More States Cracking Down on "Slowpoke" Drivers Hogging the Fast Lane

[mccannable]

Originally Posted by Haywood

This truly should be called the Prius bill. I can't tell you how many times annoying liberal Prius drivers are in the left hand lane and refuse to move. I want to go all Mad Max on them!

I daily a Prius. Did you know it has an autopilot similar to tesla but it only works in the left lane doing 10 under.

But I am a considerate driver as it is painfully slow. Right lane for me except to pass, which around here is frequently.

[WreckerX5d]

Originally Posted by natedog7700

I hate when people do this intentionally for whatever reason. I flash my lights, then proceed to get closer and if they still don't move over, I run right past in the E lane. Sometimes you get a jerk and it needs to be done. Spiting up gravel on their car makes it 10 times more satisfying too.. 600hp and tinted License plate cover makes it impossible for them to do anything about it. Irritated just thinking about it! lol

I roll coal on people who do that.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by NemesisX

Facebook post for those who want to get in on the debate: https://www.facebook.com/nytimes/pos...50849220404999

News article: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/08/us...okes.html?_r=0

One of the first commenters Andrew Benton admitted to being "that guy" who hogs the left lane and deliberately slows down to exactly the speed limit if he thinks you're going too fast for road conditions. He's getting a lot of backlash at the moment.

These people who think it is their job to slow people down have not clue the danger they are causing. These idiot think the speed limit is absolute they were never absolute but they did not care. I have run into these morons more times in recent years.

I have now seen roads go from 55 to 60 to 65 and now 70. when the roads were 55 I did 65 when they went to 65 I pushed it to 70 and today at 70 I mostly do 72. this was always due to the fact traffic did those speed and I always stayed with traffic. With 70 MPH roads I am not seeing the majority of people pushing it to 80. Today I see more people doing 65 to 68 on the 70 roads than people doing 75. It seems like the 70 MPH is the speed most people are the most comfortable. The only issue with 70 I seen more cruising below 70 and these are not those left lane hogs, it just people not comfortable going that fast.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by 08njSTEP

I used to travel from DC to north NJ and the fastest way was always far right lane. Nobody drives in the slow lane.

yeah when you have 3 lanes or more I agree I find myself in the right lane passing people. I never understood people who hung in the middle lanes. When I lived in Calif I learned real fast you only drive in the left or right most lanes, why, when traffic came to a halt and you needed to avoid being hit from behind you use the shoulder to bailout and I had to do that a few times.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by atinybug

There's a law for that here in GA. Police can ticket people for going slower than speed limit in the left lane. Except the speed limit around here is 70, and people go 80-90 in the left lane and if you're going 70 there, you're going to get tailgated. But technically the police can't do anything about it since you're not speeding, nor are you going slower than speed limit.

In Calif no matter the speed limit, if you are holding up traffic they will ticket you. Most time in Calif you are more likely to get a ticket for lane changing, tailgating or slowing traffic than for speeding itself. Most time they want traffic to keep flowing and ticket anyone who causes a slow down.

[silvergray545]

Much needed in Ohio, as well. Away from the city, where I live, the highway is only two lanes wide. People will drive side by side for miles like it's no big deal.

Closer to where I work, the highway is four lanes wide. The entire highway will be clear and there will be one person just putting around in the left lane.

Either scenario, I enjoy laying on the horn until that person moves over. 9 times out of 10, that person is either on the phone or texting. Never fails.

[Kong Sheng Han]

In Texas, it seems like most people speed.

Usually most left lane hoggers will move over to right lane if faster car approaches. Sometimes they don't, probably because they don't see what's behind them, and flashing high beams usually does the job. And a few people never move over. Shoot them.

[csu87]

Finally.

Coming home late last night from a concert, there were quite a few left lane hoggers slowing everyone down. And this was from Cheyenne, WY (the middle of nowhere) to Northern Colorado (almost the middle of nowhere) with nice straight roads that you can see for miles on. I know there were quite a few people that would see me coming from a mile away and wouldnt even attempt to get over. Then they get butthurt and flip me off when I have to pass them on the right.

[N8N]

Originally Posted by EALm4

MD needs to get on board with that. It's ridiculously bad here

Unfortunately MD has an odd keep right law

http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html

so a legal change would be necessary (or speed limits that reflect the speeds at which people actually drive) to make left lane blocking enforceable in MD.

I agree with you that MD is one of the very worst states I've ever driven in with regards to lane courtesy, although the entire metro DC area is pretty bad.

Just yesterday I got stuck behind a d-bag in a Mustang in the passing lane of the Beltway, VA side. I swear he was blocking me on purpose, and I haven't a clue why someone would do that. Wasn't even driving the Bimmer, was driving my roommate's 4-cylinder Ranger with a full load on (read: quite possibly the slowest street legal vehicle I've ever driven)

[TXSTYLE]

I've literally seen people getting over into the left lane as if it's some sort of "safety lane". I mean go 3 lanes over from the right just to go 55 or 60.

Far too many People are OBLIVIOUS!

I commented earlier that IMO, people who do this literally are to blame for *the majority of traffic jams* on highways.
Thoughts?

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by N8N

Unfortunately MD has an odd keep right law

http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html

so a legal change would be necessary (or speed limits that reflect the speeds at which people actually drive) to make left lane blocking enforceable in MD.

I agree with you that MD is one of the very worst states I've ever driven in with regards to lane courtesy, although the entire metro DC area is pretty bad.

Just yesterday I got stuck behind a d-bag in a Mustang in the passing lane of the Beltway, VA side. I swear he was blocking me on purpose, and I haven't a clue why someone would do that. Wasn't even driving the Bimmer, was driving my roommate's 4-cylinder Ranger with a full load on (read: quite possibly the slowest street legal vehicle I've ever driven)

Yeah, not sure what Ford was thinking with that one, got the smaller of the two 6 cylinder Rangers and not much better. The things is horrible on gas mileage since you spend the entire time with the peddle to the floor trying to get up to speed.

[Maestro]

Here is a typical example of what happens.. The left lane hog brake checks the person tailgating or flash their lights.

In this case the tailgater rammed the left lane hog.

These idiots may thing they are somehow helping by slowing people down but they run the risk of killing themselves or someone else who was just minding their business.

[N8N]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Yeah, not sure what Ford was thinking with that one (4-cyl. Ranger), got the smaller of the two 6 cylinder Rangers and not much better. The things is horrible on gas mileage since you spend the entire time with the peddle to the floor trying to get up to speed.

It gets better gas mileage than my 335i!

Definitely rolling penalty box though... I'm sure it's down on power from stock as it has been indifferently maintained despite my best efforts to set a good example; the rear tires are square as it sits for months at a time (he drives a Camry every day) so going over 70 MPH will rattle your fillings... and I'm still trying to figure out what 5th gear is for. Coasting downhill I guess.

However, *unlike* the 335i, it is very difficult to get around someone who's deliberately blocking you in traffic.

[Beartato]

So I just had someone I work with go through driver's ed here (moved from Germany, didn't have a license). Apparently they teach here not to move over for faster traffic as long as you're doing the speed limit. It's totally true, every time I go to work I run into at least one knucklehead doing exactly or right below the speed limit in the fast lane, and this person refusing to move over even though they have the space and are getting passed on the right. So frustrating, especially when you're stuck behind one who is passing a gravel truck who for whatever reason feels the need to be in the lane next to the fast lane on a four lane highway, and all you here is rocks hitting your car. Speed up asshole!

[natedog7700]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Here is a typical example of what happens.. The left lane hog brake checks the person tailgating or flash their lights.

In this case the tailgater rammed the left lane hog.

These idiots may thing they are somehow helping by slowing people down but they run the risk of killing themselves or someone else who was just minding their business.

That first accident wouldn't happen in our cars. Chevy trail blazer is a joke for quick inputs lol no wonder why he spun out.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by TXSTYLE

I've literally seen people getting over into the left lane as if it's some sort of "safety lane". I mean go 3 lanes over from the right just to go 55 or 60.

I've seen these people. They are usually the people texting or staring at their phones while driving, making it even worse.

I found myself (briefly) behind a Smart Car in the left lane going about 55 in a 70 zone today on the FL Turnpike. Aside from blocking traffic they make things more dangerous for everyone (including themselves) by making people change lanes to go around them.

[MKSixer]

I'm not going to lie: I pull in front of these people and slow them down even more until they finally change lanes then I go full power and disappear over the horizon.

I hate left lane blockers.

[ScBlacksunshine]

Yeah would love to see this in action in SoCal but if they do, they probably won't have enough officer to give out tickets in areas like Alhambra, Monterey Park, Irvine, pretty much the entire SGV where majority of these asian drivers think freeway lanes are like buffet lines, pick whichever lane you want at any speed...

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Here is a typical example of what happens.. The left lane hog brake checks the person tailgating or flash their lights.

In this case the tailgater rammed the left lane hog.

These idiots may thing they are somehow helping by slowing people down but they run the risk of killing themselves or someone else who was just minding their business.

Exactly! Or run the risk of becoming the victims of some serious Road Rage.

Just GET THE F*** OVER!!!

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

I'm not going to lie: I pull in front of these people and slow them down even more until they finally change lanes then I go full power and disappear over the horizon.

I hate left lane blockers.

[Alfisti]

Not sure if this happens elsewhere but in Toronto and surrounds the right lane can and often does VANISH from you. It turns into another highway or an exit lane almost relentlessly.

So there's no fucking way you can sit there, you just cannot. So those people shift to the middle lane and the middle lane people sit in the left lane. it's madness.

[N8N]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

I'm not going to lie: I pull in front of these people and slow them down even more until they finally change lanes then I go full power and disappear over the horizon.

I hate left lane blockers.

I don't do that on a regular basis but I remember years ago doing a run from Cleveland to Pittsburgh and I was on 480 in a pack with a pretty good haul going... ended up behind some asshat in the passing lane pacing the car next to him, guessing both of them were on CC. There was a line of about 15-20 cars behind me waiting to get by... eventually we went around a curve and so there was enough of a gap to get around, I cut into the passing lane and slowed down about 10 MPH, the whole damn train starts passing us on the right. Got a bunch of waves and thumbs up as they went by, then soon as the last car got in front of me I dropped it in third and left.

I'd like to think that someone learned a lesson that day but I don't have that much faith in humanity.