Q: I have an ongoing debate with a friend about moving to the right in the fast lane when a faster car approaches from the rear. She believes that as long as she is going the speed limit, she does not have to move to the right when a faster car approaches from behind.
I believe that “moving to the right,” even when driving at the speed limit, promotes safety and assists the flow of traffic. Can you enlighten us with your thoughts on the matter?
David Conmy, San Jose
A: You win the debate. My thoughts are consistent with what the DMV instructs in the “Traffic Speeds” section of its Driver Handbook:
“Driving slower than other vehicles or stopping suddenly can be just as dangerous as speeding, if not more dangerous, because you may cause a rear-end collision or cause other drivers to swerve to avoid hitting your vehicle. If you are in the fast lane and you notice vehicles moving to the right lane to pass you, or a line of vehicles is forming behind you, the best thing to do is move into the right lane, when it is safe, and let the vehicle(s) pass.”
For more information, see: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-handbooks/.
Q: I have zero sympathy for people taken in by some of the roadside scams you have detailed recently. So these “Good Samaritans,” only out to help people from the goodness of their heart, offer to buy $1,000 worth of jewelry from a person stranded on the side of the road for $120. You had one where someone was offering a Rolex to get to the airport. I had to laugh.
What greedy people. They thought they were taking advantage of someone in desperate straits and deserve to be taken advantage of. They certainly do not deserve sympathy.
Terry Pratchett wrote about this beautifully in his book “Going Postal.” The main character counts on people’s greed and trying to take advantage of him as he sells a “diamond ring” for a tenth of what it is worth because “he is desperate to get home” and then the people are shocked when they try to sell the ring later and find that it is made out of glass. It is a great book – highly recommended.
James Hinkin, San José
A: Yours is a valuable perspective. I did not get the idea that those who wrote in were stopping for a reward. Instead, it seemed to me that they were motivated by trying to help someone they thought was in distress, and then the scammer pitched the sob story and proposed the exchange of jewelry for money.
Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at [email protected].
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