  Ventura67 Member Username: Ventura67 Post Number: 58 Registered: 12-2003 |
I drive artery streets through Detroit's neighborhoods at least a few times a month for work and am thoroughly amused by the use of the pavement between the right lane and the curb (the area where parking usually is) as a passing lane. (Plymouth, Grand River, Greenfield to name a few.) This seems to happen whether there are two lanes or multiple lanes and seems especially heavy at traffic lights. Sometimes there are even parked cars or pedestrians these guys have to speed up (never slow down) to avoid! It's not like there's so much traffic that these people are getting through town any faster doing it, but it does seem slightly dangerous and unlawful. It is amusing to watch though, as I never see it in the suburbs or other citys in the area. Can anyone explain why these guys do this? | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6796 Registered: 12-2003 |
Outer Drive...the Boulevard...they play these games everywhere. But we're just amateurs at it, the real pros drive Chicago...doin' it at seventy with their hands plastered on the horn button. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 794 Registered: 11-2003 |
same thing in DC... 1/100th of a second after the light turns green the horn is blowing. | ||
Mtm Member Username: Mtm Post Number: 100 Registered: 06-2006 |
I only did that once when rushing from work dowtown to class at Wayne State. I was on Cass, stuck behind a a very pokey D-DOT bus, and was almost late for class. Unfortunately it was slushy out and as I passed the bus, I realized that it was stopping for a yellow light. Didn't hit anythng but managed to spin sideways, perpendicular to the bus, and was VERY embarassed at having to sit through the light that way, with all the people on the bus watching me. (Message edited by mtm on September 18, 2006) | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1156 Registered: 11-2003 |
They do it all the time on Lincoln in Birmingham. It's not just a Detroit thing. It's an impatience thing. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6798 Registered: 12-2003 |
I always thought the sorry sucker that got transferred from Chitown to Dtown might last a day before getting shot in the head honking at the wrong big fella. We design the cars, install the horns, but somehow almost NEVER us 'em in Detroit. I guess I was talking about the right-turn-lane jumpers who try to get in front of you when the light turns green. THAT is epidemic there, especially with taxi drivers. I have never lost a race with a one of 'em yet...even with my old Windstar...over fifteen years. Brake-torquing is not common knowledge there... The race is always won with reaction time to the green...as long as your machinery doesn't fail ya. When I drive to my father's house, I'm on Outer Drive for a few blocks...and keep an eye out for these right-lane bozos. Always pure joy to trap 'em behind a parked car, double bonus if you can get them behind a bus that stops. | ||
Stecks77 Member Username: Stecks77 Post Number: 84 Registered: 08-2006 |
Just straddle the space between your lane and the shoulder and see how angry people get when they can't pass on the right. Its amusing. Someone pulled the pass on me recently with cop heading in the other direction at a light and he didn't do a damn thing about it. I know he saw it happen to. It might as well be legal since there is no enforcement. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6799 Registered: 12-2003 |
Whoa. Does that apply to EVERYTHING? | ||
Stecks77 Member Username: Stecks77 Post Number: 85 Registered: 08-2006 |
No not EVERYTHING | ||
Wash_man Member Username: Wash_man Post Number: 118 Registered: 05-2006 |
When the light turns green the people in these "lanes" jack rabbit start to pass everyone even if there are parked cars on the other side of the intersection. They expect you to slow down and let them over. I don't. I usually speed up so they have to stop to avoid hitting a parked car. This usually happens on the Davison. One girl went crazy on me, flipping me off, etc. I guess she thought it was her right to pass everyone on the curb lane. | ||
K_solomon Member Username: K_solomon Post Number: 40 Registered: 07-2006 |
Standard practice on 6 and 7 mile. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1994 Registered: 10-2003 |
The lane is classified as a travel/parking lane by MDOT and local municipalities. When cars aren't parked there it's a legal travel lane. When cars are parked there it's technically off limits to moving cars. As far as passing on the right in these lanes, it's illegal to pass any car from the right lane. But as we know the cops in Detroit have "better" things to do than ticket folks (or cops in patrol cars) passing in these lanes. | ||
Susanarosa Member Username: Susanarosa Post Number: 1157 Registered: 11-2003 |
Whoops, sorry 'bout that. | ||
The_nerd Member Username: The_nerd Post Number: 315 Registered: 12-2003 |
Sometimeswe right-lane jack-rabbits are justified by the near certainty that at certain intersections (Outer Drive and Ryan for one) someone will wait until AFTER the light turns green to put on their left turn signal. Personally, I feel that passing on the right helps ease Detroit congestion, compared with other cities. where I live now, people will wait behind you, when they're going straight, even if you've indicated a left turn two blocks before. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 598 Registered: 12-2005 |
This was I believe rule #1 on my "rules for driving in the D" posted on a thread we had going about drivers and their weird habits in and around Detroit, The thread was around last spring, I tried to search for it, but couldn't find it. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 10620 Registered: 10-2003 |
First off, who's to say that it isn't a lane? I don't believe it's posted that you can not drive in the far right lane. It is not cleary marked where you can and can't park except for signage. Hell, I say if the side walk is wide enough and clear from pedestrians and bikes, use it as a lane. As for using your horn, if somebody pisses me off, I use the horn, fuck'em. Let'em shoot. | ||
Wolverine Member Username: Wolverine Post Number: 211 Registered: 04-2004 |
^ "Hell, I say if the side walk is wide enough and clear from pedestrians and bikes, use it as a lane." Idiot. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4350 Registered: 11-2003 |
Supersport knows no limits. He's outta control and that's why we love him. Mtm, your post #100 in slush is priceless. It deserves highlighting on the Best Posts of 2006. Don't fucking come late to jjaba's classes. He locks the door when the bell rings. How many of you use the "Chicago" left turn, turning in front of oncoming traffic when the green light turns? That would solve Detroit's congestion problems. Just hold 2 seconds until the left turns are made. Then you got a clear shot to go. jjaba. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6812 Registered: 12-2003 |
I thought that was a Boston thing first. Everybody always says that if such and such a town is considered crazy, they should see Boston. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 470 Registered: 02-2006 |
Jjaba, that method works perfectly in Chicago due to the diagonal streets and 6-way intersections. It works to a much lesser degree on Detroit's arterials because the roads are so wide it's nearly impossible to clear the right lane before it's traffic moves (on those roads that even have left turns, Grand River comes to mind). | ||
Hysteria Member Username: Hysteria Post Number: 1365 Registered: 02-2006 |
Oh ... Are you not supposed to do that? | ||
Scs_scooter Member Username: Scs_scooter Post Number: 6 Registered: 07-2006 |
My dad taught me some great driving skills. Flying downtown in the parking lane of Gratiot from the eastside to work everyday was an experience all in itself! Isn't that the way it is supposed to be done? Parking lane at 45-50 mph all the way and then a quick right turn in to the Stroh's entrance. Just remember to not let your arm hang out too far of the window as you might get it taken off by a parking meter. Those were the good old days!! | ||
Citylover Member Username: Citylover Post Number: 1790 Registered: 07-2004 |
Whats the damn hurry? I am dissapointed in you Gannon and the rest of you as well and..........myself for getting sucked into this shit more than I should. Let the Motherfuckers pass and get as far away from you as you can.I constantly have to remind myself of that. I have a car that is fairly quick and once it gets to cruising speed there is very little that can overtake me.However I have gotten better at just letting them get by me.Nothing good can come from silly macho posturing. | ||
Tayshaun22 Member Username: Tayshaun22 Post Number: 309 Registered: 02-2005 |
Bvos, it's illegal to pass any car from the right lane? Are you sure about that? I know it's frowned upon, but what if someone is clogging up the fast lane on the expressway. Am I forbidden from passing them? | ||
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1 Post Number: 164 Registered: 08-2006 |
Well Tayshaun I agree with you. Truly, like a street such as Seven Mile, is intended to have two lanes (on eastside)and people can drive the two lanes. The people that park on the street aren't truly suppose to park on the street. Thats why the businesses along Seven Mile have parking lots or you can park on the side street. It won't hurt to walk a little. It would decrease the amount of fender benders if poeple were forced to park in parking lots. It would alos save on money also. Half of the parking meters in the city dont even work. (Message edited by Dtown1 on September 18, 2006) | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 6813 Registered: 12-2003 |
Tayshaun, Divided highways more than two lanes each way and Interstates are another story, although it is always best to pass on the left if you can. People expect to be overtaken from that side. Scs, Those spoke streets may indeed allow it during rush hours for increased traffic flow. CL, Yeah, I know. Damn hard, though. It's funny when they realize that got beat by a 4-cylinder turbo. People wondered why I put a really lightweight flywheel on it. Chicago Taxicabs are fair game. Cheers! |
