For what it is worth... Carrying a copy of the law is not a bad idea. Showing it to an enforcement type might be, depending on the individual and the kind of day he is having. Might irritate the cop and get you written up for something else, less able to be defended. Use discression, consider showing the law "cite" to a supervisory cop or deputy DA. I truly hate to "roll over" when wronged and know I am right but sometimes you have to pick the right level of beuracracy to make your stand. Even when it is a waste of my time and money, I believe it is my duty to carry forth and make my point.
I have flashers and SMV sign. I would be happy to drive on the shoulder, completely out of any traffic lane BUT not usually available or wide enough. It is safer to "take" a lane and not encourage unsafe and or illegal passing even though, as it does to me, it feels like I'm being a road hog. Same thing with riding a bike. If you pull to the right extreme of the lane you encourage unsafe passing and contribute to getting yourself injured or help cause a head-on on the part of a passing car.
I have determined, even when driving a truck, no faster than 5 over the posted limit that solid yellow lines in my lane are automatically converted to "passing optional" signs by folks for whom 10 over isn't enough. In this part of the country (Oklahoma) there are some strange customs/"courtesy"? Folks will pull over and drive on the right shoulder so you can pass in a no passing zone without crossing the centerline, often using their LEFT turn signal to indicate what they expect you to do. Posted signs prohibiting driving on the shoulder are ignored to provide this courtesy.
Makes me nervous but I'll get used to it I guess. What I do appreciate from vehicles or tractors making left turns when there is no oncoming traffic and I am following them is that smart courteous drivers pull across the center line and drive on the wrong side of the road in advance of their turn or use the oncoming lane for deceleration prior to turning left. This makes it less neccessary for the following vehicles to have to slow way down. This gets smiles and waves of appreciation.
When driving a tractor where shoulders are insufficient for rapid (10 MPH or better) travel but good enough to allow pulling over, I will always pull over and let accumulated vehicles pass. I don't like to hold folks up more than neccessary and find that especially if I give clear hand signals that I expect them to pass that I will get a smile and a wave, in thanks.
Tags on a farm tractor!!!! Gee I hope that idea doesn't come to the southern part of the midwest. I could see a commercial rig used in landscaping or construction where they might drive on the streets a lot but a farm tractor that hits the public road in an agricultural area for way less than 1% of its hours seems a reasonable vehicle to maintain as exempt from registration and tags and associated fees.
Patrick
