No, You Will Not Be Passing Me In That Manner

[Andara Bledin]

This happened a couple of weeks ago, but another thread just reminded me.

One of my big pet peeves is people who cut to the right of traffic so they can jump the line when the light changes. Not only are they self-important jerks, but they're also in the way of anyone trying to turn right.

Anyway, I'm the first car at a fairly busy intersection, and this SUV pull up to my right and after a second, it's obvious that they have no intention of turning.

The light changes, and this big SUV should have no trouble beating my little 4-cylinder across the intersection, except that I'm just not in the mood to let that jerk in.

I don't like driving a manual, but at times like this, it can be handy.

So he keeps up, just behind me, for a bit, but gives up only a few seconds before I do.

The best part is that I did everything completely legally. And since there were no cars parked on the side, there was no chance of running them into anyone, either.

I don't normally do that sort of thing, but I was in quite a bad mood that afternoon.

^-.-^

[LillFilly]

I've never seen anyone do that.

Thought we do have this intersection that widens from 1-lane to 2 (left turn, straight/right) and people just HAVE to get to the left turn lane faster and pass all the cars by driving on the wrong side of the yellow line. I've seen cars coming from the opposite way get held-up in the middle of the intersection by jerks like these!

[Andara Bledin]

I've never seen anyone do that.

It happens around here all the time.

Actually, the worst place to see that sort of behavior that I've ever encountered is at Kramer Junction, where the 395 crosses the 58.

Once upon a time, it was a 4 way stop (with a train crossing, for added fun), and on a busy weekend, it wasn't unusual to see cars lined up in all directions for miles to get through. You'd regularly get jerks running up along the shoulder just to get through faster than everyone else who was waiting patiently.

Now it's got a signal for the crossing, but it can still back up a considerable way. And people still drive up the side of the road to pass everybody else who is waiting their turn.

Actually, you'll also get people in big 4x4s that they go off-roading in go off road to get around the junction. Fun times.

^-.-^

[Mamadrae]

I have only every seen this done once, and I was in the car doing it!

Hubby and I were in Vegas and he was taking me to see Phantom of the Opera after a nice dinner in the Venetician. I had never seen it or read any of the plot and hubby thought I would love it. I'm all dolled up to the point that the people we are in Vegas with don't recognize me (I love doing that) and have heels on. So obviously I'm not keen on walking down the strip in heels, even if they are sensible enough that I can. So we get a cab.

Now I had never seen anyone do this so I was confused when we were sitting in a right turn lane waiting for the light to go green with no turn signal. Then the light changed and the cabbie hit the gas hard. I'm sitting there mentally thinking we're gonna hit someone as the cabbie zips past cars and such.

Hubby tipped him extra for masterful handling of the car and getting us from the Belliagio to the Venetian in under 5 minutes. I just glared at the pair like they were nuts. I mean sure we were on a schedule for our dinner reservations but we weren't THAT far behind and it was hubby's fault we were running late to begin with!

Still the night was good. Yummy steak and lobster with a good show...though hubby says my screaming bloody murder from the chandler part was the best. I still smack him for not warning me about that.

[Dips]

Your post wasn't clear on why what the guy did was wrong.

Was the guy going straight from a dedicated right turn only lane?

Or using the shoulder/breakdown lane to pass people in the travel lane?

Thanks for clarifying.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Perhaps the left lane is for traffic going straight or turning left, and the right lane is for people turning right or going straight.

The street I turn onto when leaving the swamp is like this. And I will go straight from the right-hand lane, but only if I can see there's cars in the left lane turning left. At this particular intersection, winding up behind the left-turners can mean sitting through one or more light changes if oncoming traffic is just right.