The left lane is for passing not only because it’s safer for you or because it’s random law they decided to make for no reason but because it speeds up traffic.
It’s safer because then you don’t have the really fast drivers swerving around cars. In most places this law is not enforced but I think it should be. You are not the cops, if you are blocking someone who would have to break the law to pass you you should get out of the way.
I’ve got a number of irrational fears that I’d like to share with you. - Weezer
Florida Statutes 316.081:
“2) Upon all roadways, any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.” Reference
Texas Statutes 545.051:
"
(b) An operator of a vehicle on a roadway moving more slowly
than the normal speed of other vehicles at the time and place
under the existing conditions shall drive in the right-hand lane
available for vehicles, or as close as practicable to the
right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, unless the operator is:
(1) passing another vehicle" Reference (not the exact page, because I found it as a result of a search, so you’ll have to search, too).
Unfortunately, they don’t say you can’t drive in the left lane unless passing.
They do say you have to drive to the right if you are slower than the normal flow. That is pretty much standard fare everywhere. These statutes are what allow an officer to ticket you for doing 55 in the #1 lane of a four-lane freeway, even though theoretically no one is going faster than you because that is the limit on that stretch of road.
So, we still lack a statute that prohibits driving in the left lane of a two-lane freeway except to pass… any other attempts?
Details, details. In the same chapter of FSS, but the first subsection, we find:
*"1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width, a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows:
(a) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement;
(b) 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;
On subsection (d), it makes an exception for a “roadway designated and signposted for one-way traffic.” At first reading, I took it as an exception to the whole drive-on-the-right rule, but more a more careful reading leads me to believe this only applies to truly one-way roads, such as you might find in the city. A “roadway” by traditional definition (at least in accident reconstruction) is the paved portion and the immediate shoulder. There are many four+ lane highways that have no unpaved median or divider (and boy, does it make driving exciting). Further, even in the case of interstates, they are not “signposted for one-way traffic” in the strictest sense. Difficult to know for certain the legislature’s intent, but my reading is that (d) is not an exception for reg’lar interstate highway travel.
"Theory is when you know everything and nothing is working. Organization is when nothing is working and everyone knows why. Practice is when everything is working and no one knows why. "
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a brochure titled Life in the Fast Lane. Included is this paragraph:
The following states reserve the left lane for passing: Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
and this one:
*In states that reserve the left for passing only and apply the
restriction to all vehicles, no one is permitted to cruise in the left lane, regardless of speed. *
Actually, Johnny, I have shared lanes a few times and each time have felt that a foot or two buffer space between my handlebars and the adjacent car doors was certainly not enough room. That’s why I don’t share lanes. If you are comfortable doing it, that’s fine.
I haven’t commuted on a bike in a long time and when I did, there wasn’t enough traffic to warrant sharing lanes. Perhaps if I did, I would feel the same about saving time. Still, I don’t believe this constitutes a “need” to pass between other motorists. Using that logic, I could say there is a need for me to go 100 MPH when I drive somewhere, because it saves me a few minutes, no matter the inherent danger.
I agree that people who don’t pay attention shouldn’t be on the road. I do, however, pay great attention to the road and still fear for motorcyclist’s safety when they pass between me and another vehicle. I still believe that, if something goes wrong, the acceleration and maneuverability of a bike, while superior to that of an auto or truck, may not always be enough. And if it comes between me smashing into a vehicle in front of me and dying or taking out some cyclist who thought my buffer room was big enough for the both pf us to share, neither I nor my Firestone Radial ATX 235/75R15’s will feel any guilt about rolling over the bike to safety.
OK, maybe I should have just one cup of coffee in the morning…
“I’ve got a DungeonMaster’s guide, I’ve got a twelve-sided die, I’ve got Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler too, waiting there for me, yes I do.”
Weezer-In the Garage
You know, I like to drive the speed limit, or just under (just to be safe), and I prefer driving in the left lane. People don’t seem to mind, cause they’re constantly honking at me and giving me the “You’re number 1!” signal.
Raza, again, nice try, but this time all you are doing is citing the code section that requires you to drive on the right hand side of the road.
Subsection a) allows you to pass like you do on a two lane road, going around the vehicle in front of you by utilizing the lane for oncoming traffic.
Subsection b) allows you to avoid an obstruction by going into the oncoming traffic, as long as you do so safely.
Subsection c) allows you to drive in the left hand lane of two lanes going the same direction on a road striped two in one and one the other.
Subsection d) allows you to drive in any lane where the road goes only one direction.
Actually, many divided highways with at grade crossings are signed with one-way traffic signs at the crossings. But regardless, the point is, this isn’t applicable to driving in the left-hand lane of a two-lane freeway.
You’ll note that the NHTSA paragraph cited after you doesn’t list either Florida or Texas as forcing drivers into the right-hand lane.
Still looking… perhaps someone could look at statutes of the states that the NHTSA does list as requiring drive right, pass left.
Perhaps I am misinterpreting what you just posted, DSYoungESQ, but it seems like you missed the focus of the statute. Subsections A - D were exceptions to the rule in section 1, repeated here:
"1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width, a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows: " (bolding mine)
As it appears to me, section 1 clearly states that vehicles must be driven on the right half, except under the circumstances in subsections A-D. I was not offering up subsections A-D as evidence that drivers should drive on the right.
Common sense tells you to keep up with the flow of traffic. If the lane you are in is moving to fast merge right into the slower lane. If you are going a little over the speed limit to keep up with the flow, don’t worry so is everyone else. The person most likely to get ticketed is the driver acting like an he/she is at the Indy 500, constantly changing lanes… I like to call them “radar sweepers”. As long as someone like that is ahead of me I know I won’t get pulled over.
Back the main topic, I do guess that people who drive slow(er) in the left lane do so for one of two reasons. One they are stubborn (ie. the sign says 55 MPH and thats all the faster I am going to go). Or two they or not skilled enough to allow traffic to merge from on-ramps to the right lane
What the hell is so god damn hard to figure out here?! Stay in the freakin’ right lane unless you are passing! State after state has laws against cruising in the left lane unless you are passing slower traffic!. Do I have to quote you verbatim for example Michigan Law? Do not drive in the the left lane unless you are overtaking slower traffic, turning left, or THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY TWO CONTINUOUS LINES OF TRAFFIC!
GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY YOU FRIGGIN MORON! AND DON’T DISPLAY YOUR SANCTIMONIOUS LAW-ABIDING SHEEP, SAP, NAZI-BOOTLICKING MENTALITY BY DRIVING SLOW IN THE LEFT LANE1
Raza, you miss the point. The statute you quoted is about driving on the right hand side of a two-lane road, not in the right lane of two lanes heading in the same direction. The exceptions in a) through d) are the reasons you are allowed to go into the lane of oncoming traffic, not reasons you are allowed to pass traffic in the right lane by using the left lane of two lanes heading the same way.
As the NTHSA site noted, Florida is not a state that requires drive right, pass left.
On DC area interstates, it’s practically impossible to follow the left-is-for-passing rule.
[ul][li]The right lane is for suckers. Traffic either comes to a complete stop because traffic from the on-ramps is jammed and trying to merge, or the off-ramps are backed up. The second-most right lane is often jammed because of the latter, too, because jerks are trying to circumvent the stopped traffic but then try to jam in right at the exit.[/li][li]The left-most lane is often overloaded because drivers think that they’ll be passing all of the drivers from the previous bulletpoint.[/li][li]On the Virginia half of the Beltway, there are two manditory left exits (Inner Loop to Dulles Access Rd. & Outer Loop to I-395 N) and one optional one (Inner Loop to I-66 W [a right exit in the same direction is 1/2 mile further]). It’d be impossible to stay as far right as possible, then merge over.[/li]
There’s also a left-lane entrance (I-66 W to Outer Loop) that’s a nightmare to use.
[li]I-395 goes from 3 to 4 lanes several times from the Beltway to the District. Rather than hassle with the stop-and-go, I usually take back roads that take about the same amount of time for my trip to Crystal City.[/ul][/li]
Wrong thinking is punished, right thinking is just as swiftly rewarded. You’ll find it an effective combination.
Left lane onramps/off-ramps suck. Here in the Bay Area, Caltrans had enough to be very sparing in using them. In Michigan, however, there seems to be a sadistic joy in putting them all over the place.
It’s not how you pick your nose, it’s where you put the boogers
