EDITED: Left lane law on US-Highways (NOT INTERSTATES)

[bunnspecial]

If there is room to change lanes to let them onto the highway, alright cool( this is assuming you changing lanes isn't cutting faster traffic in the left lane off. There is a difference between having space vs being able to safely change lanes). Move back to the right when able. If not, judge if you can pass them or slow down and let them merge.

Not sure why I'm still arguing about this, as I'm pretty sure everyone knows the "best" way to drive and everyone else on the road is wrong.

In any case, the situation I was referring to was the hypothetical "no one in the left lane for a mile." I move over, let the person on, and once I'm clear of them I move back over. As I said, it's a courtesy here. It's also still passing-in a sense-since the merging traffic is going a lot slower.

If it's not safe for me to get over(and yes, I do the "mirror sweep" every ten seconds or so as I was taught in drivers ed, so I know what's around me even if they're in my blind spot), I deal with car merging. As you said, I either speed up to get out of their way or slow down to let them in. Fortunately, all the construction projects in recent years in this area have increased the length of merge lanes, but there are still a lot of those short ramps out there and they present a dangerous situation both for the person merging and other drivers in the right hand lane. Hence the courtesy of moving over when it's safe to do so.

Believe it or not, I'm well acquainted with the annoyance of left lane hogs. I tend to drive at the upper end of the 10mph "buffer" and do pass vehicles frequently. When I pass, I pull out, pass the car, and get over.

 

[quagmire]

Not sure why I'm still arguing about this, as I'm pretty sure everyone knows the "best" way to drive and everyone else on the road is wrong.

In any case, the situation I was referring to was the hypothetical "no one in the left lane for a mile." I move over, let the person on, and once I'm clear of them I move back over. As I said, it's a courtesy here. It's also still passing-in a sense-since the merging traffic is going a lot slower.

If it's not safe for me to get over(and yes, I do the "mirror sweep" every ten seconds or so as I was taught in drivers ed, so I know what's around me even if they're in my blind spot), I deal with car merging. As you said, I either speed up to get out of their way or slow down to let them in. Fortunately, all the construction projects in recent years in this area have increased the length of merge lanes, but there are still a lot of those short ramps out there and they present a dangerous situation both for the person merging and other drivers in the right hand lane. Hence the courtesy of moving over when it's safe to do so.

Believe it or not, I'm well acquainted with the annoyance of left lane hogs. I tend to drive at the upper end of the 10mph "buffer" and do pass vehicles frequently. When I pass, I pull out, pass the car, and get over.

I wasn't arguing with you, just expanding my reply to Tomorrow since you brought up that situation. I think we're on the same page.

Tomorrow stays in the left lane and forces faster traffic to go around him on the right because he just doesn't want to deal with people entering the highway.

I brought up the safe to change lanes scenario because I experience this all the time. I am in the left lane passing people, a person ahead wants to change lanes because of a slower driver. He has space to change lanes, so he changes lanes. But it wasn't safe to do so because I am 10 MPH faster than he was approaching his bumper forcing me to hit the brakes. They don't want to slow down, so they force the faster traffic to slow down by cutting them off when they suddenly change lanes. No one behind me, but they don't have the patience to wait the ~3 seconds for me to pass them so they could safely change lanes.

 

[bunnspecial]

I wasn't arguing with you, just expanding my reply to Tomorrow since you brought up that situation. I think we're on the same page.

Tomorrow stays in the left lane and forces faster traffic to go around him on the right because he just doesn't want to deal with people entering the highway.

I brought up the safe to change lanes scenario because I experience this all the time. I am in the left lane passing people, a person ahead wants to change lanes because of a slower driver. He has space to change lanes, so he changes lanes. But it wasn't safe to do so because I am 10 MPH faster than he was approaching his bumper forcing me to hit the brakes. They don't want to slow down, so they force the faster traffic to slow down by cutting them off when they suddenly change lanes. No one behind me, but they don't have the patience to wait the ~3 seconds for me to pass them so they could safely change lanes.

Thanks for the response, and I do think that we are on the same page.

I do my best to avoid passing on the right, but when you get the "left lane campers" sometimes you don't have much choice.

BTW, another one that my truck driver uncle drilled into me is to never pass a truck on a bridge. Since he mentioned this to me, I've watched and noticed why he said this-the cross breezes can make the swerve a LOT. I know the roads I drive regularly fairly well, and will wait to pass a truck if I know a bridge is coming up. If I find myself "caught" I will speed up to get around them before the bridge.

I was thinking about this thread yesterday afternoon while I was driving home on 3rd street in Louisville. This is a 2-lane one way road with a posted speed limit of 35mph for most of its length(at least until you get into downtown). People who drive the road regularly go 35mph-no slower and no faster. The reason is light timing-if you go 35mph, chances are good that every light will be green until you get to "major" intersections. There are plenty of people, though, who want to camp out in the left lane for a mile or two because of an upcoming turn and go 20-25mph. If the traffic is bumper to bumper and not moving at 35mph(which is rare, but does happen) I understand this-in fact on downtown streets during rush hour I usually take the first left lane opening I get because every lane is moving at 5-10mph. In other case, though, going the speed limit will not only get you there faster and save gas, but also avoid annoying everyone else driving the road. And, by all means, if the road isn't busy and you want to go slow, stick to the right lane and don't get over until a block or two before your left turn.

 

[hallux]

People who drive the road regularly go 35mph-no slower and no faster. The reason is light timing-if you go 35mph, chances are good that every light will be green until you get to "major" intersections

You'll actually find this is the case in many places where there are lights grouped together. They time them so if you go through one on green and are going the speed limit as you pass under you should make the rest green as well.

As for @MatthewLTL , I just can't get past the hypocrisy. On the road he's "Mr. by the book" yet when it comes to faulty wiring in the place he lives it's "whatever gets the job done, safety be damned".

 

[MatthewLTL]

There are much bigger issues in life than someone speeding past you. You have two options, honk your horn for 45 seconds, flash your head lights, grab onto your "telemagenta" color carbon-fiber-look $7.99 aftermarket gear shifter in ANGER -OR- you can just leave them alone.


1. Everything on your car is broken, it's not a surprise the speedometer doesn't work.
2. That's why cars have headlights. Most places in the world don't have street lamps, are you kidding me?
3. Yeah, it can also skid on a time, your ignorance is going to get someone hurt, if it hasn't already happened. I kind of think somewhere along the line you've seriously hurt someone. You don't realize how hypocritical you are- you will honk at someone waiting in a no parking zone BUT you're NOT policing them. At the same time, you think it's ok to go 30 in a 60 and fishtail around?
4. "A controlled manner"? So you have experience. Tell me, where did you get this experience? Stunt school or driving like an idiot on the road?
5. That's a great way to get someone killed. I'm not saying either one of you is right, but two wrongs don't make a right.
6. It's a "foreign language"

I literally am going to have a nightmare tonight that I'm driving and I look in my rearview mirror and I see a Daewoo Lanos steadily approaching me.

They will answer and say "Oh gawd, it's that Daewoo kid again". So wait- hypothetical: The speed LIMIT is 65, so you can go 10mph since there are no minimums posted apparently, in the left lane?

I think you've never been in an accident because you're 25, you've had that Daewoo for years, and you've put what? 5,000 miles on it? If that!? The fact you haven't been in an accident is actually quite miraculous giving your tales.

Get a life. Either become a cop or stop pretending to be one. Do you continuously honk at these people? Even if no one is in or around the car?

1. And there are much bigger issues than giving me **** because I have a after market shift knob on my car. It is MY CAR not yours LET IT GO! There is a stereotype that BMW drivers are horrible drivers that have rage and drive reckless. Does that mean that's you because you drive one? NO! I don't bash you or your car STOP bashing ME and MINE! And, FOR THE LAST ****ING TIME THE SHIFT KNOB IS RED!!!!!
2. That's complete *********! The speedometer IS NOT BROKEN you either have selective-hearing (or selective-reading in this cae) or you just simplely don't listen (or read in this case).
3. Headlights (low beams) are too dim to do anything. High beams are only dimmer. Using the passing lights make it brighter because it combines both high and low beams. The aid of Fog Lights at night do help but not much.
4. YES I WILL, BECAUSE they are no parking zones FOR A REASON it blocks traffic and hold up progress. It is no different than you people who honk at green light sitters or lay on the horn the second the light turns green. Me and other drivers have to either stop and wait for 15 minutes for the ******* to move OR we have to stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear to go around.
5. Talk about paranoid, You can tell a Daewoo apart from others, Even the Chevy badged ones.
6. You are just getting on my last nerve with all your wise-ass comebacks. You're not perfect stop acting like you are better than everyone else!
7. Perhaps you just don't grasp the concep., Based on your repeated remarks on false information, it wouldn't surprise me if you don't.
8. I look to see if someone is in the car first DUH it's a waste of time if no one is in it! Seems like YOU need to get a life, rather than spending time on here belittling everything I say or do. If you have nothing worth while to say on my posts/threads than just Shut The **** Up!

...but there are still a lot of those short ramps out there and they present a dangerous situation both for the person merging and other drivers in the right hand lane.

I know what you mean, There are a few on ramps around here that are so short your lucky if 2 cars fit in the lane and NO ONE lets you in so you have to come to a complete stop and wait. When I encounter these ramps I just look for a gap in the cars and gun it. It's about all you can do. The recent US-14 road construction not only added RCIs but also made right and left turn lanes 4x longer. I have noticed this actually helped alot for traffic flow.

No one behind me, but they don't have the patience to wait the ~3 seconds for me to pass them so they could safely change lanes.

IKR?! I hate when people do that!

I was thinking about this thread yesterday afternoon while I was driving home on 3rd street in Louisville. This is a 2-lane one way road with a posted speed limit of 35mph for most of its length(at least until you get into downtown). People who drive the road regularly go 35mph-no slower and no faster.

Sounds simular to the stretch of US-14 and US-63 I drive on. the speed limit for US-14 that I drive on is 40MPH It's not uncommon for people to drive as slow as 25 because there is a stop light every 2 blocks. You don't have a chance to get up to 40 before the next red light stops you. If you stay to the right lane on this section of highway traffic would be backed up. Driving in the left lane helps the flow of traffic.

You'll actually find this is the case in many places where there are lights grouped together. They time them so if you go through one on green and are going the speed limit as you pass under you should make the rest green as well.

As for @MatthewLTL , I just can't get past the hypocrisy. On the road he's "Mr. by the book" yet when it comes to faulty wiring in the place he lives it's "whatever gets the job done, safety be damned".

That last statement is irrelivent to the thread keep it on topic. On the road EVERYONE shares it running a extension cord to my garage hurts no one two COMPLETELY different senarios.

 

[A.Goldberg]

1. And there are much bigger issues than giving me **** because I have a after market shift knob on my car. It is MY CAR not yours LET IT GO! There is a stereotype that BMW drivers are horrible drivers that have rage and drive reckless. Does that mean that's you because you drive one? NO! I don't bash you or your car STOP bashing ME and MINE! And, FOR THE LAST ****ING TIME THE SHIFT KNOB IS RED!!!!!
2. That's complete *********! The speedometer IS NOT BROKEN you either have selective-hearing (or selective-reading in this cae) or you just simplely don't listen (or read in this case).
3. Headlights (low beams) are too dim to do anything. High beams are only dimmer. Using the passing lights make it brighter because it combines both high and low beams. The aid of Fog Lights at night do help but not much.
4. YES I WILL, BECAUSE they are no parking zones FOR A REASON it blocks traffic and hold up progress. It is no different than you people who honk at green light sitters or lay on the horn the second the light turns green. Me and other drivers have to either stop and wait for 15 minutes for the ******* to move OR we have to stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear to go around.
5. Talk about paranoid, You can tell a Daewoo apart from others, Even the Chevy badged ones.
6. You are just getting on my last nerve with all your wise-ass comebacks. You're not perfect stop acting like you are better than everyone else!
7. Perhaps you just don't grasp the concep., Based on your repeated remarks on false information, it wouldn't surprise me if you don't.
8. I look to see if someone is in the car first DUH it's a waste of time if no one is in it! Seems like YOU need to get a life, rather than spending time on here belittling everything I say or do. If you have nothing worth while to say on my posts/threads than just Shut The **** Up!

Matt, why are you so hostile? I am thankful I don't have your car, believe me. I'm not sure why you're concerned with the magenta vs. pink comments. Your over-the-top reaction is quite juvenile- guys can't like pink? If you haven't noticed, I'm being quite facetious about the entire subject of pink.

The BMW stereotype? What do stereotypes have to do with anything? It's a stereotype that has little meaning and given the definition, probably not true. As a Jew I've been taunted with much worse. I don't drive with road rage, but you certainly show pretty strong indicators of it based on your POSTS. You might not think you're initiating it, but your response can easily be considered road rage. You are becoming enraged with the driving of other drivers and reacting in an aggressive manner. That in turn escalates the problem.

The only "bashing" I'm doing is of your dangerous driving habits and ignorant attitude. It's abundantly clear you make terrible decisions, tell the world, and then expect the world to agree with you and get defensive when they don't- which is a terrible decision in itself. Your entire post, full of inflammatory remarks... probably not a good decision. If you're open to a recommendation, I'd suggest you remove some of those words. Remember the last time you suggested someone "shut the ____ up" here? No, I'm not perfect, flawed a multitude of ways, but I recognize that. I'm quite inferior to many people in many ways. I just try understand cause and effect, learn from my mistakes, and try not to make poor decisions.

I happen to think my comments are worthwhile. Perhaps they'll remind you to drive safely...

 

[hallux]

4. YES I WILL, BECAUSE they are no parking zones FOR A REASON it blocks traffic and hold up progress. It is no different than you people who honk at green light sitters or lay on the horn the second the light turns green. Me and other drivers have to either stop and wait for 15 minutes for the ******* to move OR we have to stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear to go around.

So, you're unnecessarily and ILLEGALLY honking at cars? If you want to play cop, go get a badge. Otherwise, chill out. Your actions, in some cases, are MORE dangerous than just rolling with it because you're actually OBSTRUCTING the flow of traffic. Here are the NYC rules on "No Parking" signs. http://newyorkparkingticket.com/what-is-the-difference-between-stopping-standing-parking-in-nyc/ I'm not sure under what conditions you're honking at cars in "no parking" areas but they may actually be within the law.

That last statement is irrelivent to the thread keep it on topic. On the road EVERYONE shares it running a extension cord to my garage hurts no one two COMPLETELY different senarios.

"Everyone shares", that includes YOU. Your driver's license is a PRIVILEGE to use the roads with a motor vehicle, it's not a right and it's not a badge allowing you to tell people when you feel they're doing something unsafe. In reality, YOU are being more unsafe than they are by not rolling with the flow of traffic and providing an obstruction.

 

[maflynn]

[MOD NOTE]
I think w're done here, the discussion is going in circles at this point.