Got a few pictures of those types that they also seem to think they are God

Yes - the inmates are trying to run the asylum!

Over time, law enforcement has given aggressive drivers more and more leeway until they rule. The solution is to issue a lot more speeding tickets an pulling licences. The next best thing, would be an under-the-bumper gun that covertly takes out their tires... ... I'd prefer the law to beat up on them...

 

I agree there are several reasons people speed, but in a poll last week, most said they are more likely to speed in a crowd for competitive reasons.

What gets me is tailgaters that don't want to pass. (I get a few of those)

 

one can only wish. on a lot of the roads around here that are 55, the limit was just moved to 60, since nobody goes the limit anyhow....go figure...

 

You can hypermile without being an a-hole. I do it. Its simple courtesy:

• If I am obstructing traffic flow (ie. driving on a two-lane road), I will go at least the speed limit, and do my best to speed up a bit if there is an impending light that a few cars behind me can make it through itf there is a stale green, etc.
• If I am not obstructing flow (ie. driving on any road where cars can pass me WITHOUT having to cross into the oncoming lane) all bets are off, I'll drive as conservatively as possible, but not to the point of getting accidentally rear-ended by a dimwit.

Frankly, I'm amazed at how many people follow me doing between 45-50 MPH on a 4 lane highway with the speed limit posted at 55... perhaps 5 percent of all drivers.

 

Sounds like a good approach. I tend to drive slower in my hybrid than I do in other cars. On uncrowded freeways I drive about 5 below the limit (it's 75 here, so I can save a bit bykeeping under 70), but when there's more traffic I just try to go the same speed as everyone else to avoid being an obstruction. I can still do some conservations techniques in that situation, but of course it's one of the reasons my signature only reads 44.3! :-)

 

i had contact with another gem on the way home this evening. i was on a local two lane, going 5 under the limit. it's a wide roadway, and there is frequently room in which to pass. i looked in my rear view mirror and the guy was so close to driving into my trunk that i could see his lobotomy scars as he was gesturing and mouthing curses. i hollered "bite me", which of course he couldn't see or hear and tapped my brakes, causing more of the aforementioned antics. i looked back at the road, and there was an opportunity for him to pass. as i looked back in my mirror, there he was.....making a right turn.

 

Some soccer moms go 80 in the HOV but I drive a lot in LA's carpool lanes (some of the most intense freeways in the US) and 68 was generally enough. I slowed down to 50 once because I was confused and someone flashed their lights behind me, but it's perfectly understandable.

Give them a try. Having to drive faster is a problem but without the extra traffic it's easier to maintain a steady speed, which translates into more mpg. It's the acceleration that hurts your mpg. When that slow car merges in front of you or when you have to pass it damages your mpg. You could be pleasantly surprised.

Actually, the last time I got the middle finger was in my sporty Saturn SC-2....

 

As we all know safety is #1 and nobody should impeade traffic, and I don't think anyone here does that.
The problem is the speeding jerk who's life goal is to intimidate people. Probably spouse- abusers and dog-kickers and if they don't tailgate me, they'll do it to the next person. Cowards behind a wheel, or children living in a PlayStation.

On a multi-lane road, the far right lane #1 is the slowest, #2 a little faster, #3 a little faster and so on. Slower traffic keeps to the Right.

No big deal if I'm in the far Right lane and going a little slower than lane #2.
Anyone view my video?
I'm on a 5-7 lane freeway going 3-5MPH slower than lane #2 and 99% of the people either follow me at a safe distance, or ride 50 feet behind, get bored and go around, like they are supposed to do.

On a single lane road with a captive audience I'm going about the speed limit, no problem.
Because of a hard blowing cross/headwind and fussing about the video equipment I came a little short but still ended up with +63MPG for the trip.

Zimbop, you posted back in #4:
Hypermilers shouldn't be grouped with dangerously speeding drivers, as hypermilers are not breaking the law nor putting anyone at risk.
The proverbial grandma going 20 under, creating a jam....yes.....but not the trained hypermiler who for most accounts remains stealthy and bothers nobody.

I've been training in hypermiling since Feb'04 and never once had a visibly angry driver except for 2 days in a row, when I had a bumper sticker which stirred up a few people. It was 2 days of flashing headlights, horns, getures and lane cutting until I removed it, then instantly like a light switch all was normal again.
(All it said was "I get 65MPG...You?)
It made no difference to them even if I adjusted my speed to well exceed the flow of traffic so it was the message and their personal character, not my driving style.

HOV lane- There's been some work about this here in GA.
I don't know if I'd apply for the stickers, as the HOV is the far Left lane and the speed of traffic is accordingly, so I wouldn't use it.
Except in the case of traffic jam and all other lanes are blocked.

 

Well I didn't group them together, I was talking about "two different kinds of drivers." I simply disagree with you about some of this.

First of all, my post was in response to someone complaining about people passing him and making angry gestures at him for driving slow. Hardly "stealthy" IMHO if he's getting yelled at for it.

Secondly, my main point remains the same - people who drive significanly different speeds than the speed of traffic (above or below) are a hazard, whether they are driving legally or not. They guy in a broken-down beater going 41 mph on the freeway, while legally above the 40 mph minimum, is truly a hazard if other traffic is going a significantly different speed. So driving legally is no guarantee that it's safe. Of course the tailgator who races around everywhere going faster than everyone else is also a hazard.

I don't think anyone is promoting tailgating as a safer activity than hypermiling. I just believe that going significantly slower than traffic can be just as dangerous as going faster than traffic. That's my basic point.

 

I've got 4 enviro bumper stickers on my car and never been abused by other drivers. Must be a georgia thing
I need to take a picture at some point and post it but this is what they say:

• 67 MPG (in a Euro style oval)
• HYBRID (in a Euro style oval)
• I brake for potential energy (regular style bumper sticker)
• 1000 miles on 1 tank (regular style bumper sticker)

I'll make it a point NOT to drive in Atlanta with this car.