Just Pass Me

When I'm passing someone on the interstate who is going just a little bit slower than I, I speed up a bit to get around them. I don't like tying up a lane and being beside someone for a long time. The speed limit in most of Washington on interstates is 70 mph. I'll speed up to around 80 to get past someone quickly. I know I'm risking a ticket, but I believe this is safer than creeping by someone. If they make a mistake while I'm passing them, we're both going to be in trouble.

However, some folks don't feel that way apparently. For some reason, people will pull up on me when I'm in the right lane, and sit there off my rear left fender. I don't understand why and it's particularly annoying at night with their headlights reflecting in my outside mirror. I've been known to slow down in the hopes they'll go around me. But sometimes they just slowly pass me. It makes me nervous because if they make a mistake, we're both going to be in trouble.

Sometimes I wonder if I unknowingly wander in my lane (I've seen people do this) making drivers nervous to pass me. But not everyone hovers behind me. So I think it's the individual drivers, not me.

The lesson here is, if you're passing someone on the interstate, get off the cruise control and pass the person, don't creep around them. Same for big trucks. But that could be a whole 'nother blog entry.