Discussions

Why do some drivers feel the need to pull directly in front of you after passing you on the Trans-Canada Highway when they are merely 10 to 20 feet in front of you?  
Especially when there is no traffic behind them.  
You are not in the city any longer and no longer need to squeeze in bumper to bumper!  
We are in the prairies, with miles of endless double lane in front of us.  
It is obviously much safer to pull back in your lane (in front of the person you just passed) when you are 25 to 50 feet, or 100 feet for that matter, ahead of the car you just overtook, as opposed to less distance.  
 
Because when you do this, you now make the person behind you follow too closely on the highway, which is obviously a safety issue. They now have to brake or shut off their cruise.  
I can see the rush to get back in front of me if someone else trying to get past you..but when there is nobody else in sight? Come on people!  
 
Same goes for the rear when you are passing. Give yourself more room. Signal earlier, don't almost clip my rear bumper while squeezing around me. Again, there is lots of room, we are in the prairies on a four lane highway.  
 
Teach your family how to be a safer driver, not a more efficient one.  
 
Edited by JLaudio82, 2019-10-17 09:15:15

The OTHER problem with passing & then cutting right in front is the possibility that a) if the roads have been "fixed" with that tar / stone topping you'll get dings on the windshield and b) if the road is sloppy you continually have to spray clean the windshield to see. Very annoying & possibly even dangerous. As you say, it's usually a wide-open highway with NO need to cut in sharply!

I agree with this. Are you not supposed to have them in view in your rear view mirror before you move back into the right lane? I was taught that many many years ago and it works very well. Sure there are circumstances that you may have to move back in quickly but people are doing it all the time!!

Do you know how far away 10' or 20' really is? I higly doubt that anyone is pulling in front of you 10' ahead at hiways speeds. you suggest at least 25' but what you are thinking would be a safe distance really isn't (its more then 25' lol)  
 
Anyway I get your point and the rock issue is a reason to delay pulling back into the right lane but also realize that if they passed you even when they pull back in front of you they are still widening the gap, presuming they are going faster then you, since they passed and all, so i wonder if its your perception and understanding that is making you nervous. My hint is that you should drive as predictable as you can and if you are in control and driving predictably people can choose to go around you or not and you will be as safe as possible while they drive  
 
Same with when people pull out to pass, while you dont want to be out in oncoming traffic or in the way on the #1 longer then you need to be there is a wide amount of comfort level with how close you should get before you do pass and while some do get too close or cut back in too close your idea of right may not be the same as others so just drive predictably.  
 
BTW when driving distances like this really should be measured in seconds, so how many seconds do you think ahead should a car be before they pass (or pull back in?) in your opinion?

TRAVELER: This is the problem. A lot of people are not "closing the gap after they get by you." Some of these people are unable to multi task, whereby they let off the gas as they get back in your lane. I'm not talking about the Sask drivers going by me at 130, I'm talking about the people creeping by me at 112, 115 kph that cut in front after they do so, while slowing down simultaneously.  
 
I would surmise that 2 to 3 seconds ahead of a car is a safe distance to pass.  
Also, I was referring to the 4 lane Trans Canada where it is not imperative to get back in your lane immediately after passing.

I don't see the need to get back into the right lane at all if your clipping a long at a good pace passing vehicles. I see vehicles weaving back and forth constantly , in my opinion this is dangerous , just stay in the fast lane , that way you won't be cutting people off.

Use your rear view mirror as a tool.  
As the driver of the passing vehicle in the left lane, check the rear view mirror after passing and when you see both headlights or daytime running lights in your rear view mirror you reached a safe distance to pull back into the right hand lane.

Its a passing lane! Not a driving lane!  
How many times have you been driving along in the right hand lane, only to come up on a vehicle putt'in along in the left hand lane?  
I've had it happen plenty! Makes you wonder if its safe to pass, are they even aware of the other vehicles around them? Its even worse when they box you in behind a vehicle thats in front of you!  
I can understand driving in the passing lane to pass a number of vehicles, but dont just hang out there!

And remember to turn your lights on to a position that will i:nclude your tail lights. Tail lights should be used all the time especially at night.

ya if they are barely going faster then you they should wait a bit more before they pull back in front of you but the recommended following distance at hi-ways speeds is now 6-8 seconds or more dependent on circumstances (double the 3 seconds i was taught) so i would think about 5-6 seconds ahead if continuing to be faster then the driver you passed would be a sufficient to pull back in the traveling lane

Agree! I’m on the highway daily and it drives me nuts! The other part that goes with this sometimes is when passing a vehicle and( lord forbid not speeding to do it) the arseholes that come flying up in the passing lane literally trying to push you out of the way. Um if I’m doing the speed limit and you’re trying to push me out of the way you are speeding.. so chill out and drive like an adult! All you’re doing is attempting to cause an accident having the person you’re trying to run over rush to cut into the right lane or tick them off so they slow down some and hold you there. Wait your turn it’s much easier and less aggressive

Or you could speed up a little and show some courtesy. Taking 5 minutes to pass a car is not cool. Get out get in, not cutting in unreasonably of course. It is called a passing lane for a reason. I cruise above the limit. If I am passing and see someone approaching fast I speed up and get out of their way. Childish to hold someone up just they are going faster.

You guys do not seem to know how far 1 sec on highway speed is. I agree 3 seconds would give you plenty of room. that vehicle would be pretty far ahead before pulling in.

So it’s courteous to ride the bumper of the car passing another at the posted speed limit? And it’s childish to drive said speed limit? Lol ok then .. I’ll stick with driving the legal speed and if you’re speeding self happens to climb up my bumper I will continue to drive at the posted legal limit while you courteously wait your turn

Well, if you pass someone and immediately after a bunch of cars blow by you, you are part of the problem. Imagine it’s a sidewalk and you are walking. Do you stroll in people’s way? Or move over. No different. But carry on. Always wonder what the hell people are thinking. Now I know.

ATTA-GIRL says don't drive slow in the left lane which I agree , however I said if you are clipping along at a good pace stay in the fast lane rather than cutting in and out which is dangerous. Most jurisdictions in Canada state that the left lane is the fast lane and slower traffic keep right. If someone is coming up on you pull into the right lane when safe to do so.

Im well aware of how far 1 sec on the hiways is (usually because speed changes that calculation) MPI still recommends 8 seconds at hiways speeds, because at hiways speeds things change quicker.  
 
I have been driving a long time now so I am comfortable at 3 seconds and it doesn't bother me if people tailgate a bit or cut in early, unless they throw stones, but what we should be doing for all sorts of safety reasons is usually what mpi recommends, i hate the insurance guys as much as the next person but they do analyze the data to get these recommendations (and thus save their pocket book) so data must show that is safer, right?

Good to see that this thread initiated conversation about highway safety.  
An earlier "pet peeve" that someone posted, made me realize that there are much more important issues that need to be debated on this forum than (then? haha) grammar.  
When we moved here from out of province, my family stated that in Manitoba, it seems that "people are literally dying to get to work." It bothers me to know that this is indeed the truth about our large province.  
 
What also bothers me and prompted me to post this:  
is the accident at Griswold recently that left a vibrant young man paralyzed during an overtaking "accident."  
 
Again, teach your family and kids to drive with patience and defensiveness. Being an efficient traveler will get you killed.  
 
Edited by JLaudio82, 2019-10-19 11:25:19

MPI stating that there should be 8 seconds between vehicles is just plain stooooopid! That is less than 8 vehicles per mile, or about 2 tenths of a km between vehicles at 97 km/h (60 mph). At 110 km/h, that is less than 7 vehicles per mile. Is MPI planning on making the highways many lanes to accommodate the traffic for 8 seconds of following distance?  
 
It has always amazed me how the passing lane can be completely empty, yet some people will pull up behind me and ride my bumper, even slowing down to follow me for a bit, then deciding to pass and pull in as soon as they can. What happened to the safe following distance?  
 
I've been driving in some locations where there are at least 3 lanes, and I'm in a centre lane with no one on either side of me, yet people will ride my bumper. I guess it is because I'm in THEIR lane? I've also seen many multi lane roads with heavy traffic where you are lucky to get 2 seconds between vehicles. Even if you do manage to get the 2 seconds, someone takes that spot.  
 
The wife got passed in a passing lane the other day. The other driver pulled in too soon even for city driving, and there was no one else behind them waiting to pass.  
 
People, try to keep at LEAST 2 seconds between vehicles. Manitoba traffic usually isn't that busy, even close to Winnipeg.  
 
Edited by ZachT, 2019-10-19 12:49:26

My comment was NOT in regards to what you think is a good following distance. My comment was in regards to what you said was a good merging distance (3 seconds).  
Three seconds at highway speed is over 80m. I feel comfortable merging a lot quicker than that. Very unreasonable on a two-way highway, but may work well on a one-way highway.