Posted on 04/08/2005 6:29:31 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
TALLAHASSEE -- Slowpokes could get a $60 fine for hogging the fast lane and ticking off motorists who want to pass.
The "Road Rage Reduction Act" is speeding through the Legislature following a 27-10 vote in the Senate on Thursday, two days after the House passed a similar bill by an even wider margin, 109-4. A spokesman for Gov. Jeb Bush said the governor must still evaluate the issue.
The bill requires drivers to stay in the right lane unless they're passing a vehicle or making a left turn. Supporters -- including the Florida Sheriffs Association and Florida Police Benevolent Association -- said the bill would ease traffic flow and make it unnecessary for motorists to dangerously maneuver around slower moving vehicles.
Opponents, including Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, said the bill's emphasis on slower drivers was misplaced.
"We should have our police catching all the offenders of speeding," Lynn pleaded on the Senate floor.
In addition to the proposed fine, the bill calls for a three-point penalty on a driver's record (motorists who accumulate 12 points can lose their license). Bill sponsor Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, had pitched a four-point penalty but critics said it should be less than the four points assessed to reckless drivers.
The proposed law would allow for many exceptions to the right lane rule, such as using the left lane to avoid hydro-planing in a rain storm or to dodge debris in the roadway. Plus, it doesn't apply when there's no one else on the road.
"You can drive from (Tallahassee) to Miami as long as there's no one behind you," Bennett said.
Still, Sen. Rod Smith, D-Gainesville, called it a "traffic ticket enhancement" act, and Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, one of the few opponents in the House, said it would increase speeding.
Local motorists were mixed in their reaction to the proposal.
Terry Carter, 26, of Holly Hill liked the idea of separating lanes for faster and slower drivers: "Most older people go slow. I have problems when I get cut off by an older person," Carter said.
Donna Parks, 48, of Volusia County said the bill was necessary: "All truck drivers should be in the right lane. Once when I was merging onto the interstate a truck driver was going so slow he almost ran me off the road," she said.
Naamon Lewis of Holly Hill, though, had doubts.
"We got a lot of people that hog that left lane, but I don't know about making a law," Lewis said. "Good gracious. I don't necessarily agree with the fine and (three) points off your license. I think that's stepping a little too far."
-- Staff Writer Eileen Zaffiro contributed to this report.
SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER
· Do you get angry at drivers who cut you off, tailgate or go slowly?
· Are you impatient at stoplights or when driving in the slow (right) lane?
· Do you compete with other drivers, drag racing from stoplights or moving ahead in traffic jams?
· Do you punish bad drivers by tailgating, cursing, flashing high-beam headlights or blocking drivers attempting to pass?
SOURCE: Adapted from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety aggressive driving quiz at www.aaafoundation.org/quizzes
Well, I admit that I am a "passive-aggressive" driver. I once drove on I-80 from Sacramento to Reno the entire 100 miles in the fast lane. Never moved to the right once. Why?? Just because I wanted to. It was a lot of fun. But although I know it was not the right thing to do, I may have saved some lives. Because on more than one occasion I have been passed by someone going 100 mph on the same road. When I finally catch up to them, they didn't make a curve on the downslope of Donner Summit, and were through the guard rail, off the cliff, and..dead.
And on a humorous note, one of the local news stations, a few years back, did a story on road rage and they got into the left lane and drove at 55 mph ("the maximum speed allowed by law") to judge the other drivers' reactions to them. I think there was suggested legislation about road rage at the time.
It hadn't occured to anyone in the story that even though they were going at the speed limit, they were breaking the law for being in the passing lane and not keeping up with the flow of traffic! (on I-78, IIRC).
TS
I wouldn't pass on the right if you would get out of the left lane!
Do you mean the slower car pulling over into the right lane? In NY? Well, yeah, maybe, just maybe when there's an H1 Hummer with 28 "off road" lights all ablaze following 8 inches behind their rear bumper! Those of us who drive saner vehicles don't usually get that sort of response from the slow drivers. (Unless we follow right behind the Hummer.....)
If everyone stays out of the left lane, no one will have to pass on the right.
Geez bub.......a little tense there aren't ya? Tailgate me and you'll have a tailpipe up your nose. And the nice thing about it is you'll be liable for the rear end accident. I have REAL good brakes. Com'on just a little closer, baby needs a new car.
You still need to get over. On 95 that's about what people are going in the passing lane!
On this issue, like smoking, I'm a libertarian. If someone wants to go 100, I get over and let them. And I really want someone going 75 to get over and let me do 80.
Dream on...
What makes you think she will even allow you to find out about it?
This is pretty funny though.
I remember my (French) sister in law came to visit California once for a month and managed to get 5 citations during that period. The last one, for speeding, I copied and blew up to poster size. When she was stopped and asked if she knew why she had been stopped she calmly answered, "I'm sure you're going to tell me"...
Bumper sticker II - "Drive like you stole it"
Translation: I should be allowed to drive as fast as I want, because I'm angrier than everyone else!
All I know is I get over for those faster than me, even if I'm going with the wind! I figure those folks are going to weave in and out if we don't let them through.
I don't weave, but will pass on the right if folks don't get over after a bit. I have also found, on three lane highways, the slow lane is the best one for cruising in! No one there.
I'm talking about folks who use the right lane to pass on a 3- or 4-lane highway, where the left lane is passable. I hate it when I'm cruising at 70 in the middle or center-right lane and somebody guns their vehicle past me on the right.
Don't know where you drive, but here on I-5, often there is nowhere to "break into", in sections with just two lanes, and with a solid line of big rigs tailgaing each other as far as the eye can see in the "slow" lane. Makes exiting and merging onto I-5 really exciting.
Have you noticed how many of those are guys 30-40 in a newish Taurus with a cell phone glued to their ear? (Agh! Another pet peeve.) I think they must be salesmen who are on the roads so much they feel they own them. I could almost feel sorry for them if they didn't annoy me so much!
Agree, passing on the right is dangerous and obnoxious. That's why I get so annoyed with those who don't get over.
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