Stogey, I need your expertise

[MWC]

Nothing inflammatory! Just a driving question.

I had grown up being taught that if I am allowing someone to enter my lane ahead of me, I should flash my brights twice at them. The last few times I have done this, the driver (trucks both times) has not entered the lane -- and has waited until I give up and pass him to enter behind me.

Since then, someone has told me that the proper signal would have been to turn my headlights on and off twice.

What sez you? Any other tips before our family road trip from CT to FLA? (We're cutting over to I-81 and taking that down to I-77, then picking up I-95.)

Thanks!

[denisea]

Originally Posted by MWC

What sez you? Any other tips before our family road trip from CT to FLA? (We're cutting over to I-81 and taking that down to I-77, then picking up I-95.)

I sez you guys will be within 30 minutes of our house if you take this route. I-81 is the way to go... much nicer drive than doing I-95 the entire way. Try to avoid hitting Charlotte, NC during morning or evening rush hours... otherwise it should be clear sailing all the way to FL. You'll likely hit traffic due to construction in and around Jacksonville. When we made the drive to West Palm Beach earlier last month, the slowest and most frustrating part of our trip was along I-95 in FL. Though we're spoiled living where we do in NC and admittedly are not used to the congestion on the highways that is more prevalent in more populated areas such as where we grew up in CT... so you might not think it's bad at all.

[fireinmn]

Originally Posted by MWC

Nothing inflammatory! Just a driving question.

I had grown up being taught that if I am allowing someone to enter my lane ahead of me, I should flash my brights twice at them. The last few times I have done this, the driver (trucks both times) has not entered the lane -- and has waited until I give up and pass him to enter behind me.

Since then, someone has told me that the proper signal would have been to turn my headlights on and off twice.
What sez you? Any other tips before our family road trip from CT to FLA? (We're cutting over to I-81 and taking that down to I-77, then picking up I-95.)

Thanks!

This is what I'm familiar with...and of course they will/should thank you by turning their lights off and on as well.

[TAPPY]

Originally Posted by fireinmn

This is what I'm familiar with...and of course they will/should thank you by turning their lights off and on as well.

Same here fire....

[Daddy B]

Also, what's the etiquette for flipping the bird, please (Ooops, I may have set myself a trap, here...)?

[fireinmn]

Originally Posted by Daddy B

Also, what's the etiquette for flipping the bird, please?

At your own risk I do believe

[Daddy B]

Originally Posted by fireinmn

At your own risk I do believe

Driving in Playa I'd need to have as many arms as Shiva!

[MWC]

No birds here, I have never found that to be a smart way to go.

I have found it really pays off to be courteous with the semi drivers. They truly remember the smallest driving courtesy, especially from car drivers, from whom I think they normally expect the worse.

Once on I-95, in North Carolina, a semi had moved into the left lane (right in front of me) to pass someone. Some idiot cut right into the left lane in front of the semi, then slowed down. The semi was either going to rear end that car, or move back into the right lane. Except the traffic was heavy enough, so the semi didn't have a natural space to move back to. I had seen the whole thing, so I moved to the right lane, and slowed down to give him that space, and flashed him in. Understand, this was all in a matter of seconds.

Later on, an accident caused a huge backup on 95, and one of the kids suddenly decided she desperately had to pee about 25 yds from a rest stop ramp, with me in the left lane; no way crabby drivers were going to let me in. Still, I signaled -- and low and behold, the same semi driver in the right lane, back a few cars. He saw me and let me in. He also pulled off at that stop,
and he walked over and thanked me for "saving his skin," as he put it. I took that as a real compliment!

One of them warm fuzzies. He was driving for Smithfield Pork Products, and I always buy their bacon up here when it's available.

[MWC]

Originally Posted by denisea

I sez you guys will be within 30 minutes of our house if you take this route.

I noticed that, too! But I hesitate to commit to any kind of meet because Lord knows when we'll roll into our stop for the night. We're aiming for Microtel in Rock Hill, SC, traffic gods willing. I doubt we'd be very fun company, anyway, as our typical MO is to wake up at like 2 am and get an early start through NYC and NJ/PA metro areas. Still, I would be cheap company, as one drink and I would fall right to the floor!

[denisea]

Originally Posted by MWC

I noticed that, too! But I hesitate to commit to any kind of meet because Lord knows when we'll roll into our stop for the night. We're aiming for Microtel in Rock Hill, SC, traffic gods willing. I doubt we'd be very fun company, anyway, as our typical MO is to wake up at like 2 am and get an early start through NYC and NJ/PA metro areas. Still, I would be cheap company, as one drink and I would fall right to the floor!

If you guys change your mind and/or are in the neighborhood at a reasonable hour and want to meet up just give me a buzz... my cell phone number is still the same. When's the road trip begin?

[james]

Originally Posted by MWC

Since then, someone has told me that the proper signal would have been to turn my headlights on and off twice.

I don't think you can turn your lights off on modern cars, and turning your lights off (at least at night, if you could) should not be considered safe signaling.

[roni]

I just flash the brights once when they get clear.

I know a woman who flashes them before they get clear.
Mebbe Stogey can tell us more about that

Well I pulled my Diamond REO
into a truck stop down the road
I told the waitress coffee
but she just told me know
she said I heard about you
how you left your home and wife
and set out on the road
for the truck driving life

or something like that.

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Daddy B

Also, what's the etiquette for flipping the bird, please (Ooops, I may have set myself a trap, here...)?

I just open the sunroof and yell expetives, along with the bird-flip out the sunroof. Quite effective.

[denisea]

Originally Posted by james

I don't think you can turn your lights off on modern cars, and turning your lights off (at least at night, if you could) should not be considered safe signaling.

Only some, but not all, modern car models have automatic daytime running lights. At least my 2 year old Mini (if you still consider that modern in today's fast paced world) doesn't have them... still got to turn them on and off the ol' fashioned way. Though I agree that turning them on and off while driving (at least at night} would likely be unsafe.

[james]

glad for that post, Denise. I just googled it and found out alot on that topic. I really thought they had legislated them in (I never thought it should be an automatic thing, glad to see it isn't). My use of "modern vehicles" is limited to what my folks lend me a couple weeks a year, always GM products (Dad is ex-GM exec), and they are big proponents of DRL. I see they are mandated in Canada (Sweden has had them for a long time)