Left lane drivers!

[chager]

Normally I only use the left lane for passing. If I am going past cars in the other lane I feel I have a right to use it.If I notice someone coming up behind me going faster then me I will try to move over to the right and allow you to pass. However, If you tailgate me or flash your lights at me chances are high I won't move out of your way and will go just fast/slow enough you can't pass me. Chances are if I haven't already scooted out of the way the reason would be there is traffic next to me. That would most likely be why you can't pass me either. If you can't get over then what makes you think I can? I'm not going to go 10 miles over the speed limit just to make you happy. I have been behind the guy going 50 in the passing lane before while the right lane was open too. Frustrating, yes. Once I was able to pass him on the right I did.
What I don't know is why he was going slow. Was is because he was told to get into the left lane since eventually it would be the exit lane he needed? Is he older and confused and has no one else to get him anywhere? Is he a new driver that is scared and probably shouldn't be driving on his own? Is his car suddenly having problems and he is figuring the best way to get to safety? (that was me once when the car suddenly lost all power at 70mph in the left lane and I need to get it across 3 lanes of traffic to a berm without getting us all killed) Or maybe the person is just crazy and thinks by driving slow in the passing lane everyone else will slow down..lol. In their dreams!!
I'm in Ohio so all I can say is it happens everywhere! Not just NJ or PA!

 

[BillSears]

Drive right and pass left isn't a choice in New Jersey.. it's the law. State troopers LOVE to pull out of staters over for this violation!!!

We don't have passing lanes in Maryland. All lanes are used and passing is legal on the left or right. However slower traffic should stay to the right.

I always wonder what the heck you guys are talking about with passing lanes. Why have a lane no one is allowed to drive in? Here in Maryland traffic is often bad enough that all lanes are filled.

 

[stevenpensacola]

SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT! dang it.

 

[MushyMushy]

I half agree with the OP. It's a PA thing alright, but it's an EASTERN PA thing! This is not something I've ever noticed until I drove out towards Carlisle and Harrisburg and then it was rampant. DH is from Easton, and it took me years to get him to quit doing that out here in the Pittsburgh area. He still does it on occasion.

And last I heard, it's not law yet. I heard on the news that they were talking about making it a law, but I don't know if it want any further than that.

 

[Pam]

I half agree with the OP. It's a PA thing alright, but it's an EASTERN PA thing! This is not something I've ever noticed until I drove out towards Carlisle and Harrisburg and then it was rampant. DH is from Easton, and it took me years to get him to quit doing that out here in the Pittsburgh area. He still does it on occasion.

And last I heard, it's not law yet. I heard on the news that they were talking about making it a law, but I don't know if it want any further than that.

In PA it is indeed illegal to get in the left lane and just hang there. You can only go a certain distance before you can be pulled over and ticketed by the police in you are in the left lane and are not passing another vehicle.

A coworker of mine was busted for this very reason a couple of years ago.

And unfortunately I see this happen in all states -- and not just by PA drivers.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I long ago gave up being upset about this and learned how to have FUN with it!
Instead of getting mad at the person in the left lane just blow by them on the right and get them mad! They get even madder if you then cut them off on your way back to the left lane.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I long ago gave up being upset about this and learned how to have FUN with it!
Instead of getting mad at the person in the left lane just blow by them on the right and get them mad! They get even madder if you then cut them off on your way back to the left lane.

And when I saw that a WM had posted, I thought that you were going to tell people to play nice....and instead I see you are causing trouble, too!

 

[BillSears]

I long ago gave up being upset about this and learned how to have FUN with it!
Instead of getting mad at the person in the left lane just blow by them on the right and get them mad! They get even madder if you then cut them off on your way back to the left lane.

Hey I do the same thing only I keep a super soaker all ready to fire out the window as I pass. It's great watching the look on thier face....

Well I can dream can't I?

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I passed a minivan on the right a while back. It looked like Dad was driving and Mom was in the passenger seat, I could see kids in the back.
I'm driving a turbo Subaru legacy, 250 horsepower and 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds.
I didn't cut him off or anything just passed him on the right and kept going. I look in my rearview mirror and here comes the minivan, we are doing about 90 at that point. He had been going maybe 70. He comes up behind me. I can see the woman in the front seat screaming. I decide I don't really want to play and speed up a little. The fruitcake in the minivan with his family is driving over a 100. He's like filled with rage. I decide enough of this floor the throttle and watch him dissapear.
Remember it's not always the person in the faster car that is the nut!

 

[Race the Reaper]

Where's Cantw8 when we need her? Didn't she start a thread similiar to this a couple weeks ago? Also, where is Pop Daddy? Coincidence? Hmmmmmmm.

 

[Uncle Remus]

beep-beep, coming thru

 

[Froggyswife]

Always remember:

Anyone driving slower than you is a moron, and
Anyone driving faster than you is an idiot!

By this philosophy Frog is a moron and I am an idiot.

 

[debloco]

Same thing here in the Chicago area...they're called Wisconsin drivers.

I should know what the law is in IL about the left lane, and I'll go look it up.

But I will say that if I'm doing 85 or 90 in the left lane of the NW tollway, I'm passing a lot of cars.

And if there is someone who comes up behind me who wants to go faster, I move over to let them through.

Around here, there seem to be two types of "left lane" drivers:

1. Those who understand that if you get in the left lane you'd better be haulin' some serious butt and understand the "left lane" etiquette of getting over if someone behind you wants to go faster.

2. Those who may or may not understand the etiquette but either don't care or want to function as a "speed limiter" for the public good.

And there's always the fun of the "slowpoke in the middle lane" who is being passed on both the right AND the left! They don't want to be in the left lane with us idiots, and they don't want to be in the right lane with all the exits and entrance ramps

Add in the distracted, unaware, clueless, lost, or overtired drivers and it's a out there!

 

[maddhatir]

I long ago gave up being upset about this and learned how to have FUN with it!
Instead of getting mad at the person in the left lane just blow by them on the right and get them mad! They get even madder if you then cut them off on your way back to the left lane.

WOW! Sounds like some great advice and I have to say I have been guilty of this on a few occasions BUT! I cant get anywhere b/c the right lane is clogged up too! I AM STUCK

DH was wondering if maybe the PA drivers "hang out" in the left lane b/c their exits in PA are on the left? and this is what they are used to?

Another thing- I am a very considerate driver. I let people in traffic when others pretend they do not see them, I will not block an entrance while stopped in traffic so that people can enter and exit easily and when someone is entering the freeway from the ramp I will get out of the lane they will be entering so they can merge, etc- so I am not a jerk on the road. I am just not a clueless driver and consider others are trying to get somewhere just like me--

but you have to remember maybe they just want to get there a bit faster than you!

 

[DaisyD]

We don't have passing lanes in Maryland. All lanes are used and passing is legal on the left or right. However slower traffic should stay to the right.

I always wonder what the heck you guys are talking about with passing lanes. Why have a lane no one is allowed to drive in? Here in Maryland traffic is often bad enough that all lanes are filled.

We do have passing lanes in MD. Remember the drivers handbook stating that the left lane is for passing only? I just pulled out my DSs book from two years ago and it still states that the left lane is for passing only. I believe too that they recently passed a law that you can now get a ticket if in the left lane and not passing. I hope they come down on the fools in MD that continue to stay in the left lane when they shouldn't be.

 

[Belle2667]

What I want to know is which law supercede which? The speed limit or passing on the left?

In most of the scenarios everyone is citing, we're talking about speeding in the left lane, yet people are upset and want people out of the left if they are going "too slow", whether they are passing someone or not.

Personally, I speed up to pass in the left lane and get back over to the right as soon as possible, provided the NJ driver behind me doesn't slide into the right lane with mere inches to spare to pass me before I return to the right lane. Do you grease your bumpers before leaving home?

 

[BillSears]

We do have passing lanes in MD. Remember the drivers handbook stating that the left lane is for passing only? I just pulled out my DSs book from two years ago and it still states that the left lane is for passing only. I believe too that they recently passed a law that you can now get a ticket if in the left lane and not passing. I hope they come down on the fools in MD that continue to stay in the left lane when they shouldn't be.

I've never heard of the left lane for passing only and I've looked it up in the on line Driver's Handbook and can't find anything about it.

http://www.marylandmva.com/Resources/DL-002B.pdf

So for now I will continue to drive in the left lane on 95, 695, 295 and all other major roads.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We do have passing lanes in MD. Remember the drivers handbook stating that the left lane is for passing only? I just pulled out my DSs book from two years ago and it still states that the left lane is for passing only. I believe too that they recently passed a law that you can now get a ticket if in the left lane and not passing. I hope they come down on the fools in MD that continue to stay in the left lane when they shouldn't be.

No, I just looked at the online handbook last night when Bill stated that (I didn't believe him and was expecting to prove him wrong ). http://mva.state.md.us/Resources/DL-002B.pdf (page 32) He is correct, however. The handbook states that a person can pass on the left or right, however slower traffic should stay to the right and most of the passing should be on the left. Not how I teach my children to pass, but I will make sure that they expect right lane passers.

ETA: Oops, I'm sorry, I should have kept reading. I see that Bill gave the same resource.

 

[stevenpensacola]

Just remember, If you come to Florida, and clog up the left lane....we may be packin'.......

 

[DaisyD]

No, I just looked at the online handbook last night when Bill stated that (I didn't believe him and was expecting to prove him wrong ). http://mva.state.md.us/Resources/DL-002B.pdf (page 32) He is correct, however. The handbook states that a person can pass on the left or right, however slower traffic should stay to the right and most of the passing should be on the left. Not how I teach my children to pass, but I will make sure that they expect right lane passers.

ETA: Oops, I'm sorry, I should have kept reading. I see that Bill gave the same resource.

That is weird. My son's handbook from 2004 has the rule in about left lane is passing only. I will have to find out of the rule has actually taken in effect yet for MD. They were making it a ticketable offense. I certainly hope they do!