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I agree with this article mostly, but moreso when traffic is light. What do we do in big city areas, where the freeway might be 4 lanes in each direction, and all 4 lanes are completely full of cars at busy times such as rush hour? If we left the left lane open and only used for passing, that would be an entire lane mostly wasted that could be carrying a lot more capacity. In reality what we see is all 4 lanes solidly full of cars slowly crawling at whatever rush hour pace at the given time, so there isn't much passing going on in that lane-- but yet it needs to be utilized as another normal lane of traffic to keep the congestion from getting even worse.
I am not a left lane hog and I hate them as much as anyone else- I am just curious how most would look at this situation.
If there is traffic than the left lane can be used along with all of the lanes to hold more traffic. But this is mainly talking about the psycho self appointed traffic cops telling someone how fast they can drive by hogging the left lane when traffic is clear.
No matter, if someone is blocking the left lane I will just fly by them on the right at about 40 mph faster than I would be going if I were to pass them on the left
Excellent article, I wish all states would have stricter laws for the drivers that don't free the left lane on the highway.
Why only the left?
Here in Maine, the law is not "stay out of the left lane unless passing," it is "stay in the right lane unless passing." Theoretically, you could get a ticket for being in the middle lane of a three-lane freeway if you are not overtaking. Massachusetts' law works the same way.
Middle lane hogs do just as much to disrupt traffic flow as left lane hogs. But people aren't taught proper lane etiquette in this country. Even the State of Maine's official Motorist Handbook and Study Guide contradicts the actual law on the subject of lane protocol.
You shouldn't travel in any lane other than the far right, unless you are overtaking, allowing people in from an on-ramp, or turning left. Should be basic knowledge and common courtesy, but courtesy is a thing of the past, I'm afraid.
I agree with this article mostly, but moreso when traffic is light. What do we do in big city areas, where the freeway might be 4 lanes in each direction, and all 4 lanes are completely full of cars at busy times such as rush hour? If we left the left lane open and only used for passing, that would be an entire lane mostly wasted that could be carrying a lot more capacity. In reality what we see is all 4 lanes solidly full of cars slowly crawling at whatever rush hour pace at the given time, so there isn't much passing going on in that lane-- but yet it needs to be utilized as another normal lane of traffic to keep the congestion from getting even worse.
I am not a left lane hog and I hate them as much as anyone else- I am just curious how most would look at this situation.
Maybe use a little common sense in that situation ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tripower455
Reading some of these responses, it's no wonder that driving has become such a miserable experience.
No kidding, it's amazing people can even function day to day...
No matter, if someone is blocking the left lane I will just fly by them on the right at about 40 mph faster than I would be going if I were to pass them on the left
Uhm, are you sure you won't get a speeding ticket when you do that? If you got pulled over by a cop, would you blame the "psycho self appointed traffic cops" who were hogging left lane?
Speed limit vs. left lane restrictions ---- I think these two are somewhat mutually exclusive. Often one has to be violated for the sake of the other.
For example, in a highway of speed limit 65. You are driving at 65 in the right lane. The car in front of you is going at 60. The distance between you and the other car gets shorter and shorter, so you decide to pass by changing to the left lane. While in the left lane, you will probably want to speed up to, say 70 or even 75, to pass the car quickly so that you can change back to the right lane, because of this left lane rule.
Every time when I do this, I am in dilemma---speed limit or left lane rule, which law should I break? Supposedly I could keep my speed the same and still pass and move back to the right lane, but it would take quite a few seconds. During that time period, most drivers in this thread will accuse me of "psycho self appointed traffic cops telling others how fast they drive." I don't want that. Or a cop may pull me over and give me a ticket, particularly when they do a campaign for the left lane law. If I defend myself to the cop or the judge later in the court that I really didn't want to violate the legal speed limit, will the left lane violation ticket be cleared off? I don't know... I am really asking. Does anyone know this?
Be more realistic? Yeah, for a speed limit of 65, everyone's real, average speed is 70 (or even 75, depending on where you are). So, plug in the same thing... Someone in front of you is going at 65, you are going at 70, so you want to pass through left, you probably will want to speed up a bit, to like 75 or even 80. Whenever I do that, I am nervous.
To make it worse, as in real life, you were going 70, the other was going at 65, you change to left and speed up to 75. Alas, the other car speeds up to 70, making you uncomfortable to pass without speeding up even further. You speed up to 80, for the sake of safety (because you really needed to be that fast to pass safely). Also another reason that you want to speed up is, because a few other cars are trailing me. Then, right at the moment you passed, you saw a cop aiming the speed gun at you. Sh***t. Where are all the other cars? F**k. This jerk I was trying to pass originally somehow had seen the cop before me and slowed down before I realized the situation. And other cars trailing me somehow weren't busted. Me? Nice and sweet speeding ticket...
This has happened to me more than once. If it weren't for the left lane law, all this crap wouldn't have happened.
I really don't care for the left lane law. I don't think that is helpful. I wholeheartedly disagree with the article. The article is too simplistic.The law might have become in effect as "necessary evil," but it is not a cure-for-all.
The real evil is... those who don't let others pass them, whether you are on the left or right lane.
Does "slowly" mean at the speed limit, because I refuse to break the law.
I agree. Most people who are in the "passing lane" are exceeding the speed limit by at least 15 mph. The other night I watched an econobox get pulled over by flying in the passing lane. The people with entitlement issues think the left lane is for them to speed and push everyone to the right lane.
I love when I'm driving in the left lane about 7-8 miles above the limit and I have someone next to me in the right lane. People tailgate me and expect me to speed up and get back over in the right...nope. When I can get over I will but I'm not changing my driving habits to please someone else...this is why we have speed limits that APPLY TO ALL
Obviously in bumper to bumper traffic things will change, there is no flow to speak of. Common sense should be used...although I do understand common sense isn't so common...
Once traffic starts flowing and if your in the left, keeping pace with the vehicles to the right, and people are on your A_$$ , you should get the F over. It's simple.
That's the thing, it's NOT "bumper to bumper traffic" and people are still doing 60mph and cars are within a few feet of each other.
Tell me people shouldn't be in the left lane here - that all cars should be in the middle and right lanes only. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIxjuN3Awrg#t=104 (scan from 1:00-9:00 range - this is common congestion)
Are your highways like that? Tell me people here should always follow the 2-second rule at 60mph which is 176 feet between cars or 10+ car lengths after watching that vid. Those rules should not apply everywhere so it's not "simple".
I agree. Most people who are in the "passing lane" are exceeding the speed limit by at least 15 mph. The other night I watched an econobox get pulled over by flying in the passing lane. The people with entitlement issues think the left lane is for them to speed and push everyone to the right lane.
I love when I'm driving in the left lane about 7-8 miles above the limit and I have someone next to me in the right lane. People tailgate me and expect me to speed up and get back over in the right...nope. When I can get over I will but I'm not changing my driving habits to please someone else...this is why we have speed limits that APPLY TO ALL
Funny thing is...by being a rolling road block you are breaking the law just like the "speeders" are. Now I understand if you are going 7-8 mph over the limit and the vehicle to your right is going 5-6 mph over the limit...it will take time for you to over take him. But if you just stay next to him because you refuse to go any faster well ...there are many names for you.
Funny thing is...by being a rolling road block you are breaking the law just like the "speeders" are. Now I understand if you are going 7-8 mph over the limit and the vehicle to your right is going 5-6 mph over the limit...it will take time for you to over take him. But if you just stay next to him because you refuse to go any faster well ...there are many names for you.
Well, I'm glad to see someone acknowledging that the speeders are just as guilty as those who drive in the left lane when a speeder desperately wants to get past them.
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