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It would be useful, I'd think, to stop calling the left lane the "fast lane" - since by legal definition slower traffic is traffic that is driving below the speed limit and fast traffic is traffic that is driving at the speed limit, and calling the left lane the "fast lane" tends to give some selfish and entitled people the idea that the speed limit doesn't apply in that lane, or at least doesn't apply to them.
^ Thank you for responding to that post... I wanted to but I was afraid I wouldn't be tactful. Your response is perfect.
Yes, to the people who think that they are doing the right thing by driving the speed limit, being good little boy scouts and brownie girls... Please do so from the right-most lanes.
I'm sure most of us have seen this sign before, which does in fact imply that the left lane is the fast lane:
But no onje can legally drive above the speed limit which is why they are given fines and in time have license taken away. That slower means less than speed limit.
Let's not tangle up semantics. The left lane is not technically the fast lane. However, the farthest left lane on any multi-lane, general purpose road in America is for PASSING ONLY, unless otherwise marked.
If you are in the left lane and you are not currently in the act of passing someone, (going at least 5-10 miles faster than them to do so) you are breaking the law. GET OUT. This goes for the person going the speed limit and the person going 30 miles over the speed limit. No Exceptions. This isn't the INDY 500 and you are not the pace car.
There are more than enough law enforcement personal dedicated to controlling the flow and speed of traffic. They don't need your help.
Let's not tangle up semantics. The left lane is not technically the fast lane. However, the farthest left lane on any multi-lane, general purpose road in America is for PASSING ONLY, unless otherwise marked.
If you are in the left lane and you are not currently in the act of passing someone, (going at least 5-10 miles faster than them to do so) you are breaking the law. GET OUT. This goes for the person going the speed limit and the person going 30 miles over the speed limit. No Exceptions. This isn't the INDY 500 and you are not the pace car.
There are more than enough law enforcement personal dedicated to controlling the flow and speed of traffic. They don't need your help.
This is not enforced at all where I live, sadly. I can only dream of the day that I would EVER see a cop enforce the "passing lane" law here.
Much of the traffic congestion I experience each week is caused by the people who park themselves in the far left lane and drive the exact speed limit (or even slightly below it), regardless of how many people are backed up behind them, and regardless if the folks in the right lane are going faster than them.
Once you get past them (usually in the right lane), you look back and see what appears to be a huge traffic jam, when in fact its only some oblivious fool holding everyone in the left lane back, and 9 times out of 10 they are driving a Subaru wagon.
Some folks go through an amazing personality transformation when they get into their vehicle.
I wouldn't say an amazing transformation but, I do notice the difference in my own attitude when driving my mustang GT 5.0 vs driving my 2001 4 cylinder Honda accord sedan. The Honda is seriously down on power and seems like everybody know it's a 4cyl. I bought it as a second car and I know it wasn't meant to thrill but it was a good deal. Also the amazing thing is how other drivers treat you is like night and day. The Honda just don't like being pushed whereas the 5.0 is begging you to push it harder and harder and it loves it. People blow by me all time in the Honda and nothing I can do about it except move the heck out of the way, lol.
I had one fellow wave a monkey wrench at me one time as I passed him on the causeway between St. Petersburg and Tampa. I do not know what was up as I had paid no notice to him until passing and noticing his threatening gestures. Fortunately, I had much more powa under the hood and he had a hooptie and so just left him way, way behind to threaten someone else.
Drive softly and have loads of mid-range and top-end power on tap are motoring words to live by.
I like to take off quickly as my old Chrysler is pretty torquey. Once I get up to about 4 or 5 over, I settle in there and try to get back into the right lane and let the chips fall where they may.
I get miffed when that dork in the 4wd Cummins crew cab dually with the mufflerless stack coming out of the truck bed and the pink testicles hanging from the two-inch trailer hitch passes me and exceeds the speed limit for a bit just to jockey position to be ahead of everybody in the left lane at the next light, but will convoy with a slow vehicle on the right to keep anyone else from getting by in the fast lane.
If they'd just pass you and go faster, this thread wouldn't be here. Some folks are just into control.
Then there's the folks who want to follow the fastest vehicle, but won't pass, but love to tailgate.
Then there's the Hyundai and Prius drivers who think they're road warriors. These are usually 40ish white males.
I don't care about any of these different drivers so much so long as they don't tailgate me. I also don't care much for folks who shoot into the gap in front of you because you aren't tailgating the car in front of you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KittenSparkles
Once you get past them (usually in the right lane), you look back and see what appears to be a huge traffic jam, when in fact its only some oblivious fool holding everyone in the left lane back, and 9 times out of 10 they are driving a Subaru wagon.
Well you know what SUBARU stands for, right? Substantially underpowered, but always runs uphill.
Let's not tangle up semantics. The left lane is not technically the fast lane. However, the farthest left lane on any multi-lane, general purpose road in America is for PASSING ONLY, unless otherwise marked.
The keep right rule doesn't mean "stay out of the left lane except to pass," it means "stay in the right lane, except to pass."
Two lanes, or two hundred lanes, there's only one travel lane: the right-most lane. Every other lane is for passing, unless marked otherwise.
Every state should model its keep right law after Massachusetts'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Massachusetts General Laws, Title XIV, Chapter 89, Section 4B
Upon all ways the driver of a vehicle shall drive in the lane nearest the right side of the way when such lane is available for travel, except when overtaking another vehicle or when preparing for a left turn.
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people who get mad when you pass them
