Get the F*** Out of the Left Lane

[Jagger]

I've weighed in on this old Deerfoot debate before and the usual suspects were spewing forth exactly the same things. We had the quilting forum comment, the 'bunch of old women/grandma' comment, and many others mentioned here again. The thing is, nothing has changed. It's still illegal to speed and you have no argument against people who are driving at the speed limit.

None. Period.

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by fotze

How does that theory of driving up to the front work when the line of traffic is stopped? If traffic is flowing at even a slow pace I would agree, but I am talking about when it is stopped. Letting people in only speeds up the flow of traffic for those behind you. It will not increase flow throught the arsehole.

Anything you do upstream of a nozzle (other than reducing the total flow, which two lanes instead of one does not do) will not affect the flow rate through the nozzle.

It's a legitimate beef when you've been sitting in the open lane crawling along for 15 minutes. And once the queue forms and you're sitting in it you're in for a long wait.

My point was that the fastest way to move a total volume of cars is by filling up both lanes and merging not joining the end of a very long line. And I don't see the comparison of this situation to that of passing a person who's doing the limit on Deerfoot. If I'm not mistaken there's a sign that says "lane closure ahead" and "merge." That is saying that you should be filling up both lanes. You aren't doing anything illegal by driving in a lane that people have just chosen to not be in.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Hakan

This may have already been addressed but I feel compelled to respond to this comment.

This practice of everyone lining up in the stopped lane when the other lane is closed is a classic Calgary moment of driving incompetence.

Road crews start the warning of a lane closure hundreds of meters ahead of when the lane actually closes in the hopes that cars will merge into the open lane. Because almost nobody in Calgary understands what the concept of merging is, most drivers quickly dart into the open lane at first chance to avoid merging then grinding the open lane down to a halt.

Cities with drivers that know how to merge understand that the FASTEST way to get through a lane closure is for both lanes to fill up and cars merging in an interlocking manner at the end of the closure. Traffic certainly slows down but it is nothing like what happens in the above situation in Calgary.

To make matters worse, drivers then begrudge the one driver who will drive up the empty lane and merge when the lane closes. What that one driver is doing is actually the correct driving action but because all of docile sheep too afraid to merge at the end have been waiting in queue for 15 minutes they flare their nostrils and then purposefully try to not let that person in which further exascerbates the problem.

Good old Calgary drivers.

We aren't talking about the people that do it properly....the ones that drive slowly down the closed lane until a spot opens up....we are talking about the A HOLES that fly as fast as they can right to the front and then demand to get in. How many times to people on this site have to explain that? Read the posts.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

Read my post again. It may seem like I insinuated it was you doing those things. I meant myself. The only part directed at you was the fact that I said "I used to be like you". The rest is all me, except for what you have claimed to do already in this thread.

You wer talking about yourself, and sayng taht you did all those things, and then said that you were like me? So in other words, your description of yourself is also a description of me. Not sure how else to take that.


And what have I claimed to do in this thread and elsewhere? Give peter12 the beams for him hitting the brakes?Go to the end of the merge lane? Wish I had the batmobile? Go 10 - 20 over the limit? Anything else taht constitutes the lunacy that YOU used to do?

Whatevs, man. I vented it here, and am quite obviously in the 'minority'. Think want you want about me, I really shouldn't care. I got too riled up because it seemed taht my point was not being acknowledged and instead this turned into a speeding discussion.

And for the posts taht have described my point much more succintly, they were overlooked. I wonder why. Probably because 90% of you people do speed on deerfoot, but since it's apparently such an unpopular opinion, it's more fun to swing sticks with the rest of them.

As for cars keeping pace, the fact that very few of you are even mildly annoyed by this is also a farce. What a load of crap.

[lifer]

I don't understand you 4X4. Many people have responded that they agree with your initial point about cars pacing you in the left lane. A few people made stupid comments like "just don't speed", but I'd say that number is matched by those who agreed with you. Yet you still come on here adn insult everybody but Redvan, yourself and sometimes Fotze (and recently, Hakan). Is it a complex you have that you feel better if the world is against you? Is this some kind of Schtick?

[OilKiller]

Originally Posted by 4X4

As for cars keeping pace, the fact that very few of you are even mildly annoyed by this is also a farce. What a load of crap.

I've never bought into the whole "cars keeping pace" deal. It's quite silly actually. So because everyone else is speeding, I'm supposed to speed too, in order to keep up? Please...

I don't need the ticket and I don't need the hassle or the possibility of an accident. I enjoy living. I also don't need to be somewhere 10 seconds before the next guy.

[4X4]

Let me say it a little more clearly. When two cars are in different lanes, but driving side by side and not letting traffic through. Nobody said you need to speed.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by lifer

I don't understand you 4X4. Many people have responded that they agree with your initial point about cars pacing you in the left lane. A few people made stupid comments like "just don't speed", but I'd say that number is matched by those who agreed with you. Yet you still come on here adn insult everybody but Redvan, yourself and sometimes Fotze (and recently, Hakan). Is it a complex you have that you feel better if the world is against you? Is this some kind of Schtick?

Yeah. My schtick is that I'm being told that I'm a raging lunatic that shakes his fist and drives as fast as he can all the time. I don't like that.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Yeah. My schtick is that I'm being told that I'm a raging lunatic that shakes his fist and drives as fast as he can all the time. I don't like that.

I may be wrong but I think I read in a previous post that you like to speed whenever you can (and when it is safe to do so), so a lot of people have a valid impression that you speed all the time.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

I may be wrong but I think I read in a previous post that you like to speed whenever you can (and when it is safe to do so), so a lot of people have a valid impression that you speed all the time.

Well, I guess that that's as accurate a description as your reputation for being a right wing nutjob.

[lifer]

I woudn't like that either, and I can understand your point there. I'm just saying that as frustrating as it is for you when people imply that crap about you, it is just as frustrating for people who have openly supported your point basically being crapped on by you in one of your me and redvan vs the world posts. That's all I was trying to say.

[4X4]

Well, I'm sorry for alienating the people that agree with my initial point of lane pacing. In fact, I'm sorry I brought this topic up. God knows the best place to vent is on the road.

I think I'm done with this thread.

[lifer]

Ha. Watch out for Peter

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Well, I guess that that's as accurate a description as your reputation for being a right wing nutjob.

Holy cow man....I simply put out a reason as to why people think you speed all the time, do you take blood pressure medication because I can almost visualize the steam coming out of your ears. Good lord man, way to make it personal. BTW no one has ever described me as a right wing nut job. Unless.....I have such an impact on you that you feel it is necessary to discuss my political views behind closed doors.

You take things waaaaayyyyy to personally.

[corporatejay]

I've never bought into the whole "cars keeping pace" deal. It's quite silly actually. So because everyone else is speeding, I'm supposed to speed too, in order to keep up? Please...

I don't need the ticket and I don't need the hassle or the possibility of an accident. I enjoy living. I also don't need to be somewhere 10 seconds before the next guy.
__________________

then get the EFF out of the left lane.

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by BradMan23

So what should we decide is the definition of slow? Is 50 on the deerfoot acceptable, with my variable being I dont like driving fast? No. As much as its a 'maximum,' its really the 'drive at this speed unless there is rain or snow' speed.

And, today is a VERY nice day out. And yet there was once again, a person driving 90 in the right lane. What are the allowable variables?

-Brad

Brad, those signs refer to vehicles that are not capable of travelling at the speed limit; those with the orange triangle signs on their backs. Tractors, farm equipment, etc, not people that you deem to be driving too slowly.

People really just need to chill - in all likelyhood, the person who is negatively affecting your drive (by speeding or driving "too slow") isn't doing so on purpose. They aren't an obstacle, only there to get in your way; they are a person as well, with their own concerns, so don't treat them as if they are somehow below you because of their perceived faults.

Driving is so much nicer when you just relax. Hard to believe ... I know.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Well, I guess that that's as accurate a description as your reputation for being a right wing nutjob.

Lets take a look at why some people think you speed all the time shall we.

SeeGeeWhy post this:

Guess what, the roads you are on are designed for the posted speed limit, so if you are driving more than the speed limit, it is unsafe, no matter what the conditions.

Your response:

Bovine fecal matter.

Speed limits are designed to accomidate the lowest common denominator.

100 on Deerfoot on a nice day is like walking.
Ditto for 80 on Glenmore, Sarcee, Stoney Tr, Crowchild...

You posted:

Call me a speeder, but I only got 20 or 30 posts past my last post (~20th).

Sometimes it amazes me that this is a hockey forum. I wonder if I'm reading a quilting forum.

Are you people telling me that you are comfortable doing 100 on Deerfoot on a clear day? Honestly? And surpassing 100 is endangering yourself and your passengers, and your fellow roadmen? Honestly?

You posted:

If you're not capable of driving with the big boys, stay the hell off the big roads.

You posted:

Oh yes it is. The left lane is my own personal lane (and my fellow fast drivers'). The annoying SOBs that figure that since they're going the limit, they can hinder my speed, get a rearview full of highbeams. Eventually they move over.

You posted:

Seriously. Stay the FORK out of the fast lane or you're getting my highbeams and grille in your rearview. I frickin dare you to hit the brakes. My bumper can be fixed. Can your neck? Oh, that'll teach me a reel good lessun...

You posted:

This is the real essence of what I'm saying. Well, except for the 'following the rules of the road' part. I guess I'm a criminal because on days like today, I can cruise the deerfoot at 130kph while peter12 is going 99.5kph.

That is all from one thread: http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=44101

You posted:

See, I can jive with this. I'm not asking anyone to let me blow by them @ 150 kph. Doesn't mean that I wont *secretly* go 150kph on a nice, empty road

In response to being accused of driving to the front of a merge lane when you have had ample time to merge with traffic:

Your response:

You're fuc**ing right I am.

So that may be the reason that people think you drive fast all the time and that is all I was saying, but you had to get your snot in a knot and fly out with some off topic posting rage.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Lets take a look at why some people think you speed all the time shall we.

<Complete Ownage Follows>

[Tron_fdc]

[quote=The Unabomber;988920]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

In reference to 4x4 admitting he drives to the end of the merge lane....

Did i say that i do that Tron? I am making a point. I don't drive in the left lane unless i'm passing someone, but i hate it when people are roaring up behind me and riding my ass because i'm not passing someone fast enough. I also hate people who drive to the end of a merge lane to get a few cars ahead so they don't have to wait like everyone else.

Well, the way I read your post was that it was perfectly legal to drive the speed limit in the fast lane. You told him he was being an a-hole for driving to the end of a merge lane, and I merely pointed out that what he was doing was perfectly legal as well.

All in all I think this is a pretty funny thread. I hate people that drive slow (in comparison to other traffic) in the LH lane, and people hate me for driving to the end of merge lanes. Cancels things out in my mind

[Peanut]

Sorry to go all engineer-y on you, but roads are designed for vehicles to travel at certain speeds - the shoulder width, the signage, the curves, the merge/deceleration lanes, etc. Posted speed limits are based on this design.

There is a buffer between posted speed limit and design speed limit for safety. It's pretty much guaranteed that, in North America, if you're doing 20km/h or more over the speed limit, no matter "how nice" the conditions, the road is not designed for those speeds and eventually you'll get into, or cause, an accident.

So 150km/h on a "secret road" is a really scary thought. Especially since the "secret road" is likely a rural highway with a posted speed limit of 90km/h...