Left-lane bandits may face $250 fine

[TexasTowelie]

The House of Delegates has approved a bill that would impose a mandatory $250 fine for driving too slowly in the left lane on highways.

HB 2201 was introduced by Delegate Israel O’Quinn, R-Bristol, and co-sponsored Delegate Kaye Kory of Falls Church and Senator Scott Surovell of Fairfax, both Democrats, to show bipartisan support for the measure.

O’Quinn said this is something that affects all Virginians, regardless of which side of the aisle they align themselves with.

“It doesn’t matter which corner of the commonwealth you come from,” he said when addressing the bill on the House floor Monday. “It doesn’t matter which interstate or four-lane highway that you have going through the districts you represent. I guarantee you are going to encounter this many times, even if you’re on the highways for just a few minutes.”

Read more: http://www.suffolknewsherald.com/2017/02/02/left-lane-bandits-may-face-250-fine/

[braddy]

1. This is good news, protect safe traffic flow.

[Berlin Vet]

2. Speed Limit

The left lane is supposedly for passing but if you are driving the speed limit in the right lane why would someone pass you? I try to drive the speed limit but I get passed by speeding drivers all the time. I was just wondering.

[braddy]

4. The main safety factor is traffic flow and reducing lane changes, etc, not the speed limit. If the

fast lanes are moving at 80 that day, a lane hogger can wreak havoc while trying to impose his version of order on the world.

[kelly1mm]

3. This is already the rule in Maryland and it is enforced all the time in the western part

of the state. I sometimes feel bad for drivers from DC/Baltimore out here as they may hardly ever NOT be in traffic so perhaps don't understand that slower traffic keeps right.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

5. Pennsylvania might be that way? I saw warning signs about it along their highways.

It's NICE compared to Ohio's interstates.

If I got behind a slow-poke in PA, the left lane was always available to pass them. There's a high chance of getting stuck behind another slow-poke in the left lane while trying to pass in OH.

[phylny]

7. Is a "slow poke" someone obeying the posted speed limit? n/t

[Buckeye_Democrat]

8. No, but I'll admit that I consider someone going just 5 mph under the limit to be a slow poke.

My strategy is to keep as much distance between me and the other vehicles as possible.

Getting stuck behind slower cars blocking all lanes, when there's faster ones behind me, creates a peloton of vehicles. That's not safe. I prefer to get around the "slow pokes" and pull over to the right lane with lots of space all around me (whenever possible). If there's some speedsters, they'll quickly pass me using the left lane and maybe they'll get a ticket up the road somewhere. It's not my job to keep them under the speed limit by blocking them and creating a dangerous congregation of cars in the meantime.

[phylny]

9. Oh, I agree.

I drive the speed limit - exactly. If I have to pass someone, I'll go into the left lane only long enough to pass, and I'll go right back to the right lane. If I'm on a three-lane or larger highway and the right lane is congested or slow, I will drive in the middle lane, knowing people can easily pass me on the left.

Since I got a speeding ticket less than a year ago (15 mph over the limit) I just don't take chances. I understand it's frustrating on a two-lane road where I have people behind me but I don't play games when they need to pass me. I just don't want another ticket.

I would not be comfortable getting ticket for going slow if everyone around me is 10-20 mph over the limit. Again, though, I don't block the left lane.

[Yonnie3]

6. Can you get a ticket for speeding and for going less than the "normal speed" ?

I regularly travel I-64 over Afton Mountain. I typically go about five miles an hour over the speed limit. There is a line of trucks climbing in the right lane and going much slower than the 65 MPH speed limit. I stay in the left lane until someone is coming up behind me and pull over to let them by if possible. Most of them (that pass) are going ~80 MPH. If I up my speed to ten over I can get a ticket, but also will be holding up the 80 MPH folks. There are quite a few accidents on that stretch of highway and many are caused by these fast folks. I would insert the word legal after the word normal below.

The bill reads:

24 1. Any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under
25 the conditions existing, shall be driven in the lane nearest the right edge or right curb of the highway
26 when such lane is available for travel except when overtaking and passing another vehicle or in
27 preparation for a left turn or where right lanes are reserved for slow-moving traffic as permitted in this
28 section;

I can imagine the fellow with the speeding ticket telling the judge that he was in the left lane and 80 was the normal speed.

[JudyM]

10. Yes! It is crazy here. I so often wonder if drivers' ed programs don't bother teaching the

left-lane-is-for-passing rule.