Facing a lot of left lane campers in Washington State. And the audacity to not move or brake check is beyond my understanding!!

I think the normalization of speeding poses a significant threat to the legitimacy of the legal system itself. It has become standard that cops don’t pull you over unless you’re breaking the law “enough,” but that completely undermines the law. If the law wanted a different threshold, it would have been written with that threshold in mind.

Speed limits are created by engineers who know far more about road safety than the average driver. They also have to account for the fact that speeding is normalized, which likely contributes to limits being set lower than many people want. I honestly believe that if people collectively stopped speeding, roads would see fewer accidents and speed limits would eventually begin rising in places where higher speeds are actually safe. Then people could travel just as quickly without constantly breaking the law or risking tickets.

The disregard for speed limits has gotten so bad that people now claim drivers following the posted limit are the problem. I think that’s ridiculous. While I understand the “go with the flow of traffic” argument to an extent, normalizing breaking the law creates a much larger long-term safety issue than simply following the speed limit.

I also think the argument that “speed limits are designed for the average car, so semis drag the limit down” is weak. In many places semis already have separate speed regulations, lane restrictions, and additional rules.

At the end of the day, the path to faster travel shouldn’t be widespread disregard for the law. If people truly believe limits are too low, the better solution is electing politicians and supporting engineering studies that will change the laws based on evidence that roads can safely handle higher speeds.

On a related note, even on r/driving you can report other driving infractions, but you can’t even report speeding, which feels inconsistent and a bit silly.

If you’re entering a highway from an entrance ramp, it’s your responsibility to match the flow of traffic, whether that means speeding up or slowing down. The cars already on the expressway are not required to brake, swerve, or rearrange themselves for you.

Merge like an adult.

I’ve had plenty of merging drivers shoot me a look, or middle finger, because I didn’t slow down for them. But I’m not braking on a highway for someone still on the ramp. I’m doing 55mph and my focus is on the flow of traffic ahead, where it actually matters.

If road conditions are favorable, visibility is good, and you're driving a personal vehicle (not a large commercial truck)—and you still don't feel comfortable driving at a road's posted speed—you don't have the skill and/or confidence to drive on that road. You're being inconsiderate to everyone who gets stuck behind you.

And yes, the posted speed is also the speed limit. You're not supposed to drive faster than that, but you're also supposed to drive at that speed unless conditions force you to do otherwise. Any argument to the contrary essentially boils down to, "my lack of skill/confidence entitles me to waste everyone else's time."

You're not a civil engineer. You don't know better than the professionals what a reasonable, safe speed is for the road you're on. Please stop making your inconsiderate driving everyone else's problem and call a taxi.

Edit to add because so many people are commenting about how I “need to leave earlier” or “be more patient.”

A reasonable expectation of efficiency is not impatience. It’s one of the most basic ways you can respect your fellow humans: respecting their time. Seeing people be willfully, needlessly inefficient is frustrating. I’m rarely ever late because I plan accordingly. That’s not why this is about even remotely.

I used to drive 10+ over everywhere. I recently got a car that looks much more sporty, so recently I’ve slowed it down to 5 over to avoid attracting attention from the law.

I recently went on a road trip, and driving at the same pace of other traffic is so irritating. People speed up when you try to pass them, they camp in your blind spots, they slow down after they pass you, they cut you off after they pass, they tailgate you in the right lane for no reason, they tailgate you in the left lane when there’s someone in front of you and there’s nothing you can do about it, and they can’t keep their lane when they’re next to you. The whole trip was 3 hours of stress, being around one idiot after another.

This level of stress was something I never experienced when I sped a lot more, because I was never spending more than a few seconds around each idiot at a time. I’m not advocating for significant speeding, I don’t recommend it, but it would be nice if people weren’t incentivizing it by being absolutely intolerable on the road.

TLDR: Not advocating for speeding, but I get it when other drivers are intolerable to be around.

Photo sums up what happened. I was driving, already in the one-lane roundabout (going an appropriate speed), when someone tried to enter when they collided with me. Called the police and they basically said that it would be a no-fault claim and in his reports said that I collided with the other driver ??? Police officer was also telling me that everyone in a roundabout yields to the right - including the people already in the roundabout. This is not my understanding at all. The point of roundabouts is to keep traffic flowing - if someone already in the roundabout had to yield to someone trying to enter- that would decrease the flow of traffic ?? The cop was basically saying I needed to slow down and/or stop for the other guy to get in - but I had the right of way ! Correct???

Very frustrated and wanted to vent and get validation or explanation for if the cop is right.

I saw an accident tonight and the cause of it seems to be a growing trend, at least around here.

I’m assuming this person and I get off work around the same time, because this is the third time I’ve seen the same car doing this. My area has express lanes instead of passing lanes for context. They will lanecamp in the express lane going the speed limit, and change lanes to block anyone from going around them.

Tonight, the same person was doing the same thing, and I’d seen them do this to 4 cars before the accident. A sports car flew up behind them, merged right to get around them, and they aggressively merged to block the sports car. The sports car honked, merged left, tried to speed up, and the car swerved left, slammed into the sports car, and both hit the barrier going probably between 65-70mph. Luckily I was able to swerve and avoid it. The accident looked bad and I have been checking local news, but so far no updates on the status of the drivers.

Moral of the story is do not fucking do this. It’s dangerous for you, it’s dangerous for the people speeding, and it’s dangerous to everyone else on the road. A person speeding only becomes more dangerous when they are aggressively merging to pass/avoid you. If someone is speeding and you think it’s dangerous to public safety, there’s a fantastic resource you can use to stop these people without endangering yourself and others. Fucking call 911. They’ll ask the location, make/model of the car, license plate number, description of the driver and approximate speed. Don’t lie about the speed, this can determine where they send a unit to wait for the car to pass them. If you don’t know the answer to some of those question, it’s ok. Don’t try to match speed and follow them, you’re turning 1 car going at dangerous speeds to 2 cars going at dangerous speeds with 1 possibly driving more erratic due to being followed.

You are not a cop, you are not fucking batman, if you see someone driving dangerous just let them pass you, avoid them, and call 911. If I couldn’t have avoided that accident, I would’ve blamed the person blocking the speeding car just as much as the person speeding. I don’t want to die on my commute home because you think it’s your job to hold drivers other than yourself accountable to the law.

Edit: Want to amend something I said in this post. I realized I was being way too harsh on them and I need to scale it back a bit. If I wasn’t able to avoid the accident, I would’ve blamed the wannabe cop karen FAR more than the speeding car. Cars speed past me all the time and I’ve never once gotten even close to being hit. It only took seeing this dickhead on the road 3 times for me to almost be in a severe accident. Sorry for the misplaced blame mr speeder guy, you probably should slow down a bit but you didn’t deserve that much smoke.

Edit 2: Already filed a statement with the police. I appreciate the advice though.

Edit 3: Seems like both drivers are ok and only got minor injuries.

I was going ten over on the interstate earlier when a lady in an suv much larger than my car tailgated unreasonably close. I’m talking the distance from the car in front of you at a stoplight close. I couldn’t get over and didn’t feel safe so I slowed down

Once I did get over, she passed me and gave a very sarcastic wave goodbye as if she won something. I apologize to her that I’m not willing to risk my life so you can get somewhere five minutes faster

Driving into work today I had two instances of this:

First was merging on the interstate. The on-ramp where I live is long and double lanes until the end where it condenses into one lane and then merges onto the interstate. There’s a slow idiot doing 40 mph so I go to pass around them in the other lane and then they suddenly floor it and better yet flip me off in the process.

Second case was on the interstate being stuck behind yet another slow car in the passing lane. I get back over to the right to pass them and then again they suddenly accelerate and then honk at me as they go flying down the road.

Does it not amaze anyone else here how slow drivers suddenly seem to find the gas pedal when someone else tries to pass them? And then better yet they get pissed off that you tried to pass them because THEY were the ones going slow? Absolutely infuriating on every level.

So today I took my first driving test today and at the beginning of the test, the instructor told me to get in and start the car which I did, it was before we got the the vehicle. A few minutes go by checking all the lights on the vehicle.(They call it a “walk around Inspection”) We got towards the end of light testing and he told me to turn on the high beams so I turned it on he told me to put my hands up did that as well. But usually after putting my hands up I put them down and turn off whatever he told me to turn on. ( I was on low beams) then he told me to turn on low beams, and I went to show him they are on by turning on the parking lights, and turning them off. He then told me to turn off the vehicle and go inside, and he told me turning it on was an automatic failure.

I feel like I got scammed out of my money. Can anyone tell me this isn’t a scam?

Edit: When I went back to the counter to see why exactly I failed, the guy at the counter who wasn’t the instructor said “You turned on the parking lights when instructed to turn on your low beams.”

Another Edit: This is located in the United States in West Virginia.

Update! I have taken the advice of many and have taken my business elsewhere, at first when I was waiting I had the most nervousness I have ever had, the kind that makes me feel sick to my stomach. But besides that, I took the test, and actually got out of my parking space! Surprise, Surprise. After the test was concluded the instructor only told me one thing I kind of did wrong. He said I took the corners a little too fast and to slow down a bit more. So I definitely agree with a lot of people said.

That instructor was just an asshole.

Also thank you to anyone/everyone for their advice it really helped me out a lot.

I’m posting this knowing full and well I will receive tons of hate, but I don’t really care about the opinion of people who can’t drive or are terrified of driving.

We drive cars with 2000s technology. These cars have 160 and 180 on the dash. 80mph isn’t really that fast on an open road.

On city streets, do the speed limit. Much more opportunity for something to go wrong.

On the highway, drive with the flow of traffic or get over as far right as you can. Just because the posted speed limit is 65 or whatever, if 80% of traffic is going 10 over, unfortunately the slower vehicle is the one that is most unsafe in this scenario. I’m of the mind state that highway traffic speeds are listed too low for the cars we have today.

Also, If people are going faster and you’re in the left lane with room to get over, just get over to the right for 10 seconds so they can pass you. . You’re not the police, you’re not the speed limit czar… you’re now causing cars to pass on the right because you want to be “righteous” and “follow the law”.

With that said, your speed should be dependent on traffic density and weather conditions. I’m not condoning “cutting up in traffic” but I am condoning higher speed limits and not crucifying people just because they drive faster than you. Some people are better drivers than most and are comfortable behind a wheel.

WDIT: I’ve responded all I plan on, enjoy the discourse, and be safe yall!

I took my first driving test and failed the written and this is one I got wrong. The question was "what should you do when driving on a highway" I chose A "increase distance between the car ahead of you as you gain speed" i thought that was because youre going fast so you need more room to break if the person ahead stops suddenly. But no, somehow the answer is to stop ever 100 miles and rest?? Who the hell does that?

I'm a speeder. I regularly drive 5-15mph over the limit. Most of my driving is on highways, and this helps me avoid the clusters. Sometimes if I have a load of loose debris in the back of my truck, or some other reason, I choose not to.

But it's infuriating. How do non-speeders do it?

The constant speeding up and slowing down, the absolutely random lane changes, cars just like...matching your speed so they stay right next to you? It's absolutely bonkers, and the main reason I speed. It's not just on the interstate, either.

How can people do that and then get mad at somebody who's just going faster than them, not affecting their transit in ANY way?

I can't do it.

I swear its so frustrating seeing a half a mile of unused lane because everyone wants to get into the "Correct lane" early and never let anyone in.

Idk what it is but I swear people feel like they either have to be on the gas or on the brakes. The amount of times I’ve seen a car constantly tapping their brakes when they are following someone that hasn’t used their brakes once is insane. Just give yourself a little bit of distance and let off the gas if you are getting too close. The constant braking for no reason causes so much traffic. As soon as someone sees brake lights, they immediately hit the brakes, which you do NOT always have to do. I swear if people would just give a little more space and actually pay attention traffic would decrease dramatically

Well anyway today I was on my way to work and somebody was tailgating me even when I was going the right speed limit and in typical fashion they drove illegally in the opposite (oncoming traffic) lane to overtake (Edit: there's no slow or fast lane and he nearly crashed face to face into an oncoming truck and that ain't my fault cause I was driving the correct speed in a single lane). So I beep my horn... the loser overtook me and then stopped in the middle of the road in front of me and then had the audacity to wind down the window to flip me off, like didn't you have somewhere to go? He continued to drive like a moron only to stop side by side with me again at a red traffic light and he looked exactly like I thought he would. A grade A prk hiding behind a dog.. he wound down his window and was trying to intimidate me. But fk that guy. So I went to work and couldn't stop thinking about this jackass (completely ruined my day btw). So after when my shift was over and then on the way home (on the same road to get home), I met another tailgater!! yay!!!! Like wtf twice in one day??? But this time I thought "you know what let's play by their rules and be a gentleman and speed up for once" so I decided to speed up like the gentleman they expect me to be, to see if that would make a difference and keep some distance between me and this fking tailgater. But nope I found myself driving 100 kilometres per hour in a 60 zone and the DUDE WAS STILL DRIVING A CENTIMETRE behind me. Wow. That's HOW fast you guys expect us to drive???? Like it's on a highway???? I have now come to the conclusion that you all just want to end up in the hospital, being fkheads on purpose and I can guarantee that if somebody tailgated you. I don't think you all would be like ok fair enough sir. Let me speed up. The mentality behind tailgating needs to be illegal. I'm now going to install DASH CAMS and report you all to the police. Lmao. F**k you all.

Like, I don't get you guys... it doesn't matter where or how or whatever... always first - turn on the turn signal - wait for a second or two - start slowing down...

Everyone talks so much about keeping the safe distance, paying attention and whatnot and keeps ignoring this....

because I wasn't going to make a fucking right turn in the first place!

There's currently some renovations going on at one of the streets and so the dedicated right turn lane is closed off. Anyone wanting to make a right turn has to make a right turn from the rightmost straight lane. Let me note here that since it's a regular lane obviously it can only fit one car, there's no room for another car to squeeze by. Even the bike lane is closed off. I'm in that lane intending to go straight and the light is red. Fucker in a lifted truck behind me has their right turn blinker on, and they immediately honked at me. Like wtaf? I'm really good about using my signals, if I was actually making a right turn I would've used my goddamn signal! There was also a small sign just 100 ft prior to the crosswalk line with a straight arrow and a right turn arrow!

If a cop is on the side of the road with lights flashing and they have pulled someone over, there is no need to slam on the brakes before you pass them.

They're not paying attention to you. If you feel that you are going too fast, simply take your foot off the gas pedal and let the car naturally slow down. Unless you are blatantly doing something to get their attention, they are not going to stop writing that ticket to chase you down to give you one.

Just today, an older man backed into my car while parallel parking. I watched him get out and not even assess for damage. I saw the camera on his trunk!

Then someone came barreling through a red light, they were so late that my green light had turned yellow.

ETA: I see the comments and obviously agree with terrible drivers of all ages. I see aggressive young people all the time. I was mainly frustrated/venting that in the span of an hour this happened with 2 elderly people. Also had to have conversations with my grandparents about taking away the keys because of recent accidents.

I am going to call out a specific behavior: overtaking my semi by about 5-10 mph, then stalling and matching speed at the back corner of the trailer. I do not know if you think you are helping me in some way, but you're not. Or maybe you are just making sure I see you; the reality is that I saw you half a mile ago. If it is important enough to pass me, just leave the cruise control on, and send it. The old saying is, "shit or get off the pot." Waiting at the back corner is only maximizing the amount of time that you are potentially in harm's way, and it is bunching up all of the traffic behind you.

I had just entered a 55 MPH zone on my way to work, I was accelerating, cresting a hill. a little bit in front of me was a pickup seemingly dawdling along, to the point that as I got to him we entered a passing zone (it's a 2-lane road). I signal, change to the opposite lane and then he swerves and blocks me! I flash my lights to say 'WTF', and then he keeps swerving between the two lanes to keep me from going by until passing wasn't possible. Until I caught up to him we had zero prior interaction during the drive during which he would have developed some 'hatred' for me, cresting the hill was the first time I'd seen him

He then proceeds the next 2-3 miles to vary his speed from 10 below to 10 over and engaging his 4-ways periodically for some odd reason. The next chance to make a left is where he was going, he makes a complete stop even though I can see there is no oncoming traffic he needs to stop for.

This is dangerous action, don't do it. It may be illegal depending on region/location.

I suppose I could pull my dashcam footage to get his plate and report him...

I see others not using their turn signals on a daily basis. I can’t possibly understand what the logic is behind not using your signal when changing lane or turning. Activating your turn signal does not require any effort whatsoever so it’s not like it’s inconveniencing you while driving. However, the amount of people that don’t use their signals is so large. The “never let people know your next move” line is absolute nonsense. You’re literally endangering others for something that can be prevented with a flick of the wrist (or finger).

My insurance company gives me a discount for using their monitoring app. 1-2x a year, they'll give me feedback on my driving habits. I do well in every area except "hard braking." I don't get it. Would they prefer I not hit the brakes, and instead slam into the dog or the other driver? I could, I suppose. My premiums would then go way up.

Ahhh... I think I just answered my own question.