The left lane is the passing lane. (live, law)

[txtqueen]

In the last two days I have driven through Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and now I'm about to go through DC and NYC.

So far Tennessee has been the worst at people just moseying in the left lane, blocking traffic.
Now I'm not just some tourist who drove thru, I left from TN. I live there.

Why?
Why do people just ride in the passing lane?
Why doesn't anyone ever speed up and get over when someone comes up behind them?
I've lived and travelled all over the U.S. I've seen other places, how people drive etc.

Seriously what's up with the left lane misuse??

[An Einnseanair]

TN has adopted the Uniform Traffic Code into state law, and the UTC specifies that anyone traveling "slower than the flow of traffic" should move right to allow faster traffic to pass. This means that even if you are driving faster than the speed limit you should move over if someone else is driving faster and comes up behind you.

Unfortunately, there is no penalty for violating this law, and there is no "keep right unless passing" law like in some other states. So people ignore it.

Incidentally, it is legal to pass on the right on multi-lane roads in TN, so it really doesn't matter. I used to get aggravated by left-lane-sitters, but now I just pass on the right and go on with my trip.

[Normashirley]

Being from the OH/PA border, I probably find that left lane quirk more annoying than the OP.

Somebody once facetiously commented those drivers have to make a left turn five miles up the 4-lane and they don't want to miss the turn

Many Folks down here don't see the need for turn signals, either. Let's just ram on the brakes for that right turn, without a signal.

Maybe that new car behind us will hit us and we can sue them

[MetropolitanTN]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

Incidentally, it is legal to pass on the right on multi-lane roads in TN, so it really doesn't matter. I used to get aggravated by left-lane-sitters, but now I just pass on the right and go on with my trip.

Exactly. I just pass on the right without a second thought just like I pass on the left. No big deal.

[Normashirley]

Originally Posted by MetropolitanTN

Exactly. I just pass on the right without a second thought just like I pass on the left. No big deal.

People should not be Puztin' along In the passing lane and some of them will not take the hint to get over when faster vehicles come up behind them. I want to push them off the road when I'm pulling my stock trailer, I can imagine how a semi driver must feel.

As far as it being legal to pass on the right, all well and good for, as long as that doesn't mean using the shoulder as a passing lane. I have also seen that more times than I care to count

[elliotgb]

I call them Left Lane Losers and the title is continental.
Every state has them.

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by Normashirley

People should not be Puztin' along In the passing lane and some of them will not take the hint to get over when faster vehicles come up behind them. I want to push them off the road when I'm pulling my stock trailer, I can imagine how a semi driver must feel.

As far as it being legal to pass on the right, all well and good for, as long as that doesn't mean using the shoulder as a passing lane. I have also seen that more times than I care to count

I normally stay in the right lane in rural areas unless passing, or unless driving sections of various Alabama interstates where the right lane has been beaten into a washboard. You have to be more flexible with left-lane rules in urban areas with frequent merging traffic and left-lane exits.

If I am in the left lane and see someone coming up behind be, then I will try to immediately move over. If I am passing someone I will try to move over as soon as I'm clear. My dad was a truck driver and taught me the rules of the road.

HOWEVER, if I am in legitimately in the left lane while passing someone and some aggressive obliviot pulls up behind me and stupidly sits few feet off my tailgate while both of us are driving 75mph, I will slow down and stay in the left lane as long as possible. This is especially true if I'm passing a long line of slower cars. "Pushing" me doesn't work. I won't tap the breaks or try to cause a wreck, I'll just stay there. I might even wave and smile pleasantly in my mirror (no, not the one-finger wave). If you hit me, it's 100% your fault; I'll call 911 and continue driving to a safe place so I won't have to worry about your uncontrollable road rage. If you are a commercial driver you will probably get fired because of it. Back off.

I believe passing on the shoulder is illegal in every state. Passing on the right in a merge lane is questionable.

[txtqueen]

Originally Posted by MetropolitanTN

Exactly. I just pass on the right without a second thought just like I pass on the left. No big deal.

Except when you can't pass there either because no one knows how to drive.
Passing on the right is stupid. Everywhere I've driven discourages passing on the right.
From the time I started driving I was taught and drove in areas where bring a left lane loser was frowned upon if not against the rules of the road.

Leaving Tennessee the other day we got stuck behind at least 6 morons blocking the left lane and riding almost parallel with the cars next to them. I haven't encountered that once out on the road.

[DubbleT]

How fast are you going that this happens enough to be a problem? Are you using the left lane to get around drivers already going over the speed limit? Typically I see far too many people who want to do 80+mph in the left lane in order to get around the folks doing 60 or 70 in a 55mph zone. It's stupid.
Going over the speed limit in the left lane is for legitimate passing only, not for using it as your personal lane to get by all the 'slowpokes' actually obeying the law and going the posted speed.
If I'm in the left lane going 10mph over while passing a line of 18 wheelers and you zip up behind me and ride my tail because you want to go 20 over I am not dropping my speed and pulling into that line of trucks just so you can get by me.

[txtqueen]

Originally Posted by DubbleT

How fast are you going that this happens enough to be a problem? Are you using the left lane to get around drivers already going over the speed limit? Typically I see far too many people who want to do 80+mph in the left lane in order to get around the folks doing 60 or 70 in a 55mph zone. It's stupid.
Going over the speed limit in the left lane is for legitimate passing only, not for using it as your personal lane to get by all the 'slowpokes' actually obeying the law and going the posted speed.
If I'm in the left lane going 10mph over while passing a line of 18 wheelers and you zip up behind me and ride my tail because you want to go 20 over I am not dropping my speed and pulling into that line of trucks just so you can get by me.

No it's the dbags who are doing exactly the speed limit, riding parallel with the car in the right lane.
It's the people who aren't using the lane to pass but to ride in making both lanes blocked.

It happens very very often in my area. It's awful driving through Nashville and its surrounding areas. Even the drivers in California are better.