Keep right except to pass vs. right to drive in lane of one's choice

[renard_ruse]

There is an organized movement that is pushing for stronger penalties in states that already have "keep to the right" laws and new laws in those that don't.

However, I don't believe the issue is so clear cut. Why should someone on a multi-lane freeway, driving the speed limit or even over the speed limit have to immediately jump to another lane as soon as some speeding a-hole appears on his/her bumper? Further, the basic question is whether the main reason we have multi-lane freeways is to allow some people to speed or rather to move the largest number of people in the safest manner? If everyone but a few (or even many) speeders is supposed to drive in the far right lanes, won't that lane become gridlocked?

I'm not saying that someone should deliberately drive in the far left lane to try to "slow down" traffic or drive excessively under the limit, but people who drive the speed limit in heavy traffic have rights too. There needs to be a balance. Further, in most states, speeding is still considered a worse offense than not "keeping to the right." Many suspect the organized "keep to the right" lobby is actually just people who like to break the law speeding and don't even want to slow down to respect the rights of others who might have a valid reason for driving within the law in the left lanes at a given time or place.

 

[renard_ruse]

I guess this topic isn't as interesting as The Gay Question or femanist issues.

 

[renard_ruse]

The biggest question, among many, that I have for the "keep to the right" lobby is where do they stand on three and four lane freeways (or other highways). Do they expect everyone who isn't going substantially over the speed limit to always stay in the far right lane, or do they feel its "ok" for people to drive in the second or third lanes? Even the AAA says that the middle lanes are the "cruising lanes" and the far right is for slow moving vehicles and people entering and exiting the freeway. Yet, some of the more radical extremists in the "keep to the right" movement do either state or at least imply that only THEY should be allowed to drive in any but the far right lane.

 

[renard_ruse]

For you backwards people in England and Australia, etc, this refers to the civilized nations where we drive on the right.

 

[Tryharder62]

I think that you should stay as "right" as you can. Once you pass it makes sense to move back to the right side. The only exception is if the road stinks. I have driven on the left for awhile if the right side has pot holes and such. My 2 cents. If you aren't in anyones way drive wherever the heck you want. LOL

 

[renard_ruse]

I think that you should stay as "right" as you can. Once you pass it makes sense to move back to the right side. The only exception is if the road stinks. I have driven on the left for awhile if the right side has pot holes and such. My 2 cents. If you aren't in anyones way drive wherever the heck you want. LOL

That's one of the many reasons to drive in the left lane. Others include the fact one is going faster than vehicles to their right, even if not as fast as the a-hole behind them wishes to go, or simply heavy traffic in all lanes. I would be willing to compromise on a 4-lane freeway, the left lane is for the high speed lawbreakers but the other three need to be open to all who are going above the legal minimum. On the other hand, if someone doesn't want to get over, then the person behind needs to take a chill pill and deal with it without flashing lights or having a tantrum. That's what bothers me about this movement. If someone wants to drive 90 when there's no one in front of them, fine, but they shouldn't have the right to demand others "get the @#$% out of their way" just because they want to. The road doesn't belong to the fastest person driving it, but to everybody.

 

[Scotsman69]

Not just the UK (not England, ignoramus) and Australia

But NZ, South Africa and much of the rest of the continent, Ireland, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, and quite a few other places as well. A fair proportion of the world's population in fact. India is forecast to be more populous than China fairly soon. And it's already rather more populous than the USA by a long measure. It'll soon be richer too. As will many African counties be.

So maybe the day will presently come when the majority of the world's population drive on the left, in RHD vehicles.

And please remember, all the Japanese-designed vehicles so many US citizens drive were designed as RHD.

I believe most North American railways (in the relatively few miles when they're double-tracked), use the originally UK convention too.

Learn about the world. You might learn that it wasn't invented in the USA.

For you backwards people in England and Australia, etc, this refers to the civilized nations where we drive on the right.

 

[run_silent]

I think you are having a really boring day renard.

 

[BotanyBoy]

If someone wants to drive 90 when there's no one in front of them, fine, but they shouldn't have the right to demand others "get the @#$% out of their way" just because they want to. The road doesn't belong to the fastest person driving it, but to everybody.

Bullshit....I have the right to demand you get the fuck out of my god damn way any god damn time I want. So yes catch a Z in your mirror honking at you to get the fuck out of the way you slow piece of shit......it's probably me.

You equally have the right to tell me to fuck off....in that case I go around and peace the hell out.

 

[oggbashan]

If you drive on French Autoroutes (motorways/freeways) you will see that almost everyone drives on the right in the extreme right hand lane except for a short distance when overtaking.

The only time the other lanes are full is during a traffic hold-up.

When travelling to France with my car I have to adapt to more than switching from driving on the left to driving on the right. Apart from keeping right on Autoroutes I also have to watch out for Priority for vehicles on my right, even from very minor roads, unless the signs specifically give me priority; and the speed limits in villages - 30km per hour from the village name sign until the name sign that has a red line diagonally across it at the other end of the village.

30km per hour on a straight open road with no traffic seems very very slow.

 

[torchthebitch]

Ireland plans to test driving on the right in line with the rest of Europe. Lorries will start next month. If successful, cars and motorcycles will do so the month after.

 

[about_average]

Ireland plans to test driving on the right in line with the rest of Europe. Lorries will start next month. If successful, cars and motorcycles will do so the month after.

That's just fucked up. So faster traffic will be in the left lane and have to slow down (or speed up) any time someone wants to merge on to a dual carriageway.

As to the OP, I have no issues whatsoever with people driving in whatever lane they want at whatever speed that want. What I have a problem with is people who fail to move right when someone is overtaking them.
If Americans would pay the fuck attention when they are driving it wouldn't matter. But the vast majority don't and fuck it up for the few who do, so that's why people are wanting stricter enforcement of "keep right" laws. I'm 100% in favor of such enforcement.

Compared to the US, the UK is much better in this regard. Driving in the UK is much less stressful than in the US. Overall, drivers have much better manners there. Though roundabouts contribute to the lower stress also.

 

[bronzeage]

There is an organized movement that is pushing for stronger penalties in states that already have "keep to the right" laws and new laws in those that don't.

However, I don't believe the issue is so clear cut. Why should someone on a multi-lane freeway, driving the speed limit or even over the speed limit have to immediately jump to another lane as soon as some speeding a-hole appears on his/her bumper? Further, the basic question is whether the main reason we have multi-lane freeways is to allow some people to speed or rather to move the largest number of people in the safest manner? If everyone but a few (or even many) speeders is supposed to drive in the far right lanes, won't that lane become gridlocked?

I'm not saying that someone should deliberately drive in the far left lane to try to "slow down" traffic or drive excessively under the limit, but people who drive the speed limit in heavy traffic have rights too. There needs to be a balance. Further, in most states, speeding is still considered a worse offense than not "keeping to the right." Many suspect the organized "keep to the right" lobby is actually just people who like to break the law speeding and don't even want to slow down to respect the rights of others who might have a valid reason for driving within the law in the left lanes at a given time or place.

I can see this being an issue for you, if you had a car or a driver's license.

 

[oggbashan]

...

Compared to the US, the UK is much better in this regard. Driving in the UK is much less stressful than in the US. Overall, drivers have much better manners there. Though roundabouts contribute to the lower stress also.

Unless you meet a Magic Roundabout:

The Germans complicate it even more by picturing it upside down! I assume to show how it would work if we drove on the right.

 

[mark197205]

Ireland plans to test driving on the right in line with the rest of Europe. Lorries will start next month. If successful, cars and motorcycles will do so the month after.

 

[about_average]

Unless you meet a Magic Roundabout:

ha..yeah, I was pretty sure someone would mention the Magic Roundabout.
Exceptions to every rule and all that.

 

[Balladeer08]

I guess this topic isn't as interesting as The Gay Question or femanist issues.

The premise is so flawed.

You have no right to drive in the lane of your choice. You have no right to drive at all. Driving is a privilege, which can be revoked if you don't follow the rules. In most states, the vehicle code specifies slow traffic to the right. Which ends your topic.

 

[Ajax_Prime]

India is forecast to be more populous than China fairly soon. And it's already rather more populous than the USA by a long measure. It'll soon be richer too. As will many African counties be.

Learn about the world. You might learn that it wasn't invented in the USA.

This part cracked me the fuck up. The rest of it was just sad.

 

[KingOrfeo]

I guess this topic isn't as interesting as The Gay Question or femanist issues.

One problem is, it's just plain silly of you to frame a traffic-regulation issue in terms like "right to drive in lane of one's choice," as if there were a moral or civil-liberties issue here, or something.

 

[KingOrfeo]

It'll soon be richer too. As will many African counties be.

How so? The richest African country is South Africa, and I don't expect it to catch up with the U.S. in the next 50 years in terms of GDP or GDP-per-capita.