Entitled people of Washington State

[Nemo128]

One thing I forgot to mention.....what kind of person speeds while towing a trailer?

One thing I know about driving in Germany, you will get a huge ticket for driving in an unrestricted speed zone at a speed higher than the vehicle's tires are rated for. That's a major thing for Germany, having a vehicle in suitable condition.

The guy's trailer was a 55MPH rated trailer.

 

[3db]

One thing I know about driving in Germany, you will get a huge ticket for driving in an unrestricted speed zone at a speed higher than the vehicle's tires are rated for. That's a major thing for Germany, having a vehicle in suitable condition.

The guy's trailer was a 55MPH rated trailer.

It figures.

 

[markw]

Speeding and changing lanes without regard to those around them while towing a trailer should be punishable by death.

Going seventy in the left lane is nothng compared to that but, to be fair, they should pull over if requested.

From what I read, I'm not sure the guy with the trailer gave him that option.

 

[Nemo128]

From what I read, I'm not sure the guy with the trailer gave him that option.

Well I feel he may have. I don't think the guy in the Hyundai was wrong in his actions per se, just inconsiderate. I was tailing him with a fair amount of following distance. I'm too used to the NJ brake check to follow anyone closely.

Of course, he was an older gentleman who may have needed more time to consider the lane change. I dunno either way.

I just know the old man in the Hyundai wasn't a danger to anyone even if he was being inconsiderate. The guy driving like a maniac towing a trailer was from the second I saw him in my rearview. He couldn't stay within the lines as he approached my rear, before the incident even occured.

Funny thing is, as soon as he went right to pass I backed off the Hyundai even further because I felt something ugly was about to occur. Even if it meant the Hyundai brake checking too hard. Just reminded me of another awesome one that happened to me two years ago, one that actually involved me getting rear ended.

 

[lsiberian]

You're right about people wanting to speed. However, I would think that increasing the standards in our driver training would instill a better attitude on the part of drivers and knock our accident rates down.

Compare traffic fatalities between Germany and US/Canada:

List of countries by traffic-related death rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's a clear-cut difference, if I've ever seen one! First of all, you have to be 18 to get a drivers license in Germany and the training requirements make those in North America laughable by comparison. The leading cause of death amongst North American teenagers is traffic accidents, if I have my statistics correct. I wouldn't be very popular amongst the kiddies for saying this, but I'd raise the minimum age to 18 here also, as a start. Plus, tighten up the standards for driver training.

Raising the age is not a good solution where we live because we don't have the mass transit systems of Germany. Many parents need the help of teens able to drive to get everyone to every place.

 

[Sheep]

Raising the age is not a good solution where we live because we don't have the mass transit systems of Germany. Many parents need the help of teens able to drive to get everyone to every place.

Not to mention, withholding something that someone craves will make them go crazier once they do finally get their hands on it (like me and crack).

SheepStar

 

[Lulimet]

I've been a lot of places, I've lived in all 4 corners of the US, but never have I dealt with such sense of entitlement as I see here in Washington.

I get flipped off, honked at, or have brights flashed at me on a nearly daily basis. While I tend to be a more assertive driver, I am by no means an aggressive driver. I'm usually that guy who lets people in, the guy who gets over for those who want to drive faster than me, etc. However, I usually end up being the guy driving faster than everyone else.

What made me post this is the short experience that happened today. It happens on a very regular basis, I just felt like putting something up about it today.

I was driving along home from work on a 4 lane divided highway (2 lanes each side) and after merging on, I get over to the inside lane to pass a group of cars. I am doing 55 in a 50 to pass these cars, and the one at the rear of the pack is a blue Mini Cooper. As I pass the car, the female driver has her middle finger in the window motioning it as if flagging me forward and saying "Go! Go!". In other words, she was expressing her opinion about me passing the group. Previous to the passing, I had zero interaction with this vehicle. I used my signal to move into the left lane, she was already ahead of me when I entered the highway.

So, being the curious fellow that I am, I slow down to pace her for a while. She follows with another finger and another more lewd gesture. Not once did she look over after I passed her then slowed down to pace. I paced her for about a quarter mile then went on about my drive home.

I also get these reactions a lot for trailing someone who sits in the left lane. I don't like passing in the right, it's not safe. My solution is to stay behind them and stagger my car so the headlights are in their mirror. They aren't terribly bright, so it isn't blinding them, but it's enough to be an annoyance until they get over. Many times I will be flipped off or have brights flashed at me for inconveniencing them.

Things like this don't really make me mad. It's more entertaining than anything, and it totally blows me away that people here have such a sense of entitlement. I always think, "I'm glad they did this to me, and not someone else." Road rage is pretty commonplace these days, people should be careful, you never know who you're going to piss off.

I'm sorry for driving on your road.

WOW! This was my experience too when I drove in WA. Exactly like you described.
My wife had to transfer to WA temporarily because of her job and I wasn't working at that time so I just tagged along. We stayed there for 4 months and what you describe happened every day no matter what time of the day.
Those people had no idea what the left lane is for.
I thought CT drivers were the worse but driving on WA roads was a complete nightmare.

 

[Adam]

Not to mention, withholding something that someone craves will make them go crazier once they do finally get their hands on it (like me and crack).

SheepStar

What kind of crack?

 

[BMXTRIX]

This is worth reading:

State "keep right" laws

Washington is a state which does not permit driving in the left lane. It is strictly for passing and does not regard speed as one of the factors when driving in the left lane.

This is also in line with Uniform Vehicle Code which states:
"Upon all roadways any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic"

It specifically does not mention speeding or going above the limit, but merely references the normal speed of traffic.

It was interesting to see how easy it was to find this list. It is astounding how few people know the law in their own state (I did not until I read it!)

 

[Sheep]

What kind of crack?

SheepStar

 

[jinjuku]

This is worth reading:


Washington is a state which does not permit driving in the left lane. It is strictly for passing and does not regard speed as one of the factors when driving in the left lane.

It may be law but it is also laughable. I remember some stink years back when Ohio was mostly 55MPH and people, to make a very good point, would get themselves in three or four lanes, all lined up, and do 55. You wouldn't believe the havoc it could create.

The Ohio revised traffic code is I believe a book about 8 inches thick.

 

[BMXTRIX]

It may be law but it is also laughable. I remember some stink years back when Ohio was mostly 55MPH and people, to make a very good point, would get themselves in three or four lanes, all lined up, and do 55. You wouldn't believe the havoc it could create.

The Ohio revised traffic code is I believe a book about 8 inches thick.

I couldn't agree more. If I were a police officer I would basically never want to write speeding tickets (I would if I had to). HOV violations, people using merge lanes to pass (coming from the main lanes), using turn only lanes to pass traffic, crossing solid white lines to jump around others, and for not yielding right of way in the left lane. There are so many instances of people breaking the law which are not enforced, it all seems like a cash grab instead of an honest attempt to make the roads go safer and to educate drivers about proper driving laws and road driving etiquette.

If any judge or police officer just chooses to ignore certain laws for the heck of it, then they should be fired.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Raising the age is not a good solution where we live because we don't have the mass transit systems of Germany. Many parents need the help of teens able to drive to get everyone to every place.

I completely understand what you're saying. However, I don't consider that to be sufficient justification for licensing 16-year-olds. 15-year-olds need to get around too - should we lower the age to 15? It's just something families would have to work around. Hey, I grew up in the boonies - we did a lot of hitch-hiking in those days. Of course, you can't do that anymore because every second driver and every third hitchhiker is a serial killer...

 

[GO-NAD!]

I couldn't agree more. If I were a police officer I would basically never want to write speeding tickets (I would if I had to). HOV violations, people using merge lanes to pass (coming from the main lanes), using turn only lanes to pass traffic, crossing solid white lines to jump around others, and for not yielding right of way in the left lane. There are so many instances of people breaking the law which are not enforced, it all seems like a cash grab instead of an honest attempt to make the roads go safer and to educate drivers about proper driving laws and road driving etiquette.

If any judge or police officer just chooses to ignore certain laws for the heck of it, then they should be fired.

Are there any cops frequenting this forum? Maybe one could explain why they concentrate on speeding moreso than other offences?

 

[BMXTRIX]

Are there any cops frequenting this forum? Maybe one could explain why they concentrate on speeding moreso than other offences?

One of the pieces I read basically said that it was easier to prove speeding vs. other infractions. So, they go out with the radar guns andbust people. Kind of like running a red light... Take a pic of the car before the intersection with a red light, and mid-way through the intersection with a red light, you're busted. On the other hand, I generally agree with red light enforcement, while speeding is typically a BS money maker for the city/county/state. Especially if camera enforced.

 

[gmichael]

Are there any cops frequenting this forum? Maybe one could explain why they concentrate on speeding moreso than other offences?

I would guess that it has something to do with the burden of proof.

 

[GO-NAD!]

One of the pieces I read basically said that it was easier to prove speeding vs. other infractions. So, they go out with the radar guns andbust people. Kind of like running a red light... Take a pic of the car before the intersection with a red light, and mid-way through the intersection with a red light, you're busted. On the other hand, I generally agree with red light enforcement, while speeding is typically a BS money maker for the city/county/state. Especially if camera enforced.

I would guess that it has something to do with the burden of proof.

That's what I was thinking, but didn't want to assume. However, they were busting people for speeding before radar guns came along, so what evidence was presented in court - the cop's word against the accused. So now, the cop's word is no longer sufficient? If that's the case, how do they make any traffic infraction stick now? It's still the cop's word against the accused.

 

[BMXTRIX]

That's what I was thinking, but didn't want to assume. However, they were busting people for speeding before radar guns came along, so what evidence was presented in court - the cop's word against the accused. So now, the cop's word is no longer sufficient? If that's the case, how do they make any traffic infraction stick now? It's still the cop's word against the accused.

Seems like video would be the best way if necessary.

"Is that your car crossing the solid white line?"
"Yes."
"Were you driving at the time?"
"Yes."
"Then you are guilty!"

Same could apply to almost everything, including impeding the flow of traffic in the left lane.

Last time I checked video cameras were also really inexpensive.