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Topic Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog...a different take |
NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog... Leor ('09S, North of Boston) - Wednesday, 9 April, 2014, at 7:52:32 pm |
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog... Parrot356 - Wednesday, 9 April, 2014, at 11:00:26 pm |
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog... MikenOH - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 8:00:19 am |
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog... Guenter in Ontario - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 9:06:46 am |
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MikenOH
That is what we need on the stretch of I-71 between Columbus and Cleveland;it's amazing how many people-- a lot driving hybrids of all brands-- camp out in the left lane at 65-70 mph and will not move over for anyone.
Kudos to the trooper Boxsterra - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 9:29:41 am |
Re: Kudos to the trooper Guenter in Ontario - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 10:08:17 am |
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Boxsterra
But to be fair, tailgating is dangerous.
Re: Kudos to the trooper MikenOH - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 10:12:19 am |
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog...a different take Bobtesa - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 11:31:10 am |
Here is what the state law is--if the website is current MikenOH - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 12:56:42 pm |
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Bobtesa
I have come to believe that some people drive in the left lane for any number of reasons that may make sense to them, but not to others. I have pretty much accepted that not all drivers drive as I wish they would drive. Having said that, a few comments and thoughts:
Sure, we all know "what the left lane is for", but
There is certainly nothing illegal about driving at the posted speed limit in the left lane.
There is nothing in the traffic code that I know of that says driving over the speed limit in the left lane is legal.
Letting faster cars drive in the left lane is part of the courteous driving I learned in high school drivers ed (looong time ago), but drivers ed has been removed from the curriculum in our public schools.
[www.mit.edu]
6 states allow cruising in the left lane (mostly) and OH, in the wisdom of the state legislators, is one of them. 10 have specific laws prohibiting it and the balance have it as somewhere in between.
As I see it, if the intent is to ensure an orderly flow of traffic and avoid unnecessary lanes changes--especially at highway speeds-- which can result in accidents--it seems to make sense to have those laws in place to keep people out of the left lane unless they are passing.
The FL listing has a caption including some info regarding former Governor Bush:
"Governor Bush vetoed 2005 SB732, which would have reserved the left lane for passing, saying that drivers blocking the left lane are "cautious and careful."
As civilian drivers, we drive however we want and pay the consequences if we get pulled over. Hopefully, we don't hurt others in the process of whatever spirited driving we do. But, there is absolutely no reason for a person responsible for public safety, police, to tailgate anyone at any speed on any road. If they want to give a warning, a ticket, or even a little driver ed advice, they can put on their lights and/or siren, pull a driver over, and to what they can lawfully do.
Don't think I'm a Pollyanna driver. I don't know what police are allowed to do while driving w/o lights and/or sirens, but what I have seen in the past few years is pretty amazing. And, I have taken advantage of it. On a number of occasions, I have followed speeding police w/o lights on or sirens (always in the left lane) from about 100 yards back as they tailgate car after car to make them move over (each time w/o lights). On one occasion I followed a cop car at 90 mph on a 55 mph highway for about 5 miles. My thinking for the the judge is that the policeman/woman must have thought the conditions warranted 90 as a safe speed. I do wonder if it is legal for police to grossly exceed the speed limit without letting other drivings know of a car approaching at such high speed. Isn't that what the lights and sirens are for?
The driving we wish we could do on the road is what DE is for. Again, no Pollyanna here, there are two places that I take my Boxster to 120, but these are very specific locations where no one is in danger but myself. And also where I have serious doubts that there will be a speed trap. The bottom line in all of this safety, and what is depicted in the video is not safe.
Wouldn't it be nice if all states used the Uniform Vehicle Code Guenter in Ontario - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 1:19:13 pm |
Re: Wouldn't it be nice if all states used the Uniform Vehicle Code MikenOH - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 1:34:17 pm |
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Guenter in Ontario
At least then, people travelling though different states would know what they're expected to do.
When I drive to BRBS, I drive through 5 different states. Driving to Florida puts me through 8 different states. You need a chart to remember the different laws for the different states.
At least red means stop and green means stop in all of them.
And of course, it's not just limited to US states. Same goes for Canadian provinces.
State by state idea Laz - Tuesday, 15 April, 2014, at 9:02:46 am |
Re: State by state idea Guenter in Ontario - Tuesday, 15 April, 2014, at 10:17:47 am |
Red light green light during the Cultural Revolution in China Laz - Saturday, 12 April, 2014, at 11:56:51 am |
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog...a different take silverbox03 - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 2:35:49 pm |
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog...a different take Guenter in Ontario - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 3:04:40 pm |
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silverbox03
Correction, it IS illegal to drive at the speed limit, below the speed limit, or above the speed limit in the left hand(passing lane) if you are impeding traffic behind you unneccessarily. And while i can't condone the actions of this particular state trooper for giving the Honda driver a little wake up in such a manner, he was addressing an unsafe practice that is too common on our multi-lane expressways. This creates congestion, faster vehicles passing on the right, and needless frustration.
90% of these offenders know what they are doing. They may act oblivious, but they know. It's too bad that, in spite of the majority of states having laws regarding this violation, there isn't enough enforcement.
Also, troopers do receive high level driver training and probably get about 75,000 miles experience with every year of work.
"so drivers don't have to think" Roger987 - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 5:27:20 pm |
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog...a different take MikenOH - Thursday, 10 April, 2014, at 6:11:17 pm |
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Guenter in Ontario
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silverbox03
Correction, it IS illegal to drive at the speed limit, below the speed limit, or above the speed limit in the left hand(passing lane) if you are impeding traffic behind you unneccessarily. And while i can't condone the actions of this particular state trooper for giving the Honda driver a little wake up in such a manner, he was addressing an unsafe practice that is too common on our multi-lane expressways. This creates congestion, faster vehicles passing on the right, and needless frustration.
90% of these offenders know what they are doing. They may act oblivious, but they know. It's too bad that, in spite of the majority of states having laws regarding this violation, there isn't enough enforcement.
Also, troopers do receive high level driver training and probably get about 75,000 miles experience with every year of work.
As MikenOH showed with his link. It all depends on which state that you're in as to what's legal in the use of the left lane. That makes it a challenge when you drive through a number of different states.
Where did you get the statistic that 90% of offenders know what they're doing? What that suggests is that 9 out of 10 drivers who hog the left lane, drive onto the interstate with the intent of driving directly to the left lane in order to impeding traffic. From my observation, there are a lot of people who really don't know what they're doing when they're behind the wheel. They're in their own little world and haven't got a clue as to what's going on around them. That's why governments want cars more and more automated so drivers don't have to think.
Re: NPC: Trooper sends message to left-lane hog... KevinR-MedinaOhio - Sunday, 13 April, 2014, at 11:58:15 am |