Highway Driving (speed, passing and etiquette)

[NigelM]

The law requires that you pull over into the frequent turn-outs if you have five or more people backed up behind you. Amazingly, people seemed to obey this, at least the couple of times I've been on the road.

Florida doesn't have enough real estate for a law like that.:frown:

 

[daniel]

Here's our law in Oregon about passing on the right.

I'm dumbfounded, and learned something new. There are signs all over the place "Slower Traffic keep right."
I guess this law allows you to get around those who disobey that law.

Exactly. The slower car is required to stay to the right. But the faster car is not required to keep to the left, though when possible, passing on the left is safer.

Here's another example of where a law can be misunderstood: It is (in my state and probably others) illegal to block a car even if that car is speeding. In other words, you have to allow the faster car to pass, even when they're speeding. But a friend of mine argued (incorrectly) that this meant that on a road where passing was impossible, the car in front was required to speed up, even if that meant speeding, since failure to speed up would mean blocking the car behind you. You are never required to go faster than the speed limit. But you must allow other cars to pass you when possible.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Reminds of the people who drive slowly in no-passing zones (curves) and speed up in passing zones (straight-aways). Aaargh...

 

[AndyM]

Reminds of the people who drive slowly in no-passing zones (curves) and speed up in passing zones (straight-aways). Aaargh...

Also, people who are so unaware that they speed up when you're trying to overtake them... there's a special Hell for those people.

That said, to get back to a Tesla-related subject... I know I'll be passed a lot in my Model S on my long trips, since I'll be slowing to 65 for range. I always give way to the "want-to-be-on-the-Autobahn" drivers behind me. I was there once.

 

[Doug_G]

Florida doesn't have enough real estate for a law like that.:frown:

The slow drivers get to feed the croc's.

 

[Kipernicus]

Why do some drivers feel the need to block me from getting into their lane in order to exit?
Is that much of a sacrifice to slow down a little?
Do they feel like they "won" some kind of battle?
"Take that Mr fancy Tesla, ha ha"

 

[yobigd20]

Why do some drivers feel the need to block me from getting into their lane in order to exit?
Is that much of a sacrifice to slow down a little?
Do they feel like they "won" some kind of battle?
"Take that Mr fancy Tesla, ha ha"

easy solution - never use your turn signal. it's basically a signal for them to speed up and not let you in.

 

[brianman]

easy solution - never use your turn signal. it's basically a signal for them to speed up and not let you in.

That's a strategy for bad drivers around you. Good drivers behave differently. In fact, sometimes I "actively brake" (read: use more than regen!) to reward people for using the signal properly.

 

[Doug_G]

Why do some drivers feel the need to block me from getting into their lane in order to exit?

This is the most annoying thing about Ottawa drivers. It seems like everyone does this. Heck some of them proactively close up the gap if you simply turn your head! The behavior is mainly rude, but it is also potentially dangerous.

My technique is to pop into the spot so fast they can't react. A Tesla is handy for that. I do signal but don't give them enough time to react to it.

(Mind you Montreal is worse. Last month I was changing highways and found myself on a short merge lane right beside a truck, and I was coming up fast on a concrete barrier. Typical ridiculously crappy Montreal highway design! The car behind the truck deliberately tried to block me out. With a concrete wall looming I was going to have to plant the brakes if I couldn't merge. Luckily the Roadster is very small so I simply squeezed into the gap. He reacted by coming up even closer - just a couple of feet. I gradually pulled back from the truck until I had a gap and then full-throttled outta there!)

 

[hiroshiy]

Those types of people will cause some accidents in the future, so I usually get away from them as soon as possible.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Rodolfo Paiz]

That's a strategy for bad drivers around you. Good drivers behave differently. In fact, sometimes I "actively brake" (read: use more than regen!) to reward people for using the signal properly.

Amen. I don't block people who don't use turn signals, but I'll actively try to help anyone who properly uses a turn signal. Not using a turn signal is a pet peeve of mine.

 

[Denarius]

In areas where people don't let you in when you signal I usually signal while changing lanes instead of before.

 

[brianman]

In areas where people don't let you in when you signal I usually signal while changing lanes instead of before.

I'm sure that makes some great dashcam videos of a blinker .. blinking .. wedged into someone's front fender.

 

[Denarius]

I'm sure that makes some great dashcam videos of a blinker .. blinking .. wedged into someone's front fender.

Maybe I should have been more specific, I'm not changing lanes into other vehicles. I've noticed in some states if you turn on you signal people slow down and let you in. In other states, people speed up and try to eliminate the room you did have, making it unsafe for you to change lanes. In those areas, I don't give them time to do so.

 

[AnOutsider]

Maybe I should have been more specific, I'm not changing lanes into other vehicles. I've noticed in some states if you turn on you signal people slow down and let you in. In other states, people speed up and try to eliminate the room you did have, making it unsafe for you to change lanes. In those areas, I don't give them time to do so.

Yup. The only place I've driven where people seemed to be courteous to a blinker is Florida. Which is something, since I hated just about everything else about driving down there.