Driving a bigass pickup to haul a sofa, I kept count. 4 out of 4 left-lane campers got out of my way when I flashed my lights at 'em. (It was night) If I were driving my miata (or even my 5-series), it would have been 1 out of 4. If I eventually get around 2 out of 4, they would express anger, with a flash, a honk, a finger, or aggressive driving. The 4th would have remained oblivious.

So left lane campers move aside out of fear, rather than courtesy. And it's irrational too - do they think truck drivers are likely to ram and kill them if they don't move aside, whereas miata drivers will just sit and wait?

Or is it they don't like the lights shining in their mirrors? Would they move aside at night if I mounted roof headlights on the miata?

 

Food chain. Truck wins.

 

If i'm doing 5-10 over the limit as it is. I'm not touching my throttle. **** you, slow down. Or find another way around me.



Though, i do think the left lane is for passing only, i'm going to get over as soon as i can no matter how much you flash your lights.

 

It's amazing how many people stopped ******* with me in traffic when I put a Smith & Wesson sticker on the back window.

 

It's been my experience that drivers who would otherwise be oblivious will always tend to yield to large vehicle.

I've driven across the country several times in a 16' box truck pulling a four-wheel car trailer. Despite what you might think, it's an extremely easy vehicle to maneuver in traffic, whether it's merging into a busy freeway or just changing lanes in city traffic. All you have to do is signal, and then start turning. If anybody is in your way, they will move.

It actually makes me understand why, from my perspective at least, many people who drive jacked-up F350s and the like are rude and inconsiderate drivers. They're used to traffic parting before them like Moses at the Red Sea.

 

Wonder who dey hatin on?

Lots of hos give you their number but you never call?

 

When I drive the miata around...I'm driving scared and no one ever lets me go unless they honestly nice people. In my truck Joe Perez said it best...super easy, signal and turn.

 

In my miata I have to be a very aggressive driver. I will get in the lane I need to be in no matter what because most people leave a space big enough for a miata or I just start merging like a truck would if I have had my blinker on and they are being a douche and not letting me in. If you just start merging in these situations people will always back off no matter what you are driving. They may play chicken for a bit longer but no one is gonna let the back end of your car hit the front end of theirs. This will always be there fault and even if it wasn't they don't want to deal with an accident anyway. Traffic is really just a game of who has the bigger *****.

On the flipside I am always curtious about letting other drivers in if their blinker is on. I also move out of the left lane if I am not passing or someone traveling faster comes up behind me, no flash necessary.

 

After finally doing a W2W race, I'm a lot more aggressive in traffic and don't feel bad about bitching people anymore when merging and ****.

 

Around here most are either too stupid or intentionally rude to you as they camp in the left lane. Meaning you're lucky if even 1 out of 4 will get out of your way. This is why I absolutely despise traffic/congested freeways/highways and avoid them at all costs.

 

GENIUS!

You've just given me an idea. The 24 Hours of Lemons needs to feature an exhibition race, for old box trucks! Extra points if the box contains a fully stocked bar / lounge for the judges to relax in and be bribed during tech, or a working prison cell for use during driver penalties, etc.

 

W2W racing have given me two things related to traffic; Scared as hell for the lack of runoffs and no problem at all to pass anyone on any side possible (at least if there are lanes that can be used). Passing on the right might annoy some (depends on area, laws etc).

If you want to annoy a camper, place yourself W2W in the next lane for a mile... But playing games on the road can be dangerous of course.

 

I drive faster than traffic most of the time. People confuse it for ******* driving, but I do it to be seen and (try to) be more intimidating to bigger cars. If I don't drive really aggressive (especially in miami) you get taken advantage of really easily in the miata.

 

I had something similar happen on my way back from Road Atlanta this past December. It was late and there were few cars on the road. I was doing 90+ due to the lack of traffic. By lack, I mean maybe 1 or 2 cars every 5 minutes. And I came up on this one guy in the left lane, no reason, no other cars nearby. I guess since it was late, and he couldn't tell the size of my car, or something to that degree, he quickly got over after a few flashes. I do think part of that had to do with the speed differential though.

 

I think the visibility is a big piece of it. Day or night, a big truck looms in the rear view and is more likely to catch their peripheral vision (you know, since they never actively check the mirror).

What if you are doing 5-10 over, there is no one in the right lane and someone is closing on you? They flash from a good 100 yards back.

What do you do?

What do you do?!

This is close to my driving style. I call it "enthusiastic" versus "aggressive." Just because I accelerate and corner harder than 90% of people will ever experience, does not make me aggressive. I don't block intersections, I (almost) always let people over when they use turn signals, I let people merge when appropriate, etc. I constantly scan and look ahead, trying to anticipate probable issues, I try to use the left lane only for passing and will even accelerate to move right if someone is coming up behind me, etc. I always use my turn signals - even in the parking garage, Braineack.

 

I usually win.



Most people get out of my way real quick.
If you are in the fast lane doing the speed limit, or under, I will ride your ***.
I am always in control, and I usually don't get to close.
If you brake check me, its over.
This is assuming you have a lane to chance into. In traffic, ill wait until you have had plenty of time to change lanes. If you don't, i'm on you.

I never stay in the left lane unless i'm passing period.

It would be really nice if everyone would respect left lane for passing only rule.

 

Same experiences here, in my truck people are courteous and won't flash their lights (except one guy in a Camry following me when I was towing a boat and passing at ~15kph greater than the passee, I did not pull out in front of him).

In a miata, unless you're driving fast, you are treated like a motorcyclist, ignored and / or disrespected. Also on coming traffic tends to flash their brights at me alot when I have my low beams on (Bosch H4 conversion).

I'm also another that uses the rightmost lane I can, often the right lane is wide open for incredible distances with everyone clogged up in the middle and left. Maybe they think the right lane has cooties or it's just for those fabulous miata drivers?

 

I have never understood the people who feel the need to regulate traffic by driving in the left lane. The whole "No one needs to be going faster than me, so i am going to make sure no one does" is too common and is completely lost on me.

People also get so ridiculous about their strange sense of person space on the roads as well as if they "own" whatever area they are around. When I drive my truck with a 28" trailer, people assume that if I get over in front of them, I will be going 10mph under the speed limit or something. When I put on my blinker to get over, half the time they speed up to close what was a reasonable amount of space for me to get over. When this happens I give them "the trailer shake". I will go back and forth in my lane just enough with the truck that the back of the trailer is swaying enough to notice. At this point they slam on the brakes, because they think I am about to lose control and I have my space back.

 

Same here. You don't mess with "Big John".

 

I would get the **** out of the way.
But if your fast enough to need me out of the way, ill get in right behind you doing the same speed, using you as a cop shield. LOL