Actually you should stay right except to pass. Read that DMV manual. I drove about 20 miles in the left lane of I-35 last night in Missouri because the right lane had huge potholes around those cut-n-patch joints. I was still breaking the law but I made a choice between the law and my tires etc etc. I did move over whenever someone approached from behind me. I am not sure what the rules say on three lane roads about the middle lane but you still have to keep out of the left hand lane except to pass.

 

Sorry BigMattXXL, you have to yield to the nut going 90. It's the unwritten rule of the road. I'd expect you to move if I wanted to go 90, and I'd move for you (maybe ).

 

I drive pretty fast myself but always move over when someone comes up behind me. I'll get over as soon as there is a break in the slow lane traffic. Here in Oregon the trucks do 55 and everyone else can do 65. The problem with this is that no one ever wants to get over in the slow lane because it's filled with trucks doing 55. I will though as soon as there is a reasonable space so I don't have to slow down too much as the person goes by me. It's rare to have room over there to pass on the right even if you wanted to so it gets very frustrating when someone is in the fast lane and won't move over for 10 seconds to let you by.

Think about it this way. If you were in the fast lane doing 74 and you came up on someone doing 69 who thought the same way you do would it irritate you to have to slow down and be stuck behind them? Why is your 74 more right than his 69mph? Everyone has their own opinion of what's a reasonable amount of speeding.

My .02

 

Good. I'm glad you can abide by that. Because if the guy doing 66 in a 65 in the left lane should get out of your way, then you should do the same for the guy doing 73+ while you're trying to do 73.

The guy who wants to go 1-2 MPH faster than the right lane can say the same thing, but how would you like to have a highway full of people like that getting in your way when you want to do 73-74? Don't try to police the guy doing 90. Just get out of his way. Who'se to say that 73-74 is appropriate? Do your thing, and let others do theirs.

Good 'nuff. My simple rule is if someone behind me wants to pass, I do what I can, within reason, to let them pass. On a single-line road if I'm going on a slow (i.e. slower than those behind me) drive, that sometimes might even mean that I pull over somewhere safe and sit a moment while everyone flashes me an appreciative wave and goes onward. On the highway, I will gladly shift one lane to the right if the guy behind me isn't happy with my speed. It's simple courtesy. To that same end, I get very upset when others can't follow that same courtesy when I wish to drive faster than they do. I've had more than a few idiots get in front of me in the left lane and cruise at the limit. It doesn't take long before I get the point accross to them... but that's a different story.

 

Hey Matt,
If that is you just a head of me driving in the PASSING LANE on a Mountainous road in Western Canada, up a 7% grade. "Get out of my way"!,
I'm pulling my 6000lb trailer & I want to do the Maximum Speed limit up that hill, thanks
I can't do it if you are Camped in the Passing lane.

 

I usually stay in the left lane when I'm on I-384, because 384 ends and merges to the left(Coventry), and to the right (Bolton), so, knowing that I have to merge left anyways, I just stay in the left lane (usually only on that highway) I usually go about 75 MPH in the left. If someone in a ricer wants to go 80, either I'll pull over, and let him pass, or if I'm in a bad mood, I'll leave him in the dust. BUT I agree with everyone else, move over to the right, and let em' pass. Its not worth getting a ticket over.

 

As for HOV lanes, there's idiots there too. Sure, they have a full 12 passenger van going like 110, but they should move over for the couple in the pickup behind them doing 115, or 140. It doesn't matter. Up here, the HOV lane applies to busses, motorcycles, and depending on where in the lower mainland, you need 1 passenger, 2 passengers or 5 passengers for a car or van.

I never have enough people in my truck to get in the HOV lane except on weekends, and the HOV lane is usually plugged with morons doing 90, while the "passing lane" is cruising along at 100 or better. Must be some weird mentality. Just because you have the occupancy doesn't mean you must use the HOV. It's there to shorten the commute.

As for passing on the left, that's all I do. If I come up behind someone who won't move, (don't tell anyone) I'll pass on the right if it's deemed safe by me. I usually drive in the right lane except to pass. I move over if there's someone going faster than me. What really gets me is the drivers who are in the slower lane, stuck behind a slowpoke, don't check their rearview mirror and see I'm already trying to pass both of them, and they don't realize I'm in the first car's blind spot when he wants to pass.

Sorry about the length. I'll put some more in the peeve thread in a few minutes.

 

I think HaroutD pretty much summed up the whole issue. I go to class tomorrow; I'll make sure I let people pass, and I won't camp the left lane.

I'll let you guys know how it goes

Dennis - from now on, I'll be in the right lane

If you see the blue Expedition, license plate "MATTXXL", then you'd better honk and wave

XXL

 

Is the HOV lane the same as the "diamond lane" ? Here in HOTford county we have a diamond lane that requires at least 2 or more passengers in the car (car pooling), and it runs parallel to the highway.

 

bigmatt, if I'm ever in maryland, I'll honk.

 

i just put the snow plow on and run top end..LOL

 

There was one time were i was trying to get people to get out of the left lane while i was doing 90. Why was i driving like this? I had just been stung by a bee and knew that my dad was alergic to bee stings and not being able to remember if i was also alergic. Thank God i am not alergic to them. Now i realise that 99.9...% of the time it is some idiot driving 90, but don't assume this is the case all the time. Just be polite and move over.

Chris

 

Yup. Same thing.

XXL

 

Thought so, sorry for sounding dumb lol

 

Matt:

I'd think it would be acceptable to cruise along at anything faster then the right lane in the left lane as long as no one is tailing you. My thought is this: It's a passing lane...and your passing. Works for me.

Now the thing I hate more then anything is this, I was driving along in the left lane (same scenario as you) in my acura though not in my truck (during summer just before I sold it) guy comes up behind me tailing me in a corrado(sp?) I move over. He moves over behind and tails me some more (the funny thing was that there was a guy in front of me anyway thats why I was more then happy to get over lol) anyway he is tailing me in the right lane.

BOOM on go the brakes. Puts me in a bad mood to have high beams in my rear view mirror IN THE RIGHT LANE. I move out of left lane always...in right lane DONT BOTHER ME.


That said I find out as he flies by me (didn't like following me in the right lane anymore) that it was a friend of mine. I was like IDIOT. Asked him where he learned to drive next time I saw him pffft.


On another note: Could someone tell me why on a 1 lane road out in the middle of no-where people need to tailgate me until they can attempt to pass me? Why not just follow at a SAFE distance until they can SAFELY pass me, I have no problem with them passing me when I am enjoying my commute but at night they drive me nuts with there tail lights (until there so close I cant even see them!) when there is no other light around (as I said middle of no-where)

I unfortunatly have a bad habit of hitting the brakes on them as I cant stand them doing this and after 5-10mins of it (long commute) (and many chances to pass me) they prefer to just tail gate me (single lane each way and I'm going about speed limit or 5km over...up to 10km over depending on weather)

Bah...I know I'm not right for doing that...but if anyone wants to quote "go buy the book blah blah blah"


Then:

When someone is coming on the highway and has a yield sign but doesn't feel like yielding I should let them hit me. I will be the one in the right.


When someone makes a left in front of me at an intersection I shouldn't veer to get around them I should smash into them if they have bad timing. I am in the right.


If someone is tailgating me and I hit the brakes (but dont skid) and they slam into the back of me, they were following to close and I slowed down and they hit me. They are in the wrong.


Most of the "driving by the book" is ludacris because it assumes everyone is driving properly. It is NOT the safest way to drive, other then the disclaimer to "drive safely"

Dead is dead. I dont care if you die from getting shot between the eyes or run over in your honda civic by a 70's F-350 with 44's on it.

Dead is dead. People need to drive SAFELY, bending the rules to drive safely is more then acceptable. Because you wont be "found" when driving safely while breaking the rules. But if you follow the rules and die...you will be found.


Just my $50.02

Chado