This is scary. For many reasons. To name just one - you are apparently willing to drive, on public roads where the rest of us are taking our lives in your hands, and base your decisions on something you learned FROM SOMEONE ELSE, rather than relying upon your own experience to guide you on this crucial matter. Have you never explored adjusting your own mirrors so that you can see all around you? If not, may I requst that you do so a.s.a.p. Fact is, taking a glance around when you plan to change lanes is not a terrible thing to do, and it is always a comforting thing to double check. On the other hand, if your mirrors are adjusted correctly, and you are consulting them often enough, you should be able to drive along and know what is happening around you without that peek. If they are adjusted correctly, a car coming up on your left or right should be visible in your mirrors until you are able to see them out of the corner of your eye at the side of your car.
It’s mentioned in the Illinois Rules of the Road, although not terribly clearly:
I would presume that if the left-lane rule is written into the law, it should be in the state’s Rules of the Road book.
EDIT:
Actually, what I cited is for two-lanes and doesn’t apply to the case at hand. The section directly below addresses your question:
As has been noted, this is not a law on practically any freeway I know of. On Bay Area freeways, the left lane is seldom the fastest, and the right lane is often not the slowest.
Perhaps for long-haul driving, but on Bay Area Freeways trucks seldom take the right lane, more often the middle lane (except just before scales, etc.) The reason for this is that with many entrance ramps, and frequent merges, driving in the right lane is far more dangerous.
No, it doesn’t, actually. It says you should drive on the right half of the road and should cross the center line only under certain conditions. The right half of the road includes all the lanes going the same way on my side of the center line, whether one, two, or three. Does anyone else have an actual cite to a law that mandates “left lane only for passing/drive only in the right lane”?
Did you not read my edit?
Here it is again:
I also cited in Post 37 the left lane law in Illinois. I’m not sure what more you want.
Furthermore, ILCS 5/11-701(d) states:
(Emphasis mine).
This does not refer to passing across the center lane into oncoming lanes, but rather same-direction lanes.
Incidentally, the fine for this is $75.
And I just realized that lowbrass has already quoted the law for Illinois. He is correct in his interpretation that the law does not strictly prohibit driving in the left lane in Illinois, but it does require drivers to move out of the left lane if traffic is trying to pass them from behind. As far as I understand it, states with left lane laws usually are stricter than this, and only permit travel in the left(most) lane for passing in normal circumstances.
Actually, you’re dead wrong - which is scary, since you are so adamant about your incorrect point of view. You most definitely have blind spots around your car. I used to be a driving instructor; I know what I’m talking about. One of the lessons we taught was to have a student sit in the driver’s seat and have the instructor start at the side of the car and walk outwards until visible in the mirror. We could draw a chalk outline of the blind spots this way. They exist. Many drivers don’t realize it, but then there are a lot of things many drivers don’t realize.
There is an “alternate” method of adjusting mirrors that is being touted by many. It’s on the “Car Talk” website; I’m not sure if this is where it originated. This method is claimed to eliminate blind spots, but there is much controversy surrounding the claim. Check out thissite. Even those who advocate the method generally advise against using it as a substitute for checking your blind spots.
It’s foolhardy to advise people not to check their blind spot when changing lanes. I couldn’t even tell you how many times I’ve had to swerve to avoid being hit by reckless drivers who come into my lane without checking their blind spot.
I see. Being a teacher makes you an expert on the topic. mmm hmm. FWIW, I can set my mirrors so that I don’t have a blind spot when I’m driving.
Re-read my post. I said it’s comforting to double check. In other words, even if you are sure you have been watching the traffic and your mirrors are adjusted correctly, you can peek just to be sure. I’ll reiterate the other point that you apparently missed - that drivers need to be constantly consulting their mirrors. I’ll suggest that many drivers education courses fail to emphasize this, partly because of my own observation of cars driving in front of me where I can see either sky or ground or the side of their car in their rear view mirrors, but not me or my car - meaning that the driver cannot see me, either. Clearly, they aren’t using their mirrors. Who taught them how to drive?!!!
As one of the people who advocates the mirror settings criticized in the link in lowbrass’ post, I have to say that I’m not impressed by the arguments on that page. Mainly, he seems to be relying on the “evidence” of that drawing, which I don’t think bears much relation to the reality of most cars’ field of view. I think he’s drawn it to create blind spots where most cars would not have them. Furthermore, the “Car One” drawing (his preferred method) should have significant blind spots to the outside.
The key to the proper adjustment of mirrors is that as a car behind and to either side of you moves toward you and out of your center rearview mirror, it should appear in one of your sideview mirrors. By definition this means that you have no blind spot. The old-fashioned method, in which you could see the side of the car in your side view mirrors, duplicated part of the view of the rearview mirror, and in doing so left a blind spot in the 7 or 8 o’clock position, before the other vehicle moved alongside where it would be seen in the driver’s peripheral vision. It was this blind spot that the head turn is supposed to check. The “wide” setting of the sideview mirrors covers that area, and should significantly reduce the need for “shoulder checks.”
Of course, all cars are different, and there can be other obstructions, like passengers, large window stickers, etc., as that site points out. But in general, it should be possible to adjust the mirrors of most cars to drastically reduce or eliminate virtually all blind spots.
(BTW, I’m a driving instructor, too.)
Well, no. It means that you can see some part of a car-sized object or larger, if it’s in the lane immediately next to you. It ignores the fact that pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists exist. It also ignores the fact that a car two lanes over could be moving into a lane from the other side at the same time you are moving into that lane.
What do you mean by “reduce”? You either need to check the blind spot every time, or you don’t need to at all. It makes no sense to only do it sometimes.
Think about this for one second: Your rearview mirror frames the rear window. The extent of the view from that mirror is what can be seen out the rear window. You can not see either outside rear corner of the car AT ALL from the rearview mirror. If you adjust your side mirrors so that those rear corners are also out of their view, then you are not seeing those spots at all. Another car may be wide enough to span that gap, but a motorcycle is not.
Then you should know better than to advise people not to check blind spots when changing lanes.
Given that special training and a license are required to be a teacher, yes it does. You must have been a joy to your teachers when you were in school. :rolleyes:
Okay, I freely admit that I do not check for pedestrians or bicycles when changing lanes on the freeway. Call me careless! :rolleyes:
To be clear, I’m not arguing against head checks. Your point about motorcycles and cars two lanes over are reasons for making head checks. I’m arguing against the old style of mirror adjustment, which left large (and avoidable) blind spots. The “new” style of adjustment reduces or eliminates blind spots.
A) I don’t have a blind spot, and B) if I haven’t seen another car in 15 minutes, I may not do a head check on the chance that one has dropped down from above the last time I blinked. Different circumstances dictate different practices. If you want to look over your shoulder every single time you change lanes, feel free. I’m a little more flexible, and I don’t think I’m putting myself at significantly more risk by doing so.
Cite? I can see the rear corners of both my cars just fine in the rearview mirrors, and I’d suggest that that’s true of most cars on the road today. If you’re driving some land yacht so big you can’t see your corners, then I think I see the source of our disagreement.
Oh, I didn’t realize you have a matter transporter in your driveway that beams your car directly onto the freeway so that you never have to drive on city streets. Sorry, my mistake.
Then why did you jump in on the discussion between CC and myself regarding his contention that you don’t need to check blind spots?
I never argued against the alternate mirror settings; I argued against advising other drivers to forego checking their blind spots.
That makes no sense. If you truly believe you have no blind spots, you should believe that you never have to check over your shoulder. You’re relying on “not having seen another car in 15 minutes?” That’s not advisable. What gets drivers in trouble is when they make assumptions. Any experienced driver knows that circumstances can change at any moment, often with no warning.
What do you mean “cite”? I laid it out clearly and logically. Did you read what I wrote? You do know that light travels in a straight line, don’t you? Did you think your line of vision can travel out the rear window and turn around the corner of the car?
Then you must know the commonly accepted definition of an expert: A guy who knows 35 positions to make love but doesn’t have a girlfriend. I’m not really interested in an ongoing argument, but training and licensing don’t guarantee much. 50% of the people trained and licensed in your business finished in the bottom half of their classes.
Not sure how you got here, but I’ll claim that most of them liked me, as have most of the students I’ve had over the years. And I’m not quite certain what quality offends you the most, but I often questioned underlying assumptions in school, and have most enjoyed those students who did, as well.
Yes, that’s a funny old joke. I don’t know how it’s supposed to support your point.
Well I thought my meaning was clear, but I’ll go into more detail: You seem to have the attitude that the education and training required to become a teacher isn’t valid. That demonstrates a lack of respect for your teachers. I’m sorry, but professional training is more valid than “I read it on the internet.”
Scotsman adding a little European (or at least British) balance to this thread on request!
Yes, as a general rule we overtake on the right (your left). We refer to the opposite as ‘undertaking’ and although it’s not illegal it is contrary to the Highway Code and generally frowned upon by police. It’s not a ticketable offence in itself as far as I know but it could be deemed dangerous or careless driving in some circumstances I guess.
Exceptions are allowed when traffic is queued, slowing for turns etc.
**Raguleader ** - We do have motorcycle paramedics but i’d be very surprised to see them using the sidewalk no matter what the circumstances and i’d bet the farm that none have ever ever used stairs! The benefit is simply the ability to weave in and out of stationary traffic when other vehicles would get stuck.
**GusNSpot ** – Seriously, pedestrians are supposed to face the oncoming traffic? That’s the recommended approach here where there is no sidewalk and you need to walk on the road itself but otherwise that seems bizarre. I leave my house, walk down the road and then realise I’ve forgotten something. I need to cross the road to return? Have I misunderstood you?
**GusNSpot ** again – I’m slightly confused about the info your State Trooper buddies have given you. In the UK it is illegal to exceed the speed limit no matter what. I’m amazed this was suggested to be a little known fact in this thread, seriously, the word *limit * is not clear how? It’s bad etiquette to inch past in the right lane (your left) but as long as you are actually overtaking something on the left it’s legitimate. And if you are actually travelling at the speed limit then anyone you are holding up would be speeding, so legally you aren’t actually holding them up. Bad etiquette, in a nation where speeding seems more socially acceptable than holding people up at the limit, but perfectly legal. It would be illegal to exceed the speed limit in order to not be holding them up.
**Yabob ** – It’s not unheard of for us to have off ramps and splits on the right (your left) but it’s very much the exception and generally only ever in city areas where there simply isn’t room to build a big sweep round from the left type arrangement. Where there is space there will generally be a left (your right) exit with a fly-over or under-pass back to the right. There really aren’t that many right exits that I have seen, and for both off ramps and splits it’s common for the relevant lane(s) to be denoted as separate from the rest of the carriageway, i.e. overtaking on the left (your right) would be acceptable as it could be viewed as two separate roads.
Okay, so I’m not arguing with you and you’re not arguing with me. So why are we arguing?
Well, I think we could do without the snarkiness, but you claim that it’s impossible to see the rear corners of a car through the rearview mirror. I counter that, without breaking any laws of physics (or man) I can see them because the designers of the cars I own (and, I assert, many others) have configured the mirrors and the rear windows so as to make this possible. I grant that older cars had narrower rear windows that might have blocked the view of the rear corners, and that this may be the case with your car, which could also explain why you are so concerned about blind spots.
But your claim that “You can not see either outside rear corner of the car AT ALL from the rearview mirror,” is simply and flatly wrong in the case of many, many cars.
I’ve always used the following basic rules, and never had a problem:
- Adjust side (wing) mirrors so that you can only just see the tiniest sliver of your own car at the inside of them.
- Adjust interior rear-view mirror to be almost central, but with the slightest skew to the left (right for US and Europe).
- Know thy mirrors’ limitations and TURN YOUR HEAD.
Never had a problem so far.
Unless the vehicles surrounded by the largest vehicle mirrors ever constructed and/or it’s made entirely of glass, how is it even possible for the thing to not have blind spots?