Merge-impaired gap crasher
in [Cars]
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From: Brent on 27 Mar 2010 02:29 On 2010-03-27, Daniel W. Rouse Jr. <dwrousejr(a)nethere.comNOSPAM> wrote: > "Brent" <tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:hok243$8qu$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... >> On 2010-03-27, Daniel W. Rouse Jr. <dwrousejr(a)nethere.comNOSPAM> wrote: >>> "Brent" <tetraethylleadREMOVETHIS(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message >>> news:hoijg3$fnm$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... >>>> On 2010-03-26, Scott in SoCal <scottenaztlan(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Ever notice how Droids will catch up to a slower car in the lane ahead >>>>> of them and slow down, matching the slower car's speed, and sit there >>>>> for 15 - 30 seconds before finally changing lanes and passing? This is >>>>> because Droids have no idea what is happening anywhere around them >>>>> except directly in front of their cars. When they coe upon an >>>>> obstruction, they have to take a few moments to look around, check >>>>> their mirrors, and make sure it's safe to change lanes; hence the >>>>> pause. >>>> >>>> These are the same people who complain about bicyclists delaying them >>>> because they are 'forced' to slow to the bicyclist's speed. No, they >>>> simply failed to observe and plan ahead. >>>> >>> >>> No need to rehash older discussions, but to summarize--bicyclists not in >>> the >>> bike lane when a marked bike lane exists, bicyclists taking the lane >>> instead >>> of riding as far ride as practicible when room to ride right exists, >>> bicyclists riding double-file with or without a marked bike lane, etc. >>> forcing thru vehicular traffic to cross over lane markers or even center >>> divider lines. >> >> So slow is safe so long as it's not slower than you, then you're >> annoyed. >> > More like slow is safe as long as slow is not due to deliberate traffic > impeding. Especially in the case of the critical mass/uniformed bicyclist, > it is almost always intentional that traffic is slowed down specifically > because of the MFFY bicyclist(s). It's amazing that people have so much trouble... I simply *NEVER* encounter these bicyclists that can use a tiny little bicycle to delay me in any way that even comes close to a typical slothy driver. Those in critical mass are the equal to the "slow is safe" LLBing drivers. They intentionally seek to slow traffic to their desired rate of speed. Should I go on green and try to get through 'the mass' running the red on my bicycle horn blaring. My guess is they would then try to attack me just as they do to do drivers. They would also seek to slow my bicycling rate of traffic to their lollygagging parade speed. The same way LLBing drivers line up to block traffic. It's the same thing with different vehicles. The only difference is to achieve it with bicycles they need to get a lot of similiar minded people and dupes together in one place... because bicycles are fundamentally easy to pass compared to automobiles.
From: Alexander Rogge on 27 Mar 2010 03:46
Scott in SoCal wrote: > You assume that the Droid has full information about all the risks in > the immediate vicinity, and can rapidly select the scenario with the > lowest risk. There is a widespread understanding within the driving culture that the passing lane is not a place to be playing games. Only a fool would willingly swerve left into an unknown traffic condition. > Ever notice how Droids will catch up to a slower car in the lane ahead > of them and slow down, matching the slower car's speed, and sit there > for 15 - 30 seconds before finally changing lanes and passing? I believe that most such incidents that I've noticed are related to mobile phone usage. This begins a game of Duckling because the driver is too distracted to be driving. I always check my mirrors before changing lanes to the left. It can be unreliable to assume that you know everything about approaching traffic based on occasional checks of your mirrors. I have had the common experience of driving at night in the right lane; I look in my mirrors occasionally and see nothing behind me. I count three seconds and...zoom! There's a car passing me, quickly disappearing into the night ahead. You really need to learn how to pause and estimate the speed of approaching traffic before attempting to pass. When I am in the passing lane, I will often look behind me for more time than I spend looking at the lane ahead. My concern is that I may be required to yield, while all traffic ahead of me is required to yield to me until I leave the passing lane. The only exception might be a traffic jam, but that is an obvious obstruction in the lane. I have an expectation that no one will attempt to change lanes in front of me and force me to brake, and I expect that any slower traffic in the passing lane ahead of me will accelerate or yield by moving to the right lane. There is a Droid problem which is prevalent in my driving culture. When something really fails on the roadway and the traffic unexpectedly stops, drivers have a habit of crashing into the rear of the traffic jam. This is another reason why braking unexpectedly can be a very bad decision. Quite often, the driver behind the unexpected stoppage will simply drive into the stopped traffic, and then another driver behind that, until you have twenty or more drivers involved in a collision. This is why enforcement of driving behaviour must be strict. The first priority is to prevent the problem from occurring, and then to convince drivers to be more aware of any potential problems. I will activate my hazard indicators to warn approaching drivers of a traffic jam ahead, which means a few seconds more for drivers behind me to notice that there is a problem before I begin braking. This seems to be effective for reducing panic-braking when a traffic jam occurs. |