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

[Revolver]

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

[txaquarius]

Ditto Revolver!!

[TXStrat]

Where did I say I was speeding? Going the speed limit and being stuck behind an oblivious driver in the passing lane going well under the speed limit slows the entire highway down. If you want to drive slow, what is your iissue with doing so in an interior lane?

[ryanez5]

Its also illegal to obstruct the normal flow of traffic. Granted, we were in LA, my father got a warning (only due to the fact that the CHP officer didn't wan't to deal with the cross-state hassle of issuing a ticket) for going the posted speed limit on the 405 a few years back on vacation.Traffic was zooming around us, and we were in one of the center lanes. He specifically told us that while yes, everyone else was speeding, the fact that we were forcing everyone else on the freeway to change lanes and move around us could cause an accident. If the normal flow is doing 70/75, keep up.

[txaquarius]

I'm wondering what's up w/all the psychos on the roads here? Maybe try leaving a little earlier. People should not drive under the speed limit in the left lane though. And not too far under it in any lane.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by TXStrat

This is simply untrue, Texas law states that all vehicles shall operate in other than the left lane unless in the act of passing. Keep driving in the left lane while not passing, DPS announced last night that they will be stepping up enforcement of this law that has always been on the books. Simply put, if you are one of the people that camps in the left lane when not passing, you are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Sec. 545.051. DRIVING ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY.

(a) An operator on a roadway of sufficient width shall drive on the right half of the roadway, unless:
(1) the operator is passing another vehicle;
(2) an obstruction necessitates moving the vehicle left of the center of the roadway and the operator yields the right-of-way to a vehicle that:
(A) is moving in the proper direction on the unobstructed portion of the roadway; and
(B) is an immediate hazard;
(3) the operator is on a roadway divided into three marked lanes for traffic; or
(4) the operator is on a roadway restricted to one-way traffic.
(b) An operator of a vehicle on a roadway moving more slowly than the normal speed of other vehicles at the time and place under the existing conditions shall drive in the right-hand lane available for vehicles, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, unless the operator is:
(1) passing another vehicle; or
(2) preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

Don't forget section 545.053.

If you are on the left and are honked at you have to go to the right and let the car behind you pass. It says nothing whatsoever about speed limits. Speeding is against the law, yes, but it has nothing to do with passing, you have to move over even if someone behind you wanting to pass is speeding, you are not the police (not directed at TXStrat but a general "you"), if someone is speeding behind you, that is not your concern, your only concern to not violate this statute is to move out of the left lane.

I never knew this before, once an officer was behind me on 35, so being cautious I was not going to speed, nuh uh, but go right at the speed limit. The officer got annoyed, pulled me over, and said if someone is coming up behind me to move out the way and let them pass.

[TXStrat]

Originally Posted by Merovee

Speeding is against the law, yes, but it has nothing to do with passing, you have to move over even if someone behind you wanting to pass is speeding, you are not the police (not directed at TXStrat but a general "you"), if someone is speeding behind you, that is not your concern, your only concern to not violate this statute is to move out of the left lane.

Could not agree more. The comments here from those seeking to defend driving in the left at any speed as a God given right, and the actions I witness on the highways every day both seem to indicate that these folks see themselves as agents of enforcement. They are doing their part to keep traffic at a snail's pace.

[SnappyBob]

Originally Posted by ryanez5

Its also illegal to obstruct the normal flow of traffic. Granted, we were in LA, my father got a warning (only due to the fact that the CHP officer didn't wan't to deal with the cross-state hassle of issuing a ticket) for going the posted speed limit on the 405 a few years back on vacation.Traffic was zooming around us, and we were in one of the center lanes. He specifically told us that while yes, everyone else was speeding, the fact that we were forcing everyone else on the freeway to change lanes and move around us could cause an accident. If the normal flow is doing 70/75, keep up.

I agree, staying as close to the same speed as the freeway is running at any given time is the best practice. If for some reason you feel you must go slower than everyone else, do it in the far right lane. If for some reason you feel you must go faster than everyone else, just don't. If the normal flow of the a freeway system is 10 miles over the speed limit then either the speed limit needs to be changed or the police need to get out there and slow everybody down some. Personally, now that we have transguide in place, I would be in favor of having electronic speed limit signs that would change the speed limit as traffic conditions change. They could issue tickets by mail to those who feel the need to put everyone at risk through their reckless driving.

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

Originally Posted by SnappyBob

Left Lane for Passing Only is only valid in special areas where marked. So Transguides proclamation last week is no longer in effect since they have stopped displaying it. It's a really grey area to begin with since it does not state where this zone ends. If that is the way they want to structure the freeway system they should just make it a law statewide or city wide and be done with it. Of course this would effectivly reduce our freeway system capacity by a substantial percentage. Many parts of the freeway only have 3 lanes some sections only two to begin with. Now they want to take away one of those lanes in an already crowded freeway system. Remember, if you obey the Left Lane for Passing Only law then you could only be in the left lane if you were passing a vehicle in the lane to the immediate right lane who is going slower than the posted speed limit and you would be required to get out of the left lane and return to the lane to the immediate right of the left lane as soon as your passing manuveur is completed. All this without exceeding the posted speed limit. Be careful what you ask for.

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.

[the_dimwit]

Just my 2 cents, but it seems like the slow left lane drivers have become more numerous AFTER the Transguide signs started advertising "slower drivers move right". At least that's my observation...

--Dim