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 ...
LOL, one of my favorite Carlin routines.
Also they ought to use Gallagher's idea. Everyone has a little gun that shoots out flags that have "Stupid" on them any time another driver ticks them off, and the flags stick to the car. Then eventually the cop will see a car with a bunch of "Stupid" flags on them and then pull the driver over.
Fine. Drive the speed limit. But do it in the other lane.
Just do me this one favor. Look in your rearview mirror from time to time. See that long line of cars behind you? We want to go home. We like our homes. We don’t want to spend one unneccesary second in a car longer than we have too.
Some of those people want to get home to play with their children. Some of those people want to get home to get a beer.
But they can’t! Because you are in the way!
Just look in your mirror every so often. Thats all we ask. If there is a long line of cars behind you and no cars in front of you, what does that tell you? If you complain about tailgaters and people following you too closely all the time, what does that tell you?
It tells me you DRIVE TOO SLOW!
You can drive as slow as you want. Hell you can push your car if you want. Its your right. You can poke along to your hearts content. But do it out of the way of other people that would like to get home sometime tonight!
Tell me about it. I just moved from Wichita out here to Midland (not doing oil though). Quite the change, and so far....
re. your 95
Where the heck was that picture taken?
My first car when I was young and wild, was my dad's 1960 Pontiac Catalina. The guy he bought it from had a spotlight put on each side.
I used to hit the car in front of me with the spot. They would move right over. Never got caught.
Of course, soon after, I became a model citizen.
I actually have no problem with left lane slowpokes as long as they don’t drive side by side with a car in the right lane on a two lane road or the Interstate. I think they call these rolling roadblocks. And actually, they usually aren’t doing the full speed limit. I set my cruise control on 70 mph when I’m on the Interstate, and frequently I encounter these rolling roadblocks who can’t possibly be doing the speed limit.
Amen.
Almost weekly, I get behind some ahole who insists on driving at least 10 mph under the speed limit and swirves from white line to yellow line continuously. Then they are the people who hit their brakes right before a turn or never use that nifty turn signal all cars are equipted with.
Nothing is more annoying then people who can’t drive. If you’re that scared of your vehicle, maybe you shouldn’t own one.
Well, that is true......it can be very dangerous, in which case, I would see why they should move over.
Yes, that is true on the Autobahn in rural areas, but they still require a max speed of 90 KPH (55 MPH) in the cities.
I really did like the part about the left turn signal.
I remember being in a friend’s car once doing about 125 MPH, and we were passed on the left by a guy going somewhere in the neighborhood of 170 MPH.
You know, I once got a ticket for speeding and did some research at our local library and found out that it’s actually slow drivers that are responsible for the vast majority of fatal collisions. The judge was not impressed, though my facts were true he accused me of trying to make a mockery of the court (and scared the crap out of me). I paid the maximum fine.
This was passed in CO a few years back. Even though there are a bunch of scofflaws, traffic flow has definitely improved.
>>They want to start ticketing people who follow the law??<<
Well, should you be ticketed if you are “following the law” with your speed but you are not wearing your seatbelt and your tail lights are burned out>
It is possible to follow one law but violate another at the same time. A perfect example would be someone doing the speed limit in the passing lane while not passing, and blocking other cars.
You said — “Wrong. You cant legally be impeding traffic if youre going the maximum allowable speed.”
Well, traffic laws are made state to state. And in Oregon, you can be ticketed if you are going the speed limit, in the left lane, and there is a car right behind you (and you will be, if a trooper comes up and sees you doing it).
I know that the law exists in Oregon, I know you will get ticketed and I know that it’s done by troopers, because I’ve seen them pull over people at the head of a line of cars.
I remember one time there were several cars behind one care going the speed limit in the left lane with the two other lanes (to the right) filled with cars. The state trooper came up from behind and turned on his lights and about four cars pulled over in that left lane. He left them all alone. When he got to the “head” car (who was going the speed limit and hanging in the left lane), he pulled that one over to the side of the road.
Traffic cleared after the trooper did that and the flow of traffic continued unimpeded.
You see, it’s not necessarily the fact that someone is speeding slightly that is a problem, it’s what happens when cars get all bunched up in one spot and they can’t get around. Some people start taking chances and pulling in front of other people trying to wind their way up front and they cause accidents. So, that’s why the law is there, in Oregon.
It is enforced...
I am in West Texas, and people here say it is much worse than back east in DFW....
Now, on some highways, they do move over. I have been very impressed with that on roads in which you only have one lane to go on and people will move over. Very nice.
I am talking about I-20 and Midland/Odessa city limits.
>>They are far more dangerous whipping in and out of each lane almost hitting people.<<
That is not speeding. That is unsafe lane changing. Heck, you can do that in rush hour going 20 below the limit.
People need to learn to separate the offenses here. This is very black and white. That is how the law works. This issue has NOTHING to do with speeders any more than it has to do with people driving with expired tabs.
It has to do with people who block other cars in the passing lane while not actually passing someone.
CO law says the driver in the left has to move right, except to pass. Speed of either the 'lane hogger' or the driver who wants to pass doesn't enter into the decision.
Midland was really booming about 3 months ago there wasn’t a house to be found out there.
Thats where the closest super wal-martis to my Dad he lives out in Alpine Ft Davis area. Whre traffic is never an issue
Heck there ain’t traffic issues out there, niether town even has a stop light.
You said — “HERE’S THE RULE MOVE RIGHT UNTIL YOU REACH YOUR SPEED.”
That’s not the law in Oregon. You must move right if a car comes up on you, when you’re in the far left lane. That doesn’t apply to the two lanes to the right of the left lane.
Now, of course, saying it’s the law doesn’t always get people to do it — but — it’s like any other traffic violation, you’ll get a ticket if a trooper catches it (and you never know where they’re hiding... LOL...).
When I see that someone isn’t going to move over (and you can tell pretty quickly) — I’ll just pass them on the right.... :-)
Ah yes, the Howard-Franklin from St. Pete to Tampa. I wonder if the construction they’re doing now on the Tampa side will help with the daily backups such as that pictured.
My favorite part is a couple of miles up the road on I-4 (and I also believe I-75) they’ve posted “No Trucks in Left Lane”. That alone has significantly helped traffic flow smoother between Tampa and Orlando.
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