Ticketed for driving slow in the left lane

[rockshaft]

If I am in the process of passing, at or in excess of the posted speed limit (5mph over is typical for me), I really am not concerned about any nascar driver behind me. People should be concerned with driving safely. I don't cut off fast drivers if i see them approaching. If i see a copper in the rearview, i sure as heck am not about to speed up to get out of his/her way, unless they are signally me to do so.
I've spent a fair amount of time on the autobaun and autostrada, also have seen way more burned out vehicles littering the roadway over there.

 

[dave1949]

If I am in the process of passing, at or in excess of the posted speed limit (5mph over is typical for me), I really am not concerned about any nascar driver behind me. People should be concerned with driving safely. I don't cut off fast drivers if i see them approaching. If i see a copper in the rearview, i sure as heck am not about to speed up to get out of his/her way, unless they are signally me to do so.
I've spent a fair amount of time on the autobaun and autostrada, also have seen way more burned out vehicles littering the roadway over there.

I don't think your speed has much to do with it. A lot of people drive 5 mph over. You could easily be passing someone with a very small difference in speed from your own, speeding or not. You intend to pass, so get 'er done.

I think it's more about how long you take to pass. If you keep driving the same speed, that isn't passing; it's just doing what you have been doing, but in a different lane. The passing time can be easily be reduced by picking up your speed by 2 mph.

If I am the one being passed for 5 miles, I don't like it. My escape routes have been cut in half as long as that other vehicle is beside me. It's not uncommon for other drivers to drift in and out of your blind spot either, because they aren't really passing. If I am the one passing, and both vehicles are speeding, the person in the left lane is more likely to get the ticket--I look like the one that's in a hurry.

Of course traffic conditions have a lot to do with it. If the road is near or at capacity, there is nowhere to go, so relax. But I often see roads well below their capacity that are being bottle-necked by a few cars. There can be miles of mostly empty road ahead, but you can't get to it because someone thinks they are "passing." It is common to see cars in bunches of a dozen or two on a basically empty road. Guess how that happens.

Some posters have talked about how people react to asocial driving. I am not saying people should get riled up and do silly stuff. That is always unsafe.

 

[txdon]

Section 21-301 :: Maryland Transportation :: 2005 :: Maryland Code :: US Codes and Statutes :: US Law :: Justia The law cited on the ticket.

"any vehicle going 10 miles an hour or more below"

She was going 2 miles per hour below speed limit. Case dismissed. Next.

 

[rockshaft]

There is a posted speed limit for a reason. But i agree on your points in general. I don't drive with intent to slow anyone down or cause any safety concerns for those i'm passing. But if you come up on me from behind well in excess of the limit, you are operating illegally, no matter if there are other illegally operating motorists around you.

 

[dave1949]

Section 21-301 :: Maryland Transportation :: 2005 :: Maryland Code :: US Codes and Statutes :: US Law :: Justia The law cited on the ticket.

"any vehicle going 10 miles an hour or more below"

She was going 2 miles per hour below speed limit. Case dismissed. Next.

Not so fast, er, I mean slow :laughing:

(a) On every roadway that is wide enough, a vehicle shall be driven on the right half of the roadway, except:
(1) While overtaking and passing another vehicle going in the same direction, under the rules governing this movement;

If she wasn't "overtaking and passing", she is in violation of the law. She just wasn't cited for this portion of the statute.

 

[dave1949]

There is a posted speed limit for a reason. But i agree on your points in general. I don't drive with intent to slow anyone down or cause any safety concerns for those i'm passing. But if you come up on me from behind well in excess of the limit, you are operating illegally, no matter if there are other illegally operating motorists around you.

I most likely wouldn't be the person coming up behind you well in excess of the limit. I would be happy to just drive the limit, but that is sometimes made impossible by people dawdling in the left lane. Traffic starts backing up behind them and pretty soon the whole string is alternately surging and slowing, sort of an oscillation.

If this happens when there is moderate to heavy traffic, it can cause traffic jams where five miles behind the dawdler, cars are actually coming to complete stops. That is not a safe situation and it was all hatched by a clueless left lane abuser.

 

[txdon]

Not so fast, er, I mean slow :laughing:

(a) On every roadway that is wide enough, a vehicle shall be driven on the right half of the roadway, except:
(1) While overtaking and passing another vehicle going in the same direction, under the rules governing this movement;

If she wasn't "overtaking and passing", she is in violation of the law. She just wasn't cited for this portion of the statute.

Exactly - She wasn't cited for that portion of the statue ONLY the speed, which she was not in violation. She does not have to prove she was passing or not, she is not accused of it. All she has to prove is that she was going more than 55MPH and the officer proves that for her. NEXT case please.

 

[dave1949]

Exactly - She wasn't cited for that portion of the statue ONLY the speed, which she was not in violation. She does not have to prove she was passing or not, she is not accused of it. All she has to prove is that she was going more than 55MPH and the officer proves that for her. NEXT case please.

Another guilty person goes free on a technicality and smooth talking lawyer. :laughing:

 

[SPYDERLK]

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.

You got that right. I think a major contributor to the pass problem is the law that says you cant exceed the speed limit while passing. ... Can you imagine the simian glee in the legislative body? ... Any one going near the speed limit cannot be legally passed safely in less than half a mile. People are afraid to pass cuz they risk a ticket. Traffic clots form because of this and theres no room/spacing to work thru them. ... Then one of the lead cars turn giving less than 100yds notice. -- Then theres the "how dare you pass mes" ... I was in one of these the other night and found a space of 200yds between the 2 cars ahead of me. I downgeared and accelerated wide open til I was next to the passee, then held that speed to carry me by. It didnt. The guy sped up staying on my rear fender. I maxed it again and about 1 sec later an oncoming car came over the hill at the end of the passing zone. The guy was still at my rear bumper and we were coming up fast on the next car up in the clot. I swerved right wide open. The legislators and the guy had made a perfectly safe situation death defying, simply by frivolous attitude.
larry

 

[daugen]

Study shows half of licensed drivers would fail driver's test - Autoweek
this could be part of the problem.
I wonder why Missouri did so poorly...