Why do you REFUSE to pass left/drive right?

[Anonymous]

[This makes no sense. Please explain why you don't just stay in the right lane the whole time.

quote=Anonymous]Why exactly are people supposed to support others driving 25 miles over the speed limit?

I can fully understand driving on the right lane if you want to drive right at or below the speed limit but the left lane is not for reckless driving! I stay in the left lane on one road because drivers go 50-60mph when the speed limit is 35mph. The traffic doesn't allow enough room to accelerate up enough to pass back into the left lane for when the exit comes up. I only will speed up to 45mph because I do not want a huge ticket.

[Anonymous]

I stay in the left lane when there's moderately heavy traffic, and there are two lanes of traffic in either direction. In that circumstance, the right lane is for entering/exiting. The left lane is for regular traffic. If I'm doing 5-10 mph over the speed limit, I'm certainly not going to stay in the right lane mixing it up with on-ramp/off-ramp traffic so that some jackass can do 20-30 mph over the speed limit.

Have I seen drivers parked in the left lane doing at or below the speed limit? Yep? Doesn't happen very often though. You guys are making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I stay in the left lane when there's moderately heavy traffic, and there are two lanes of traffic in either direction. In that circumstance, the right lane is for entering/exiting. The left lane is for regular traffic. If I'm doing 5-10 mph over the speed limit, I'm certainly not going to stay in the right lane mixing it up with on-ramp/off-ramp traffic so that some jackass can do 20-30 mph over the speed limit.

Have I seen drivers parked in the left lane doing at or below the speed limit? Yep? Doesn't happen very often though. You guys are making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

I think you're exactly the sort of person causing problems. If it's 55 mph speed limit, you're sitting in the left lane doing 60-65. Yes, you can congratulate yourself for making all those jackasses driving 75-85mph swerve around you. But what about the huge (huge!) number of people who drive 65-70 in most 55mph zones. Those aren't speed demons; they're just normal people who don't drive as slow as you do. Why can't you be courteous enough to move to the right for them? If you don't, you're breaking the law (in Virginia at least).

[Anonymous]

I stay in the left lane when there's moderately heavy traffic, and there are two lanes of traffic in either direction. In that circumstance, the right lane is for entering/exiting. The left lane is for regular traffic. If I'm doing 5-10 mph over the speed limit, I'm certainly not going to stay in the right lane mixing it up with on-ramp/off-ramp traffic so that some jackass can do 20-30 mph over the speed limit

Ugh, you are exactly the person I described early in this thread. You are too lazy to be in the lane where you belong. THE LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING. Not for "regular traffic," whatever that means. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. Move over.

[Anonymous]

Why is this the only part of the country who won't get out of its own way? Not enough brains to realize you are the problem? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
This might help explain why the behavior of everyone else seems so frustrating to you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error

Actually, it explains about 90% of the kvetching that goes on on DCUM.

This is really interesting. To me it's saying, you can't judge someone unless you walk a mile in their shoes". Or maybe in this case, drive a mile in their car!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Responding to SAM2: I just called the VA State Police and Fairfax County police. This is what both told me: If it is non rush hour and and you can drive the speed limit the you should drive in the right lane and leave left for passing.

However, if it rush hour or heavy traffic, for whatever reason, driving in the left lane is permissible.

If some idiot behind you is going way over the speed limit, flashing lights, honking horn, then switch to right lane as soon as you can safely do so. Then, get the other driver's tag no and call the state police.

I think they know the current law better than you.

To the PP complaining about the GW parkway, here's a tip. The speed limits vary from 25 up to 50. Try honking your horn and flashing your lights and you may be pulled over and get a $500.00 ticket for reckless driving and come close to losing your driver's license; he's an attorney and tried arguing and spouting all sorts of legal claptrap and the ticket went from $100.00 to $500.00. That was his b'day and Christmas present.

When the center of the universe is finally found some of you will be dumbfunded to find that you are not there and this includes my lawyer husband.

No shit. I live off the GW Parkway and have my entire life. Want to know how many speeding tickets I've gotten? Zero. Trust me, you don't know the parkway as well as I do.

If you go back to my original complaint, it is of assholes who think it is perfectly fine to go 5-10 miles below the speed limit - probably checking out the view - and blocking people from even going the speed limit. Perhaps I'm just not as stupid as your husband to drive 20 miles over the speed limit, but it is truly irritating to hear that some posters think it is their right and duty to essentially police the parkway. These people are going BELOW the speed limit by the way...

[Anonymous]

YOU ARE THE PROBLEM HERE.

Anonymous wrote:I stay in the left lane when there's moderately heavy traffic, and there are two lanes of traffic in either direction. In that circumstance, the right lane is for entering/exiting. The left lane is for regular traffic. If I'm doing 5-10 mph over the speed limit, I'm certainly not going to stay in the right lane mixing it up with on-ramp/off-ramp traffic so that some jackass can do 20-30 mph over the speed limit.

Have I seen drivers parked in the left lane doing at or below the speed limit? Yep? Doesn't happen very often though. You guys are making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

[Anonymous]

In VA, if you drive abreast of another vehicle on divided highways, keeping pace with that vehicle, and fail to yield to faster moving traffic. Even traffic going faster than the speed limit. You are guilty of driving aggressively, which is a misdemeanor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good lord does this bug me! I'm from PA and we have a law on the books that you can't obstruct passing in the left lane that's actually enforced in a lot of places(!). Hence, on PA-driver laden roads, you get a lot of people sticking right like they are supposed to, and highway driving is a pleasure. (I-99, I-80).

Sadly, on roads like the turnpike and I-70, there are a lot of Maryland drivers who don't follow this rule AT ALL. Drives me nuts now that I'm a MD-er, because I don't want the PA drivers to assume I'm clueless like the rest of them because of my license plate!

I wish the cops would enforce this law a little more. And heck, I'm sure that MD and VA have similar laws on the books. Wouldn't it be great if people were actually considerate on the roads? Oh, to dream!

It too bad that you Pennsylvanians don't follow the same logic when you're in Maryland. More often than not on270 there is a Pennsylvanian in the left lane driving slow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the law to pass on the left, pass on the right and I will give you a ticket

Not in Maryland. Don't know about VA.

In both Maryland and Virginia it is illegal to pass a driver on the right side of the road. It's called "agressive driving" you can receive a ticket if you pass a motor vehicle on the right. In Maryland if you receive three tickets for it, you can receive 5 points on your DL.

Check the law, ignorance does not excuse you from it.

If you would focus less on WHY the guy is passing on the right and being what you call "aggressive driving" and realize that the guy in the left lane is being "passive aggressive" you could solve this problem, in short the guy in the left lane does not belong there!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do this in Europe, and there will be a big fat 7 series breathing down your neck. They are militant about keeping the left lane for passing only.

Ditto this - we had the same experience.

I hope you weren't actually the one going slow in the left lane.
You will get a fat ticket for endangering traffic.
Especially never do this in places where there is no speed limit - life threatening.
Of course passing on the right is also dangerous and will get you a ticket.

I often cringe driving here- so stressful, so disorganized, while so not stressful, if everyone just moved to their right.
People who don't believe it makes the world of a difference have just never experienced the symphony when everyone drives like that, predictable, with sense.
I have often lamented why oh why people cannot drive 'well with others' here, and have been told it is due to the "me, me, me, my lane, I don't care" attitude. I assume that is the reason. We are loosing out, and it is bad for our health.

Coincidentally the one State where everyone moved to the right was Ohio. That was a long time ago though and I haven't been there again since. It was great though!

[Anonymous]

It is aggressive driving to not let others pass. Call the non emergency number and turn them in. Pronto. Also, it helps to post a photo of the car on the internet. If nothing elder, to make yourself feel better

This area has very frustrated, spiteful people OP. You simply must laugh at the sheer volume.

[Anonymous]

Why is this the only part of the country who won't get out of its own way? Not enough brains to realize you are the problem? Really?

So much THIS! I am from the deep south where drivers are notoriously awful. And yes, some of our cities (Atlanta, for example) do have pretty heavy traffic. We may not be the best drivers, but you don't routinely see people intentionally blocking the left lane.

I'm not a speeder. I've been driving for 30 years without a ticket. I still get furious when someone cruises in the far left lane. If you aren't actively passing, your ass should not be in that lane. You are not the enforcers of speed. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe the person flying up behind you in the left lane has a child with a medical emergency in the back seat? Is it possible they just got a call from school/daycare that their child is very sick or injured? Maybe his wife was just involved in a car accident and he's trying to get to the hospital. Or maybe he is a pastor on his way to a hospital to comfort a grieving family. Or an off duty cop in his own vehicle who just got an emergency call. You could give people the benefit of the doubt.

True, it's more likely that he is just a reckless, dangerous asshat whose only concern is getting to his destination as fast as possible with no regard for the safety of himself or others - And in that case, why would you want to be in his way?

THINK!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for posting this!!!

So the sensible laws are there! And identical to the ones in Europe!
Move to the right, always, and let all vehicles pass on the left!!! No driving next to or abreast another vehicle!!!

Why are there so many law breakers? Because a driver's license only costs a few dollars and the test is too short?
This law should be advertised, and distributed to all drivers.

SAM2 wrote:For the Virginians:

46.2-842.1. Drivers to give way to certain overtaking vehicles on divided highways.
It shall be unlawful to fail to give way to overtaking traffic when driving a motor vehicle to the left and abreast of another motor vehicle on a divided highway. On audible or light signal, the driver of the overtaken vehicle shall move to the right to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass as soon as the overtaken vehicle can safely do so. A violation of this section shall not be construed as negligence per se in any civil action.
(1989, c. 708, § 46.1-211.1.)

Article from Fredericksburg.com (http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/022006/02092006/166829):

The law's clear: You must let drivers pass
Before sharing readers' responses on Sunday, a look at the laws applying to left-lane hoggers
Date published: 2/9/2006
By ROB HEDELT

JUDGING BY responses to my recent column on the topic, there's precious little middle ground on the subject of left-lane huggers. Readers on one side share contempt for drivers who hang in the left lane of divided highways. On the other side are those who say some local roads are so crowded that the only way to make left turns is to get to the left and stay there--for miles ....

But first, it's informative to get some clarification on the issue from the agency that enforces traffic law, the Virginia State Police. Sgt. F.L. Tyler, a public information officer with the state police office in Culpeper, said the following section of state code applies to left-lane hangers: "It shall be unlawful to fail to give way to overtaking traffic when driving a motor vehicle to the left and abreast of another motor vehicle on a divided highway." It continues: "On audible or light signal, the driver of the overtaken vehicle shall move to the right to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass as soon as the overtaken vehicle can safely do so."

In other words, said Tyler, if you're in the left lane of a divided highway and going down the road, even with a vehicle to your right, the law requires that you give way and let a vehicle behind you pass. Specifically, he said, if you're in that situation and a vehicle behind you signals its intention to pass, by either honking a horn or flashing its lights, you are required to move to the right as soon as it's safe, and allow the signaling vehicle to pass.

Failure to do so is a violation of the law, he said. Tyler said that applies even if the vehicle trying to pass is speeding, following too closely or operating in any other reckless manner. "Leave it up to police officers to deal with any violations they might be committing. We'll handle that," he said. "But the law still requires you to move to the right and let them pass."

He noted that the law and common sense both are served by getting out of the way of a driver who's anxious and intent on passing. "To ride along in that left lane and keep an agitated driver blocked in behind you isn't in anyone's best interest," Tyler said. He noted that failing to allow a blocked-in vehicle to pass could cause danger another way. "A frustrated driver who can't get by on the left is likely to try to squeeze through to the right," said Tyler, whether there's enough room or not. "Because of that, a third vehicle could be put at risk." In addition to the legal requirements and the dangers posed by problem passing situations, the state police spokesman said safe driving techniques make clear it's a bad idea for vehicles to travel alongside each other any longer than necessary. "Instead, if you're the car in that left lane, you want to get back to the right and give yourself a safety zone," he said--an open lane to escape any dangers on the highway. "If someone pulls out of a side road into your path, and you're side by side with another vehicle, where are you going?" he asked. An empty lane beside you provides an escape ....