Update on Post #3: A trip down I-5 (and back)

After driving to LA from Berkeley (and back again) on the monotonous and cow-infested I-5 this weekend, I felt the need to revisit post #3 (slow drivers in the passing lane).

In case you were unsure, I want to assure you that slow drivers are still traveling in the passing lane. My traveling companion and I spent a large portion of the drive playing high-speed frogger, weaving in and out of large trucks, RVs, and other annoying slow drivers. Most annoying are RVs and large trucks that decide to pass other RVs and large trucks. They are only going 5 mph (at best) faster, and thus it takes them forever to pass. Since I-5 is only two lanes, a loooooong line of angry drivers accumulates. We would get past this frustrating impediment and blissfully turn on the cruise control at 85, only to have to hit the brakes a minute later due to another errant RV or large truck. If a speed limit is 70, you have NO business being in the left lane going 65!!!

And it's not just large trucks and RVs...regular old cars are still egregious violators. These people like to drive exactly the same speed as a large truck, making it impossible for anyone to get around them. These people need to be slapped. Speed up for a minute and get in front of the truck, or slow down and get behind it. Just don't drive RIGHT NEXT TO IT!!! And I can't emphasize this enough...if multiple cars are passing you on the right, then what are you doing in the left lane??? GET OVER! Oh...and most of these people aren't even going the SPEED LIMIT. That's right...not only are they driving slower than the flow of traffic, they are actually driving UNDER the speed limit permitted by LAW.

Now that we have a portable GPS (I love you, Garmin), I was able to actually track the time wasted due to obnoxious and inconsiderate slow drivers in the passing lane. When we were free to go 85, we would shave several minutes off of our ETA. When those jerks were clogging up the flow of traffic, we would lose several minutes from our ETA. There it is people: tangible evidence of the precious time these selfish people steal from others.

Most people on I-5 have been driving for hours. They want to be on I-5 for the least amount of time possible. So I BEG you...pick up the speed or stay in the right lane. But please...don't prolong the time we have to spend smelling cow and getting showered with industrial-size bug splats.