From: bob1@cos.com (Bob Blackshaw)
Subject: Re: BRAINDEAD Drivers Who Don't Look Ahead--
Keywords: bad drivers
Organization: Corporation for Open Systems
Distribution: usa
Lines: 52

In <1993Apr14.230524.9578@ctp.com> bpita@ctp.com (Bob Pitas) writes:

>In article <zdem0a.734707529@hgo7> zdem0a@hgo7.hou.amoco.com (Donna Martz) writes:

>[Stuff Deleted]

>>
>>Excuse me, but I understood what Mr. Smith meant.  AND, I have often observed 
>>when traffic is "blocked solid", that if a few people yeild to the "moron"
>>who is impatiently riding bumpers, the slug at the front of the pack will
>>miraculously wake up, change lanes, and viola! no more jam.  Granted the
>>situation here does not apply to rush hour in a crowded city.  But I have
>>observed this situation regularly on your average interstate, six or 
>>eight sets of cars, side by side, bunched up in a "pack" with open 
>>freeway fore and aft as far as you can see.  The people who refuse to
>>yeild as a "point of honor" are just as annoying as the slug in the front.

>I agree that if traffic is all blocked up and you want to pass, you might
>not feel like moving over for someone behind you because you don't want to
>give them that one car-length, when they should just wait like you are.
>BUT, if you're one of those people that just sit's behind the person, and
>doesn't flash them with the high beams, or pull left and flash them, or
>ride their bumper, or otherwise tell them that you *do* in fact want to 
>go by, and you're not just drafting them, then get the hell out of the 
>way of someone who will!  I especially hate it when you flash someone at
>the back of a line and they don't 'pass it on'.  

So after I've flashed my lights at the chap in front and he doesn't
'pass it on' (and few if any do), what next? On major highways, 3 or more
lanes in each direction, keeping to the extreme right blocks folks who
are entering. Also, as someone posted in this thread, here in the D.C.
area we have a few left lane exits (sounds like 66). If you wait until
the last minute to get in the left lane you won't, cause these yoyos
won't make room.

We have a particularly bad strech here in Merryland just over the Cabin
John bridge. There are two very long entry ramps which all the hurry-up
yahoos dive into cause they want to get ahead. When we get to the point
where these ramps merge, all hell breaks lose. The result is that traffic
which was moving at 55 on the VA side of the bridge, stalls on t'other
side. If these dingbats had stayed in lane, allowed the folks coming up
the two ramps to merge, we would still be doing 55. Instead we do start-
stop for 4 miles. Dave Barry's idea of a laser equipped car would be
real useful here.

Bob

PS: If you drive the beltway and want to merge, look for a brown Probe
with a silver haired driver, then use your signals - I don't read minds,
but I do try to be courteous. They told me courtesy was contagious, but
I guess the folks around here have had their shots :-/

