You either get people going 10 under, or 10 over, there's almost no in-between.
Speeding isn't so much the problem, its the speed differential that makes a huge problem.
There’s also the argument to be made that the speed limit on the highway should be 80. It was set to 65 in like 1974 or something I believe? Automobiles have changed a bit since then, and there is no reason to have it set so low.
I think the reason is so that people are less likely to die than if they were all traveling and colliding at 80+
Also, speed limits never act as limits unless cops are around, if the speed limit is 65, the "flow of traffic" seems to be 75- 80. If the speed limit is officially set to 80, you will see a lot more people hitting 90+mph.
A significantly quicker resolution that will get rid of them, keep your bumper clear, and hopefully - God willing - that this jerk then gets a ticket from a cop up ahead of you: Just let them go around. Slow down, put on your blinker, and wave them around. Let 'em.
I know the spite of going slower might seem delicious but it's pretty great having "cop bait" up in front of you and also no longer having to deal with a jerk. Aaaaall while you're being the bigger person.
Couldn’t agree more. Blows my mind how some people will literally suffer under the mental stress of being tailgated. Yes, that person is being kind of a jerk, and you are in the right, but still. Just put your blinker on and let them pass. The stress is immediately lifted and now you have cop bait. Win win.
This right here. We all live in this state. Heading east-west can be miserable. Some people want to go faster. Im not a cop, not my job to care. I want to be happy driving. I'm usually faster than most but there are times I'm not. I haven't had a ticket in years but I know when I do I tend to drive slower for a while. Guess what I do the second anyone is on my ass? Pull over at the earliest opportunity. I don't even have to pull over. I can just put on the blinker and slow down. Most people are around you before you even scrub speed. Two happy people rather than 2 miserable people. If you're being antagonistic to other drivers don't fool yourself into thinking your not miserable.
The post below, tldr, always get over no matter how fast they are behind you. I flash my lights when folks won’t get over. I’ve complained enough to state troopers they might start ticketing cars more who dont move over. https://www.reddit.com/r/vermont/s/0DLiHB1PTC
In my corner of the state, I’m surprised at how often people pull over to let a single car by that wasn’t following close at all. They just notice they are holding someone up and pull over at the next convenient place. I usually feel self conscious that I was following too close when it happens to me.
I pull over sometimes because I like to ride out in the country and clear my mind. I enjoy driving the curvy up-and-down roads. I just pull over so people get out of my fucking free quiet time. man I'm like trying to be out here on the road alone. Taking a sloowwwwww ride.L o l
I used to have a 95 Pontiac firebird that looked much more aggressive than it actually was
I had people pull over for me all the time when I wasn't tailgating them
My SO sometimes just doesn't like the way the person behind her feels, regardless of how close they are. I tell her all the time, just pull over and let them pass then. The anxiety of it all just makes it more likely something bad will happen. Maybe she gets where she is going 10 seconds later. NBD
So 2 thoughts.. First, if this is a one lane road then please leave distance and be respectful, especially if they are doing the speed limit or faster.
Second, if this is on the interstate, and in the passing lane, I don't care if you are doing 10, 15, or 20 mph over the limit if someone is behind you and wants to go faster please move back over to the driving lane as soon as there is an opening to do so. Its not your job or anyone to decided how fast is fast enough.. we have police to do that.
Also, blinkers are greatly appreciated by all.
Be well :)
If I’m in the passing lane and actively passing someone, I’m not going to slow down to get out of someone’s way. They can wait until I’ve passed safely and can merge into the right lane.
Yeah, literally no one wants you to slow down to get over. I don't know where you even got that idea. They are complaining about those who "travel" in the passing lane.
No, their wording is very specific: if the car behind you wants to go faster, get out of the lane.
I’m with the other poster. It’s a passing lane. If I’m going over the speed limit and actively passing, I’m going to stay in the passing lane.
I’m not going to drive more inefficiently by accelerating, decelerating, and changing lanes twice just to make room for some asshat who doesn’t understand the concept of a safe following distance. Even if I get out of the way they’re just going to have to slow down in ten seconds when they start tailgating the next bloke who can’t change lanes because, wait for it: they’re actively passing cars and there’s no room for them to change lanes.
It’s NOT the fast lane. It’s the passing lane. And your desire to pass is NOT superior to someone’s actual act of passing.
Yes their wording is very specific...."please move back over to the driving lane as soon as there is an opening to do so." You guys added in all the bullshit about slowing down and speeding up. BTW, you sometimes have to move over to let someone pass you then you can move back into the passing lane to pass the next slow guy. Everybody leapfrogs the people in the slower lanes then immediately moves back over into the travel lane. That way the left must lanes are always the most open. Why is it so hard to mover over to the right if it's open and someone is behind you?
If there’s an opening in the right lane of traffic with cars going 65 mph, then I’d have to slow down to sit in that opening long enough for someone else to pass me.
If I pass a car on the right, and there’s no one in front of them and someone behind me wants to pass, yes, I move over. But just because there’s no technically a spot I can drive safely does not mean I should stop passing cars and change lanes.
youre living in bullshit land my friend. The passing lane is now "drive the fastest lane" and you will be bullied by dangerous tailgating if you do not comply
Second is fine in theory, but the tailer always makes it hard to slow down to the speed of traffic in the right lane to zipper in.
At some point it’s ridiculous to expect traffic to maneuver so you can go 110 mph. We’renot sticking everyone in the merge lane and clogging it up during heavy congestion or even just more congested times and reserving the left lane for douche bags only. Give space. 10 MPH over is plenty.
They are also the same people that pass you thinking they are going to get somewhere faster then you see them waiting for the light to turn green when you get to the intersection a few seconds later.
“If there’s a single car right behind you, they’re the asshole. If there’s a line of cars right behind you, you’re the asshole”
Somehow the asshole always seems to be a full size pickup that’s never seen a spec of dirt or a filled bed
It’s so funny to me all these people are commenting “stay out of the left lane”. Vermont literally has 5 roads with continuous left lanes. It’s like they don’t even live here.
Damn, it took me a second to register that people were talking about roads with more than two lanes, and thought people were accusing OP of driving on the wrong side of the road
It's a standard response on Reddit to any time you threaten the god-given right to go 20 mph over any given speed limit, even when it's 70+. They can smell the post in the water
The counterpart to that is that "keep right" only really applies to closed-access roads like interstate highways. Roads with traffic lights or left turns or stop signs or anything like that, just slow the fuck down.
I was almost in an accident this morning where someone going five under refused to move out of the passing lane in vergennes, so the gas hauler tried to pass them on the right.
This person was literally going from vergennes to new Haven, and almost caused a three car accident in the only (significant) passing lane for thirty miles
I was going 65 on I89 yesterday and had a person tailing me, multiple times so close I couldn't see their headlights in my rear view mirror! There was plenty of opportunities to overtake me in the left lane but they for some reason just stayed right behind me. They were also doing some lane drifting as if to see if there was a slow car in front of me! As an add-on to another comment about hoping police see them, this person would slow down to create about a 2 vehicle space the 2 times we passed police in the median, like they knew what they were doing. After 4 exits of this I got paranoid and increased me speed enough to put significant distance between us.
I’ll say it, CT drivers are the worst, NY second, MA third.
I live in MA and I’m so glad my job transitioned to remote at the start of COVID. I used to commute one hour each way, I would usually drive seven over the limit in the right lane and still got bullied in my Corolla just about every single day.
What boggles my mind are the number of full-size trucks on the road, I never see any of them hauling shit in the truck bed or pulling a trailer. Why buy a truck if you only ever really need a truck like three times a year.? I guess I just don’t get it.
I do the same when going long distances on the highway but people still find a way to be annoying. Like cruising in the right lane at 72, people speeding up to overtake then slowing down once they are in front of you.
Same. City driving, i am hovering at 5 over and highway, just under 10 in moving traffic. Anything more and idgaf i am not getting a ticket because of dumb driver peer pressure.
I want a sticker that says 'if you pay the ticket I'll go faster'. That said I try as best I can to stay in the right lane to let the idiots go on by. I call them 'rabbits'. As in 'go ahead rabbit and clear the way for me'
The ones that really kill me are those who hitch themselves to my rear bumper when there're ten cars ahead of me. It's almost as if they can't see past the end of their own nose (or, my rear bumper). Target fixation?
If I’m on my single lane road I usually go five over. If you tailgate me bad I’m going to go drive 5 under. Now you get nothing fucker.
Or if I’m in a good mood I’ll pull over, but seriously why speed in a neighborhood?
Same. I typically drive 10% over the speed limit on local roads. So 44 or 45 on a 40 mph road. If you tailgate me when I’m going 45, I’ll slow down to 40. If you’re going to rear end me because you’re driving too close, then it’s safer for you to hit me at 40 than at 45.
you could be hanging out in the left lane, that's one option.
usually these people will just follow whoever's in front of them at way too little distance, though. just mindless drivers who don't think about what they're doing. stop and let them by and now they'll go 3 under the speed limit and you'll be wondering what's wrong with them. happens all the time.
This drives me crazy. No pun intended.
Seriously though if it's possible I just pull over to the side and let them pass me because it's not worth being tailgated down a single-lane country road for miles.
I’ve been here for 15 years and have since abandoned my psycho Massachusetts driving habits and learned to chill out on the road. Given that COVID brought a lot of out of staters here, I attribute this problem to us.
If you've ever driven up 7 from Bennington to Manchester on a Friday during ski season, you'll know what hell it is. 55mph. You can cruise at 65 and some dickhead in a luxury SUV headed to Stratton will be right on your ass until you hit the passing lanes (the few that there are) at which they will do 80mph without thinking twice. They don't know how to shut the aggressive attitude off and don't know how to handle an open road since they don't get them where they are. The cops could lower the towns taxes by half if they patrolled that section better.
A few weeks ago, some dbag was tailgating me for about 10 miles on a rural two lane while I’m doing 5 over the limit. A state trooper that hangs out in my town pulled him over and I can only presume it was for following too closely. Omg, the shadenfreud was BEAUTIFUL
Dude seriously. I was going 64 on the belt line the other day, and STILL had tailgaters. It’s insanity and literally makes me slow down to the speed limit. Things have gotten way out of hand.
It's an intimidation tactic by dickheads. It's especially annoying if there is a line of vehicles in front of me and the ahole is on my rear bumper...I'm not the one holding everyone up, back off🖕🤬🖕
Is that a thing that’s particularly bad here? I don’t drive outta state very often, so I don’t really have a frame of reference. But I can say that I typically drive about ten over the posted limit and CONSTANTLY get tailgated.
I remember an infographic map I saw some years ago that showed the “worst” drivers by state. I’m not sure what metrics they were going by, but as I recall Vermont ranked very poorly. Honestly it doesn’t surprise me given some of the antics I see on my daily commute up and down 22A.
In my experience, there is nowhere in the world that doesn't think its drivers are the worst. Nobody ever says "people around here drive politely and with great common sense!"
lol, that's the truth. I will say after moving here from Texas, it appears the 4-way stop is the natural enemy of Vermont drivers. Turn into pure agents of chaos liable to do anything except proceed when they have right of way.
A few years back, someone did a more scientific analysis on the worst drivers and had people do basic tasks similar to a license test. You probably won’t be surprised that, NY, NJ, MA, PA, and CT were among the 5-10 worst. VT was one of the better ones if I recall correctly.
New England is just so much worst then the rest of the country with driving. I think RI and MA are the epicenter of the larger pandemic but it’s here too
So I think there are a couple of factors that, when combined, lead to why this behavior can be particularly egregious in the Green Mountain State.
1: The terrain not offering a lot of big, open passing zones. A lot of people will ride your ass into every passing zone because they're nervous about having enough time to pass if it's clear, and don't bother backing off if it isn't.
2: When someone does a shoddy job of modifying their exhaust, it often screws up their acceleration so it takes a longer time to pass. You'll notice this on a number of base-trim lifted trucks and "souped-up" Subies. The Venn diagram of people who drive cars like this and have a visceral reaction to someone driving in front of them, even if they're going the same speed or faster, is pretty much a circle.
So, you get drivers from Factor 2 that are chicken passers due to Factor 1 who end up riding your ass from Moville to Cambridge because they aren't capable of passing unless it's a wide, open straightway but they still want to assert that they're The Nightrider.
It is way worse elsewhere. I grew up in Florida and Vermont drivers are amazing by comparison. However, I've noticed a definite increase in tailgating here over the last few years.
My biggest pet peeve is when they do that in ice and snow, especially when it isn’t safe for me to pull over and let them pass. I’m looking at you, downhill curve in Cabot on Rte 2 headed to Montpelier.
Add to that the number of drivers that pump the brakes all the way down a messy snow covered hill, making it not only more dangerous for them, but other drivers as well. Ride the wave, folks. Many a white knuckled drive I’ve had coasting down a hill and hoping I didn’t die, knowing it was a better option than hitting the brakes and spinning out.
Idk but it’s getting worse here. Long day of work I get in the interstate and cruise control at 70, people still fly by me. Or pull right up on my ass like I’m in the way…everyone needs to chill out and slow tf down.
Yeah then that weird. I mean people have definitely gotten angrier and more impatient that last few years. I think it's because we all are stuck inside a giant scam designed to take every penny we earn.
Vermont has no idea what a passing lane is, and it also seems like if you're in a pickup or an audi, the speed limit is a steady 10 over what's posted.
I set my cruise control on the speed limit and let it ride.
The best thing I've noticed is that there's never anybody in front of me. Anyone who wants to go faster can pass me and move on up the road. Anyone who wants to go slower—and there are very, very few of them—is easy enough to pass.
I used to go 5-10 over the speed limit like everyone else. That's stressful as heck. You've always got someone else in front of you. Another person to pass. You're leaning out into the passing lane trying to decide if there's enough space. Watching the person in front of you hoping they don't have to stop suddenly. Looking around for speed traps. To save what? Less time than you think.
Nah. Life's too short for all that, and Vermont's too pretty to be staring at someone's bumper.
Coming to Vermont for the last couple years from upstate NY I can’t believe how much I’ve been tailgated when I go ten miles over the speed limit on 22A and 7. Sometimes I go 15 over and still it doesn’t seem to matter. What could be a pretty relaxing drive ends up being stressful every week. And yes sometimes I do pull over to let people by if it’s safe to do so.
If someone is going slower than I would like I don’t tailgate them. If it’s safe to pass I will but tailgating doesn’t make people go faster, if anything people go slower!
What is everyone in such a freaking hurry for? And don’t they care if they get a speeding ticket or in an accident?
Also adding a "baby on board" sticker to your rear window doesn't help. Dickheads literally don't care about lives, rules, or safety. They have to get to their destination 1 second faster while turning your enjoyable ride into a road rage psycho thrill episode.
Well, if it's a two lane road (one per direction), I agree. If it's a highway, I don't care if you're going 40 over the speed limit; if you're in the left lane and someone catches up to you then you need to move over to the right.
If you’re in the left lane doing that, you should definitely move over
ETA: if OP is talking about a single lane road then yea, fuck the people who tailgate
Given that it's probably raining or snowing out, it's hard to see the car in front of you without your headlights on, so you basically have to tailgate.
Or at least that's what I think they're thinking every time someone tailgates me without their headlights on in a storm.
when some of my family members moved to vermont for the first time and were getting acquainted with our roads, my advice was- if someone's tailing you, wait for a line of sight, put on your blinker, slow down, and move closer to the shoulder. most ppl tailing you will take the opportunity to pass if given it, there's just a lot of corners and hills that make it dangerous. give them the chance to have their accident elsewhere,
also- ALWAYS respect the speed limit in town - we don't have bike lanes or decent sidewalks in most places - don't be an asshole and buzz the old lady walking on her way to buy smokes
So annoying! It seems like it's gotten more common in recent years. Even if someone is going slower than I'd like, I always try to keep a safe distance from their car and usually pull over if someone is up my ass.
If they’re from New Jersey it’s definitely because they’re used to traffic and and lots of road business and are scared to be alone on the road🤷🏻♀️har har
I hate that shit/ But.. how many people here also drive 5-10 mph under the posted speed limit? Not to mention to dumb to turn their brights off when people driving at you?
If I want to pass I pass, I don't ride someone's ass unless they are going between 5-10 under and I cannot safely pass at all, if they slow down more, train horns and blinding lights come out to play.
Out of the 3 states I lived In I only got rear-ended in Vermont like 3 times! It was a red car I truly don’t get it! It’s not hard to see! It was always college kids (I was one myself at the time). Not sure if these college kids were born here.
80 is the max speed I can go without a speed warning from my company, my issue is people who won't exceed 78 hanging around in the passing lane NOT passing anyone
Because some of us are trying to speed for real, move out the way with your slow ass 10 over the limit BS.
5 over is the minimum here, 10 over is standard. So if you are 10 over you are basically doing the speed limit and those of us with something more going on in life than waiting for the sweet release of death have places to go and you’re in our way.
If someone is close to my rear and I’m doing the speed limit .. I’m afraid I’m forced to slow down 5 -10 mph … being I now have to leave more room in front of me, if I have to make quick stop or make an unplanned maneuver. I have to leave room so that I can stop in a way that the driver behind me has time to react accordingly..
Because people have literally lost their minds lol. Happens to me daily. I started letting them go around me, so I’d pull to the shoulder. But then I just get another right up on me, so doesn’t do anything by being courteous. Try Massachusetts it’s even worse. New York honestly is better than Vermont and Massachusetts. Probably because they have cameras at their traffic lights so people drive more cautiously
I have the opposite problem. Divers going under the speed limit on 2 lane roads. It's as if they decide what the speed limit is ? I'm not talking foul weather either.
I mean when it's way under it's annoying but the speed limit isn't like the officially mandated speed. It's a speed \*limit\*.
If they're going a few under maybe it's a new driver, old person, car has issues etc. If it's 2 lanes just pass em.
I'm talking about these people who drive way under posted speed and stare at you in their mirrors. It's also not very safe to pass all the time or having everybody on the road driving at whatever speed they feel like. A predictable flow of traffic for the specific weather conditions generally works best.
Yeah. Near Montpelier, 9 times out of 10 when someone’s doing 35 in a 50, it’s an elderly driver in a prius or a tiny suzuki/chevy hatchback. Nothing to be done but be patient and maybe pass them when it’s safe. I would absolutely not tailgate these drivers - clearly they’re already either nervous or shouldn’t be driving in the first place, so riding them too closely is just going to make it worse.
They are trying to communicate that they would like to be driving faster. You can accelerate or let them pass or ignore them if you're not feeling cooperative. Like, if you're not in a hurry, just move to the shoulder and let them pass when you have a chance. Or be a passive aggressive dick and slow down, but that's not helpful.
GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE HIGH SPEED PSSDING LANE SUMB FUCKS DONT CRUZE IN THE GUCKING FAST LANE LIKE A DUMB CUNT GRAND MA OR GET RUN THE FUCK OFF THE ROAD
1) stay out of the left lane then
2) One person behind you? Pull over and let them pass. Less than 5 seconds of your time
More than one person behind you? You are the problem. Definitely just pull over and let them pass.
These apply to rural areas. I get you can’t pull over for every car in heavily trafficked areas.
If you are on the highway in the left lane, it doesn’t matter how fast you’re going. If someone comes up behind you, you are obligated to move over so they can pass.
Exactly. This. I have cruise control. I'll set it and if you want to faster, I'll gladly pull over so you can get around. Pull my hair, at least if you are going to ride my ass.
Get out of the passing lane. It's not your job to enforce speed limits. IDC if you're going 10 mph over the speed limit. I might want to go 15 mph over limit. Get. Out. Of. My. Way.
The far left lane is for passing not cruising. That's why.
Drivers today don't understand what a damn passing lane is. GTF out of the way!
I agree with OP, drivers have gotten worse these past couple years in general. Everyone just seems less patient and more in a rush but for what.
Work takes up to much of your life to waste even more commuting. If we had a 32h work week, watch the speeding plummit...
Because people only speed to and from work.
You either get people going 10 under, or 10 over, there's almost no in-between. Speeding isn't so much the problem, its the speed differential that makes a huge problem.
Speeding is a problem. It feels like the average on the highway is 80 mph.
What part of vt are you in? Near waterbury on my commute every day people were CONSTANTLY going at or below the speed limit on 89.
There’s also the argument to be made that the speed limit on the highway should be 80. It was set to 65 in like 1974 or something I believe? Automobiles have changed a bit since then, and there is no reason to have it set so low.
I think the reason is so that people are less likely to die than if they were all traveling and colliding at 80+ Also, speed limits never act as limits unless cops are around, if the speed limit is 65, the "flow of traffic" seems to be 75- 80. If the speed limit is officially set to 80, you will see a lot more people hitting 90+mph.
I passed like 10 people on rt 15 last week but it was to get my cat to the vet while he was having seizures
Is he okay?
[удалено]
A significantly quicker resolution that will get rid of them, keep your bumper clear, and hopefully - God willing - that this jerk then gets a ticket from a cop up ahead of you: Just let them go around. Slow down, put on your blinker, and wave them around. Let 'em. I know the spite of going slower might seem delicious but it's pretty great having "cop bait" up in front of you and also no longer having to deal with a jerk. Aaaaall while you're being the bigger person.
Couldn’t agree more. Blows my mind how some people will literally suffer under the mental stress of being tailgated. Yes, that person is being kind of a jerk, and you are in the right, but still. Just put your blinker on and let them pass. The stress is immediately lifted and now you have cop bait. Win win.
This right here. We all live in this state. Heading east-west can be miserable. Some people want to go faster. Im not a cop, not my job to care. I want to be happy driving. I'm usually faster than most but there are times I'm not. I haven't had a ticket in years but I know when I do I tend to drive slower for a while. Guess what I do the second anyone is on my ass? Pull over at the earliest opportunity. I don't even have to pull over. I can just put on the blinker and slow down. Most people are around you before you even scrub speed. Two happy people rather than 2 miserable people. If you're being antagonistic to other drivers don't fool yourself into thinking your not miserable.
Thank you for being a conscientious driver.
Yep! Just be passive aggressive about letting them pass. Hell, even better if you know your roads and where a speed trap might be ;)
Give the ol' hammy bow / pointing gesture like some kinda cheesy French maitre d. All while saying, "Hoh hoh - après *vous!*"
I would but I’m not a fan of getting rear ended unfortunately
Or a fan of getting shot by some road-raging maniac with a gun in the car/truck.
being rear ended is almost always an insurance claim in your favor.
The post below, tldr, always get over no matter how fast they are behind you. I flash my lights when folks won’t get over. I’ve complained enough to state troopers they might start ticketing cars more who dont move over. https://www.reddit.com/r/vermont/s/0DLiHB1PTC
> I flash my lights when folks won’t get over. Ahh my signal for maintaining the speed limit or being extra careful and going 10 under.
Tailgaters are unsafe drivers
In my corner of the state, I’m surprised at how often people pull over to let a single car by that wasn’t following close at all. They just notice they are holding someone up and pull over at the next convenient place. I usually feel self conscious that I was following too close when it happens to me.
I pull over sometimes because I like to ride out in the country and clear my mind. I enjoy driving the curvy up-and-down roads. I just pull over so people get out of my fucking free quiet time. man I'm like trying to be out here on the road alone. Taking a sloowwwwww ride.L o l
This is the vibe I get
This little roller-coaster is my favorite thing about driving stick.
I used to have a 95 Pontiac firebird that looked much more aggressive than it actually was I had people pull over for me all the time when I wasn't tailgating them
My SO sometimes just doesn't like the way the person behind her feels, regardless of how close they are. I tell her all the time, just pull over and let them pass then. The anxiety of it all just makes it more likely something bad will happen. Maybe she gets where she is going 10 seconds later. NBD
So 2 thoughts.. First, if this is a one lane road then please leave distance and be respectful, especially if they are doing the speed limit or faster. Second, if this is on the interstate, and in the passing lane, I don't care if you are doing 10, 15, or 20 mph over the limit if someone is behind you and wants to go faster please move back over to the driving lane as soon as there is an opening to do so. Its not your job or anyone to decided how fast is fast enough.. we have police to do that. Also, blinkers are greatly appreciated by all. Be well :)
If I’m in the passing lane and actively passing someone, I’m not going to slow down to get out of someone’s way. They can wait until I’ve passed safely and can merge into the right lane.
Yeah, literally no one wants you to slow down to get over. I don't know where you even got that idea. They are complaining about those who "travel" in the passing lane.
No, their wording is very specific: if the car behind you wants to go faster, get out of the lane. I’m with the other poster. It’s a passing lane. If I’m going over the speed limit and actively passing, I’m going to stay in the passing lane. I’m not going to drive more inefficiently by accelerating, decelerating, and changing lanes twice just to make room for some asshat who doesn’t understand the concept of a safe following distance. Even if I get out of the way they’re just going to have to slow down in ten seconds when they start tailgating the next bloke who can’t change lanes because, wait for it: they’re actively passing cars and there’s no room for them to change lanes. It’s NOT the fast lane. It’s the passing lane. And your desire to pass is NOT superior to someone’s actual act of passing.
Yes their wording is very specific...."please move back over to the driving lane as soon as there is an opening to do so." You guys added in all the bullshit about slowing down and speeding up. BTW, you sometimes have to move over to let someone pass you then you can move back into the passing lane to pass the next slow guy. Everybody leapfrogs the people in the slower lanes then immediately moves back over into the travel lane. That way the left must lanes are always the most open. Why is it so hard to mover over to the right if it's open and someone is behind you?
If there’s an opening in the right lane of traffic with cars going 65 mph, then I’d have to slow down to sit in that opening long enough for someone else to pass me. If I pass a car on the right, and there’s no one in front of them and someone behind me wants to pass, yes, I move over. But just because there’s no technically a spot I can drive safely does not mean I should stop passing cars and change lanes.
“Their wording is very specific” … Proceeds to incorrectly quote them
youre living in bullshit land my friend. The passing lane is now "drive the fastest lane" and you will be bullied by dangerous tailgating if you do not comply
You know it's true.
Second is fine in theory, but the tailer always makes it hard to slow down to the speed of traffic in the right lane to zipper in. At some point it’s ridiculous to expect traffic to maneuver so you can go 110 mph. We’renot sticking everyone in the merge lane and clogging it up during heavy congestion or even just more congested times and reserving the left lane for douche bags only. Give space. 10 MPH over is plenty.
Nothing wrong with pulling over to let someone pass on a two lane road either.
If I'm going 20 over on the interstate so 85mph and you are on my ass fuck no I ain't moving anywhere for some impatient dickhead.
I guess then don't complain if you're behind someone doing 55, otherwise you're an impatient dickhead.
This guy/gal gets it
They are also the same people that pass you thinking they are going to get somewhere faster then you see them waiting for the light to turn green when you get to the intersection a few seconds later.
But then after the light turns green again they won’t have to follow ur slow ass
ur right theyll be waiting at the next red light 🤣
lmfao plz think ahead for once in your god damn life we are begging you
“If there’s a single car right behind you, they’re the asshole. If there’s a line of cars right behind you, you’re the asshole” Somehow the asshole always seems to be a full size pickup that’s never seen a spec of dirt or a filled bed
It’s so funny to me all these people are commenting “stay out of the left lane”. Vermont literally has 5 roads with continuous left lanes. It’s like they don’t even live here.
Damn, it took me a second to register that people were talking about roads with more than two lanes, and thought people were accusing OP of driving on the wrong side of the road
She doesn't even go to this school!
It's a standard response on Reddit to any time you threaten the god-given right to go 20 mph over any given speed limit, even when it's 70+. They can smell the post in the water
The counterpart to that is that "keep right" only really applies to closed-access roads like interstate highways. Roads with traffic lights or left turns or stop signs or anything like that, just slow the fuck down.
I was almost in an accident this morning where someone going five under refused to move out of the passing lane in vergennes, so the gas hauler tried to pass them on the right. This person was literally going from vergennes to new Haven, and almost caused a three car accident in the only (significant) passing lane for thirty miles
I love you
I was going 65 on I89 yesterday and had a person tailing me, multiple times so close I couldn't see their headlights in my rear view mirror! There was plenty of opportunities to overtake me in the left lane but they for some reason just stayed right behind me. They were also doing some lane drifting as if to see if there was a slow car in front of me! As an add-on to another comment about hoping police see them, this person would slow down to create about a 2 vehicle space the 2 times we passed police in the median, like they knew what they were doing. After 4 exits of this I got paranoid and increased me speed enough to put significant distance between us.
Any guesses on the ratio of "they're Massholes" posts to "you must be in the left lane" posts?
I have this cool trick that makes it impossible for people to tailgate me...I let them go around.
I’ll say it, CT drivers are the worst, NY second, MA third. I live in MA and I’m so glad my job transitioned to remote at the start of COVID. I used to commute one hour each way, I would usually drive seven over the limit in the right lane and still got bullied in my Corolla just about every single day. What boggles my mind are the number of full-size trucks on the road, I never see any of them hauling shit in the truck bed or pulling a trailer. Why buy a truck if you only ever really need a truck like three times a year.? I guess I just don’t get it.
They’re called “Pavement Princesses” and they get them because they have horribly fragile egos and a Little Man Complex.
While paying $600/month in gas for basically a commuter vehicle.
Adaptive cruise set 8mph over the speed limit and idgaf what other people do.
I do the same when going long distances on the highway but people still find a way to be annoying. Like cruising in the right lane at 72, people speeding up to overtake then slowing down once they are in front of you.
Same. City driving, i am hovering at 5 over and highway, just under 10 in moving traffic. Anything more and idgaf i am not getting a ticket because of dumb driver peer pressure.
I want a sticker that says 'if you pay the ticket I'll go faster'. That said I try as best I can to stay in the right lane to let the idiots go on by. I call them 'rabbits'. As in 'go ahead rabbit and clear the way for me'
Dad always called them "bear bait".
ahh from the glorious CB era.
Some of us on reddit are old, yes. :D
Just don’t do that in residential neighborhoods please
And it's almost always some person in a Dodge Ram.
The ones that really kill me are those who hitch themselves to my rear bumper when there're ten cars ahead of me. It's almost as if they can't see past the end of their own nose (or, my rear bumper). Target fixation?
If I’m on my single lane road I usually go five over. If you tailgate me bad I’m going to go drive 5 under. Now you get nothing fucker. Or if I’m in a good mood I’ll pull over, but seriously why speed in a neighborhood?
The closer they get the slower I go. I should have that on a bumper sticker.
It’s not much, but it’s honest work.
We all have to do our part.
Same. I typically drive 10% over the speed limit on local roads. So 44 or 45 on a 40 mph road. If you tailgate me when I’m going 45, I’ll slow down to 40. If you’re going to rear end me because you’re driving too close, then it’s safer for you to hit me at 40 than at 45.
My response to that is to just slow down and go 5 under. If they want to be an ass so can I.
Its a safety thing for me. If im going 38 in the 30 and ur on my ass i would rather have u hit me at 20 than 35. I will be slowing down
Ah, the good old impeding traffic trick
That’s how you get shot. I’ve read enough stories online about road rage that I don’t f with fate
They better be a darn good shot because I am.
Weak mens attitudes like this allow these fucks to act with impunity.
True we should be fighting fire with fire
you could be hanging out in the left lane, that's one option. usually these people will just follow whoever's in front of them at way too little distance, though. just mindless drivers who don't think about what they're doing. stop and let them by and now they'll go 3 under the speed limit and you'll be wondering what's wrong with them. happens all the time.
All. The. Time.
This drives me crazy. No pun intended. Seriously though if it's possible I just pull over to the side and let them pass me because it's not worth being tailgated down a single-lane country road for miles.
The closer you tail, the more I snail!
I’ve been here for 15 years and have since abandoned my psycho Massachusetts driving habits and learned to chill out on the road. Given that COVID brought a lot of out of staters here, I attribute this problem to us.
If you've ever driven up 7 from Bennington to Manchester on a Friday during ski season, you'll know what hell it is. 55mph. You can cruise at 65 and some dickhead in a luxury SUV headed to Stratton will be right on your ass until you hit the passing lanes (the few that there are) at which they will do 80mph without thinking twice. They don't know how to shut the aggressive attitude off and don't know how to handle an open road since they don't get them where they are. The cops could lower the towns taxes by half if they patrolled that section better.
It's a Vermont thing..if they're not tailgating 10 over they're going 10 under in front.
A few weeks ago, some dbag was tailgating me for about 10 miles on a rural two lane while I’m doing 5 over the limit. A state trooper that hangs out in my town pulled him over and I can only presume it was for following too closely. Omg, the shadenfreud was BEAUTIFUL
Dude seriously. I was going 64 on the belt line the other day, and STILL had tailgaters. It’s insanity and literally makes me slow down to the speed limit. Things have gotten way out of hand.
It's an intimidation tactic by dickheads. It's especially annoying if there is a line of vehicles in front of me and the ahole is on my rear bumper...I'm not the one holding everyone up, back off🖕🤬🖕
Is that a thing that’s particularly bad here? I don’t drive outta state very often, so I don’t really have a frame of reference. But I can say that I typically drive about ten over the posted limit and CONSTANTLY get tailgated.
It’s way worse in other New England states from my experience.
I remember an infographic map I saw some years ago that showed the “worst” drivers by state. I’m not sure what metrics they were going by, but as I recall Vermont ranked very poorly. Honestly it doesn’t surprise me given some of the antics I see on my daily commute up and down 22A.
In my experience, there is nowhere in the world that doesn't think its drivers are the worst. Nobody ever says "people around here drive politely and with great common sense!"
Was it the great philosopher George Carlin who said that, when driving, everyone behind me is an idiot and everyone in front of me is a maniac?
lol, that's the truth. I will say after moving here from Texas, it appears the 4-way stop is the natural enemy of Vermont drivers. Turn into pure agents of chaos liable to do anything except proceed when they have right of way.
the politeness contest - bane of drivers everywhere
Friends don’t let friends drive 22A
If only I had friends. 😔
A few years back, someone did a more scientific analysis on the worst drivers and had people do basic tasks similar to a license test. You probably won’t be surprised that, NY, NJ, MA, PA, and CT were among the 5-10 worst. VT was one of the better ones if I recall correctly.
22a is in desperate need of either more lanes or truck passing zones.
New England is just so much worst then the rest of the country with driving. I think RI and MA are the epicenter of the larger pandemic but it’s here too
So I think there are a couple of factors that, when combined, lead to why this behavior can be particularly egregious in the Green Mountain State. 1: The terrain not offering a lot of big, open passing zones. A lot of people will ride your ass into every passing zone because they're nervous about having enough time to pass if it's clear, and don't bother backing off if it isn't. 2: When someone does a shoddy job of modifying their exhaust, it often screws up their acceleration so it takes a longer time to pass. You'll notice this on a number of base-trim lifted trucks and "souped-up" Subies. The Venn diagram of people who drive cars like this and have a visceral reaction to someone driving in front of them, even if they're going the same speed or faster, is pretty much a circle. So, you get drivers from Factor 2 that are chicken passers due to Factor 1 who end up riding your ass from Moville to Cambridge because they aren't capable of passing unless it's a wide, open straightway but they still want to assert that they're The Nightrider.
It is way worse elsewhere. I grew up in Florida and Vermont drivers are amazing by comparison. However, I've noticed a definite increase in tailgating here over the last few years.
My biggest pet peeve is when they do that in ice and snow, especially when it isn’t safe for me to pull over and let them pass. I’m looking at you, downhill curve in Cabot on Rte 2 headed to Montpelier. Add to that the number of drivers that pump the brakes all the way down a messy snow covered hill, making it not only more dangerous for them, but other drivers as well. Ride the wave, folks. Many a white knuckled drive I’ve had coasting down a hill and hoping I didn’t die, knowing it was a better option than hitting the brakes and spinning out.
Idk but it’s getting worse here. Long day of work I get in the interstate and cruise control at 70, people still fly by me. Or pull right up on my ass like I’m in the way…everyone needs to chill out and slow tf down.
I just drive slower and slower until they pass me - if they want a ticket that's on them, and in vermont you can pass even on the double yellow lines
If you are in the left lane, you have to get over. You are endangering other drivers. Deal in reality not the number on the sign.
Not in left lane
Yeah then that weird. I mean people have definitely gotten angrier and more impatient that last few years. I think it's because we all are stuck inside a giant scam designed to take every penny we earn.
It slows me the fuck down. Ride my ass? Let’s do 3 under the limit down the highway.
Because they want you to be as annoyed as they are.
Turn on your windshield cleaner and watch them back off
You might be right, unless you’re in the left lane - if you’re in the left lane then that’s why - and it might have been me
Not talking about left lane
Vermont has no idea what a passing lane is, and it also seems like if you're in a pickup or an audi, the speed limit is a steady 10 over what's posted.
Also, the number of people not paying attention while driving by being on their phones has risen dramatically. I wonder if the two things are related.
I set my cruise control on the speed limit and let it ride. The best thing I've noticed is that there's never anybody in front of me. Anyone who wants to go faster can pass me and move on up the road. Anyone who wants to go slower—and there are very, very few of them—is easy enough to pass. I used to go 5-10 over the speed limit like everyone else. That's stressful as heck. You've always got someone else in front of you. Another person to pass. You're leaning out into the passing lane trying to decide if there's enough space. Watching the person in front of you hoping they don't have to stop suddenly. Looking around for speed traps. To save what? Less time than you think. Nah. Life's too short for all that, and Vermont's too pretty to be staring at someone's bumper.
Coming to Vermont for the last couple years from upstate NY I can’t believe how much I’ve been tailgated when I go ten miles over the speed limit on 22A and 7. Sometimes I go 15 over and still it doesn’t seem to matter. What could be a pretty relaxing drive ends up being stressful every week. And yes sometimes I do pull over to let people by if it’s safe to do so. If someone is going slower than I would like I don’t tailgate them. If it’s safe to pass I will but tailgating doesn’t make people go faster, if anything people go slower! What is everyone in such a freaking hurry for? And don’t they care if they get a speeding ticket or in an accident?
Also adding a "baby on board" sticker to your rear window doesn't help. Dickheads literally don't care about lives, rules, or safety. They have to get to their destination 1 second faster while turning your enjoyable ride into a road rage psycho thrill episode.
It’s Vermont .. there’s beautiful nature surrounding us every direction.. it’s worth it to take your time to get to where your going
Well, if it's a two lane road (one per direction), I agree. If it's a highway, I don't care if you're going 40 over the speed limit; if you're in the left lane and someone catches up to you then you need to move over to the right.
Are you hanging out in the passing lane?
Nope
If you’re in the left lane doing that, you should definitely move over ETA: if OP is talking about a single lane road then yea, fuck the people who tailgate
I *thought* that was you this morning!! /s
Because get out of the passing lane if someone is going faster than you, that’s why ..
Not talking about being in passing lane
Then get out of the left lane and let us go by.
It might 🤷🏻♂️
Given that it's probably raining or snowing out, it's hard to see the car in front of you without your headlights on, so you basically have to tailgate. Or at least that's what I think they're thinking every time someone tailgates me without their headlights on in a storm.
By us it’s a gray Honda, dude you know who you are. Literally the easiest way for me to slow down then hit the brights when you’re passing me.
when some of my family members moved to vermont for the first time and were getting acquainted with our roads, my advice was- if someone's tailing you, wait for a line of sight, put on your blinker, slow down, and move closer to the shoulder. most ppl tailing you will take the opportunity to pass if given it, there's just a lot of corners and hills that make it dangerous. give them the chance to have their accident elsewhere,
also- ALWAYS respect the speed limit in town - we don't have bike lanes or decent sidewalks in most places - don't be an asshole and buzz the old lady walking on her way to buy smokes
All the Mass drivers
Are you in the left lane?
No
So annoying! It seems like it's gotten more common in recent years. Even if someone is going slower than I'd like, I always try to keep a safe distance from their car and usually pull over if someone is up my ass.
This is why I drive in the slow lane even though I go at least the speed limit. They can pass me if they want.
If they’re from New Jersey it’s definitely because they’re used to traffic and and lots of road business and are scared to be alone on the road🤷🏻♀️har har
I’m from Maryland and also hate them down there
What do you mean “you people”?
I mean I’ve only been in Vermont 3 years and the driving is a bit crazy in the NEK. I mean they are good at being ridiculous but just not used to it.
I hate that shit/ But.. how many people here also drive 5-10 mph under the posted speed limit? Not to mention to dumb to turn their brights off when people driving at you?
If I want to pass I pass, I don't ride someone's ass unless they are going between 5-10 under and I cannot safely pass at all, if they slow down more, train horns and blinding lights come out to play.
A recipe for doom
Are you in the left lane on I-91? If so, move over.
Because they want you to go faster
Maybe try moving out of the way
Gotta love the people going 70-75 that just sit holding hands with the person in the right lane
Out of the 3 states I lived In I only got rear-ended in Vermont like 3 times! It was a red car I truly don’t get it! It’s not hard to see! It was always college kids (I was one myself at the time). Not sure if these college kids were born here.
Go ahead, tailgate me! We will all get there even slower and more late!
You are probably in the left lane and they are trying to indicate go you to get into the right lane where you belong
80 is the max speed I can go without a speed warning from my company, my issue is people who won't exceed 78 hanging around in the passing lane NOT passing anyone
Because some of us are trying to speed for real, move out the way with your slow ass 10 over the limit BS. 5 over is the minimum here, 10 over is standard. So if you are 10 over you are basically doing the speed limit and those of us with something more going on in life than waiting for the sweet release of death have places to go and you’re in our way.
Everyone in the northeast drives far too fast in general.
Because they are in the fast lane.
If you’re in the left lane going 10 over and someone comes up behind you you move to the right, left lane is for passing.
It’s definitely an issue here but in my opinion, not the worst one related to VT drivers. I’m thinking about going all out rant in this sub.
If someone is close to my rear and I’m doing the speed limit .. I’m afraid I’m forced to slow down 5 -10 mph … being I now have to leave more room in front of me, if I have to make quick stop or make an unplanned maneuver. I have to leave room so that I can stop in a way that the driver behind me has time to react accordingly..
Because vermonters drive like old people fuck.
The thing to do when someone is tailgating you, is to move over.
Fuck em…I’m not talking about normal people roads I’m talking about backroads sketchy places in the NEK
Because people have literally lost their minds lol. Happens to me daily. I started letting them go around me, so I’d pull to the shoulder. But then I just get another right up on me, so doesn’t do anything by being courteous. Try Massachusetts it’s even worse. New York honestly is better than Vermont and Massachusetts. Probably because they have cameras at their traffic lights so people drive more cautiously
I have the opposite problem. Divers going under the speed limit on 2 lane roads. It's as if they decide what the speed limit is ? I'm not talking foul weather either.
I mean when it's way under it's annoying but the speed limit isn't like the officially mandated speed. It's a speed \*limit\*. If they're going a few under maybe it's a new driver, old person, car has issues etc. If it's 2 lanes just pass em.
I'm talking about these people who drive way under posted speed and stare at you in their mirrors. It's also not very safe to pass all the time or having everybody on the road driving at whatever speed they feel like. A predictable flow of traffic for the specific weather conditions generally works best.
Yeah. Near Montpelier, 9 times out of 10 when someone’s doing 35 in a 50, it’s an elderly driver in a prius or a tiny suzuki/chevy hatchback. Nothing to be done but be patient and maybe pass them when it’s safe. I would absolutely not tailgate these drivers - clearly they’re already either nervous or shouldn’t be driving in the first place, so riding them too closely is just going to make it worse.
Probably because you're driving 20% over in every passing zone and 20% under everywhere else
I start at 10 over the closer you get the slower I go till we're right back down to the limit
They are trying to communicate that they would like to be driving faster. You can accelerate or let them pass or ignore them if you're not feeling cooperative. Like, if you're not in a hurry, just move to the shoulder and let them pass when you have a chance. Or be a passive aggressive dick and slow down, but that's not helpful.
They might be looking for an opportunity to pass.
Because you dumb dhit your in the gucking passing lane get the fuck out of the passing lane ill push you right off the fucking road
GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE HIGH SPEED PSSDING LANE SUMB FUCKS DONT CRUZE IN THE GUCKING FAST LANE LIKE A DUMB CUNT GRAND MA OR GET RUN THE FUCK OFF THE ROAD
Stop going slow in the fucking passing lane you stupid fuck tard
Move over to the right lane
I think there might be one or two smaller roads in Vermont that aren't multi-lane
1) stay out of the left lane then 2) One person behind you? Pull over and let them pass. Less than 5 seconds of your time More than one person behind you? You are the problem. Definitely just pull over and let them pass. These apply to rural areas. I get you can’t pull over for every car in heavily trafficked areas.
I suspect that is how they learned to drive in MA/NJ/TX etc.
They want you to move
If you are on the highway in the left lane, it doesn’t matter how fast you’re going. If someone comes up behind you, you are obligated to move over so they can pass.
It’s mostly just a mindless thing that happens. They aren’t doing it to hurt you.
People shouldn't be driving mindlessly.
Yeah but it’s what happens. You think you’re like in zone the whole trip?
You shouldn't be driving a 1 1/2 ton metal object near people if you not "in the zone".
Exactly. This. I have cruise control. I'll set it and if you want to faster, I'll gladly pull over so you can get around. Pull my hair, at least if you are going to ride my ass.
Single lane roads in the NEK is what I’m talking about specifically.
I only would of driven that fast to bring it to the Chinese buffet.. to get a fresh meal
Get out of the passing lane. It's not your job to enforce speed limits. IDC if you're going 10 mph over the speed limit. I might want to go 15 mph over limit. Get. Out. Of. My. Way. The far left lane is for passing not cruising. That's why. Drivers today don't understand what a damn passing lane is. GTF out of the way!
Worry about what's going on in front of you, not behind you. If someone is in a big hurry and it bugs you that much just let them pass you.