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
My uncle is a trucker. First thing he said to me when I learned to drive was to get the heck past trucks. They get blowouts and you don't want to be next to them when it happens.
Does seem like some get frozen passing trucks.
2) People going less then 5mph over the speed limit in the passing lane (so with a 65pmh speed limit, people going under 70)
3) people going under the posted speed limit on non-trafficed county highways (THIS IS MY BIGGEST GRIPE)
4)People who do not signal at least 500 ft before their turn (SENIORS IM TALKING TO YOU, WHY MUST YOU MAKE A FULL STOP WHEN YOU WERE ONLY GOING 5pmh to begin with to make a turn on a local street)!!!!
5) People who fail to proceed at a green light
6) Speeders.
You forgot one: People who come to a FULL STOP on the freeway on-ramp and wait for a big opening (say, a quarter mile) in the traffic.
Smart!
That's not what I'm talking about. Here's a situation: Suppose we have a string of law abiding drivers all toodling along in the right hand lane doing the speed limt? And, we have a few people trying to get past them in the left lane. Ahead, we see John Law advertising that he pulled somebody over for . . . . something. So, obeying the other law, we all move over to the left hand lane to keep the adjacent lane clear beside John Law's vehicle. In obeying this law, we have now violated the new one because we all got in front of someone who was trying to pass. Who gets the ticket?
Of course, this won't happen because, in FloriDUH, there are only 7 people who drive the speed limit. Everyone else is trying to get past them or, once having passed one car, sees the next one only 50 yards ahead and, rather than pull in behind to approach a little closer, remains in the left lane to pass that car . . . . and the one in front of it . . . . . and the one in front of it . . . . . and the one in front of it and so on.
It's all perspective and, IMO, the traffic courts will be incredibly clogged with people fighting the tickets they got because of this insanity.
Frankly, what I would rather see is the left lane treated like the old autobahn in Germany. The left lane had NO speed limits, the fastest car rules and everyone else is REQUIRED to get out of his way - no quetions asked. The right lane does have speed limits and those driving in the right lane are required to obey them.
"People in wimpy cars shouldn't have to get their car up to 80 mph in less than a quarter mile in order to merge onto a freeway."
This is why people should stay out of the merge lane within a 1/4 mile of an on-ramp as well.
At the very least, you move *out* of the left lane to permit faster traffic to pass. Here's a Florida statute that applies:
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Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL
316.083 Overtaking and passing a vehicle.--The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to those limitations, exceptions, and special rules hereinafter stated:
(1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle.
(2) Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle, on audible signal or upon the visible blinking of the headlamps of the overtaking vehicle if such overtaking is being attempted at nighttime, and shall not increase the speed of his or her vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
(3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation as provided in chapter 318.
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Note that the law says nothing like "except when the overtaken vehicle is traveling at the posted speed limit".
If you're overtaken by another vehicle, you move out of the way. Perhaps the hope is by passing a new (redundant) law, just the media attention will cause an improvement in driving habits. IOW, this is cheaper than tasking the police with *enforcing* the existing law.
I've was taught by MVA that the left lane was for passing and turning left, only. I think it is the lack of enforcement that has created this misconception it is ok to use the left lane however you want.
People who ride in the left lane and do not pass anyone annoy the heck out of me. When they see someone behind them, they should move out of the way until the others pass. Even if it is not law, it would be just common courtesy. But, people are too rude these days. SO, I think it's a pipe-dream.
ah, okay, point clarified.
We had a guy here in PA who was annoyed (to say the least) that the teenager in the left lane wouldn't let him over. When she finally did, he tapped her car (deliberately) when he returned to the right. Her car flew off the road and she was killed. I think he got more than manslaughter, maybe Murder 2 even.
Makes me want to get over! :)
Like I told another poster, GOD is testing us all the time.
I am not saying you shouldn't get upset, but the way you are handling it is vicious and dangerous and while tailgating them you could kill or maim them. How would you feel then???? THINK ABOUT IT!
I would hate to walk threw life knowing I killed someone.
This actually makes no sense. The teenager had moved to the right lane, the other guy was in the left lane...how exactly did he "tap" her car turning right? If he was passing to the right and rammed her from behind on the right side of the bumper that would make sense...just wondering but I get your point. Some people shouldn't be behind the wheel and now he is in jail and off the freeway. Sucks that someone had to die to do it though. On the flip side of that I don't think people under the age of 18 ought to be driving and the driving license tests should be made substatnially more difficult. Just my opinion of course.
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