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This... sounds like it’s on you. If this is in the US, the “flier” is going the normal speed of the road, and you’re driving dangerously slowly. It’s hard to t

This... sounds like it’s on you. If this is in the US, the “flier” is going the normal speed of the road, and you’re driving dangerously slowly. It’s hard to tell that something directly in front of you is approaching. It’s just not something our brains are good at, compared to detecting lateral movement. Especially when it’s so unexpected. One of the first things they tell you in motorcycle safety class is that “constant bearing, decreasing range” situations are extremely dangerous.

FireBeyond 7y ago
He mentions being in a truck, but it's a Sprinter, which unless it's dangerously overloaded, should be able to manage more than 30mph up a freeway hill. Australian driving law/principles state that "drivers should drive at the _maximum_ possible speed that is: within the speed limit, and safe for the conditions". Notably absent in this is "within your ability" as if you're not capable of safely driving on all roads, the balance of probabilities says you probably shouldn't be driving on _any_ roads.
- gnicholas 7y ago
  GP said "highway", not "freeway". In some parts of the country/world, these refer to different types of roads.
tom_ 7y ago
There is no such thing as dangerously slowly - the fault lies with people that aren’t leaving enough room to take evasive action given their speed.
- bkor 7y ago
  You'll be fined in The Netherlands for going too slow. They're not waiting for dangerously slow, way slower than any other traffic is enough. Example (Dutch, use Google Translate): https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/124541/Flinke-boete-voor-te-langzaam-rijden-op-de-snelweg https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/124541/Flinke-boete-voor-te-l... A truck got a fine of 1500 EUR. The example was dangerously slow (eventually 40km/h), not just slow.
  - tom_ 7y ago
    The fines are probably to discourage this behaviour and improve traffic flow slightly. But I'd be surprised if the law uses the term "dangerously slow", or anything similar.
  - imtringued 7y ago
    So I will be fined if I follow the speed limit, which is way slower than any other traffic?
    - Cthulhu_ 7y ago
      No, but you will if you drive significantly slower and obstruct traffic flow.
- Frondo 7y ago
  Many state roads post minimum speeds as well as maximum speeds (usually it's 40 or 45 mph, where the maximum is 65mph or 70mph), because there is in fact such a thing as driving dangerously slowly.
jakobegger 7y ago
But... regardless how fast the speed limit is, you should never expect the road ahead to be clear! A Sprinter is a huge vehicle, if you don't see that ahead of you, you must be severly distracted...
- smogcutter 7y ago
  Less so than you might think. We’re just plain slower to detect things that are growing larger than objects traversing our vision. Especially without context clues like brake lights or other slow traffic, approaching at 40mph doesn’t give you a lot of time to correct. Ultimately yes, it’s the other driver’s fault because it’s always your job to not hit things in front of you. But OP made his vehicle into a hazard.

FireBeyond 7y ago

He mentions being in a truck, but it's a Sprinter, which unless it's dangerously overloaded, should be able to manage more than 30mph up a freeway hill. Australian driving law/principles state that "drivers should drive at the _maximum_ possible speed that is: within the speed limit, and safe for the conditions". Notably absent in this is "within your ability" as if you're not capable of safely driving on all roads, the balance of probabilities says you probably shouldn't be driving on _any_ roads.

gnicholas 7y ago
GP said "highway", not "freeway". In some parts of the country/world, these refer to different types of roads.

tom_ 7y ago

There is no such thing as dangerously slowly - the fault lies with people that aren’t leaving enough room to take evasive action given their speed.

bkor 7y ago
You'll be fined in The Netherlands for going too slow. They're not waiting for dangerously slow, way slower than any other traffic is enough. Example (Dutch, use Google Translate): https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/124541/Flinke-boete-voor-te-langzaam-rijden-op-de-snelweg https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/124541/Flinke-boete-voor-te-l... A truck got a fine of 1500 EUR. The example was dangerously slow (eventually 40km/h), not just slow.
- tom_ 7y ago
  The fines are probably to discourage this behaviour and improve traffic flow slightly. But I'd be surprised if the law uses the term "dangerously slow", or anything similar.
- imtringued 7y ago
  So I will be fined if I follow the speed limit, which is way slower than any other traffic?
  - Cthulhu_ 7y ago
    No, but you will if you drive significantly slower and obstruct traffic flow.
Frondo 7y ago
Many state roads post minimum speeds as well as maximum speeds (usually it's 40 or 45 mph, where the maximum is 65mph or 70mph), because there is in fact such a thing as driving dangerously slowly.

jakobegger 7y ago

But... regardless how fast the speed limit is, you should never expect the road ahead to be clear! A Sprinter is a huge vehicle, if you don't see that ahead of you, you must be severly distracted...

smogcutter 7y ago
Less so than you might think. We’re just plain slower to detect things that are growing larger than objects traversing our vision. Especially without context clues like brake lights or other slow traffic, approaching at 40mph doesn’t give you a lot of time to correct. Ultimately yes, it’s the other driver’s fault because it’s always your job to not hit things in front of you. But OP made his vehicle into a hazard.