blind spot drivers

[charby]

I was reading the lane splitting posts and I got to thinking about something I said to the future Mrs Charby this weekend while we were down in Des Moines doing antique browsing.

I normally drive the speed limit or a little over (not much more than 5 mph) if the road isn't that busy.

I'll drive faster or slower depending upon the flow of traffic if the road is busy.

It seems like whenever I'm on a 4 lane road some a-hole feels the need to drive in my blind spot for several miles. Are people just rude or f-ing stupid. I've been wanting to get a motorcycle again for the past few years but I'm real apprehensive to ride in urban areas anymore because of what I see while driving.

C

[RaggedClaws]

That's one of my pet peeves too.  It's very dangerous.  I also hate it when folks don't use the left lane(s) for passing and they just drive along the same speed as those in the right lane(s).  Ugh, that really gets me going.

[griz]

Sometimes rude, but more often stupid I think.  I have even seen motorcycles ride in my blind spot, which is an invitation for painful disaaster.  Some drivers just don't think about the possibilities for problems, and I have a theory that they feel more comfortable when they are huddled together like sheep.  Safety in numbers doesn't work that well when you are going 65 MPH.

[Art Eatman]

Stupid.  Rude actually takes a modicum of thought.

You're safest on limited-acess 4-lane if you drive about 6% to 8% faster than traffic in general.  This was analyzed by the Society of Automotive Engineers, long ago.  

The deal is, traffic tends to run in clumps.  So, if you're in that clump, you're relying on all those folks to unendingly make correct decisions.  If you're running slower than a clump and they pass you, you have much less decision-making power or control.

If you're running faster than the clump, you are in control and can pass one at a time.  Much safer.

You're safest when driving alone, so being between the clumps is best.

It doesn't matter if the clump speed is 40 or 90.  6% to 8% faster is the deal.  It's not "safety" as such; it's "safer".

Art

[Gewehr98]

C'mon down to sunny Spacecoast Florida.  We have a treat for you that'll take your mind off of blind spot drivers.

They're called Snowbirds.  

[mtnbkr]

Few cars have true blind spots.  It's all about mirror judgement.  On every car or truck I've owned or driven a significant amount, it's been possible to adjust all the mirrors so that as a car leaves the rearview, it enters the side mirror, as it leaves the sideview, it's entering your peripheral vision.  

Chris

[RaggedClaws]

I would adjust my mirrors like that, but my wife and I share a car, and she keeps moving them. They are tricky to adjust like that too, and the adjustment takes some time to do.  I don't bother anymore and just cast a look over my shoulder.

Those are some interesting stats, Art.  It may be safer to drive 6-8% faster than the speed limit outside of packs, but then you are a prime target for the highway patrol!

[280plus]

They're called Snowbirds.

Turned my 1970 Fiat 124 wagon SIDEWAYS on dry pavement at about 40 on the Dixie Hwy once because of a snowbird. I was trying DESPERATELY to get around this guy creeping along and was watching his bumper in my right sideview when the first wife yells "LOOKOUT!!" The car ahead in my lane had STOPPED to turn into an alley on the left. Fortunately I had cleared the snowbird by the time I jerked that wheel to the right. There I was, sliding sideways right in front of him while countersteering. I heard him lock up his brakes for a second. I brought it back the other way a little too far, countersteered again the other way, straightened her back out and kept going. The ex said, "Boy, you're a good driver!" Meanwhile I was shaking like a leaf. It was so close I had no idea how the hell I missed hitting that guy in front of me but is a good thing I did.

That Fiat was a nimble little car. I bought it in Long beach Ca in 1980, drove it to CT, drove it around ct for a couple years drove it to Florida, drove it around THERE for a couple years until it really was close to death and then sold it to a guy who never paid me the $200 I was supposed to get. Course, he never got the papers either.

Here's the good part. It only cost me $125 in 1980 dollars in gas to drive it coast to coast.

[K Frame]

Stupid.

[280plus]

Oh yeah, what Mike said...

[charby]

Few cars have true blind spots.  It's all about mirror judgement.  On every car or truck I've owned or driven a significant amount, it's been possible to adjust all the mirrors so that as a car leaves the rearview, it enters the side mirror, as it leaves the sideview, it's entering your peripheral vision.  

Chris

1997 2 door GMC Jimmy has a nice big one on both sides.

But your right most cars have tiny almost non existant blind spots.

[Guest]

Sometimes rude, but more often stupid I think.  I have even seen motorcycles ride in my blind spot, which is an invitation for painful disaaster.  Some drivers just don't think about the possibilities for problems, and I have a theory that they feel more comfortable when they are huddled together like sheep.  Safety in numbers doesn't work that well when you are going 65 MPH.

Sometimes I do this on purpose while on a motorcycle. Its called "blocking", the idea is that when you are going through an intersection where people are entering the roadway if you ride parrallell to a car then noone is likely to turn into you. People wont see me on the bike, but they will see the car I am next to. The reason I end up in the blind spot is because I want to keep my "blocker" in view in case he wants to change lanes into me, but close enough that noone ends up turning right infront/into me. The blindspot notion doesnt particularly bother me simply due to the fact that I consider a driver's "blind spot" to extend 360 degrees around their vehicle regardless.

I do drop/accelerate out of the spot once clear of the intersection though, unless its simply a really hairy road for the whole duration.

[garyk/nm]

Then there are the sub-groups; the truly malicious who try to cause accidents, just because, and the group who's life work is collecting on insurance settlements.

[One of Many]

You can eliminate blind spots with this mirror adjustment; adjust each side mirror so that the lane divider line is just visible at the lower inside corner of the mirror. That provides enough overlap between the inside mirror and the outside mirrors that a passing vehicle will remain visible in either the inner or outside mirror until it is next to the rear door (where you can see it by turning your head 90 degrees - and the noise of the adjacent vehicle is easily heard).  

Typically, there is at least half a car width of overlap in the view between the inner and outside mirrors as the car passes in the adjacent lane.  It works as well when you are passing someone in the adjacent lane, and want to be sure that you are clearing them before changing lanes.  

Some people refuse to adjust their mirrors like this because they were taught that they MUST be able to see the rear corner of their own vehicle in the outside mirror.  This is an adjustment that causes a useless amount of overlap between the view of the inner and outer mirrors, and creates the blind spot that can't be seen in either mirror, or by turning the head 90 degrees.

[Art Eatman]

I spent some years in Florida, including the general My-yammi and ft. Liquordale areas.

On February 2nd, if blue-haired Missus Nussbaum can see through the steering wheel of her Oldsmobubble, there's gonna be six more weeks of winter.

Art

[doczinn]

I often do not check my mirrors or turn my head before changing lanes.

That's only because I maintain awareness of where all the other cars are and where they're going to be, so when I want to move I know the situation without looking.

[gunsmith]

I use the turn your neck and look technique and convex mirrors. and I agree with mike and art, those folks are just plain dumb.

Florida drivers make California drivers seem like PHD's. some folks there think you are supposed to stop before you get on the highway as opposed to the cars behind them who thought your supposed to speed up to highway speeds. and the sweet little old ladies who think the signs that say "slower traffic must move right" is a suggestion and 35mph is fine in the fast lane of I95 when the speed limit is 70.
but those people who just stop and turn depending on your psychic powers instead of using the turn signal are everywhere

[Stand_watie]

Tailgaters at 65 or 70 bug me. My dad postulates that it's a psychological phenomena of people who are afraid to lead and feel safer tucked in snug behind somebody else. Whenever we came up to one of Art's "clumps" of drivers when I was kid dad would say 'look kids, we're coming up on a flock of "road turkeys"'

[Fly320s]

A voice of dissent...

Similar to what doczinn said, if you know that the car is in your blind spot, then why are you upset that the car is there?  It is only a blind spot if you don't know that there is a car there.

You should drive like you live, in condition yellow (or is it orange? I never get them right).  You wouldn't want someone you don't know or don't trust sneaking up on you, would you?  But if you know that they are there then you can take action as necessary.

[grampster]

Art, is that where the old saying "just clumping along" came from?  

I drive using the theory that everyone else is drunk or crazy.  I hate tailgaters the most; especially when you see them talking on the phone or eating or reading or putting on makeup etc.  To almost hit someone in the "blind spot" means I just didn't look carefully enough before I started my move.  If everyone else is drunk or crazy, then I need to be extra careful.

[280plus]

Similar to what doczinn said, if you know that the car is in your blind spot, then why are you upset that the car is there?

You guys are not factoring in human error. I'm never drunk and I don't BELIEVE I am crazy but must admit that I AM human and I can screw up. So are the rest of the drivers out there. If you sit in my blindspot long enough I might forget you're there. That's why. Saying it's my responsibility and my fault if I hit you doesn't make you any less injured or dead. Drive DEFENSIVELY, ESPECIALLY on a bike. And I have ridden them but it's been many a year.

[French G.]

"You're safest on limited-acess 4-lane if you drive about 6% to 8% faster than traffic in general.  This was analyzed by the Society of Automotive Engineers, long ago."

Agreed. Then you can "wipe" cars as you pass them, keeping a really good mental picture of the space on all sides of you vehicle. You also get to see what the crazies are doing before they do it. If I am going somewhere fast, I vary speed a lot, the open mile or so between the clumps is pretty wide open, then coast off to clump speed as I near the next one. How you come up on the road turkeys really does determine how soon you get passed. If you are a few hundred yards back and approaching at 5mph advantage everybody and their brother will step out to pass. If you have a little more aggressive approach speed people tend to stay put. If I have to step on the brakes to get to clump speed though I am not doing my job of paying attention. If not going anywhere you can ride for 40 miles in between a clump, seeing very few cars. It most certainly is a mental thing, people are demonstrating their herd mentality.

As for the mirror thing, adjustment is easy. Sit in driving position and lean your head on the side window. Adjust your mirror until you barely see the edge of the car. Lean the same amount right and adjust the passenger mirror. A passed car should move seamlessly from peripheral vision to side mirror to rearview, no gaps. A lot better than the driver's Ed. mirror technique, everyone pretty much learns to duplicate their rear view picture with their side view.

[gunsmith]

a flock of road turkeys!      brilliant!
I'm stealing that one

[280plus]

Anyone ever listen to "Congress of Wonders: Repulsive"? It was an old comedy album. In one of the sketches "Captain Quirk of the Starship Intercourse" was chasing "space turkeys"

"Get the Phasers on that bird!!"

Oh, for those of you that don't know an "album" was a very large vinyl disk onto which sound was recorded and played back by scratching it with a needle like device. It was all VERY analog...



FYI...Around here we refer to clumps of "road turkeys" as either a "snail race" or a "funeral procession".

[griz]

A voice of dissent...

Similar to what doczinn said, if you know that the car is in your blind spot, then why are you upset that the car is there?  It is only a blind spot if you don't know that there is a car there.

You should drive like you live, in condition yellow (or is it orange? I never get them right).  You wouldn't want someone you don't know or don't trust sneaking up on you, would you?  But if you know that they are there then you can take action as necessary.

By the same token you would feel uncomfortable if somebody walked around just behind your shoulder when there was plenty of room to spread out.

To me the biggest problem with blind spot drivers is it removes one evasive option (moving over) in the event of something going wrong.  It's also rude.  Pass or fall back, but don't block the lane for miles and miles.