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If folks would stay out of the left lane (except when passing), then there would be no reason for weaving. That is 90% of what causes the unsafe behavior and congestion. Unfortunately, most folks do not follow this simple concept. I usually see someone in the left lane (most often on the phone) pacing the person directly next to them, instead of just passing them and moving over immediately.
Remember folks, KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS no matter how fast you are going. Just because you are doing over the limit does not give you an invitation to STAY in the left lane indefinitely. Get your ass over!
That's not always the case, especially on Interstates outside the metro. Many, many is the time that I've been on I-85 to Charlotte or I-20 to Columbia, and have been in the left lane and going safely with the flow of traffic in the left lane at 70 or 75 mph (in a 60, 65, or 70 mph zone), passing the slower traffic on the right, and inevitably there is someone who feels the need to jump into the right lane and squeeze back over into the left lane a couple of cars ahead, usually almost causing an accident and then slowing down the lane as everyone else slams on their brakes.
If you are going faster than people in the middle or right lane, then you are using the left lane as intended. When you can safely get back over to the right, you should do it, and I always do.
If folks would stay out of the left lane (except when passing), then there would be no reason for weaving. That is 90% of what causes the unsafe behavior and congestion. Unfortunately, most folks do not follow this simple concept. I usually see someone in the left lane (most often on the phone) pacing the person directly next to them, instead of just passing them and moving over immediately.
Remember folks, KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS no matter how fast you are going. Just because you are doing over the limit does not give you an invitation to STAY in the left lane indefinitely. Get your ass over!
You know what I don't understand about this attitude? Our freeways have four, five or more lanes in each direction. Unless there's another car in the way, what the hell keeps the speeder from being the one to change lanes? If I feel that the guy in front of me is going too slow, and there's an opportunity to get around him, I do so. Pure and simple. He's in front of me, he's got right-of-way over me, period. The only time I think this is a problem is when he's creating a block with other cars beside him.
I have had people tailgate me in the middle lane for approximately half a minute on 75, 285, etc. when I'm doing 65-70 in a 55 zone. That's simply inexcusable on their part. You don't like my speed? Fine. YOU move YOUR car over. I'm under zero obligation to yield right-of-way to your highness.
I'm sorry but the left lane is not reserved for speed-a-holics. Like you said, it's (in a perfect world) a passing lane and if someone going 75mph isn't allowed to stay there then someone going 85mph isn't allowed to either.
On the flip side, say someone going 80-85mph (well above the speed limit) while in the left lane was approached from behind by someone doing 90 or more. Who's at fault there?
It's easy to blame everyone else to justify your own behavior. It's not so easy to say "hey maybe I'm wrong here and should just slow down like everyone else."
I've almost been sideswiped by idiots doing 85 or 90 in a 70 mph zone (and no I wasn't in the left lane).
I know this isn't quite the situation laid out... I just had to voice one my pet peeves!
I hate people who are clearly getting upset at you for being in a middle or middle-left lane. They are tailing you and clearly want to go faster... but here is the thing...
I'm actually slowly passing the cars to lane to my right one at a time... only people aren't noticing that I am in fact a passing car.
Just because I'm not going the speed everyone wants to go... does not make me a lane hog. I get sick of the amount of impatient people creating dangerous situations. The act of tailing people at 65+ mph is probably much more dangerous than speeding itself, but I see it way too much.
I know this isn't quite the situation laid out... I just had to voice one my pet peeves!
I hate people who are clearly getting upset at you for being in a middle or middle-left lane. They are tailing you and clearly want to go faster... but here is the thing...
I'm actually slowly passing the cars to lane to my right one at a time... only people aren't noticing that I am in fact a passing car.
Just because I'm not going the speed everyone wants to go... does not make me a lane hog. I get sick of the amount of impatient people creating dangerous situations. The act of tailing people at 65+ mph is probably much more dangerous than speeding itself, but I see it way too much.
The only thing worse than that is when they flash their brights at you!
I've been tempted on more than one occasion to let them get in front of me so I can tailgate them and keep my brights on.
I know this isn't quite the situation laid out... I just had to voice one my pet peeves!
I hate people who are clearly getting upset at you for being in a middle or middle-left lane. They are tailing you and clearly want to go faster... but here is the thing...
I'm actually slowly passing the cars to lane to my right one at a time... only people aren't noticing that I am in fact a passing car.
Just because I'm not going the speed everyone wants to go... does not make me a lane hog. I get sick of the amount of impatient people creating dangerous situations. The act of tailing people at 65+ mph is probably much more dangerous than speeding itself, but I see it way too much.
I have been in this EXACT situation before. It's too bad if someone wants to get mad at me for being a responsible driver. You know what? They can just wait their sorry impatient self for me to complete my maneuver and THEN go on their merry way.
That being said, however, once the maneuver is complete, I'll shift back to the right when it is safe to do so. But if the guy is being a jerk and riding my tail, I may change lanes very gently...
just move out of my....err...THEIR..way (just kidding )
seriously, i dont really mind letting some jackwagon get past me. then I can speed up a bit and let him get the ticket. win / win
A few weeks ago I was heading north on I-75 on south side, right before Cleveland Ave. The nice biker cop usually sits there on the inside shoulder from 3pm-6pm weekdays shooting the north bound traffic coming into ATL. I made a somewhat lethargic pass (65 mph) because I knew damn well what was proabably waiting around that corner before the Cleveland Ave ramp. Sure enough, angry a-hole appears 1" off my bumper, flashing lights, making hand gestures.
OUT OF KINDNESS, I stayed in left lane and gave her the whirly sign followed by the bow down sign, which means cop ahead, slow the F down. Instead, she raced around me on the right side, flicked me the bird, and drove right into the laser scope of johnny law and his black plastic knee high motorcycle boots. Must of been going 85-90 in 55. super speeder on top of $400, bad day for her...
You know what I don't understand about this attitude? Our freeways have four, five or more lanes in each direction. Unless there's another car in the way, what the hell keeps the speeder from being the one to change lanes? If I feel that the guy in front of me is going too slow, and there's an opportunity to get around him, I do so. Pure and simple. He's in front of me, he's got right-of-way over me, period. The only time I think this is a problem is when he's creating a block with other cars beside him.
I have had people tailgate me in the middle lane for approximately half a minute on 75, 285, etc. when I'm doing 65-70 in a 55 zone. That's simply inexcusable on their part. You don't like my speed? Fine. YOU move YOUR car over. I'm under zero obligation to yield right-of-way to your highness.
People should not have to pass you on the right if you are in the far left lane. PERIOD. If there is an opening for someone to pass you on the right, chances are you should currently be in the right lane yourself. I cannot be any more clear: THE FAR LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING ONLY.
If you ARE passing and someone is behind you, then they just need to be patient until you quickly complete your pass. When you complete your pass, you should IMMEDIATELY move over to the right lane next to you and let them pass. That is proper road etiquette and is the LAW in many places in the United States and abroad. FYI, you can actually be cited for impeding traffic even if you are doing over the limit. The problem is that this law is rarely enforced.
So remember folks............KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS.
People should not have to pass you on the right if you are in the far left lane. PERIOD. If there is an opening for someone to pass you on the right, chances are you should currently be in the right lane yourself. I cannot be any more clear: THE FAR LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING ONLY.
If you ARE passing and someone is behind you, then they just need to be patient until you quickly complete your pass. When you complete your pass, you should IMMEDIATELY move over to the right lane next to you and let them pass. That is proper road etiquette and is the LAW in many places in the United States and abroad. FYI, you can actually be cited for impeding traffic even if you are doing over the limit. The problem is that this law is rarely enforced.
So remember folks............KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS.
I don't disagree with you that the left lane is for passing. However, I do take some exception to the inference that the reason idiots are trying to race up the right lane (or a lane to the right of the left lane on a multi-lane road) is that it's all the fault of some slow poke in the passing lane who won't get over.
Many times when I'm outside of Atlanta, when I'm heading to Charlotte or other nearby location, some people just want to drive 10 or 20 mph faster than the going rate of traffic. If there are trucks in the right lane and a line of cars in the left lane PASSING them, then it is completely improper for some jerk to pull out of the left lane into the right lane, and then pass one or two cars on the right before cramming back into the left lane.
Every time I see someone do it, and it happens often, I just don't get the thought process going through their head. They are now one or two cars ahead but nearly killed themselves and others in the process, and often end up getting trapped in the right lane and far behind where they were had they just rode at a constant speed with traffic.
Not saying I have never seen it in other parts of the US, but it's epidemic in the south. On a trip to Charlotte from Atlanta up I-85, it probably happens 20 times in a 4 hour trip. It happens on I-285, though not as much, since with multiple lanes, people just do the crossing 5 lanes routine as they go from far left to far right lane, cutting off numerous vehicles in the process and doing 20 mph faster than others on the road.
People should not have to pass you on the right if you are in the far left lane. PERIOD. If there is an opening for someone to pass you on the right, chances are you should currently be in the right lane yourself. I cannot be any more clear: THE FAR LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING ONLY.
If you ARE passing and someone is behind you, then they just need to be patient until you quickly complete your pass. When you complete your pass, you should IMMEDIATELY move over to the right lane next to you and let them pass. That is proper road etiquette and is the LAW in many places in the United States and abroad. FYI, you can actually be cited for impeding traffic even if you are doing over the limit. The problem is that this law is rarely enforced.
So remember folks............KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS.
Well if you're going to cite the law, then you shouldn't exceed the speed limit of 55, even in the left lane. Furthermore, there is a provision that says you can't go slow in the left lane, BUT it just says you can't go under the speed limit. So technically, I could get out there on 285 and set the cruise on 55. No way in hell I'm actually gonna do that, however...
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