According to Edmunds, “People who cruise in the left lane without regard for their speed or the number of cars piled up behind them could find themselves pulling over to the right for the police.”
Please let this be true.
It seems to me that 90% of traffic inefficiencies is due to people not doing what they should be doing: Driving. The times I’ve been stuck behind some complete knob, pacing the big rig to his right, arguing with the AM radio or yakking on his cell or just completely zoned are, by this point, beyond numbering.
A lot of states have laws against this; signs, reminders, and, on occasion, semi-crazed, take no prisoner drivers who will not put up with this kind of behavior, but I have yet to hear of anyone getting pulled over for it. The lack of enforcement aspect might be changing. The Washington State Patrol has begun stopping left lane nit-noids for violating the state’s left-lane law, which prohibits “impeding the flow of other traffic.”
“This is a real big hot-button topic for the public at large right now,” said Washington Trooper Cliff Pratt. “We’ve had a lot of complaints from drivers who’ve had to deal with left-lane campers.”
Hallelujah brother, hallelujah!
Currently, the Washington SP has issued more warnings than tickets, although that could change, and with it, the usual repercussions of getting an actual ticket. “Any moving violation that applies points to a driver’s record could affect that driver’s car insurance rates,” related Susan Gallik Rouser, a spokeswoman for Progressive Insurance. “And because left-lane driving would be considered an infraction, we would take that into account when renewing a driver’s policy.”
Is this starting to sink in?
I hope so. It’s a really easy concept to get: If you’re in the left lane and you see someone pulling up on you (because you regularly check your rearview mirror, don’t you?) MOVE OVER!
Source: Edmunds
I agree with the first comment. If you’re going 80 mph, you have no obligation to move over. Stay in the lane and let them pass you if they want to get by that badly.
Pull over and let the boob be the rabbit. If law enforcement is further down the road, the person who is in such a rush to arrive at his or her destination a few minutes early, putting at risk other peoples’ lives, will most likely get the ticket before you.
It takes very little effort to look over your right shoulder, signal, change lanes, and then resume your normal pace after letting someone passing you. Count the number of calories it takes to execute the above maneuver. Practically ZERO!
I ride a bicycle almost as much as being behind the wheel of a car. I really take offense to the lazy drivers who cannot move over to the left a few feet before they whoosh by me. Very rude and obnoxious behavior. Is it really that much effort to move your car away from cyclists or even slow down a little? Okay, rant off.
OK, now for the other side of the coin:
I am in the left lane doing 80-85 mph in a 65 mph zone. The other 3 lanes are going 50-70 mph. I am comfortably cruising when some knob wanting to go faster than I am comes up behind me flashing his lights. Keep in mind that he could easily go around me but believes I am required to move for him/her (not happening). If I did move, there would be 2 problems. One, I would have to turn off my cruise, pull right, slow down, wait for the boob to pass, pull left, speed up again and wait until the next butt-wipe comes flashing their lights. Need I say this is very unlikely to happen. The second problem is the braindead is going to go about 10 car lengths and be stuck behind someone else. The “Slower Traffic Keep Right” law is for the driver wanting to go 10 or 15 mph over the posted limit. Not for the morons thinking there is no speed limit.