ignacio

i remember when the left lane was reserved for passing and nearly no one passed on the right. i think this ended with the 55mph speed limit
(?carter). the result is increasing chaos on the interstates.

in europe people still honor the left lane as a passing lane.any ideas how can we get back to having a passing lane again?

karl k

Most Americans don't know what the left lane is for. If they are not passing, they should get ticketed for obstruction the Interstate Highways.

Here in S. Florida, the problem is compounded by many old and senile drivers, who oftentimes are heavily medicated and drive like a drunk.

This 90 year-old driver killed a young child in a parking lot yesterday.

<a href="http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/2002/06/05/news/local/3401348.htm" target="_blank">http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/2002/06/05/news/local/3401348.htm</A>

Palting

I do believe the 55 mph limit has something to do with it. In the old days, with the speed limit up to 75 and essentially no speed limit in some highways, coupled to the fact that a lot of cars just could not handle 75 mph, the passing lane was essentially that, a passing lane. Today, with most cars and senile fools doing 55 with ease, they feel they should not get passed since they are at the limit, they stay on the left.

I've quit griping about it. I used to fume and tailgate the left lane hog. All that did was further recede my receding hairline. I now just overtake on the right, ala Gumball 3000. No hand or finger signs, just overtake the b#####ds.

The true SOBS are those that sit on the left lane at 55 when the right lane is occupied, speed up 10-20 miles when the right is clear, then slow back down. I call these the "Keepers of the Limit". Not much I can do in my minivan. In the Porsche, I come up behind them, give them a minute or two when the right lane is clear to see if they will move over, then signal to move right and move right. If they speed up, I pretend to go neck and neck to egg them on, then down shift 2-3 gears and blast past them and into the left lane. Stupid and reckless, I know, but boy, is it ever gratifying!!!! Revenge for the minivan!!I love my Porsche!!!!!

Ed Newman

Let me start this by saying I tend to drive faster in my truck than in my P-Car. Would you consider me to be a left lane bandit if I cruise along, passing other cars, at 75 mph in the left lane (SL is 55). Its amazing how many people get pissed at me for this. They all want to go 80+. I hate to move over because now I am in 65=7- mph traffic. Can't win. What suprises me most is that these people come up and tailgate me at 75 mph when I'm driving a Police Pkg Excursion with a Light Bar on the roof. I think it goes back to the earlier comment that this started with 55, its a speed differential problem. The range is too big to be safe 50-80 mph on 2 or 3 lanes.

Palting

[quote]Originally posted by Ed Newman:
<strong>Let me start this by saying I tend to drive faster in my truck than in my P-Car. Would you consider me to be a left lane bandit if I cruise along, passing other cars, at 75 mph in the left lane (SL is 55). Its amazing how many people get pissed at me for this. They all want to go 80+. </strong><hr></blockquote>

Heh-heh-heh, that makes you a bandit in my book. Not an SOB, just a bandit . I do 80-90 on the open highway (that's kph, officer). I can understand if the space on the right is only a few car lengths, or if there is a slow car or truck up ahead on the right lane. But, if I came up to you at 90 and you are doing 75, clear lane on the right for several car lenghts (ie, I can overtake you without you having to brake before you can move back over to the left), and you refuse to move, you ARE a bandit .

Mike in Chi

Hi Guys

"Bandit" seems like the wrong word to me...

"Roadblock"
"Moving Chicane"
"Left Lane Lamebrain"
or the previous mentioned "B*****ds" seem more appropriate.

Maybe that's a seperate thread...

M in C

LastV8

Regardless of what speed I'm doing in the left lane if someone flies up behind me, I move over let him/her by and then go on my merry way. It's not an inconvenience to move over for a few seconds. To me, it's a courtesy and one I wish most drivers would do when I come flying up behind them.

ignacio

imo the problem is that driver's ed does not teach new drivers about the passing lane and has not done so for many years. furthermore it is not against the law to pass on the right like it is in europe. we pay a high price for this in public safety. <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

i wish i knew a way for auto enthusiasts groups (maybe even aaa)to approach our legislators on both the national an state levels. remember it has taken national legislation to lower the maximum blood alcohol levels to a more reasonable figure. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

cmoss

What lane hogs? last year I took a driving class (ticket <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[nono]" /> ), and we had one of these "Keepers of the Limit." This chick said--with a straight face--that she will not move over, and will even speed up to keep people from passing on the right. She said it was her "Right," and that she would decide how fast was too fast.

Look, American drivers are some of the biggest ******* drivers in the world. Hey, if somebody comes up behind me I just pull over. I really do not understand what the big deal is about defending a particular patch of pavement.

If I come up behind someone they get 2 -3 light flashes, then I go around on the right. No muss, no fuss. Ok, if they are particularily egregious, they may get a finger.
Chris

LastV8

Exactly cmoss, this is why it's always useful to drive a vehicle that can out accelerate 99% of the traffic it'll ever encounter.

It's always amusing to see people like that woman uselessly flashing their headlights at you because they couldn't manage to stay in front of you. By the way, why was she in traffic school?

K

cmoss

Speeding--of course!
And so--of course--was I.
Chris

Carlos from Spain

The most curtious and knowledgeble drivers are in the Autobahn. They leave the left lane free when not overtaking and left lane drivers do not block right lane drivers when they encounter slower cars. They have less accidents than most european highways. Whats that officer? you want to know why?... because they have no speed limits! and are educated to do so! They are used to sport cars and bikes overtaking at 175mph.

I loose it when I get blocked off in the left lane and makes me aggresive, makes me tailgate them very very close and overtake in the right lane if they don´t move back to the right lane when I´m in my Porsche. When I´m in my bike I simply overtake using the rest of the available left lane or in between lanes (0-60mph in 2.8 secs, 87mph in 1st gear! i.e <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" /> SOB)

Carlos from Spain
996 C4
GSX-R1000

Todd

I thought passing on the right WAS illegal in the states??

S. FLorida is bad. Big engines and comfy interiors give people a sense that the car/suv can handle high speed even though THEY cannot!

Becoming a bigger and bigger issue. Was a couple write-ups about it in autoweek, and also on a major newsshow. And part of it was about parents wanting their kids to learn how to drive in REAL traffic rather than LEGAL traffic as there seems to be much less and less of.

I think it is blatant disregard for the law, people in general, and just plain sloppiness.
And the ones who do try to show a little decency usually get Sh*t on. No win situation?? Gotta be a solution. When I was in Germany we moved over at 140MPH(yes, MPH, VOLVO to the floor, car shaking like a scared kitten) for a ragtop BMW w/ four suits in it probably at about 165MPH. THere are plenty of speed limits on the back roads. THe driver of the car told me it is VERy difficult to get a driver license in Germany, and expensive, and if you fail the test, you have to wait 2 years to retake it. My Grandma almost hit a guy in a store parking lot because her eyesite is getting so bad. Secretary of State wants to take here license, and she won't give it to them. Her freedom to drive is more important than the innocent shopper who she almost crippled in her mind

ignacio

carlos -- watch out in florida --this isn't europe-we have poor drivers here who get their licence with only 6 hours of education! <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

todd--passing on the right is LEGAL in all states of the u.s. that i know of except connecticut and i don't think it is enforced well there! to me this is a terrible situation that contributes unecessary deaths and injuries on our highways in addition to chaos and stress on the highways. i wish that one of our auto enthusiast magazines would take up this issue leading to the introduction of laws in state legislatures. <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" />

any other ideas anyone? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

A Quiet Boom

I think another part of the problem is the fact that in some states large trucks have to go slower than the rest of the traffic. I read somewhere once that Semi-trucks were originally designed to get the best fuel economy at a cruising speed of 75MPH, now in many states they're stuck at a 55MPH limit, this makes "speeding" drivers doing 70 stay in the left lane as they pass truck after truck. I remember a few years back when I street drove my racecar out to the track, I knew that given the police in the area I had to watch my speed but on one such occasion I had to go around a semi which I did at 75MPH only to get stuck behind some traffic going 65, then a guy in a BMW comes up behind me obviously wanting to pass but I can't get over and I can't go faster because of the cars in front, so I waited behind these other cars for what seemed like forever and frustration set in as soon as they finally moved over I just nailed it. To this day I still laugh about it, with 3.73 gears in high gear on a 4spd I smoked my rear tires enroute to 140+ MPH. <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" /> Needless to say I got big girns from the BMW owner when he eventually caught up to me several miles down the road. What's really screwed up is I believe my state (Ohio) allows a certain MPH above the speed limit for passing, if these 65MPH jerks passing semis would just speed up to 75 and pass then get back in the right lane the highways would be much safer.