Why do drivers....?

Question

On highways with 2 lanes going each way, there's a certain type of driver who stays in the left lane regardless of traffic behind. Some get alongside a vehicle in the right lane, and pace them, blocking the folks behind who want to pass. Sometimes, they even go BELOW the speed limit.

There are also many drivers who instantly take the left lane just as soon as they enter the highway, and that's just where they drive, even as people are passing them on the right and glaring. There are some drivers that block you from getting aroound them, and when you finally can, they speed up. Again, some of them were going under the limit in the first place.

Your motives absolutely intrigue me. What are your reasons? I imagine a lot of you will say it's because you want to control speeders, but what about those of you that are driving under the limit and blocking others? Also, has it occurred to you that road rage could be reduced if you stayed to the right and let traffic flow?

Answer 1

The sad truth is that the people you discuss

are simply oblivious to conditions around them.

When you attempt to pass, they wake from their

stupor, or are distracted from their cellphone,

long enough to realize they're going too slow

and speed up, for a bit before going back to sleep.

The reason they 'hog the left lane` is that they

do have some awareness of their inattention and

wish to avoid the necessity of making allowances

for drivers entering the road from the right.

I personally regard such individuals as

'living arguments against gun control.`

Maybe your question will do some good....

but I doubt it.

Interesting factoid:

It is possible to fail a driving test in G.B. for

'failing to make normal progress`.

Maybe our cousins have something there???

Answer 2

Because they are AMERICAN.

Answer 3

Because this is the tranquilizer capitol of the world. Doctors pass 'em out like M&Ms , and people really believe they aren't drugs. It's only a few...........Cops don't bother them, "cause it takes too long for tests to come back. Drunks are an easier conviction. Ever see a 400 lb.er in a 7,000 lb. SUV with a cell phone in one hand, a Big Mac in the other, a Big Gulp in the other, and changing CDs in the other, doing 35 in a 70 in the left lane? Yeah? You're in Florida.

Answer 4

WOW....YOU HAVE JUST ASKED THEE SMARTEST QUESTION ON YAHOO ANSWERS! I wonder the exact same thing and I know the feeling. People are idiots basically and they don't take in account of other people. They just worry about them selves. I drive a lot and i have the worst road rage. Ive also come to the conclusion that accidents should no longer be called accidents. they should be called stupidity crashes.

Answer 5

Are you in Greece? You describe it perfectly!

Answer 6

I don't condone this behavior, and I don't practice this when I drive out on the open road.

  Much as you have vigilante people who take the law into their hands by using a video camera to record law breakers in the action, motorist who practice what you've described think they're saving lives by creating a "moving roadblock."   They believe fast driving , or speeding,  will eventually result in traffic collision, so they reason that they're doing you and society a favor, by holding you up and impeding the flow of traffic.  

I've thought of doing this, but I keep forgetting to buy the necessary hardware equipment before going on my road trip.

I'll have a pneumatic-powered paintball airgun ready by my side.  When I come across Mr I'll-drive-slow-2-reduce- accidents,  I do a drive-by and open up on his front windshield. When he turns on the wipers to clean his windshield, he only ends up spreading and smearing the paint even more. ....L-O-L

Answer 7

THEYRE IDIOTS, and I have heard that they do it because they are worried that people getting on and off the interstate will hit them getting on or stop in front of them when getting off so they hit the hammer lane to stay away from  the exit/entrance ramps, my dad got a ticket in Dallas for that one time, he was running 65 in a 55 on I-635 and got a ticket for impeding traffic ( I died laughing to say the least)

Answer 8

Here is one thing the drives me nuts in regards to this question. I cannot stand being ridden from behind and if I am driving 75-80 in a 65MPH zone and passing everyone in the right, why do people get pissed at me for slowing them down? I mean really, is it that safe to drive 90-100mph? One tire blowout=one potential multi car pile up.

And road ragers, you get caught road raging your *** needs to be locked up for a long time. This coming from someone who had a very close friend murdered in a road rage. Drive with some sense and you will never have a need to road rage.

Answer 9

People are stupid especially when they drive (women???) Some men too!

Answer 10

What drives me nuts is if I get into the left lane to pass someone who's going 55 and then can't get back into the right lane because the people from behind me start passing me in the right lane going 85 when I'm driving like 73 on a 70 mph road and they totally ignore my blinker.

Answer 11

i am with you on the driving on the left - i hate that.

i also do not like passing, or being passed on the right.

if someone is driving in the left i usually flash my lights so they will move right and let me pass - if they wont move, i might pass on the right, but i don't like to do so.

I have to disagree with you about people "not even driving the limit"  notice the term "speed LIMIT"  limit means maximum, not minimum. Drivers are not required to drive the limit, but exceeding it is prohibited.

Nevertheless, people should drive in the right lane regardless of their speed and reserve the left lane for passing other vehicles.

Happy motoring.

Answer 12

Those people are idiots just plain idiots.

Answer 13

You have to train them. Feel free to flash lights and perhaps horn (especially if they are below speed limit). There are some states were there are signs posted about slower traffic should stay to the right, but still these drivers continuee to be rude. most people will just pass them on the right. but having experience driving on the autobahn where passing on the right is a ticketable offense, i try to refrain from doing so here. if you must pass on the right, use your flashers for the duration of the pass.

Answer 14

You must be driving in Louisiana or Mississippi!  They have NO clue!

Answer 15

a lot of what you call pacing is because of cruise control where both cars are set close to the same speed. What you say is true and I have no answere for it other than a general lack of consideration for others in our society.  At least you are observant of others around you.

Answer 16

I call those drivers "morons". There are thousands of them in my state. I get behind them ALL the time.

Answer 17

AAARRRGG, I feel your pain!!i I have seen drivers enter the highway, go immediatly to the highspeed/ passing lane and let off the gas, drive 3 mi. and then try to get over to exit,I forgot to mention, no other vehicles were in the curb lane when they did this. I have even had drivers swerve over in the oncoming lane on a 2 way road so ya can't pass them either just to maintain a below the speed limit pace. Since i grew up in the era of Driver's Ed in school, and now a days only a limited amount of time is required both in the classroom and behind the wheel and Written Exams never mention slower traffic maintain the curb or middle lane and use any other lanes for passing, even when some states post it along highways and freeways, and I have yet to see a cop pull someone over for this moving violation(s). I am going to monitor your Q. and see how many people respond who do this Flagrant violation of both written laws and common courtesy laws, although the ones who are guilty probably won't see themselves in this Q

Answer 18

Two reasons.....

1) each and every driver is the only important person on the road

2)have more important things to think about/do than worry about whether others can pass

Answer 19

Hmm....I see it alot too on the highways and roads. I think its because they want to stay away from the on and off ramps so when someone is getting on they arent in the way. It makes it easier for them so they dont have to move or slow down or speed up. I think thats why alot of the older folks stay in the left lane. Some people stay there because they dont realize thats the fast lane. Some things can just not be explained. Hope I helped!

Answer 20

you will never understand why people do stupid things.  they each have their own reasons.  some are just not paying attention.

it's the tailgaters and speeding ziz zaggers that scare me!

when the stupids are on the freeway, i take the access roads or take an alternate route.

Answer 21

I noticed a funny thing:  Once I got an earlier start and stopped worrying about traffic, the incidences I witnessed of this kind of behavior all but disappeared.  (Has it occurred to you that road rage would be reduced if you didn't care about this any more?)

Answer 22

that's why they have the hard shoulder! so you can over take them....geesh

Answer 23

I don't know.  Most of the time in my part of texas, folks who drive like that are of Mexican origin.  My guess is it is usually ignorance.

Oh yes, and then there are the people who talk on the fone while driving, not realizing or not caring that it makes them completely oblivious to everything else around them.

Solution: make people take driving seriously by (1)raising the age for licensing to 18, except for hardship cases (2)making drivers education class  mandatory (3) make defensive driving mandatory for anyone who has had 2 tickets in the last 2 years (4)raise the current fines for traffic violations to three times their current amount (5)suspend for one year the license of any person who gets 3 tickets in 2 years (6)make it a felony punishable with jail time and/or a ten thousand dolar fine for a person over 20 to drive without a learner's permit or license (7)make it a felony punishable with jail time and/or a ten thousand dollar fine for a person to drive while talking on the phone(8) enforce these new laws to the utmost.

Answer 24

I have wondered the same thing many, many times. Recently I came up with a reason for at least some of them.

I was driving and had a friend in the car. The road became a 4 lane road (2 each way) and I moved over to the left lane to pass. As I was passing the cars, my friend made some comment like, "See all those drivers there? They are BAD drivers, they are not supposed to be in that lane unless they are passing."

I was very surprised and asked her what she meant. She replied, "You are supposed to drive in the left lane and pass on the outside, but not many people do".

Of course I told her that was incorrect... which was probably good considering she is taking her driver's test in a couple of months. It was interesting though, it gave me some insight into why people do that.

Answer 25

We are all just animals after all.  Its about power/rank or whatever.  Its idiotic and P.S. ther will ALWAYS be someone in front of you on the road. There is no first in line.

It's crazy right?  We went to school K-12, and most of that time we were probably standing in line.  You think we would be trained for the real world! But NO!  People are idiots on the road, in stores, post offices and anywhere a line may form.

Answer 26

I think it's just that they think they are the only ones on the road or just don't give a rats *** about the car behind them.  I have been on freeways & highways where  you are driving along and a car cuts infront of you ... which makes you slow down... and is going 10-15 miles below the speed limit!  You are like "WHAT THE ....!"  It's happened to me here in the USA, Mexico, Canada and England!  

So, there are dumb drivers everywhere that think they own the road and the world revolves around them! .

Answer 27

Good question! I totally agree! It totally pis*es me off when people r in the left lane going the 55mph. I think some people try to control speeders, as you put it.

Believe it or not, some of the more CAUTIOUS drivers (whom I believe are nervous drivers) feel more comfortable in the left lane, for some reason....I have some friends who do that, whom I consider... bad drivers. Needless to say, I insist on driving when I go any where w/ them. LOL.

Answer 28

Use the chrome horn.

Answer 29

Because they belong to the Triple-I-Club: & they are Incompetent, Inconciderate, Idiots that think they own the road.

I almost got run over by one in Italy, walking in a parking lot & someone was speeding through @ an estimated speed of 50 miles an hour.  My sister in law pulled me out of the way & that is why I'm still alive today.

When we talk about this story, it is about the

Quadruple-I-Club: Incompetent Inconciderate Idiots from Italy.

I hope that I have answered UR question, or @ least that you get a kick out of the answer.

Answer 30

i always thought that the right lane was the passing lane!  well--i guess im not the only one under that impression!