I am referring to passing a stationary car that is attempting to make a left turn at a light for instance. I don’t see why not if there is ample room on the right and one doesn’t have to leave the road way. Of course most cops probably won’t see it that way. The Chief of Police in my city has deemed it appropriate if there is enough room to safely go around the turning vehicle.
In Illinois it’s not illegal, but if doing so causes a safety problem, you can get a ticket for it.
I got a ticket from a rookie cop once, for passing on the right, when I was driving in the right lane of a two-lane road. I took it to court. The rookie cop tried to tell the judge that my ticket was for “passing on the right,” and the judge pointed out that this was not illegal per se. I basically reduced the cop’s argument to the point where he had three different responses: “I don’t know,” “I don’t remember,” and “Oh, I thought it was.” But–get this–the judge found me guilty anyway, saying that there might have been driveways or “gas stations” or intersections or something, so my passing on the right could conceivably have caused a safety problem. I was stunned: these were not arguments the cop brought up (if he had I’d’ve responded to them) but arguments the judge brought up, after he dropped the gavel.
But I didn’t know what to do about it, so I just paid the $50.
So, no; it’s not illegal, but it can still get you fucked.
What I remember from my stint at traffic school in California is that you can pass someone on the right if: 1) it is safe to do so and 2) you are using a normally traveled portion of the roadway.
The cop teaching the class said that if the rightmost lane was wide enough for two cars that it was OK because you could be travelling anywhere inside that lane. However, the part about it being safe is where you normally get caught.
You cannot go on the sidewalk or on driveways to pass someone on the right.
That’s the rule in CA, according to an offduty cop.
It depends on whether you live in the United Kingdom or the United States.
::: ducks and runs :::
Here in MD you’re not supossed to but people do. When I took one of those stupid classes for a ticket the guy teaching said that you can pass someone on the right legally only if they are turing left AND you don’t go over a solid white line. You’re not supposed to cross ANY solid line, white or yellow.
<Question>
On the Highway, I will often see signs which state “Slower Moving Vehicles Stay To The Right,” or something similar, and I wonder if that means anything about getting ticketed compared to parts fo the highway where these signs are not in place?
</Question>
<Rant>
I fucking HATE people who pass on the right! It is dangerous and it SHOULD be against the law. (I speak of Interstate and state roads with highway speed limits here). The only time I do it is when I am forced to by a dipshit doing something even more egregiously wrong to me - driving too fucking slow in the passing lane!
</Rant>
Yer pal,
Satan - Commissioner, The Teeming Minions
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Slight hijack with the same base question, about the use of “simultaneous left turns” … say you’re at a four-way intersection, with a traffic light. One lane of traffic going each way. Who would be at fault if the front cars in each lane (at the intersection) went to make a left-hand turn simultaneously, but the car behind the first car going either way decides to swerve slightly around the half-turned car and into the intersection? Technically he has a light to go forward (this light has no arrows, just plain green “go”), but the guy immediately in front of him is turning. Must he wait until the person has completed his turn before going straight?
I’ve seen this quite often near my house … an intersection as described, where (in my view) impatient people cut around someone waiting to make a left turn (waiting because there are people going straight in the opposite direction) and almost hit someone who’s going left instead of straight. What’s now happening, of course, is that some people are afraid to make a left simultaneously, causing much longer backups as people will wait til there’s a break in traffic to make a left, rather than while there’s simply someone else making a left going the other way – all because of people who pass on the right.
In fact, I’ve almost been hit doing a “simultaneous left” with another car, because the car behind him decides that he’s gonna jet into the intersection around him. Who would be at fault if I were to be hit in such a situation?
Bit of a hijack here.
As a Canadian, I found it interesting when travelling in the US the Americans generally tend to follow the rule of keeping in the right hand lane except for passing. Excepting a few occasions, I found the passing lane was almost always clear and free for passing if needed.
It also seems that once they cross the border they adopt the Canadian tradition of “Get in passing lane. Reduce speed to match big-ass truck on the right and completely box everyone in.”
I now surrender control of this thread back to the proper authorities and will face my punishment.
Excuse me TinCanMan, I really don’t mean to be rude, but just where in the Hell did you see that? 'Cause I want to go there!
I must live a Hell of a lot closer to Satan than to you! (grumble).
Anyway, back to the original question, I think it’s legal, and I do it myself, but I still wouldn’t do it if I knew there was a cop around.
LOL, even if it wasn’t intentional.
This practice seems to be pretty common on the western end of the Mass Pike as well. Passing a car going 60 mph should not be done at 61 mph!
God, I soooo agree, waterj. If you’re on the pike, and not doing 70+, stay out of the fucking passing lane. Or better yet, stay off the pike! They built route 2 for a reason…
But yeah, in eastern MA, where I do virtually all of my driving, passing on the right is no big deal. In fact, IIRC, I did it on my road test, with a state trooper in the car.