Blocking the left lane vs. speeding conundrum

[74-911]

Originally Posted by masraum

...... We've got a rule/law here in TX that if you are on a rural road with a large, hard shoulder going slow, and someone comes up behind you going faster, it's perfectly legal and expected that if you can safely do so, you move over onto the shoulder at speed and let the other car pass in the lane.....

I don't think it is a rule or law as much as a courtesy / suggestion. Unfortunately, it seems fewer and fewer people actually do it. Don't know if they don't realize you should do this or just are oblivious that they are blocking traffic or are from a state where it is unheard of ??.

The people that never seem to do it are the RV's moving along at 55 in a 75..

[Racerbvd]

If you aren't competent or considerate enough to watch your mirrors & move over when faster traffic is coming, sorry, I don't feel sorry if someone runs your ass over.

Doesn't matter if I'm driving one of the Porsches, the GTA, Merc or Burb, I still watch my mirrors, and move over when I see faster traffic coming, even in the middle lane. Big deal if you have to speed up to get past the truck in the middle lane, you should have thought about that before becoming a rolling roadblock.

[petrolhead611]

I have driven in 31 US states, and I would venture to suggest that the dickheads are evenly distributed throughout.
In the UK the biggest risktakers are those that slalom from lane to lane, because here there is absolutely no doubt in any drivers mind that undertaking(as we call it) is illegal hence drivers aren't expecting it to happen. Motorcyclists are the worst culprits by far, even passing between parallel lines of cars which themselves are travelling at 70mph or more. Its illegal to tailgate here, and to flash headlights at roadhogs in front, so I use use the headlight self levelling motor to quickly raise and lower my beams at night to annoy the selfishly slow driver in front.

[Alexm930]

Try this.

[Alexm930]

Or this!

[Baz]

[Baz]

[Typ616]

Left lane hogging...That's another thing America is #1 at ;-{ Seriously drive in Europe that way and you will get blown off the road. I guess we like convoys here, reminds us of settling the west in wagons or crossing the Atlantic escorting cargo ships or something - must be genetic...

I get that most people are distracted and sucky drivers, what really annoys me is when a new left lane opens up and left lane hogs hurry to move to it...to hog it as well ! Now that's deliberate!

Another amusing thing driving here is passing (using the oncoming lane). There are so little passing zones anymore on local roads that whenever you pass someone, they feel violated and generally get pissed off. Back when I drove in Europe or s. America, passing is something you do every 5 minutes... Driving isn't gonna get any more fun, folks... Too many people, most w/ no manners & no skills or clue.

[intakexhaust]

No amount of law enforcement is going stop the idiots. Simply not possible.

Funny observations:

For the Azzhat 500, a marked police vehicle usually becomes the pace car. Three lanes wide, hilarious watching from behind.

Soon as a trooper exits off or has tagged someone, the race is on.

If the speed limit is 65, the majority will step it up to 75, pushers at 80-85 mph. If the speed limit is 70, most are at 80 and can easily spot the 90+ mph crowd.

But the best is the 80 mph drivers that 'cruise' the left lane along with a train behind THEM. The followers seem to get impatient, and then pass on the right, but then in a short while are back to 80 in the left lane. LOL

[sammyg2]

[widebody911]

It seems this discussion comes up every few months; I have a question. In the strictest "left lane law" interpretation I've seen, you are never supposed to drive in the left lane unless you're passing. So the left lane is supposed to be perpetually empty? Good luck with that. How is this supposed to work when there's only 2 lanes and the whole mass of traffic is going the same speed and you're 1.5 car lengths behind the guy in front of you? Is traffic supposed to magically part like the red sea so the Left Lane Purist can pass?

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

The ride height, black tint, windshield sticker and riding the bumper read like an asshat merit badge list.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Is traffic supposed to magically part like the red sea so the Left Lane Purist can pass?

Yes.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by widebody911

The ride height, black tint, windshield sticker and riding the bumper read like an asshat merit badge list.

Wow.
Can you really tell the ride height of that truck, and can you really tell it has window tint?
And based on that small picture you can tell the personality and disposition of the driver and how close he is?

Amazing, all I see if a simple advertisement lifted off the interwebs where the details are exaggerated with a wide angle mirror so the company can show off the product they are trying to sell, a window sticker.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by widebody911

--snip--So the left lane is supposed to be perpetually empty? ---snip---

No.

Vehicles in the left lane IDEALLY will be passing slower traffic to the right.

The key word being PASSING......not staying the SAME speed.

It's really very simple......

[Baz]

Originally Posted by widebody911

The ride height, black tint, windshield sticker and riding the bumper read like an asshat merit badge list.

Usually those who drive those HUGE vehicles have small very small pee pees as well.

[mattdavis11]

I can only hope what I saw today was justice to a really bad problem. I have the cruise set at 74 (you'll get nailed for 5 over) in a 70 in the middle lane. Two cars, with Kansas plates, pass me on the left, then a half mile later, a state trooper (in a pick up truck) also passes on the left. He catches up to the two. After about a 1/2 mile, the lead car moves to the right, the other doesn't. The trooper pulls the one a$$wipe over.

I hope the driver received two tickets, and a body cavity search.

[Oh Haha]

Great story matt but which of the 2 cars got pulled over?

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Great story matt but which of the 2 cars got pulled over?

As I interpreted his post - the one who remained in the left/passing lane got pulled.

I would have loved to have seen that!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Is traffic supposed to magically part like the red sea so the Left Lane Purist can pass?

Yes. That's what it's there for. That's why it's called the PASSING LANE!!