Why should we give Flatlanders a pass?

Flatlanders is a term I have used for quite some time.  They are the people who come to the mountains from the city and act like city folk.  They bring their way of life to my home and expect me to act as they do.  They visit the forest and expect the people who live there to embrace their views and try to make rules to enforce them.

One of my biggest complaints about Flatlanders is their driving habits.  We drive small country and mountain roads on a daily basis. Many of the roads I travel, including the one to my house, are narrow and frequently are not wide enough to allow for a line in the middle of the road.  We are used to narrow winding roads and have developed the skills and awareness to navigate them.  We are mindful of others on the road and when driving large vehicles or towing trailers, allow other to pass.

Flatlanders do not know how to drive on the two lane mountain highways.  I understand that they may not know the road or lack the skills to drive winding roads, but why won’t they let me pass.  I see it on a daily basis.  I am following a Flatlander on a two lane highway and he is doing 45 mph when the speed limit is 55 mph.  We finally come to a passing lane, which I know is approaching and I am prepared for, and speed up to pass since they are short and far between.  So what does he do- he floors it.  So now I have to try to safely try to pass a car that has gone from 45 mph to 60 mph in the passing lane.  Many times I have to pass on the right since the Flatlander does not even have the decency to move to the right.  To get past him in time my speed is now approaching Mach II.

I do have a theory of why they do this.  I believe they don’t have the skills to drive curvey roads and when they get to a passing lane, which is usually straight and wide, their confidence is elevated and they speed up.  If you drive slow in the curves, drive slow in the passing lane.  The problem is when the passing lane ends they are back to 45 mph or slower and the traffic backs up behind them.  This is the same person who passes by the sign “slower traffic must use turnouts” without the sense to use them.

I don’t always travel the roads fast myself.  I may have a trailer or a delicate load and need to keep my speed at bay, but I am mindful of my driving habits.  I am watching the cars behind me and adjust my speed to allow the people behind me to pass.  I will wave them by or tap the brakes so they know I see them and am allowing them to pass as we approach the merging lanes.  This is just common decency on the road and it would be nice if more people would have this.

So Flatlanders, PLEASE drive in the passing lanes as you drive the other 98% of my home town roads!

The World According to Jeff

UPDATE:  The day I posted this I was driving two miles from my house on one of my narrow lineless roads when me and another truck smacked mirrors.   To his right was a drop off into a pond and to mine was an embankment.  We were each traveling 20 to 25 mph so the mirrors hit at an effective speed of about 45 mph and our vehicles were about a foot apart.  His shattered and mine swung in and was undamaged- way to go F-350.  We each stopped to make sure everything was ok then continued on our way.  Like I said above, my roads are narrow!