Community Forums

Arch Hoagland · 08-06-2011, 10:25 PM

I'll use the left lane when the right is really bad but I keep a close eye behind me and if anybody is evenly remotely coming up on me me I go back to the right lane.

I40 comes to mind heading east towards Arizona.

Wayne MD · 08-06-2011, 10:47 PM

Then there are those who drive in left lane no matter what speed, (usually slow)
and never attempt to move out of the way at all. No courtesy to it. This occurs in all states.

SteveLevin · 08-06-2011, 10:48 PM

I hate running in the left lane but there are a handful of stretches of highway here in California where even at 50mph the pounding is so wicked I've gone to running in the left lane for those few miles.

Steve

LadyFitz... · 08-07-2011, 08:34 AM

People aren't kidding about the washboarded roads in CA. The I-10 around Banning west is horrible in the right two lanes. The left lanes aren't all that stellar either.

Ranger429 · 08-07-2011, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsbike

The tractor trailers are not permitted in the left 2 lanes. Sometimes they are slower & sometimes the same or faster.

This is probably the dumbest restriction placed on trucks that i know of. Why would you restrict a semi weighing 80,000lbs to the 2 right lanes where traffic merges on and off and four wheelers waiting till the last second to get to the exit ramp. Here is an idea, why not allow the semi's to run the left lane? It would probably ease some of the congestion around the bigger cities. After all the majority of them are just passing thru.

I am not a left lane runner unless I am passing someone. I tend to stay out of the way of the faster moving traffic.

Wayne M · 08-07-2011, 08:53 AM

I travel in the right hand lane on four lane highways, always on the right on a two lane highway, and when I get into the city with more than two lanes, I stay out of the right hand lane as much as possible to avoid those oncoming dumb dumb drivers that do not know how to get up-to-speed.

Typically, everyone is going faster on the highway than I am. If I notice I'm holding up a few cars or more, as soon as I can safely do so, and without a lot of trouble doing so, I'll pull over and let them go by. It only takes about 30 seconds of my time.

My biggest gripe are those people on cell phones while driving that have no idea of what is going on around their vehicle. Regardless of which lane they re in they are going 10-15 miles below the speed limit, just because they are not aware, and because they are to dumb to put the vehicle on cruise control at the speed limit.

Senior Chief · 08-07-2011, 09:02 AM

I will confess to running in the left hand lane when the right is too washboarded, but I also confess to being one of those drivers who is CONSTANTLY checking forward, aft, and in both mirrors and rear-view camera in order to stay on top of traffic around me (this is ancient habit.) I always pull over in plenty of time to let others pass.

Cell phones are such pernicious driving hazards ; they cause people to turn off about 3/4 of their brain and it unplugs their driving-habit center. Its odd to me, since you can speak with someone in the car with minimal distractions, but put that someone on the other end of a cellphone... bam, you're gone.

I'd love to see the brainwave pattern of someone in a cellphone conversation vs. a live conversation.

TurtleKent · 08-07-2011, 09:10 AM

Ohio has no 'Left Lane except to Pass' law, so passing on the right is legal.

mrblanche · 08-07-2011, 09:39 AM

Arkansas used to have signs for the truckers: "Truckers Use Left Lane to Equalize Wear." Unfortunately, they were in the weigh stations and were never seen by the general public, so they didn't know about it.

Texas has a law reserving the left lane for passing, and I HAVE seen it enforced.

But just as a point of law, exceeding the speed limit does not give you title to the left lane. Of course, there's almost nowhere in Texas my truck can do the speed limit, let alone exceed it. So, if I'm in the left lane, I AM passing someone, even if I'm not passing them as fast as other drivers would like. Or I'm obeying the law requiring vehicles to move over if they approach a stopped emergency or law enforcement vehicle. I've had more than one driver come up behind me, get unhappy, jump in the right lane just as we got to the police officer...and get chased down for it.

codgerbill · 08-07-2011, 09:55 AM

I don't know about other states, but in Michigan a lot of the freeways have a left lane exit to get on to other freeways/roads. When that is the case, with a RV (Motor home/Trailer,etc) or a truck you must get to the left lane within a reasonable time (depending on traffic) or you will not make the exit.

menoble · 08-07-2011, 10:08 AM

I'm left-handed so it's a natural tendency to favor the left side.

hondo122 · 08-07-2011, 10:19 AM

I never run the right lane because of the fools that do not understand what merge means. Last week in central Maine I was in the right lane at an inter change an SUV accelerated to speed he was just behind the door, turned on his signals and started to pull over never once looked over and had no idea I was there, there was a truck on my left I hit the air horn he hit the brakes and gave me the finger. After he got on he sped up passed me and pulled in front and slammed on his brakes giving me the finger again then sped off. Not before I got his tag #. Called 911 gave them the mile number, tag and description of the incident. 4 miles later I passed him pulled over by the state trooper. Waved and kept going. Karma's a bitch.

CJ7ole · 08-07-2011, 10:28 AM

Ok, so far the most common reason for you folks to hang in the left lane is torn up pavement in the right lane. Been there. Seems legit to me. Also seems that most of you are considerate of those behind you and get out of the way with someone on your tail. I know that there a lot of folks out there that just hang in the left lane no matter what, can we hear from you?

I hear ya about merging fools in the right lane, or even just heavy merging traffic, particularly where the ramps are coming quick in an urban setting and a whole row of folks are trying to merge. That is where I like it when there are 3 lanes where I can get in the middle lane until things get a bit more rural and I feel comfortable in the right lane again.

Senior Chief · 08-07-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ7ole

Ok, so far the most common reason for you folks to hang in the left lane is torn up pavement in the right lane. Been there. Seems legit to me. Also seems that most of you are considerate of those behind you and get out of the way with someone on your tail. I know that there a lot of folks out there that just hang in the left lane no matter what, can we hear from you?

I hear ya about merging fools in the right lane, or even just heavy merging traffic, particularly where the ramps are coming quick in an urban setting and a whole row of folks are trying to merge. That is where I like it when there are 3 lanes where I can get in the middle lane until things get a bit more rural and I feel comfortable in the right lane again.

In a three lane urban situation, I think your RV is safest in the middle lane; people can pass on either side of you if necessary, you don't murder any idiots trying to merge or get off and you can probably keep speed close enough to the flow of traffic to not be a hazard, just a minor annoyance.