Date: Dec 28, 2003
Subject: Rebuttal to Manifesto Rebuttal
From: Chuck Yerkes
To: Dave Schultheis

That's great. But really it's not your job to decide how other people should drive (see also 12-step programs).

You are not required to speed. You are not required to "allow" others to speed.

You ARE, however, REQUIRED to move to the right (after signalling the last 100 feet - 1.2 seconds at 60 MPH) when not overtaking a vehicle.

Although the CHP [California Highway Patrol] mostly just enforce speeding laws, SAFE driving and safe traffic has more to do with FLOW than speed.

I've driven in Germany and Northern England where if you're in the left (passing) lane and you get rear-ended... It's considered your fault. You were blocking traffic in a passing lane.

Generally, it's because you pulled into the passing lane without looking or you're an American and were just parked there.

If you're on a highway and causing people behind you to back up, you will often find them passing you on the right. Illegal (just like your not being to the right while not overtaking), and unsafe.

Your job, driving a 1+ ton chunk of metal at speeds that could propel it through a building, is to aid traffic FLOW. People backing up in a passing lane because you feel that "65 MPH is just fine" cause accidents. While not breaking SPEED laws, you're breaking many other laws and being an obstacle. Bad driver.

chuck

(1 speeding ticket [last month] in 20 years. And I didn't think I was speeding, but the 6-lane road was a 55 mph state road, not like the 65 MPH 4-lane road I'd just changed from. Bored town cop).


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David W. Schultheis, San José, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, California, USA