Seattle Area Remedial Left Lane Slow Driver School. (Tacoma: rental car, rental)

[GraceKrispy]

I think part of the issue is that some people have a very liberal idea about what "passing others" means. Many people stay in the left lane to pass someone who is really far up there, while blocking others who could have moved past the car in the left already. "Actively" passing someone is very different from "I'm going to pass that car in another mile or two or three...." which is what a lot of people seem to do. That causes others to pass the on the right and confuse everything.

"Human sacrifice, dogs and cats- living together, mass hysteria!" Bonus points if you know that quote. Extra bonus points if you can quote the whole movie.

[dozerbear]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

As long as there are still cars to my right and I am still passing them, I don't need to move back to the right, if that means I must slow down to merge in there.

I am assuming normal I-5 traffic, where there is a steady stream of cars.


Am I supposed to slow down and merge into heavier traffic just because someone else wants to drive faster than me? That's where I say no.

And I was assuming I-90/ US-2/I-82 where there isn't usually a steady stream of cars, and still plenty of left lane campers.

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

I think part of the issue is that some people have a very liberal idea about what "passing others" means. Many people stay in the left lane to pass someone who is really far up there, while blocking others who could have moved past the car in the left already. "Actively" passing someone is very different from "I'm going to pass that car in another mile or two or three...." which is what a lot of people seem to do. That causes others to pass the on the right and confuse everything.

"Human sacrifice, dogs and cats- living together, mass hysteria!" Bonus points if you know that quote. Extra bonus points if you can quote the whole movie.

This. Another good one is those who tie up the left lane by going about half a mile an hour faster than the vehicle they are passing, seemingly oblivious to the line of cars piling up behind them.

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by dozerbear

And I was assuming I-90/ US-2/I-82 where there isn't usually a steady stream of cars, and still plenty of left lane campers.



This. Another good one is those who tie up the left lane by going about half a mile an hour faster than the vehicle they are passing, seemingly oblivious to the line of cars piling up behind them.

This is exactly what I tried to explain to the poster who got offended on the previous page.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

To be clear, I'm talking about people who camp in the left lane at about 50mph. I see them, everyday.

Some of the lane campers could be a passive-aggressive reaction to the tailgaters. Some simply take a sadistic pleasure in holding others up. Others are just oblivious kings-of-the-road. I doubt it is particularly unique to Seattle, although our constrained lane choices might make it more noticeable. You're not likely to change them, so the best thing is probably to just pass them on the right when a space opens up.

[mayfair]

Another big one is a truck trying to pass another truck at 61 mph and then the truck in the right lane speeds up. Sometimes this results in a three lane wide truck wall.

[Flightoficarus87]

The rules of the road are inverted here - get ready to be tailgated like crazy when going the speed limit/5 over in the right lane, and watch out for left lane campers going 10 under in the far left lane when you need to pass someone...

[pnwguy2]

Some do it out of ignorance, some do it on purpose because they don't like newcomers coming in with their speeding habits. Both are unacceptable, but the latter is completely unacceptable and results in road rage. Police need to ticket these slowpokes. But that won't ever happen with the police/patrol too busy with bigger issues.

[sll3454]

Driving across the country, I have seen how well it works when people keep the left lane for passing. I have also been frustrated to wait behind a truck that is going 56 mph to pass the slower truck going 54 mph. But in densely-populated areas, it doesn't work so well.



Let's say there are three lanes. The speed limit, 65, is irrelevant. None of the lanes is about to be forced off, so that also is irrelevant. (Those the lane thing is sometimes a factor, I'll leave it out.)



Traffic is flowing at about 50 mph in all three lanes. Should those in the left lane move over and fill the other lanes fuller, so that the two right lanes must slow down, in order to free up the left lane for those who want to go 70? OK, that'd be great, except that about 80% of the people want to go 70. So a bunch of people who wish they could go 70 must move to the right and go 40, or 35, and force those other people in the right lanes to go 40 or 35 (instead of 50), so that Mr. Anti-camper-crusader can go 75. Who decides which of us must get out of the way, so that others of us might have an open lane?


Once the freeways get pretty full, even if they are flowing, the "stay-right" laws can't possibly be applied. And around Seattle, that's most of the time. Even in Skagit County, there are too many cars most of the time.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by sll3454

Traffic is flowing at about 50 mph in all three lanes. Should those in the left lane move over and fill the other lanes fuller, so that the two right lanes must slow down, in order to free up the left lane for those who want to go 70? OK, that'd be great, except that about 80% of the people want to go 70. So a bunch of people who wish they could go 70 must move to the right and go 40, or 35, and force those other people in the right lanes to go 40 or 35 (instead of 50), so that Mr. Anti-camper-crusader can go 75. Who decides which of us must get out of the way, so that others of us might have an open lane?

Once the freeways get pretty full, even if they are flowing, the "stay-right" laws can't possibly be applied. And around Seattle, that's most of the time. Even in Skagit County, there are too many cars most of the time.

This is it. This is what actually happens.

[TinaTwo]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

No guys. I'm talking about when traffic is flowing well, like one hour ago when I was driving from Edmonds toward Seattle on I-5. There were 2 people (at various times) going about 50 mph in the left lane. Please don't try to justify that or tell me that's normal. It's not.

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

No Diana, not freeway clear, just flowing pretty well. You guys are funny. I do absolutely enjoy this journey in life and on the road . Missing the point though, no slow in left lane. Bad, not good.

I agree with you. Get out of the way. Even if they are speeding it’s not the slow pokes job to police and monitor
people. These slower passive aggressive drivers cause more accidents and backups because they impede the flow of traffic. I’m constantly having to pass people in the middle or far right lane and move back again.

I particularly appreciate the ones who speed up then as you’re trying to pass them. Suddenly they find the accelerator and they will do whatever it takes to keep you from getting around them.