In America there is a large segment of drivers that take pride in driving in the left lane even when the right lanes are free. I believe this behavior is more hazadous than exceeding the posted speed limit. I understand that in some European countries it is the law to keep left except for passing. Failure to do so results in a stiff fine.
I have always thought that these drivers were being passive-aggressive and should come under the highway patrol crackdowns on “aggressive driving”. I do agree with the great and all-knowing Cecil that “they are actually being assholes” What is passive aggressive? , but they are also being aggressive in a “passive way”, therefore they are being assholes in a passive aggressive way.
It seems to me that these drivers exacerbate traffic jams and encourage road rage. I know they piss me off! I do not feel bad if I have to cut in front of them if that is what it takes to get around them.
Has anyone done a computer simulation to see how much these idiots lengthen rush hour?
Has anyone ever tracked accidents caused by “aggressive drivers” trying to get around these “passive agressive jerks”?
I nearly piss myself laughing every day when I’m doing the speed limit and I see some retard on “too much coffee” behind me having a heart attack trying to race ahead at 90 MPH…
JUST SO HE CAN GET TO THE NEXT STOP LIGHT AHEAD, THE SAME EXACT TIME AS I DO.
Say what you want about people driving in all lanes but as long as they are going the posted speed limit I’m not bothered.
I think you meant “failure to keep right” in the thread title.
I agree with you completely - there is no reason to move into a lane to your left unless you intend to pass the car in front of you.
But everyday I see people who get on the freeway and immediately cut across all the lanes to get in the leftmost lane, even before they are up to freeway speeds. It’s totally reckless on top of just being stupid. Why do they need to get in the leftmost lane immediately? I don’t get it.
Please understand that if you do not need to be in the left lane, and there are no cars to your right, please understand that you are being inconsiderate…And that I am being polite.
True, to a point, on surface streets. Not on the freeway. In CA, many, many drivers simply think they have the “right” to drive in the left lane no matter what speed they are driving.
How about a 3 strikes law: 3 tickets for driving too slow in the left lane, and you get a color coded license plate that allows you ONLY to drive in the right lane.
Going with the flow is the most important aspect of driving. Going 90 when everyone else is doing 60 is dangerous, as is doing 60 when everyone is doing 90.
Multiple lanes exist so that multiple flows can be established. The convention is that slower traffic keep right, and faster traffic keep left, and this is how it should be.
So should people driving slowly in the left lane be ticketed? In the presence of fast traffic, I say yes. But I also say speed limits are b.s. since some people are dangerous driving 50 and some people are safe driving 80. But I don’t enforce the laws and those that do generally don’t make these distinctions.
California law requires people to move out of the left lane when obstructing the normal flow of traffic. It also requires you to pull over if you are on a single lane road and you’ve got 5 cars piled up behind you.
I love these laws, but I never see them enforced and they are not emphasised in any way in driver’s training that I have seen.
I agree that cops should crack down on this every so often the same way they crack down on speeders and seat belt use.
In Texas, the leftmost lane of any highway consisting of more than two lanes in each direction is only for passing. If you are driving the speed limit or less and you are in the leftmost lane you can be ticketed. My sister has gotten one of those tickets. It is presumed that in order to pass quickly and safely you might have to exceed the speed limit while, and only while, you are passing.
However, “cruising” in the leftmost lane, while always illegal, has never been enforced. Until recently. I would find and provide a cite, but I already have about 20 windows open on this sick computer. If anyone wants one I’ll get you one.
The leftmost lane is for passing, and only for passing, and evidently Texas wants to go back to the good old days when that was the exception, not the rule.
