Unwritten rules of the road.

There are a number of unwritten but very real rules of the road. Etiquette, safety or just plain common sense.

On my drive home tonight I was thinking of some of the ones I was taught as a kid and then there arose an opportunity to put one into action. A car had what I thought were their high beams on. I pulled a quick flash of my high beams and then they did a quick, polite flash back to inform me that they only had their lows on. It was a simple exchange but it is one that people often get wrong or get upset about. I have had people turn on their brights and leave them on as well as honking at me or giving me the bird.

I know what things my father taught me about courtesy on the roads but what kinds things have all of you been taught or learned?

In reply to Daeldalus :

Keep right except to pass.  This means stay out of the middle lane unless you are actually passing people in the right lane.

In traffic, look through the next four or five vehicles.  (Not an option anymore now that everyone is driving a truck with molester tint)

When someone is signaling for a driveway in city traffic, back off early, don't crowd them.

Generally, i was taught "dont be a dick" as the biggest unwritten rule of driving. 

Dusterbd13-michael said:

Generally, i was taught "dont be a dick" as the biggest unwritten rule of driving. 

Apparently 9 out of every 10 people in Charleston have never been taught that one.

Daeldalus said:

There are a number of unwritten but very real rules of the road. Etiquette, safety or just plain common sense.

 

On my drive home tonight I was thinking of some of the ones I was taught as a kid and then there arose an opportunity to put one into action. A car had what I thought were their high beams on. I pulled a quick flash of my high beams and then they did a quick, polite flash back to inform me that they only had their lows on. It was a simple exchange but it is one that people often get wrong or get upset about. I have had people turn on their brights and leave them on as well as honking at me or giving me the bird.

 

I know what things my father taught me about courtesy on the roads but what kinds things have all of you been taught or learned?

This happens to me all the time since my daily is a 1st Gen Colorado with the upside-down headlights. People think I only have my fogs on.

If folks are waiting at a green light so they don’t block an intersection, don’t make a right on red and jump into the gap they left. It wasn’t being left for your selfish ass.   

Don’t wave one car to turn in front of you if there are twenty cars stacked up behind you. 

Don’t pull out out in front of a car if there is a huge gap just behind them. Wait two more seconds. 

It's perfectly ok to slow down 3 mph to make room for another driver.  You're still doing 75 and will be back to 78.3 before you know it.

That being said, the driver already on the highway has right of way.  He's dealing with traffic all around him while a merging driver just has to deal with cars to the left.

Be cautious but decisive.  

Once you leave your driveway it's not about just you any more.  

Crxpilot said:

It's perfectly ok to slow down 3 mph to make room for another driver.  You're still doing 75 and will be back to 78.3 before you know it.

That being said, the driver already on the highway has right of way.  He's dealing with traffic all around him while a merging driver just has to deal with cars to the left.

Be cautious but decisive.  

Once you leave your driveway it's not about just you any more.  

QFT. How many cases of road rage began when somebody thought somebody else made an aggressive maneuver?

Daeldalus said:

Dusterbd13-michael said:

Generally, i was taught "dont be a dick" as the biggest unwritten rule of driving. 

Apparently 9 out of every 10 people in Charleston have never been taught that one.

You are being generous. 9.9 out of 10 is much closer to reality around here. 

In reply to Toyman01 :

I was thinking 11 out of 10.

crack a window before you expel gas? not after.  

Don’t ride on the center line is a big one.

But my overarching commandment is NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE!!!!

The above to me means for instance, take the damn turn, don’t almost come to a stop just to pull into your driveway or parking lot making me and everyone behind me slow almost to a stop. If you’re pulling out of the flow of traffic, GET THE HELL OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC!

And alternatively, when you’re pulling into the flow of traffic, accelerate to the speed of the surrounding traffic as quickly as is safe, don’t be a cork.

If you've got the right of way, and I don't, how about you​​​​ don't stop and wave at me to go!

Just get out of the way so I can make my move legally!

L-R-L

When turning left on a main road always look left, right, then left again to double check the traffic.  

Left, Right, Left.  

When backing - a swivel head is best.  

In reply to Daeldalus :

So Charleston has improved since my Navy days!

When making a right turn try to get up next to the curb before slowing down. I can’t stand when people slow down to 10 and make everyone behind them do the same so they can make a wide right turn. Nope. Don’t do that. 

The first rule in the book...

Dusterbd13-michael said:

Generally, i was taught "dont be a dick" as the biggest unwritten rule of driving. 

Really that can be a mantra for all of life rather than just for driving

Don't enter the berkeleying intersection if you can't clear it. People seem to have a real hard time with that one.

In reply to Hungary Bill :

Yes!!

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Covers most of life in general.

My version..."Try not to be the Speed Limit"

Pete

Headed south and a cop is shooting radar at the north bounders, flash your lights.

(courts deemed it not illegal in Florida)

use the on-ramp to actually get up to the speed of the highway and not cruise down it at 45 mph then try to merge.

I've also seen a problem in my (smaller) town with 4 way stops. You will get there a very clear 2-3 seconds after someone else who has come to a complete stop but they will then wave you on, which kills the flow of the 4 way stop. Over politeness, in this case, makes things worse.

Knurled. said: Keep right except to pass.  This means stay out of the middle lane unless you are actually passing people in the right lane.

With one exception: On a very empty highway late at night where there are pretty much no cars but potential deer and other wild life, the middle lane can be the safest place to be (as you have a larger buffer of road on all sides so more chance to see that wildlife and avoid it).  

A corollary to "Slower traffic keep right" When you do pass, take your mother berkeling cruise off and PASS. Then keep right.