# Get out of the left lane asshole! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 2, 2006, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990 "2006-08-02T06:40:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rumpleforskin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5e9695/32.png) [@Rumpleforskin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumpleforskin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/1 "2006-08-02T06:40:25Z")
Look, I am perfectly fine with you driving slow as you want in the right lane. If it’s a single lane you just need to drive faster. These people think it’s safer riding slow, well not if someone rams into the back of you. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/2 "2006-08-02T07:40:09Z")
I see the Pit is on summer reruns. Sorry, been done. (BTW, Marshall Efron, co-writer of Annie Hall, used to go by Rumpledforeskin when he visited Steve Post on WBAI in NY in the early '70s. His contribution to the pledge drive consisted of playing Mr. Bojangles over and over until they got their money - something that the NPR stations have refined into an art today. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/3 "2006-08-02T12:43:20Z")
Ah, yes. Guests in the Pit. Always a useless combination. ---
**Author:** ![Heckxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@Heckxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckxx)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/4 "2006-08-02T14:20:18Z")
I like driving slow in the left lane. I feel like I’m empowered. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/5 "2006-08-02T14:35:26Z")
Well, if someone rear-ends a vehicle traveling at a legal speed, guess whose fault that is? (“A legal speed” by most states’ law is, what’s safe for road conditions, and in conditions permitting safe travel at the speed limit, anything from 15 MPH below the limit up to the limit.) I recall when we moved south, we had a rented Ryder truck with a governor keeping us at 55 MPH. No problem doing that 55 MPH on superhighways for almost the entire length of the trip, with a couple of slowdowns in Pennsylvania and northern Virginia. However, on a stretch of I-95 that was two lanes in each direction, we passed at 55 a heavily loaded truck doing 40, in an area zoned for 65 MPH limit. This greatly irked some clown who felt that he was entitled to do 75 or 80 and didn’t appreciate being held up by us, and made sure to let us know by tailgating, flashing his lights, and giving us the International Signal of Disapproval as he finally passed us. However, karma was quick. About 30 miles further on, we passed a Virginia Highway Patrol car running a blue-light special, with Mr. Impatient as his star customer. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/6 "2006-08-02T14:39:40Z")
Actually, if there are multiple lanes and someone is driving more slowly than you and is in the left lane, i agree that they should be courteous and move back over to the center or the right lane. But this: > [@Rumpleforskin](#): > > If it’s a single lane you just need to drive faster. is moronic. Sure, there are speeds where driving too slowly can be dangerous, and people who habitually drive more slowly than everyone else should periodically move to the kerb to let others pass. But the idea that they should drive faster just because you want to go faster is idiotic. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/7 "2006-08-02T17:33:43Z")
> [@Heckxx](#): > > I like driving slow in the left lane. I feel like I’m empowered. I’m sure you were joking, but this statement is probably very true for those who sit in the left lane and won’t move over. It’s a way of exercising power that they don’t have otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/8 "2006-08-02T17:39:54Z")
Right on, OP! Also, what’s the deal with homework? You’re not working on your home, after all. Am I right? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/9 "2006-08-02T18:02:47Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Right on, OP! Also, what’s the deal with homework? You’re not working on your home, after all. Am I right? Opie? 😕 Where’s Goober!? ---
**Author:** ![Boggette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@Boggette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boggette)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/10 "2006-08-02T18:04:13Z")
Here in PA, the left lane is always smoother. You’ll lose an axle in the right lane.\* \*I do not approve. I’m just sayin… ---
**Author:** ![Heckxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@Heckxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckxx)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/11 "2006-08-02T18:09:25Z")
Don’t get me started with parking on driveways… ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/12 "2006-08-02T18:48:17Z")
On residential and city streets, I drive at the posted speed limit, or perhaps slightly above. I get very annoyed when people drive BELOW the speed limit, but if someone’s going at speed limit or above, I’m certainly not going to tailgate them. However. If I see someone tailgating me when I’m driving at a reasonable and lawful speed, I’m apt to get pretty pissed off. Maybe even pissed off enough to slow down a little. I’m certainly not going to speed up. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/13 "2006-08-02T20:09:42Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > But the idea that [drivers on a 2-lane road] should drive faster **just** because you want to go faster is idiotic. Bolding mine. As bolded, I agree with that. OTOH, I think drivers on 2-lane roads should, like everyone else, check their rearview mirrors occasionally, and be aware if they find themselves at the head of a longish parade. If they look back and see a half-dozen or more cars piled up behind them, IMHO they should look for a place where they can safely pull aside for a moment and let the parade pass. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/14 "2006-08-02T20:18:52Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > If they look back and see a half-dozen or more cars piled up behind them, IMHO they should look for a place where they can safely pull aside for a moment and let the parade pass. Yeah, like that will ever happen. These are humans we’re talking about here. Maybe if Mahatma Gandha and Mother Teresa were carpooling, you’d have a chance of this happening. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/15 "2006-08-02T20:19:41Z")
“left lane asshole”? Mine only has a center lane. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/16 "2006-08-02T20:43:31Z")
Move to UK and you won’t ever have this problem 🙂 People who don’t pull over at passing points on winding roads when they are keeping me from enjoying the benifits of a great handeling AWD car. Also if you do go into the slow vehicle right lane section don’t speed up to 50mph forcing me to overtake you at 80mph, be polite. I don’t tailgate you, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to overtake you, it just means I’m not a suicidal speed maniac. What really gets me is that the slow drivers take wide high visibility corners far slower than they could easily do, but take blind right hand corners at speeds that are too fast to be able to brake within the distance they can see. Just taking every corner at 25-30mph is moronic, some you can take at 40 even in a poor handeling vehicle, others you need to take at 15 because you can’t see more than 10 yards in front of your vehicle, and cyclists could very easily be just out of sight round that bend. Yes I always pull over for vehicles (usualy motor bikes) that are taking the windy roads faster than I am willing to drive them. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/17 "2006-08-02T21:01:37Z")
> [@Fugazi](#): > > Yeah, like that will ever happen. These are humans we’re talking about here. Maybe if Mahatma Gandha and Mother Teresa were carpooling, you’d have a chance of this happening. Oddly enough, I do this all the time (and I am neither tiny nor shriveled nor even in India). My reasoning is threefold. First, I don’t want to be rear-ended, and so by extension I do not like being tailgated. I am tense if someone is tailgating me. If I can move safely to the side and let him pass, then he is running ahead and no longer tailgating me. Second, I tend to drive exactly the speed limit. I might ride on the left because I need to exit on the left, but usually I will drive in the center – not going anywhere and not doing it very quickly. I go the speed limit because for the distances I’m driving every day I won’t be shaving more than three minutes off my time if I go fast fast fast. So if someone wants to go faster… then, Third, I want them to do it in front of me so that they screen out all the cops. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/18 "2006-08-02T21:02:40Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Move to UK and you won’t ever have this problem 🙂 I’ve only driven a few hours on British motorways (mainly the M1), but I found there’s a whole different culture there: people drive towards the left, and only get into the right lanes when they are overtaking slower vehicles. I didn’t see anyone staying in a right lane where there was an empty lane to their left. (and I just love roundabouts, but that’s a whole different story.) ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/19 "2006-08-02T21:05:16Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > OTOH, I think drivers on 2-lane roads should, like everyone else, check their rearview mirrors occasionally, and be aware if they find themselves at the head of a longish parade. If they look back and see a half-dozen or more cars piled up behind them, IMHO they should look for a place where they can safely pull aside for a moment and let the parade pass. In Texas, this is commonplace. If you’re on a two-lane road with a shoulder and you notice someone behind you, the polite thing to do is to shift to the shoulder and wave the other fella by. The only people who don’t are out-of-staters. Definitely makes cruising backroads less frustrating. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990/20 "2006-08-02T21:07:46Z")
> [@Rumpleforskin](#): > > These people think it’s safer riding slow, well not if someone rams into the back of you. Just keep flashing your brights at me, you festering menstrual clot; you’ll find out I can drive even slower. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-out-of-the-left-lane-asshole/366990.md?page=2)