Straight Dope Message Board

[Alessan]

Originally Posted by DCnDC

For that matter, know where the fuck you're going. Every damned exit I pass I see a half dozen assholes trying to move over 4 lanes to get off. Did they just figure out this is their exit? Or are they just cutting in line at a busy exit? Usually some of both. They're all assholes.

Also: own up to your damn mistakes. If you realize you're about to miss your exit, don't barrel across four lanes, risking your life and more importantly, mine. Just go on to the next exit and turn around. You fucked up - but that's your problem, not mine.

[Sailboat]

Your turn signal should more properly be called an "intention signal." It should be used BEFORE you initiate a turn or lane change, to signal your intent. Far enough before that other drivers can see it and plan accordingly. It is not a "hey I am in the process of turning" signal -- we can all see you turning, even without electrical indications.

To those people who complain that signaling in advance allows other assholes to come up and cut off your lane change -- so what? I hear this counterargument all the time. But the possibility that a stranger might do something selfish and dangerous does not mean you should definitely do something selfish and dangerous first.

[BrickBat]

Originally Posted by Sailboat

Your turn signal should more properly be called an "intention signal." It should be used BEFORE you initiate a turn or lane change, to signal your intent. Far enough before that other drivers can see it and plan accordingly. It is not a "hey I am in the process of turning" signal -- we can all see you turning, even without electrical indications.

To those people who complain that signaling in advance allows other assholes to come up and cut off your lane change -- so what? I hear this counterargument all the time. But the possibility that a stranger might do something selfish and dangerous does not mean you should definitely do something selfish and dangerous first.

Well stated. The legality issue should speak for itself, but the key issue is courtesy. Not signalling is rude behavior, regardless of how many times they sir, maam, or hold doors open in face-to-face situations. Refraining from signalling as an attempt preempt potential rudeness form others borders on sociopathic, and just perpetuates a race-to-the-bottom in terms of civility.

[Euphonious Polemic]

Don't decide that it's really, really crucially important that you get to the nail salon to get a manicure, so you jump in your car with near-bald summer tires in the middle of the biggest snowstorm of the year and then slide down a hill and smash into several cars.

Because then you ruin many people's days, and you find that your insurance is null and void for driving with summer tires in a snowstorm, and you have to pay a lot of money and if you don't you will be sued. and it does not matter if you cry.

[Chefguy]

Please just do what is expected and legal. In residential 'hoods here, people will stop when there is no stop sign and wave madly at you to "go ahead!" Nope, sorry, you have the right of way and I'm not moving until you get your ass across the intersection. It only takes once to be on the guilty side of a lawsuit.

Please don't throw your car door open into oncoming traffic. I really don't want to make a choice between swerving into oncoming cars and running your dumb ass over. It hasn't come to that yet, but only because I've been able to brake in time.

If you're going to turn left at the stoplight, put your turn signal on as you approach the light. That way, people will know to move to the right lane to go around you when the light changes. Waiting until the light turns green to signal is rude, passive aggressive, and really fucking annoying.

[MN_Maenad]

Originally Posted by smiling bandit

Number #3: The Car-Sitter.

Don't just sit in your car in a crowded partking lot, taking up a spot while doing nothing. It's just... irritating.

I think the key in this one is the "crowded parking lot" part. If you're at the mall during Xmas shopping season, and there are very very few open spots, please think about whether you really need to be taking up one of them.

Originally Posted by Shoeless

If it's raining, if it's foggy, if it's dark enough that streetlights have come on and everyone else has their headlights on, turn your lights on!

I almost killed my passenger once turning left when the oncoming gray truck didn't have his lights on while it was raining. And why is it always the gray cars that don't turn their lights on? That's the hardest color to see!

Originally Posted by Guest-starring: Id!

At a stop light, if the car in front of you doesn't budge when the light goes green, do not drive right up against their bumper to nudge them forward.

Actually, instead of honking, which can backfire if the dweeb in front of you takes it personally, just drive slowly forward, and they'll see you looming towards them in their rear-view mirror.
Every time, they take off like a SHOT.

What the hell are you driving? My Prius sure doesn't "loom". And it's shorter than most trucks and SUVs, so there's no way they can see me. A quick beep on the horn is the only thing I can do.

[Celidin]

Originally Posted by smiling bandit

Number #2: The Last Minute Lane Change!

For the love of all that's holy, plan ahead. Shoving your way into a crowded lane at the last minute just slows things down for everyone. And it's pretty jerkish to zoom past people and then shove in ahead of them anyway.

This is factually incorrect.

As described in innumerable traffic studies, which were researched and collected for the book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What it Says About Us), utilizing all lanes of traffic until the point of the merge is the most efficient use of that piece of roadway, and thus the actual quickest way for everyone. And if everyone was properly using all lanes of the roadway prior to the merge, then no one would be "zoom[ing] past" so there won't be any petty bad feelings.

I read Traffic a few years ago and the logic and facts presented within that book turned me from an early merger into a late merger. I won't be able to do justice to the argument here at work (without my copy to reference), so I'll leave it at that.

Or another way to put it:

Originally Posted by SingleMalt

The "Zipper Merge". Learn it. Love it. Use it.

[Filbert]

Originally Posted by ThelmaLou

The Generous Driver is especially dangerous at a rotary/roundabout/traffic circle. When you're in the circle YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY! I've had people in the circle STOP to let me in. AARRGGHH! I wave them on furiously, while smiling broadly and cursing them.

I have a mini-roundabout at the end of my road. When I was driving home a while ago, a helpful bus driver decided, in rush hour, to stop and wave a family of pedestrians across the road. Leaving the ass end of the bus entirely over the roundabout, totally blocking traffic from 5 different roads while a toddler slowly waddled over the road (holding mummy's hand). I was impressed.

Around half the locals don't seem to realise it is a roundabout anyway, despite it being clearly signed as such. It's possible to drive right over it- otherwise long vehicles wouldn't have space to turn, but you're not supposed to go over unless you have to, it's to be treated like a normal sized one. There's laws about it and everything. Despite that, I've had number of near-misses there when I'm using it like the roundabout it is, and some complete tit tuning right decides to take a shortcut (UK, other way) when I'm going straight on or turning right from the opposite side. So, instead of us both going round 3/4 of the circle in a clockwise direction, thus elegantly avoiding each other, the tit takes a sharp right and effectively goes 1/4 of the circle in the wrong way, apparently expecting me to do likewise. 99% of the time they follow this up by angrily blaring the horn at me for the sin of following the actual rules of the road, rather than the imaginary ones in their head.

[Guest-starring: Id!]

Originally Posted by MN_Maenad

What the hell are you driving? My Prius sure doesn't "loom". And it's shorter than most trucks and SUVs, so there's no way they can see me. A quick beep on the horn is the only thing I can do.

Dodge 1500 truck, so it'll sit a bit higher than your Prius, and thus, more viewable in a rear-view mirror.

[Guest-starring: Id!]

Originally Posted by Chefguy

If you're going to turn left at the stoplight, put your turn signal on as you approach the light. That way, people will know to move to the right lane to go around you when the light changes. Waiting until the light turns green to signal is rude, passive aggressive, and really fucking annoying.

This times too much. I'd say they do it more out of complete obliviousness, than anything.
Truly bothersome, though.

[Ambivalid]

Don't get a blowjob while trying to drive. I know it's supposed to be this super hot thing to do but in reality it's horrible any way you look at it. For one, how can you truly enjoy a bj if you have to devote your awareness and concentration to driving? Conversely, how can you drive safely if you are distracted by getting a blowjob at the same time? In theory it might sound appealing but in reality it sucks (lame pun actually intended).

[Swampwolf]

Originally Posted by Ambivalid

Don't get a blowjob while trying to drive. I know it's supposed to be this super hot thing to do but in reality it's horrible any way you look at it

Forget that--don't GIVE a blowjob while trying to drive!

[Acsenray]

Originally Posted by Llama Llogophile

Taking your question in good faith, I'd say that it's a great rule of thumb that on most multi-lane roads, in normal traffic conditions, we should all make an effort to stay out of the left lane except when necessary for passing or making turns.

But before we get to codifying that suggestion for every conceivable driving scenario and exception, I think it would be great to enforce it on highways to start. I can't begin to tell you how often I see cars loitering in the left lane for no reason. They accumulate tailgaters and force people to pass on the right, which is unsafe. I see it every day. Every. Damn. Day.

I suspect one reason for this is that we mostly enforce speed violations. Some states do make an effort to enforce staying out of the passing lane, but we should emphasize this much more.

I'd say this -- the only situation in which the left lane is even conceivably reserved for passing is on a limited-access highway with at least three lanes in the same direction and no exit ramps on the left. Surface street, highway with only two lanes in the same direction or with left exits, any situation in which it's even conceivable for someone to need the left lane for something other than overtaking, etc., the left lane is fair game for just driving and not passing. Sole exception -- when there's an actual law that says you can only be in the left lane to pass -- and that's in a minority of jurisdictions.

[DCnDC]

Originally Posted by Celidin

As described in innumerable traffic studies, which were researched and collected for the book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What it Says About Us), utilizing all lanes of traffic until the point of the merge is the most efficient use of that piece of roadway, and thus the actual quickest way for everyone. And if everyone was properly using all lanes of the roadway prior to the merge, then no one would be "zoom[ing] past" so there won't be any petty bad feelings.

It's super awesome that it works fantastically in computer simulations. Problem is, real people have to do it in real life, and that's where it all breaks down.

Like communism, it's a great theory, but it just doesn't work in real life because... people. If everyone's on the same page in the same book, yeah, it would work beautifully, but in reality, everyone's on a different page, reading from wildly different books. All it takes is one timid driver, or one aggressive driver, and the whole thing instantly falls apart.

[Euphonious Polemic]

Originally Posted by DCnDC

It's super awesome that it works fantastically in computer simulations. Problem is, real people have to do it in real life, and that's where it all breaks down.

Like communism, it's a great theory, but it just doesn't work in real life because... people. If everyone's on the same page in the same book, yeah, it would work beautifully, but in reality, everyone's on a different page, reading from wildly different books. All it takes is one timid driver, or one aggressive driver, and the whole thing instantly falls apart.

I think the timid driver in this situation is worse. Drives me nuts when there is a smooth merge lane, busy traffic, and some clown stops with 500m to go in the merge lane and tries to get into the traffic lane at virtually a right angle. All the traffic behind them comes to a screeching halt.

Just everyone go up to the merge area and merge! Take turns! One, then the other! IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED!!

[Railer13]

Originally Posted by Acsenray

I'd say this -- the only situation in which the left lane is even conceivably reserved for passing is on a limited-access highway with at least three lanes in the same direction and no exit ramps on the left. Surface street, highway with only two lanes in the same direction or with left exits, any situation in which it's even conceivable for someone to need the left lane for something other than overtaking, etc., the left lane is fair game for just driving and not passing. Sole exception -- when there's an actual law that says you can only be in the left lane to pass -- and that's in a minority of jurisdictions.

You mean in all 50 states?

[Ambivalid]

Originally Posted by Swampwolf

Forget that--don't GIVE a blowjob while trying to drive!

Ha! Touche!

[xizor]

Rush hour traffic. You come up to an intersection, but because of traffic volume only a few cars can inch through the intersection. The light turns yellow, and instead of stopping and waiting, Mr/Mrs InAHurry pulls into the middle of the intersection because they are too important to wait for the next light cycle.
Now the traffic going the other way has to wait for you to clear the intersection before they can go, even though their light is green.
Thanks for the gridlock, asshole.

[Acsenray]

Originally Posted by Railer13

You mean in all 50 states?

You should be embarrassed to cite that source for your proposition.

“Slower traffic keep right” is not equivalent to “left lane for passing only.”

[enipla]

Originally Posted by DCnDC

It's super awesome that it works fantastically in computer simulations. Problem is, real people have to do it in real life, and that's where it all breaks down.

Like communism, it's a great theory, but it just doesn't work in real life because... people. If everyone's on the same page in the same book, yeah, it would work beautifully, but in reality, everyone's on a different page, reading from wildly different books. All it takes is one timid driver, or one aggressive driver, and the whole thing instantly falls apart.

Yep, all the signs and indications that they are going to have to merge just doesn't work for some people. They don't realize it until they have no more lane to drive on.

If the road is not crowded, it is general better to start moving over early. People can keep the speed limit and don't create a hazardous situation when all of a sudden a choice between cut someone off of put on the brakes.

[divemaster]

Driving all the way down the "Left Lane Must Turn Left" lane and then cutting over into the real lane at the end, in front of the cars going straight is NOT a zipper merge.

If the sign says "Right Lane for Exit Only," then driving down that lane until the last moment and then forcing yourself into the through lane is NOT a zipper merge.

If you are in the lane that says "Exit Only," or "Must Turn" there is only one legal move. Here's a hint: it's right there on the sign.

I'm all for a zipper merge, when two through lanes are becoming one through lane. I even understand that there is a grace period for getting over once the lane you are in suddenly becomes an exit only lane. That can catch anyone by surprise. Sure. But that does not give you the right to run all the way to the front and cut into the line of cars. Once you are committed to the "Exit Only" lane, you need to exit.

[K364]

Originally Posted by Celidin

This is factually incorrect.

As described in innumerable traffic studies, which were researched and collected for the book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What it Says About Us), utilizing all lanes of traffic until the point of the merge is the most efficient use of that piece of roadway, and thus the actual quickest way for everyone. And if everyone was properly using all lanes of the roadway prior to the merge, then no one would be "zoom[ing] past" so there won't be any petty bad feelings.

I read Traffic a few years ago and the logic and facts presented within that book turned me from an early merger into a late merger. I won't be able to do justice to the argument here at work (without my copy to reference), so I'll leave it at that.

Or another way to put it:

I don't why they put up a zillion signs around construction and lane closures, but I've never seen one that say "Zipper merge ahead, stay in two lanes until you merge" with a simple diagram.

[K364]

I really try hard to keep my eyes on the car in front of me when driving.

An example of where I almost got caught:

Driving west and turning left southbound. The southbound is two lanes so I'm turning into the left lane. A medium sized bus eastbound is turning right into the right lane... the problem is that the bus can't make the corner without swinging into my lane. I'm going WTF and my instinct is to step on it to get ahead of the bus. Fortunately I looked ahead and the lady in front of me (also left turning) had stepped on the brake even though she was mostly ahead of the turning bus. Stomped on the brakes just in time.

[JohnGalt]

Originally Posted by K364

I don't why they put up a zillion signs around construction and lane closures, but I've never seen one that say "Zipper merge ahead, stay in two lanes until you merge" with a simple diagram.

You mean like this and this?

My pet peeve is people who DO use their turn signals, but turn them on way too damn early. They're obviously thinking "Hey, there's my turn up there two blocks ahead, I'd better start signalling!" In the meantime, someone only one block ahead might see that they are signalling to turn (right) and pull out in front of them. DON'T SIGNAL until it's close to where you are going to turn.

[Leaffan]

I've seen dash cam videos of people willing to dent their own vehicle rather than let one of these last-second mergers in. I mean, it's a shitty thing to drive all the way to the end before merging, but do you really think it's worth denting your car to perhaps save 3 seconds of your commute?

I browse road rage videos occasionally, and it's absolutely nuts what people in cars do to one another. You would never ram someone in the grocery store with your cart, yet it happens on the road!

[Yllaria]

Originally Posted by Airbeck

If you are in the right lane at a red light, and right turns on red are allowed, but you aren't turning but are instead trying to get in front of everyone who is going straight, you are an asshole. Especially during rush hour. You are preventing people from making their turn and forcing them to wait for the entire light just so you can be first.

I'm not understanding this. Unless it's a right turn only lane, I can either turn right or go forward. It doesn't matter whether someone behind me wants to turn right or not. Are you talking about someone using a right turn only lane as an illegal passing lane?

Originally Posted by Acsenray

I'd say this -- the only situation in which the left lane is even conceivably reserved for passing is on a limited-access highway with at least three lanes in the same direction and no exit ramps on the left. Surface street, highway with only two lanes in the same direction or with left exits, any situation in which it's even conceivable for someone to need the left lane for something other than overtaking, etc., the left lane is fair game for just driving and not passing. Sole exception -- when there's an actual law that says you can only be in the left lane to pass -- and that's in a minority of jurisdictions.

I've driven in the two-lane sections of I-5 often enough to really appreciate folks who pay attention and get to the right if someone faster comes up behind them. Life is so much better when that happens.

[Kimstu]

Originally Posted by Jackmannii

What I can't stand are parking lot stalkers - drivers who follow behind me at 2 mph as I'm walking through the lot, in hopes of inheriting a parking place. If you want to waste your time, keep following on my heels; I might just remember that I need to buy something else and do an about-face.

I have sometimes felt a little bit bad for parking-lot stalkers who creep along behind me as I cross from the store exit into the crowded parking lot, and walk along the nearest line of parked cars...

...and then cross over to the next lane of parked cars...

...and the next, and the next...

...and right out of the parking lot to the pedestrian walkway leading to the bus stop where I'm going to catch my bus.

But only a little bit. Especially when there are actually quite a few parking spots out by the edge of the lot that they could have parked in five minutes ago instead of trying to trail me to my nonexistent vehicle.

[Railer13]

Originally Posted by Acsenray

You should be embarrassed to cite that source for your proposition.

“Slower traffic keep right” is not equivalent to “left lane for passing only.”

Well, perhaps a link from MIT is more reliable?

I went through many of the links and found at least 10 states that have a law that states

"(a) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows:

(1) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement;

(2) When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard;

(3) Upon a roadway divided into 3 marked lanes for traffic under the rules applicable thereon; or

(4) Upon a roadway designated and signposted for one-way traffic."

IOW, keep right except to pass.

[CoastalMaineiac]

Originally Posted by Manda JO

Which left lane? On interstate between cities? On surface streets? On multi-lane interstates in cities? Can I cruise in the next-to-left-most lane? On multi-lane surface streets-when it's rush hour, how soon is too soon to move over when I am turning left eventually?

The answer depends on your jurisdiction. Here in Maine, for example, we have a state-wide law that mandates staying in the right-most lane except to overtake slower vehicles, and that law applies only on highways with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour or more, no matter how many lanes there are. They do, however, use the "keep right except to pass" regulatory sign on some highways where the speed limit is less than 65.

Nearby Massachusetts, however, mandates keeping right on all roads (cite), not just highways of a certain speed, and as in Maine, the number of lanes is irrelevant, they want you all the way over to the right unless you have a valid reason not to be.

That said, I've never heard of anyone being ticketed for violating this rule, either.

[echoreply]

There are two places on my commute home where the entrance lane on the freeway continues for over a mile before requiring a merge to the left. People insist on getting over immediately. Often crossing a solid line to do so, and always going slower than prevailing traffic. Unless traffic is stop-and-go, then they just cut in. This isn't just a sometimes thing either, but most cars doing it every day. The cars that actually continue straight can pass a mile of traffic before it's time to zipper merge, and yet, the stupidity persists.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by Chefguy

If you're going to turn left at the stoplight, put your turn signal on as you approach the light. That way, people will know to move to the right lane to go around you when the light changes. Waiting until the light turns green to signal is rude, passive aggressive, and really fucking annoying.

And exactly what the morons do at an intersection near me. In this case it is not going around - they can go straight or turn left at this intersection. If I'm turning left, and they go straight, I have to wait until they clear the intersection to do it. If they are turning left we can turn left at the same time. Signalling after they start the turn is stupid. Which is what they do.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by divemaster

Driving all the way down the "Left Lane Must Turn Left" lane and then cutting over into the real lane at the end, in front of the cars going straight is NOT a zipper merge.

If the sign says "Right Lane for Exit Only," then driving down that lane until the last moment and then forcing yourself into the through lane is NOT a zipper merge.

If you are in the lane that says "Exit Only," or "Must Turn" there is only one legal move. Here's a hint: it's right there on the sign.

I'm all for a zipper merge, when two through lanes are becoming one through lane. I even understand that there is a grace period for getting over once the lane you are in suddenly becomes an exit only lane. That can catch anyone by surprise. Sure. But that does not give you the right to run all the way to the front and cut into the line of cars. Once you are committed to the "Exit Only" lane, you need to exit.

And what happens near me is that a line of cars are in the exit only lane, wishing to exit (and with metering lights this backs up more than the through lane) when some clown drives to the start of the ramp and then tries to push in. And sits in the traffic lane putting everyone at risk. Especially when they can go a couple of hundred feet, make a U-turn, and get on the ramp across the street.

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by Guest-starring: Id!

Dodge 1500 truck, so it'll sit a bit higher than your Prius, and thus, more viewable in a rear-view mirror.

If they could see the mirror, then they could see the light. And how much space do you leave at a light anyway?
Honking one second after the light changes is obnoxious. Honking 15 seconds after is well deserved.

[Broomstick]

Originally Posted by Leaffan

I browse road rage videos occasionally, and it's absolutely nuts what people in cars do to one another. You would never ram someone in the grocery store with your cart, yet it happens on the road!

I work in a grocery store. Yes, people DO ram each other with the carts. Every road-rage wrong move you see on the road you can see in the grocery store with carts/buggies if you wait long enough (which, on a busy Saturday afternoon, is about 10 minutes).

[Acsenray]

Originally Posted by Railer13

I went through many of the links and found at least 10 states ...

10 of 50 looks like a “minority of jurisdictions” to me. You want to quibble with that?

[WOOKINPANUB]

When traffic is stopped for a light, pay some damned attention and close the 2 car gap between you and the car ahead of you. This is especially irksome when I'm unable to get into the left turn lane because people refuse to pull forward.

[kayaker]

Bird Box is just a movie (based on the novel). Do not drive blindfolded.

[Sitnam]

Originally Posted by SingleMalt

The "Zipper Merge". Learn it. Love it. Use it.

No one knows how to do this so you get one long lane of cautious and yet responsible people and a fast lane for pricks who are more important than everyone else.

Sitting in your parked car. Fine, just don’t wait for me to pull into the next spot to decide in that moment to open your door.

[Ludovic]

nm

[DCnDC]

Maintaining a 50-foot gap from the car in front of you, fine.

Maintaining a 500-foot gap from the car in front of you, you're an idiot. What do you think is going to happen, a jumbo jet is going to land on the highway in front of you?! Move up or get out of the way, dumb fuck!

[Ludovic]

Anything less than 500 feet is annoying to me if you are following me at that distance on a 4 lane highway with no one else going our direction, and you keep following me for miles no matter how fast I speed up or slow down. If you'd just lag behind or pass me I could rest my right foot instead of hovering it over the brakes.

[k9bfriender]

Originally Posted by Celidin

This is factually incorrect.

As described in innumerable traffic studies, which were researched and collected for the book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What it Says About Us), utilizing all lanes of traffic until the point of the merge is the most efficient use of that piece of roadway, and thus the actual quickest way for everyone. And if everyone was properly using all lanes of the roadway prior to the merge, then no one would be "zoom[ing] past" so there won't be any petty bad feelings.

I read Traffic a few years ago and the logic and facts presented within that book turned me from an early merger into a late merger. I won't be able to do justice to the argument here at work (without my copy to reference), so I'll leave it at that.

Or another way to put it:

That's if there is a zipper merge, where you have two lanes going to one. The most common problem I see on those is when people hug the car in front of them, preventing a car from zippering in between them and that car. That means that the car that was going to merge between those cars needs to fall back, slowing the entire lane and making the entire merge procedure slower and less efficient. All because someone could not stand the idea of someone getting in front of them.

However, I think that what the poster is complaining about, and what I have seen quite often, is not when you have two lanes going to one, but two parallel planes, one going straight, and one turning, and they stay in the the straight lane until they get to the end, and then cut off the car in the turn lane.

This does not increase traffic flow. It slows down everyone, well, except the asshole who cut in front of everyone.

Originally Posted by Railer13

You mean in all 50 states?

Knowing that Ohio is not one of those 50 states, based on my knowledge of Ohio driving laws, I don't think that is right.

According to your cite:

Drivers must drive in the right lane, except ... when driving on a
roadway with three or more marked traffic lanes

Not saying that it's not a bad idea to stay right, but it's not the law.

Originally Posted by Ambivalid

Ha! Touche!

Don't touche it while driving either.

Originally Posted by Railer13

Well, perhaps a link from MIT is more reliable?

I went through many of the links and found at least 10 states that have a law that states

"(a) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows:

(1) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement;

(2) When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard;

(3) Upon a roadway divided into 3 marked lanes for traffic under the rules applicable thereon; or

(4) Upon a roadway designated and signposted for one-way traffic."

IOW, keep right except to pass.

Those are exceptions, not times when you cannot.

So, what your (3) says there, is that "Upon a roadway divided into 3 marked lanes for traffic under the rules applicable thereon" you do not need to keep right except to pass.

[enipla]

A message for CDOT.

I drive Colorado mountain 2 lane highways a lot. Almost exclusively. Now CDOT will incorporate passing lanes into these. All well and good. And they do it so the natural flow of traffic goes into the farthest right lane. This opens up a new left lane for passing. Very well, makes sense.

But then they fuck up. Often, when the passing lane goes away, instead of getting rid of the passing lane, they get rid of the right lane. Forcing people that are not passing to merge into the passers.

What does this do? Well often, a person will not pass you but just hang next to you (idiots). Now you have to decide to slow down or speed up to merge. It should be the person passing to make sure they have enough room to do it, and then THEY should lose their lane and have to merge back into the normal traffic lane. This puts the responsibility of a safe pass into the hands of the people being passed.

This also encourages people to camp in the left passing lane but not pass (since they know the right lane is going to end anyway).

Drives me nuts.

[FairyChatMom]

Hope I didn't read over this one, but it happened to me the other day. I was waiting to turn right, and the truck approaching from the left had a right turn signal and got into the turn lane - so I could pull out, correct?

Wrong.

Apparently said driver wanted the right turn about a block down the road and didn't realize it till I'd started pulling out. Except the turn lane ended where I sat, so how could I have guessed that maybe the signal was on just a little too early? Fortunately, there was no oncoming traffic, so the truck was able to swerve around me and zip to the next corner, and I didn't sustain vehicle damage. Moral of the story - don't trust signals.

And as a matter of courtesy, if you're driving thru a parking lot and it's raining, it'd be really decent of you to allow pedestrians to get to their cars or the store without making them wait in the rain for your lazy, dry ass to mosey by.

[Channing Idaho Banks]

Don't expect me to speed up just because you are honking or flashing your lights at me.

[Airbeck]

Originally Posted by Yllaria

I'm not understanding this. Unless it's a right turn only lane, I can either turn right or go forward. It doesn't matter whether someone behind me wants to turn right or not. Are you talking about someone using a right turn only lane as an illegal passing lane?

I'm talking mostly about commuting hours, if you are using the right lane to get in front of the rest of the cars that are going straight you are being totally inconsiderate of those behind you that should be able to turn during the red. No its not illegal, but its selfish. 1 o'clock in the afternoon when you're not likely to be making anyone late for work,? Fine, but 8 am, you are probably fucking up somebody's commute. Sure you'd be entitled to use that lane for that purpose, but I'm also entitled to think that you are being inconsiderate and selfish.

[Manda JO]

Originally Posted by CoastalMaineiac

The answer depends on your jurisdiction. Here in Maine, for example, we have a state-wide law that mandates staying in the right-most lane except to overtake slower vehicles, and that law applies only on highways with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour or more, no matter how many lanes there are. They do, however, use the "keep right except to pass" regulatory sign on some highways where the speed limit is less than 65.

Nearby Massachusetts, however, mandates keeping right on all roads (cite), not just highways of a certain speed, and as in Maine, the number of lanes is irrelevant, they want you all the way over to the right unless you have a valid reason not to be.

That said, I've never heard of anyone being ticketed for violating this rule, either.

The highway I drive to work everyday has at least 4 southbound lanes for the entire 10 miles I drive. I cannot imagine it making sense for us all to be in the right hand lane. If anything, it's better to be at least one lane in so that the right-most lane is free for merging.

Many--most?--surface streets in Dallas is three lanes each way. Again, I can't imagine why if would be helpful to all hover in the right lane.

If anyone in Dallas is seething at the fact that people don't all crowd the right lane, I think that's insane. I concur that other places have different set-ups.

Originally Posted by WOOKINPANUB

When traffic is stopped for a light, pay some damned attention and close the 2 car gap between you and the car ahead of you. This is especially irksome when I'm unable to get into the left turn lane because people refuse to pull forward.

Worse, I'm in the left lane going forward, in preparation to turn left in right after the light, but the left-turn lane line has spilled out and blocked the lane.


I think the thing that drives me the craziest is when I am stopped at a light, in the right turn lane, and a big truck or SUV in the middle lane pulls so far forward that I can't see around them to turn right on red. Pulling forward isn't helping them in any way, but it's forcing me to wait for a whole light cycle.

[echoreply]

Why did you pass me just to slow down?

[Channing Idaho Banks]

Originally Posted by echoreply

Why did you pass me just to slow down?

Don't think it's personal.

[kayaker]

Originally Posted by echoreply

Why did you pass me just to slow down?

How can I miss you when you won't go away?