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[Conceited]

Ok, I should have guessed it would have backfired on me. I guess it's different from driving in New York or Washington highways than it is for small highways in Quebec where there's barely any drivers on the road anyway. Usually the closest car is like at 1 km away from you, not 3 meters.

I live in Toronto which had some of the busiest highways in the world and this only use the left lane for passing thing is ridiculous to me.

The unspoken rule for highway driving here is basically if you're doing 120km/h or more you drive in the left lane, 100-110km/h in the middle lane, and anything slower you stay in the right lane.

People will pass in any lane, depending on which one is free. I've seen people pass in the right lane before right in front of police and the cops didn't care in the slightest.

 

[pj]

Because you're not the only one with that mentality and it usually leads to congestion or people passing on your right. You're under the assumption that you will ALWAYS notice someone creeping up on you and that everyone else will always do the same.

Uh, yeah, it's called checking your mirrors. How would you not notice someone coming up behind you?

I cruise in the left lane because I generally drive 5mph faster than everyone else. It would be ridiculous to swing in and out of the left lane every ten seconds to pass someone who's going too slow. If someone is driving faster than me in the left lane, I pull into the right and let them by. What is the problem with this?

The left lane is also smoother to drive on because most people are apparently terrified to use it.

 

[Phobophile]

Uh, yeah, it's called checking your mirrors. How would you not notice someone coming up behind you?

Uh, yeah you're supposed to, but, once again, you're under the assumption that you're omniscient and all-seeing. And you're under the assumption that so is everyone else.

The only assumption I make when I'm driving is that everyone else doesn't know what they're doing and drive accordingly.

 

[Max Armstrong]

The unspoken rule for highway driving here is basically if you're doing 120km/h or more you drive in the left lane, 100-110km/h in the middle lane, and anything slower you stay in the right lane.

Yup, exactly the same thing here. I usually end up doing 130km/h most of the time and I wouldn't understand the need to change lane everytime since I'm going faster than most people.

 

[Emerson]

Uh, yeah you're supposed to, but, once again, you're under the assumption that you're omniscient and all-seeing. And you're under the assumption that so is everyone else.

The only assumption I make when I'm driving is that everyone else doesn't know what they're doing and drive accordingly.

I understand that we can't assume all people are doing what they should (checking their mirrors), but this bolded part is pretty stupid. You don't have to be omniscient or all-seeing to see a car coming behind you. In fact, if you don't see it, you're either not paying attention or are otherwise impaired. In either case you shouldn't be driving.

Not saying we can take this assumption and apply it to everyone, but in my own case and that of the poster you replied to, I think we can handle seeing a car coming up behind us.

 

[pj]

Uh, yeah you're supposed to, but, once again, you're under the assumption that you're omniscient and all-seeing. And you're under the assumption that so is everyone else.

I am very confused by why you think it's so difficult to see a car in your mirror? That's the entire reason they are there. You don't even have to look directly at them, you catch it in your peripheral vision. I only assume that other drivers aren't paying attention. Why would they have to be omniscient for me to drive in the left lane?

The only assumption I make when I'm driving is that everyone else doesn't know what they're doing and drive accordingly.

Yeah, me too. That's why I separate myself from them and drive all by myself in the left lane

 

[joeblackisback]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZhdvl_P1Zc

imo

 

[Max Armstrong]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZhdvl_P1Zc

imo

The cop doesn't even put his flashers to go back in the left lane. Now THAT'S fucking annoying.

 

[worldrunover]

I do use the left lane for passing. I am planning on passing EVERY OTHER CAR. What now Mr. Officer?! :|

:trollface

 

[DUFFMCWALIN]

This thread makes it easy to pick out the drivers I would love to run off of the road.

 

[blame space]

Actually, unless I'm mistaken this article doesn't mention anything about the officers ACTUALLY stopping individuals who were slowing traffic. It just mentions that the officers pulled over and fined people for BEING in the left lane, or camping it. It is entirely plausible (nay, likely) that a good portion of these people were in fact pulled over for simply being in the left lane for a period of time as observed by the officer, whether or not any traffic was actually on the road in close proximity to these vehicles.

It is doubtful that any proof of traffic slowing or congesting is necessary, rather just being in the lane for a period of time is likely enough to mark you for confiscation and further enlarge the lens of probable cause for LEOs.

I'm not suggesting that it will be solely enforced in an arbitrary fashion, but it most definitely will be for a portion of those to be detained for it.

I should note that I'm not familiar with this law or state and am only speculating.

 

[gblues]

I drive down I-84 between Caldwell and Boise on a fairly regular basis. Staying in the right lane is impossible because the right lane either ends, or gets siphoned off into an exit. The only lane that doesn't do this somewhere between Boise and Caldwell is the left lane. So, yeah, I stay in the left lane because repeatedly changing lanes in heavy traffic is far more dangerous.

 

[agentxricky]

This is completely disgusting. A cheap trick to bleed as much money from unknowing taxpayers just trying to get from point A to point B. They should be stopping real criminals and not writing chickenshit tickets, but hey, money's tight these days.

Highway speeds were set for cars in the '40s and don't apply to modern vehicles.

They're highway patrol. They patrol the highway. What kind of highway bandits do you want them to stop?

 

[SolKane]

Good for Washington state, asshole drivers who do the speed limit in a passing lane deserve a ticket. Passing on the right is illegal in some states for a reason, and though it's never enforced (e.g. Florida) it wouldn't need to be on the books if people actually drove intelligently and courteously.

 

[demon]

They're highway patrol. They patrol the highway. What kind of highway bandits do you want them to stop?

Leave us alone when going 11mph over the 65pmh speed limit with the flow of traffic and go fight some real crime? The bullshit tickets they pass out like candy on the highways do nothing to protect nor serve us.

 

[demigod]

This is completely disgusting. A cheap trick to bleed as much money from unknowing taxpayers just trying to get from point A to point B. They should be stopping real criminals and not writing chickenshit tickets, but hey, money's tight these days.

Highway speeds were set for cars in the '40s and don't apply to modern vehicles.

I take it you never drove for 4 hours before. Wait until you go on a road trip and then have 2 cars side by side going speed limit for 30minutes and you can't pass them.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

Leave us alone when going 11mph over the 65pmh speed limit with the flow of traffic and go fight some real crime? The bullshit tickets they pass out like candy on the highways do nothing to protect nor serve us.

11mph is hardly a little over the speed limit. If you're going that fast you deserve a ticket.

It might seem too slow to you but that doesn't mean you can break the law.

 

[dojokun]

Instead of arguing about the proper way to use high-pollution vehicles, I wish our country would just invest in high speed mass transit and in bicyle-friendliness. There's no excuse in this day and age for American major cities to not have a viable way for someone (who isn't carrying children, groceries, or any other cargo) to get from Point A to Point B without using a car. You'd think the fact that major metropolitan areas tend to lean liberal would mean they care enough to try to get people to drive less to save the environment. Instead we just see liberals pointing out the existence of global warming over and over while making no effort to drive less.

 

[WickedAngel]

11mph is hardly a little over the speed limit. If you're going that fast you deserve a ticket.

It might seem too slow to you but that doesn't mean you can break the law.

The law might actually mean something to me if it were enforced to maximize safety instead of quick revenue generation.

Speed limits wouldn't be necessary if our licensing standards were improved and our law enforcement officers were trained to pursue the other dangerous behaviors on the road (Turning without signalling, playing with cell phones, doing makeup, etc.)

 

[Chris R]

APD please take note and please start ticketing the dumb shits who have a line of 20 cars piled up behind them on the Seward Highway.... and just shoot the tourist who stop in the middle of the highway to look at whales or sheep in the face.

APD are pretty good at shooting people in the face, so who knows, they might take your advice. Driving to Girdwood can be a pita when some idiot is doing 45 and the oncoming traffic is spaced just right.

And damn this thread is full of people who have never experienced the awesomeness of the left lane, and because of that they seem to hate on us awesome folk who can enjoy all lanes of a freeway (as long as you aren't holding people up).

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

The law might actually mean something to me if it were enforced to maximize safety instead of quick revenue generation.

Speed limits wouldn't be necessary if our licensing standards were improved and our law enforcement officers were trained to pursue the other dangerous behaviors on the road (Turning without signalling, playing with cell phones, doing makeup, etc.)

I'm not saying speed limits are perfect, but regardless of what could be improved, you don't have the right to pick and choose which law to obey or not.

Do you actually get anything more than a fine if you speed in America? Over here in the UK you get points on your license, so it's a lot more serious. That's why I refuse to ever speed - I'm not risking points on my license to go an extra 5 mph. Because of this, I find it infuriating when other people feel they can speed and then get away with it. Guaranteed the one day I did 50 in a 40 there'd be a police car there ready to pull me over. Yet, somehow, I've had countless assholes overtake me in areas doing 20mph or more over the speed limit and I've never once witnessed somebody being penalised for it. As I said in my earlier post, I also hate it when other drivers get mad because I'm doing the legal limit and start flashing their lights at me or whatever.

Eh. It just irks me. I obey the law, I don't like it when other people feel they don't have to.

 

[gutter_trash]

good; Americans should learn the conduct of the road and stop hoggin' the Left

 

[xelios]

Dumb. Hope they don't start enforcing this on interstates because you may as well stay in the left lane unless you're planning on going 50. You will have to pass every single car & semi on the right if not, then move back over to pass again two seconds later.


Edit: Unless you're going slow in the left lane, then you suck.

 

[PjotrStroganov]

Leave us alone when going 11mph over the 65pmh speed limit with the flow of traffic and go fight some real crime? The bullshit tickets they pass out like candy on the highways do nothing to protect nor serve us.

Washington state troopers in King County pulled over 223 drivers last month who camped out in the freeway passing lane, breaking a law that not many drivers know about. Of those, 199 were let off with warnings.

Like candy.

 

[SolKane]

Instead of arguing about the proper way to use high-pollution vehicles, I wish our country would just invest in high speed mass transit and in bicyle-friendliness. There's no excuse in this day and age for American major cities to not have a viable way for someone (who isn't carrying children, groceries, or any other cargo) to get from Point A to Point B without using a car. You'd think the fact that major metropolitan areas tend to lean liberal would mean they care enough to try to get people to drive less to save the environment. Instead we just see liberals pointing out the existence of global warming over and over while making no effort to drive less.

They may tend to lean liberal but they might still be completely owned by corporations. For instance here in Austin they had the chance to invest in light rail 10 years ago but people shot it down. Instead they rely on a bus system and a seriously gimped train system that doesn't even run on weekends. People seem to have no problem building condo after condo without considering the effects on the transit system of the city. Additionally there is a rather extensive highway system in the metro area which brings in plenty of revenue for outside interests.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Good to know the desire and admiration of predatory law enforcement is still alive and kickin in the citizenry.

How is this predatory? You're told this and therefore expected to know it at the time of your driving test, no?

 

[dojokun]

They may tend to lean liberal but they might still be completely owned by corporations. For instance here in Austin they had the chance to invest in light rail 10 years ago but people shot it down. Instead they rely on a bus system and a seriously gimped train system that doesn't even run on weekends. People seem to have no problem building condo after condo without considering the effects on the transit system of the city. Additionally there is a rather extensive highway system in the metro area which brings in plenty of revenue for outside interests.

I heard Austin is very bike friendly. So your town might not be full of the types of liberals I'm talking about. I live in L.A. and here in liberal L.A. people are hostile to bikers. They care more about raging against bikers who break traffic laws than they do about saving the environment and progressing our lives in the transportation arena. There is virtually no support for bikers. They give bikers here no bike lanes, and then they whine about bikers on sidewalks and bikers in car lanes. I wish they would use their heads. If you don't give them bike lanes, OF COURSE they're gonna be on sidewalks or car lanes.

 

[Zutroy]

I don't presume to know the traffic situations in other cities, but in mine:





So good luck with that and keep it up north.

Fuu... Im so use to in the UK just driving with two lanes. On the rare occasion when I'm on a three/four lane road I hate being sandwiched! I'd absolutely hate driving on that road.

 

[SolKane]

I heard Austin is very bike friendly. So your town might not be full of the types of liberals I'm talking about. I live in L.A. and here in liberal L.A. people are hostile to bikers. They care more about raging against bikers who break traffic laws than they do about saving the environment and progressing our lives in the transportation arena. There is virtually no support for bikers. They give bikers here no bike lanes, and then they whine about bikers on sidewalks and bikers in car lanes. I wish they would use their heads. If you don't give them bike lanes, OF COURSE they're gonna be on sidewalks or car lanes.

I think Austin's reputation as a liberal city is rather overblown based on my own (admittedly brief) experience here. It's bike-friendly when compared to most American cities, but it's fairly lacking in bike lanes, though the city is actively working on building more. A lot of bike transit in the city, especially downtown, occurs on streets with wide shoulders instead of proper bike lanes. Several bike lanes allow on street parking, which is a problem for bikers and a conflict to the bike-friendly image of the city. While drivers here are probably more aware of bikes than most, a lot of people who commute from other areas or are transplants are generally ignorant of bikers.

 

[Stinkles]

Funny they do all these massive crackdowns when the State is hurting for money, and jack shit when it's not.

Also, get rid of the three person carpool lanes. They don't work.

 

[xxracerxx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZhdvl_P1Zc

imo

That guy has an awful laugh.

 

[mavs]

Hmm its 2011 not the 80s. The population is alot larger and alot more traffic. I get the left lane ideals but if your seriously saying some two lane hwy way should only be using one lane your delusional.

The freeways in question are all 6-8 lanes. They did specify "freeways".

 

[Kibbles]

Yet I get a speeding ticket in the left lane [following another speeder who was going way faster than me =(].

 

[Something Wicked]

I cruise in the left lane because I generally drive 5mph faster than everyone else. It would be ridiculous to swing in and out of the left lane every ten seconds to pass someone who's going too slow. If someone is driving faster than me in the left lane, I pull into the right and let them by. What is the problem with this?

This is generally how I drive as well. Also, I'd say constantly changing lanes is not only ridiculous, but dangerous too. If there's no one behind you that indicates of driving faster, then you can stay in the left lane as long as you want for all I care. However, once someone begins to tailgate a bit, and there's space in the lane to the right, it's time to move over, buddy.

 

[tmarques]

I take it you never drove for 4 hours before. Wait until you go on a road trip and then have 2 cars side by side going speed limit for 30minutes and you can't pass them.

Surely I can't be the only one confused by people who applaud left-campers getting tickets when they admit what they really want is to break the law themselves by driving above the speed limit.

 

[Exclamation-One]

As someone who hates, hates, HATES the stereotypical Seattle highway hog, I welcome this with open arms.

 

[CrocMother]

If I'm on a multilane highway and I'm cruising at a speed that is faster than everyone in the right lanes, I'm staying in the left lane so I don't have to keep switching back and forth. If someone comes up from behind me that is going faster, I move out of their way.

What is wrong with this?

EDIT: Wow pj said almost the same thing as I did.

 

[Hitokage]

I don't agree with keeping general traffic out of the left lane, although I do agree with giving it special consideration. American infrastructure is woefully behind as it is and many roads already have trouble carrying the rate of traffic people require of them. Cutting off a lane entirely is just going to make things much worse.

Surely I can't be the only one confused by people who applaud left-campers getting tickets when they admit what they really want is to break the law themselves by driving above the speed limit.

Is it really so bad to just let other people pass? You can continue driving at the speed you want. Other people drive at the speed they want. Everyone is happy.

 

[Count Dookkake]

If you get caught camping in the left lane, you should be fined and detained for at least 2 hours.

 

[Complex Shadow]

camping noobs
. ▲
▲ ▲

 

[Giard]

If I'm on a multilane highway and I'm cruising at a speed that is faster than everyone in the right lanes, I'm staying in the left lane so I don't have to keep switching back and forth. If someone comes up from behind me that is going faster, I move out of their way.

What is wrong with this?

EDIT: Wow pj said almost the same thing as I did.

It's when you don't move out of their way that it pisses everyone off.

 

[PflargBlarg]

i hate left lane campers with a passion, so yeah, screw 'em

although i gotta say it's pretty funny to do left lane camping when you're already driving slightly above the limit
fuck you assholes, you don't need to be going any faster

You are not the dispenser of justice. Get the fuck out of the left lane.

In fact, certain places you will get ticketed for camping the left lane even if the guy behind you is clearly speeding. What's more dangerous, a guy going 12 over the limit with not a care in the world, or a guy trying to go 12 over the limit but raging because he cannot because of some moron in the left lane?

It may not be fair, but letting people pass (even if they're speeding) is far safer than holding up 7 cars behind you.

 

[Apath]

Surely I can't be the only one confused by people who applaud left-campers getting tickets when they admit what they really want is to break the law themselves by driving above the speed limit.

One obstructs the flow of traffic and impedes on everyone's schedule. The other affects nobody.

 

[tmarques]

Is it really so bad to just let other people pass? You can continue driving at the speed you want. Other people drive at the speed they want. Everyone is happy.

I do. Always have. Doesn't change the fact that it's hypocritical to want others to be fined for breaking certain laws when you want to get away with breaking other laws. We don't get to choose which laws to follow.

 

[Apath]

I do. Always have. Doesn't change the fact that it's hypocritical to want others to be fined for breaking certain laws when you want to get away with breaking other laws. We don't get to choose which laws to follow.

It's only hypocritical if people are against it solely because it's against the law.

 

[tmarques]

One obstructs the flow of traffic and impedes on everyone's schedule. The other affects nobody.

Yes, because no one has ever been the victim of someone else's speeding. I understand most drivers have this idiotic belief that they are better drivers than everyone else, but speed limits exist for a reason. You want campers to get out of the left lane, which is fair enough, but so is their wanting you not to endanger everybody else by speeding.

 

[Srsly]

Correct. Thats called breaking the law. Illegal means illegal. These officers were doing their job, and making highways safer by reducing road rage.

Left lane = passing lane not drive at whatever speed you want lane.

If youre not passing, GTFO.


Also, if your elderly father can't follow simple laws designed to save lives (dozens of officers are killed every year when working on highway shoulders) then he should give up his license immediately. It's really not that hard to understand that flashing lights = slow the hell down.

You're the kind of person I enjoy blocking on purpose

 

[Konka]

Yes, because no one has ever been the victim of someone else's speeding. I understand most drivers have this idiotic belief that they are better drivers than everyone else, but speed limits exist for a reason. You want campers to get out of the left lane, which is fair enough, but so is their wanting you not to endanger everybody else by speeding.

If you take the time to actually research the speed limit, highway engineers have always recommended limits above what government imposes to collect speeding ticket revenue.

 

[PjotrStroganov]

"Left lane = passing lane not drive at whatever speed you want lane."

Sometimes it just is.

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

If you take the time to actually research the speed limit, highway engineers have always recommended limits above what government imposes to collect speeding ticket revenue.

Yes, but even in a straight line on a duel carriageway, if every other car is doing 70 and one person is doing 85, it's still dangerous because people will be anticipating them driving 70 also.

I know you can judge it and you need to spot when somebody is going over the limit, but that's not the point. The person speeding is still being wreckless by driving faster than you are meant to on a road.