:mad:

That's not being argued so please don't assume that it is.

Would YOU would like an eighteen wheeler up your tailpipe and two guys you keep passing to try to get away from the eighteen wheeler stopping you? THAT is the question.

:mad:
I wonder if the passers were trying to get you to rear end them? I have had all manner of vehicles in my tailpipe and I just ignore them. I do see how it can be a bit unnerving though.

I wonder if the passers were trying to get you to rear end them? I have had all manner of vehicles in my tailpipe and I just ignore them. I do see how it can be a bit unnerving though.

Now you've got it! :)

I wonder if I was the actual target, though...meaning did they decide that they wanted ME to rear end them or if they actually wanted the rig to do the damage...because the rig stayed right with them after I passed...then they passed me and the rig's on my tail. If there had been a collision that rig would have pushed me into them.

I wonder if it wasn't just competitiveness, the "I can't stand to be behind anyone" attitude. I see it a lot, especially on mountain roads. Come to a straight stretch, where passing is possible, and someone will be thrashing the heck out of their engine to pass, then slow way down when they come to the curves.

I wonder if it wasn't just competitiveness, the "I can't stand to be behind anyone" attitude. I see it a lot, especially on mountain roads. Come to a straight stretch, where passing is possible, and someone will be thrashing the heck out of their engine to pass, then slow way down when they come to the curves.

I've got news for them...I DON'T LIKE AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER UP MY TAILPIPE and I will not be slowed down with an eighteen wheeler up my tailpipe (pulling over was not an option).

EVENTUALLY I did get around them and got off at my exit. EVENTUALLY.

I think the situation is becoming clearer as to what was going on. Let's see if I throw a little speculation at the big picture.

Here is DTPixieGirl heading up the highway in the right lane at the psl of 55 mph with the 18 wheeler tailing her. Then up comes this other fellow goes around the truck and DTPixieGirl a bit over the psl and decides he doesn't want to pull in front of the truck (there may not have been room, he didn't like being right in front of a big rig, and he may have wanted to get off at the next exit) so he pulls in front of DTPixieGirl but then drops his speed to 50 mph. While not a good move the other driver saw no problem with this. His error was slowing down.

I see this behavior off an on. Usually it is someone who wants to do the psl, but gets caught in the left lane after they pass someone, is having trouble getting back in the right hand lane (there are no safe places to change lanes), are being tailgated by someone who wants to do 10 over the psl the speed limit and so as soon as they get a good slot they pull back into the right hand lane and slow down to the psl or less.

DTPixieGirl does not like this at all, especially since the other guy slowed down and put her at risk so she speeds up and goes around the other fellow. He, however, does not like this as the truck is now tailgating him. Plus most people really don't like it when a car passes them and then pulls back in front of them. So the guy pulls out and passes DTPixieGirl again, pulls back in, and slows down once again. This could be called a bit of aggressive driving on his part. However he may also be seeing what DTPixieGirl did as being aggressive as well.

If I caught on to what was going on at the time, I might try a reverse pass on the truck, give him room to pull out and pass the guy who pulled in front of me thereby eliminating the tailgating issue with the truck. Then I would decide where to pull in relative to the problem guy.

BINGO...the only problem is I couldn't do a reverse pass. I was going to try that at first but once I got into the middle lane I saw a string of traffic behind the truck and my exit was the next one. The other guy did not get off at the exit I did; maybe his was the next one after that? If I went on to the next exit, the guy would probably have thought I had a case of road rage.

Anyway I think this goes to show you that one has to be safety-minded when choosing what technique to use. Namely if the car you are passing is going the Psl, it may not be a good idea to go slower than that. If there had been a collision that eighteen wheeler would have pushed ME right into them.

PTDixieGal, the fact that you are alone and driving your vehicle while under the influence of the medicine you have to take - is disturbing (and dangerous). Can't you find someone, a friend or relative, to take you where you need to go? It would be a real tragedy if you caused a serious motor vehicle accident, especially if you were killed or if you killed someone else.

And I hope you get better soon.

And where PT blew it was not re-establishing safe following distance
behind the guy who just passed the whole ensemble, REGARDLESS
of how fast he wound up going after pulling back in. End of story.
Slowly opening the gap again would present nothing abrupt that
the 18-wheeler would have to panic-respond to, and the fact that
he's chewing PT's butt in the process is a completely separate
problem for which the semi driver should be CALLED IN and be
considering his new career options next week.
.
If the influence of medications are making this non-obvious, that's
a more severe meta-problem, but that aside, the semi is wrong
to be tailgating in the first place, and PT is wrong to be tailgating
the passer any longer than it takes to re-establish the gap.
.
Bottom line: Everybody spread out. It's so easy, and makes all
that stress just go away. *Then* figure out which order you
want to bop on down the road in.
.
_H*

Just letting you all know that this will be my last post on this thread. I really wish I had not created this thread. Some were genuinely concerned about my well-being, and for that I am grateful, but there were also some very hurtful things that were said as well. I have not made up my mind yet but I am considering leaving the site (that does not mean that I will give up hypermiling).

I agree that it is a good idea to shut this thread down. Glad to see your feeling better. I can help by closing the thread.

This thread is hearby closed.

PTDixieGal. I hope you stick around.