Anonymous wrote:... 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.

SAM2 wrote:I just checked Youtube, and discovered that there are dozens of videos of left-lane squatters. As frustrated as I get about it, there are many people more angry than I am.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDaDEqCprhA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzmgXhbL__M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfCvzsOwVZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FFHAlADTw0&feature=related
(Oklahoma troopers targeting left-lane squatters!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvovxHlHoVs&feature=related

If there is a reason to defend these left-lane drivers, I'd like to hear it.

Anonymous wrote:Sigh, OP here. Never expected this thread to take off like this.

I wish that everyone, whatever they may think is the proper speed to be going in the left lane, would just move right when the opportunity presents itself. I try to be considerate of other drivers. If someone behind me wants to pass, why WOULDN'T I just move over for them? It's not a herculean endeavor for goodness sakes. Besides I'd rather have a fast nut drive away in front of me then tailgating me.

I don't expect anyone to take their life in their hands to "get the heel out of the way". But common courtesy dictates you just move over if someone wants to pass you. I'd do this in the grocery store, why wouldn't I do it on the highway?

But many of you have answered my original question. I now understand why you REFUSE to pass left/drive right. It's not encouraging.

Anonymous wrote:

What is so hard about admitting that, if someone is coming up behind you faster than you want to go, and it is safe to move over for them, that you are supposed to do so.

PP here. I don't have a hard time admitting that. I also rarely see this kind of behavior. What I *usually* see are drivers in the left lane, passing slower traffic in the right lanes, but only doing so 10-15 mph over the posted speed limit, rather than 20-25 mph over the posted speed limit, as the occasional scofflaw would prefer.

Is failure to yield to an overtaking car "dangerous"? In the sense that, when traffic is very light, and the lead car isn't passing cars on the right, and there's no issue with getting over, certainly that creates a situation that's marginally more dangerous than otherwise--and it's dangerous completely because of the impatience of the passing driver.

But in 90% of the situations that you see in this area (where 4-5 car lengths is what you *should* be maintaining at all times) it's far more dangerous to have cars constantly stepping in and out of the left hand lane to allow reckless drivers to pass than it is to simply maintain lane position, passing (albeit more slowly) cars on the right.

It's really a non-issue for me, and (like folks who freak out when a light-change isn't met with an immediate and violent acceleration by the lead car) is something that calm and reasonable adults simply take in stride.

The bottom line is that some folks like to drive 70-80 mph in the left-hand lane, unimpeded by congestion. Unfortunately, that's not often possible because there's heavy traffic. Rather than blame faceless factors like population growth, sprawling development, and the like, some would rather just project ulterior motives on their fellow drivers.

But sadly, things are just the way they are, and sometimes you have to get in line and wait along with everyone else.

What is so hard about admitting that, if someone is coming up behind you faster than you want to go, and it is safe to move over for them, that you are supposed to do so.

Anonymous wrote:

I'm sure there are many like you, on this and other issues, which is no doubt a major reason that driving is so unpleasant around here.

And here's the core delusion at work: if only you were to get out of my way, driving would be *so* pleasant in the greater DC area.

DC driving sucks. It's going to suck. It's only going to get worse. No amount of chimerical villains you conjure up is going to change that.

I'm curious though: when is the traffic in the DC area not at least "heavy traffic"? Do you live around here?

I'm sure there are many like you, on this and other issues, which is no doubt a major reason that driving is so unpleasant around here.

Anonymous wrote:

SAM2 wrote:

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.

I think they know the current law better than you.

I certainly hope they know the law better than I do. I'm impressed that you actually picked up the phone to call -- that's good initiative.

It seems like your first paragraph is consistent with what I posted above, and with what the Virginia statutes say, so I'm glad we at least can agree people need to yield to left-lane passing in normal traffic conditions. I hope that will encourage some left-lane squatters reading this thread to keep to the right, and allow faster traffic to move on the leftDid the police really tell you that if it's rush hour, you can sit in the left lane for as long as you want, even if you're blocking cars that are signaling for you to move right? That's what your second paragraph suggests. .

This is what I was told:

" However, if it rush hour or heavy traffic, for whatever reason, driving in the left lane is permissible, if you are driving at posted speed limit. It appears that I left out bolded part but common sense should tell you this.

If posted speed limit is 55 and I am driving, normally, 60 MPH, just because you want to drive at 15 miles above posted speed limit is your tough luck because I don't have to move over unless you are driving an emergency vehicle, e.g., police with siren or ambulance.