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Left-lane slowpokes drive you crazy? (Some states are cracking down.)
MSN Money ^ | 12/10/2008 | Christopher Solomon

Posted on 12/10/2008 8:53:48 AM PST by Smogger

In these days of longer commutes and simmering tempers, nothing seems to set off already-testy motorists like the left-lane camper -- the guy or gal who drives in the passing lane and bars faster drivers from easily passing. Web sites have cropped up to educate other drivers, or to vent. There's a (somewhat painful) YouTube song called "Keep Right."

Even bigwigs get frustrated. Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, weary of having his limo slowed down by such left-lane pokies, ordered an aide to have the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission install signs a few years ago reading "Keep Right, Pass Left. It's the Law."

And now some states are cracking down on left-lane campers, both to keep traffic moving and to tamp down the road rage that goes from zero-to-60 faster than ever before.

That's not just a pretext. Last year, a driver was arrested on Interstate 79 outside Pittsburgh after allegedly brandishing a semiautomatic pistol at a driver who was on his tail.

(Excerpt) Read more at articles.moneycentral.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cars; roadrage
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To: Smogger

my question is the following: are we speaking of drivers going under the posted speed limit in the left lane or are we talking drivers doing the speed limit in the left lane?

and lets all remember that the speed limit posted is a max speed limit..it doesn’t mean you have to do that speed....

i know i know i am nitpickin ....there are also laws that ticket you for driving to far under the max posted limit because you cause a hazard...florida used to post the min speed along with the max speed on interstates years ago but got away from doing that for some reason.....


61 posted on 12/10/2008 9:11:38 AM PST by tatsinfla
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To: Captain Jack Aubrey

We have the same exerience in the east of France around Mulhouse and north where our friends live. No one in the left lane unless passing.


62 posted on 12/10/2008 9:12:44 AM PST by nufsed
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To: rwfromkansas

Texas drivers are terrible, much worse than Kansas.

In Kansas, people move left normally when they see you behind them.

Not in Texas......very discourteous people here.”

You are half right.

In general Texas drivers tend to be more courteous than most. HOWEVER you are right in spades regarding the left-lane-idiots!
The worst is I-35, especially between DFW and Austin.

The state passed a new law about three years ago making it illegal to drive in the left lane on a multi-lane unless you are doing so to pass - fine is something north of $50. However it is almost never enforced.
I wrote TDPS and asked how many citations were issued for the offense. The answer came back, 15,000 after the first couple of years.
Sounds like a lot until you consider that in same time several hundred thousand speeding tickets were issued.

I don’t have documentation, but strongly believe that the majority of accidents in this stretch of I-35 and practically all “road-rage” incidents are directly related to left-lane-blocking behavior.

Would be a great field for a major safety study.


63 posted on 12/10/2008 9:12:45 AM PST by LoneStarC
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To: RaceBannon

Whatever grandpa! Get off the road. You’re impeding the flow of traffic.

I don’t know what states you folks are from, but it’s extreme arrogance to think that you can dictate the flow of traffic. In California during non rush hour the rule is you BETTER drive about 15-20 mph OVER the speed limit in the left hand lane, and even then you get over if someone comes up behind you hauling butt. Don’t they teach you this stuff in driving school?


64 posted on 12/10/2008 9:12:51 AM PST by Smogger (It's the WOT Stupid)
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To: Melas
Court after court has affirmed that anyone going the maximum allowable speed by law has the right to the left lane as legally it cannot be slower traffic.

Show us one. The left lane is the PASSING lane, and nobody has a "right" to it. I've seen some seriously dumb crap posted on FR, and this just about takes the cake. Muahaha, what an idiotic statement.

65 posted on 12/10/2008 9:13:07 AM PST by Travis T. OJustice (Change is not a destination, just as hope is not a strategy.)
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To: Smogger
Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, weary of having his limo slowed down by such left-lane pokies, ordered an aide to have the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission install signs a few years ago reading "Keep Right, Pass Left. It's the Law."

Eddie & his State Police chauffer have been observed many times blazing down the PA Turnpike between Hbg & Philly. He's got no room to comment on this situation. Back in the day Moscow had a special traffic lane reserved for party officials. I'm sure Fast Eddy would like to have a system like that. Jon Corzine, too.

66 posted on 12/10/2008 9:13:21 AM PST by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
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To: Kimmers
I agree with you about TX drivers.....I moved here a year ago....Does anyone know what the signal light is for?

No, the Aggies think is an intermittent light that needs fixing.........

67 posted on 12/10/2008 9:13:28 AM PST by Lockbox
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To: Travis T. OJustice

It could very well be that way, but the drag could very well cancel out any fuel savings as the engine has to work harder (even though more efficiently) because of increased wind resistance. 15 miles makes a big difference when you’re talking 55 and 70 mph.


68 posted on 12/10/2008 9:13:41 AM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: Cobraman_SC

Self appointed law officers I call them.

I drive way too much to even care about them.

I just pass em on the right.

If I get the ticket for speeding isn’t that my fault.


69 posted on 12/10/2008 9:13:54 AM PST by Rightly Biased (McCain is the reason Sarah Lost <><)
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To: Melas
This has been hashed and rehashed. Court after court has affirmed that anyone going the maximum allowable speed by law has the right to the left lane as legally it cannot be slower traffic. So when you see the sign that says slower traffic, be aware that is a conditional statement based on the speed limit, not s relative comparison between a speeder and a non-speeder.

Yep. Odd that this is often too complex for some to understand.

70 posted on 12/10/2008 9:14:15 AM PST by Skooz (Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: Melas

Right.

People have the right to do alot of things. But civilized society functions on unwritten rules and common courtesy.


71 posted on 12/10/2008 9:14:42 AM PST by envisio (If you ain't laughin yet... you ain't seen me naked. =8^O)
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Comment #72 Removed by Moderator

To: Travis T. OJustice
The left lane is the PASSING lane

In some jurisdictions, yes. In others, no.

73 posted on 12/10/2008 9:15:14 AM PST by Skooz (Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us Gabba Gabba we accept you we accept you one of us)
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To: ConservativeMind
Was that you?

This weekend driving back from Lafayette, there was a convoy of 18-wheelers driving 65-70 in the right lane.

Then someone driving 65-70 gets into the left lane as if to pass the trucks. But doesn't cause they are driving the exact same speed as the trucks.

After 5 miles of me driving on their ass, flashing my high-beams, traffic backed up for 1/2 mile behind us, they finally manage to get ahead of the convoy and I still had to switch to the right lane to pass them.

Finally after me and about a dozen others pass on the right, the idiot moves back over to the right lane.

74 posted on 12/10/2008 9:15:40 AM PST by TexasCajun
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To: Travis T. OJustice

75 posted on 12/10/2008 9:15:44 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Smogger

The thing that kills me anymore are the left lane campers who drive along whille illegally chatting away on a cell phone, utterly oblivious to the traffic jam they create behind them.


76 posted on 12/10/2008 9:16:41 AM PST by MahatmaGandu (Remember, remember the 26th of November.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

77 posted on 12/10/2008 9:16:44 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Smogger

As for tailgating, the only time I do it is when there is a big line of cars because of an accident or something and guess what happens. There are always a bunch of people who (despite the line going well beyond any warning signs) decide to pull up on the right or left, whatever lane does not have the line......in order to insert themselves ahead of many other people in the line. They literally just jerk themselves over into the line like they own the joint.

Extremely rude.

In those cases, I do tailgate. There is no way I will let those jerks in, and it really makes me angry when “nice” people choose to let them in, thereby encouraging their poor manners.

You wait your turn, but since people typically let them cut in line speeding by you to the right or left to try to cut over......they keep doing it.

Why don’t people stand up and say enough??? I won’t let you try to cut!


78 posted on 12/10/2008 9:16:45 AM PST by rwfromkansas ("Carve your name on hearts, not marble." - C.H. Spurgeon)
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To: Travis T. OJustice

The poster is probably a left lane bandit herself. ;)


79 posted on 12/10/2008 9:16:55 AM PST by indcons (An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.)
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To: RichInOC
[cue “Bad Habit” by the Offspring]

LOL!

80 posted on 12/10/2008 9:17:05 AM PST by Pyro7480 (This Papist asks everyone to continue to pray the Rosary for our country!)
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