What is up with people being in the left lane on the highway... (San Antonio: legal, safe)

[Americasman]

Its not a matter of speeding. It is a fact that once someone is on their cell phone they drop below the speed limit. And those are the ones that I always see in the left lane. Although I did see on girl on Monday in the left lane looking at herself on the sunvisor mirror instead of doing what she should have been doing, which is driving.

[SnappyBob]

Originally Posted by ChrisSA_wxatUIW

It doesn't matter- they teach you slower traffic keep right in drivers ed. If someone is riding up behind you clearly going faster or trying to go faster, put your blinker on and move right you're clearly in the wrong lane no matter which lane that is (unless you're already in the far right). That's the law ALL the time.

I believe this means the far right lane is for vehicles going the slowest. ie. vehicles pulling trailers, pickup trucks overloaded with payload, vehicles exiting the freeway, etc. The lane to the left of that is for faster vehicles, perhaps vehicles doing the speedlimit or 90% of the speedlimit. The far left lane is for vehicles traveling the speed limit, intending to go a fairly long distance before exiting or making any interchange maneuvers. Sometimes the left lane is designated as a passing only lane. You will see examples of this on the outskirts of the city on major highways such as I-10, I-35 & US 281. Unless indicated, the left lane is just that, the left lane, the fastest lane, the lane where you should be able to go the speed limit unimpeded by slower traffic as long as road conditions permit such speed. At least that is the way it was explained to me in a rather lengthy conversation with a Major with the Texas Department of Public Safety of this very subject. Believe it, don't believe it, I don't really care. Personally I think that the Left Lane for Passing Only has merit in some traffic situations but should not be implemented in the entire city as a blanket rule. This city, as most major cities, has overbuilt and over sold for the infastructure that it has. The freeway system is one of those infastructures. To expect to be able to have one lane practically empty in rush hour traffic at some of our most congested freeway areas is unrealistic. And dangerous. We already have people shooting at each other over frustration with the conjested traffic. Making it more conjested is just irresponsible.

[dba07]

Originally Posted by Revolver

Speeding kills more often than does driving under the speed limit in the left lane. Go fly a kite.

Wrong. Creating jams that make cars bunch up is more dangerous than just "speeding"..

Diversity of speed in limited distances between cars, that's where the danger is. Get out of the left lane if people want to get by you. It's safer that way.

[joepa]

On 1604 the gravel trucks will stay in the left lane going slightly faster than the slow lane, grrr!

[Goominim]

I think the real issue is not who is driving slow in the fast lane, or who is speeding, it's more of an issue of drivers needing to chill out. Unless there is an emergency, chill out. Share the road, even if it means you have to slow down for someone. You'll be able to pass them at some point soon. It just seems like a long time!

[boywithstick]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

Personally I think that the Left Lane for Passing Only has merit in some traffic situations but should not be implemented in the entire city as a blanket rule. This city, as most major cities, has overbuilt and over sold for the infastructure that it has. The freeway system is one of those infastructures. To expect to be able to have one lane practically empty in rush hour traffic at some of our most congested freeway areas is unrealistic. And dangerous. We already have people shooting at each other over frustration with the conjested traffic. Making it more conjested is just irresponsible.

YES. Thank you for saying this. It makes me so mad to see when TxDot puts "left lane for passing only" up on TransGuide. In a city of 2 million you really think one lane is going to stay free for passing only? Get real TxDot!!!! Wake up to reality!!!

[TXStrat]

Originally Posted by boywithstick

YES. Thank you for saying this. It makes me so mad to see when TxDot puts "left lane for passing only" up on TransGuide. In a city of 2 million you really think one lane is going to stay free for passing only? Get real TxDot!!!! Wake up to reality!!!

Of course it is unrealistic to expect the left lane to stay clear during peak traffic times. What TxDot is trying to do, is convince drivers to return to an interior lane unless they are in the act of passing. This alone would go a long way to clear up avoidable congestion due to inattentive or inconsiderate drivers.

Despite all the wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth by opponents of the stay right law, everybody knows the drivers being discussed here. That one person that will go immediately from the on ramp to the left lane, and will stay there until they are about 100 feet from their exit. You see it every day here in San Antonio. This is why there are major slow downs around places like DeZavala, UTSA Boulevard, 1604, etc. on I-10. It happened to me on my way into town this morning. I was on I-10 east bound right around the 410 interchange. I moved to the left lane to pass a car that was going about 58 mph. A female came from the on ramp, across 4 lanes of roadway, and with no one in front of her crossed all the way into the left lane requiring me to stand on the brakes as she was doing all of 40 mph. She saw me passing a car, she knew I was going 65 mph, she just didn't care. Pulled right in front of me going 40 despite having 3 other lanes free of traffic in front of her and then shot me a smug look when I passed her on the right, doing the posted speed limit, as if I were at fault. The people that think this is acceptable are the problem.

Bottom line, not everyone that wants to use the left lane to pass is an aggressive driver, or is breaking the speed limit. Don't be one of the inconsiderate people that camp in the left lane if you are not passing.

[AlamoCpl]

Originally Posted by Goominim

I think the real issue is not who is driving slow in the fast lane, or who is speeding, it's more of an issue of drivers needing to chill out. Unless there is an emergency, chill out. Share the road, even if it means you have to slow down for someone. You'll be able to pass them at some point soon. It just seems like a long time!

Perfectly said. Thank you.

[prim8]

I think part of the problem is people having no interest in merging efficiently.
They're either inattentive or just plain don't care; they don't pick out a spot and speed up or slow down to get into it.

They just continue whatever slow speed they are going and come over, expecting you'll get out of their way.

This causes people in the slow lane to move over in front of people are are trying to go faster.

All around the whole nation needs a refresher in driving.

[Asheville1]

Driving "HUA" or Head up ))

I think these people think "I paid for this highway with my tax dollars, and I'll use it as I see fit". End of story. My dad said that forty years ago and I have yet to hear a better explanation for these folks.