Slow Left Lane Drivers


Road Rage

By Observer of Rudeness, Section News
Posted on Tue May 15, 2007 at 06:57:59 AM EST

Slower drivers: Please keep right.

One of my biggest pet peeves is slower drivers occupying the left (passing) lane. Most people with any kind of reasonable amount of driving experience know that the far left lane on a multi-lane road is meant for passing.

I have noticed that most people adhere to this rule on rural interstate highway, partially due to the fact that there are signs reminding slower traffic to keep to the right, and partially due to the fact that angry truck drivers will enforce the rule by bearing down on your bumper with 75 tons of Peterbilt with their horns blaring!

However, I wish more folks would be courteous enough to remember this rule on I-240. (our local Memphis loop)

I live out east, so I take the NonconnahBahn and 240 to work every day. Individuals driving 55 mph in the fast lane clogging up traffic is a constant problem. I hate to be tailgated, but when I come up on one of these slow-pokes, I'll slowly inch up closer to them to try to get them to take a hint and move over, but most of the time, they look straight ahead and keep driving 55 mph like they don't see me, when I know good and well they do! This necessitates my passing them on the right, which is dangerous and unnecessary.

And Heaven forbid I briefly flash the high beams on my car or motorcycle to request the slower driver ahead of me to move over!  This is usually met with a brake check (driver slams on brakes) or the driver slowing down even more! Followed by "The Finger".

In fact, sometimes I even get the feeling that these "slow left lane drivers" are actually trying to "regulate" the speed of other drivers by going slow and holding up traffic!

If people would follow the unwritten rule of staying out of the left lane except to pass, then traffic would flow much more freely!

So, please, do everyone a favor, and stay out of the far left lane except to pass, and if you happen to be in the left lane when faster traffic comes up behind you, please have the common courtesy to merge to your right in order to let faster drivers pass.

Thanks,

A Concerned Memphis Sport Rider

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Slow Left Lane Drivers | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden) | Post A Comment
"Slow Drivers --- MOVE OVER!" (none / 0) (#7)
by Username on Tue May 22, 2007 at 05:43:13 PM EST
Check this out:

Slow Drivers - Move Over!
Grassroots campaign prods slowpokes out of left lanes

Website: www.leftlanedrivers.org

            Enough with slow drivers in the left lane! "As traffic gets increasingly congested, it's time for citizens to reclaim the left lane," says J.A. Tosti, spokesman for Left Lane Drivers of America, a grassroots effort to get slower traffic to move right. "More and more these days, you find slow drivers in the left lane, causing no end of headache and frustration to those of us who have places to go and people to see. Some of these offenders are timid and tentative, some are completely oblivious to what's going on around them, and some are self-appointed `hall monitors' regulating what they alone have determined to be proper driving speeds. Whatever be the case, it's time for us to trumpet the message, `If you're not a Left Lane Driver, get out of the left lane!'"  
            In order to actually help slower drivers move right, Left Lane Drivers of America offers copyrighted windshield decals which boldly and prominently display their unified sentiment in the offending driver's rearview mirror. The decal, which reads "MOVE OVER" also has a large arrow showing them where to go. The words and arrow display backwards on the windshield so that they read properly when seen in the mirror (go to www.leftlanedrivers.org to see picture). According to Tosti, "Although the message minces no words, the idea here is not to be rude or pushy but to offer slow drivers a gentle prod, reminding them of the need to either pick up the pace or make room for those who choose to drive a bit faster."  
            In fact, slow drivers do need to move over. In many states, the left lane is supposed to be the passing lane and slower drivers can be cited for obstructing traffic. Those who stake out permanent positions for themselves in the left lane tend to provoke those wanting to drive faster, often giving them no other choice but the dangerous strategy of passing on the right in order to get ahead. Slow drivers can easily become slow moving safety hazards.  
            Bottom Line: Moving over is a matter of courtesy. It is a matter of safety. It is a matter of doing one's part to help traffic flow smoothly. And it is the law in many states: "Stay to the right except to pass". Left Lane Drivers of America is doing something positive to help improve traffic flow on today's overcrowded, pressure-packed freeways. Their "Move Over" message has the potential of helping reduce instances of road rage, hazardous driving and untimely, often deadly accidents.

[ Reply to This ]

Irony (none / 0) (#8)
by Bliss on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 07:46:56 AM EST
This is also for Rude's comment above.

I hate driving, Its boring so I cruise at moderate higher speeds even when not in a hurry, Im sure most can agree on this.

On one of ower longer trips during the spring time cruising on a 2 lane highway we come apon a long stretch of up hill grade with a long train of 18'wheelers in the right and a motorist pacing the rigs in the left.
Slowing down
as I aproched I flashed my lights asking him to move over since he had room, He abruptly put his brakes on and gave me the IQ hand signal.
I slowed and was now watching as the train of rigs were now passing us, I moved behind them.

As the rude person slowed next to me he moved rigth forcing me off onto the clearing of the side of the road where I stopped.

He pulled in front of me and proceded to get out of his car yelling and threatening me and mine on how rude I was signaling him to move over.

I stood at the front of my SUV (Pissed from almost being rammed for no reason at the time) , He swung at me which I was lucky enough to dodge, Just then 2 guys grabbed him from behind (2 truckers that saw me forced off the road, Pulled off and came back to check), The rude person still wanted a peace of me, But as he ran at me 5 others from behind my SUV intercepted (4 other cars that were behind me saw what happen and pulled over), So now Im watching as 6 guys now kicking the crap out of some jerk on the ground.

A second later a highway patrole officer steps around and breaks up the fight, It seems he was also following aways behind, But it was the airplane that saw it all, After about 45 min of explaining my infomation and my part in this we were let to go on ower way As with the other 7 men who helped.
The man was taken away bloodied and broused face in handcuffs and charged with multiple accounts, Public neusance, Assult with a deadly weapon (his car), Battery (he did touch me) to name a few and mutiple traffic violations, Disruption of traffic flow and intent to cause such and driving to slow in the left lane , Seems theres a non posted law about "Slow traffic keep right"

I did wonder if the officer was following to tryt to ticket us since we were doing almost 80mph, But havent though about it since.

"Anger managment"
Be human, Be cool, Calm, Gracefull and let us help us all ease through life.


[ Reply to This ]

slow left lane drivers (none / 0) (#231)
by rude people suck on Fri Nov 21, 2008 at 01:54:33 PM EST
I agree with you. One thing I never agree with, no matter what, is tailgaiting. There is NO good enough reason to tailgate anyone. There life and your life and the lives of all others around you is good enough reason to never tailgate. If you do, for what ever reson, it is only then selfishness and disregarding the saftey of others. Also lack of patients. You CANNOT stop your car if the person in front of you has to hits there breaks. It is scientifically impossible to do! I have a corvette that has upgraded racing breaks on it and is made for racing on a track and I know my vehicles limits! If myn cant stop in time your wont either. So I dont care what the person is doing in front of you, you have no right to ut them at risk. Your also what I consider to be just as much a Gomer as the person in front of you that wont move out of the fast lane, because you ont have enough sense nor driving skills nor common sense to understand you will be hurt or killed to! Hello, knock knock, anyone home in there? What about the person behind you that may have a car full of kids? They wont be able to stop either unless they have kept the proper distance. So before you start a war with the person in the fast lane, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR DOING AND THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR DRIVING ACTIONS because you yourself lack patience. Drive smart even though alot of others dont or your in my book not better than them!. I move out of the fast lane and am curteous. But when I do encounter a slow driver I stay my distance. Im smart about it, gain my patients back, as well as my temper and think about what Im doing. Its the ones that let emotion take over that are dangerous as well because they make erratic movements that arent thought out first. Also if there passing the other vehicles and you want to go 80 or 90 or 100 miles per hour in a 55 or 60 mile per hour zone then take personal responsibility for what your doing which is not legal as much as it isnt legal to be slowing traffic in the fast lane. Twenty miles or over you are arrested for where I live and loose you license untill court. Speed is just as dangerous and is the number one cause of accidents and deaths people. Especially the ones that think there professional race car drivers on the highway when they arent. Other cars can not see you coming nor expect a vehicle to be coming up that fast when the change lanes. Highly dangerous. So if some one is passing in the fast lane they are doing the correct thing as long as it is the speed limit or above. They should then as soon as possible move over for faster traffic. Purely legal and thats the rules. If they dont then dont tailgate. There will allways be someone in the fast lane passing that wont be cruising as fast as you want to, so have paitience.

[ Reply to This ]
slow left lane drivers (none / 0) (#232)
by rude people suck on Fri Nov 21, 2008 at 01:54:36 PM EST
I agree with you. One thing I never agree with, no matter what, is tailgaiting. There is NO good enough reason to tailgate anyone. There life and your life and the lives of all others around you is good enough reason to never tailgate. If you do, for what ever reson, it is only then selfishness and disregarding the saftey of others. Also lack of patients. You CANNOT stop your car if the person in front of you has to hits there breaks. It is scientifically impossible to do! I have a corvette that has upgraded racing breaks on it and is made for racing on a track and I know my vehicles limits! If myn cant stop in time your wont either. So I dont care what the person is doing in front of you, you have no right to ut them at risk. Your also what I consider to be just as much a Gomer as the person in front of you that wont move out of the fast lane, because you ont have enough sense nor driving skills nor common sense to understand you will be hurt or killed to! Hello, knock knock, anyone home in there? What about the person behind you that may have a car full of kids? They wont be able to stop either unless they have kept the proper distance. So before you start a war with the person in the fast lane, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR DOING AND THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR DRIVING ACTIONS because you yourself lack patience. Drive smart even though alot of others dont or your in my book not better than them!. I move out of the fast lane and am curteous. But when I do encounter a slow driver I stay my distance. Im smart about it, gain my patients back, as well as my temper and think about what Im doing. Its the ones that let emotion take over that are dangerous as well because they make erratic movements that arent thought out first. Also if there passing the other vehicles and you want to go 80 or 90 or 100 miles per hour in a 55 or 60 mile per hour zone then take personal responsibility for what your doing which is not legal as much as it isnt legal to be slowing traffic in the fast lane. Twenty miles or over you are arrested for where I live and loose you license untill court. Speed is just as dangerous and is the number one cause of accidents and deaths people. Especially the ones that think there professional race car drivers on the highway when they arent. Other cars can not see you coming nor expect a vehicle to be coming up that fast when the change lanes. Highly dangerous. So if some one is passing in the fast lane they are doing the correct thing as long as it is the speed limit or above. They should then as soon as possible move over for faster traffic. Purely legal and thats the rules. If they dont then dont tailgate. There will allways be someone in the fast lane passing that wont be cruising as fast as you want to, so have paitience.

[ Reply to This ]
Slow Left Lane Drivers | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden) | Post A Comment
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