'Slow-poke’ bill aims to stop left lane lingerers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | Aaron Gould Sheinin

[Kennesaw]

Those who lollygag in the left lane of highways and interstates could be ticketed under legislation approved in the state House on Wednesday. House Bill 459, by Rep. Bill Hitchens, R-Rincon, was approved 162-9.

The bill makes it a misdemeanor for any driver on a divided highway who does not move to the right when a car going faster approaches from behind.

[eyedigress]

[1rudeboy]

Anyone post this yet?

Cop trolls slowpoke driver in the fast lane.

[Atlas Sneezed]

So....I’m going the speed limit...or a bit over..and someone going way faster zips up my 6...Am I supposed to change lanes?

---

Only if:
1. You’re in the passing lane;
2. There’s a safe space for you to move right into;
3. You’re not engaged in passing another vehicle (at a respectable speed differential, not a poky blocking pass).

But if you have to even ask the question, YES, MOVE OVER!

[2CAVTrooper]

“Yep...should be against the law to drive slow in the left lane. When I was in France and Belgium I noticed the drivers always got into the right lane and never used the left lane for cruising and someone told me it was against the law there to cruise in the left hand lane. I believe that is largely responsible for the lower number of fatalities on the highways there.”

Same goes for Germany, but over there the driver’s ed is more in depth, and it costs an arm and a leg not including the cost for the road test and license. They also have strictly enforced laws about distracted driving too.

[BenLurkin]

I will gladly get out of your way, sir.

Wouldn’t want you to be late to your funeral.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Speed limits should be between the motorist, his insurance company, and the transponder in his car. Leave the government out of it except to require insurance. Maybe a bigger liability policy for those who wish to be authorized to exceed the granny/moron/teen limit by x miles per hour.

[windsorknot]

Not surprising that left-lane road hogs are epidemic in a country that coronated King 0bama....twice.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Wouldn’t want you to be late to your funeral.

---

“Speed kills” is as irrational as a justification for government regulation as “global warming.”

[discostu]

In most places you are free to get the hell out of the way. Left lane is for passing, and that’s IT. Not for cruising. You can cruise in it if you’re not obstructing others passing, but as soon as you force others to go around you become the jerk because in many place passing on the right is illegal, get out of the way and let them pass on. Don’t worry about if they’re breaking the speed limit, that between them and the next cop down the road, just be courteous and move the hell over.

[Navy Patriot]

I pass, get in front of the slowpoke and then slow down to 45 mph because that's legal too... used to do it to Priuses out in Marin County quite often.

Hey! I know you!

The only two acceptable reasons to do this.

[thackney]

https://www.txdot.gov/driver/share-road/highway-driving.html

Keep Right

Watch for signs on Texas multi-lane highways that read “Left Lane For Passing Only.” These signs let you know that the left lane on a divided highway is not a “fast” lane; it is a passing lane.

After you pass someone, move into the right lane once you’ve safely cleared the vehicle. Impeding the flow of traffic by continuing to drive in the left lane is punishable by a fine of up to $200.

- - - - - - - -

Coming Soon to a Highway Near You - “Left Lane for Passing Only” Signs
http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/statewide-news/2012-archive/050-2012.html

The Texas Department of Transportation is installing additional “Left Lane for Passing Only” signs on all highways with a speed limit of 75 mph or higher. State law requires TxDOT to post these signs on highways where slower traffic is asked to stay in another lane.

[eyedigress]

Explain?

Indecisive idiots cause more problems on the highway system than anything else.

I travel 30,000 miles a year on this system and slow-ass mergers are the #1 problem. You have a throttle at your right-foot, use it. Get the hell out of the way when you have safely merged.

Idiots in the passing zone are just that. Put your damn phone down and drive.

[old gringo]

in some states,yes impeding traffic no mater what speed,is a violation.

[BenLurkin]

You probably know that most freeways are designed to be driven at a speed about ten miles over the posted speed limit at any given location. That is, if the driver is wide awake, competent and in constant full control of his or her well-maintained vehicle — as I’m sure you are.

Good luck, and please don’t hurt anyone else in your quest for....whatever it is you are looking for by driving too fast.

[Zathras]

Colorado is pretty good about moving to the right.
Denver is a another story as they really don’t have the capacity to handle the load.

Every once in awhile we get a Prius going 50 in a 75.
They really get nasty looks from every car flying by.

[bkepley]

“Speeders” is just your reason for clogging the highway is my guess. If everyone drove less than the speed limit the problem of not keeping the left lane open as much as possible for passing would still be there.

[2CAVTrooper]

“And I’m certain the autobahn and other national highways in Europe were designed for higher speeds. Curves, banking etc.”

Yes they are.

If you can find it, there is an episode of Modern Marvels that cover’s the Autobahn.

A lot of the lower fatalities over there is due to better enforcement of driving laws, better drivers ed, better car design, better road design, and dilligence in maintaining the roads.

[Stosh]

Part of the problem is that in major metro areas, the speed limit signs are virtually meaningless, and everybody who drives the expressways and tollways knows that (except for the old man in the hat who’s bumbling along in the left lane holding up everybody else).

Note the following (headlines in the lead) from the Chicago Tribune:

Speed limits largely ignored, Tollway report finds

1 in 20 obey 55 mph limit while average speeds rise above 70

November 29, 2013|By Joe Mahr and Ted Gregory | Chicago Tribune reporters

“Armed with speed-measuring guns, traffic engineers stood atop an overpass across Interstate 94 in Lake County to document just how fast Chicago-area motorists are driving.

“The first minute of testing on that stretch of the Tri-State Tollway that Wednesday morning found 10 of 14 vehicles exceeded 70 mph. One reached 91 mph — all in a zone where the posted speed limit is 55 mph.”

On the TriState Tollway west of Chicago (the basis for the excerpt above) traffic speeds are basically in a state of nature - whatever you feel comfortable with and can get away with, you do. And so essentially nobody drives the limit, and if anybody tries - even in the far right lane (of 4 lanes), let alone the far left - they completely screw up traffic flow. And in that situation, a left lane hog running at well below the prevailing traffic flow speed is in fact a real safety hazard.

[Notary Sojac]

Sounds like "Cowboy Bob" is a self-appointed left lane speed limit monitor.

Among my very favorite sort of drivers ..... /sarc