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I doubt that you never get tailgated. If it is true, then you are going to lose your license soon, my man! Slow down big fella! ;o)
I drive on I-95 every day, 35 miles each way, between Baltimore & DC. Fortunately I am going against traffic, so it flows pretty well. For a while, I was basically racing to get to class in the morning, so I was hitting 75+ in the 65 zones with the cruise control on. I was tailgated and tailgating others, making slick lane changes (I would not call them dangerous, but certainly approaching aggressive). I had a few close calls, and some very awful tailgating experiences. Fortunately the Aero is tough to catch on the highway!
Eventually the stress of driving like that every day got to me, so I decided to try driving the speed limit, or close to it. It was an epiphany for me. I still had "fun" pushing my Aero once in a while, but crusing along at about 69 mph or so(in a 65 zone; or about 60 mph in a 55 zone) was a wonderfully relaxing experience. I continue this practice as much as possible. I mainly contain my "fun" to exit ramps now (thanks to JeffC on the performance board for that suggestion).
By driving the speeds I do, I generally pass a few dozen cars during my voyage, but not the hundreds I used to. Instead of having to change lanes 100 times in one trip, I've made it to Baltimore with under 5 lane changes. I've made it from my house to my brother's place in Damascus without touching the brakes, and I've accomplished that on this 30 mile trip (each way) twice now! Another nice feature is that I no longer even look for police cars. I'm not speeding, compared to the people that pass me at 80 & 90 mph on a daily basis. The feeling is cumulately wonderful, and I usually get to my destination in about the same amount of time as before when I weas driving like a maniac (insert your favorite George Carlin description here). Yet another fringe benefit is getting to laugh at all of the people who are still driving like how I used to. They really look silly, and scary sometimes.
As far as passing-lane cruising, I avoid it at all costs. I try to stay in the 2nd or 3rd lane (out of 4) as much as possible, and I constantly check my mirrors when I am in the passing lane, and pretty much all the time anyway. What really gets my goat is when people tailgate in these other lanes. The passing lane is for passing, and I understand getting impatient if someone is cruising along unconscious to the line of cars behind them waiting to pass. This, of course, also results in dangerous situations for the cars not in the fast lane, because the psycho-speeders who can't wait 5 seconds to pass (such as to give the person in the fast lane the chance to get out of the lane) make crazy lane changes and start riding EVERYONE's bumper in the general vicinity of the blind person in the fast lane. Tailgating, while not really at all acceptable, is insane when done in any lane other than the passing lane. As far as I am concerned, you can go exactly the speed limit if you want to in any lane other than the fast lane. I have had to give up on getting mad about getting passed on the right because of this opinion, though!
In any case, if you commute, please try this cruise control self control. You will find that the feeling is wonderful! If you do try it, please let me know how it goes!
Tailgaters are inevitable, and getting out of their way whenever possible is the best choice. A combination of gradual slow downs and rear fog flashing seem to do the trick for me when I don't have that option.
Be careful out there!
Mike
88 SPG
95 Aero
00 Aero
posted by 138.88.1...
, Tue, 2 Mar 2004 21:16:23
, Tue, 2 Mar 2004 13:57:28
, Wed, 3 Mar 2004 07:01:45
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