I drive the speed limit, and when on the freeway I choose the second to the right lane, so speeders can pass on the left, and exiters can pass on the right.

When I see a big rig coming up behind me, I move out of it's way. If I were driving a semi, I would appreciate that. I try to be a good citizen on the road. I should be out of everyone's way with the way I drive.

But I am always tailgated by the big SUVs on my way to work. I'm just minding my own business, cruise control at 60MPH, and I get tailgated. Hummers, Expeditions, Tahoes, and Suburbans seem to enjoy drafting me 6" off my bumper. Maybe they don't realize that with a drag coefficient of 0.27, there isn't much benefit to drafting my vehicle.

I don't have any political or controversial stickers on my car.

Maybe I should just remove my hybrid badge, I think the gas hogs are offended by it. What's the easiest way to remove it, and do you guys think I should remove it? I didn't buy this car for the image, I bought it to save money and save the environment. I don't need to show off.

Thanks!

A local driving school in SC uses HCH and TPH for their training cars. These cars have two rather large yellow bumper stickers reading "STUDENT" and "DRIVER" .

That might get some of those tail-gaters to reconsider.

People do that in the middle lane. It is the caravan of the stupid who don't want to drive. They create a long line-up in the middle lane, bisecting the highway which causes an impediment to other traffic.

Stick to the right except to pass and drive consistently and predictably (including maintaining a constant speed). That means more to the professional drivers than trying to second-guess which lane would help them the most.

And don't be paranoid. The world isn't waiting on you. That's vanity.

Being tailgated is not endemic to hybrid drivers.

I think that answers the tailgate question right there. Most folks take the speed limit as a speed minimum and they expect you to get out of their way, not vice versa.

Part of safe driving is doing what other drivers expect which is why I stick to the far right lane when 'only' going the limit.

You're calling me stupid because of the lane I choose to drive in?

Yes. Or, stupid driver, if you like, since you could be a Brain Surgeon for all I know...

If you're putting other drivers on the freeway in the position of choosing to pass on your left or on your right, then you are doing something wrong. You're making yourself an obstacle that is inconsistent with the common knowledge of proper freeway driving tecnique. It's the passing on your right that is the concern: Other cars are harder to see on your right and so it is safer to have them moving instead of being "parked" in your blind spot; Higher speeds to pass on your right, while not a legal move, makes freeway entrances and exits much more dangerous because of higher speed differences.

With that logic, every highway should be two lanes. What's the point of a center lane with your logic? I've rarely encountered the situation where center-lane drivers form a wall as you suggest.

I've tried driving in the right hand lane, and I am always in everyone's way when I drive the speed limit. Maybe things are different in Canada.

Caution, don't read in something that isn't there.

Bob Wilson

After April 3, use e-mail to contact me:

Thanks, I try not to. Sometimes people are simply rude and need to mind what they say, even though this is the Internet.