Driving on the shoulder

[SamSpade]

Yesterday heading north on 235, this guy in front of me pulls to the shoulder just after the first light coming up to Wildewood. I thought, wow, jerk is pulling in to Lenny's. Nope. Oh, he's turning on the Mervell Dean at the light. Nope.

Guy CONTINUES to drive on the shoulder all the way to Clarke's Landing, on the shoulder all the way, across intersections etc. He wasn't even going very fast - most people were overtaking him, but he wasn't slow, either. He was just driving as though he thought the shoulder was an extra lane. When we came across a car in the lane before the Early Bird, he went around and re-entered the shoulder.

When he turned at Clarke's Landing - on the shoulder - he breezed right through the stop sign, turning north and again entered the shoulder until I passed him somewhere near the Greenery.

Is there somewhere out there someone who has less than a child's understanding of traffic rules? I mean, he was driving as though there weren't any laws, as though signs were meaningless and as though the shoulder was a third lane.

 

[desertrat]

Yesterday heading north on 235, this guy in front of me pulls to the shoulder just after the first light coming up to Wildewood. I thought, wow, jerk is pulling in to Lenny's. Nope. Oh, he's turning on the Mervell Dean at the light. Nope.

Guy CONTINUES to drive on the shoulder all the way to Clarke's Landing, on the shoulder all the way, across intersections etc. He wasn't even going very fast - most people were overtaking him, but he wasn't slow, either. He was just driving as though he thought the shoulder was an extra lane. When we came across a car in the lane before the Early Bird, he went around and re-entered the shoulder.

When he turned at Clarke's Landing - on the shoulder - he breezed right through the stop sign, turning north and again entered the shoulder until I passed him somewhere near the Greenery.

Is there somewhere out there someone who has less than a child's understanding of traffic rules? I mean, he was driving as though there weren't any laws, as though signs were meaningless and as though the shoulder was a third lane.

Yeah, I think I might have called that one in.

 

[SamSpade]

Yeah, I think I might have called that one in.

What occurred to me is that he MIGHT have been doing that all the way up to Wildewood. That's just where I first saw him.

 

[aps45819]

Idiot drivers are sometimes drunken idiot drivers. Call 911 and report them

 

[CRHS89]

My grandfather, who often drove slower than the speed limit, would drive on the shoulder so as not to be in the way of the faster drivers. I never thought it was a good idea, but he was just trying to be courteous.

 

[MMDad]

My grandfather, who often drove slower than the speed limit, would drive on the shoulder so as not to be in the way of the faster drivers. I never thought it was a good idea, but he was just trying to be courteous.

That was my first impression - senility. But APS could be right and it be a drunk. Either way, it should be called in before someone dies.

 

[G1G4]

What kind of vehicle was he driving? He may have been experiencing problems with it, and rather than hold up traffic or try to kill whatever was left of it, he pulled off and let people dictate their own pace.

 

[MMDad]

What kind of vehicle was he driving? He may have been experiencing problems with it, and rather than hold up traffic or try to kill whatever was left of it, he pulled off and let people dictate their own pace.

Still a stupid thing to do. If a car can't be driven safely in the legal part of the road and cannot stop for a stop sign, they should get off the road and stop. It might seem cheaper than getting it towed, but it will cost a lot more if they cause an accident.

 

[desertrat]

Still a stupid thing to do. If a car can't be driven safely in the legal part of the road and cannot stop for a stop sign, they should get off the road and stop. It might seem cheaper than getting it towed, but it will cost a lot more if they cause an accident.

Except for the not stopping thing it doesn't seem that bad. I drove from Mission Bay in San Diego home on the shoulder, sbout 12 miles because I had my rear axle bent in an accident. The tire was doing nice wobbles. I was doing about 10 on the side of the road and some guy felt it necessary to point to my tire as if I had no idea something was wrong.

 

[MMDad]

Except for the not stopping thing it doesn't seem that bad. I drove from Mission Bay in San Diego home on the shoulder, sbout 12 miles because I had my rear axle bent in an accident. The tire was doing nice wobbles. I was doing about 10 on the side of the road and some guy felt it necessary to point to my tire as if I had no idea something was wrong.

On the freeway? Or a road like 235 with bicycles and pedestrians? 55 MPH road?

Either way, it is unsafe to drive like that. I understand not wanting to pay for a tow (been there) but that doesn't make it a smart thing to do.

 

[hvp05]

He may learn real fast if he hits a chunk of a bottle, metal or other debris. Almost want there to have been something wrong to explain such odd behavior, but knowing that he was out there at all, regardless the explanation, is disconcerting.

 

[desertrat]

On the freeway? Or a road like 235 with bicycles and pedestrians? 55 MPH road?

Either way, it is unsafe to drive like that. I understand not wanting to pay for a tow (been there) but that doesn't make it a smart thing to do.

Calculated risk. Young and foolish and poor. Partly Interestate 5 by the way. lol

 

[SamSpade]

He was driving about the normal speed of traffic. Truck seemed normal. The way he was driving, I honestly thought he was just too dumb to know that the shoulder wasn't a third option.

 

[hvp05]

I honestly thought he was just too dumb to know that the shoulder wasn't a third option.

I have to be a bit curious... did there happen to be any political stickers on this person's vehicle?

 

[aps45819]

I have to be a bit curious... did there happen to be any political stickers on this person's vehicle?

Obama '08

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Yesterday heading north on 235, this guy in front of me pulls to the shoulder just after the first light coming up to Wildewood. I thought, wow, jerk is pulling in to Lenny's. Nope. Oh, he's turning on the Mervell Dean at the light. Nope.

Guy CONTINUES to drive on the shoulder all the way to Clarke's Landing, on the shoulder all the way, across intersections etc. He wasn't even going very fast - most people were overtaking him, but he wasn't slow, either. He was just driving as though he thought the shoulder was an extra lane. When we came across a car in the lane before the Early Bird, he went around and re-entered the shoulder.

When he turned at Clarke's Landing - on the shoulder - he breezed right through the stop sign, turning north and again entered the shoulder until I passed him somewhere near the Greenery.

Is there somewhere out there someone who has less than a child's understanding of traffic rules? I mean, he was driving as though there weren't any laws, as though signs were meaningless and as though the shoulder was a third lane.

When I am behind someone; turning left on St. Andrew's Church Road; for example; and they have to stop for oncoming traffic, I drift right onto the shoulder; because I know some tool behind me is gonna zip by; and when I hear the horn, I just laugh my a** off.

"But what if it's an ambulance or a police unit?" Right? Well, that never happens. It's always somebody who doesn't have the patience to wait.

 

[aps45819]

When I am behind someone; turning left on St. Andrew's Church Road; for example; and they have to stop for oncoming traffic, I drift right onto the shoulder; because I know some tool behind me is gonna zip by; and when I hear the horn, I just laugh my a** off.

"But what if it's an ambulance or a police unit?" Right? Well, that never happens. It's always somebody who doesn't have the patience to wait.

Turns out that it's legal to pass a stopped car on the shoulder, but not block traffic

 

[PsyOps]

Is there somewhere out there someone who has less than a child's understanding of traffic rules?

The simple answer is "no".

 

[LadyCoyote]

could you have gotten the tag/plate # in the process of watching this guy drive on the shoulder for so far?

 

[John Z]

I get the feeling that there are some people, mostly older, that remember when SoMD was very rural and "local", and they could drive unregistered cars, or drive when they were 12 years old (daddy knows the sherrif), or just drive on the shoulder 'cause they're afraid of traffic. The person you saw doesn't sound like that, but I'll see the occasional 80 year old driving 10 under the speed limit when I'm driving home in rush hour.