On a marginally related topic, I must further inflate by posting my recent missive to Click and Clack:


Either great minds think alike, or we're both ready for the looney bin, Jim... I suspect we both responded to the same Car Talk episode. Here was my response:

April 23, 2003

YOU'RE the rude, illegal moron, Tommy.

For your information, it is illegal to even BE in the left lane unless you are overtaking another car. It is hard to imagine ruder behavior than that exhibited by the moron who parks himself in the left lane, matching his speed perfectly with the car to his right, holding up every car behind him who might wish to travel faster than what he considers to be a reasonable speed.

"Oh, I'm going the speed limit, so I don't have to get out of the way" he says. Well, when he gets a nice police car with flashing lights, and a badge to go with it, then he'll be entitled to enforce the law. Until then, it isn't his job and all he's doing is creating road rage and causing dangerous traffic congestion wherever he drives.

On the very rare occasions when I have been inattentive enough that someone had to use the right-hand lane to go by me, I have been mortified with embarassment that I could have done such a poor job of paying attention to what's going on around me.

Now, I'll concede that if both lanes are filled and there is no easy way to pull over, and especially if there is another car directly in front of the left-lane bandit so that he couldn't increase his speed even if he wanted to -- then there is no reason to flash at him, and no excuse for doing so.

But in general, if you're gonna run with the Big Dogs in the fast lane, then by God you damn well better RUN with them.

Doug Burnside




I've often wondered whether complaining to the police, asking them to write tickets to people going too slow [in the left lane] as well as to people going too fast would accomplish anything. Probably not...

tanstaafl.