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.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by JD369

No. Reading your statement just made me question your intelligence. And you were going to hunt the guy down if you got his license plate # ?

I'm glad you got a ticket. It's a shame the cop didn't take your ass to jail for going so fast.

I certainly question your intelligence, douche. I guess you missed the part where I said he sped up as I was going around him. So as I was passing him at 90, he had gone from around 50 (in a 65 zone) to over 80. And my typical cruising speed is generally about 7 over the limit. He was complete prick.

I guess we don't need to ask about your driving habits, do we, Nancy?

[lcarus]

In Tulsa, it's ****ing everyone in every lane that drives waaayyyy too slow.

[KChiefer]

Originally Posted by loochy

What I hate even worse than the slow drivers are the drivers that get in the left lane and proceed to go EXACTLY THE SAME SPEED AS THE VEHICLE IN THE LANE BESIDE IT. Nobody can pass at all. At least with the slow cars you can get an opening to go around.

because passing on the right is safe and a real joy! LLSDs Can't pass 'em, can't shoot their tires.

[Bwana]

Yep, people that do that, are a complete waste of skin.

[Amnorix]

Yes, very annoying.

Dunno about other states, but here in Mass. this part is never, ever enforced that I have ever seen.

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.

That said, Massachusetts is a great state for driving at reasonable speeds. Most people know how to drive (people who complain about Massachusetts drivers are from cow country and can't handle crazy city traffic, which I can't blame them for), and Mass State Troopers are awesome. Especially compared to Connecticut, which sucks.

Around here, my usual cruising speed is 78 mph -- not QUITE 80, and I haven't gotten a ticket or warning in ages. You really need to be doing 80+ and/or be weaving through traffic at a high rate of speed before you'll get pulled over. Cops here care more about drunk or reckless driving than speeding.

[suzzer99]

CA is so annoying. Most people are used to city driving where it's so crowded it really doesn't matter anyway. But then when they do get on an open road I'd say 4 out of 5 of them obviously have no idea slower traffic is supposed to yield in the left lane.

[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.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

CA is so annoying. Most people are used to city driving where it's so crowded it really doesn't matter anyway. But then when they do get on an open road I'd say 4 out of 5 of them obviously have no idea slower traffic is supposed to yield in the left lane.

California has the nastiest drivers I've ever seen. Whether it was blocking traffic by driving too slow, deliberately cutting people off or speeding up just enough to keep people with their blinkers on from changing lanes, it almost seemed like they were getting paid to be pricks. The drive between Modesto and Sacramento was one of the most unpleasant experiences I've had behind the wheel.

[DJay23]

PA has a law but I've never heard of it being enforced. I used to drive on I-80 for part of my commute and the number of people who won't get out of the way has grown in the last few years and is really surprising. I've started taking a longer route through less traveled roads to get to work because of it. I can't imagine how frustrated truckers must be.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by loochy

What I hate even worse than the slow drivers are the drivers that get in the left lane and proceed to go EXACTLY THE SAME SPEED AS THE VEHICLE IN THE LANE BESIDE IT. Nobody can pass at all. At least with the slow cars you can get an opening to go around.

Hell what I see all the time.. Come up to a car going 60 in left lane, cars in right lane doing 59... As 60mph car in left lane finally passes and does not get over I still have to wait, then forced to get in the right lane to pass.. As I do this, 60mph car speeds up to 80-85 so they do not get passed, then slows back down to barely pass traffic...

Or the assholes who are going all slow in the right lane 5-6 cars deep, see you getting ready to pass in the left lane and then decided to pass going 1mph faster.. What should of taken 5 seconds to pass now takes 1-2miles..

[Valiant]

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.

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..

[Donger]

Maybe NSFW language

[BossChief]

I drive a Nissan Frontier and when people do that, I usually return the courtesy by putting my brights on until they get the picture.

I actually love it when they put their arms up like "what's that for?"

Get a clue, dummy. It's illegal to pass on the right, so when you are going less than the speed limit in the left lane, you make the road more dangerous for those with a limited amount of time to get where they going.

So, I just return the favor.

[whoman69]

Don't drive in Iowa. Slow people in the left lane all the time. I also get ticked when I'm driving at or over the limit and people come up on my ass trying to force me to get over when I'm trying to pass someone else. I'll get over when I'm done passing.

[whoman69]

In Europe people will blink their lights, which is illegal over there too. Had one time where I was getting up to speed trying to pass a very slow driver and a Ferrarri comes up from behind wanting me to get over when I was still beside the other car. Luckily the crazy idiot was able to slow down.