Is passing on the right illegal on a multilane hwy
 

I see this come up a lot.

If you are on a multilane highway, lets say 4 lanes in each direction, and there is someone camped in the left lane, is it illegal to pass on the right?

I don't think it is, at least not in Texas.

If you are on a 2 lane fwy (1 lane each direction) and you come up behind someone and pass them on the right, I think that's illegal, but I don't think it applies to multilane (per direction) freeways. I think the purpose is to keep people from passing on the shoulder.

What say you?

I think technically it is only to serve as keeping order on the road. Probably never enforced; certainly not on SoCal or other urban freeways.

I haven't checked the vehicle code, but I think all passing is supposed to be done on the left. Technically, passing on the right is not legal. I don't think it matters if it's a 2-lane or 4-lane highway (in each direction).

Of course, if slower traffic is camped out in the "faster" lanes, they're not entirely legal, either. They're not supposed to be in the "fast" lane unless they're actively passing someone.

One of those "2 wrongs" situations.

Probably only enforced if an LEO has a particular hard-on for you, though.

I pass on the right all the time.

On my commute, 3 lane wide in each direction, the right lane is the fastest lane.

Texas drivers do weird stuff, like when making a right onto a road they dont turn into the far right lane, they swing real wide and end up in the far left lane. Same with making lefts, they dont go from the left lane into the left lane, they swing all the way across multiple lanes to the far right.

Can't tell you how many I've nearly hit.

I am pretty sure it is illegal.

Something which complicates this is the 'exit from the left lane' which is abundant in NJ. Makes no sense. Especially when someone prepares to take such an exit and moves over to the passing lane 3-4 miles prior to the exit and proceeds to drive below the speed limit until the exit.

On my daily commute, there is an especially dangerous example of this: the exit to Rt. 17 North off the Garden State Parkway North. Exit is to the left -- off the left hand lane. In the morning, there are cars often STOPPED in the passing lane since that exit backs up so much. And of course there are others who cut into the exit and are stopped at a point where you don't expect the car to be stopped.

-Z

Well Jerseys roads are just stupid.

I hate those jug handles, exit right to turn left. Who thought that was a good idea?

I turn right to go left, if its clear traffic, and I know the light won't change for me anytime soon, kinda makes sense not stopping traffic for left turners.

As for the passing on the right, check your state.

Those things are fantastic. We used to have the near my house. No stop sign, no traffic light, no crossing other lanes of traffic. The one that I used to hit everyday on the way to work has changed to a stoplight with a left turn lane. It's always backed up in the morning.

In my mind they are more efficient kind of like a round-about.

It's the same here in Houston.

Yep, and it's completely legal here. I moved here from FL. In FL it was illegal.

Roundabouts get me. I don't have enough experience to feel completely comfortable entering and exiting. The thing is I've never seen them on a drivers test.

So what do we do with those slow folks on the left lane if we can't pass on the right lane?

well "on paper" there's not supposed to be anyone in the left lane doing 40mph, cause the left lane is for passing only.

everyone passes on the right. it's not my fault if the car in the lane left of me is going slower than me. i'm not passing him. i'm just going the same pace as the guy ahead of me.

of course u could always call 911 and tell the cops there's an erratic driver in the left lane and u think he's drunk.

Don't even give it a thought .
left ,right, whatever.
If you are not used to passing on the right, that could hurt you in an emergency situation.

I guess based on the above, the "and" in between 1 and 2 of 545.057 means that you can only pass on the right if there is someone turning left from the left lane.

Looks to me like it is a law.

It use to be if approaching behind someone in the left lane. And you wanted to pass you flashed your lights they in turn switched lanes when safe and possible. I think it was illegal to come up fast and speed around without first trying to get them to switch over. Of course these days manners and rules of the road rarely seem to exist. IMHO

shoulder driving tends to be illegal unless the is an accident or other reason you are forced there. drving backward up the shoulder always illegal

passing on the right is legal here.

Yes, it is unlawful. But......like virtually all other traffic regulation, you virtually cannot get a ticket for it. Practically speaking, the only unlawful traffic behavior is speeding. Passing on the right, cutting across multiple lanes, camping in the fast lane, failure to signal turns......those behaviors are allowed. But beware, anyone safely exceeding 60mph!

Sounds like you are talking about a reverse jug handle, those make sense. Right side of image.

I'm talking about the other form which is what I encounter most times in Jersey. Left side of image.

You exit right like an off ramp but there is a stop sign at the end. Then you need to cross over and make a left onto the intersecting road and possibly have to sit at a light so you can cross over the road you originally exited.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications...es/figure7.gif

They are usually very poorly marked. If you are unfamiliar with the area you won't know about it till it's too late causing people to swerve to the right side at the last second. And they are not consistent in usage. You can be on a road and pass left turn after left turn then for some odd reason the next intersection will be a jug handle.

Here is an excerpt from the TX DMV Drivers Handbook.

Shows passing on right for multiple lanes in one direction but text is for right of way for two cars that want the middle lane at the same time.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1329430625.jpg

Legal on the freeway in Oregon.

Left lane campers should be shot.

I end up changing lanes frequently to get where I'm going. I'm what the PA State Police refer to as an "aggressive driver".

What state are we talking about. It VARIES....In my state, it's OK to pass a stopped vehicle on the right shoulder as long as it's paved....

Yes, I was talking about the top left which is great. The thing in your top right is bizarre.

98% of the roads around Houston are several lanes wide and straight as far as the eye can see. The only way for driving to get interesting is if you think of the other drivers as mobile chicanes. ;)

:D

If car A in front is going 52 mph. Is anyone advocating I can't change 1 or more lanes on the right and drive past car A at 53 mph?

Is this a waste of thread?

S

Lots of folks seem to advocate that the law says absolutely no passing on the right period. I didn't believe that to be the law, so I posted this poll to see what folks thought.

Regardless of what you think the law may say, chances are the vast majority of us here have broken at least 1 traffic law if not several. I suspect most folks in the modern day pass on the right plenty. I think it's a measured risk/reward deal.

From the California DMV booklet:

"Pass traffic on the left. You may pass on the right only when:

An open highway is clearly marked for two or more lanes of travel in your direction.

The driver ahead of you is turning left and you do not drive off the roadway to pass. Never pass on the left if the driver is signaling a left turn."

California V C Section 21754 Passing on the Right:

21754.The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass to the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:

(a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn.

(b) Upon a highway within a business or residence district with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles in the direction of travel.

(c) Upon any highway outside of a business or residence district with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width and clearly marked for two or more lines of moving traffic in the direction of travel.

(d) Upon a one-way street.

(e) Upon a highway divided into two roadways where traffic is restricted to one direction upon each of such roadways.

The provisions of this section shall not relieve the driver of a slow moving vehicle from the duty to drive as closely as practicable to the right hand edge of the roadway.

Amended Sec. 39, Ch. 491, Stats. 2010. Effective January 1, 2011.

Its a states issue. Some allow it.. some don't. enforcement is another issue.

I prefer passing on left with slower traffic to the right.

So what if I'm crusing in the #2 lane going the speed limit, and I come upon a vehicle in the #1 lane going slower than the speed limit? Am I supposed to brake and slow down to his speed?

I disregard this law as stupid and impractical.

What state are you refering to. Quote the law (I quoted the CA law in an earlier post - NOT cut & dried illegal in CA).

What I would prefer and reality are often VERY different things.

Well, the "stupid" part is the guy in lane #1. The law makes sense and would probably be useful if it was adhered to.

I do plenty of passing on the right on my drive in.

A bunch of the guys that I work with have just moved to Houston from Columbus, OH. They have all commented about how driver's in Houston don't seem to know about "slower traffic keep right" and in many cases, do just the opposite.

I tend to subscribe to "lead, follow, of get the *&%$ out of the way", but would just as soon be a follower.

"Left lane campers should be shot"

That seems reasonable.
Jim

If you happen upon me and my pace isn't quick enough, just give me a hi-beam blink and I'll simply move over. No need to break out the sidearm.

Your impatience doesn't apply to track events does it? :)

Sherwood

Try it anywhere in Europe and you WILL eventually get a ticket.

That said, they do not move immediately to the left land and camp out there either.

Most Americans simply have no idea how to drive these days. Seems that many school systems stopped giving drivers ed and its showing.

In Texas you can pass on an improved shoulder, but that's only for passing a stopped car.

I've never heard of a law in Texas limiting which lane you can pass in.

+1

Also, on Rural roads with a wide shoulder, it's perfectly legal for a slower moving vehicle to move to the right and continue driving at speed on the shoulder to allow another user to pass in the lane, effectively turning a lane and shoulder into 2 lanes.

They do that in Spain (at least they do in Andalucia) as well.