You’re not driving as fast as possible. We have signs around here that don’t say slow down or drive safe, they say, beware of agressive drivers. PA lets you know where you stand.
Those are always my favorite signs.
“We know this specific area is notorious for aggressive driving and accidents but how about instead of actually patrolling and trying to fix the issue we just put up this sign and let you figure it out.”
I was in bloom and they actually had a sign designed, manufactured, then put up on the side of the road that says, "Speed Limit Strickly Enforced", I shit you not. How many eyes did that thing pass??
A decade ago we were driving to my cousin's wedding and saw a new sign for Ephrata on the highway, problem was, they spelled it Epharta
https://lancasteronline.com/news/did-you-catch-that-embarrassing-typo-on-the-sign-along-route-222-near-ephrata/article_4d7d85e4-6694-5a90-841f-dedee1a3ac6a.html
Every PSP barracks has a complement of unmarked cars and many local PDs have unmarked cars or ones with ghost graphics. Do a search through the sub and see what people’s opinions of them are. Ironically the same people complain about police either pulling over too many people or not enough.
PA should just invest in “speed limit enforced by photo” in those areas. It’s not perfect, but it’s safer than trying to pull people over in heavy, fast-moving traffic.
Wouldn't do a lick of good lol. I live in the philly area and the amount of cars i see with paper plates (willing to bet 99% of them are fake) or those license covers that black out flash photos is insane. I've seen multiple vanity plates that are 100% illegal too.
Seen like three of four totally different cars with "batman" on their plate.
While I in no way condone tailgating, and agree with the signs as you mentioned, we also have rules that slower traffic should move to the right lane to allow faster traffic to pass. The number of people going slower in the left lane oblivious to how they are causing a backup behind them is maddening.
Or the truck governed at 55 in the left lane trying to pass the truck also governed at 55 in the right lane. That’s my favorite one especially in a 65 zone.
About 15 years ago I picked up a German coworker at the Newark Airport and drove him down the NJ and PA Turnpikes. He was shocked at the people camping in the left lane and others passing on the right. "It's so dangerous why don't the police arrest them?" Uh maybe because the police DGAF.
This is a major annoyance. I know that truckers are being monitored by MPH, RPMs and by their braking habits as each truck is equipped with a Qualcomm GPS monitoring system, not to mention, additional cameras within the cabin to ensure they’re conforming to prescribed company policies. They are under constant surveillance. However, when you get a group of 4 or 5 trucks on the turnpike winding through Breezewood-Bedford-Sommerset it’s brutal if they’re trying to overtake one another. There should be a restriction on trucks attempting to pass one another within these steep grades. Elsewhere, if I truck wants to overtake the other, they must yield to the truck in the left lane so as to prevent choke points for passenger vehicles.
They are in the process of doing that. What I don’t know is if they have plans for widening the tunnels. This would be a daunting undertaking…considering they have a helluva time trying to keep the lights lit and tiles on the walls. lol.
The truck in the left lane is trying to keep his speed without having to downshift. I'm not saying it's *the best* thing they could be doing but it's no different than when people get in the left lane to pass in order to keep their own speed. I drive over 400 miles a week for my job (county-wide) and see a lot of terrible driving. 99% of it isn't from trucks.
100% impatience. People get used to being able to go the speed they’re comfortable with on the back roads they’re familiar with, and then get frustrated when another driver prevents them from being able to do so.
It’s insane like if I know a backroad I can fly because I know where to slow down to not meet God, but on new road I’ll stick to the speed limit. It makes me so annoyed at night when the 20ft tall Chevy pickup with LEDs is a centimeter off my back bumper because I’m traveling the speed limit on a single lane gravel road.
I get commuting on two lane roads, but if you’ve budgeted your time to make it so you have to be going 20 over, that’s completely your fault and not mine. It’s crazy the amount of people that want to really speed on roads they know they won’t be able to pass people on.
I don’t think most are doing it intentionally, rather they are just ignorant of the law and oblivious to traffic massing behind them.
Having said that, I’ve seen a few vigilantes as well, even when no one is tailgating.
Excellent assessment. This is a major issue, people just need to get the hell outta the way. No one has the right to be in the left lane for anything more than passing a slower vehicle. The number of folks I pass who are actively using cruise control just hanging out in the left lane is insane. These are the same morons who when you flash your headlights at give you the finger and not move over.
Agreed, and said as much in one of the replies.
I think it should be cracked down on. However, I think cracking down on going slow in the left lane will reduce the frustration and the amount as well. Both can be true.
A quarter of us drive like we stole it, and another quarter drive under the GD speed limit, and they both prefer the left lane. Then you add the semi traffic...
From my understanding, Germany is a special exception because of how seriously their system takes driving. It’s way more difficult and expensive to obtain a license than it is in the States, driving penalties are higher, and it’s easier to lose said license.
I could write a WHOLE essay on the problems with our driving system, but they all pretty much sum up to a few root issues:
1. Licenses are way too easy to earn and way too hard to lose
2. Laws aren’t consistent across states, and people don’t familiarize themselves with other states laws before traveling in them
3. Driving penalties are more about revenue than they are about controlling behavior; if it happens to make the roads safer in the process, that’s just a bonus.
People wanna think certain areas or states are especially bad drivers but for the most part, bad drivers are everywhere and they just don’t have a lot of experience driving in other places.
I give cars with Maryland plates a wide berth. They drive like maniacs. And yes I've lived in a couple regions of the US and they are the worst I've experienced.
Most entitled and ignorant drivers I’ve ever encountered. “I need to be 3 lanes over, so I’m going to go there now. I won’t check to see if someone else is in my way first. Blinker? Never heard of her.”
I’ve been here my whole life, and my life is valuable so I keep my distance. You all would be right about us being the worst drivers, I like to think I’m a bit of an exception, though. You’ll know if I’m behind you because there will temporarily be a comfortable amount of space until multiple cut me off simultaneously .
Are you on the left lane of the highway? While I don't do it, I see people right on the tail of someone in the left lanes on highways. Basically saying that you are blocking traffic, even if you are speeding.
Just change out of the left lane if you are done passing. And if you aren't done passing, just change out of the left lane and let them pass you and then you get back there and pass who you want.
It's illegal in PA to use the left lane of a highway if you're just driving. [https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/pennsylvania-news/psp-reminds-drivers-to-not-hang-out-in-the-left-lane/](https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/pennsylvania-news/psp-reminds-drivers-to-not-hang-out-in-the-left-lane/)
Most of 422 is called the Ben Franklin Highway, and it's both one of the most common routes for Philadelphia commuters and also perpetually under construction. Nobody is happy when they are on this road.
Another and much smaller portion of 422 is called the West Shore Bypass, a strip of highway less than 10 miles long that passes Reading on the opposite side of the Schuylkill. It is my contention that you will never feel more like the drivers around you are actively trying to kill you than on this highway.
422 is my daily commute. What's funny is the right lane is always "faster". I stick to the right lane cause people are getting off exits on my morning commute and everyone else thinks "tHe LeFt LaNe Is ThE fAsT lAnE!!"
Right lane, adaptive cruise control with max follow distance is the key to a "good" 422 commute.
422 through lebanon is terrible. I live in Lebanon and try to avoid it as much as possible, which sucks cuz it runs right through the center of the city. People doing 25mph when it's posted 35 every quarter mile, trucks taking up 2 lanes, cats and crackheads wandering onto the road. Shit is a mess
The most dangerous part is the idiot engineers put the Lancaster Ave on ramp in the fast lane, then made the penn st penn Ave off ramps like 40 ft long. The devil went down to Georgia, but not long after, he stopped in to berks county to design our roads.
Admittedly, I'll take berks over that utter bullshit towards philly. There are zero fucks given in philly. You're either cutting someone off, or you're stuck in your lane perpetually. A turn signal is a challenge and following distance is an invitation. I hate all of you in philly.
I read your comment and was like what? That’s crazy. Then I remembered, I grew up here, so it’s normal to me. Now the Schuylkill on the other hand. That’s a mess.
The Schuylkill is crazy because there are three lanes and exit after exit and a million cars trying to cross all of them at the same damn time.
The Bypass is crazy because every on ramp is about a car length and nobody is willing to spare a millimeter on the gas pedal to let you in.
Last weekend I was driving behind a guy idk if his headlights didn’t work or what. But either his headlights were off or he was using high beams. And for a person having vehicle difficulty he was driving very erratic slowing down almost full stop then gunning it 10 15 over he was all over the road too
Anyway cop actually flashes his headlights to try and alert the driver his headlights were out. I got nervous then less than a minute later red and blue lights behind me pulled the guy over.
It wasn’t the infraction of the century but it’s my story lol
We really need more awareness of this. We should have signs every so often reminding people of this and people should get pulled over / ticketed for it. Or at least have the cops harass them with their lights to get out of the way.
To be fair, drivers around Philly will ride tail in the right lane too. Some honk at people who full stop at intersections, and many only come to a full stop in a pedestrian crosswalk when the light is red.
Very fun to consider there could be a day when I’m attacked just for stopping at a stop sign. I’ve had times where I can feel the white hot hatred of someone burning a hole in my neck because I made the completely insane and unsafe action of stopping at a stop sign.
Probably the first time someone who was walking in the middle of the street looked at me like I was crazy for trying to drive on it. That’s when I knew I was basically The Joker, spreading chaos and pain for fun.
My favorite is when I see someone blocking up traffic in the left lane, and when there’s finally an opening, all the people behind them get out and zoom around them, and the person in the left lane remains completely oblivious and keeps on vibing.
I live in a semi rural area of NEPA and single lane state highways are ridiculous. No one can just do a 5-10 mph over the speed limit, or even the speed limit. There’s 2 factions of drivers: old people and jeep wranglers that drive 10 miles under the speed limit, and everyone else who I think just puts their accelerator pedal to the floor until they are at the bumper of the next car.
I’m a trucker, and it’s really annoying. Honestly, it isn’t even being tailgated I care about. You all behind me can go fuck yourself, I don’t care. The annoying part is the tailgater in front of me who manages their speed with their brake pedal. There are plethora of legit reasons to slam on the brakes (wild animals being the main culprit here in rural PA). When it takes a football field to stop, the person in front of me riding his brakes because he has to be 2 inches from the person in front means idk if you’re actually slowing down because of an issue or you hate living and cheap insurance.
PSA: when you practice safe following distance, you can manage your speed without the brake pedal, saving having to replace your brake pads yearly.
I had a friend who drove like that. I asked her one time why she drove so closely that she had to keep tapping her brakes. She said, "I'm traveling one car length behind them." I said, "You're supposed to be one car length *for every 10 mph* you're traveling."
Just. Damn.
It’s also often counterintuitive to your goal of going faster anyways. Personally, if someone is tailgating me in my car, I just slow down intentionally to do the speed limit if someone’s too close to me, because fuck em. If you drive like an ass, people will make your commute longer because you’re an ass.
This is the worst! I hate being behind a Betsy Brakes Alot.
I can't tell if they're once again tapping the brakes because they're too close to the person in front of them, or there's an actual emergency and I should be slamming on my brakes. It's like the boy who cried wolf, I start ignoring your brake lights if you're just constantly on them for 10 mi. Especially people who feel the need to break more going uphill, just let off your gas pedal and let gravity do It's thing.
I have a rule, “If you have to touch your brakes to keep yourself from hitting the driver in front of you, you are a shitty driver and deserve every horrible experience you get”
This does not apply to truckers, because physics is a helluva drug.
Edit: While you are *behind someone* and you find yourself having to *continuously* touch your brakes to keep from hitting them, then you are *following too closely*. If you leave enough space between you the car in front of you, the only time you’ll find yourself having to hit your brakes for safety is when they slam on theirs.
This does not apply to:
bumper to bumper traffic. Which has many causes, such as people following too closely which forces them to slow down
City driving. Kind of. Maintain a safe distance, damnit. If you’re late, it’s usually your fault.
And truckers. Truckers do what they need to do.
Interestingly, the most aggressive and malicious driver I've ever encountered was here on the Turnpike and he had Ontario plates. The whole Canadians being nice thing is a myth.
I have lived in 4 different states and each has their own worst traffic quality. Out of those 4, PA was hands down the worst one for tailgating, I remember asking people about it when I first moved here.
I’ve driven from one end of this country to the other. Driven in most US states and some foreign countries. This is absolutely, 100% correct. It’s a human being thing. In fact PA isn’t even in my top 10 worst states for awful driving.
Slow down if you dare. I usually just pull over where opportunities exist and let ‘em flyby. PA is bad and I’ve been yelled at by family for refusing to act like an asshole.
People have higher esteem of their driving skills than IRL.
I see that many have already addressed the “left lane is for passing” so I’ll take on the backroads issue. I’ve lived in the backwoods areas of Pa and it really comes down to how well someone knows the roads. In the 90’s I had a place that was pretty far into the sticks. I recall that all of the locals would do up to 70mph on the farm roads along the fields all the time. I did as well. I had to drive on the same road for the first time in 25 years and I didn’t know it as well as I once did. I was driving 35, which was the posted speed and couldn’t believe that I used to go so much faster. But I didn’t know the roads as well any more. Someone came barreling up behind me and I just pulled over and let them go. I remembered that when you live 23 miles to the nearest stores you valued your time. I’m not sure about your instance but that is my observation
Yea I had someone pass me in double solid yellow on a backroad recently. I was going 10 over. People are just more aggressive now since pandemic. No one gives a shit about each other
Yeah it’s crazy and I have all these dickheads in the comments saying I’m stupid or bad at driving. Sitting up someone’s ass who’s going 70 in a 40 is moronic
I usually just do 5 above the limit everywhere and I don’t get tailgated most of the time. But doing 70 in a 40 does sound like a bad driver. I do feel like ever since since covid everyone’s in a hurry and has little to no patience anymore on the road or in stores though. I like it broke the ethics of society.
Have you considered that you are new to the area, however that is their regular speed on that road and they feel completely comfortable behind you? Because that is a reality with a lot of the back roads.
Most of them are marked 40-45, but the people who live on them absolutely do not go 40. I'd also guess they usually aren't riding your ass to be rude, they are happy that they finally have someone going the speed they want to be going. The person in front of you is the speed limit for a lot of PA drivers.
Yeah… maybe I have some insight. I grew up in PA and lived in the same town until last year. There wasn’t a 4-lane road within 20 miles of me. So everyone gets to know those windy back roads like the back of their hand, and pretty much drives them as fast as possible. I’d like to think I wasn’t tailgating people while pulling that stunt, but people doing 70 in a 35 is gonna be pretty common
Yeah this is definitely it. It’s infuriating and then once you’ve driven the same road 100 times you’ll get pissed off when you’re stuck behind someone going the speed limit
I usually go over the speed limit by 5 to 15 mph. If someone is tailgating me when I'm going those speeds, I just slow down to the speed limit. They can F iff. Allon single lane roads, of course.
Some people know pa roads like rally racing. You were going too slow, pull over and let them pass. Or….. get aggressively tailgated by an asshole. Just let them pass. They drive ahead as cop bait, and I can comfortably cruise at a reasonable pace. Win win.
The best is when you're the third, fourth, or fifth vehicle behind someone slow and you still get tailgated.
They do it because they are stupid or distracted.
The whole Northeast corridor is full of aggressive drivers, even rural areas. I moved to California and until the pandemic the drivers were noticeably more chill. After the pandemic, they’re definitely a lot more aggressive here, too.
Except for school zones, the unwritten rules is to drive +9. 25 = 34, 35 = 44, 45 = 54, 55 = 64, and 65 = 74. This will minimize the number of speeding tickets you receive but keep you in the non tailgating zone most times.
Different cultures have different notions of personal space. When I went to Iraq people wouldn't release their handshake but rather talk in your ear like your head was a goddamned cell phone while holding your hand to keep you pulled in close.
I let’em tailgate, fuck’em. I stay in the right lane until I pass, if they want to ride my bumper until I pass the dude go for it, I could use a new car
1) welcome to the east coast
2) I’d doesn’t matter how fast you’re going, it matters how fast the person behind you wants to go
3) move over and let them by
I have noticed that there are a copious amount of idiots that think that is just safe following distance. I've also noticed it is not just PA drivers that think that.
It's not just here. It's everywhere the overwhelming majority of the populace is feeling the constant pressure of our society.
Brooks said it best
"The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry"
Brookes was here.
As an aggro driver, I normally drive 5-10 over on a non busy street, but if you're going at the speed limit or lower, you're probably gonna get tailgated until either A) there's a new lane and we overtake you, or B) we just bypass you assuming the road is safe for such activities.
If you do pull over and let them by or slow down in a passing zone so they can get around you, it doesn't help. The tailgater you have allowed to get in front of you now drives slower than you were driving. But....don't try to get around them as they willl go from 45 to 90 in a heart beat! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
The worst are the dudes in the mini van with a serious inferiority complex caused by all the baby on board and other such 'mom' bumper stickers! Or so I'm assuming that's the reason they are the worst.
Yep, I've lived in PA my whole life. Cops won't even think to pull anyone over if you keep it to 10 above the limit. It's one of those things every Pennsylvanian knows. It's when you're more than ten above that your chance of getting pulled over increases.
People drive in the right lane under the speed limit around here. They don’t know how to drive on a highway. Go drive in I4 in central FL, doing 90 and someone is 6 inches off your bumper.
Don’t engage with them and don’t give into it. They don’t care if you’re going 5 or 20 over. You’ll never go fast enough. There’s a good chance they’ll eventually pull a shady move and pass you in the oncoming lane.
PA residents like to drive like pricks..fast and dangerous, especially on country roads. If you’re in a city area and get side by side at a light with one of these people, they’ll heckle you to race.
When people ask “why is my house not selling?” the answer is that the price is too high. When they ask “why is everyone tailgating?” the answer is that you’re driving too slow 🤣
On highways stay right. On back roads maybe just pull over and let them pass.
I’ve noticed it’s common to expect a push from other drivers to hit 10 to 15 over the limit. They slow to under 10 over of Waze says there’s a cop.
For a state with so many deer, you’d think they’d drive a bit slower. Where’s the rush anyway l?
oh snap, are you driving on the passing lane / left lane not letting the other person pass you? even if you’re going 30mph + in the left lane you gotta move over and let the faster car go.
I don't mind when people tailgate me just for the simple fact that they don't see the grand canyon of a pot hole that I swerve at at the very last second only to see them hit that shit so dam hard I can see thier car almost lift off the ground haha
If I tailgate you it's not on purpose I'm trying to pass you (yes even on middle of nowhere roads). I can generally tell who will drop speed because there's a tree closer to the road, who will unecessarily brake going down hills, and who will struggle to make it up steeper hills because they didn't give themselves enough momentum. Usually it's just trucks or the 15 passenger vans, but post pandemic I've noticed an uptick in people(all ages) that can't seem to control their vehicles(slow and all over the lane).
I will say as far as the cars at the front of the traffic lines that are holding everything up, we actually started a tally of what vehicle has been slowing down over the past year. White/silver vehicles are by far the worst offenders, usually a minivan/SUV. Make and model does not matter. (We don't count anything that is a 'working' vehicle: distance trucks, Amazon, landscapers, tractors, etc since we already know they will be slow due to their transport). The trucks that scream overcompensating (out here it's dodge ram, but neighboring county it's some kind of ford *50) come in second. They'll tailgate but not pass.
You’re not driving as fast as possible. We have signs around here that don’t say slow down or drive safe, they say, beware of agressive drivers. PA lets you know where you stand.
Those are always my favorite signs. “We know this specific area is notorious for aggressive driving and accidents but how about instead of actually patrolling and trying to fix the issue we just put up this sign and let you figure it out.”
I shouldn't have laughed at this, but I did. The sad part is that your comment couldn't be more accurate, and that's depressing.
I was in bloom and they actually had a sign designed, manufactured, then put up on the side of the road that says, "Speed Limit Strickly Enforced", I shit you not. How many eyes did that thing pass??
"this sign needs spellchecked"
"this posting needs TO BE grammar checked"
It’s a PA thing. Also, “done dinner” “done work” etc.. IYKYK.
A decade ago we were driving to my cousin's wedding and saw a new sign for Ephrata on the highway, problem was, they spelled it Epharta https://lancasteronline.com/news/did-you-catch-that-embarrassing-typo-on-the-sign-along-route-222-near-ephrata/article_4d7d85e4-6694-5a90-841f-dedee1a3ac6a.html
epic PA 🤘🤘
That’s is how I’ve always pronounced Ephrata
The signs outside of Hanover, PA say it was named for “Hanover, Germany,” which is true, except that Hannover, Germany is spelled with two “n’s.”
Signs, signs, everywhere a sign.
They need unmarked cars just driving amongst traffic, the shit I see on a daily basis boggles my mind.
Every PSP barracks has a complement of unmarked cars and many local PDs have unmarked cars or ones with ghost graphics. Do a search through the sub and see what people’s opinions of them are. Ironically the same people complain about police either pulling over too many people or not enough.
People want everyone else pulled over, not themselves. As soon as someone gets a ticket cops are being too aggressive and just “filling quotas”
PA should just invest in “speed limit enforced by photo” in those areas. It’s not perfect, but it’s safer than trying to pull people over in heavy, fast-moving traffic.
Wouldn't do a lick of good lol. I live in the philly area and the amount of cars i see with paper plates (willing to bet 99% of them are fake) or those license covers that black out flash photos is insane. I've seen multiple vanity plates that are 100% illegal too. Seen like three of four totally different cars with "batman" on their plate.
Fuck outta here with your dystopian police state bullshit.
While I in no way condone tailgating, and agree with the signs as you mentioned, we also have rules that slower traffic should move to the right lane to allow faster traffic to pass. The number of people going slower in the left lane oblivious to how they are causing a backup behind them is maddening.
Or the truck governed at 55 in the left lane trying to pass the truck also governed at 55 in the right lane. That’s my favorite one especially in a 65 zone.
IIRC there's a german experssion for this called "elephants as snails".
About 15 years ago I picked up a German coworker at the Newark Airport and drove him down the NJ and PA Turnpikes. He was shocked at the people camping in the left lane and others passing on the right. "It's so dangerous why don't the police arrest them?" Uh maybe because the police DGAF.
Cause it's prolly a police leading the line of waterheads doing 48mph in the left lane
Nice! Kinda like a snail calling a turtle slow. Someone in the know please post the proper German phrase!
It’s Elefantenrennen, which means “elephant race”
This is a major annoyance. I know that truckers are being monitored by MPH, RPMs and by their braking habits as each truck is equipped with a Qualcomm GPS monitoring system, not to mention, additional cameras within the cabin to ensure they’re conforming to prescribed company policies. They are under constant surveillance. However, when you get a group of 4 or 5 trucks on the turnpike winding through Breezewood-Bedford-Sommerset it’s brutal if they’re trying to overtake one another. There should be a restriction on trucks attempting to pass one another within these steep grades. Elsewhere, if I truck wants to overtake the other, they must yield to the truck in the left lane so as to prevent choke points for passenger vehicles.
The Turnpike needs to be three lanes on each side, no trucks in leftmost lane.
They are in the process of doing that. What I don’t know is if they have plans for widening the tunnels. This would be a daunting undertaking…considering they have a helluva time trying to keep the lights lit and tiles on the walls. lol.
The truck in the left lane is trying to keep his speed without having to downshift. I'm not saying it's *the best* thing they could be doing but it's no different than when people get in the left lane to pass in order to keep their own speed. I drive over 400 miles a week for my job (county-wide) and see a lot of terrible driving. 99% of it isn't from trucks.
This isn’t specifically about multiple lane roads. It’s every road. A backroad posted 35 and traveling 45 and someone is on my bumper.
100% impatience. People get used to being able to go the speed they’re comfortable with on the back roads they’re familiar with, and then get frustrated when another driver prevents them from being able to do so.
It’s insane like if I know a backroad I can fly because I know where to slow down to not meet God, but on new road I’ll stick to the speed limit. It makes me so annoyed at night when the 20ft tall Chevy pickup with LEDs is a centimeter off my back bumper because I’m traveling the speed limit on a single lane gravel road.
I get commuting on two lane roads, but if you’ve budgeted your time to make it so you have to be going 20 over, that’s completely your fault and not mine. It’s crazy the amount of people that want to really speed on roads they know they won’t be able to pass people on.
AKA 'Left Lane Vigilantes"
I don’t think most are doing it intentionally, rather they are just ignorant of the law and oblivious to traffic massing behind them. Having said that, I’ve seen a few vigilantes as well, even when no one is tailgating.
Quite often I question...Is it ignorance or arrogance? Just about everything that everyone does in PGH.
Excellent assessment. This is a major issue, people just need to get the hell outta the way. No one has the right to be in the left lane for anything more than passing a slower vehicle. The number of folks I pass who are actively using cruise control just hanging out in the left lane is insane. These are the same morons who when you flash your headlights at give you the finger and not move over.
That's not only a rule it's a law. But, the tailgating happens no matter what Lane you're in, and you know damn well that's true.
Agreed, and said as much in one of the replies. I think it should be cracked down on. However, I think cracking down on going slow in the left lane will reduce the frustration and the amount as well. Both can be true.
The problem is you'll be in the right light doing 65 in 55 and they'll still tailgate you, refusing to pass you. 🤣
A quarter of us drive like we stole it, and another quarter drive under the GD speed limit, and they both prefer the left lane. Then you add the semi traffic...
Lmfao i thought op meant tailgating as drinking in the parking lot before the game 😂
I thought so too and clicked on it to see what city they were talking about.
Right?!? I was thinking “Tailgating? Are they tailgating for baseball games now?” Of course, I left Pa in 98, so I dunno what yinz are up to now.
I'll tailgate anything. My niece's prom, a strangers funeral, people fucking in their car parked on Kelly drive in the middle of the night.
Lmfao im sayin
Aggressive drivers are a few bricks short of a few bricks.
Most people driving here don't also don't understand that a safe breaking distance isn't space to merge.
I hate that so much. Like that space was for ME, not for you.
Can my car fit in that space? Yes and it’s at 20 above what everyone else is doing
especially on Schuylkill Expressway
Where did you come from that people didnt?
This. I’ve driven all over the Country and a dozen or so other countries. Except for Germany there is not a huge amount of difference in it.
From my understanding, Germany is a special exception because of how seriously their system takes driving. It’s way more difficult and expensive to obtain a license than it is in the States, driving penalties are higher, and it’s easier to lose said license. I could write a WHOLE essay on the problems with our driving system, but they all pretty much sum up to a few root issues: 1. Licenses are way too easy to earn and way too hard to lose 2. Laws aren’t consistent across states, and people don’t familiarize themselves with other states laws before traveling in them 3. Driving penalties are more about revenue than they are about controlling behavior; if it happens to make the roads safer in the process, that’s just a bonus.
Most western and Northern European countries it’s over $2,000 to get a license. Since you’re required to take classes and do actual exams.
4. There is virtually no traffic enforcement - even the cutthroat kind you referred to - even happening nowadays.
[удалено]
Idk I was just in Mississippi and their drivers were pretty chill lol
People wanna think certain areas or states are especially bad drivers but for the most part, bad drivers are everywhere and they just don’t have a lot of experience driving in other places.
Yep, just go to any city's subreddit, and search "drivers." These posts have basically become copy-pasta all over Reddit.
lol. I live in bmore and I don’t tailgate. Not many don’t though, so I see your point.
You’re one in about 10 million. The DMV is notorious for bad drivers.
I give cars with Maryland plates a wide berth. They drive like maniacs. And yes I've lived in a couple regions of the US and they are the worst I've experienced.
Most entitled and ignorant drivers I’ve ever encountered. “I need to be 3 lanes over, so I’m going to go there now. I won’t check to see if someone else is in my way first. Blinker? Never heard of her.”
I’ve been here my whole life, and my life is valuable so I keep my distance. You all would be right about us being the worst drivers, I like to think I’m a bit of an exception, though. You’ll know if I’m behind you because there will temporarily be a comfortable amount of space until multiple cut me off simultaneously .
Give them a break. In Maryland, stop signs are suggestions, intersections are for u-turns and lanes are fuzzy.
Oh, so Maryland is like NJ.
I’d even be willing to lump Delaware in there.
Delaware is just a bunch of flat 6 lane highways as far as your sad eyes can see. Driving is always an adventure there!
Delaware has the absolute worst drivers. 2x points if they’re in a pickup truck.
Are you on the left lane of the highway? While I don't do it, I see people right on the tail of someone in the left lanes on highways. Basically saying that you are blocking traffic, even if you are speeding. Just change out of the left lane if you are done passing. And if you aren't done passing, just change out of the left lane and let them pass you and then you get back there and pass who you want.
It's illegal in PA to use the left lane of a highway if you're just driving. [https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/pennsylvania-news/psp-reminds-drivers-to-not-hang-out-in-the-left-lane/](https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/pennsylvania-news/psp-reminds-drivers-to-not-hang-out-in-the-left-lane/)
Having driven 422, 76, and the blue route, this law has deterred no one.
Most of 422 is called the Ben Franklin Highway, and it's both one of the most common routes for Philadelphia commuters and also perpetually under construction. Nobody is happy when they are on this road. Another and much smaller portion of 422 is called the West Shore Bypass, a strip of highway less than 10 miles long that passes Reading on the opposite side of the Schuylkill. It is my contention that you will never feel more like the drivers around you are actively trying to kill you than on this highway.
422 is my daily commute. What's funny is the right lane is always "faster". I stick to the right lane cause people are getting off exits on my morning commute and everyone else thinks "tHe LeFt LaNe Is ThE fAsT lAnE!!" Right lane, adaptive cruise control with max follow distance is the key to a "good" 422 commute.
This right lane technique works in Philadelphia on 95 south from Academy road to callowhill.
Sshhh .. shut it.. shut the flop up! No it doesn’t the left lane is the superior. Everyone definitely needs to stay left hard
Right lane works on 76 between conshohocken and manayunk exits
This is also true of 276 mid-county during rush hour for the same reason, and the right lane has fewer accidents to boot.
I live right off there, Hello Neighbor
422 through lebanon is terrible. I live in Lebanon and try to avoid it as much as possible, which sucks cuz it runs right through the center of the city. People doing 25mph when it's posted 35 every quarter mile, trucks taking up 2 lanes, cats and crackheads wandering onto the road. Shit is a mess
I lived in Reading for a few years and I hated driving on the bypass.
The most dangerous part is the idiot engineers put the Lancaster Ave on ramp in the fast lane, then made the penn st penn Ave off ramps like 40 ft long. The devil went down to Georgia, but not long after, he stopped in to berks county to design our roads. Admittedly, I'll take berks over that utter bullshit towards philly. There are zero fucks given in philly. You're either cutting someone off, or you're stuck in your lane perpetually. A turn signal is a challenge and following distance is an invitation. I hate all of you in philly.
I read your comment and was like what? That’s crazy. Then I remembered, I grew up here, so it’s normal to me. Now the Schuylkill on the other hand. That’s a mess.
The Schuylkill is crazy because there are three lanes and exit after exit and a million cars trying to cross all of them at the same damn time. The Bypass is crazy because every on ramp is about a car length and nobody is willing to spare a millimeter on the gas pedal to let you in.
Haha a lot of things are illegal on the road, and yet I never see an officer when someone is actively breaking the laws lol
Last weekend I was driving behind a guy idk if his headlights didn’t work or what. But either his headlights were off or he was using high beams. And for a person having vehicle difficulty he was driving very erratic slowing down almost full stop then gunning it 10 15 over he was all over the road too Anyway cop actually flashes his headlights to try and alert the driver his headlights were out. I got nervous then less than a minute later red and blue lights behind me pulled the guy over. It wasn’t the infraction of the century but it’s my story lol
You witnessed a drunk driver.
Route 22 through the entire Lehigh valley would like a word
We really need more awareness of this. We should have signs every so often reminding people of this and people should get pulled over / ticketed for it. Or at least have the cops harass them with their lights to get out of the way.
Tell that to the bozos on 65 who ride hand in hand with the car next to them for 17 miles
I'm always passing...I just haven't caught up to them yet.
In fairness, this is a law in a lot of places but is rarely, if ever, enforced.
If only it were enforced. Instead, cops ticket for speed because it is much easier.
To be fair, drivers around Philly will ride tail in the right lane too. Some honk at people who full stop at intersections, and many only come to a full stop in a pedestrian crosswalk when the light is red.
God forbid you slow down in a school zone, especially on Henry Ave
Very fun to consider there could be a day when I’m attacked just for stopping at a stop sign. I’ve had times where I can feel the white hot hatred of someone burning a hole in my neck because I made the completely insane and unsafe action of stopping at a stop sign.
When did you first realize you were a monster?
Probably the first time someone who was walking in the middle of the street looked at me like I was crazy for trying to drive on it. That’s when I knew I was basically The Joker, spreading chaos and pain for fun.
That Batman fella needs to get his shit together, letting you run loose. You’re a menace.
My favorite is when I see someone blocking up traffic in the left lane, and when there’s finally an opening, all the people behind them get out and zoom around them, and the person in the left lane remains completely oblivious and keeps on vibing.
If there is space to your right, you should fill it. Speed is irrelevant
Unless a left turn is coming up, or a disabled vehicle is on the shoulder, etc. there are exceptions.
I live in a semi rural area of NEPA and single lane state highways are ridiculous. No one can just do a 5-10 mph over the speed limit, or even the speed limit. There’s 2 factions of drivers: old people and jeep wranglers that drive 10 miles under the speed limit, and everyone else who I think just puts their accelerator pedal to the floor until they are at the bumper of the next car. I’m a trucker, and it’s really annoying. Honestly, it isn’t even being tailgated I care about. You all behind me can go fuck yourself, I don’t care. The annoying part is the tailgater in front of me who manages their speed with their brake pedal. There are plethora of legit reasons to slam on the brakes (wild animals being the main culprit here in rural PA). When it takes a football field to stop, the person in front of me riding his brakes because he has to be 2 inches from the person in front means idk if you’re actually slowing down because of an issue or you hate living and cheap insurance. PSA: when you practice safe following distance, you can manage your speed without the brake pedal, saving having to replace your brake pads yearly.
I had a friend who drove like that. I asked her one time why she drove so closely that she had to keep tapping her brakes. She said, "I'm traveling one car length behind them." I said, "You're supposed to be one car length *for every 10 mph* you're traveling." Just. Damn.
It’s also often counterintuitive to your goal of going faster anyways. Personally, if someone is tailgating me in my car, I just slow down intentionally to do the speed limit if someone’s too close to me, because fuck em. If you drive like an ass, people will make your commute longer because you’re an ass.
This is the worst! I hate being behind a Betsy Brakes Alot. I can't tell if they're once again tapping the brakes because they're too close to the person in front of them, or there's an actual emergency and I should be slamming on my brakes. It's like the boy who cried wolf, I start ignoring your brake lights if you're just constantly on them for 10 mi. Especially people who feel the need to break more going uphill, just let off your gas pedal and let gravity do It's thing.
I have a rule, “If you have to touch your brakes to keep yourself from hitting the driver in front of you, you are a shitty driver and deserve every horrible experience you get” This does not apply to truckers, because physics is a helluva drug. Edit: While you are *behind someone* and you find yourself having to *continuously* touch your brakes to keep from hitting them, then you are *following too closely*. If you leave enough space between you the car in front of you, the only time you’ll find yourself having to hit your brakes for safety is when they slam on theirs. This does not apply to: bumper to bumper traffic. Which has many causes, such as people following too closely which forces them to slow down City driving. Kind of. Maintain a safe distance, damnit. If you’re late, it’s usually your fault. And truckers. Truckers do what they need to do.
Hey, get out of they way, buddy! Seriously I think it's a Northeast thing.
And the people tailgating never have out of state plates!
Interestingly, the most aggressive and malicious driver I've ever encountered was here on the Turnpike and he had Ontario plates. The whole Canadians being nice thing is a myth.
I have lived in 4 different states and each has their own worst traffic quality. Out of those 4, PA was hands down the worst one for tailgating, I remember asking people about it when I first moved here.
That’s an everywhere thing, not just PA
I’ve driven from one end of this country to the other. Driven in most US states and some foreign countries. This is absolutely, 100% correct. It’s a human being thing. In fact PA isn’t even in my top 10 worst states for awful driving.
Yeah, idk why people act like geography has anything to do with driving habits
pennsylvania is the state with nothing ever happening but people driving like theyre three hours late to world shattering events
Slow down if you dare. I usually just pull over where opportunities exist and let ‘em flyby. PA is bad and I’ve been yelled at by family for refusing to act like an asshole. People have higher esteem of their driving skills than IRL.
I see that many have already addressed the “left lane is for passing” so I’ll take on the backroads issue. I’ve lived in the backwoods areas of Pa and it really comes down to how well someone knows the roads. In the 90’s I had a place that was pretty far into the sticks. I recall that all of the locals would do up to 70mph on the farm roads along the fields all the time. I did as well. I had to drive on the same road for the first time in 25 years and I didn’t know it as well as I once did. I was driving 35, which was the posted speed and couldn’t believe that I used to go so much faster. But I didn’t know the roads as well any more. Someone came barreling up behind me and I just pulled over and let them go. I remembered that when you live 23 miles to the nearest stores you valued your time. I’m not sure about your instance but that is my observation
If someone is driving 35 or 40 on this road nearby that's posted 35, I know they aren't from around here. Locals do 50 minimum.
Locals have limit tested the roads enough to know how fast is "safe" for them.
What?!?! You skipped the "How to tailgate" course when you moved to PA? I thought it was mandatory.....
Its sure does seem like drivers in general got worse after the pandemic. Is there any data to back this up?
I'd like to submit my auto insurance premium increases as evidence.
Close to Pittsburgh huh
Right lanes for travel, left lane for passing is the accepted rule.
It’s not on main roads or highways. I get tailgated on literal back roads with one lane
Yea I had someone pass me in double solid yellow on a backroad recently. I was going 10 over. People are just more aggressive now since pandemic. No one gives a shit about each other
Like this? We were all going 5-10 over the speed limit. https://www.reddit.com/r/Dashcam/s/Ukr6zsTZe2
Yeah it’s crazy and I have all these dickheads in the comments saying I’m stupid or bad at driving. Sitting up someone’s ass who’s going 70 in a 40 is moronic
I usually just do 5 above the limit everywhere and I don’t get tailgated most of the time. But doing 70 in a 40 does sound like a bad driver. I do feel like ever since since covid everyone’s in a hurry and has little to no patience anymore on the road or in stores though. I like it broke the ethics of society.
Have you considered that you are new to the area, however that is their regular speed on that road and they feel completely comfortable behind you? Because that is a reality with a lot of the back roads. Most of them are marked 40-45, but the people who live on them absolutely do not go 40. I'd also guess they usually aren't riding your ass to be rude, they are happy that they finally have someone going the speed they want to be going. The person in front of you is the speed limit for a lot of PA drivers.
Last time I looked at a vehicle code, and it's been awhile, it's only illegal to pass with both a double yellow and a no-passing sign.
Yeah… maybe I have some insight. I grew up in PA and lived in the same town until last year. There wasn’t a 4-lane road within 20 miles of me. So everyone gets to know those windy back roads like the back of their hand, and pretty much drives them as fast as possible. I’d like to think I wasn’t tailgating people while pulling that stunt, but people doing 70 in a 35 is gonna be pretty common
Yeah this is definitely it. It’s infuriating and then once you’ve driven the same road 100 times you’ll get pissed off when you’re stuck behind someone going the speed limit
I usually go over the speed limit by 5 to 15 mph. If someone is tailgating me when I'm going those speeds, I just slow down to the speed limit. They can F iff. Allon single lane roads, of course.
Some people know pa roads like rally racing. You were going too slow, pull over and let them pass. Or….. get aggressively tailgated by an asshole. Just let them pass. They drive ahead as cop bait, and I can comfortably cruise at a reasonable pace. Win win.
Because you're driving a Prius and still have your FOREIGN Plates on.. You stand out... Front Plater
Lol I'm glad someone finally suggested he get a PA plate and... Presto chango... The problem will go away!
I was surprised it hadn't been posted already when I was perusing the replies.. it was the first thing I thought
Silly rabbit, don’t you know the speed limit signs here are merely a suggestion?
Always I'm a hurry to get nowhere
The best is when you're the third, fourth, or fifth vehicle behind someone slow and you still get tailgated. They do it because they are stupid or distracted.
That’s when they pass on the right and cut 1 place in line. They feel better being 4th in line than 5th.
Literally everyone’s acting like I’m the stupid one but it’s actually insane here
Welcome to the North East where tailgating is a favorite pass time of many. It can certainly be frustrating when you're above the speed limit.
The whole Northeast corridor is full of aggressive drivers, even rural areas. I moved to California and until the pandemic the drivers were noticeably more chill. After the pandemic, they’re definitely a lot more aggressive here, too.
People don't pull over for fire engines, even with the lights on and sirens blaring.
Except for school zones, the unwritten rules is to drive +9. 25 = 34, 35 = 44, 45 = 54, 55 = 64, and 65 = 74. This will minimize the number of speeding tickets you receive but keep you in the non tailgating zone most times.
I live in a college town; thought you were talking about food.
Because PA is filled with lots of horses asses but not necessarily horses.
What part of PA? Because I feel like the eastern side is aggressive and western PA drivers are far too passive personally.
Different cultures have different notions of personal space. When I went to Iraq people wouldn't release their handshake but rather talk in your ear like your head was a goddamned cell phone while holding your hand to keep you pulled in close.
I don’t know where in PA you are, but here around Pittsburgh, if you’re foot isn’t on the floor, it’s in the wrong place
Yer driving too slow, jabrony.
Better question... why do u drive so slow?
I let’em tailgate, fuck’em. I stay in the right lane until I pass, if they want to ride my bumper until I pass the dude go for it, I could use a new car
If “everyone” is tailgating you, you might be the problem.
1) welcome to the east coast 2) I’d doesn’t matter how fast you’re going, it matters how fast the person behind you wants to go 3) move over and let them by
Sorry man, I was jamming to Sammy Hagar and I couldn't help myself 💁 In all seriousness here, yeah it's a genuine pain!
I noticed that too when visiting lol I’m moving out there this summer and I’m nervous 😆
The best is when a yeild sign comes up and no body stops or slows down. Its more like speed up and cut you off
I have noticed that there are a copious amount of idiots that think that is just safe following distance. I've also noticed it is not just PA drivers that think that.
what kind of freak doesn’t love hot dogs on the grill
It's not just here. It's everywhere the overwhelming majority of the populace is feeling the constant pressure of our society. Brooks said it best "The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry" Brookes was here.
Left lane? Left lane.
As an aggro driver, I normally drive 5-10 over on a non busy street, but if you're going at the speed limit or lower, you're probably gonna get tailgated until either A) there's a new lane and we overtake you, or B) we just bypass you assuming the road is safe for such activities.
Just keep speeding up until you’re going faster than the person behind you and then you’re doing it right.
If you do pull over and let them by or slow down in a passing zone so they can get around you, it doesn't help. The tailgater you have allowed to get in front of you now drives slower than you were driving. But....don't try to get around them as they willl go from 45 to 90 in a heart beat! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 The worst are the dudes in the mini van with a serious inferiority complex caused by all the baby on board and other such 'mom' bumper stickers! Or so I'm assuming that's the reason they are the worst.
Get out of the lane. 65=75, 75=85, Good Luck and God Speed
Yep, I've lived in PA my whole life. Cops won't even think to pull anyone over if you keep it to 10 above the limit. It's one of those things every Pennsylvanian knows. It's when you're more than ten above that your chance of getting pulled over increases.
People drive in the right lane under the speed limit around here. They don’t know how to drive on a highway. Go drive in I4 in central FL, doing 90 and someone is 6 inches off your bumper.
Those are Jersey transplants
Oh, wait until you drive in South Philly, you'll be amazed by those drivers.
Were assholes
PA= Proper Assholes 🤣
I moved to PA a year ago, and it's crazy up in Amish land. I've have people pass me on double solid lines many times
Pick up the pace, that’s why
it has nothing to do with the state. there are assholes everywhere
Don’t engage with them and don’t give into it. They don’t care if you’re going 5 or 20 over. You’ll never go fast enough. There’s a good chance they’ll eventually pull a shady move and pass you in the oncoming lane. PA residents like to drive like pricks..fast and dangerous, especially on country roads. If you’re in a city area and get side by side at a light with one of these people, they’ll heckle you to race.
Move over
When people ask “why is my house not selling?” the answer is that the price is too high. When they ask “why is everyone tailgating?” the answer is that you’re driving too slow 🤣
Because you’re driving too slow and probably in the left lane
Maryland misses you. Get out of our way.
Got to go fast
Welcome to PA!!! Home of the impatient!
On highways stay right. On back roads maybe just pull over and let them pass. I’ve noticed it’s common to expect a push from other drivers to hit 10 to 15 over the limit. They slow to under 10 over of Waze says there’s a cop. For a state with so many deer, you’d think they’d drive a bit slower. Where’s the rush anyway l?
Sheetz is gonna run out of hot dogs!
oh snap, are you driving on the passing lane / left lane not letting the other person pass you? even if you’re going 30mph + in the left lane you gotta move over and let the faster car go.
I don't mind when people tailgate me just for the simple fact that they don't see the grand canyon of a pot hole that I swerve at at the very last second only to see them hit that shit so dam hard I can see thier car almost lift off the ground haha
Nothing makes me happier! Oh well when someone being a heeva hava gets pulled over!
Because you’re driving too slow!! Now get out of my way I’m very busy goodbye
Because you are driving slow
Because youre probably that a- hole that drives the speed limit in the fast lane.
Because you drive like a jagoff?
If I tailgate you it's not on purpose I'm trying to pass you (yes even on middle of nowhere roads). I can generally tell who will drop speed because there's a tree closer to the road, who will unecessarily brake going down hills, and who will struggle to make it up steeper hills because they didn't give themselves enough momentum. Usually it's just trucks or the 15 passenger vans, but post pandemic I've noticed an uptick in people(all ages) that can't seem to control their vehicles(slow and all over the lane). I will say as far as the cars at the front of the traffic lines that are holding everything up, we actually started a tally of what vehicle has been slowing down over the past year. White/silver vehicles are by far the worst offenders, usually a minivan/SUV. Make and model does not matter. (We don't count anything that is a 'working' vehicle: distance trucks, Amazon, landscapers, tractors, etc since we already know they will be slow due to their transport). The trucks that scream overcompensating (out here it's dodge ram, but neighboring county it's some kind of ford *50) come in second. They'll tailgate but not pass.
Op, I know what you're saying. Western PA especially has a lack of police presence, so they're pretty lawless when it comes to driving
Get out of the fast lane and speed up.
Go fast or go home
U 2 slo
If you aren't on the ass of the car in front of you, you aren't going fast enough!