Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've found the Midwest to be far more respectful about this than California. Trucks here routinely hog the left lane at ~60mph (on a 70mph Interstate.) I remember one time in Michigan some dude was hogging the left lane and another car pulled up in front of him and put on his blinkers to make his point until the offending car moved to the right.
After living here in CA for 2 years I've come to the conclusion proper driving is not taught here in Driver's ed. They are better than TX in overall driving....but the left lane memo obviously didn't filter down to CA
Another reason to change lanes instead of just cruising the left lane is to help ward off highway hypnosis. If you stay busy checking mirrors and changing lanes you are staying more alert about your surroundings instead of zoning in on just what's in front and simultaneously zoning out
By that reasoning then someone putzing along in the right lane should occasionally move into the left lane, even if not to pass? Unless hypnosis only affects left lanes for some reason.
Oh you guys were talking about doing the speedlimit in the left lane or speeding in the left lane. Many times we can not even get to speed in any lane.
Oh you guys were talking about doing the speedlimit in the left lane or speeding in the left lane. Many times we can not even get to speed in any lane.
while it is true in LA and here in Oxnard during busy hours, I drove to San Jose for Thanksgiving (and many other places over my time here) once out of the city, people here still do not obey the (unwritten law here I presume, as if it is law no one is following it) 'left lane is for passing right is for driving' standard.
It's really frustrating and for sure leads to pack driving. I had an anxiety ridden drive home that is for sure, the drive there was just super annoying with packs and lots of people blocking the flow with people hanging out in the left lane.
One peculiarity about this rule I'm a bit confused about..
Are you supposed to move to the right every time there's a faster car approaching you from behind or if you are moving slower than the overall flow of traffic in your lane?
In the latter case, I always move to the right when it becomes obvious.
However, I may not always move to the right if the occasional car approaches me from behind at a speed much higher than the car ahead. Let's say your lane is moving at 60mph and a car is rapidly approaching you from behind at 80 mph. In that case, I will just keep up with the flow of traffic in my own lane rather than moving right.
Here in NJ its the LAW. You can be ticketed for cruising in the left lane. This past summer there was a big push to let people know about it. It was all over on a ton of Billboards and cops were giving out a ton of warnings. A cop will follow far behind and watch you. If you were not actively passing other cars or the middle or right lanes were empty, they would pull you over to have a talk. Unmarked cars would also tailgate you, if you did not move over to let them pass, you get pulled over.
I drive 100+ miles a day and see it all the time.
Having said that, I am usually travelling 10-15mph faster than traffic so I am usually in the left lane anyway. If I constantly moved back to the middle or right lane I would have to move left to pass again shortly after. So, I tend to simply stay in the left lane. As long as the road ahead of me is clear, I don't care what lane I'm in.
probably the single biggest cause of road rage.... I've been living in California and found this to be all to common...even dated a real left lane hog who copped to feeling this way....the relationship was new and I didn't have the heart to tell him he was an idiot driver who probably didn't get out much.
but it was duly noted.....duly noted....
There are a great percentage of drivers on the road that are just incompetant. Around here, it's usually Washington drivers that are the left lane hogs. Almost as bad are the "passing lane drag racers". We have plenty of two lane with only occasional passing lanes or zones. These drivers putt along at under the speed limit. Then as soon as there is a passing lane or zone, they are Mario Freekin' Andretti, doing 10-20 mph over the speed limit and blocking anyone from passing them.
The other idiots we have to deal with are those that can't obey state law on two lanes. If you are holding up 3 or more vehicles you are supposed to pull over and let them pass. Most busier 2-lanes have "pull-outs" for this purpose...but the bad drivers, usually the slowest ones, never use them. Winter driving can be horrid, one idiot that has no idea how to drive will hold up a mile-long line of traffic, all because they don't have the common sense or courtsey to pull over.
I don't think the issue was that they get back into the right lane but how quickly they do it. Using safe passing practices you don't move back into the right lane until you are 2 seconds in front of a car or 5 second in front of a semi. That way the person behind doesn't have to break to maintain the proper distance. During bad weather you may need to double, triple or quadruple that. However, I have found that many people will start getting over the second they think the bumper clears. Not only is that rude it is also dangerous. It is especially bad because many people slow down once they pass you.
A) It's illegal
B) It's inconsiderate
c) It's a major cause of roadrage
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
