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Pawz4me wrote: As far as I'm aware, the law says that slower traffic must keep right. Slower meaning those going below the posted speed limit. The law assumes that no one is going faster than the posted speed limit. Laws are not written on the presumption that citizens will be breaking other, related laws, or that it is okay to do so.
So the law is meant for the person on the interestate with a 65 mph speed limit who for whatever reason is only going 60. It doesn't mean that someone going 65, the legal speed limit, has to stay to the right to accommodate those who choose to break the law by disobeying the speed limit.
If anyone can provide a link to any state law that says otherwise (i.e., that it's okay to speed and that those going the legal speed limit must move over for speeders), then I'd sure like to see it. A simple "slower traffic must keep right" statute won't do it, for the reasons I've posted.
From the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star,
But first, it's informative to get some clarification on the issue from the agency that enforces traffic law, the Virginia State Police.
Sgt. F.L. Tyler, a public information officer with the state police office in Culpeper, said the following section of state code applies to left-lane hangers:
"It shall be unlawful to fail to give way to overtaking traffic when driving a motor vehicle to the left and abreast of another motor vehicle on a divided highway."
It continues: "On audible or light signal, the driver of the overtaken vehicle shall move to the right to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass as soon as the overtaken vehicle can safely do so."
In other words, said Tyler, if you're in the left lane of a divided highway and going down the road, even with a vehicle to your right, the law requires that you give way and let a vehicle behind you pass.
Specifically, he said, if you're in that situation and a vehicle behind you signals its intention to pass, by either honking a horn or flashing its lights, you are required to move to the right as soon as it's safe, and allow the signaling vehicle to pass.
Failure to do so is a violation of the law, he said.
Tyler said that applies even if the vehicle trying to pass is speeding, following too closely or operating in any other reckless manner.
People in the passing lane who pace vehicles in the right lane. They don't pass --just hang in someone's blind spot or between a truck and the concrete median.
Why these people choose to drive directly beside any vehicle going 60+ MPH is beyone me, especially when sandwiched between an 18 wheeler and a concrete wall.
They don't give themselves any "OUT" or place to go/"escape" if a vehicle near them abruptly takes evasive action or the driver momentairly looses concentration.
Apparently, defensive driving isn't well known or common anymore, especially since driver ed has been dropped from many high school programs.
Edit: I should have added that my post pertains to two lanes in each direction. Additionally, "normal" speed could be the speed that traffic moves (without passing each other). The speed limit on the PA Turnpike is 65 but most traffic, without exaggeration, travels 70 to 75.
* This post was
edited 08/16/08 04:57pm by traxtermax *
Bill Ky wrote: From the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star,
But first, it's informative to get some clarification on the issue from the agency that enforces traffic law, the Virginia State Police.
Sgt. F.L. Tyler, a public information officer with the state police office in Culpeper, said the following section of state code applies to left-lane hangers:
"It shall be unlawful to fail to give way to overtaking traffic when driving a motor vehicle to the left and abreast of another motor vehicle on a divided highway."
It continues: "On audible or light signal, the driver of the overtaken vehicle shall move to the right to allow the overtaking vehicle to pass as soon as the overtaken vehicle can safely do so."
In other words, said Tyler, if you're in the left lane of a divided highway and going down the road, even with a vehicle to your right, the law requires that you give way and let a vehicle behind you pass.
Specifically, he said, if you're in that situation and a vehicle behind you signals its intention to pass, by either honking a horn or flashing its lights, you are required to move to the right as soon as it's safe, and allow the signaling vehicle to pass.
Failure to do so is a violation of the law, he said.
Tyler said that applies even if the vehicle trying to pass is speeding, following too closely or operating in any other reckless manner.
Nice try, but newspaper articles aren't statutes (nor are they often accurate), and law enforcement officers' interpretation of laws are just that--their interpetation. Not necessarily the same as a judge would interpret them.
I tried a few of the links to the actual statutes but unfortunately many don't work (Utah in particular). The Virginia statutes (which based solely on the paraphrasing of the chart appear similar to Utah's) actually say nothing at all about speeding, just that "Any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic . . . " w/o a definition of what that is. I would argue that absent another definition, the "normal speed of traffic" is assumed to be the speed limit.
Interestingly (at least to me ) Colorado's Left Lane Law was apparently enacted because they recognized that it's not possible to cite someone who is traveling the speed limit with impeding traffic. From the Colorado State Patrol brochure regarding the Left Lane Law:
Quote: Colorado Revised Statutes require vehicles traveling
at less than the normal and reasonable speed of traffic
to either move to the right-hand travel lane, if available,
or pull off the roadway if safe to do so. But what
exactly constitutes the normal and reasonable speed of
traffic? A clause found in 42-4-1101(4), Colorado’s
speeding statute, states, “…any speed in excess of the
lawful speeds set forth in subsection (2) of this section
shall be prima facie evidence that such speed was not
reasonable or prudent under the conditions then existing.
Before the Left Lane Law, as long as a vehicle was
traveling the posted speed limit while in the left-hand
travel lane, there was little law enforcement officers
could do to prevent the ensuing gridlock. What sense
did it make to cite a driver for impeding traffic, when
at the same time the driver was obeying the posted
speed limit? Typically, impeding statutes were only
enforceable when a vehicle was traveling below the
posted or prima facie speed limit.
FWIW, it dawned on me while skimming those statutes that what I was referring to in my pet peeve wasn't exactly clearly stated. I'm referring to people riding my bumper wanting me to go faster than the speed limit when I'm traveling in the right or second to the right-hand lane on a three or four lane interstate, when there is a passing lane (or two) available. IOW, people who won't move into a wide-open passing lane to pass, but instead try to bully others to get out of their way.
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FWIW, it dawned on me while skimming those statutes that what I was referring to in my pet peeve wasn't exactly clearly stated. I'm referring to people riding my bumper wanting me to go faster than the speed limit when I'm traveling in the right or second to the right-hand lane on a three or four lane interstate, when there is a passing lane (or two) available. IOW, people who won't move into a wide-open passing lane to pass, but instead try to bully others to get out of their way.
We're right there with you. I was referring the inside lane and not the others. If you're on any of the outside lanes it's my responsibility to safely pass on your left or be happy following you..
I think that Pawz4me's name says it all. He wants everyone to "Pause for Me". There is no way to win a debate with someone with that attitude. Everyone trying is wasting their time.
The speed limit as posted is the speed limit for all lanes of that stretch of freeway. Most laws allow you to go slower, which in other than normal conditions you should, such as rain and snow. And I know for a fact that in Indiana you can get a ticket for driving slower, no I did not get one for slow driving, somehow i got a ticket for speeding while there was 2 cars in front of me, and 3 or so behind me, but yet I was targeted. Anyway I was messing with this ding a ling Indiana trooper. As he got to the back of my truck I would holler,"excuse me officer." He would walk to my door again, where I proceded to ask him questions, after all it is part of his job. Anyway I think it was the 3rd time he got to the rear of my truck, and I stopped him again, this time I asked him why they never give tickets for slow drivers. He claims he has. So I asked him what was the law on slow drivers, he could not answer. But in Indiana if you are going 15 mph less than the posted speed limit, and are holding up more than 3 vehicles, you can get a ticket. Under normal driving conditions. But I will be willing to bet the posted speed limit in all states is exactly that. The left lane is not a fast lane. The other lanes are for slower vehicles doing less than the posted speed limit. I bet no where in any state will any books or officers say that the left lane is a fast lane meant for those doing over the speed limit. As far as the keep right except to pass. I bet a lot of that has to do with emergency vehicles more than anything else. Because for some reason some people have a hard time getting out of the way of an emergency vehicle. If the lane is made to stay open, then they can run as fast as they think they can, and not worry about switching lanes.
) Colorado's Left Lane Law was apparently enacted because they recognized that it's not possible to cite someone who is traveling the speed limit with impeding traffic. From the Colorado State Patrol brochure regarding the Left Lane Law:
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