From: myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui)
Subject: Re: 401 and Interstate contrasts
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada
Distribution: can
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 04:16:33 GMT

In article <1992Aug13.012024.16686@bmerh85.bnr.ca> jnetto@bnr.ca (John Netto) writes:
>Perhaps the MTO (Min. of Transport of Ont.) should change those "SLOWER TRAFFIC
>KEEP RIGHT" signs to "KEEP RIGHT except when passing" !! Some people never
>consider that they are SLOWER...

Take the detached unemotional psychologist's view of this, and you'll realize
that there are many more possible, even plausible explanations.

1. The driver is making an ideological statement, along the lines of
   "The speed I drive at is the speed you should drive at. So there."

2. The cars on the right lane (assuming a two lane highway) are too slow
   for the driver who's on the left lane now, but you come along and want
   to go even faster than this driver on the left lane. That driver has to
   make a clearly inconvenient maneuver of slowing down, changing lane, and
   then speeding up again after changing lane once more. On the Queensway
   in Ottawa, this often happens, and I understand, so I never force the
   issue by following too close when it's obvious to both parties that
   neither of us have any choice under the circumstances.

3. The attitude of the driver approaching from behind is so obnoxious
   that the slower driver in front can't resist turning it into an
   interesting case study of psychology and does all his maneuvers
   from that point on purposely to frustrate the driver in the back,
   and taking great delight in watching the driver's reaction in his/her
   rear view mirror. This happens more often than you'd think, by
   the way, judging from conversations with the opinionated (i.e. normal)
   women friends of my sister. (ohhhhhhhh boy, that was a sexist remark)

4. The driver in front does not want to yield to the driver in the back
   due to status, race, culture, design (i.e. flashing LEDs around license
   plates and brake light), and of course, also due to the malignant human
   nature in some of us: the driver in front is a sadist.

So, to all you hot heads out there, if you truly want to go fast in
heavy traffic, then practice, practice, practice; go to racing driver's
school; go buy a nice sports car; maintain it properly; put on
functional performance mods on the car; and JUST PASS THE CAR IN FRONT
WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISRUPTION TO OTHERS AND AVOID FALLING INTO
THE TRAPS OF SOME PEOPLE DESCRIBED ABOVE.

Just pass on the right. Quickly. Carefully.

Of course, if you're up against me, you should be forewarned that I
have even taken the above pass-on-the-right maneuver into account, and
happen to drive a car that's demonstratably the top 10 in lane change
ability at high speed without any loss of stability. In other words, if
you pull that on me, you may end up rear-ending me instead, if I happen
to be in such a foul mood that I won't let you pass, period.

> This topic has been chewed to death...
>
> John

Just swallow it then.
Ego too big to swallow? Ah. Go see a psychologist then.

Michael MY Hui          myhui@bnr.ca           Ottawa Canada
Newsgroups: ont.general