pauldan@hou2e.UUCP (P.SAUNDERS) (05/03/85)
<> >Here is the situation I have questions about. I'm in the center lane, >which is packed. We're all moving about 50 mph. I pull out to pass at >55 mph, and someone roars up behind me. If there is no room to move over, >for maybe a minute or two, what do I do? Do I speed up, or slow down to >take my original spot back, if possible? This is the situation in which >I take the position that I can stay in the fast lane as long as it takes >ME to pass. Still wrong? Then what do I do? Good question, sort of. My feeling is that one should NEVER let themselves be pushed into driving any faster than they are comfortable with. However, in your situation, let's consider the guy closing in behind you in the left lane: 1) He looks like he is in an emergency situation. In this case, you should probably make every attempt to move over. 2) He is an inch away from your bumper, with high beams on and horn blaring (probably hard to tell apart from case 1, except that this guy's just an impatient moron). Since he's reckless beyond all hope, there's no sense in getting him more aggravated; in the interest of safety (yours), make every attempt to move over. 3) He's a good guy. You saw him doing about 70 mph behind you, but he slowed to your speed to maintain a safe following distance, and maybe gave a *short* flash of his lights if he thought it was possible for you to move over. In this case, since he was nice enough to display common driving courtesy, you should return the favor by making every attempt to move over. Pretty useless analysis, you say? I think that the problem is that the situation that you describe would never crop up in real life. If the center lane is so packed that it is impossible to get back into from the left lane, then the left lane will also be very crowded; furthermore, under these conditions there typically won't be a great difference in speed between the two lanes. And if I'm wrong? Flame me, of course! Dan Masi
wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler) (05/06/85)
Dan Masi has obviously never driven on the GSP during the rush hour. The situation mentioned previously is very much a common occurance. Everyone is packed into the right two lanes trying to stay out of the way of the crazies. T. C. Wheeler
rkl@mtuxo.UUCP (k.laux) (05/07/85)
REFERENCES: <564@hou2e.UUCP> The example given was center lane full at about 50 mph, you pull out into the left lane to pass at about 55 mph, and someone comes up behind you. The analysis (3 parts - emergency, annoying idiot, nice guy) essentially boiled down to make an effort to let the guy by. On this I agree. However, in general, when passing, the idea is to PASS, then move back. I find it particularly annoying when someone pulls out to pass and then takes 5 or 10 minutes to complete this maneuver because the speed differential is about 5 mph. If one is going to pass, then do it quickly. Otherwise moving roadblocks appear and no one gets to pass. R. Kevin Laux Software Vendor Tech Support ATTIS Lincroft mtuxo!rkl 201-576-3610
liang@cvl.UUCP (Eli Liang) (05/08/85)
> <> > >Here is the situation I have questions about. I'm in the center lane, > >which is packed. We're all moving about 50 mph. I pull out to pass at > >55 mph, and someone roars up behind me. If there is no room to move over, > >for maybe a minute or two, what do I do? Do I speed up, or slow down to > >take my original spot back, if possible? This is the situation in which > >I take the position that I can stay in the fast lane as long as it takes > >ME to pass. Still wrong? Then what do I do? > > . > . > . > Pretty useless analysis, you say? I think that the problem is that the > situation that you describe would never crop up in real life. If the > center lane is so packed that it is impossible to get back into from the > left lane, then the left lane will also be very crowded; furthermore, under > these conditions there typically won't be a great difference in speed between > the two lanes. > > And if I'm wrong? Flame me, of course! > > Dan Masi During certain hours of the day, The Beltway around DC (495) has congestion in all except the left lane. This splendid state of affairs is often spoiled by a few slower cars in the left lane. -eli -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eli Liang --- University of Maryland Computer Vision Lab, (301) 454-4526 ARPA: liang@cvl, liang@lemuria, eli@mit-mc, eli@mit-prep CSNET: liang@cvl UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!cvl!liang