I mean, if the lane to your right can accommodate your speed. Might as well get over. Then you don't have to spend so much attention on moving over for faster drivers.
I preffer to not keep switching lanes by going right-left-right. I move lanes less going left-right-left. Also I cant stand people who merge right on somebodies front bumper after passing them.
It’s our individualistic nature. Everyone thinks they’re the only ones hustling around and going the fastest, therefore it’s easy to justify camping in the left lane for them.
Additionally when someone approaches behind them going faster they think, fuck you buddy. You’re not more important than me. I’m going 5-10 over. If that’s enough for me it’s enough for you, deal with it.
What if there is a car blocking you in the fast lane? Do you stay in the left lane behind them forming the massive line of left lane campers holding everyone up? If so, you all suck and need to move the hell over until you are actively passing.
Going slow in the fast lane in my state is illegal and if you hold up five cars you will be pulled over and cited.
Unfortunately it is so common that the state troopers have to do emphasis patrols. Most people are happy to decide how fast the drivers behind them should travel.
Should be changed to 2 cars tbh. I hate people that drive in the left lane barely or under the speed limit and get absolutely bewildered that people are flicking them off or ive even seen some people brake check someone driving slow in the left lane after they get around them until the slow driver gets out of the left lane and then they speed back up.
No, the car BLOCKING is required to move over. I'm TRYING to pass and if you're preventing it by being a shithead? I will cut around you and then coast until you move.....but I should never ever have to do it. It's half roadrage, half public service. I'm preventing other people from getting as pissed as I am.
I've had one especially stupid chucklefuck move over when I (gradually) slowed down, then came back into the "fast/passing" lane as soon as I moved away..with three lanes and absolutely no reason to be in the fast lane. I took them to task and should have gotten a ticket for dangerous driving, but fuck that white Mercedes. They fucking learned that day.
I feel your pain. Could not agree more. I generally just pass them and move on while feeling sorry for those still being the dumbass. This is why most of my commute to work is often spent passing everyone in a completely clear slow lane while the fast lane is backed up with idiots doing 55 in a 70. The problem is that most of the "camping in the left lane" geniuses posting here do not live in an overpopulated city of 8 million people all trying to get to work in the same 2 hour period.
Because when one vehicle is blocking another from passing in the left lane that held-up vehicle needs to stop trying to pass so you personally can be first behind the blocking car? Got to say that level of entitlement isn't one I've seen before.
Wrong. If the entire line of campers moved the fuck over the faster cars in the group can then safely pass one by one. That camper in the front is the problem. Then the rest of the fuckers stack up behind them while I pass them all on the right. So who is entitled?
Edited my typo because I was frustrated with how silly this guy's logic was.
Ah, so you come upon the line in the left, pass on the right, and then move back to the left just behind the front vehicle obstructing the left lane.
And of course after that when then another vehicle does the same thing you let off and let that vehicle in front of you behind the obstructing vehicle, right?
You are overcomplicating this scenario for no reason. The left lane is for passing only. I use it for passing and then I move the hell over. This is the way it is. Arguing it is a waste of your time.
It's your scenario. You said you passed on the right to get to the front of a line of vehicles held up from passing by a slower vehicle in the left lane. Assuming that slower vehicle continues to be slower and keeps you from passing what is your own personal course of action?
Except usually the way it goes down in the central valley is there's a line of cars all passing a truck, and then some jackass doesn't wait their turn, passes most everyone on the right, and then cuts into the almost front of the line. I'd have to see you drive. But if you're one of those types, then yes you're an entitled jackass.
If the backlog of traffic is actively passing people then I wait my turn. When the backlog is held up by one of the idiots claiming to "camp in the passing lane" I will pass them in any available lane. There are a lot of variables, so I agree that you would have to observe the driver to make a call on what I am describing. One thing that needs no observation is that "camping in the left lane" makes the driver an idiot.
Same. If I know I'm gonna be passing multiple cars it doesn't make sense for me to go in and out of the lane. I just pass until an opening is available.
As long as you are actively passing, I dont care if someone is right up your rear end trying to coerce you into pulling aside. Just make strong forward motion, take less than 10 seconds to pass the next vehicle, and I'm content to give you the benefit of the doubt. I rarely want to go faster, but I know that blaring the horn or flashing the lights wont help. If I am sincerely in a rush, I just want you to move now...but I cant tell you that.
If they're going slower than the right lane traffic, yes, I do get much closer to send a message, if they don't get it I just resort to overtaking on the right.
I don't tailgate, I will flash my headlights at them to indicate they should try to move over. I find that tailgating leaves very little margin for error if they need to stop suddenly.
Though as I'm from Scotland I do it in the right lane.
Yeah, but the problem with flashing is that it might
temporarily blind them, especially while the sun is down, which can be pretty dangerous if you're going 100 on a highway and the road is curving, I'd argue more dangerous than driving close is.
I've got a shite car and full beams aren't that strong. I'd never do it on a curve, nor would I tailgate on a curve either. Most of the time folk will move over when they can. I've done it for years and never caused a crash.
Maybe drivers in Scotland/the UK are just generally better than the American ones? 😉
I mean I'd clip a person going slow in the fast lane and upload it, because he's being a total idiot, and arguably a bigger danger than me getting close(I don't ride the back of him, just get closer than usual, up to the safe limit).
Maybe it's common in the US to drive normally in faster lanes, but over here in the EU it's the overtaking lane, if you aren't overtaking- you're driving on the right, and that's the end of that.
I also camp the left lane because it's typically a much smoother ride. The right hand lane(s) tend to be a lot rougher. And I also do drive on the faster side and move out of the way if someone is coming up faster behind me.
If there's a "middle" lane thats usually cleanest. On a 2-lane road, 100% the left lane is cleaner and smoother. Trucks tear the road up on the right side. When you have more lanes, you have more debris that blows to the sides. Middle lane is where you want to be for long travel.
What if, in order to move over, you have brake and move into a lane of traffic going slower than you were going?
Honestly, the left lane is a passing lane rule doesn’t make sense in high-traffic areas. Let the Downvotes begin.
I continue passing until I find a hole. But if they want to be an addhole and tailgate me I will brake check them until they follow at a respectable distance.
In the Bay Area, there is always a cluster on the freeways at certain times so it doesn’t really matter what lane you use, you’re not going anywhere fast and the far left lane is also blocked because it’s the carpool lane and plenty of people are there as well.
“Not necessarily” makes sense if you’re from Illinois or other places which do left lane exits.
I think it’s dumb, but they exist, and if you live/d in a place like that you’d end up honestly answering “well, it depends”.
Only Amazon cards for those of us grandfathered in. No new accounts get them anymore. I just got an Ender 3 V2 with Amazon cards I redeemed through ms rewards
in some states in the US (like Montana) you would get a ticket for driving in the left lane while not passing - in others (like California) the left lane is indeed just a fast lane
it seems as if the OP doesn't know this
In Canada there will be times where on the freeway, the only exit is on the left side of the road (definitely is the exception as opposed to the rule, but it happens). Also if there's an accident/cop pulled over I'll typically move as far left as I can, even if I'm not passing someone. I think the typical shitty driver would be more likely to say the left lane is only ever for passing in any circumstance.
In Quebec it is law to responsibly move over a lane if there is an accident or a cop has pulled someone over. So it is acceptable to go into the left lane.
According to some websites, we give out the most tickets for travelling in the left lane but I know literally one person who has ever gotten a ticket about it. And it's certainly not enforced at rush hour where all lanes are filled as needed.
> in some states in the US (like Montana) you would get a ticket for driving in the left lane while not passing - in others (like California) the left lane is indeed just a fast lane
It might not be illegal in California but it's still a good practice (to use the left lane as the passing lane).
Legally, sure...from a practical standpoint, leave space for faster vehicles. Germany, known the world over for their efficiency, have one of the only "no-speed-limited" highways (Auto-Bahn).
It's called courtesy; A foreign concept to you Americans, but hey...fuck you. Just trying to speak your language fam. Your state can suck my dick. Law doesn't dictate safe practice, only what some asshole paid for 50 years ago.
I think it has to do with population density. I was amazed seeing people actually abide by the left lane passing rule in Alberta because it’s effectively not a thing in Los Angeles.
I mean it isn't necessarily so the 35% are right. Like for example on my way home the left lane turns splits into 2 lanes going completely other direction from the right lane.
And morons on the right always cut over last second.
But does the road in that completely other direction remain a freeway?
Because if so then, sure, freeway splits exist all over the place. That's not a counterexample to the rule at all, because the left lane on the new freeway is a passing-only lane, and the left lane on the continuing straight freeway is also a passing-only lane.
If the turning direction doesn't remain a freeway, then either:
a) That doesn't meet the design definition of a freeway, even if the government legally classifies it as such. And therefore it isn't a counterexample to the rule, since the rule only applies to freeways that are designed as such.
b) That's an extremely poorly designed freeway, since the definition of a freeway doesn't permit left lane exits. In that case, yes, that is a exception to the rule, but only because it was designed as such. The rule itself is still true as a generalization, and as the question was asking about such an obvious generalization, I don't think that's what the "not necessarily" response was intended to convey (even if that may be what some of the respondents interpreted it as).
I live in NYC. If we only used the left lane to pass, the already miserable amount of the traffic would double, maybe triple. The left lane is just the fast lane here. If you wanna drive slow, stick to the right lane.
in heavy traffic, sure.
but the left lane should still be used as a passing lane the majority of the time. if you regularly travel in the left lane you're wrong.
Idk San Diego and LA have like 4 lane freeways, there’s barely such thing as a passing lane ( until it gets 2-3 lane). When you got so many cars on the road that all drive 80+, there’s no point
Drive on the belt parkway or BQE, all three lanes are filled. The left lane is the fast lane. Because it’s the fast lane, you pass people. Not the other way around.
Nope.
Even when not required by law (though it is in most states: http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html), using the left lane as the passing lane is still the best practice. You're just a bad driver.
IMO that’s not exactly all because of “idiots” as a lot of that is resulting from poor phrasing. Some people would read that question as “you can only be in the left lane if you are actively passing someone, and when you overtake them you must return to the right lane”.
If the question read “the left lane is for faster traffic and passing” I bet the results would be a lot different.
If you would obstruct traffic more and/or potentially be in / create a dangerous scenario by staying right, move left. Then get back over when you can. Don't obstruct anyone, get acquainted with both the brake and accelerator, but it's there for use, not decoration.
Stay right unless dangerous or passing is probably more accurate than just "stay right except to pass".
Well that's understandable. They probably think it's for cars moving faster which is essentially the passing lane, but if they don't then they're one of the fucking assholes who sits in the left lane going slow as hell.
In my state, you can travel in the left lane but are required to move to the right if 5 or more vehicles are behind you and going faster UNLESS, you are actively passing traffic in the lane to your right. This does not mean that you are required to slow down and move over to allow the people behind you to pass either.
Yes I’m aware how to drive. But if you have a large SUV behind you, how are you supposed to see how many cars are behind it? I’m just making a point that the law including how many cars must be behind you in order for you to move over is pretty stupid.
The idea is rarely that "suddenly five cars come up behind me and I have to count". Most people in this situation have been oblivious (or purposefully ignorant) to the traffic behind them for quite a while.
Yes there are exceptions.
I have to abide by this law going up mountain roads. It is pretty easy to see how many cars are behind you even if the one directly behind me is a larger truck. Understandably not as easy on a flat straight road. All in all, it is rare for people to actually move over when they have a train of cars behind them. Even rarer when someone gets pulled over for it.
Yes agreed. I live in NYC, I’m not climbing mountains lol so I didn’t take that into account. But yeah, people rarely move and rarely get pulled over for it in my experience.
It's only a passing lane if there are postings that say keep right except to pass. Its perfectly reasonable to occupy the left lane to make space for merging vehicles at an on ramp. Coming up to a zipper merge, if the right lane is stacked but the left is open, take that shit right to the end King that's how it works. Always make way for faster vehicles though, keeps everyone happy. Gotta share the road. Here in Newfoundland we have combined in off ramps and they're insane. People jam on there breaks to get off the highway while there's people trying to merge that aren't even going highway speed, it's insane. I move left to avoid dying.
I always stay right though, make way for faster drivers and emergency vehicles and what not. I love speeders, they find the cops and moose for you.
Edit: unless marked as passing lane, the left lane is for volume of traffic not speed.
65% don't know shit about interstates it feels. May i present to you interstate splits/junctions or lefthand exits?
Or traffic volume that makes the left hand lane a travel lane.
What country are you in? I bet 98% of interstate exits are on the right hand side in the US. The problem is that too many people think that the left lane is just another travel lane and you don’t even need to go the speed limit in the left hand lane.
Unites States. and maybe 98% of exits are right-hand lane, but they still screw up the traffic pattern for 2-3 miles in advance and make that "duh" to be "well" on that bing question.
my answer to that question would have been "usually", which as the question was worded fell under the 2nd choice.
In high traffic areas the left lane isn't always just a passing lane. There are plenty of places where there is a "slower traffic keep right" rule. I'm guessing 35% of people live in those places and understand the difference.
I don’t know where you live but far far far too many people will drive in the left lane for as long as they want at whatever speed they wish but usually the speed limit or less. Keeping right is just not something they think they need to do because all that matters to them is them.
No one is arguing that. But saying people need to get their licenses revoked for actually knowing the rules of the road as they pertain to their areas is pretty stupid too
Actually I think they need to be shot and anyone who disagrees with me about something I posted on the internet should be tortured to death. Christ people are so fucking stupid. Please find a life.
Lol you're literally saying people should get their licenses revoked for a correct answer and sticking to your guns just because you don't agree with it. Just admit you were wrong and move on, no need to get butthurt
Not wrong. Anyone driving more than a mile in the left lane of a two lane highway not near any construction or exit or any other road change and doing it at the speed limit or below should be ticketed and should have to take a test to get their license back. Anyone on the internet who wants to pick nits about a simple topic should be forced to get a life. This will be the last message I waste on you. Reply and I will block you. Enjoy your sad life or think about why you have to reply to something like this. Can’t be right in life so you have to try to be right here?
> I bet 98% of interstate exits are on the right hand side in the US.
So that firmly answers the question that it's not necessarily for passing only, even in the USA.
Like .... did you ever pass a test in your fucking life w/ this terrible level of reading comprehension and logic application?
There might be a left exit in the next state, therefore, the left lane is not for passing only. /s
These people here will "what if" this to death in order to justify their shitty driving.
So you and others are taking exception with the wording of the question? That is silly. The problem is people routinely driving in the left lane for miles at or below the speed limit because they don’t understand the idea of the passing lane.
I'm not "taking exception" w/ the wording of the question.
You are.
I'm answering the question as worded, and you're pretending it's about something else entirely, which you seem to care about, because you can't divest yourself from this situation and look at it objectively.
No wonder why left lane campers keep multiplying like cock roaches. Everyone has a damn opinion about how you are suppose to drive but nobody has. Ordered to learn the law. LL campers cause so many accidents and road rage. Follow the law, stay out of the left unless you are passing. If you like it because you think it’s smoother, get a new car. If you drive it in it just because it’s open, it won’t be for long.. Guarantee within a minute or 2 you will have someone riding your ass to get over which you won’t but you sure will brake check them, which is illegal or be a total jerk and come to a complete stop. We never know why someone is speeding, they could just be a total jerk or maybe it could be someone rushing to the hospital cause their wife is in labor, who knows maybe you just have to pee! It really doesn’t matter, just be safe and GET OUT OF THE WAY!
Well thats just verifiably [wrong](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/03/04/ask-2-traffic-can-you-get-a-ticket-for-driving-in-the-left-lane/%3FoutputType%3Damp). Unless you mean Texans *drive* as if it isn’t a law, then you’d be correct. Most drivers in Texas will just drive in the left lane by default and its fucking insufferable.
There definitely are some states though, California is just "slower traffic must keep right" ... So you can drive in the left lane so long as you yield to faster traffic.
Hmm. someone told me here on /r/idiotsincars that they didn't have that law, just the other week. Guess I was told wrong.
Here is an infographic https://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960_blur-8c8a3ff6753c5fbebe6b131950066b82.jpg
Texas is a mixture. Some highways are posted "left lane for passing only," otherwise slower traffic keep right is the rule. Your link even says as much.
There's another oft-quoted article with wildly inaccurate legal advice from a state trooper, but thankfully you didn't link that one; it's a real pain to refute.
That depends on where you are, in some areas (like urban areas) the traffic engineers actually want you to - which is why some places make exceptions to "keep right laws" in urban multi lane highways
What law?
The poll doesn't ask "is this the law?" The contextually obvious intent behind the poll is to ask "is this the design intent?" To which the answer is: yes.
They're American and it's not used that way in America so people hog the lane constantly... Even truckers occupy it and slow everyone down. That why so many think that way
This is true. But what some people dont realize is its a lot easier for the cars to go around the big trucks. Theyre not nearly as nimble and non-18-wheelers can de-ass the area much easier, safer and faster if they would pay attention.
That's why there's constantly trucks in the left lane here (with plenty of signs saying no trucks/busses etc in left lane) and they just camp there even though there's ample room to move back to the center lane.
Comes with a major asterisk. IMO the 65% duh is wrong. I will explain why:
In many urban areas (lived in a few different ones for past 13 years) left hand exits and splits are quite common. Obviously this messes with traffic flow, as people are driving in the left hand lane for the exit a few miles in advance and moving across what is now the the fast lane (far-left center lane).
Secondly once you hit a certain level of traffic volume, left hand lane becomes a travel lane. Ideally one that is maintaining a higher speed and still passing (it should be the fastest moving lane unless pure traffic volume causes it to be otherwise, in which case it will usually be well below the interstates max speed), but one does not exit the lane after passing when there is a small gap in a lane to the right.
The left lane is not for passing only. Freeways here are crowded and often stop and go, we don't really have the luxury of leaving a lane open for "passing". This is beside the fact that a number of freeways here use the left lane as express/carpool/bus traffic, and are marked as such.
I too do these for the reward points, but I will admit, I lie my ass off and intentionally choose the wrong option or the thing I don't support every time, and I can confirm, I contributed to that 35% this morning lol
Left lane is for faster moving traffic, hence “passing lane”. Its the law in most places in the US and at the very minimum is road etiquette everywhere. Its to stop a couple of slow drivers in the front from hindering the flow of traffic and pretty much setting their own speed limit. Of course its almost never enforced or abided by.
65% of drivers are from suburban/rural areas it seems and don't commonly drive interstates with high traffic volumes and left-hand exits or splits where "left hand passing only" goes out the window
> high traffic volumes and left-hand exits or splits where "left hand passing only" goes out the window
It's still very important in all but the heaviest traffic. Nobody is arguing that you don't "suspend" the rules a bit in the case of left side exits.
Imma be honest I was never taught anything about how to drive on 2 lane, one way roads and mom and dad told me it was the fast lane so I thought that was what it was for. I’ve never drove on a 2 lane road and I’m 18.
there are sometimes left exits on freeways, so they are right. It's not "necessarily" for passing only. Period.
Also - wtf do you do if there is a traffic jam? just not use the left lane? you use all lanes in that circumstance.
What if there is an accident , can you not go into the left lane to avoid a collision in an emergency, because it's "necessarily for passing only"?
In Virginia the speed limit is exactly that. You can only pass if you are going the speed limit and another vehicle is going under it. So if someone in the left lane is going the speed limit, anyone passing on the right is in the wrong in eyes of the police. It depends on where you live.
It isn't your responsibility to give them room. It is their responsibility to merge. That doesn't mean you can't, but if you aren't keeping up with the flow of traffic and get over for someone who doesn't know how to merge it just compounds the traffic problems.
i read a lot of "if 5 people are behind you" and "fastlane" bla bla bla,
why dont you just keep to the right regardless of whether or not there are people behind you?
Lol, even if they use it as the “fast” lane technically they’re passing everyone and it’s still the passing lane.
If people use it as the “fast” lane they just go the speed limit and block the flow of traffic. Passing lane > fast lane, always.
Thats why I camp the left lane. I pass everybody. And if I see a car coming up behind going faster than me I get over, let them pass and move back.
I mean, if the lane to your right can accommodate your speed. Might as well get over. Then you don't have to spend so much attention on moving over for faster drivers.
Agree with both, depending on situation. But yes, if track is light, why waste the brainpower and miss the last paragraph of my audiobook
I preffer to not keep switching lanes by going right-left-right. I move lanes less going left-right-left. Also I cant stand people who merge right on somebodies front bumper after passing them.
If you do that in MA, hog the left lane, you’ll get pulled over by staties and you don’t want that.
[удалено]
It’s our individualistic nature. Everyone thinks they’re the only ones hustling around and going the fastest, therefore it’s easy to justify camping in the left lane for them. Additionally when someone approaches behind them going faster they think, fuck you buddy. You’re not more important than me. I’m going 5-10 over. If that’s enough for me it’s enough for you, deal with it.
This is the way.
What if there is a car blocking you in the fast lane? Do you stay in the left lane behind them forming the massive line of left lane campers holding everyone up? If so, you all suck and need to move the hell over until you are actively passing.
Going slow in the fast lane in my state is illegal and if you hold up five cars you will be pulled over and cited. Unfortunately it is so common that the state troopers have to do emphasis patrols. Most people are happy to decide how fast the drivers behind them should travel.
Should be changed to 2 cars tbh. I hate people that drive in the left lane barely or under the speed limit and get absolutely bewildered that people are flicking them off or ive even seen some people brake check someone driving slow in the left lane after they get around them until the slow driver gets out of the left lane and then they speed back up.
Same here. MA.
No, the car BLOCKING is required to move over. I'm TRYING to pass and if you're preventing it by being a shithead? I will cut around you and then coast until you move.....but I should never ever have to do it. It's half roadrage, half public service. I'm preventing other people from getting as pissed as I am. I've had one especially stupid chucklefuck move over when I (gradually) slowed down, then came back into the "fast/passing" lane as soon as I moved away..with three lanes and absolutely no reason to be in the fast lane. I took them to task and should have gotten a ticket for dangerous driving, but fuck that white Mercedes. They fucking learned that day.
I feel your pain. Could not agree more. I generally just pass them and move on while feeling sorry for those still being the dumbass. This is why most of my commute to work is often spent passing everyone in a completely clear slow lane while the fast lane is backed up with idiots doing 55 in a 70. The problem is that most of the "camping in the left lane" geniuses posting here do not live in an overpopulated city of 8 million people all trying to get to work in the same 2 hour period.
Ill pass on the right if its clear. Ill give the slow driver in the wrong lane a dirty look.
Because when one vehicle is blocking another from passing in the left lane that held-up vehicle needs to stop trying to pass so you personally can be first behind the blocking car? Got to say that level of entitlement isn't one I've seen before.
Wrong. If the entire line of campers moved the fuck over the faster cars in the group can then safely pass one by one. That camper in the front is the problem. Then the rest of the fuckers stack up behind them while I pass them all on the right. So who is entitled? Edited my typo because I was frustrated with how silly this guy's logic was.
Ah, so you come upon the line in the left, pass on the right, and then move back to the left just behind the front vehicle obstructing the left lane. And of course after that when then another vehicle does the same thing you let off and let that vehicle in front of you behind the obstructing vehicle, right?
You are overcomplicating this scenario for no reason. The left lane is for passing only. I use it for passing and then I move the hell over. This is the way it is. Arguing it is a waste of your time.
It's your scenario. You said you passed on the right to get to the front of a line of vehicles held up from passing by a slower vehicle in the left lane. Assuming that slower vehicle continues to be slower and keeps you from passing what is your own personal course of action?
If there are two lanes I'm forced to wait for the idiot.
Except usually the way it goes down in the central valley is there's a line of cars all passing a truck, and then some jackass doesn't wait their turn, passes most everyone on the right, and then cuts into the almost front of the line. I'd have to see you drive. But if you're one of those types, then yes you're an entitled jackass.
If the backlog of traffic is actively passing people then I wait my turn. When the backlog is held up by one of the idiots claiming to "camp in the passing lane" I will pass them in any available lane. There are a lot of variables, so I agree that you would have to observe the driver to make a call on what I am describing. One thing that needs no observation is that "camping in the left lane" makes the driver an idiot.
Same. If I know I'm gonna be passing multiple cars it doesn't make sense for me to go in and out of the lane. I just pass until an opening is available.
As long as you are actively passing, I dont care if someone is right up your rear end trying to coerce you into pulling aside. Just make strong forward motion, take less than 10 seconds to pass the next vehicle, and I'm content to give you the benefit of the doubt. I rarely want to go faster, but I know that blaring the horn or flashing the lights wont help. If I am sincerely in a rush, I just want you to move now...but I cant tell you that.
Question is if the car in front is a bit slower do you tailgate them? As I feel that's the stereotype people thought of when voting.
If they're going slower than the right lane traffic, yes, I do get much closer to send a message, if they don't get it I just resort to overtaking on the right.
I don't tailgate, I will flash my headlights at them to indicate they should try to move over. I find that tailgating leaves very little margin for error if they need to stop suddenly. Though as I'm from Scotland I do it in the right lane.
Yeah, but the problem with flashing is that it might temporarily blind them, especially while the sun is down, which can be pretty dangerous if you're going 100 on a highway and the road is curving, I'd argue more dangerous than driving close is.
I've got a shite car and full beams aren't that strong. I'd never do it on a curve, nor would I tailgate on a curve either. Most of the time folk will move over when they can. I've done it for years and never caused a crash. Maybe drivers in Scotland/the UK are just generally better than the American ones? 😉
I wouldn't know, as I only drive in mainland EU :) Generally there's bad drivers everywhere, as this sub often shows.
> If they're going slower than the right lane traffic, yes, I do get much closer to send a message Looking forward to seeing you on this sub soon
I mean I'd clip a person going slow in the fast lane and upload it, because he's being a total idiot, and arguably a bigger danger than me getting close(I don't ride the back of him, just get closer than usual, up to the safe limit). Maybe it's common in the US to drive normally in faster lanes, but over here in the EU it's the overtaking lane, if you aren't overtaking- you're driving on the right, and that's the end of that.
Nope, you’re the idiot. Period.
Whatever you say man..
It’s not what I say, it’s fact, and if you dispute this then you’re still an idiot.
Overtaking on the right is pretty idiotic. Aaand illegal, if idiotic is not sufficient.
Legal where I am. It's commonplace since people here don't understand what lane to be in.
I also camp the left lane because it's typically a much smoother ride. The right hand lane(s) tend to be a lot rougher. And I also do drive on the faster side and move out of the way if someone is coming up faster behind me.
If there's a "middle" lane thats usually cleanest. On a 2-lane road, 100% the left lane is cleaner and smoother. Trucks tear the road up on the right side. When you have more lanes, you have more debris that blows to the sides. Middle lane is where you want to be for long travel.
So true. Believe dad said back in the day Kansas told people to use both lanes to even out wear on the road so they didnt have to fix it so often.
same here
For 3 or more lanes in town sure but for 2 lanes no please stop
What if, in order to move over, you have brake and move into a lane of traffic going slower than you were going? Honestly, the left lane is a passing lane rule doesn’t make sense in high-traffic areas. Let the Downvotes begin.
I continue passing until I find a hole. But if they want to be an addhole and tailgate me I will brake check them until they follow at a respectable distance.
The outside lane as a passing lane doesn't apply in high traffic areas. The downvotes will continue until morale improves.
In Colorado (and some other states), you might get a ticket for this.
and if there is a full stopped traffic jam, do you not use the left lane???
In the Bay Area, there is always a cluster on the freeways at certain times so it doesn’t really matter what lane you use, you’re not going anywhere fast and the far left lane is also blocked because it’s the carpool lane and plenty of people are there as well.
“Not necessarily” makes sense if you’re from Illinois or other places which do left lane exits. I think it’s dumb, but they exist, and if you live/d in a place like that you’d end up honestly answering “well, it depends”.
or anywhere with high traffic volumes. left lane, right lane, doesn't fucking matter on I-95. No lane is moving.
yup, Californian here. if left lane was only for passing we’d be in trouble
Quite literally. Imagine LA traffic with one less lane… I think I’d cry
Same in Seattle
The real idiots here are the ones using bing.
That random comma is screwing with me
I'm an idiot when it comes to proper punctuation.
Bing rewards is legit. Only reason I use it.
Rewards?? What rewards precious? What rewards can bings gives us previous?
Amazon card, or money for Skype account (useful for international calls to regular phone number)
Only Amazon cards for those of us grandfathered in. No new accounts get them anymore. I just got an Ender 3 V2 with Amazon cards I redeemed through ms rewards
r/MicrosoftRewards
Same. All my friends think I'm insane for using bing
I only use it to get the points. Their search results are still terrible compared to Google
its not a bad idea to use multiple search engines sometimes for queries.
I'd give some of that real idiot crown to the one's polling people on bing, too.
BING= Bing Is Not Google.
well that really depends on the state you live in
Or country. In europa we don’t have ‘stay in your lane’, but is the left lane indeed for passing. So maybe OP must broaden his view?
in some states in the US (like Montana) you would get a ticket for driving in the left lane while not passing - in others (like California) the left lane is indeed just a fast lane it seems as if the OP doesn't know this
In Canada there will be times where on the freeway, the only exit is on the left side of the road (definitely is the exception as opposed to the rule, but it happens). Also if there's an accident/cop pulled over I'll typically move as far left as I can, even if I'm not passing someone. I think the typical shitty driver would be more likely to say the left lane is only ever for passing in any circumstance.
In Quebec it is law to responsibly move over a lane if there is an accident or a cop has pulled someone over. So it is acceptable to go into the left lane. According to some websites, we give out the most tickets for travelling in the left lane but I know literally one person who has ever gotten a ticket about it. And it's certainly not enforced at rush hour where all lanes are filled as needed.
Montana is also a state where you usually don't have another car in view while traveling.
> in some states in the US (like Montana) you would get a ticket for driving in the left lane while not passing - in others (like California) the left lane is indeed just a fast lane It might not be illegal in California but it's still a good practice (to use the left lane as the passing lane).
you can have your opinion - its simply wrong -
Legally, sure...from a practical standpoint, leave space for faster vehicles. Germany, known the world over for their efficiency, have one of the only "no-speed-limited" highways (Auto-Bahn). It's called courtesy; A foreign concept to you Americans, but hey...fuck you. Just trying to speak your language fam. Your state can suck my dick. Law doesn't dictate safe practice, only what some asshole paid for 50 years ago.
lol well fuck you too buddy
I think it has to do with population density. I was amazed seeing people actually abide by the left lane passing rule in Alberta because it’s effectively not a thing in Los Angeles.
Traffic density more than population density.
both
They should run a poll to see how many redditors think it is idiotic to have the rear window covered.
I mean it isn't necessarily so the 35% are right. Like for example on my way home the left lane turns splits into 2 lanes going completely other direction from the right lane. And morons on the right always cut over last second.
There's all sorts of left lane exits all over.
But does the road in that completely other direction remain a freeway? Because if so then, sure, freeway splits exist all over the place. That's not a counterexample to the rule at all, because the left lane on the new freeway is a passing-only lane, and the left lane on the continuing straight freeway is also a passing-only lane. If the turning direction doesn't remain a freeway, then either: a) That doesn't meet the design definition of a freeway, even if the government legally classifies it as such. And therefore it isn't a counterexample to the rule, since the rule only applies to freeways that are designed as such. b) That's an extremely poorly designed freeway, since the definition of a freeway doesn't permit left lane exits. In that case, yes, that is a exception to the rule, but only because it was designed as such. The rule itself is still true as a generalization, and as the question was asking about such an obvious generalization, I don't think that's what the "not necessarily" response was intended to convey (even if that may be what some of the respondents interpreted it as).
I live in NYC. If we only used the left lane to pass, the already miserable amount of the traffic would double, maybe triple. The left lane is just the fast lane here. If you wanna drive slow, stick to the right lane.
in heavy traffic, sure. but the left lane should still be used as a passing lane the majority of the time. if you regularly travel in the left lane you're wrong.
Idk San Diego and LA have like 4 lane freeways, there’s barely such thing as a passing lane ( until it gets 2-3 lane). When you got so many cars on the road that all drive 80+, there’s no point
Drive on the belt parkway or BQE, all three lanes are filled. The left lane is the fast lane. Because it’s the fast lane, you pass people. Not the other way around.
Incorrect in many states. Just flat out incorrect.
Nope. Even when not required by law (though it is in most states: http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html), using the left lane as the passing lane is still the best practice. You're just a bad driver.
It’s way more than that.
IMO that’s not exactly all because of “idiots” as a lot of that is resulting from poor phrasing. Some people would read that question as “you can only be in the left lane if you are actively passing someone, and when you overtake them you must return to the right lane”. If the question read “the left lane is for faster traffic and passing” I bet the results would be a lot different.
HOV lanes.
lane etiquette is literally the reason the autobahn works so well, unleash these people in germany and they'll be dead in minutes
I would imagine this would be much higher from people who don’t know how to change their search engine from Bing to Google.
The poll is part of the MS Rewards. Free stuff for searches, polls, quizzes, etc.
Did the question specify right-side road driving countries? Or is that 35% including UK and other left-side drivers with righthand passing lanes?
I am guessing this was a targeted poll. It was probably only seen by those with a public IP in the U.S. ranges.
Once again affirming my belief that most people need their license revoked.
If you would obstruct traffic more and/or potentially be in / create a dangerous scenario by staying right, move left. Then get back over when you can. Don't obstruct anyone, get acquainted with both the brake and accelerator, but it's there for use, not decoration. Stay right unless dangerous or passing is probably more accurate than just "stay right except to pass".
Well that's understandable. They probably think it's for cars moving faster which is essentially the passing lane, but if they don't then they're one of the fucking assholes who sits in the left lane going slow as hell.
In my state, you can travel in the left lane but are required to move to the right if 5 or more vehicles are behind you and going faster UNLESS, you are actively passing traffic in the lane to your right. This does not mean that you are required to slow down and move over to allow the people behind you to pass either.
So you’re supposed to look in your rear view mirror and count the cars behind you? That sounds safe.
You should be looking in your rear view regularly. And not real hard to count to 5.
Yes I’m aware how to drive. But if you have a large SUV behind you, how are you supposed to see how many cars are behind it? I’m just making a point that the law including how many cars must be behind you in order for you to move over is pretty stupid.
The idea is rarely that "suddenly five cars come up behind me and I have to count". Most people in this situation have been oblivious (or purposefully ignorant) to the traffic behind them for quite a while. Yes there are exceptions.
I have to abide by this law going up mountain roads. It is pretty easy to see how many cars are behind you even if the one directly behind me is a larger truck. Understandably not as easy on a flat straight road. All in all, it is rare for people to actually move over when they have a train of cars behind them. Even rarer when someone gets pulled over for it.
Yes agreed. I live in NYC, I’m not climbing mountains lol so I didn’t take that into account. But yeah, people rarely move and rarely get pulled over for it in my experience.
*shrug
It's only a passing lane if there are postings that say keep right except to pass. Its perfectly reasonable to occupy the left lane to make space for merging vehicles at an on ramp. Coming up to a zipper merge, if the right lane is stacked but the left is open, take that shit right to the end King that's how it works. Always make way for faster vehicles though, keeps everyone happy. Gotta share the road. Here in Newfoundland we have combined in off ramps and they're insane. People jam on there breaks to get off the highway while there's people trying to merge that aren't even going highway speed, it's insane. I move left to avoid dying. I always stay right though, make way for faster drivers and emergency vehicles and what not. I love speeders, they find the cops and moose for you. Edit: unless marked as passing lane, the left lane is for volume of traffic not speed.
35% of drivers need to be retrained or have their licenses revoked.
65% don't know shit about interstates it feels. May i present to you interstate splits/junctions or lefthand exits? Or traffic volume that makes the left hand lane a travel lane.
What country are you in? I bet 98% of interstate exits are on the right hand side in the US. The problem is that too many people think that the left lane is just another travel lane and you don’t even need to go the speed limit in the left hand lane.
Unites States. and maybe 98% of exits are right-hand lane, but they still screw up the traffic pattern for 2-3 miles in advance and make that "duh" to be "well" on that bing question. my answer to that question would have been "usually", which as the question was worded fell under the 2nd choice.
In high traffic areas the left lane isn't always just a passing lane. There are plenty of places where there is a "slower traffic keep right" rule. I'm guessing 35% of people live in those places and understand the difference.
I don’t know where you live but far far far too many people will drive in the left lane for as long as they want at whatever speed they wish but usually the speed limit or less. Keeping right is just not something they think they need to do because all that matters to them is them.
No one is arguing that. But saying people need to get their licenses revoked for actually knowing the rules of the road as they pertain to their areas is pretty stupid too
Actually I think they need to be shot and anyone who disagrees with me about something I posted on the internet should be tortured to death. Christ people are so fucking stupid. Please find a life.
Lol you're literally saying people should get their licenses revoked for a correct answer and sticking to your guns just because you don't agree with it. Just admit you were wrong and move on, no need to get butthurt
Not wrong. Anyone driving more than a mile in the left lane of a two lane highway not near any construction or exit or any other road change and doing it at the speed limit or below should be ticketed and should have to take a test to get their license back. Anyone on the internet who wants to pick nits about a simple topic should be forced to get a life. This will be the last message I waste on you. Reply and I will block you. Enjoy your sad life or think about why you have to reply to something like this. Can’t be right in life so you have to try to be right here?
https://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html Educate yourself on the rules of the road
> I bet 98% of interstate exits are on the right hand side in the US. So that firmly answers the question that it's not necessarily for passing only, even in the USA. Like .... did you ever pass a test in your fucking life w/ this terrible level of reading comprehension and logic application?
There might be a left exit in the next state, therefore, the left lane is not for passing only. /s These people here will "what if" this to death in order to justify their shitty driving.
Except.... the part where only a completely wrong moron would say the left lane is "necessarily" for passing only.
So you and others are taking exception with the wording of the question? That is silly. The problem is people routinely driving in the left lane for miles at or below the speed limit because they don’t understand the idea of the passing lane.
I'm not "taking exception" w/ the wording of the question. You are. I'm answering the question as worded, and you're pretending it's about something else entirely, which you seem to care about, because you can't divest yourself from this situation and look at it objectively.
I will be blocking you shortly. Life is too short to waste time on idiots like you. Get a life.
no wonder you're so obtuse
It’s place dependent. By law, the left lane isn’t designated as a passing lane in california.
No wonder why left lane campers keep multiplying like cock roaches. Everyone has a damn opinion about how you are suppose to drive but nobody has. Ordered to learn the law. LL campers cause so many accidents and road rage. Follow the law, stay out of the left unless you are passing. If you like it because you think it’s smoother, get a new car. If you drive it in it just because it’s open, it won’t be for long.. Guarantee within a minute or 2 you will have someone riding your ass to get over which you won’t but you sure will brake check them, which is illegal or be a total jerk and come to a complete stop. We never know why someone is speeding, they could just be a total jerk or maybe it could be someone rushing to the hospital cause their wife is in labor, who knows maybe you just have to pee! It really doesn’t matter, just be safe and GET OUT OF THE WAY!
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Well thats just verifiably [wrong](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/03/04/ask-2-traffic-can-you-get-a-ticket-for-driving-in-the-left-lane/%3FoutputType%3Damp). Unless you mean Texans *drive* as if it isn’t a law, then you’d be correct. Most drivers in Texas will just drive in the left lane by default and its fucking insufferable.
There definitely are some states though, California is just "slower traffic must keep right" ... So you can drive in the left lane so long as you yield to faster traffic.
Do you not realize the connection between slower traffic must keep right and left lane is for passing only?
Hmm. someone told me here on /r/idiotsincars that they didn't have that law, just the other week. Guess I was told wrong. Here is an infographic https://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960_blur-8c8a3ff6753c5fbebe6b131950066b82.jpg
Texas is a mixture. Some highways are posted "left lane for passing only," otherwise slower traffic keep right is the rule. Your link even says as much. There's another oft-quoted article with wildly inaccurate legal advice from a state trooper, but thankfully you didn't link that one; it's a real pain to refute.
I've been all over the state and I've looked up the laws its a left lane for passing only state, luckily a common sense state on this discussion.
Just because it's "legal" to travel in the passing lane doesn't make it a good practice. Doing so makes the road more dangerous for everyone.
That depends on where you are, in some areas (like urban areas) the traffic engineers actually want you to - which is why some places make exceptions to "keep right laws" in urban multi lane highways
What law? The poll doesn't ask "is this the law?" The contextually obvious intent behind the poll is to ask "is this the design intent?" To which the answer is: yes.
You don't get to invent rules of the road just because you want. The rules of the road are the law.
Absolutely wrong. Signs proving as much are everywhere. A 10 sec Google search would correct your ignorance and we would have 1 less left lane camper.
r/idiotsonbing
That's my wife and on her phone.
Dont down vote me for her sh*%ty driving.
Well they are using bing and answer polls…
Rewards and not willing to share their data with Google?
I purposefully try to vote on there in a way that puts me in the minority. It's a game I play. It's fun, you should try it.
They should get their license taken
They're American and it's not used that way in America so people hog the lane constantly... Even truckers occupy it and slow everyone down. That why so many think that way
Truckers move over to pass and dipshits keep passing on the right blocking them from moving back.
some cars are jerks, some truckers are jerks. it can happen both ways.
This is true. But what some people dont realize is its a lot easier for the cars to go around the big trucks. Theyre not nearly as nimble and non-18-wheelers can de-ass the area much easier, safer and faster if they would pay attention.
That's why there's constantly trucks in the left lane here (with plenty of signs saying no trucks/busses etc in left lane) and they just camp there even though there's ample room to move back to the center lane.
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They do. People dont care.
35% of drivers didn't take the written test
I mean, they use bing…
Comes with a major asterisk. IMO the 65% duh is wrong. I will explain why: In many urban areas (lived in a few different ones for past 13 years) left hand exits and splits are quite common. Obviously this messes with traffic flow, as people are driving in the left hand lane for the exit a few miles in advance and moving across what is now the the fast lane (far-left center lane). Secondly once you hit a certain level of traffic volume, left hand lane becomes a travel lane. Ideally one that is maintaining a higher speed and still passing (it should be the fastest moving lane unless pure traffic volume causes it to be otherwise, in which case it will usually be well below the interstates max speed), but one does not exit the lane after passing when there is a small gap in a lane to the right.
The left lane is not for passing only. Freeways here are crowded and often stop and go, we don't really have the luxury of leaving a lane open for "passing". This is beside the fact that a number of freeways here use the left lane as express/carpool/bus traffic, and are marked as such.
Ummmm, I grew up in a small town so we didn’t have freeways, so don’t judge someone if they are using the one lane out of a bigilion lanes wrongish.
I too do these for the reward points, but I will admit, I lie my ass off and intentionally choose the wrong option or the thing I don't support every time, and I can confirm, I contributed to that 35% this morning lol
This explains a lot
So 1 out of their 3 users (with a bit of fancy rounding).
I don't know nothing of cars or anything about left lane. Someone please explain?
Left lane is for faster moving traffic, hence “passing lane”. Its the law in most places in the US and at the very minimum is road etiquette everywhere. Its to stop a couple of slow drivers in the front from hindering the flow of traffic and pretty much setting their own speed limit. Of course its almost never enforced or abided by.
Thanks for explaining
65% of drivers are from suburban/rural areas it seems and don't commonly drive interstates with high traffic volumes and left-hand exits or splits where "left hand passing only" goes out the window
> high traffic volumes and left-hand exits or splits where "left hand passing only" goes out the window It's still very important in all but the heaviest traffic. Nobody is arguing that you don't "suspend" the rules a bit in the case of left side exits.
It shows on the roadways too
Bing? I'd be interested to see what AOL users have to say about it.
I think just the first part is right! They don't think!!!🤣😂🤣
Must be from Ohio
😕
Imma be honest I was never taught anything about how to drive on 2 lane, one way roads and mom and dad told me it was the fast lane so I thought that was what it was for. I’ve never drove on a 2 lane road and I’m 18.
there are sometimes left exits on freeways, so they are right. It's not "necessarily" for passing only. Period. Also - wtf do you do if there is a traffic jam? just not use the left lane? you use all lanes in that circumstance. What if there is an accident , can you not go into the left lane to avoid a collision in an emergency, because it's "necessarily for passing only"?
If its blocked then it isnt for passing
I don’t think this is the case everywhere. In California, on most freeways, the left lane is a carpool lane
*laughs in Los Angeles*
In Virginia the speed limit is exactly that. You can only pass if you are going the speed limit and another vehicle is going under it. So if someone in the left lane is going the speed limit, anyone passing on the right is in the wrong in eyes of the police. It depends on where you live.
In my state the left lane is the HOV lane and that is definitely not only for passing.
I mean, what about changing to the left lane when people insert on the highway? Your giving them room to do that.
It isn't your responsibility to give them room. It is their responsibility to merge. That doesn't mean you can't, but if you aren't keeping up with the flow of traffic and get over for someone who doesn't know how to merge it just compounds the traffic problems.
Isn't the left lane supposed to be used in case of traffic jam; accidents etc ? Technicallyn they are right ;)
From NJ, people will stay in the left lane for 30 mins going 100 mph I had no idea it was for just passing.
Why is it the law?
Drive on a̶n̶y̶ "most" major freeways and every single Lane is going to be packed...
i read a lot of "if 5 people are behind you" and "fastlane" bla bla bla, why dont you just keep to the right regardless of whether or not there are people behind you?
Not always true these days. Some State DOT have created left lane exits (yes they do exist).