Flash to pass?

[DasLeben]

Arizona is one of the worst states for driving, partially because of people doing the speed limit (or slightly under) in the passing lane. Since most of the highways in northern AZ are 2 lanes in each direction, I constantly find myself coming up fast behind someone while they're doting along in the left lane. Now, there are 4 ways to handle this situation, IMO:

1. Deal with it
2. Pass on the right
3. Tailgate
4. Flash your brights 2-3 times

I prefer #4, in that it's a safe and, in my opinion, a civilized way of asking someone to move to the right to allow you to pass. But, 90% of the people that see me flashing brights take it as a personal attack to their masculinity. I've been flipped off, yelled at, stared down, have had people cut back into my lane and tailgate me, etc. It's very aggravating.

I'm not sure how effective this technique is in other states. Does anyone do this with any good success?

[gunt]

the problem with flashing is that you also have to tailgate while doing it, just so they see you... that said, if someone flashes me, i let them pass, but i still think they are tools.

[Nathan183]

I usually come up behind them (close, but not dangerously close) and give them a few seconds to get their act together. If they haven't moved over by then, I blow by them on right. Passing quickly achieves two things: it's more safe, and it clearly illustrates to them that they are being a slow dickhead.

[bennyk]

[ QUOTE ]
I usually come up behind them (close, but not dangerously close) and give them a few seconds to get their act together. If they haven't moved over by then, I blow by them on right. Passing quickly achieves two things: it's more safe, and it clearly illustrates to them that they are being a slow dickhead.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is good. passing on the right should only be done occasionally.

bk

[DasLeben]

[ QUOTE ]
but i still think they are tools.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm interested in why this is.

[d10]

As I was driving home a few weeks ago, I had no problem getting through KY and WV. Most people stay to the right when they're not passing. Then all of a sudden I get into MD and everyone's in the left lane. There's like a huge line of cars in the left lane and the right lane is sparsely populated with cars travelling only slightly slower than the traffic on the left. I remembered then why driving in MD pisses me off. AZ can't be that bad.

[zephed]

In reality (u.s.a.), passing on the right is probably the best play. The morons cruising in the otherwise open left lane are too oblivious.

In an ideal world (or germany), flashing your brights would be the best.

[Ulysses]

Flashing the brights is the way to go. Those who don't move over should die.

[sleight]

I vote for slight tailgating at first, but after 5 seconds and if possible I just pass on the right.

Bright-flashing should only be used as a last resort. I mean, I think I'm more important than everyone else as much as the next guy, but sadly the language of not-bright/ bright doesn't really convey that.

I find that states where idiots do this it is best to act like it's opposite day, all the idiots are going to ride the left lane anyway so make use of the right lane.

[joecash]

I find that most people will move after a few seconds of being right behind them. If not, I quickly go by them on the right to let them know they are driving too slow for that lane.

[nothumb]

The other option which is less obtrusive to some is to blink your lights on and off a few times. Usually if there's room I just pass onthe right immediately.

NT

[tdarko]

i thought this thread was going to be about breasts.

[Tron]

I am going to share something unintersting and useless. I HATE being passed on the right. Especially when I am driving in the left lane 8-10 mph over the speed limit and regularly passing people. If people try and pass me on the right I usually speed up. I'm a dick.

BTW, these are people who pass on the right immediately. If someone starts tailgaiting or flashes their lights I move over right away.

[Guy Incognito]

[ QUOTE ]
If people try and pass me on the right I usually speed up. I'm a dick.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yup.

If the right lane is clear, there's no reason not to pass on the right, especially since tailgating/flashing people rarely gets you anywhere anyway, as the 90% of oblivious cell phone addicts aren't gonna react to that.

[asofel]

[ QUOTE ]
i thought this thread was going to be about breasts.

[/ QUOTE ]

[razor]

[ QUOTE ]
I am going to share something unintersting and useless. I HATE being passed on the right. Especially when I am driving in the left lane 8-10 mph over the speed limit and regularly passing people. If people try and pass me on the right I usually speed up. I'm a dick.


[/ QUOTE ]

If you are paying attention (and obviously you aren't), you will have noticed there is someone coming up behind you and you will change to the right lane thereby allowing those cars travelling faster than you to pass using the left lane.

PAY ATTENTION when you are driving!

You have a rearview mirror... USE IT!!!!!

[razor]

[ QUOTE ]
If the right lane is clear, there's no reason not to pass on the right.

[/ QUOTE ]

THIS IS STUPID! Seriously, are you people morons?

Left = pass side
Right = suicide

If you are holding up traffic... GET OUT OF THE WAY!

[TimM]

If you've got a wide open road, just pass on the right. Get in the right lane long before you reach them, as this will be safer. Otherwise they might see you coming up fast on the left and change into the right lane just as you do.

I've tried flashing the brights sometimes, but it often just gets completely ignored around here. And there is always traffic so these people create a dangerous situation by forcing you to pass in the middle lane with cars all around you.

Still we get idiots who will flash brights in heavy traffic, with a line of cars ahead of you and to your right, so that there isn't even anywhere to go. Do these guys think they will do this every three car lengths and that the other cars are supposed to clear the whole lane just for them?

[Guy Incognito]

[ QUOTE ]

THIS IS STUPID! Seriously, are you people morons?

Left = pass side
Right = suicide


[/ QUOTE ]

I probably pass someone on the right at least once a day during my commute. Amazingly enough, after 14 years of this suicidal behavior, I've come out with nary a scratch.

[Nottom]

I'm usually a pretty courteous driver, but if someone comes up behind me and flashes their brights I usually go out of my way to keep them from passing me.

Unless you've been behind them for like 5 minutes and they aren't doing anything to get out of your way, just give them a little time. Most people will move to the right lane as long as there isn't a ton of traffic over there and let you pass. And if they are just driving in the right lane for no reason then go ahead and just pass on the right.

[Nottom]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are holding up traffic... GET OUT OF THE WAY!

[/ QUOTE ]

The problem is usually when some joker flashes his brights at me, I'm already doing 80 in the 65 or whatever and thats not good enough for them so I'm just holding up them and I really don't care. I have seriously considered letting them pass and calling Highway patrol just to be a dick quite a few times.

[swede123]

If there is little to no traffic other than the dude in the left lane I'll deal for about thirty seconds, during which time I slowly inch forward. If she (note that it is seldom a he who does this) hasn't noticed/cared at this point I continue tailgating them for a few more seconds, after which I pull into the right lane and pass them. As I'm passing them I try to establish eye contact so I can shake my head while looking disgusted/disappointed. I don't really like flashing my brights at them.

Swede

[razor]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you are holding up traffic... GET OUT OF THE WAY!

[/ QUOTE ]

The problem is usually when some joker flashes his brights at me, I'm already doing 80 in the 65 or whatever and thats not good enough for them so I'm just holding up them and I really don't care. I have seriously considered letting them pass and calling Highway patrol just to be a dick quite a few times.

[/ QUOTE ]

It doesn't matter how fast you are going, if someone else is going FASTER get outta his way. Who made you the guy to decide how fast people can driving without having to get out of the way of faster traffic?

What do you do when you are approaching someone going 75 in a 65?

What does the guy going 75 in the 65 do when he approaches someone doing 70?

What does the guy doing 70 in the 65 do when he approaches someone doing 65?


It's not often that someone is going faster than me, but when someone is I get outta his way. Seems like common courtesy and commonsense to me.

[swede123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you are holding up traffic... GET OUT OF THE WAY!

[/ QUOTE ]

The problem is usually when some joker flashes his brights at me, I'm already doing 80 in the 65 or whatever and thats not good enough for them so I'm just holding up them and I really don't care. I have seriously considered letting them pass and calling Highway patrol just to be a dick quite a few times.

[/ QUOTE ]

It doesn't matter how fast you are going, if someone else is going FASTER get outta his way. Who made you the guy to decide how fast people can driving without having to get out of the way of faster traffic?

What do you do when you are approaching someone going 75 in a 65?

What does the guy going 75 in the 65 do when he approaches someone doing 70?

What does the guy doing 70 in the 65 do when he approaches someone doing 65?


It's not often that someone is going faster than me, but when someone is I get outta his way. Seems like common courtesy and commonsense to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Besides, if I'm going fifteen miles above the limit and some clown is overtaking me quickly, going thirty miles over I want him way ahead of me, not right behind me getting frustrated.

Swede

[RunDownHouse]

[ QUOTE ]
Especially when I am driving in the left lane 8-10 mph over the speed limit

[/ QUOTE ]
The problem is that most idiots on the road think exactly like this. "I'm already doing 10 over! Too bad, he can't pass!" How fast you are going in relation to the speed limit is irrelevant.
[ QUOTE ]
and regularly passing people. If people try and pass me on the right I usually speed up. I'm a dick.

[/ QUOTE ]
Speed relative to other drivers is the important part. Obviously, you aren't passing people as "regularly" as you think.

[ QUOTE ]
BTW, these are people who pass on the right immediately.

[/ QUOTE ]
If I have time to pass you on the right, then you had time to move over, and should have done so. You've already proven to be an idiot by travelling in the left lane, I'm not going to give you the benefit of the doubt when it comes to moving over.

[Nottom]

I never said I wasn't going to get out of his way, but I'm not goign to inconvienence myself to do so. It really sucks to be a nice guy, move to the left lane and then get stuck in the slow lane.

If the left lane is clear, I usually go ahead and move over. But more often than not, there is just enough traffic that I would end up stuck behind a truck or something which I really hate. People that expect you to move over when you are clearly passing a broken line of traffic on the left need to learn a little courtesy of their own.

[Guy Incognito]

[ QUOTE ]
If I have time to pass you on the right, then you had time to move over, and should have done so.

[/ QUOTE ]

You have it all wrong, RunDown. You should patiently wait for them to finish their phone call, drink the rest of their coffee, check their lipstick, and find a suitable radio station... THEN they will allow you to pass them.

[JDErickson]

[ QUOTE ]
I never said I wasn't going to get out of his way, but I'm not goign to inconvienence myself to do so. It really sucks to be a nice guy, move to the left lane and then get stuck in the slow lane.

If the left lane is clear, I usually go ahead and move over. But more often than not, there is just enough traffic that I would end up stuck behind a truck or something which I really hate. People that expect you to move over when you are clearly passing a broken line of traffic on the left need to learn a little courtesy of their own.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the situation I normally see. I rarely ever see someone refuse to move to the right if there is plenty of room and they will not have to slow their own speed in order to let someone pass.

If I am driving 5-10 over in the left lane and slowly overtaking broken traffic in the right lanes I'm not moving over and slowing down so some idiot can drive by at 20 over. When traffic allows me to move over and maintain my own speed I will move over.

Flashing your lights at me in this situation will just increase your drive time considerably.

[gvibes]

Illinois now has a law making it illegal to drive in the left lane when someone wants to pass (absolute speed is no issue - only relative).

And if people flash brights at me, I would get angry. Then again, I don't think anyone has ever flashed me. I always move right once I'm done passing.

I also pass on the right a ton. I don't care.

[fluxrad]

Just a quick message to all the tailgaters out there.

I don't care if you're wrong or you're right. If you tailgate me, I'm going to brake-check your ass hard.