I like this community and really appreciate the depth and detail of BMW lore in many places on this forum. One thing puzzles me though, we have topic areas for everything BMW except the one this we ALL have in common: STREET DRIVING! There is so much to discuss, like 1) BMW has joined Dodge and Caddy and many others in making reference to the "left lane" in their latest Joy-vertizing campaign. As a result of this, it is my opinion that people now see the occupation of the left lane as some sort of status symbol, having nothing to do with efficient traffic flow and relative speed. This is because we apparently stopped teaching lane discipline years ago. Does everyone here know that unless the road is at capacity (they often are in the cities), that the left lane is for passing. Once you are past, keep right. It'd all flow so much better if everyone did that... 2) Has anyone noticed that yellow lights are getting shorter? They are supposed to be long enough to allow a safe stop from the posted speed limit before turning red. Is this a reaction to the near universal disregard for the yellow anyway... 3) You do speed up when merging right? The on ramp is the part where you speed up to blend into traffic. So many slow, down, or even stop, waiting for a hole big enough to get in front of someone who will have to slow way down because Joe-Buick was never shown how to merge the right way... 4) Great Driving Roads: Where are they in your area? 5) Stories. What is the weirdest thing you ever saw while driving? How 'bout it; a new topic area anyone?
1) Being in south Florida, where everyone seems to have gotten their license in a cereal box, is certainly challenging. I use my signals all the time, which down here is seen as a dare for the other car to speed up to make sure I can't get into whatever lane I'm trying to get to. Another interesting thing about south Florida driving: 99.9% of the drivers on the road act as if they're the only ones on the road and it belongs to them only. Examples of that are the typical idiot who's in the left lane (cruising at the same speed as the other three cars in the lanes next to him, where they've all lined up as if they were in a parade) who realizes that the exit he wants really is all the way on the right hand lane right now, exactly where the signs have been saying for miles, and he slams on the brakes and dives across 3 lanes of traffic to exit. In everyday driving that is as common as a loud, rough riding run flat tire. 2) I hadn't really noticed. 3) Absolutely, I try to do my best to not disrupt traffic flow. 4) Sadly, there is nothing to consider a great driving road around here. There are scenic roads like A1A where you can go up along the beach and occasionally there is a break in gigantic condominiums and you can actually see the water. Aside from that, it's all straight and flat. I'd have to head to NE Georgia, near Helen, to really find the fun roads. 5) A snowbird obeying the traffic rules ;-)
we see this... 1) Few things are as irritating as the "rolling roadblocks" with a mile of clear freeway ahead. Two cars (or three) going exactly the same speed for MILEs. I understand way some inSoCal carry weapons. (no, I do not advocate violence toward offenders- I just understand the impulse) 4) I am so lucky to be <1 mile from a great road in SoCal- Hwy 150 from Santa Paula to Carpinteria. It's ~ 50 miles of rural twisty stuff with one town in the middle (Ojai) and at the end a spectacular lunch next to the Pacific at Pedaro Beach Grill. SoCal at its best.
I use the left lane to avoid the moon craters that show up in the right lane on Vermont bridges I only do it when there's no one in the left lane who I'm going to be getting in the way of
Idiotic drivers are all over the country. No state is safe. New York City drivers take the cake though, honestly. There's a really cool stretch of road a good 5 or so miles from my home. Problem is that I just can't go on it during the day because there's always someone cluttering up the road. 15mph speed limits are posted, meaning the turns are FUN... when someone isn't in front of you doing 10. Come evening though, and I can play! Brendan, When the hell did you get an E46???
Penna actually has a law, "Keep Right, except to Pass". They post these signs on the Turnpike, now if only they would enforce it!!!!
I always check my mirrors and look over my shoulder before changing lanes, never know when some Quebec driver has been sitting in my blind spot for the past 10 minutes
