If you're in the left lane on the highway, and you get passed on the right... (military, legal)

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Originally Posted by merc11ty

I've been a Texas all my life.

That's just retarded.

dont you think that complaining about the obvious is...

[SnappyBob]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

Actually, the bottom line is that in Texas, the law says you have to keep to the right unless passing. Those who think they are enforcing the law by doing the speed limit in the left lane are actually breaking the law themselves.

It used to be a Texas tradition to move over onto the shoulder to let faster vehicles pass, but it seems to be fading away; kinda like the wave you used to get when you passed another vehicle in rural Texas...those were much nicer days!

Are we talking about in city freeway driving or outside of city highway driving or all roads? On freeways the left lane is just another lane and subject to the same laws as all other lanes unless otherwise posted. On highways you can drive in the left lane (in oncoming traffic) briefly to pass as long as the yellow line is not in your lane.

[nrlatsha]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

Are we talking about in city freeway driving or outside of city highway driving or all roads? On freeways the left lane is just another lane and subject to the same laws as all other lanes unless otherwise posted. On highways you can drive in the left lane (in oncoming traffic) briefly to pass as long as the yellow line is not in your lane.

Uh oh, another motorist that forgot his drivers handbook... Get a couple of buckets of water handy, you're going to need it to put out the flames.

[SnappyBob]

Originally Posted by nrlatsha

Uh oh, another motorist that forgot his drivers handbook... Get a couple of buckets of water handy, you're going to need it to put out the flames.

Speaking of Drivers Handbooks, why don't you send an email to the folks that wrote it. The Texas Department of Public Safety. I did. I asked them if use of the left lane on Texas Freeways was restricted to only passing people in the right lane or was it just where posted. "Left Lane For Passing Only". Their response was 'Only Where Posted'. 'Exceeding the speed limit is never allowed, even when passing'. If you don't believe me call them, write them, email them or drive to Austin ask them personally but don't just quote or copy and paste laws that have nothing to do with the subject at hand. We have been over this many times here and wishful thinking does not make it so. The left lane on the freeway, unless otherwise posted is not a passing lane it's just the left lane on that side of the freeway.

Flames!! I don't care about no stink'in flames. I got more blisters than a bullfrog.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

Are we talking about in city freeway driving or outside of city highway driving or all roads? On freeways the left lane is just another lane and subject to the same laws as all other lanes unless otherwise posted. On highways you can drive in the left lane (in oncoming traffic) briefly to pass as long as the yellow line is not in your lane.

The law, which I've posted on here before, states that on a multi-lane road, motorists must keep to the right unless passing. It is simple and clear; and heavily violated; much like the required use of turn signals when switching lanes.

The saddest part of all is when I used to come to San Antonio in the early 1990s, it was a dream to drive here (especially since I was traveling from the Washington-Baltimore area). People were courteous, signaled their lane changes, moved over to let other merge onto the freeways...it was almost like driving in Europe! Unfortunately, things have gotten worse there as well; but it still isn't as bad as here!

On my way to Bullis yesterday, I witnesses a red Trans Am on 1604 passing people on the right. Not the right lane, the right shoulder! I don't know what the jerk's rush was, but in the short duration that I saw all this he came close to causing an accident or killing someone several times. Luckily, in my slow Jeep, he was long gone in a short time; but I kept expecting to come across the carnage of his driving somewhere up the road...

Cheers! M2

[majormadmax]

OK, here's the code:

Sec. 545.051. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY. (a) An operator on a roadway of sufficient width shall drive on the right half of the roadway, unless:

(1) the operator is passing another vehicle;

(2) an obstruction necessitates moving the vehicle left of the center of the roadway and the operator yields the right-of-way to a vehicle that:

(A) is moving in the proper direction on the unobstructed portion of the roadway; and

(B) is an immediate hazard;

(3) the operator is on a roadway divided into three marked lanes for traffic; or

(4) the operator is on a roadway restricted to one-way traffic.

(b) An operator of a vehicle on a roadway moving more slowly than the normal speed of other vehicles at the time and place under the existing conditions shall drive in the right-hand lane available for vehicles, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, unless the operator is:

(1) passing another vehicle; or

(2) preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

(c) An operator on a roadway having four or more lanes for moving vehicles and providing for two-way movement of vehicles may not drive left of the center line of the roadway except:

(1) as authorized by an official traffic-control device designating a specified lane to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by a vehicle not otherwise permitted to use the lane;

(2) under the conditions described by Subsection (a)(2); or

(3) in crossing the center line to make a left turn into or out of an alley, private road, or driveway.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

And here is the one that requires drivers to return to the right after passing...

Sec. 545.053. PASSING TO THE LEFT; RETURN; BEING PASSED. (a) An operator passing another vehicle:

(1) shall pass to the left of the other vehicle at a safe distance; and

(2) may not move back to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the passed vehicle.

(b) An operator being passed by another vehicle:

(1) shall, on audible signal, move or remain to the right in favor of the passing vehicle; and

(2) may not accelerate until completely passed by the passing vehicle.

(c) Subsection (b) does not apply when passing to the right is permitted.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

That entire section (TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, TITLE 7. VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, SUBTITLE C. RULES OF THE ROAD, CHAPTER 545. OPERATION AND MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES, SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS) clearly outlines the rules of the road, the ones most people around here are clueless about...

Cheers! M2

[nrlatsha]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

Speaking of Drivers Handbooks, why don't you send an email to the folks that wrote it. The Texas Department of Public Safety. I did. I asked them if use of the left lane on Texas Freeways was restricted to only passing people in the right lane or was it just where posted. "Left Lane For Passing Only". Their response was 'Only Where Posted'. 'Exceeding the speed limit is never allowed, even when passing'. If you don't believe me call them, write them, email them or drive to Austin ask them personally but don't just quote or copy and paste laws that have nothing to do with the subject at hand. We have been over this many times here and wishful thinking does not make it so. The left lane on the freeway, unless otherwise posted is not a passing lane it's just the left lane on that side of the freeway.

Flames!! I don't care about no stink'in flames. I got more blisters than a bullfrog.

It sounds like the question you asked them was already loaded for the answer you wanted to get. You stated you asked about what the lane was for, but they responded with a statement about how speeding is against the law.

Methinks you left a little bit of info out regarding what your actual question was to the DPS, perhaps fishing for the answer you wanted to get.

If I remember correctly, an email stating you didn't have to follow the law from an intern at DPS doesn't hold up in court. I could be wrong, but I'm not.

How does a bullfrog get blisters? I can't even begin to imagine what they have to create that much friction for that long a time period....

[nrlatsha]

As you can probably tell, MMM posts that so much, he probably has a web bot scheduled to post it every 18 seconds on the City Data:Texas forums.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by nrlatsha

As you can probably tell, MMM posts that so much, he probably has a web bot scheduled to post it every 18 seconds on the City Data:Texas forums.

Hey now! And if you think I'm bad, check out the states for my buddy rd2007!

Cheers! M2

[nrlatsha]

Problem is, you're not bad, it's the 99.6745% that don't know or understand the law and claim the left lane is a "regular lane."

It's laughable.