On Sun, Sep 21, 2008 at 9:42 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:

>  Or, you come up behind a row of vehicles, stuck behind a slower truck or
> car...chance after chance to pass is missed by the clueless car just behind
> the slow vehicle and nobody in the line has the speed or the safe distance
> to get round both the truck and the 'scaredy-cat' or the city fellow who
> doesn't know it is OK to go around slower vehicles....

On the other hand, Matilda and I have been "caught" behind a slow vehicle
and have happily plodded along, since we couldn't go any faster than the one
in front of us anyway.  If the folks behind me were annoyed at me for not
passing - well, too bad!  I didn't want to pass and probably couldn't have.

Driving yesterday on the TransCanada in central Newfoundland, I was going
slowly up all the hills - no choice in the matter - and of course cars would
pile up behind.  Except for the ones that passed in the oncoming lane when
there was a double line indicating that it was not permitted.  So ineptness
operates on all sides here.

>
>  In Baja, Mexico, it's the custom to indicate it's safe for passing by
> putting on your left blinker when someone is behind you and is itching to
> go
> round.  When you can see ahead that it's clear, you flip on the blinker and
> the fellow goes right round.

Yes, but in Africa you put on your left blinker to tell them it's not safe
to pass, and switch to your right blinker when it is safe.  So make sure you
know what the practices are before you follow those signals!

> If you are going to be turning left off a
> highway, it's customary there (Baja) to pull across the line and turn from
> the oncoming lane so that people headed in your direction don't have to
> slow
> up while you do your turn..

So if there's oncoming traffic the folks behind think you are being rude if
you slow down and wait before turning?   That practice doesn't seem too good
to me.

Joy