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I can't believe (well, sadly, I can) that you are saying that anyone else should let go of their damned egos. What the heck do you think motivates people who insist that because they don't agree with the speed limit that it shouldn't and doesn't apply to them? People like you, for example?
Nothing more or less than overweening ego, pure and simple.
And I say that as someone who spends precious little time in the left lane.
How exactly? I'm only in the left lane if I'm passing. In fact, it feels weird riding in the left lane for a long time if I'm not passing anyone. Now, if I'm trying to pass in the left and there is a slow driver in the right, then who needs to let go of their ego? The slow driver, who is about to cause a traffic pileup, or the speeder, who wouldn't cause any traffic pileup if that slow car would move over to the right lane. Why should myself and other cars behind me have to move over to the middle or right lanes, and do the best impression of Barry Sanders going through the O-Line, when the slow rider in the left lane could just simple move over and let everyone pass him? Or better yet, increase your speed to pass the cars on your right and then move over.
I can't believe (well, sadly, I can) that you are saying that anyone else should let go of their damned egos. What the heck do you think motivates people who insist that because they don't agree with the speed limit that it shouldn't and doesn't apply to them? People like you, for example?
Nothing more or less than overweening ego, pure and simple.
And I say that as someone who spends precious little time in the left lane.
No one is saying that speed limits don't apply to them. They are saying they are a matter of making money, not safety, and artificially lowered to make more money for cities.
But I have yet to see someone say that they shouldn't be ticketed if they are speeding. That would be saying the speed limit shouldn't apply to them.
Instead, people are saying that they should be raised to reflect real life, and that people who choose to do lower than the average speed of traffic (whatever that may be) should move over. They are not traffic cops, and they cause more congestion and problems by hogging the left-hand lane.
If you're going to make arguments about what people are saying, then make sure you understand what they are actually saying.
No one is saying that speed limits don't apply to them. They are saying they are a matter of making money, not safety, and artificially lowered to make more money for cities.
But I have yet to see someone say that they shouldn't be ticketed if they are speeding. That would be saying the speed limit shouldn't apply to them.
Instead, people are saying that they should be raised to reflect real life, and that people who choose to do lower than the average speed of traffic (whatever that may be) should move over. They are not traffic cops, and they cause more congestion and problems by hogging the left-hand lane.
If you're going to make arguments about what people are saying, then make sure you understand what they are actually saying.
getmeoutofhere, please point to the statute that says that it's against the law to be arrested for speeding. It may not be one of the designated punishments for speeding, but that's a very different thing from being against the law.
Your argument, throughout this thread, has basically been along the lines of, "I wanna, I wanna, I wanna! And that means that I should get to and anyone who keeps me from doing so, either police officers enforcing the law or people who don't care to drive over the speed limit, is just mean and wrong!"
getmeoutofhere, please point to the statute that says that it's against the law to be arrested for speeding. It may not be one of the designated punishments for speeding, but that's a very different thing from being against the law.
Your argument, throughout this thread, has basically been along the lines of, "I wanna, I wanna, I wanna! And that means that I should get to and anyone who keeps me from doing so, either police officers enforcing the law or people who don't care to drive over the speed limit, is just mean and wrong!"
You can only be arrested for reckless driving (going 100 weaving in and out of traffic, or the most common case, racing). You can't be arrested for going ten or fifteen over and are simply passing up slower traffic on your right. You'll probably just get a warning, unless you are in some small town.
So if someone is going well over the speed limit and they have to slow down because someone is blocking the left lane even though that person could easily get over, you're saying the fault lies with the speeding person, not the person blocking the lane? I usually do no more than 10 mph over, but even if I was doing 90 and someone came up behind me doing 100, I would get over to let them pass if feasible and I'd expect anyone else to do the same.
Or are you talking about people who drive faster than most traffic and expect no one to be in front of them at any time even if they're passing someone else? That's a pretty unreasonable expectation.
I didn't say anything about people hogging up the left lane.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarface713;18787249[b
]I guess that's how they drive in San Antonio. In the bigger metro areas, 75 is the norm. The middle lanes on I-20, for example, commonly cruise at about 70-75. The left lane is 75+, unless there is an ignorant driver going the speed limit in it. There is a reason why the tollways in DFW have 70 MPH speed limits. The public pretty much demanded it. No way they should be 60 MPH. That is just too slow, especially with the better equipped cars of today.[/b]
You simply don't understand lane discipline and simple common sense driving rules.
And again, having 60 MPH speed limits are more about city revenue than safety. Those "obeying the laws" need to do so in the right lane, especially if they know that people like to speed in the left and middle lanes. It's not their right to slow down traffic and cause pileups behind them. A car moving slow in front of you (in the middle or left lane) is a lot more dangerous than a car speeding past you 5MPH+ higher than you are and continuing down the freeway.
If people could just let go of their damn egos and move over, traffic would flow so much smoother. I don't know why people want to "prove" something and ride slow in the left lane. Just stay in the right. It really is not that hard. We have no idea what anyone around us is trying to do, or is headed. Emergency or not, it's not up to any of us to decide, so stay on the right!
Here is a great video done by George State students to show how dumb the low speed limits really are and how it DOES cause traffic pileups and hurts traffic flow, despite what AlGreen and TexasHorseLady will tell you:
Speed limits need to be raised to 70 MPH in urban areas. Traffic would flow much better.
Don't patronize me. I know how they drive in the larger cities, and the way I drive has nothing to do with "how they do it" in San Antonio. I'm not even from here, and quite frankly, people out here are idiots and act as if they've never been on a road before.
No matter what I'll tell you, you'll insist that I'm just a slow poke on the road who holds up traffic and always does the speed limit. But when did I ever say that the speed limits shouldn't be raised? Think before you type.
There are freeways in San Antonio where the speed limit is 70, and guess what I'm doing.....not 60. The point I'm trying to get through to you is that just because you feel that the speed limit should be higher, does not entitle you to speed. You deserve to be pulled over if you're far above the limit. One day you'll learn that life isn't about living by your own rules.
getmeoutofhere, please point to the statute that says that it's against the law to be arrested for speeding. It may not be one of the designated punishments for speeding, but that's a very different thing from being against the law.
By statute, there are two things in Texas for which a written notice to appear is the mandatory action by an officer.
Sec. 543.004. NOTICE TO APPEAR REQUIRED: CERTAIN OFFENSES. (a) An officer shall issue a written notice to appear if:
(1) the offense charged is speeding or a violation of the open container law, Section 49.03, Penal Code; and
(2) the person makes a written promise to appear in court as provided by Section 543.005.
(b) If the person is a resident of or is operating a vehicle licensed in a state or country other than this state, Subsection (a) applies only as provided by Chapter 703.
(c) The offenses specified by Subsection (a) are the only offenses for which issuance of a written notice to appear is mandatory.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady
Your argument, throughout this thread, has basically been along the lines of, "I wanna, I wanna, I wanna! And that means that I should get to and anyone who keeps me from doing so, either police officers enforcing the law or people who don't care to drive over the speed limit, is just mean and wrong!"
No, I have never said "I want to speed, therefore it should be OK". That's you putting words into people's mouths again. I said the speed limits should be altered. By the way, thanks for addressing my question on raising speed limits in cities.
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.
(c) An operator on a roadway having four or more lanes for moving vehicles and providing for two-way movement of vehicles may not drive left of the center line of the roadway except:
(1) as authorized by an official traffic-control device designating a specified lane to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by a vehicle not otherwise permitted to use the lane;
(2) under the conditions described by Subsection (a)(2); or
(3) in crossing the center line to make a left turn into or out of an alley, private road, or driveway.
Not a thing about speed limits at all. If you are going slower than other people, it is statutorily required to move over and yield to faster-moving traffic.
getmeoutofhere, you have to take the statutes as a whole, you can't pick and choose just the ones that you want. (Used to be a legal assistant, learned a lot about that.)
The part that you posted about the penalties for speeding are simply that. They do NOT say that it is illegal to arrest someone for speeding - you're really stretching there (or whoever told you that is stretching).
I've already posted here and in other threads on this topic the part of the statutes that you're so carefully trying to ignore, but here it is again (the whole thing this time, including the specified speed limits. Note the red, bolded part.
Sec. 545.352. PRIMA FACIE SPEED LIMITS. (a) A speed in excess of the limits established by Subsection (b) or under another provision of this subchapter is prima facie evidence that the speed is not reasonable and prudent and that the speed is unlawful.
Text of subsec. (b) as amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 663, Sec. 2 and Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 739, Sec. 1
(b) Unless a special hazard exists that requires a slower speed for compliance with Section 545.351(b), the following speeds are lawful:
(1) 30 miles per hour in an urban district on a street other than an alley and 15 miles per hour in an alley;
(2) 70 miles per hour in daytime and 65 miles per hour in nighttime if the vehicle is a passenger car, motorcycle, passenger car or light truck towing a trailer bearing a vessel, as defined by Section 31.003, Parks and Wildlife Code, that is less than 26 feet in length, passenger car or light truck towing a trailer or semitrailer used primarily to transport a motorcycle, or passenger car or light truck towing a trailer or semitrailer designed and used primarily to transport dogs or livestock, on a highway numbered by this state or the United States outside an urban district, including a farm-to-market or ranch-to-market road;
(3) 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles per hour in nighttime if the vehicle is a passenger car or motorcycle on a highway that is outside an urban district and not a highway numbered by this state or the United States;
(4) 60 miles per hour outside an urban district if a speed limit for the vehicle is not otherwise specified by this section; or
(5) outside an urban district:
(A) 60 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school bus that has passed a commercial motor vehicle inspection under Section 548.201 and is on a highway numbered by the United States or this state, including a farm-to-market road;
(B) 50 miles per hour if the vehicle is a school bus that:
(i) has not passed a commercial motor vehicle inspection under Section 548.201; or
(ii) is traveling on a highway not numbered by the United States or this state; or
(C) 60 miles per hour in daytime and 55 miles per hour in nighttime if the vehicle is a truck, other than a light truck, or if the vehicle is a truck tractor, trailer, or semitrailer, or a vehicle towing a trailer other than a trailer described by Subdivision (2), semitrailer, another motor vehicle or towable recreational vehicle.
You can only be arrested for reckless driving (going 100 weaving in and out of traffic, or the most common case, racing). You can't be arrested for going ten or fifteen over and are simply passing up slower traffic on your right. You'll probably just get a warning, unless you are in some small town.
Oh, and I love this:
Texas cops need to begin doing this.
I can't stand those domestic terrorists with the fake tin badges but if they ever had a REAL job to do that was a great play. Just tonight coming home from class on 225 in Pasadena I passed several cars along it's length doing perhaps 35 in the left lane. Last night coming home late from class on 288 S was a small junk box dodge doing 35 in the left lane and a junk box civic in the middle lane and they were side by side. Both had 2 mattresses on top of the roof tied once around the middle and the front of the mattresses were folded back from the wind.
Of course traffic was eating each other trying to get around in the right lane while others just sat behind them beeping and flashing the high beams. What degree of education does it take to realize something is definitely up when you look in your mirror and see all the havoc one is causing and not react to correcting that havoc. Or........JUST STAY THE HELL OUT OF THE LEFT LANE if you're a creeping putt putt.
Now the keep right pass left rule is never enforced nor to drivers follow it. Why should they, the return on the traffic stop is small compared to extorting our money on so called speeding. The general rule the vast majority of drivers follow is to keep middle, not right. RIGHT MEANS RIGHT, not middle. How many times I drive for hours in the far right lane, pass everyone, and I'm only doing the artificially low speed limit cause everyone keeps middle and pass left. Something wrong with the right lane? Who cares, keep it clear for me. I actually have places to go.
1) That statute does indeed prohibit arrest for those two infractions. I posted the entire statute, which provides a mandatory course of action for the officer for those two infractions. If you wish to argue the point, I suggest you use Google.
2) I didn't say anything about whether the people were violating the speed limit or not. What that statute says is that you are required to move over. Period. It says nothing about speed limits at all. You are trying to make an entirely different argument unrelated to what I said.
And I guarantee I have more experience analyzing statutes and laws than you do.
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