The Left Lane/Right Lane Thunderdome Thread

[Enoch Root]

Why do people think that slower is more relaxing?

I find it more stressful to drive slowly and have cars pass me or tail me than it is to drive a little faster and approach traffic myself.

I have had this conversation with my mother in law a thousand times - she finds driving stressful so she slows down more, causing more vehicles to pass her and pressure her. If she would just go a little faster, driving would be easier and less stressful.

[Wormius]

I don't think "slower" is more relaxing, but I find that setting cruise control to something around 10+ whatever the speed limit is a happy medium between not always coming up on people and having to pass them or adjust your cruise control constantly, and pissing off people behind you when you are on those single lane sections of the highway.

At least at that speed I don't feel my behavior or driving can justify anybody's frustration. That is relaxing. If somebody is riding my tail on the say, hwy 1 and I am going 100 in a 90, I don't feel stressed. I am not going to do anything to prevent them from passing when the opportunity comes, but I am not stressing out about it.

However in construction zones I do go exactly the limit and when somebody is tailgating there and they can't pass that's stressful and frustrating.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Wormius

At least at that speed I don't feel my behavior or driving can justify anybody's frustration. That is relaxing. If somebody is riding my tail on the say, hwy 1 and I am going 100 in a 90, I don't feel stressed. I am not going to do anything to prevent them from passing when the opportunity comes, but I am not stressing out about it.

Please tell me you're talking about the middle lane and not the left lane?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I assume so... he's probably right that the most "relaxing" driving method is cruise at speed limit +10km in the right lane, only leaving to pass.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Why do people think that slower is more relaxing?.

Aside from the painfully obvious aspect of stressors being subjective, leading most people to remember that what one finds stressful someone else might not?

The increased time to make decisions, as well as the lower risk associated with lower speeds in impacts are probably huge stress relievers for some people.

Myself, I find driving with the flow of traffic the least stressful, though on unfamiliar roads I also find a lot of stress relief in lowering my speed a bit (saves me from missing turnoffs). I do find my stress levels increase when I want to make good time, but the satisfaction of zipping by traffic outweighs it.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Aside from the painfully obvious aspect of stressors being subjective, leading most people to remember that what one finds stressful someone else might not?

The increased time to make decisions, as well as the lower risk associated with lower speeds in impacts are probably huge stress relievers for some people.

Myself, I find driving with the flow of traffic the least stressful, though on unfamiliar roads I also find a lot of stress relief in lowering my speed a bit (saves me from missing turnoffs). I do find my stress levels increase when I want to make good time, but the satisfaction of zipping by traffic outweighs it.

So you agree that it is a matter of personal opinion, as opposed to the post I quoted which suggested slower is less stressful? That's great.

(nice job taking part of my post out of context though)

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

So you agree that it is a matter of personal opinion, as opposed to the post I quoted which suggested slower is less stressful? That's great.

(nice job taking part of my post out of context though)

Where did someone post that for everyone going slower is less slower?

[Nage Waza]

My dad taught me to drive and on many long road trips. His most valuable advice was to never get in someone's way and to never trust another driver.

You should never stay in the left lane, especially if someone is behind you.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Where did someone post that for everyone going slower is less slower?

Well, I never said that someone said 'everyone' (i.e. definitively), I said I quoted a post that said slower was less stressful:

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

The laid back guy was probably relaxed, stopped for gas and Tim's, enjoyed the day with his family.

What did you do with your extra time after you arrived? Have relations with your wife?

Yes, they said probably, but the inference was pretty clear IMO

You're free to interpret it differently, but that is really reaching, and getting off track, no?

Let's get the conversation back into the left lane.

[CliffFletcher]

I feel relaxed driving when I know I'm unlikely to get a speeding ticket, when I'm going with the glow of traffic, and when I feel safe. The higher the speed of my vehicle, the less reaction time I have, the less safe I am (objectively - because physics).

My goal when I'm on the highway is to have as much space around me as possible. If I'm doing about 10 k over the limit and there are no other vehicles within 50+ meters of me, I'm happy.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Well, I never said that someone said 'everyone' (i.e. definitively), I said I quoted a post that said slower was less stressful

So, I pointed out that stress is subjective because you quoted ONE person talking about ONE instance and questioned how slower could be less stressful... and I'm the one with a context issue?

I don't know if you're just using this thread to try and pick weird fights, but ask a dumb question and you'll get a dumb answer.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I feel relaxed driving when I know I'm unlikely to get a speeding ticket, when I'm going with the glow of traffic, and when I feel safe. The higher the speed of my vehicle, the less reaction time I have, the less safe I am (objectively - because physics).

My goal when I'm on the highway is to have as much space around me as possible. If I'm doing about 10 k over the limit and there are no other vehicles within 50+ meters of me, I'm happy.

This is pretty much me too. I like to have space and time to react. I go with the flow but will adjust to get me into a spot where I'm not surrounded by vehicles.

[taco.vidal]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

So you agree that it is a matter of personal opinion, as opposed to the post I quoted which suggested slower is less stressful? That's great.

(nice job taking part of my post out of context though)

Well lets look at the posts that always end up in this thread. "Frickin idiot going the speed limit in the left lane. Frick Frack!!!" Do you think these guys were relaxed? I see road ragers all the time in the left lane. Do you think theyre not stressed?

[WhiteTiger]

I kinda like how the 130+ plus folks have "laid claim" to the left lane, be it ever "theirs" and not the other guy going [not enough] over the speed limit.

"Don't camp in the left lane (unless you are doing 130+, like I am camping and speeding)"

I find the irony amusing.

"Everyone driving faster than me is an unsafe maniac, everyone driving slower is a dbag" indeed...

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Please tell me you're talking about the middle lane and not the left lane?

Let's say the rightmost through lane, for further clarification.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

I kinda like how the 130+ plus folks have "laid claim" to the left lane, be it ever "theirs" and not the other guy going [not enough] over the speed limit.

"Don't camp in the left lane (unless you are doing 130+, like I am camping and speeding)"

I find the irony amusing.

"Everyone driving faster than me is an unsafe maniac, everyone driving slower is a dbag" indeed...

Those people are bad, but in my experience that annoying thought process tends to be more prevelant with the 105-120km crowd. You see it a lot on any left lane discussion on CP over the years.

In general I find the faster drivers tend to understand and in fact are anal about getting out of the left lane after passing.

I'm this way. I tend to creep up to 125-130k on deerfoot, especially while passing people, but will immediately get over, even speeding up a bit more to quickly pass guys if I have to, to allow a guy going 140km to have the left lane clear.

[jayswin]

Actually I'd say the 100 - 110 crowd are the worst "laying claim" offenders out there, now that I think about it.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Those people are bad, but in my experience that annoying thought process tends to be more prevelant with the 105-120km crowd. You see it a lot on any left lane discussion on CP over the years.

In general I find the faster drivers tend to understand and in fact are anal about getting out of the left lane after passing.

I'm this way. I tend to creep up to 125-130k on deerfoot, especially while passing people, but will immediately get over, even speeding up a bit more to quickly pass guys if I have to, to allow a guy going 140km to have the left lane clear.

Well I would strongly suggest that one finds whatever people are on the other side if the argument to be annoying. I find the left-laners are irritating - they seem to think that they have some magic skill that allows them to drive faster than most people are capable of, and fail to recognize that speed is a factor in many crashes.
But I also know I find those people annoying because they don't share my viewpoint the subject
Saying one side or the other is "worse" is a pretty biased statement in and of itself.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Well I would strongly suggest that one finds whatever people are on the other side if the argument to be annoying. I find the left-laners are irritating - they seem to think that they have some magic skill that allows them to drive faster than most people are capable of, and fail to recognize that speed is a factor in many crashes.
But I also know I find those people annoying because they don't share my viewpoint the subject
Saying one side or the other is "worse" is a pretty biased statement in and of itself.

Biased statements are my specialty.

[JiriHrdina]

Oh we know!