Forget speed limits, enforce "Slower Traffic Keep Right"

[AreaCode707]

I know it's a pain in the ass but try to always give the trucker the benefit of the doubt - unless you have driven a large delivery truck around for a couple of weeks you have no idea what they have to deal with (I know I didn't)

It's like all common sense disappears when someone sees a large truck driving around. Everyone always assumes they can cut in front of the truck or beat the truck with no regards to the laws of physics. I am pretty sure I got dangerously cut off more times in a month driving the delivery truck than in all my times in a regular vehicle combined

I even got yelled at a couple of times because people thought I got too close to them after they cut me off. I tried to explain the physics behind stopping a truck laden with thousands of pounds of equipment in the amount of space they gave me but I don't think they understood

Trying to get over into another lane was another constant battle. People would always speed up to prevent you from merging even if there was originally an open area. Often they would slow back down to speeds that were below what I would have been driving at anyway - they just saw a truck and assumed they needed to be in front of it regardless of the situation. I can now completely understand getting over when ever any opportunity presents itself - it will probably be the last one you see for miles

I always go out of my way to give truckers extra space, both in front and in back and make room when they put the blinker on to merge. I can't imagine the hell it would be to deal with all the stupid drivers when you're in a truck, and to do it all day long. Ugh.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

Apologies - I was paging through the many Oregon traffic laws and copied the wrong one. This is the one I wanted:



Doesn't really change much though. As you can see, it states "normal speed of traffic", not "speed limit". If traffic around you is going faster than you, and you aren't actively passing anyone else (creating the ever-exciting wall of slow traffic), you are committing a Class B violation in Oregon. The same class as speeding.

811.315 Failure of slow driver to drive on right; exceptions; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of failure of a slow driver to drive on the right if the person is operating a vehicle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing and the person fails to drive:

(a) In the right-hand lane available for traffic; or

(b) As close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.

(2) This section does not apply under any of the following circumstances:

(a) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing passing in ORS 811.410 to 811.425.

(b) When preparing to turn left at an intersection, alley or private road or driveway.

(3) The offense described in this section, failure of slow driver to drive on the right, is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §619; 1995 c.383 §57]

Read the bold. It is known that under law the normal speed of the road is the speed limit, unless conditions do not permit such speeds. Even if you are "slower" than other drivers, you are still going the maximum (and normal under law, mind you) speed and you are not in violation of the law above.

Do you really want to keep going on about this? I know traffic laws. More-so by common sense but I have read up on them a lot in case I get pulled over by a police officer that doesn't actually know what they're doing.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally Posted by Exterous
I know it's a pain in the ass but try to always give the trucker the benefit of the doubt - unless you have driven a large delivery truck around for a couple of weeks you have no idea what they have to deal with (I know I didn't)

It's like all common sense disappears when someone sees a large truck driving around. Everyone always assumes they can cut in front of the truck or beat the truck with no regards to the laws of physics. I am pretty sure I got dangerously cut off more times in a month driving the delivery truck than in all my times in a regular vehicle combined

I even got yelled at a couple of times because people thought I got too close to them after they cut me off. I tried to explain the physics behind stopping a truck laden with thousands of pounds of equipment in the amount of space they gave me but I don't think they understood

Trying to get over into another lane was another constant battle. People would always speed up to prevent you from merging even if there was originally an open area. Often they would slow back down to speeds that were below what I would have been driving at anyway - they just saw a truck and assumed they needed to be in front of it regardless of the situation. I can now completely understand getting over when ever any opportunity presents itself - it will probably be the last one you see for miles

I always go out of my way to give truckers extra space, both in front and in back and make room when they put the blinker on to merge. I can't imagine the hell it would be to deal with all the stupid drivers when you're in a truck, and to do it all day long. Ugh.

As someone who's fought traffic in "oversized vehicles" for decades...Thank you both. Every little bit of courtesy helps. Visibility in those things sucks at best, and having motorists who are willing to give them a bit of room...or flash their lights to let them know there's room to change lanes...is usually greatly appreciated.

Yes, when you're commuting, it's a PITA to get stuck behind a truck that's trying to pass another truck...or several trucks...and is barely creeping by them, but, remember, many of those truckers get paid by the load...or by the mile, NOT by the hour, so every little bit they can gain is money in their pocket.

From their POV, why should they get stuck behind another truck when they have the ability to go a couple of mph faster than the other one?

Why that's the same thing the speeders here are bitching about...and truckers are famous for moving back over when they've finished passing.

 

[BoomerD]

From the Oregon DOT:

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/docs/vcb/VCB811.pdf

"811.105 Speeds that are evidence of
basic rule violation. (1) Any speed in excess
of a designated speed posted by authority
granted under ORS 810.180 is prima facie
evidence of violation of the basic speed rule
under ORS 811.100"

"811.108 Relationship between speed
limits and basic rule. (1) The speed limits
established by ORS 811.111 do not authorize
speeds higher than those required for compliance
with the basic speed rule.
(2) The basic speed rule does not authorize
speeds higher than those established as
speed limits by ORS 811.111. [1987 c.887 §5; 2003
c.819 §8]"

"(Impeding Traffic)
811.130 Impeding traffic; penalty. (1)
A person commits the offense of impeding
traffic if the person drives a motor vehicle
or a combination of motor vehicles in a
manner that impedes or blocks the normal
and reasonable movement of traffic.
(2) A person is not in violation of the offense
described under this section if the person
is proceeding in a manner needed for
safe operation.
(5) The offense described in this section,
impeding traffic, is a Class D traffic violation.
[1983 c.338 §569; 1985 c.16 §288; 1989 c.433 §1;
1991 c.482 §18; 1995 c.383 §45]"

"811.425 Failure of slower driver to
yield to overtaking vehicle; penalty. (1) A
person commits the offense of failure of a
slower driver to yield to overtaking vehicle
if the person is driving a vehicle and the
person fails to move the person’s vehicle off
the main traveled portion of the highway
into an area sufficient for safe turnout when:
(a) The driver of the overtaken vehicle is
proceeding at a speed less than a speed established
in ORS 811.105 as prima facie evidence
of violation of the basic speed rule;
(b) The driver of the overtaking vehicle
is proceeding at a speed in conformity with
ORS 811.105;
(c) The highway is a two directional,
two-lane highway; and
(d) There is no clear lane for passing
available to the driver of the overtaking vehicle.
(2) This section does not apply to the
driver of a vehicle in a funeral procession.
(3) The offense described in this section,
failure of a slower driver to yield to overtaking
vehicle, is a Class B traffic violation.
[1983 c.338 §640; 1991 c.482 §16; 1995 c.383 §68; 2001 c.104
§307; 2003 c.819 §15]"

 

[ShawnD1]

As someone who's fought traffic in "oversized vehicles" for decades...Thank you both. Every little bit of courtesy helps. Visibility in those things sucks at best, and having motorists who are willing to give them a bit of room...or flash their lights to let them know there's room to change lanes...is usually greatly appreciated.

Solution: drive like a wise and beautiful woman.

I think city bus drivers have this down to a science. They need to get from the far right lane (bus stop) over to the far left lane to make a left turn and they only have 1 block of distance. No problem. Signal on, set a gentle angle so people can see well in advance that they are going, and go. Don't even look. Just start going and let people die if they get in the way.

City buses cut people off like crazy, and it very rarely causes an accident. It seems like most accidents I've seen happen when cars are coming to a stop; not when they are already moving at proper speed.

 

[BoomerD]

Solution: drive like a wise and beautiful woman.

I think city bus drivers have this down to a science. They need to get from the far right lane (bus stop) over to the far left lane to make a left turn and they only have 1 block of distance. No problem. Signal on, set a gentle angle so people can see well in advance that they are going, and go. Don't even look. Just start going and let people die if they get in the way.

City buses cut people off like crazy, and it very rarely causes an accident. It seems like most accidents I've seen happen when cars are coming to a stop; not when they are already moving at proper speed.

I don't think I'd drive a city bus for $150K/year. No fucking way...especially in a large city. Too many fucking assholes who won't let them change lanes for fear they might get slowed down for a second or two...and yes, that's a learned technique...turn on the turn signal and start moving over. "They'll move...sooner or later."
Many cities have passed laws that give buses right of way in traffic...failing to give one room to change lanes carries a severe fine.

 

[ShawnD1]

Many cities have passed laws that give buses right of way in traffic...failing to give one room to change lanes carries a severe fine.

Just write the law so anyone hitting a city bus is automatically at fault. Problem solved


edit:
point is that the fine is not needed. Totaling your car and have it not covered by insurance (unless you have comprehensive) is the stiffest penalty.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scholzpdx
I'm a good driver. Slower doesn't mean not going the speed limit. I go the speed limit at all times. Accelerate slower than the norm and taking everything a bit easier. That's all. You should never need to go faster than 55. Seriously. That's 55 miles per HOUR. That's a great distance.

You're an idiot. Keep your car where it belongs - in your garage.
__________________

hahaha what a loser!! Damn Cyclo grow up dude!!

 

[Exterous]

Yes, when you're commuting, it's a PITA to get stuck behind a truck that's trying to pass another truck...or several trucks...and is barely creeping by them, but, remember, many of those truckers get paid by the load...or by the mile, NOT by the hour, so every little bit they can gain is money in their pocket.

Correct me if I am wrong but don't a lot of places also give bonuses for maintaining above a certain MPG?

City buses cut people off like crazy, and it very rarely causes an accident. It seems like most accidents I've seen happen when cars are coming to a stop; not when they are already moving at proper speed.

This isn't something I would want to try often at highway speeds. I'm with BoomerD here - it would require a lot of money before I took a job as a bus driver. No way I could deal with with what they have to put up with

 

[alkemyst]

Correct me if I am wrong but don't a lot of places also give bonuses for maintaining above a certain MPG?

I think today it's more on the trucker to save their own money, but in the past I knew many companies bonused on getting a load delivered at the lowest cost. MPG could be one aspect (fuel costs), but lodging, meals, etc all break out of it. Trucking is a big business some cargo has less negotiation room than others, local, interstate, intrastate, etc all play into it.

 

[BoomerD]

Correct me if I am wrong but don't a lot of places also give bonuses for maintaining above a certain MPG?

Quite possibly so. I know a lot of the bigger trucking companies have their rigs equipped with computer systems and GPS tracking systems and know how fast the trucks are going, when and how long they stop, and how much fuel the truck is using. With fuel costs being as high as they were a couple of years ago, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see some type of "fuel savings bonus" for company drivers.

 

[lsv]

I realize it's more difficult to enforce than speed limits, but it also could be a really good way to reduce traffic congestion, accidents, and road rage.

People who sit in the left lane, with cars lining up behind them (and a big gap between them and the car ahead) slow everyone else down unnecessarily.

On my daily commute I'm one of the fastest people on the freeway (I pass people, they don't pass me), and I gladly educate other drivers if they don't get in the right lane when they're supposed to. I'll pass them on the right, then slow down ahead of them in the left lane. When they go into the right lane to pass me, I speed up and leave them where they should've been in the first place: far behind me in the right lane.

So you're an unfit driver and disregard the safety of others? Why don't you 'speed' into a tree.

 

[olds]

As someone who's fought traffic in "oversized vehicles" for decades...Thank you both. Every little bit of courtesy helps. Visibility in those things sucks at best, and having motorists who are willing to give them a bit of room...or flash their lights to let them know there's room to change lanes...is usually greatly appreciated.

Yes, when you're commuting, it's a PITA to get stuck behind a truck that's trying to pass another truck...or several trucks...and is barely creeping by them, but, remember, many of those truckers get paid by the load...or by the mile, NOT by the hour, so every little bit they can gain is money in their pocket.

From their POV, why should they get stuck behind another truck when they have the ability to go a couple of mph faster than the other one?

Why that's the same thing the speeders here are bitching about...and truckers are famous for moving back over when they've finished passing.

I use the "big tire rule". The vehicle with the biggest tires has the right of way.

 

[olds]

Quite possibly so. I know a lot of the bigger trucking companies have their rigs equipped with computer systems and GPS tracking systems and know how fast the trucks are going, when and how long they stop, and how much fuel the truck is using. With fuel costs being as high as they were a couple of years ago, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see some type of "fuel savings bonus" for company drivers.

Two years ago we had a wreck (too much speed for the VERY well marked curve) that closed down a highway. It was being used as a detour because they were working on another highway.
The company that lost the truck pulled the GPS records for that day and any driver that had gone over the speed limit was fired.

 

[olds]

The police shouldn't have to do it. Its simple courtesy. We as drivers who know how to drive have to educate the others. there is a great grass roots iniative at leftlanecampers com.

You joined just to post in this thread (user name)?

 

[InflatableBuddha]

The police shouldn't have to do it. Its simple courtesy. We as drivers who know how to drive have to educate the others. there is a great grass roots iniative at leftlanecampers com.

What's your other account? :hmm:

 

[ShawnD1]

You joined just to post in this thread (user name)?

Mods to check IP records to see who the main account is. Ban the main account so they can only post on the troll account

 

[olds]

What's your other account? :hmm:

My money is on that minjz (something like that) guy.

 

[alkemyst]

In most areas impeding the flow of traffic whether the rest of the motorist's are speeding or not is a crime. Sadly it's never enforced.

IMHO they should do this. It'd teach drivers to drive properly and allow tax money to do more than never ending road expansions.