Quote:
Originally Posted by goodtimesintv
We all (I hope) see your point, but under typical circumstances, the drivers in both lanes are not going (poozeydookin' along) that slowly. The clueless driver on the left should have been stopped for not going at a reasonable speed under the conditions.
As I remember it, the notion of "left lane is passing lane" came to be on interstate highways where the speed limit was 65 and there are minimum speed limits to stay above.
I remember a time about 10 years ago, when some states made the left lane of the interstate highways the designated, required lane that semi-trucks had to use. (I think because entrance ramp cars had such a terrible time merging into the right lane with strings of semi trucks staying in the right lane because "left lane was 'passing' lane" was causing huge problems for those trying to merge into the right lane.)
I can think of many times where I've had to merge from an interstate or expressway entrance ramp into the right lane traffic going 55 mph or 65 mph, and the entrance lane is quickly ending. That is when we want the cars/trucks to get over into the left lane so we can merge in. Calling the left lane "passing only" simply is not feasible.
The local county roads like 466 are not interstate or expressway, non-stopping or non-slowing roads. Here, there are all kinds of reasons like high number of cars, frequent left turns to slow down for, frequent store/gas station driveways on the right from which people need to sometime come out onto the right lane after waiting and waiting for the string of cars to clear.
The "left lane is passing lane only" is not a good solution for local, county roads like these here. The left lane has to have other uses besides passing, and sometimes there is no opening on the right to get back into after passing, or there's a stoplight coming up frequently.
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The exact point for the road sign to stay right. No one is saying stay in the right lane so people can speed by you. Not what so ever. It helps keep the traffic flowing. The car in the left should have gotten stopped, but no police around. But if you follow the sign, then there is not the issue. That is what the sign and law of the lane is for.
As far as the Big trucks on the interstate, The left lane is forbidden for a tractor-trailer to use if there are 3 or more lanes in most states, Got out on 75 and you will see signs stating that. The reason is because you got a lot of trucks that were set to 60 or 65 mph by their company. If a truck gets caught in the left lane or lanes then it is ticket time. 150.00 on I-285 loop in Atlanta. Got one of those tickets years back.
It is just common courtesy to stay right. I had my daughter driving on 466 the other day, We were in the right lane doing maybe 45. 2 cars approached us from behind. moving faster than we were by far. Told her just keep your speed, they will go by us.