Comments on: 4 Great Benefits You’re Missing Out On If You Block The Left Lane

By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:37:03 +0000

The signs here in Virginia say “Slower Traffic Keep Right.” I hate those signs for the reasons others have already noted: Some people feel that 5 mph over the speed limit is “fast”; others feel that “going the speed limit” is acceptable and that you’re only “slow” if you’re going below the speed limit; etc. I wish the standard were “Keep Right Except to Pass.” When I drive north through Maryland on I-95, I often feel as though I’m on a British motorway because the two left lanes are carrying all the traffic and the right lane is wide open, at least once I get north of the Baltimore area. (Not a perfect analogy because the motorways seldom have exits and entrances on the right, of course.)

I also don’t understand when it became “rude” to flash your brights at someone to ask them to move over. That signal has been universally accepted for years, but nowadays apparently people take offense at it, so everybody just tailgates instead (at least here in the DC area).

By: Randy

Randy — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:50:32 +0000

Lane courtesy does not mean driving 20 mph over the speed limit in the left lane. Lane courtesy is if you are driving under the speed limit then make sure you are in the right lane. A few weeks ago someone said here that for once he was going to drive only 5 mph over the limit and stay in the center lane of a multiple lane road. He said he was being attacked with road rage for driving that speed. This says that more speed enforcement was needed to eliminate the road rage that is going on and to bring the speeds of the vehicles closer to each other. Recently I saw this in Wisconsin where all of the cars were driving within 5 mph of the speed limit. It was great driving. You could set the cruise control and not worry about being in someone’s way. If there was a slow truck in the right lane you could pass them without worrying that someone hundreds of yards behind you is driving 20 to 30 mph faster than you are and coming up behind you giving you the finger. If this was done all over you would satsify all 4 points given above.

Again lane courtesy does not mean giving room for the top 15 percent of drivers so they can break the law and make driving a bad experience.

By: Todd

Todd — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:00:54 +0000

Lane courtesy is somthing that would benefit the public greatly if it was practice 99% of the time and enforce to a high extent. I think (I could be wrong) that the reason why lane courtesty is not enforce is because it helps traffic to flow at a faster pace and anything that is faster is look at as an evil thing based on those safety advocates who say “faster is bad” and “slow is safe.” The driving public really needs to WAKE UP and bring back the effective “Keep Right Except to Pass” techneque to all U.S. states and the most important part is to PRACTICE IT 99% of the time.

By: Eve

Eve — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:48:47 +0000

I was traveling on Rt 22 this morning (going the speed limit of 50 mph, in the far right lane) think this was Monmouth Junction……..there was a woman going about 35-40 in the left hand lane, with a cop following right behind her………….this was going on for about 2-3 miles……….he never bothered putting his lights on to warn her to get over……….just stayed right behind her. Finally she did turn left. Possibly this is the reason why people stay in the left hand lane, the cops don’t bother doing anything??? I actually was very surprised, as I have seen cops turn their lights on to get people to move over

By: Tonja

Tonja — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:22:11 +0000

You are a Tool Doug.

You don’t care, you should.

People pointing their middle finger at you aren’t just flipping you off, they are expressing how high your IQ really is.

There is no reason why anyone should be on the road if they know their actions are making other drivers irate. If you are getting high on that, you need serious anger management.

By: Seth

Seth — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:29:40 +0000

I had the pleasure of responding to a letter to the editor in my local (NY) paper. The writer was complaining about all the trucks on the interstate passing her on both the left and the right!

Of course I did my best to explain that she was contributing to the unsafe conditions, and that if she was driving on the right when not passing, that getting passed on the right simply wouldn’t happen.

She then replied to my letter stating that she’s perfectly within her rights to drive in the center lane and that by staying in the middle she avoids interfering with the entering and exiting traffic.

I didn’t bother responding, but if I did, I would’ve reminded her that her initial complaint referenced trucks passing her on the 1.5 mile long bridge over the Hudson River. Not a whole lot of interchanges along that stretch of highway, lady.

Unfortunately, it’s pretty tough to convince people to do the right thing, when they won’t even acknowledge what the right thing is.

By: JOE

JOE — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:02:02 +0000

Ohhhh, welcome to Oklahoma. Again, here’s a law that’s totally unenforced in this state. While rare, I’ve even seen a few of these clowns hold up a police cruiser behind them….clearly breaking the law. Nobody gets pulled over for this. This left lane hogging creates a dangerous situation in which one vehicle causes multiple lane changes and frustration which can lead to road rage….all because some bonehead is stubborn. It’s an absolute safety issue not being resolved by law enforcement. It’s one of the most common complaints I hear from my co-workers. It’s a common complaint on local blogs….still nothing gets done about it.

You will see some on these blogs try to justify it. They say why should they move over to allow you to speed. The law is quite clear and independent of the speed. Sometimes I see so many in the left lane that I think maybe we should change the law to make the right lane the fast lane. Of course then they WOULD move to the right lane. It’s a Asinine act.

By: Ernie Jilek

Ernie Jilek — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:47:02 +0000

I lived in Texas for 4 years and am back in Louisiana and I still can’t figure out what or should I say why do many Texas drivers seem to be so fixiated with driving in the left lane and usually fail they to yield to faster traffic or traffic wanting to pass when they are properly signaled. And the look they give you in their rearview mirror seems to say “the hell you say, you actually want ME, to move out of the way for you, to get by ME.”

By: Geraldine Lancaster

Geraldine Lancaster — Tue, 20 May 2008 03:57:55 +0000

Doug, You truly are an IDIOT, the defiant type that thinks everyone around you is meek and lowly. I’m sure you’re middle aged, fat, and overweight, a truly frustrated has-been, wishing you could still compete somewhere in the world. Ya think you’re not in a hurry?? I’m the type that’ll pass you on the right, pull in front of you, and show you how I like to drive in “your” left lane. Don’t like that, tough guy?? Pull over and try to “assault” me! PLEASE. I’m just a little beerbellyless boy, shy and quiet, remember? Otherwise, get back on your tricycle, grab your ball, and go home to Mommy and have her teach you how to read, then read your local rules of the road; it’s that little book sitting over there next to the Bible.

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 15 May 2008 07:27:22 +0000

Seth,

Good points all around, especially those concerning people who block up the center lanes, leaving the right lane open, because they don’t want to have to pay attention to their driving.

There are so many people who recognize how ridiculous left lane hogging behavior is, that together they should be able to have a positive impact.

Here is how this can be done:

1. Every time you come up behind someone in the left lane who does not move right to let you get by, give them ample time, and then pass safely on the right.

2. After the pass, move back to the left lane (normally not a proper move, but this is to give them a taste of their own medicine, for positive, educational purposes).

3. Once in the left lane (make the pass safely, if you have to cut them off, they probably are not a true left lane hog), gradually slow down, more and more and more, until the slowpoke finally gets the message and moves right.

4. Once they move right, speed back up and move right yourself, to solidify the message.

5. Watch your mirror. If the slowpoke moves back to the left lane after you move on, IMMEDIATELY move back to the left and gradually slow down again, as many times as you have the schedule to allow, or until you reach your destination, so long as traffic does not become congested (gotta stay safe).

If enough people started doing this, the inconvenience to the left lane hogs on the road would cram the message into their heads, whether they were the oblivious type, the self appointed speed monitor type, or just plain clueless.

MAKE them get a clue.