BMWs are pretty tame down here in Mexico City...have not had problems. However, did have a problem once with a Mercedes C230K. I go nearly got into a fistfight with the guy at the toll plaza, but luckily the police there separated him from me.

He claimed he had been flashing his lights and putting on his left turn signal as I was in the left lane (he wanted to go around me). I was passing someone at the time. When he explained this to police...they told him...do you want to change your story...otherwise we are going to arrest you. Turns out there are some regulations (rarely enforced) that prohibit use of the left turn signal to pass and flashing headlights in such a manner.

90% of the drivers I have encountered are not that aggressive...but they are quite ignorant and almost never look when switching lanes.

I have had American friends involved in accidents where the police got involved due to the amount of damage (usually just insurance company dudes). The Mexicans would actually admit what they did...and the Mexicans would claim but I do that all the time so it cannot be illegal.

 

Wow, popular thread!

I myself have bit of a heavy foot but at the same time drive in a save and controlled manner.

For those of you that aren't doing at least 80 mph, Pleeeeaaaaase get out of the left lane.
It drives me completely insane when I pull up to an idiot doing 65 mph in the left and stays there with the other lanes perfectly clear. If they don't move, then yes, I pull to the right and I'm at 90 in 2 seconds. It's not to prove my cars cababilities, it's to point out that they are driving way to slow in the PASSING lane and that I'm pissed. Then what bugs me further is when I then look back and see that they're still there with more people tailing them! Do they not get it!?!?

Most people I guess are not taught what each lane is for.

 

About the law:

I got pulled over a while back for speeding (in left lane).
But get this, the cop says he pulled me over for not only speeding but also because I was in the left lane too long (says he following me for like 3 miles). He procedes to tell me that I'm holding up others from passing (mind you there was no one behind me). Wait a second, I'm pulled over for doing 80+ but you want me to get out of the left lane so that others can do 90+? I was confused that day as I argued (calmly) with the officer. I was only in the left for about 3 miles and found out that that is ILLEGAL. It's there to PASS. Once you pass, your suppose to get over even if there's no one behind you.

Just thought I'd pass that along.

 

Yeah, you can get a ticket if you are driving in the left lane on an interstate, no matter how fast or how slow you are going. Left lane is for passing only, even if you are going above speed limit you cannot stay in the left lane because someone in front of you in the middle lane might want to use the left lane to make a pass and you will be in his way.

 

wow that's interesting, haven't seen that in cali and i hope that never happens... though personally i always cut back to the right lane after passing

 

Since when are Lincolns and Mercurys limited to 45 MPH? Last time I checked, they could go a lot faster then that.
Next time you get high-beams flashed behind you, take a look...it just might be a Town Car. Then you can prove you deserve your BMW by moving over.

 

i do find the idea of passing and going back in the right lane dangerous while speeding because ur speeding and ur constantly having to weave in between the lanes like ur a f1 driver. y not just let the fast ppl stay in the left lane for a long period of time... it will also be convenient for the cops to spot out the speeders just by crusing in the left lane.

 

Cops? THEY are some of the worst offenders....they know they will not be ticketed.

 

yup, they think they can stay in any lane they want, or in between two lanes for that matter, thinking they are the god and there are no rules to follow

 

Not related to highway driving, but another thing the cops always do here is, they'll just be driving along, get to a red light, then they put on their siren and lights, drive thru the intersection, and when they get to the other side, turn off the lights/siren. Come on, you weren't in a hurry to get anywhere! Wait for the light to turn like the rest of us. Man I hate that.

 

I've seen that many times.
What's funny is that there already on the job being paid and don't have to be anywhere.
The rest of us on the other hand DO have to get somewhere and are often in a hurry.

 

Very true.
My brother isn't even a regular cop (he's an MP for the Air Force) and he's gotten pulled over many times for speeding (even up to 90+ mph). He's never gotten ticketed. Just flashes the military I.D. and the cop always responds with "have a nice day (night)".

Must be nice.

 

Cops DO have to get places in a hurry sometimes.....and, of course, people's lives could be at stake. But in a case like that, on a real emergency call, that is obviously not just abusing their authority by turning on the lights and siren for a couple of seconds to clear out traffic just so they don't have to inconvienence themselves at a red light.
Most cops, though, don't do this at intersections.......they respect the law there, and they know it would be too blatent an abuse of their power....people would complain. More commonly I just see them barreling down the left lane of the interstate without any lights or sirens.

 

It isn't just the fact that he is a military policeman. Some civilian cops don't want to get involved with the military at all. However, in my area, civilian cops and security companies help out on military bases because so many of the MP's are overseas....there is a shortage of them. Your brother can certainly tell you that.

 

I don't know about other places but in CA, the thing that peeves me most about the slow pokes who park their cars in the left lane is when they move right when a cop comes up from behind. WTF they let no one else through. The very least they could do is stay there and hold up CHP while the rest of us make a run for it.