Posted on 04/10/2018 2:00:24 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Thousands of people have been fined in the months since Virginia, for the first time, imposed penalties on people who drive too slowly in the left lane or commit other related traffic violations, data obtained through a public records request show.
Beginning July 1, 2017, Virginia set a $100 fine for driving too slowly in the left lane, failing to stay to the right side except when passing, and other violations, such as crossing a double yellow line. Before that, the infractions were considered legal violations but had no fines attached.
A similar effort in Maryland narrowly failed in the state senate last year amid concerns the ban would simply be an excuse for police to pull drivers over. This year, bills to restrict the use of the left lane in Maryland failed to advance to the House floor.
From July 1, 2017 through April 3, 2018, 1,951 citations were filed in general district courts across the state for failing to drive on the right half of the highway except when overtaking and passing another vehicle, according to data provided to WTOP by the Supreme Court of Virginia in response to a public records request. …
(Excerpt) Read more at wtop.com ...
Pretty sure that happens everywhere. It can be tricky driving in the left lane at 10 to 15 mph past the speed limit while passing everyone, and then somebody gets on my tail.
I do try to pull over when I get the chance - primarily to avoid the risks involved with the guy behind going right and then trying to cut in front of me. Also to be polite.
Of course there is always one that can’t wait and zips right into a too-small space and zips left causing me to slow down.
And then of course there are those that when you do move right to let them pass, well - they were just fine speeding behind you, but now that THEY are first - they slow down in fear of getting a ticket I imagine.
I know I sound politically obsessed (to which I will readily admit), but I have little doubt most left-lane slowpokes are liberal Democrats.
THEY have decided what is the best speed, and, by God, THAT's the speed everyone else is just going to have to live with.
Unless you daily make a sudden U-Turn across a solid double yellow line from the right lane with your right blinker on, you are not pissing off sufficient quantities of other motorists
Some years ago I was in Germany on business. I had a company car and was told about driving on the autobahn:
If you get hit from behind while you’re in the left lane, you are liable and you get a ticket.
If you pass someone on the right you get the ticket.
If you’re in the left lane and you see blinking headlights behind you, you’d better get over to the right.
Easy rules to follow.
LOL, those are the whitest terrorists I’ve ever seen.
the aw implies that the speed limit is too low. Why not just raise the limit?
Of course they are. I remember a story I heard during the 1988 presidential campaign. Michael Dukakis was in a car with his driver, and they pased from Massachusetts into New Hampshire. The speed limit went from 55 to 65, so the driver sped up. Dukakis admonished him to slow down to 55, because he thought that was the proper limit. That told me all I needed to know about Michael Dukakis
“but I have little doubt most left-lane slowpokes are liberal Democrats”
And military retirees who miss the childlike life of living on a base. They also pop up in neighborhood associations and never met a new rule they didn’t like.
Should be a bounty on ‘em.
>>I know I sound politically obsessed (to which I will readily admit), but I have little doubt most left-lane slowpokes are liberal Democrats.
They tend to be either Progressive Democrats or Progressive NeverTrumper Republicans. The ones I know aren’t libertarian-leaning (small-l libertarians, not the big-L types) folks.
They have the same law here in Texas and have for years, but don’t enforce it. Plus in many areas trucks are prohibited from left lane but you will get asshats that drive slow in the second to left lane, seemingly, just to screw with us truckers. I did see troopers in VA enforce the law after it was enacted. I don’t know how much they do now, I don’t travel up there any more.
One time I had of those speed angels in front of me and he wouldn’t budge. I couldn’t get past him.
So, in frustration, I drove on the left shoulder, which was wide enough for a lane by itself, and passed him that way. I saw, as I passed him, that his mouth was gaped open like I broke some law of nature.
I just looked at him as I passed him.
I hate HOV lanes.
I always thought it would be nice when I retire to drive with a couple of older guys in the car (say a first generation Prius) 30 mph going south then north in the HOV lanes during rush hour to screw up the government planners.
For several years in the 1980’s-1990’s around the WDC beltway a retired federal “worker” took it upon him self to enforce speed laws by driving the beltway ALL DAY at the speed limit in the left lane. Apparently, this was his purpose in life. His lunacy (surely he was a LIB/DIM lunatic) continued for many years and was known as “nestoring”...his last name. What an idiot. I bet he was a real gem of a fed “worker”.
Bumper sticker from a Brother Dave Gardner joke (The Motorcycle Story): “I may be slow, but I’m ahead of you.”
LOL!! I drive 87, 78, and 81 between Albany NY and Roanoke VA a lot, and I could have written your post word for word.
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