Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:06:03 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Drafting - So Cal Drivers
In-Reply-To: <23367471.19357.1251381875485.JavaMail.mcneely4@127.0.0.1>
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A bit off the California subject but related and somewhat Vanagon:
One of my pet peeves is the 2 lane highway driver who will not pass.
They'll sit on my Vangon bumper for many many miles, through long straight
sections of single line highway with no oncoming traffic what so ever...and
they will not pass. Right there, couple of car length back..Wassup with
that, are they just unfamiliar with anything but a multi-lane
freeway/Interstate? Do they not know that you are allowed to pass a slower
vehicle using the oncoming lane when that lane is clear?
It's especially irking when you are on a somewhat busy road...One with
numerous opportunities to go around a single car, but fewer chances to pass
more than one...First, when you, in your Vanagon, encounter a 'shrinking
Violet' non-passer in front of you...someone following along behind a big
motor home or a truck or something....and not passing them...It becomes
really dicey , especially in a vanagon, to find a spot to go around both the
'wimpy' driver and the vehicle he/she is following...(often, when you
finally do find a big enough hole in the oncoming traffic, the 'rolling
roadblock' will also decide, at the last possible minute, to pass,
finally...and pull out without checking their mirrors..)
Here in Washington state we have signs saying "Delay of more than 5
vehicles is Illegal..Slower motorists must use turnouts"
So a 'Fraidy-cat comes up behind you and sits there...then comes another
car..can't get past us both..and another..Soon, it is 5 vehicles and you
have to pull over in a 'slow vehicle turnout'...if you can find one without
someone parked in it.
I find myself looking into my mirrors and urging the dork behind...."Come
On! You can do it! Just depress your right toe a little and tilt your hand
left! You can do it..Your 275hp Lexus will get you around this old Hippy
bus you been following for almost an hour!" Sheesh..
Don Hanson
On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 7:04 AM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> I guess, in driving in California, north or south, I've compared the
> behavior of drivers to what I've experienced in Texas and Oklahoma.
> Generally, here, competitiveness seems to prevail, and any laws or rules
> be hanged. People think tailgating at high speed is just a reasonable
> signal to the driver in front to get the .... out of the way of someone
> who is in more of a hurry. A lane change signal means, to the guy
> behind, "I better jump over there before this guy does." In California,
> north or south, I've experienced people behaving rationally on the road,
> which was novel to me. That has been true in the Bay area and
> Sacramento, as well as LA. But, it might be a relative thing (relative
> to my home states that is). I'd say these folks would behave the same
> whether I was in my camper, or in my Prius.
>
> Dave Mc
>
>
>
> On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 10:30 PM , Melissa Mourkas wrote:
>
> I can't stand it, I have to weigh in...
>> That polite behavior is in So Cal ONLY! Not evident in Sacramento or
>> the Bay Area. So Cal, different deal, 3-second rule applies, you
>> will be able to merge. Don't try it in Sacto! Your Vanagon chrome
>> bumper will get wrinkly! (Vanagon content).
>>
>> Melissa Mourkas
>> 84 Westy "Honey Bee"
>> Sacramento,CA
>>
>> On Aug 26, 2009, at 4:59 PM, Karl Wolz wrote:
>>
>>
>>>
>>> When driving in Cal, I signal for a lane change, someone opens up for
>>> me, and I slip in. Darned near automatic!
>>>
>>> Karl
>>>
>>
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