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android wrote: I know some country road drivers consider it a "courtesy" to pull to the shoulder, but I doubt they will stop to help when you get a flat or other car damage from debris common on shoulder. I'll stay on left side of the fog line, thank you very much.

cb1000rider wrote:Abraham,
Speeding enforcement, IMHO, is much more about revenue than it is about public safety... There are exceptions, of course, but generally if you're not moving at the same speed as average traffic, that's less safe than busting the speed limit by 10 mph.

If the driver you reference was doing Mach 1, then that's different, of course.

I've had really fast vehicles - motorcycles that were capable of 60 in under 2 seconds, cars that were capable of 60 in 4 flat. And I've had really slow vehicles - including 4-door cars under 85hp as well underpowered RVs. Vehicle capabilities do influence driving style, at least in my case. Largely it changes my cruise speed as well as conditions in which I'll pass. The <85hp car, I had to plan to pass at least 1 mile in advance, literally. I don't think I've ever passed on a 2-lane road in the RV unless someone pulled off. I've largely given up speeding as I got older, mainly as I see it as "voluntary taxation" - even with high end radar detectors. If I need to save time over a long distance, I find another way to travel.

Generally, the speed of traffic on a highway is at least 10 over and in most cases, probably more like 15 over on average. I've got an RV now, and if the speed limit is 55, I drive it 55. If it's 65, I drive it at 60. From there, I generally don't exceed 65 mph, regardless of what the posted speed limit says because it's a lot of vehicle and because I pay a big fuel penalty above 65 mph. I do a *lot* of pulling off on the shoulder and I've found that Texas is generally one of those states where drivers are likely to do this as courtesy. Doing 55 in a 55, I don't feel entitled to keep my lane even if I'm at the posted speed limit. Legally, I can do it, but I don't... And I'd like to say that I'm just that courteous, but largely it's about my own safety. If I keep that lane, they'll eventually try to pass - and that pass may or may not be safe. Pulling over encourages them to pass when I think it's safe and when I'm expecting it.

One other consideration:
In Austin (and Fort Worth, Edinburgh, Beaumont, El Paso, Helotes) there is a 3-foot bicycle rule. That is, you're breaking the law if you're less than 3 feet away from a bicycle.
Bicycles have the same legal right to be on the road as cars (on most roadways) and aren't capable of meeting posted speed limits. There are places in Austin where you can be behind a bike on a 2-lane road, no passing, for 10 miles or more. Unless that bicyclist pulls over you cannot legally pass which can mean that you're stuck back there for a half hour or more. Should the bicyclist stay in the traffic lane, as he's legally allowed to do so or pull over? I had one case where they wouldn't pull over and I wouldn't make the illegal pass - so we stuck it out like this for more than 30 minutes.. Kinda an exercise in being stubborn on both sides.

MechAg94 wrote:Drive the speed you want to and try to be courteous and polite to other drivers.

jbarn wrote:

puma guy wrote:

MotherBear wrote:

gemini wrote:I was born & raised in Texas. I can't begin to count the number of times I've seen
slower vehicles on a two lane road move right, onto a paved shoulder, to allow
faster traffic to pass. And get this; the faster traffic waves "thank you" and the
slower traffic waves back. It is common courtesy. At least it used to be.

It still happens that way. I had to instruct my husband (who moved here in his teens) in the practice shortly after we got married. I wasn't born here but moved here real young and my dad liked to live on what I referred to as the edge of nowhere -- close enough to the city that he could commute in for his work (tech stuff) but far enough out to have some breathing room. So I learned to drive on two-lane roads, and I still prefer them.

Good for you and your husband. I do the same when I can.

In years past vehicles would move to the shoulder, but I have not had that happen more than a few times in the last 15-20 years. The last time was Tuesday when I drove back from Fischer. I can't remember that last time before that, but I sure remember the times I've been behind someone who would neither driver at posted speed nor move over to allow passing. I read an article once describing the effect of Bill Clinton's "mandated" sped limits in those western states that had no posted limits on long stretches of highway. After speed limits were posted the accident rate increase and driver courtesy such as moving to the right disappeared. I just wish DPS would drive the highways and enforce the left lane passing law and many others instead of sitting inconspicuously along the roads to catch speeders. That seems to be the only violation they care to enforce. Whether that's by directive or not I can't answer. Illegal glaring headlights, blacked out tail lights and windows , driving in the left lane, tailgating, impeding, and on and on go completely unheeded. Rant over!

DPS enforces those. At least the Troopers I know.

mojo84 wrote:Yeah, the guy in a white mini van showed me one night by not letting me pass on a two lane road by almost killing my sister that was going into anaphylactic shock from eating some salad at my house one evening that unbeknownst to us had a preservative on it. That tough guy stood his ground and didn't let that obnoxious speeder by. He should be real proud. He even slowed down below the speed limit to show me he was boss and didn't have to move over to the shoulder.

Before you start, I had my flashers on and flashed my lights. It's a twenty minute drive to the hospital, her epi injections didnt work and if we would waited for an ambulance she would have died.

But it's much more important to show the sorry speeders up than to let them pass. Who needs courtesy? By gosh this is America. One thing I will say, he is very fortunate she survived as I took his license plate down and was prepared to track him down.

VMI77 wrote:Just about every time I drive through Houston, doing the speed limit seems downright dangerous with all the other cars whizzing by.

Oldgringo wrote:It never fails, on this learned forum where laws and the constitution are frequently quoted and debated, someone will propose that posted speed limits are not the law and/or do not apply to/when.........

03Lightningrocks wrote:

VMI77 wrote:Just about every time I drive through Houston, doing the speed limit seems downright dangerous with all the other cars whizzing by.

Now that is funny to read. I experience the same thing every time I visit my son in Houston. I have no problem driving ten over. I do it all the time. In most cases it is usually just about the right speed to keep with the flow of traffic. In Houston they drive by me so fast I question if I am actually moving.