Speed limit

[Ladyhawk]

Curious about how you all handle driving with cars behind you. We were driving from Denver to Buena Vista and several times there were cars behind me, but I was driving slightly over the speed limit and the turn outs looked pretty rough, so I just stayed where I was. There were plenty of opportunities to pass me and no one was back there for more than a few minutes, but I still had one guy put his arm out the window and indicated that I should pull over. (I indicated that I felt otherwise.) Is there a rule about this? Someone told me that if there were five cars behind me I had to pull over, but I figure if I'm going the speed limit I don't have to. Opinions?

[carold]

When we're going below the speed limit we pull over if the opportunity presents itself, not always when we're going the speed limit (even if there is only 1 car). Really hate people who sit on our a**** and sometimes slow down even more til they back off Try not to let those drivers spoil my day. carold

[avalen]

IF I'm going slow and under the speed limit, I will pull over when I can and let them go by and I say, "go like hell, cause its only half full"
IF I'm doing the speed limit or better, I just ignore them. Each situation will present its own set of circumstances but I never let the
guy in the other car dictate how I drive my own vehicle, I determine whats safe for me. But it does seem to me I remember something about a 5 car rule but always thought that meant if you were going under the speed limit impeding traffic.

[longdog2]

I agree with Ava. Pull over when it is safe if you are going below the speed limit. If you are going the speed limit, I wouldn't worry about pulling over any more than any other vehicle would. And never pull over if it isn't safe to do so.

[kdmac]

When going the speed limit you are not obligated to pull over so those behind you can commence breaking the law....The "five or more" behind you generally happens when you are unable to do the speed limit and by law you need to find a good place to pull over for them to pass. But If I am doing the speed limit and five or more jerks do pile up behind me although by law I am not obligated to pull over for them I figure they are a danger to other drivers in their "frenzied pack mentality" so I will pull over ONLY if it is very easy and convenient for me to do so.

I remember years and years ago when I first started pulling "horse trailers, RV's etc." my father said to "Never let the frenzied drivers push you and whatever you need to do to drive safely do it, the hell with the other drivers". Such as times when you need to be geard down and slow on a steep downhill descent....do what you need to do and don't be pushed by their impatience. Go as slowly and gently as you need to into a gas station or other parking lot; forget about the the fact that other drivers need to wait on you....many of them have RV's at home so they really don't mind...they get it. I never let their actions dictate how I drive.

[mtngal]

Ditto what the gals said. I am also
always aware of the truckers coming up
behind me and will pull off sooner rather than
wait til they reach me. They are always
going faster than me and appreciate the
consideration (I think!). (and, of course,
its easier to do that in my rig AND in
Texas with those wide paved shoulders.)

[Excel]

Just my 2 cents........Whether I'm going the speed limit or not, if there are a bunch of cars behind me & there's a safe place to pull aside....I always do...I think it's the considerate & best approach to avoid road rage in others plus it makes me feel as if I've done a good deed...I don't feel like I 'own the road' just because I'm driving an RV...I do believe it's thoughtful & safer to 'share' that concrete ahead of me...and if it means pulling over ... so what...I'm retired...I've got plenty of time to get where I'm going so I don't need to be a 'road boulder'... Besides, maybe that car needs to get somewhere faster...who am I to say, stay behind me cause I'm controlling whether you're gonna break the law & SPEED... Sorry, but drivers are so rude these days....I just don't want to be one of them !!!!!

[Charlene]

If I have to pass someone slower then me in the right lane, I try to get over asap, it's common cortesy.

It doesn't matter what the speed limit is, if your holding up the fast lane, you are going to make a lot of folks angry. There our even signs that say slower drivers use right/or slower lane!

See how fast the slow pokes going the speed limit in the left lane pull over when they see lights.

My personal gripe is when we are going long distance(300>400miles)a day with the camper on a 2 lane interstate, and a slow car pulls out into the fast lane to pass, and sits at the same speed as the car he was passing on his right for 5 miles or more with no one in front of him, and refuses to speed up and get over.

The only time I wouldn't have a problem with this is if the road looked like the surface of the moon.

Charlene

[longdog2]

Many areas in Texas tell you that the left lane is for passing only to prevent people from just pulling into the left lane and hanging there.

[Bethers]

I agree with the others but if I get cars right behind me even if I'm going the speed limit or a little over, I pull over when I have the chance. I don't want anyone on my tail and would rather get them past me. I also don't want someone with road rage deciding to get even. Is just easy to pull over. Plus, I'm not in a hurry anyway!

[WickedLady]

The law in WA states that you must pull over (safely) if you have 5 or more cars behind you whether or not you are doing the speed limit. Better to do that than to have someone go balistic and cause an accident trying to go around you.

[Nasoosie]

My daughter and I hashed this dilemma over on our trip back from FL. I get really nervous, on back country roads, if I see several cars backed up behind me, even if I'm doing the speed limit, so I always look for a straightaway with a dotted line on our side, slow down and put on right-hand signal to let those behind me know that they can now pass. Usually there is no safe place to pull off the road on back two-lane roads in the boonies, so this is the only safe way to allow passing. If I come across a rest area, and I am going at a safe speed to turn in, I will do that. Mandy said I had no need to allow cars behind me to make me nervous and cause me to pull over, and, legally, I guess I don't, but emotionally, I need to have nobody on my butt! Some get confused by my slowing down on the straightaway, and just hang back there. So then I figure it's their problem if they didn't take advantage of the opportunity to pass.

Highways are a piece of cake....I can either drive in the center lane of three or more through a city with many turn-offs and ramps on in the right-most lane, or stay in the right-hand lane on the open highways with multiple lanes. If I enounter a vehicle actually traveling slower than I am going (rare!) I still have the option of signaling into the passing lane to go by it.

Another problem is allowing for merging from a ramp-on when I am in the right-hand lane. I was tending to slow down to allow the merging cars a chance to get on, and Mandy said I should keep my speed steady as it's the merging cars that need to gauge their speed during a merge. She said the cars behind me don't need my slowing down or braking to allow the merge, and I believe she is right.

Very interesting to read people's ideas! And I believe, as Mandy also told me, drive the safest way you can, whether uphill or downhill or on the flat, to make sure you keep yourself in control and safe, and don't let anyone else on the road make you do stupid things to facilitate their positions. I like KD's comment, "Never let the frenzied drivers push you and whatever you need to do to drive safely do it, the hell with the other drivers".

[Pooker]

My Dad owned and drove race cars. He always said, "Drive your own race". In other words, never let the other racer dictate how you will run your race. Just because he isn't stopping for fuel doesn't mean you should let yourself run out! And just because he goes wide on a curve doesn't mean you should take the chance on spinning out. Same goes for driving a big rig. Would be great if all roads had nice pull offs every few miles, but the reality is we often have no choice but to hold up other drivers. Just remember we are usually bigger than they are. Let them accommodate us. Not our job to get out of their way.

I was on a tour bus one time in Boston (anyone who has ever tried to drive around Boston knows what that means). A taxi kept trying to squeeze around the bus and at one point tried to cut the bus off. Driver said, "Look at my size. I'm bigger than you. Guess who's gonna win?"

So, ladies, drive your own race.

[Ladyhawk]

I like that. Drive my own race.

Thanks for all the responses. I think I was getting too worried about anyone behind me, but if there isn't anything I can do about it, I'll just let it go. I understand the frustration, but I wish we could all just give each other a break sometimes.

[Getupngo]

I'm a pretty relaxed driver and will often just pull to the side when I can to let other cars go by. I try to be aware of state laws that require a slower vehicle to pull over & let X number of cars go by. But heck, if they want me to do that, they need to provide a safe place to do so. Not safe? As the bus driver above said, "I'm bigger than they are." I don't mind using my "muscle" a little every now and again.

I also stay in the middle lane in urban areas. I may hold up traffic a bit, but I don't get trapped in lanes that become "exit only" ramps. And, as someone said, lots of people who own RVs understand and will wave me over into their lanes if I'm in a pinch.