I’ll start. Stopping distance.

My commute is 95 miles one way to work, so I see a lot of the highway, in the rural part of the US. This means traveling at 70+ mph (112km/h) for almost the entirety of the drive. The amount of other drivers on the road who follow behind someone else with less than a car’s length in front of them because they want to go 20+ over the speed limit is ridiculous. The only time you ever follow someone that close is if you have complete and absolute trust in them, and also understand that it may not even be enough.

For a daily drive, you likely need 2-3 car lengths between you at minimum depending on your speed to accurately avoid hitting the brakes. This doesn’t even take into account the lack of understanding of engine braking…

What concepts do you all think of when it comes to driving that you feel are not well understood by the public at large?

  • Odelay42@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    23
    arrow-down
    6
    ·
    1 year ago

    The passing lane is for passing, but if someone is passing at 65 mph and you want to pass at 75 mph, you do not get special super duper passing privileges. Calm down and drive empathetically.

    • TopShelfVanilla@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      In the state of Georgia it is illegal to be the slow thing in the fast lane. You are required to move over for faster traffic.

      • TeckFire@lemmy.worldOP
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        Same in Tennessee.

        In fact, if you are in the left lane, you are supposed to pass, then move over to the right as soon as there is a reasonable gap in traffic. When people do not do this, the traffic behind them is allowed to create an audible signal to indicate them to move over. If they do not, you are permitted to pass on the right if there is ample room.

        You won’t ever see a state trooper pulling left lane hoggers though…

      • Hawk@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        What if you’re driving the speed limit? Is it illegal to be the slow one when you’re driving the limit and others want to go faster?

        • falkerie71@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          1 year ago

          It’s still better to make way and switch to the right lane to let them pass even if you are already driving at speed limit, imo.
          Avoids people tailgating you or weaving between traffic, both of which risk causing bigger accidents.

        • TeckFire@lemmy.worldOP
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 year ago

          In Tennessee where I live, you must not impede the flow of traffic. If everyone else is doing 80, 85, etc MPH, and you merge over into the left lane to pass, but you go 70? You are breaking the law if there are drivers behind you still going that higher speed and they have to slow down or hit their brakes because of you.

          Additionally, if you do not move to the right as soon as you are able to, they are supposed to audibly signal to you (honk) to move over, and if you don’t, they are permitted to pass on the right.

          The flow of traffic thing applies to the right lane too, just doesn’t come up as often.

          • SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            Which law is that? I was curious, and looked it up, and only found the “slow poke” law, which says that you have to be passing in the passing lane, but does not grant an exception to the speed limit.

            • TeckFire@lemmy.worldOP
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              1 year ago

              I’m referring to the 2021 Tennessee Code Title 55-8-154

              First part of it is:

              “ No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.”

              I guess I misread the law when I was researching this a while back, which is my mistake

        • grue@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          Yes, you could simultaneously be ticketed for both speeding and impeding traffic.

      • Hazdaz@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        That is pretty much true everywhere. Doesn’t mean it actually happens and almost no one gets pulled over for it, which only encourages people to plant their asses in the passing lane and go the same speed as everyone else (which is entirely not it’s purpose).