An ode to the cage in the passing lane

[IronPawz]

Probably this is done to death and just let me know I will try delete it.

Every day between Kapiti and Wellington seemingly more and more everyone is driving in the passing lane. It is so bad at times I can just use the left hand lane for passing as literally and without exaggeration all cars are in the right lane. Most days for good sections of highway it is only most of them in the passing lane.

I can ride up from way back on a straight to the one car on the road in the passing lane and sit right up its azz and it will just stay there much of the time. At times the car at the back of a line of right handers will annoyingly pull to the left (to let me pass?) then block what is now by default the passing lane. So I find myself filtering highway traffic at high way speeds at times (bad bad man). I also compose and sing songs to myself involving the words passing lane and azzhole or similar.

Early on at times I would pull in front of a car and slow down till it pulled in but that did not last long (seems stupid of me now). Is this a country wide thing or a Wellington thing. Who taught these people to drive? Why do they do it? Can they not see I am trying to speed!!

[russd7]

Probably this is done to death and just let me know I will try delete it.

Every day between Kapiti and Wellington seemingly more and more everyone is driving in the passing lane. It is so bad at times I can just use the left hand lane for passing as literally and without exaggeration all cars are in the right lane. Most days for good sections of highway it is only most of them in the passing lane.

I can ride up from way back on a straight to the one car on the road in the passing lane and sit right up its azz and it will just stay there much of the time. At times the car at the back of a line of right handers will annoyingly pull to the left (to let me pass?) then block what is now by default the passing lane. So I find myself filtering highway traffic at high way speeds at times (bad bad man). I also compose and sing songs to myself involving the words passing lane and azzhole or similar.

Early on at times I would pull in front of a car and slow down till it pulled in but that did not last long (seems stupid of me now). Is this a country wide thing or a Wellington thing. Who taught these people to drive? Why do they do it? Can they not see I am trying to speed!!

they are saving you from yourself, they know that if they can slow you down then you will not die from that excessive speed because as everyone knows, speed kills.

[granstar]

Watch from ...27.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLRu0ORcVOY

[MrMarko]

Flash of the high beams in any vehicle does wonders.

I cruise a car at 120-130 on the open road and at passing lanes or on motorway just give a flash of the high beams when you are about 20 metres back and people move over 9/10... they wont if you're right up behind them...

Do it early enough and you can just maintain speed.

I love beltronics :2thumbsup

[Virago]

It's a very frustrating issue. The thing is, if you're in a long queue of vehicles in the right lane, the person in front of you is just as frustrated. Should he pull over to let you have his spot in the queue? Or should you pull over to let the person behind you have yours?

Meanwhile in Dunedin, the traffic is shocking...

https://breisebreiseleighgoleire1969.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/ducklings1.jpg

[Rhys]

If you flash your lights behind a car in Wellington they are more likely to slam on the brakes than move over.

[MrMarko]

If you flash your lights behind a car in Wellington they are more likely to slam on the brakes than move over.

Maybe they want to make art out of you?

Shrug... on a motorcycle i see no need to sit behind anybody just go up the middle. :mellow:

[Scuba_Steve]

Doesn't help much on the bike but I've found in the cage wearing a Shemagh seemed to have people move over pretty fast... even when it was single lane

Course that abilities probably wearing off a bit now, least until 'Merica increases their terrorist attack on the Middle East

[MrMarko]

Doesn't help much on the bike but I've found in the cage wearing a Shemagh seemed to have people move over pretty fast... even when it was single lane

Course that abilities probably wearing off a bit now, least until 'Merica increases their terrorist attack on the Middle East

I had a lexus LS400... big boxey face on that thing made people move bloodey quick...

i hate driving small cars, everybody pulls out infront of you, everybody cuts you off...

Nobody seems to mess with the 300zx...

[Oakie]

I had a lexus LS400... big boxey face on that thing made people move bloodey quick...

i hate driving small cars, everybody pulls out infront of you, everybody cuts you off...

Nobody seems to mess with the 300zx...

You should see what happens when you put a white fairing with windscreen on your bike a la motorbike cop. I did that in the early 80s and was surprised how much more respect I was given on the road.

[MrMarko]

You should see what happens when you put a white fairing with windscreen on your bike a la motorbike cop. I did that in the early 80s and was surprised how much more respect I was given on the road.

I just have a black bike black gear tint visor and sit in an agressive position... if you look threatening enough nobody tries it on.... unless they are just as dodgy. then you can really have some fun.

[mrchips]

This seems to be common these days especially the hutt motorway

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk

[granstar]

Carry a good pillion ... https://www.nzonscreen.com/content/images/0025/7191/3058.wide.01.KEY.jpg

[Banditbandit]

I just have a black bike black gear tint visor and sit in an agressive position... if you look threatening enough nobody tries it on.... unless they are just as dodgy. then you can really have some fun.

I'm with him ..

[F5 Dave]

Won't someone think of the children?


I mean, apart from the paedophiles.

[MrMarko]

Won't someone think of the children?


I mean, apart from the paedophiles.

:eek5: ............


:rofl:

[Swoop]

Won't someone think of the children?

I mean, apart from the paedophiles.
You are obviously referring to the catholic priests then...



It's a NZ thing. Fucking shit driving skills and attitudes.
After getting back from UK and using their roads, the driving skills are far superior to here. Overtake and then move back into the left hand lane.

Time NZ concentrated on driving skills and road craft. Speed means nothing.

[ellipsis]

...OP...where is the Ode...all I see is the same old dribble on a different day...

[granstar]

Scummy...pass on to your mates please :niceone:

Time NZ concentrated on driving skills and road craft. Speed means nothing.

[pritch]

Probably this is done to death and just let me know I will try delete it.

Every day between Kapiti and Wellington seemingly more and more everyone is driving in the passing lane. It is so bad at times I can just use the left hand lane for passing as literally and without exaggeration all cars are in the right lane. Most days for good sections of highway it is only most of them in the passing lane.

I can ride up from way back on a straight to the one car on the road in the passing lane and sit right up its azz and it will just stay there much of the time. At times the car at the back of a line of right handers will annoyingly pull to the left (to let me pass?) then block what is now by default the passing lane. So I find myself filtering highway traffic at high way speeds at times (bad bad man). I also compose and sing songs to myself involving the words passing lane and azzhole or similar.

Early on at times I would pull in front of a car and slow down till it pulled in but that did not last long (seems stupid of me now). Is this a country wide thing or a Wellington thing. Who taught these people to drive? Why do they do it? Can they not see I am trying to speed!!

Two words: Stebel Nautilus.

Won't improve the driving but at least you'll be able to get their attention.

[Ulsterkiwi]

Its hugely frustrating.
Almost as frustrating as the people who have no clue how to use a merge lane, which is about 90% of Wgtn regional drivers it seems. My personal "favourite" is the merge before Papakowhai heading North, where crossing over solid white lines about 100m before the actual merge and then moving over the two lanes of the highway in one movement without using indicators or looking in mirrors is de rigeur.
Motorcyclists who weave and do not indicate don't help a lot either mind you.
Nobody is perfect, as the ad says, we all do make mistakes, the maddening thing is these are not mistakes, they are deeply ingrained habits borne from the idea that being on the road is a right with no personal responsibility assumed.

Man, that feels better, good job these things don't REALLY piss me off!

[Moise]

SW motorway in Auckland is the worst. They will pull straight into the RH lane from an on ramp with NO traffic in front of them and stay there doing 90 km/h. I don't bother flashing my lights, just pass on the left. The bonus is you never have to worry about them pulling over unless it's just before an off ramp.

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[Moi]

It's a NZ thing. Fucking shit driving skills and attitudes.
After getting back from UK and using their roads, the driving skills are far superior to here. Overtake and then move back into the left hand lane.

Time NZ concentrated on driving skills and road craft. Speed means nothing.


Scummy...pass on to your mates please :niceone:

Time NZ concentrated on driving skills and road craft. Speed means nothing.

+1

and as Moise says

SW motorway in Auckland is the worst. They will pull straight into the RH lane from an on ramp with NO traffic in front of them and stay there doing 90 km/h. I don't bother flashing my lights, just pass on the left. The bonus is you never have to worry about them pulling over unless it's just before an off ramp.

... we need to teach people to drive rather than steer and brake...

[MD]

I hear ya. Bloody frustrating. When I moan people often tell me I should slow down and technically it's not really the 'fast lane'. To which I agree, it's the fucking fast lane so keep up or piss off to the left. Which should be renamed poofters lane.

Some days I'm pleasantly surprised how some right hand lane hogs do actually pull over to let you through. Other days it a line of pricks with no idea why someone attached a makeup mirror from the car interior roof.

[IronPawz]

Doesn't help much on the bike but I've found in the cage wearing a Shemagh seemed to have people move over pretty fast... even when it was single lane

Course that abilities probably wearing off a bit now, least until 'Merica increases their terrorist attack on the Middle East

Don't get me started I'd be here all night long talking spaghetti monster whereas I should stick to bikes. I want to learn Islamic for the spaghetti monster is great (may his noodley appendages bless you all)

[IronPawz]

Carry a good pillion ... https://www.nzonscreen.com/content/images/0025/7191/3058.wide.01.KEY.jpg

Billy T!! Lovin it. Where I get my bag? I pinched it! I'd have billy on the back it I had a time machine.

[IronPawz]

...OP...where is the Ode...all I see is the same old dribble on a different day...

I was hoping someone would get out the philosophical wax and bring some ode like skills to the task. Perhaps you could supply the ode? "I mean common!" (picture if you please Kevin Swazi and a mullet).

[IronPawz]

Today was average and not as bad as most but there was still lots of it. Flashing your lights etc. I've done it all before but when you commute two hours a day you just get over all that. Splitting the traffic up the middle at highway speeds, sure I do it at times, I jump the small gaps that open up but day in day out for 10 hours a week? Naa you are going to die and are not always in form its just not practical all the time (maybe when playing with other part timers or on a sharp day in the mood but not all the time that is madness).

I get into town and there are people going off in their 15 minute commute (as I would to) but I'm generally over it by then or at least not at my sharpest (I just split slower than the 'out of town' types or the 20 somethings).

I don't ever see the police doing anything about it. It is not the FAST lane it is the PASSING lane and that means (to me at least) if you are not passing then you should not be in it (regardless of speed if you are doing 110 in an empty road with me coming up behind you should already not be in that lane).

As for speeding I'd sooner clip along a bit wide awake than drift off stuck in the traffic (a real issue I face at times when locked into slow traffic but never when riding at my own speed). I don't advocate that at all but in about four years of solid long distance commuting I've some opinion of my own personal style. Always move up in the traffic (solid rule for staying alive for me) and that is not helped by people just driving in the right hand.

Someone mentioned do you move over and lose your spot. That is a real concept for certain in a car where lane switching is just not like it is on a bike. The answer? Get a bike! When I do drive (not often I ride) it feels like a bus and you can be sure if I am not passing I stay out of the passing lane.

And to underscore my point, I am going to bed.

[5ive]

I used to be annoyed by it, but now just treat the left lane as the fast/passing lane.

The left lane is usually empty anyway...

[Madness]

I used to be annoyed by it, but now just treat the left lane as the fast/passing lane.

The left lane is usually empty anyway...

^^^ This. And carrying a shotgun.

[IronPawz]

Yup I just pass wherever and it doesn't bother me much. If people are just holding both lanes then I either wait or split them after a while.
There is always the "drive ultra slow in the ultra fast lane" tune to keep myself amused. Today was actually not to bad as far as the go so something it seems there is hope and for all other times there is gratitude I'm not in a cage and therefore have options. Does not stop the odd rant.

[pzkpfw]

On an NZ motorway, you can pass on the left (unlike, say, the UK). So yeah, I treat passing lanes as little bits of motorway and will pass in the left lane if I need to.

But I don't find "slow" drivers often on passing lanes, the issue is more that the demonization of even slight speeding means so many people won't pass at more than 101 km/h - so on some passing lanes very few people get to pass the actual "slow" drivers.