Rant: Keep Right Except to Pass?

[Jellybean]

Posted by BarbC:
Where I learned to drive in NJ, on the turnpike and parkway, flashing one's headlights means get out of the left lane or your going to lose your front bumper when he cuts back in front of you.

No one flashes their lights in Ohio, they just cut in about a foot in front of you anyway. Even if there are no other cars on the road for miles ahead or behind.

Once in a while cars will flash their lights if I'm in the left lane passing someone that is going slower than me. I ignore them or slow down a little if I'm going the speed limit. I took an oath to enforce and uphold the laws of this worthless state and I'm not about to abet any idiots that can't read a speed limit sign. They should have left earlier.

 

[ncy54]

I try to stay right except to pass, but in NJ it depends on the road and time of day.
NJ protocol is as follows:
1. Solid traffic in all lanes means stay where you are no matter what lane. This is the usual case......
2. Light traffic means stay right except to pass. Not often encountered....
The two things that both irritate me and also are a big safety hazard are:
1. Leave a safe distance to the vehicle in front and someone will always pull into it from the other lane.
2. Cars pulling onto the highway make riding the right lane (referred to as the "slow lane") a scary proposition. They just pull on, not accelerating, and expect you to avoid them.

 

[enfield]

Keeping right except to pass will cause major gridlock on urban expressways, not to mention the conflict with HOV lanes. I assume there will be exceptions.

Can you imagine I-94 in Chicago or I-75 in Atlanta with a Drive on the Right rule?

On I-5 in Southern Cal, you drive on the right only if you don't want to run with the pack or be run over.

 

[venomballistics]

if passing through at a decent speed, the left lane makes sense. It keeps you out of the traffic that tends to slow each time someone ahead makes use of a ramp.
its also a good idea to pick a lane and stay there ....
each and every time you swap lanes you raise the risk of swapping paint with someones front fender while remodeling your rear quarter. The denser the traffic, the higher the odds you will miss a trick and bend metal.
If your at a comfortable speed and rarely passing anyone ... stick to the right. If you tend to be outpacing a fair number .. favor the left.
if something closes the gap behind you .. get the heck outta the way.
overall ... you end up putting a lot less effort into the commute while allowing your mental capacity to focus a little harder on situational awareness.

 

[bk43]

Keeping right except to pass will cause major gridlock on urban expressways, not to mention the conflict with HOV lanes. I assume there will be exceptions.

Here's your law(meaning TN of course):

I. No person shall operate a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. '55-8-154(a)
II. On interstate and four-lane controlled-access highways, it is unlawful for a person to operate a motor vehicle in the left lane at a speed <55 MPH. '55-8-152(d)
III. A person, driving at less than the normal speed of traffic, shall drive in the right-hand lane then available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. '55-8-115(b)

Bob

 

[therevjay]

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.

Thats what I always thought too. But you flash your lights at someone now and they get MAD!

 

[buckeyeshooter1]

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

Your observation is correct. I do not know why folks won't get out of the way--- its rude and frustrating!

 

[BarbC]

Re: flashing lights. Be aware that in many areas, passing tractor trailer drivers take flashing headlights as the "all clear" to come back in front of you. I learned this on the NJ turnpike in my tiny VW Beetle when I thought I was indicating "Hey - watch out!"