Dearest Austin commuters, (San Antonio, Anton: moving, authority, license)

[scm53]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

What, you mean that they actually think that the speed limit law applies to them and exists in all lanes? How amazing! Though if they're going below the limit they should move over to the right lane, I grant you.

You need to read the Texas Drivers Handbook - p. 41. It clearly states you are to keep right, except to pass on a two to three lane street. Says nothing about what speed you are driving, or when you can ignore keeping right.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by scm53

You need to read the Texas Drivers Handbook - p. 41. It clearly states you are to keep right, except to pass on a two to three lane street. Says nothing about what speed you are driving, or when you can ignore keeping right.

Sorry, I go straight to the statutes (and have posted them on C-D several times). There are TWO laws on the books and BOTH of them should be obeyed. The first is the speed limit, and the statutes are quite clear that driving in excess of the posted speed limit (or, failing a posted speed limit, that which is specified in the statute itself for the particular type of roadway) is a violation. The second is the slower traffic keep right statute, which, taken with the law in its entirety, means that traffic driving slower than the speed limit should keep right.

This is the law. You can argue the "but, Mom, everybody's doing it!" argument all day long as regards actual practice, but the law itself says that you must move right if you are driving slower than the speed limit and that you must NOT exceed the speed limit.

You can't insist on others obeying the keep right one without yourself obeying the speed limit without losing all credibility. And vice versa, of course - you can't insist on others obeying the speed limit unless you yourself move right if you are driving slower than the speed limit.

See how that works? Annoying to some, but that really is what the law says if you don't just pick out the part you want others to obey while insisting that the other part isn't important for you to obey.

And, regardless, per the OP, you should be looking where you're going at all times.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by McDickles

.....

I will do my part by staying to the right, using hi-viz gear, and signaling my intentions.

I'm not one of those speed demon riders who swerve in and out of traffic.

Be safe all.

Thank you.

If all motorcyclists did this, there would be far fewer accidents. If motorists paid more attention to their environment, ditto.

What I have never understood is why so many of you motorcyclists rush to pass, then cut back in my lane so suddenly that I'm forced to brake. This happens both in town and out on the highway.

[LordyLordy]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

What, you mean that they actually think that the speed limit law applies to them and exists in all lanes? How amazing! Though if they're going below the limit they should move over to the right lane, I grant you.

And, yes, there is such a thing as the boonies here. I live there, on 55 acres, and drive country roads all the time. Most of which are one lane each way.

Sure, we will all sit in the far left lane on I-35 behind the guy going 70 mph with a tractor-trailer next to him going also 70 mph. Why? 'Cause the blinders on the guy's eyes in front of us have an inscription inside that says "don't be a criminal going 75 mph while you pass the truck and then you can change lanes and go back to being legit, instead hold everyone up behind you indefinitely". I get it.

As for the boonies, most FM/RR roads around here are one lane each way 55 mph or 45 mph and invariably 9 out of the 10 programmed robots around here deduce 10 mph from each speed limit sign when they are out on the road.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by LordyLordy

Sure, we will all sit in the far left lane on I-35 behind the guy going 70 mph with a tractor-trailer next to him going also 70 mph. Why? 'Cause the blinders on the guy's eyes in front of us have an inscription inside that says "don't be a criminal going 75 mph while you pass the truck and then you can change lanes and go back to being legit, instead hold everyone up behind you indefinitely". I get it.

As for the boonies, most FM/RR roads around here are one lane each way 55 mph or 45 mph and invariably 9 out of the 10 programmed robots around here deduce 10 mph from each speed limit sign when they are out on the road.

Most FM and RR roads around here have a 55 mph speed limit posted as you exit town (likely to be 45 as they go through town, sometimes down to 40 right smack dab in the middle of town) and most of the traffic on them drives about 60. I know this because I drive them every day - can't go anywhere without driving on them.

As for I35, if it's the section where the speed limit is 70, your complaint is that the person going the speed limit in the left lane while passing, by not obeying the slower traffic move right law, is preventing you from doing what, exactly, that is not disobeying another of the traffic laws?

The usual disclaimer - I don't drive in the left lane except to pass or to exit left. However, the attitude of entitlement on the part of some that think that it's only the OTHER people breaking the traffic law that is a problem is pretty pertinent to the OP - it's the same kind of attitude that leads people to pull out without looking.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Sorry, I go straight to the statutes (and have posted them on C-D several times). There are TWO laws on the books and BOTH of them should be obeyed. The first is the speed limit, and the statutes are quite clear that driving in excess of the posted speed limit (or, failing a posted speed limit, that which is specified in the statute itself for the particular type of roadway) is a violation. The second is the slower traffic keep right statute, which, taken with the law in its entirety, means that traffic driving slower than the speed limit should keep right.

It isn't your responsibility to enforce the speed limit. It IS your responsibility to keep right except to pass. The DPS driver's handbook can't be clearer - deposited your tortutred logic to justify your actions.

Reality is, if everyone - including you - kept right except to pass, then the "blind spot" problem cited by the OP wouldn't exist. The only time you would move into a lane on the right was after you had just passed another, in full vision as you passed.

[TexasHorseLady]

Ah, there it is - the old, raggedy excuse and accusation. If someone is obeying the law, then they MUST be trying to enforce the law, rather than simply obeying it. It's not my logic that's tortured, at all, though I grant you it might be quite painful for some who are trying desperately to justify their own actions.

As I said (and as you already know from previous discussions), I don't drive in the left lane, so I'm not trying to enforce anything. I'm just pointing out the blatant hypocrisy of those who complain about people who don't obey the slower traffic keep right laws because that prevents them, themselves, from breaking the speed limit laws. You can twist and turn and try to blame it on the law abiders all you want, but the fact remains, anyone who does that IS being a hypocrite.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Ah, there it is - the old, raggedy excuse and accusation. If someone is obeying the law, then they MUST be trying to enforce the law, rather than simply obeying it. It's not my logic that's tortured, at all, though I grant you it might be quite painful for some who are trying desperately to justify their own actions.

As I said (and as you already know from previous discussions), I don't drive in the left lane, so I'm not trying to enforce anything. I'm just pointing out the blatant hypocrisy of those who complain about people who don't obey the slower traffic keep right laws because that prevents them, themselves, from breaking the speed limit laws. You can twist and turn and try to blame it on the law abiders all you want, but the fact remains, anyone who does that IS being a hypocrite.

While we are on the subject of "raggedy excuse and accusation" - who said anything about breaking the law? You were the one that brought up speed limits. To follow your logic, the DPS is conspiring with speeders to enable them to break the law. What speed you drive, or others drive has ZERO to do with your responsibility - per the Texas DPS - to keep right except to pass.

So when you break THAT law, and point your fingers at others, who's the hypocrite? Who's the one causing the passing on the right issue the OP cited as a contributor to his friend's unfortunate death?

[LordyLordy]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Ah, there it is - the old, raggedy excuse and accusation. If someone is obeying the law, then they MUST be trying to enforce the law, rather than simply obeying it. It's not my logic that's tortured, at all, though I grant you it might be quite painful for some who are trying desperately to justify their own actions.

As I said (and as you already know from previous discussions), I don't drive in the left lane, so I'm not trying to enforce anything. I'm just pointing out the blatant hypocrisy of those who complain about people who don't obey the slower traffic keep right laws because that prevents them, themselves, from breaking the speed limit laws. You can twist and turn and try to blame it on the law abiders all you want, but the fact remains, anyone who does that IS being a hypocrite.

Ahh. Americans used to be such pragmatic people, now we have resorted to the fine print and the rigidity. I say anyone should be out of the far left lane unless they are passing. If the traffic to their right is going the speed limit, then they should pass that traffic or slow down to merge back right. That's the pragmatic and considerate action to take. Sitting in the left lane for the next 10 minutes and holding up the flow of traffic is just silly. You can hide behind anything you want but the reality is that sitting in the far left lane and holding everyone up is incredibly inconsiderate. I don't know many cops who will ticket you for going a few mph above the speed limit in order to pass somene on your right but then again maybe the cops around here are the same robots they created by enforcing these "statutes" blindly and rigidly?

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by scm53

While we are on the subject of "raggedy excuse and accusation" - who said anything about breaking the law? You were the one that brought up speed limits. To follow your logic, the DPS is conspiring with speeders to enable them to break the law. What speed you drive, or others drive has ZERO to do with your responsibility - per the Texas DPS - to keep right except to pass.

So when you break THAT law, and point your fingers at others, who's the hypocrite? Who's the one causing the passing on the right issue the OP cited as a contributor to his friend's unfortunate death?

Do you recall the numerous times that you've heard me say that I DO NOT drive in the left lane except to pass or exit left. Or even the two times in this very thread where I stated it. Your inability to remember that simple fact in order to allow you to make the statement above, shows the true power of the need to justify speeding while insisting that anyone driving the speed limit is wrong for not getting the heck out of your way.

I'm not going to beat my head against this stone any longer. It's a beautiful day out there and there are much better things to do with it.