Ticketed for driving slow in the left lane

[Tomtint]

Many years ago, I was traveling north through Maine in a Dodge Ram with a sled in the bed and 4 others on a trailer behind us. A friend was driving and there were 4 more of us as passengers. We were pulled over by who I would swear was Buffert T Justice... Big ole hat, cigar, mustache...a dead ringer. He walks up to the window and blows his smoke into the truck and says " I been waitin for a guy like you alllll day"....( we were going 80 something) ....My buddy who was driving ( total smart azz) says ...."Well, I got here quick as I could officer" ....Cop takes his info back to the cruser and comes back 5 minutes later, throws the liscense and reg in the window and says.. " I been a trooper 30 years...Never heard that one before , now get out of here". We were with out doubt in the left lane

 

[dave1949]

On many rural highways I will travel about 10mph over the speed limit . I often will come up on someone doing 5-10mph under the speed limit and pass them. While approaching them I gain ground fairly quickly, then after I pass they will keep up with me, or lose ground much more slowly. I don't know if my passing made them aware of their slow driving because they weren't paying attention, or what. Probably as DT86 said, they were probably on the phone or texting.

How about the people on two-lanes that ride your bumper but never pass? I drive the speed limit on two lane roads, some always want to go faster but have no clue about how to pass. It's scary to think of it, sharing the road with those who have not learned a basic driving skill.

The other thing about passing on a two lane road, is those who have no intention of passing don't leave room for someone who does. You see a slow vehicle with 4-5 cars stacked up close behind it, each one following too closely for safety. Minus a very speedy sports car, you are stuck. One or two can be passed, but the chance to pass four or five together is usually rare here in the East.

And then there are those who if they see you passing, will close up the gap you need to pull into. It's like if they are too inept to pass, you shouldn't be passing either.

 

[rtimgray]

I read in a survey that 93% of Americans rate themselves above median (top 50%) in terms of driving ability.

 

[MossRoad]

On many rural highways I will travel about 10mph over the speed limit . I often will come up on someone doing 5-10mph under the speed limit and pass them. While approaching them I gain ground fairly quickly, then after I pass they will keep up with me, or lose ground much more slowly. I don't know if my passing made them aware of their slow driving because they weren't paying attention, or what. Probably as DT86 said, they were probably on the phone or texting.

Heck, that's an easy one. They wait for a speeder to pass and then let them run point so the speeder gets the ticket.... how's it feel to get used?

:laughing:

 

[murphy1244]

Heck, that's an easy one. They wait for a speeder to pass and then let them run point so the speeder gets the ticket.... how's it feel to get used?

:laughing:

That's right, I call them my cheese.

 

[mikehaugen]

Heck, that's an easy one. They wait for a speeder to pass and then let them run point so the speeder gets the ticket.... how's it feel to get used?

:laughing:

I have thought about that, but most of the time I don't think it is the case... and the couple that are, that is ok, I am not going to follow behind them crawling along, I usually am on my way to work or something. You can usually tell the people that are just lolly-gagging down the road then realize they are going slow once I pass them. I really am not even going that fast usually to be too worried about getting pulled over. These road 10 over is kinda the norm and I have passed many a leo and they don't even flinch. So if it is worth it to someone to drive 10 miles under the speed limit for miles hoping for someone to pass them so they can go 10 over, then I guess more power to them.

 

[TomSeller]

.
Why should I be obliged to further exceed the speed limit, beyond my comfort zone, because someone else wants to exceed that limit by an even greater margin? If I speed up, I feel as though I could be exposing myself to a citation, and I have personally witnessed multiple cars being pulled over at the same time in our area (the old speed gun on the overpass/deputies on the on ramp scenario). I tend to just motor along at my cruise control speed (which is above the posted speed limit), until I can return to the right hand lane.
.

You shouldn't. Those people have no " right" to endanger the public by driving over the speed limit.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Having over a million miles behind me, all I can say is I sure am glad I don't have to get out much these days, lol! I do have a relative story and a thought to offer.

I used to work with this fellow that took offense to someone wheeling off a ramp and jumping into the left lane in front of him. He decided to do a little "bulldogging", flipping the lights, tailgating, etc. Next thing, an arm came out the window placing a flashing light on the roof...

The thought is that most of these paths crossed result in frayed nerves, elevated blood pressure and then common sense prevails. There are those out there though that will pull a weapon or use their vehicle as one. If you are getting a number of one fingered salutes, close calls, etc., maybe you should evaluate your driving. Know when to let someone else be the rabbit.

 

[rtimgray]

In the end, driving is really alot like baseball: It doesn't matter how fast you go around, it only matters how many times you get home safe.

 

[daugen]

Left Lane Louises, the scourge of the highways.
Anyone who has driven in Europe, particularly Germany, where it seems everyone knows how to drive
about ten times better than the average American, they know the rules, and for the most part obey them.
And when in the passing lane, you "overtake" by significant speed; your job as driver is to pass that car and get back out of the
left lane as soon as possible. And boy does that work nicely.

Anyone who lives near areas of concentrated senior citizens is well aware of this problem.
And you will likely be as amazed as I was to hear why some of those seniors are way over to the left, near the
median guardrail. It's because they can see the guardrail and keep a certain distance from it. Being over in the right lane, or a middle lane,
doesn't seem to work, particularly when there is a large open area, grassy, gravel, whatever on the right.
So when I mentioned this problem to a friend who also lived in North Miami, he told me this, and since he had lived there all his life, and
I had seen it so many times on the Florida interstates, that I really believe him. They can't see in the right lane, peripheral vision is apparently shot, and apparently seeing down to the white lines is iffy too... so they like that left guardrail. Scary.

Keep Right Except To Pass. State law here. And I remember learning that in driver ed in the sixties. Did they
stop teaching it?

I can see being in the left lane in a severe driving rain to get out of the spray of a big truck or line of traffic ahead. But if someone comes up on my tail, I have to move, no
question. Now in snowy weather, the left lanes are usually the most snow covered so most folk gravitate over to the right to get a clearer path.
But there always will be the yahoo, usually in an elevated p/u, that will be going 10-20mph faster than the flow of traffic just to show everyone around him what a superior
driver he is. And we are supposed to move over for him? yes, I guess...