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A Certain Driving Habit - a rant

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by: 12 OP
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 3:43pm

I've been a delivery driver for Jason's Deli now for about 13 months. Driven all over Peoria, EP, Washington, Morton, Pekin areas. I've seen other threads about drivers, cell phones, no turn signal, etc. I've encountered drivers like that.

I want to address a driving habit that I have noticed that seems to be growing. For lack of a better name, I call them, "Left Lane Groupies"

Think what you want about the "Groupies" name. When I first came up with it, I didn't want to equate them with "Left-wingers". If that was the case, then could right laners be equated with "Right-wingers"? I hope not, since I use the right lane as much as possible, and I lean left.

Groupies are folks that drive in the left lane, supposedly to pass right lane drivers going slower. But that's not the case. They stay in left lane for blocks and blocks or miles or miles. (This is for 4-lane city streets, not interstate). I always thought the left lane was for passing, or getting ready to turn left at an upcoming intersection.

Now, I used to be a left-lane Groupie, especially on the interstate and in the city. When I realized what I was doing, I made efforts to stop this habit. Therefore, I don't move into the left lane until I'm either 2 blocks or 1-2 stoplights from my turn.

But now, it seems almost EVERYONE drives in left lane for blocks and blocks without turning; don't drive to pass, or sometimes drive under the speed limit. I've passed folks while I"m driving in the right lane. The main issue I have is I try to stay in right lane until I'm close to needing to turn...and I can't move over, because the Groupies are solid. Or a Groupie speeds up just as I'm thinking about signaling to move over. I end up going 1-2 blocks past my turn point, having to turn around and come back.

Obviously with construction season, you have no choice but to drive in left lane. That's the case with I-474 near Creve Coeur, where arrow are flashing for you to move into left lane, but there are actually 2 lanes open, not 1.

So, anyone else here notice the increased traffic in left lanes, and getting frustrated because you can't get over to turn left?

Again, this is just a rant, thanks for letting me get it off my chest.

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15
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 3:53pm

In an urban area, there is usually a dedicated left turn lane, outside of the left traffic lane.... so left turners do not impact the traffic flow in the left lane the same way that right turners do in the right lane. IMO, the urban left lane is the "through traffic lane", the right lane is for right turners and parkers.

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12 OP
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 4:02pm

@joepyeweed true, but there are still folks who need to turn left, whether there is a middle left-turn lane or not.

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15
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 4:18pm

@joepyeweed true, but there are still folks who need to turn left, whether there is a middle left-turn lane or not.

@DennisinPeoria :

This is true, but not very common in an urban area.... in those areas like on Adams Street heading south of McCluggage Bridge, I drive in the right lane.

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8
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 4:19pm

Thank you, Dennis !!!!!

I take Knoxville from War Drive to work every day. And without fail, cars come south through the War Drive stoplights in the left lane and stay there until they either turn left to go to St. Francis or take the interstate. And without fail, there are people passing them in the right lane the whole way. Who knows how many miles they have driven in the left lane before I see them.

And it's the same way on the way home. Today I was following someone doing about 28 MPH in a 35 in the left lane with a car probably 50 yards in front of him.

I don't care if you want to drive 20 MPH on all city roads. Just do it in the right lane.

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12
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 6:02pm

Jason's delivers to Morton?

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16
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 6:58pm

I like the ones who are turning left, There is a turn lane yet stop in the fast lane or left lane to make their turn. I have found out that anytime your going above the speed limit any thing goes.

I still like ones driving and talking on the cell phone. Looking at you like your half crazy while their making a U turn blabbing away..

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17
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 9:42pm

Ugh....a daily thing. Sometimes I'm happy to go to work at 5 AM just so I can avoid these people.

And now that it is school bus season....the bus waits indefinitely until little Jonnie gets around to dragging his *** out of the house and onto the bus. Whole songs have played on the radio while this happens. In my day, if you weren't standing out there, Mrs. Peters just drove on by and I had to run or peddle fast to get to school on time.

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12 OP
~ 7 years ago Oct 11, '16 10:04pm

@skutfarcus yes. We've also delivered to Chilicothe, Canton, and Dunlap Middle School up on Rt. 91. We go to Illinois Cancer Center and the OSF IT building (not OSF Center for Health) quite often.

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16
~ 7 years ago Oct 12, '16 4:35am

i can live with the left lane drivers.

the "don't use the shoulder lane for right turning" annoys the hell out of me.

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16
~ 7 years ago Oct 12, '16 9:38pm

And people who have no concept of what the deceleration/acceleration lane is for when merging

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17
~ 7 years ago Oct 12, '16 11:03pm

I worked late tonight. I actually crossed the Murray Baker Bridge above the speed limit. I was beginning to think that there was some mystical force that prevented this. Apparently there are that many drivers who think 42 in the left hand lane going over said interstate bridge is chill.

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16
~ 7 years ago Oct 12, '16 11:10pm

I am guilty of driving in the leftnlane but, to be honest, I am usually the fastest driver on 74 between Morton and Bloomington.

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17
~ 7 years ago Oct 13, '16 5:47am

*Edited

"They stay in left lane for blocks and blocks or miles or miles. "

Because it is generally faster. Left turners usually have a turn lane. Right turners slow everyone down. Then there are the city buses, because Citylink won't get on board with pull off lanes for bus stops. If there is no left turn lane, then it is generally faster to stay in the right.

The 'Thru traffic keep left' signs on the expressways only reinforce this.

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17
~ 7 years ago Oct 13, '16 5:49am

*Edited

And people who have no concept of what the deceleration/acceleration lane is for when merging

@AV8R :

Yeah this irritates... thankfully two of our vehicles have enough oompf to gun past these pokey peeps.

Other states have differing rules on this. It is not the same nationwide.

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17
~ 7 years ago Oct 13, '16 5:55am

@themrs916

the "don't use the shoulder lane for right turning" annoys the hell out of me.

@themrs916 :

This is indicative of a need for a structural change.... eg a longer turn lane. You see a lot of peeps using the shoulder turning right on Allen Rd from War Memorial.

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