Rant: Keep Right Except to Pass?

[Noah Zark]

Last week drove from PA to TN and back on bidness and had to travel between Cincinnati to Youngstown, OH on the way both directions, on Interstates 71, 76, and 80.

No offense, but why izzit that many (not all, but a fair percentage) of folks in the great state of OH do not abide by the rule to keep right except to pass? I wish I had $10 for every "left lane bandit" that felt compelled to drag race whatever vehicle was in the right lane for MILES.

I was taught to "get out, get the job done, and get back over" when I was a driving student in the late 60s. And it's not like I tear up the pavement speeding, either. I set the cruise about 68 in a 65.

It seems as if the OH Highway Patrol is missing out on a revenue source by concentrating on speeding and not stopping folks for failure to keep right except to pass for dozens of miles.

Nothing personal against OH residents. I used to be one. My beef is the behavior.

As you were.

Noah

 

[ohiobuckeye]

Nothing our illustrious HP can do about it....Ohio has no law against driving in the left lane...sad but true.

 

[smitholdtimer]

Non Passing in the Passing lane

The company from where I am retired is training all their drivers that the left lane is the path of least resistance, I do not subscribe to their way of thinking but most of our "Keep Right except to Pass" signs are gone too. Who thinks up these things? They vote too!

 

[Steave]

It isn't just Ohio, idiots all over the US can't figure out how to stay out of the left lane and drive over 50 mph.

 

[Vegetaman]

It isn't just Ohio, idiots all over the US can't figure out how to stay out of the left lane and drive over 50 mph.

I dunno... I get tailgated on the Interstate doing 65 in the right lane.

 

[Duke426]

People in/from Maryland do the same thing. It is especially irritating when you are trying to pass a tractor trailer on a hill and some Marylander is in the left lane pacing the truckers cab.

 

[Dirtman]

Pokey Road Hogs!

What I hate is being on a two lane, farm to market, rural road and come up on some slow poke right out in the middle of the lane I'm in that won't move over to the shoulder to let me safely pass. If the road is curvy or hilly you have to risk your life or be stuck behind Mr. Slowpoke for miles. People used to know to do that as a common courtesy. Then we would wave at each other when we passed.

 

[s&wchad]

It was the same driving from Michigan to Wyoming and back on I-80. Some folks haven't got a clue what's going on around them, others are just plain rude. We had the cruise control set and had a gal in a Honda pass us and them fade back at least half a dozen times over maybe 100 miles. She was talking on the phone the whole way (at least she was cute). We had an Indiana trooper in a fully marked battle cruiser merge into four lanes of traffic going about 15 over. We hung well back for quite awhile and watched in amazement as a little red something drove up and passed the trooper going about 2 MPH faster than him. The visibar lights sure were pretty and then we were able to pick it up again.

On a sad note, we drove by a recent model pick up with multiple passengers that had just rolled over in the ditch, on a straight away, in broad daylight, with dry pavement. At least six vehicles had stopped to render assistance and a small child apparently had been ejected from the vehicle and was laying on the ground. We didn’t witness the accident, so we didn’t stop, but we did call 911 and report the location. About 15 minutes down the road, we passed an ambulance ( and then a police car) going the other way with the lights and siren on. I hope the child will be OK, but I suspect not. Kids need to be buckled in a proper seat and parents who don’t need to be whipped (good).

 

[m1gunner]

Right lane is for trucks, left lane for cars. That is what some are teaching these days. Few states will ticket for travel in left lane if driver is doing the speed limit.

Me, I just pick up a lot lizzard, and poke along in the right lane with nary a care in the world!

 

[jframe]

In Europe, they flash to pass, the slower car moves right, and they keep going. In America, particularly the South, you flash to pass, and someone sticks a 9mm out the window at you. What do Americans think that this feature on a car is for? Why do they take offense? My wife even gets pissed at me for doing it. I thought that was courtesy and proper rules of the road. So much for paying attention to the rules when I was a driver's ed student.

 

[Spotteddog]

Left lane lard rumps should be subject to immediate disgronification with a 9 MW Cesium disgronivicator. Regardless of what state they're doing it in.

 

[bk43]

Last week..........

That's your problem right there. If you'd have been able to wait another month or so to travel you'd have been home free. All of those ditsy drivers would be down here for the winter.

Bob

 

[Dennis The B]

In the 1980's, the feds ruled that states accepting federal highway funds could not have "Keep Right..." signs. Both lanes were deemed to be traffic lanes.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Actually the problem would be solved if they just made interstates with three lanes instrad of twoLeft for passing, middle for traveling and right for paw paws & maw maws and those gettin gonn or on.
I'm getting tired of solving you guys' problems. :0
And as far as flashing your lights at me, nothing makes me madder. I know I'm in the left lane and I'll ge t over as soon as I can-but when I'm doing 75, you're tail gating me, and I'm trying to pass a line of cars doing 55-60, I'm NOT going to get over just to let you pass me. And that goes double if you're in a gold trim Honda and are a young'un If that makes me inconsiderate-so be it.

 

[vytoland]

In Europe, they flash to pass, the slower car moves right, and they keep going. In America, particularly the South, you flash to pass, and someone sticks a 9mm out the window at you. What do Americans think that this feature on a car is for? Why do they take offense? My wife even gets pissed at me for doing it. I thought that was courtesy and proper rules of the road. So much for paying attention to the rules when I was a driver's ed student.

driving courtesy, the words "please" and "thank you" and NOT throwing trash on the street are customs of the past in "the land of the free"

 

[perrazi]

it's country wide. me first, i'm in front and i'm not getting over no matter what. i want to be there first,even if it's only by a minute or two. between that attitude and the idiots talking on the phone,no wonder the driving is totally pathetic. how did this world even exist before cel phones?

 

[Black_Sheep]

I get a lot of wheel time every day, usually in the left lane to make better time. If someone is approaching from behind I move right to let them pass then slip back over. IMHO hanging in the right lane is less safe due to reduced intervals between cars, merging traffic, etc...

The real problem is that most motorists are doing everything except driving. Just when you think you've seen it all, someone will do something to prove you wrong.

 

[bmhiii]

....that felt compelled to drag race whatever vehicle was in the right lane for MILES. ....

Noah, what you failed to notice is that they were passing. Person in the right lane has cruise set at 65 mph. Person in left lane has cruise set at 65.12753 mph. So they are passing, it's just takes a while, a long while...

I have the same peeve as you. And the person on the left passing a semi slowly and staying in the semi's blind spot for 5-10 minutes. They'll get what they deserve some day.

I'm like you, move over, pass, move back over, in seconds, not minutes...

....The real problem is that most motorists are doing everything except driving. ....

Exactly!

 

[Herknav]

Alaska doesn't have that many roads and most of what they do have are 2-lane. It is illegal to cause more than 5 cars to back up behind you, and they do ticket for this.

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

welcome to my world!!