Left-lane Slowpokes Drive you Crazy?

[Lzen]

http://discover.aaa.com/default.aspx...iving/Monthly&


The words ‘move over’ – even if readable in the rearview mirror – may not mean much to them, but a ticket might. Some states are cracking down. In these days of longer commutes and simmering tempers, nothing seems to set off already-testy motorists like the left-lane camper – the guy/gal who drives in the passing lane and bars faster drivers from easily passing. Web sites have cropped up to educate other drivers, or to vent. There’s a (somewhat painful) YouTube song called “Keep Right.”



Even bigwigs get frustrated. Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, weary of having his limo slowed down by such left-lane pokies, ordered an aid to have the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission install signs a few years ago reading “Keep Right, Pass Left. It’s the Law.” And now some states are cracking down on left-lane campers, both to keep traffic moving and to tamp down the road rage that goes from zero – to – 60 faster than ever before. That’s not just a pretext. Last year, a driver was arrested on Interstate 79 outside Pittsburgh after allegedly brandishing a semiautomatic pistol at a driver who was on his tail.



You could get a Ticket ~ Some states didn’t allow left-lane lingering but didn’t enforce the law. Now they are. At the start of last summer, the Washington State Patrol began pulling people over for violating the state’s left-lane law, which prohibits “impeding the flow of other traffic.” This is a real big hot-button topic for the public at large right now; there’ve been a lot of complaints from drivers who’ve had to deal with left-lane campers. So far authorities have been gentle with the $124 ticket; the drivers stopped were given verbal warnings. Last year, news outlets reported that Oklahoma was bolstering enforcement of its left-lane law as well.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports that they deal with the left-lane drivers going too slowly weekly; they’ve issued more warnings than tickets. Insurers haven’t gotten aggressive yet; but this kind of ticket has the potential to raise rates. Any moving violation that applies points to a driver’s record could affect that driver’s car insurance rates. And because left-lane driving would be considered as such an infraction, this would be taken into account when reviewing a driver’s policy.



What’s the law in your state? The laws vary widely. A few states – for instance, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts and New Jersey – permit use of the left lane only for passing or turning left. Georgia, Colorado and Louisiana follow the Uniform Vehicle Code, requiring drivers to keep right if they’re going slower than the speed of traffic. Wyoming prohibits blocking the far left lane of a highway “for a prolonged period,” though it adds that the traffic should be “at a lawful rate of speed.” In Arkansas and South Dakota, vehicles don’t have to stay right. Alaska, Maryland, North Carolina and Ohio vehicles can drive in the left lane so long as they’re moving at the speed limit.



Florida is trying to join in: Lawmakers reintroduced a Road Rage Reduction Act in 2008, requiring motorists to stay out of the left lane on interstate highways except when passing. It passed the legislature in 2005 but was vetoed by Gov. Jeb Bush, who questioned whether it was based on sound research.



It’s no wonder drivers can be confused and often frustrated.
One of my biggest Pet Peeves – One of those exasperated drivers in your rearview mirror might be Eli Dozier. “That’s one of my biggest pet peeves in the world, is when people stay in the left lane. They’re not passing, they’ve got people behind them, trying to go around, and they just cruise,” says Dozier, 31, and a stay-at-home dad. “It’s probably the most uncourteous thing you can do,” he says, adding that it’s “obviously” unsafe. “I’m a fast driver,” Dozier allows. “But if I’m not passing, I don’t use that left lane at all.” So what’s a frustrated motorist to do?



Dozier heard in a chat room about some windshield decals that said “Slower Traffic,” with an arrow pointing to the right-hand lane, printed backward in large letters for reading in a rearview mirror. “And so I immediately ordered one. I jumped on it.” He loves the thing. “Most people, its just inattentiveness” that keeps them in the passing lane, Dozier says. “Most people, when you pass them, they’ll give you a wave, they’re thankful” for the reminder.



At lease, he says, women tend to be. Men sometimes take Dozier’s sticker as an affront and will retaliate by slowing down, he says. There have been some middle fingers, some choice words. And then, Dozier says, “I have been known to show them how good the back of my car looks.” At very close range. Which only exacerbates the situation. Overall, through, both he and his wife are delighted with the results, he says. They recently bought her a Dodge Ram 1500 with a quad cab and they’ve ordered a decal like his for it.



Pennsylvania authorities also find that reminders do work. “Anecdotally,” says Carl DeFebo of the Turnpike Authority, “you do see a lot less people . . . enjoying the weather” in the passing lane since 25 signs went up on the turnpike in recent years. It probably helps that “sometimes our police will actually enforce this,” DeFebo adds, handing out warnings or tickets that add up to $108.



Courtesy Counts – The creator of those stickers, J.A. Tosti, is also director and founder of Left Lane Drivers of America. “What we’re seeking to do is raise awareness,” he explains. Tosti said aggression only aggravates other drivers. For him, response to the decal on his car has always been positive and pleasant – in large part because he is a patient, non-tailgating driver. “It’s amazing how effective the stickers are,” he says. “On one trip from Portland to Seattle, I felt at time like I was sweeping the left lane with a broom.” A faster, more courteous – well-swept – highway? Sounds like something most folks could live with.



Defending the driving – But not everyone agrees with those who tell them to get out of the way. “The left lane is for passing . . . not a license to speed till you kill someone,” wrote a contributor to Motor Trend’s blog. “Grow up. If I’m in the left lane doing 65 while the speed limit’s 80, I’ll move over. But if I’m doing the speed limit, and someone decides he’s Mario Andretti … he/she can go around me and break the law further up the highway.”



Washington state law says it is a traffic infraction to drive continuously in the left lane of a multilane roadway when it impedes the flow of other traffic. There is a misunderstanding, a lot of people think that if they’re going at or near the speed limit they don’t have to get out of the lane. And the left-lane driving debate goes on.

[alnorth]

As long as people in the left lane drive at least 5 or 6 over, I'm fine. If you are someone who wants to drive 15 over, too bad, wait for your chance to slalom-ski around me on your way to getting a ticket 10 miles down the road.

If you aren't going at least 5-6 over and the right lane is not impossibly clogged up, you are pissing off everyone behind you.

[tmw4h5]

Originally Posted by Valiant

And here are the type of pricks people are talking about.. right lane is doing 70-75, but you would rather just hold back traffic in the left lane and not pass.. No, it is cool, create a congestion instead of just getting over and going with the slower traffic..

As I'm driving 10 over the limit, the right lane is often cluttered with people doing 65-70. I'm not going out of my way to slow down to get over in the right lane so some dude can drive 90 down the highway.

Nope. Don't care. Maybe people should plan better and not always be in such a rush? Going 15-20-25 over the speed limit is getting ridiculous. I'm 25 years old and when I'm going 10 over, hell, even 15 over sometimes, I feel like a god damn grandpa.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Last year, a driver was arrested on Interstate 79 outside Pittsburgh after allegedly brandishing a semiautomatic pistol at a driver who was on his tail.

Also, this hilarious bit of unnecessary detail in the article is silly.

"semiautomatic pistol", AKA almost every damned modern handgun in the country. They always say "semiautomatic" because it makes it sound scarey and menacing.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by tmw4h5

As I'm driving 10 over the limit, the right lane is often cluttered with people doing 65-70. I'm not going out of my way to slow down to get over in the right lane so some dude can drive 90 down the highway.

Nope. Don't care. Maybe people should plan better and not always be in such a rush? Going 15-20-25 over the speed limit is getting ridiculous. I'm 25 years old and when I'm going 10 over, hell, even 15 over sometimes, I feel like a god damn grandpa.

Ditto. If I'm going over the speed limit, no one has a right to bitch. If I'm in the right lane, I'll get to someone driving right at the limit or under every half mile, and I don't want to switch back and forth every other minute.

[tmw4h5]

Originally Posted by Valiant

And here are the type of pricks people are talking about.. right lane is doing 70-75, but you would rather just hold back traffic in the left lane and not pass.. No, it is cool, create a congestion instead of just getting over and going with the slower traffic..

Originally Posted by alnorth

Ditto. If I'm going over the speed limit, no one has a right to bitch. If I'm in the right lane, I'll get to someone driving right at the limit or under every half mile, and I don't want to switch back and forth every other minute.

Exactly. I agree with you entirely.

[Shag]

Originally Posted by tmw4h5

I hate "highway etiquette" -- especially when I'm driving home on 152 going 75 (10 over the speed limit) and people are on my ass in the left lane. You want to drive 85 and 90 in a 65? Pass me on the shoulder, I'm not moving.

Originally Posted by alnorth

As long as people in the left lane drive at least 5 or 6 over, I'm fine. If you are someone who wants to drive 15 over, too bad, wait for your chance to slalom-ski around me on your way to getting a ticket 10 miles down the road.

If you aren't going at least 5-6 over and the right lane is not impossibly clogged up, you are pissing off everyone behind you.

It's not your job to police the speed of traffic in the left lane. If someone comes up behind you going faster, move your ass over. Once they've passed, you can get back in the left if you need to pass other vehicles.

[tmw4h5]

Originally Posted by Shag

It's not your job to police the speed of traffic in the left lane. If someone comes up behind you going faster, move your ass over. Once they've passed, you can get back in the left if you need to pass other vehicles.

I have an issue with that. As I'm driving 75 in a 65 in the left lane, let's say the right lane is moving steadily at 65.
A guy comes up on my ass quick as I'm going 75, am I expected to slow down excessively just to get over in the right lane to let him pass by? And then when I'm in the right lane, how long is it going to be before I'm able to get back into the left lane?

Nope, too much touble. I'm going to continue to drive a casual 10mph over the limit and if you want to pass, you can find some way to do it.

[Bugeater]

I'm with the n00b on this one, if I'm already going 10 over then I'm not going to be in any hurry to get out of the way for someone going 15-20 over. They're endangering everyone on the road at those speeds.

[beach tribe]

I would love to know why most women can't grasp the fast lane concept.

[beach tribe]

I don't care what speed someone is traveling. If it's faster than you, get the f out of the way.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Shag

It's not your job to police the speed of traffic in the left lane. If someone comes up behind you going faster, move your ass over. Once they've passed, you can get back in the left if you need to pass other vehicles.

No.

I'm not trying to police anything, you want to drive 150 mph, fine. I'm on the left because I don't want to go left-right-left-right-left-right-left-right switching back and forth to infinite all the way to my destination. I'm driving over the speed limit. Don't like it? Tough, go find a 3 or 4-lane highway.

[Shag]

Originally Posted by alnorth

No.

I'm not trying to police anything, you want to drive 150 mph, fine. I'm on the left because I don't want to go left-right-left-right-left-right-left-right switching back and forth to infinite all the way to my destination. I'm driving over the speed limit. Don't like it? Tough, go find a 3 or 4-lane highway.

Yet, you say anyone driving in the left lane not going at least 5-6 mph over the limit is pissing off everyone behind them. Who are you do decide that 5-6 is the minimum, and 10 is the max for appropriate left lane travel? I hope you don't get pissed at the guy doing 1mph over the limit in the left lane - after all, he's going over the speed limit, and probably doesn't want to go left-right-left-right-left-right all the way to their destination.

[Bugeater]

The thing is, if you're going 15-20 over, you're exceeding the speeds the roads are designed to be safely traveled on. Hell if you're doing that on a rural interstate in Nebraska you're probably exceeding your driving skills as well.

[headsnap]

Originally Posted by tmw4h5

Nope, too much touble. I'm going to continue to drive a casual 10mph over the limit and wait until there is a break in the right hand lane that I can move over conveniently to let you pass.

fyp asswipé...

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Shag

Yet, you say anyone driving in the left lane not going at least 5-6 mph over the limit is pissing off everyone behind them. Who are you do decide that 5-6 is the minimum, and 10 is the max for appropriate left lane travel? I hope you don't get pissed at the guy doing 1mph over the limit in the left lane - after all, he's going over the speed limit, and probably doesn't want to go left-right-left-right-left-right all the way to their destination.

Cultural norm. Most people agree that at least 5 or 6 over is the norm on the left lane. The 15-over people may disagree, but thats just too damned bad. There aren't that many of them, obviously, given the average speed in a typical 2-lane highway.