Left Lane Hogs: MOVE THE H#&% OVER!! (driver, speeding, Rover)

[Crew Chief]

Great posts, All! Yeah, "Left Lane Bandits" are one of my biggest pet peeves! I loved driving in Germany because EVERYONE knows that you: DRIVE on the right, PASS on the left. What's so dang difficult about that! 'Preciate the comments about trucks, Momof2dfw, Drover and McGowdog! Most truckers are professional behind the wheel; it's the minority of idiots that everyone remembers... I, too, hate the large-fleet truckers that pass OTHER large-fleet truckers at .5 mph faster. In a few instances, hills, an on ramp or other factors might complicate the passing process. But there's no reason to hold up traffic forever as you s-l-o-w-l-y make your way past the other goverened-down big truck. And, yes, a REAL professional could help out the guy in the passing lane by easing off the fuel and letting him get past faster. (But at the low pay-per-mile many drivers are paid, they can't afford to do that too many times a day...)

A few other related comments:

- Car drivers should be especially alert in construction zones for the signs; sometimes trucks will be made top run in the left lane through the construction zone, so watch out for truck lane changes entering and leaving the construction zone.

- Also be alert near truck weigh stations. Keep left if you see trucks trying to re-enter the highway from the weigh station. Many scales now use a "PREPASS" transponder system that allows trucks (if the company has a good safety record) to bypass the scales) So they may also move to the left lane to allow for trucks merging from the scale on-ramp as they bypass the scales.

- Restricting trucks to the right lane(s), especially on a hill, might make car drivers feel better is idiotic and dangerous!!! I have trucked in states where common sense prevails; instead of truck lane restrictions why not enforce the "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT" laws??? I hope there is such a thing as reincarnation so that the people who think truck lane restrictions are a good idea will have to drive, in perpetuity, an empty truck, capable of maintaining the speed limit, in the right lane behind Grandpaw on vacation doing 20 mph below the speed limit...

The City Fathers (and Mothers) of Zanesville, OH get my vote for "LOTS OF COMMON SENSE"! I-70 is only two lanes through their city. So they post signs that require "Through traffic keep left". Other than bothering the "radar bait" drivers for a few miles, it's definitely a great idea!

[jhlcomp]

All they need is 5 minutes on the autobahn - that will be an instant cure.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Drover

It may be that neither of them are at fault. This is one case where you may have to give the truckers a little bit of slack....

1) On busier interstates, such as those criss-crossing our fine state, truckers have limited opportunities to pass. When they get one, they need to take it, even if that means a few cars have to wait patiently for them to complete the pass.

2) Once in the passing lane, the trucker may not be able to go any faster than he's going. Many semi cabs have an electronically governed top speed both to save fuel and as liability containment for the fleet owner.

3) If you are being passed, you actually have an obligation to maintain your present speed as best as possible for the sake of traffic-flow predictability and management. For trucks in particular, it is best to maintain as consistent a speed as possible to maximize fuel efficiency. Getting back up to speed after slowing down uses a lot of fuel.

I understand, but the truck in the right lane needs to slow down a bit to let the other truck in front (they usually let the other truck know its ok by flashing their brights). Some dont do this, causing the truck in the passing lane to ride at an identical speed for several miles. I have no problems waiting 2 minutes for a truck to pass, but when it takes several miles/minutes, thats when I get pissed.

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I understand, but the truck in the right lane needs to slow down a bit to let the other truck in front (they usually let the other truck know its ok by flashing their brights). Some dont do this, causing the truck in the passing lane to ride at an identical speed for several miles. I have no problems waiting 2 minutes for a truck to pass, but when it takes several miles/minutes, thats when I get pissed.

Steve-o, I understand your frustration, but it's NOT the driver in the slow lane's responsibility to make up for the driver in the left lane's misjudgement. Yes, it'd be nice if the driver being passed would always back off. But with the traffic volumes on the interstates today (especially the two-laned ones) that's just not reality (especially with just-in-time deliveries and low driver wages based on miles driven) While we're at it, I sure hate the clowns that run slow in the right lane then suddenly speed up just enough to keep my 65 mph-goverened truck from getting past them (BOTH car and truck drivers have done this...) And when merging, please let the vehicles that moved over for you come back ahead of you OR swiftly pass them on the right so that they may come back to the right lane. (But that doesn't mean that every car in the right lane should immediately pass the truck on the right just because he couldn't get back over fast enough...)

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

Steve-o, I understand your frustration, but it's NOT the driver in the slow lane's responsibility to make up for the driver in the left lane's misjudgement. Yes, it'd be nice if the driver being passed would always back off. But with the traffic volumes on the interstates today (especially the two-laned ones) that's just not reality (especially with just-in-time deliveries and low driver wages based on miles driven) While we're at it, I sure hate the clowns that run slow in the right lane then suddenly speed up just enough to keep my 65 mph-goverened truck from getting past them (BOTH car and truck drivers have done this...) And when merging, please let the vehicles that moved over for you come back ahead of you OR swiftly pass them on the right so that they may come back to the right lane. (But that doesn't mean that every car in the right lane should immediately pass the truck on the right just because he couldn't get back over fast enough...)

Then why doesnt the passing truck speed the heck up? I understand some are governed and all, but if theyre goverened the truck driver is well aware of that fact, right? Right. And if hes going to pass someone and knows that he'll "top out" during the pass (hit the governer), then he needs to stay in his original lane, ya know? Because if he cant go significantly faster than the truck hes passing, then why pass?!?! Doesnt make any sense....

But youre correct, the trucker in the right lane is not responsible for slowing down. But youd think that they would notice that the passing truck isnt going to pass and slow down a bit to let them in. At least thats what I would do...

[McGowdog]

Here's a classic example of the dangers out there. Some of these things are minor nuisances in the over-all picture of things. (It's also a good point that Crew Chief pointed out about a truck with and without a full load; they accelerate very differently although they look the same)

I was coming back from lunch and ascending the first hill (about a 4% grade). I was in the fast lane and finally had a chance to get back up to the speed limit (75, which my vehicle has no problem doing on this hill) and pass a bunch of vehicles that were starting to decelerate half way up this hill. Then, RV from California (that's what the plate said!) decides to put their blinker on as I was about one car length back and pass this chain of vehicles. I said "no dice" and proceeded when I saw that they were getting over anyway. I had to slow down to 40 now. Meanwhile, this Neon decides to pass the RV on the right, as we decelerate even further. RV decides, I shouldn't have done this and swerves back to the right. I back off while I watch this Neon swerve almost into the gaurd rail and the RV barely noticed what they were doing and luckily swerved back into the fast lane.

I've seen it too many times before. I don't think my pulse got above 80 the whole time.

People, learn your vehicle's limitations, OK.

[momof2dfw]

Not just your own vehicles limitations but PAY ATTENTION TO WHERE OTHER VEHICLES ARE ON THE ROAD! Take the blinders off, turn your head every now and then, look in the rearview mirror and side mirrors. Those types of drivers make me insane.

[Crew Chief]

I suspect that we C-D members are among the last few thinking drivers left in America! I truly believe that all of the in-vehicle distractions available, coupled with our "It's all about ME" attitude as well as a LOT more vehicles crowding the roads, it's just become a mess! Drivers just don't bother to "read" the road; watch what traffic ahead is doing, monitor merging traffic from on ramps and even leaving yourself and others an "out" in case of emergency...sigh. IMHO, you just can't do that properly if you're on the phone, text-messaging, brushing your teeth, watching a video, eating, reading the newspaper, doing sudoku puzzles, wiping the baby's mouth, getting romantic with your sweetie, applying makeup or anything else but DRIVING!

Steve-o, I know that my truck will only do 65 (68 in "fuel economy incentive" mode) so I pass other traffic with that in mind. Most truckers do, too. However, some of the "meat-in-the-seat" drivers some large carriers love hiring know better but don't give a hang about the other drivers around them. Those are the ones that will stay out in the passing lane, even if it takes two counties worth of interstate to pass the other truck.

[zorst]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

IMHO, you just can't do that properly if you're on the phone, text-messaging, brushing your teeth, watching a video, eating, reading the newspaper, doing sudoku puzzles, wiping the baby's mouth, getting romantic with your sweetie, applying makeup or anything else but DRIVING!

Preach it. I see the left lane being used as a "safe" lane to do all the above. If they want to drive the below the speed limit in the left lane I have no problem passing on the right. Check for cops. Check for clear lane changing space, kick down two gears on the motorbike and whack the throttle. I'm then dispatching the left lane hogs (LLH) without a second thought. Sometimes they want to try and keep up. What they those LLH don't realize is I've got another 4000rpm to play with.

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by thebigr

Here in Florida you can get a ticket for it. But then driving in Florida is an experiance!! People from all over the world living here, lot's of differant driving styles.

Yes there are a lot of driving styles. Many bad driving styles I must say.

I hated Pennsylvania and Virginia. It seems that many slower movers stay in the left lane without moving to the side.