New Florida Law: Left Lane is for Passing
 

One of the Villages Airport Van drivers mentioned to me this week that he was pulled over this month on the FL Tpke by FHP and given a warning. it is now illegal to continually drive in the left lane when others are behind you. If approached from behind (regardless of speed) you must move over and allow other’s to pass you. This sounds like reasonable and long overdue legislation. Anyone familiar with this new law?

I believe 29 States already have this law on the books.

It should be courtesy as we get so, so regulated...unfortunately it is not. The other side is when someone behind is going as fast as lightening and a driver is hemmed in and afraid to risk quickly getting into the overly busy right hand lanes while Type A behind is honking and flashing now demanding that it is his 'right'.

Oh for the good ole days....or were they?

The law states you cannot travel continually in the left lane, 10 mph or lower than the posted speed limit.

Left-lane slowpokes face fines under new Florida law | members.jacksonville.com
The left-lane provision is part of the 226-page House Bill 7125. It states that drivers on any road with two or more lanes in the same direction may not drive more than 10 mph slower than the posted speed limit in the left lane if they know they are being overtaken. It does not apply to drivers preparing for a left turn at an intersection.

I also confirmed this, while talking to a highway patrolman.

Hurray!!! This will prevent so so so many accidents.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/.../0316.081.html

Statute:
(3) On a road, street, or highway having two or more lanes allowing movement in the same direction, a driver may not continue to operate a motor vehicle in the furthermost left-hand lane if the driver knows or reasonably should know that he or she is being overtaken in that lane from the rear by a motor vehicle traveling at a higher rate of speed. This subsection does not apply to drivers operating a vehicle that is overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, or is preparing for a left turn at an intersection.

Some who drive in the left lane at or below the speed limit are just clueless. Sometimes when I am forced to pass on the left I glance over to see the driver and I can tell they are just zoned out and unaware of the clog they are creating. Some do it to be spiteful feeling I have a right to drive in this lane as long as I am doing at least the speed limit. Both are causing a problem.

The intent of left lanes was for that exact purpose. Common sense would dictate such. However some drivers either are unconscious to the surroundings around them or preoccupied to notice that a long trail of cars is behind them. Also i recall a poster who said that he gets in the left lane at the stated speed and stays there so other cars won't speed. This is the reason Florida probably had to make this law.

The problem with it is that it is going to cause many more drivers to zig zag back and forth between the left/right lanes because the right lane is going to contain people who won't go over 60mph even though the speed limit is 70mph. So does the state then pull driver in the right lane not going the stated speed limit?

This law also implies that drivers going above 70mph + actually keep traffic flowing better which reduces bunching up and chain reaction accidents

the law has been on the table for a good number of years.
The new law still allows people to stay in the left lane as long as they are driving at the speed limit.

As a result the effectiveness will be .....none!!!!!

As far as waiting for driver courtesy to affect anything.....fagedaboutit.

Lane police the absolute worst!

If this is the case, the effect/meaning of the OP changes significantly.

What about the drivers on a cell phone in the left hand lane driving below the speed limit. Clueless?

Which NASCAR races have the biggest wrecks year in and year out? The restrictor plate races (Talladega & Daytona) where all of the cars are bunched together. The 'SUPER' citizen in the left lane making sure everyone else is in check is setting up this same dangerous situation. That being said, I don't condone the Beemer that has to go 90 mph either. Drive according to the traffic around you I guess. I'll go a little quicker than average when it's available, but back it off when the situation warrants...and whine about how dumb everyone else is.

They are the worst, next to the drunks and drug impaired. Left lane slow drivers need to be ticketed.

Maybe there's now hope on 466A for those driving in the left lane at 35-40 mph!

After reading the news articles of June 2013 stating the law is to get slowpoke drivers to move to the right lane if going 10 mph+ under the speed limit, I think it is wrong to claim the left lane is a "passing lane only".

Many times it's necessary to keep going in the left lane at the speed limit or above, because the right lane is a solid string of vehicles backed up behind a vehicle or two going under the speed limit. How does it help to force everybody out of the left lane and into the right lane that is clogged up?

The left lane should be regarded as a "thru lane" when the other one is slow!