Impatient Drivers While Towing on Two-Lane Roads

[Joezeppy]

I've encountered a range of idiots out there - both while towing and driving solo - but this was a first for me as we were coming home from Alex Bay, NY this weekend. So...first, my idiot admission - it would have been easy to fuel up the truck solo before we left but I did not properly estimate my fuel level so once on the road, I knew I'd have fill up. Not easy on mostly 2-lane state highways through small towns but we soon came upon a nicely sized station with a dedicated diesel island. Went through an intersection and signaled to turn left into the station. Had to stop and wait for about 3 cars coming the other way. One car passed but there was not enough room for me to turn yet so I was still waiting and then a car behind me bolted around me on the left - driver waving her arm and blowing the horn. Don't know what her problem was - I know my turn signals were working since I checked them when we hooked up (and again when I got home to be sure). Some people feel they are just too important to wait, apparently.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Self-important, impatient, impolite, arrogant & egotistical are some of the more polite adjectives that would apply. I suspect that driver was using much the same ones to describe "the idjit with the #$%* trailer blocking the road".

 

[CamperAL]

Hi Joe and all, Don't know what is in the water but where I live in Northern Indiana, I see people going way too fast, very inpatient and just very poor drivers. Had one come up on me yesterday and was inches from my tail end. I signaled a turn to the right and pulled off into a turning lane with the inpatient driver stuck right to my behind and I'd say lucky they didn't run into my back end. I think they then went around me to the left as I was in the turning lane.

I can't think of anything I might have done to provoke them other than not moving faster and well above the speed limit which was 35 mph. We were stopped at a stoplight and my car doesn't move real fast as I have to manually shift could have been part of their problem.

 

[TheBar]

Having traveled most of the US for my job for 35 years it amazed me how different drivers are. By locale and also changing so much over time. For example it wasn't surprising that everyone in Iowa follows the speed limit, are very careful, and will slow down to let you change lanes.

But considering their reputation it was shocking the many times I drove in San Francisco to find the drivers there even more so. I decided the horrible everyday traffic jams must make the drivers seem bad when they really weren't.

Boston in the 1990's was as crazy as their reputation. 2 lanes streets had 3 lanes of cars and taxi drivers driving down sidewalks. But my last visit a couple years ago was completely different. The drivers had really tamed down and were not aggressive. Are EV batteries leaching lithium into their environment?

 

[nibroc]

imagine that......................

 

[Gr8bawana]

There are plenty of idiot and inconsiderate drivers in EVERY state.

Key insights
Arkansas ranks No. 1 for road rage in 2026, dethroning Louisiana after its two-year run at the top.
Jump to insight

 

[Derby6]

There are plenty of idiot and inconsiderate drivers in EVERY state.

Key insights
Arkansas ranks No. 1 for road rage in 2026, dethroning Louisiana after its two-year run at the top.
Jump to insight

Interesting article. I found it incredibly hard to believe AK was below California. Maybe better stated I can’t believe California is the almost the best. So I read how it was tallied—
Sorry, careless driving, dangerous driving violations do not count as road rage.
AK is almost all 2 lane roads. Careless/dangerous passing is large portion of our fatality incidents. Yes some are rage but most are just poor choice.

“ To identify the worst states for road rage, the ConsumerAffairs Research Team analyzed data on fatal crashes related to aggressive or careless driving, dangerous driving violations and traffic incidents involving gun violence. See how your state ranks below”

 

[msw3113]

I can't think of anything I might have done to provoke them...

Unlikely that it's a "you" problem. Personal expediency seems to rule the roads so woe betide anyone who impedes those drivers.
Their numbers seem to be growing, which is one reason we decided to quit towing this year.

 

[DutchmenSport]

... where I live in Northern Indiana, I see people going way too fast, very inpatient and just very poor drivers. ....

I suppose you have not been to Indianapolis in the last couple years. Want a REAL adventure, just drive any spot on I-465 (the loop around Indianapolis). In construction zones marked 45 mph OR LESS, it's an unbelievable event. I declare they drive faster in construction zones than on non-construction sections of the road. I've attempted to stay up with traffic around Indianapolis. The posted speed limit is 55 and when I hit 85 and still had cars passing, I just slowed back down to 55, got in the right lane and drove on. It's a friggin' nightmare around Indianapolis. I've been in Louisiana now for the last 2 and 1/2 years, go back to Indiana for a month or so and return again. My travel path takes me around Indianapolis. I'll take Louisiana traffic any day over Indianapolis!

 

[UTTransplant]

The situation that still has me scratching my head is on a 2 lane road somewhere in Nevada. A very old, very slow Class C in pretty bad shape was going about 10 mph slower than I wanted to drive. No problem, the roads are pretty empty and I will just pass them. So I accelerated up until I was close enough to pass when the opportunity arose, but they just kept slowing down! Lots of traffic coming so I backed off, they sped up again, still about 10mph less than I wanted to travel. This continued for a full ten minutes. Every time I got close enough to pass, they slowed down, then sped up when I backed off. Finally I cranked the Tiffin up to 75 and got past them. For some reason they just decided that I had no reason to pass them, and they just weren’t going to let me do it! I never have figured out that mindset.

 

[John From Detroit]

I used to have a co-worker (I called her Sweet Sue to distinguish from the other Sue.. Though I've some very nice things to say about the other Sue as well. but that's an already typed story)

She used to say "Some people are just TOO STUPID TO LIVE":

First trip with my RV was to Kalamazoo area and from there by car to Chicago for a concert.. one of the performers I know rather well (As in my daughter).

Well on the way we had a bit of delay.> one of those "Too stupid to live" tried the hollywood stunt driver trick of sliding his low slung car under a semi trailer... He failed.. Fatally, Thus proving he was as Sue would say "Too stupid to live"

You know.. that kind of thing in a motor home... Not so bad.

 

[Wasillaguy]

It must be a lot worse now because I remember my Dad was always yelling out compliments to the other drivers.

 

[TheBar]

Every time I got close enough to pass, they slowed down, then sped up when I backed off.

Ah, is that a problem? In tight situations when people approach to pass I slow down to help them get around me quicker. Quicker is safer. I was taught to do that in Drivers Ed.

The real problem are the ones who speed up to keep you from getting around them.

 

[bigbAZ]

Ah, is that a problem? In tight situations when people approach to pass I slow down to help them get around me quicker. Quicker is safer. I was taught to do that in Drivers Ed.

The real problem are the ones who speed up to keep you from getting around them.

I did the same just last weekend when I knew I'd be slow going up a treacherous and winding grade just ahead. There was a big truck coming up behind me towing a fiver so as he approached I switched on my flashers and slowed so he could get around me quick on the narrow 2 lane, which he did.

 

[CamperAL]

Hi DutchmenSport and all,

I was just through Indy in January and February and on I465 from 31. I took US40 rather than I70 as I hear that is getting really bad. I try to go through early morning to avoid those repairs and traffic. You're right it can be a challenge but years back, use to be fairly easy to navigate but as the populace gets more crowded, things get worst.

 

[John From Detroit]

You're right it can be a challenge but years back, use to be fairly easy to navigate but as the populace gets more crowded, things get worst.

That is a 100% True statement and so so many do not understand it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Interesting article. I found it incredibly hard to believe AK was below California. Maybe better stated I can’t believe California is the almost the best. So I read how it was tallied—
Sorry, careless driving, dangerous driving violations do not count as road rage.
AK is almost all 2 lane roads. Careless/dangerous passing is large portion of our fatality incidents. Yes some are rage but most are just poor choice.

Just to avoid confusion...
AK = Alaska
AR = Arkansas

 

[UTTransplant]

Ah, is that a problem? In tight situations when people approach to pass I slow down to help them get around me quicker. Quicker is safer. I was taught to do that in Drivers Ed.

The real problem are the ones who speed up to keep you from getting around them.

I obviously didn’t explain it well. I was generally staying back until I saw I would have a place to pass, then I would speed up some to get closer to pass. There would be lots of traffic, and he would slow down the closer I got. As soon as there would be a place to pass him, he sped up making it more difficult. Hard to explain because it was just so absurd. And when I finally did get a big open space to speed up to the 70+ I needed to pass him, he speeded up to make it more challenging. Like I said, it was just so absurd that it is hard to explain. Oh, and he gave me the finger as I did pass.

 

[Wasillaguy]

Just to avoid confusion...
AK = Alaska
AR = Arkansas

That would be nice, but our mail has been mis-sorted to Alabama and Arkansas ever since we became a state.

 

[tlmgcamp1]

I obviously didn’t explain it well. I was generally staying back until I saw I would have a place to pass, then I would speed up some to get closer to pass. There would be lots of traffic, and he would slow down the closer I got. As soon as there would be a place to pass him, he sped up making it more difficult. Hard to explain because it was just so absurd. And when I finally did get a big open space to speed up to the 70+ I needed to pass him, he speeded up to make it more challenging. Like I said, it was just so absurd that it is hard to explain. Oh, and he gave me the finger as I did pass.