@eee's banner p

eee


				

				

				
0 followers   follows 0 users  
joined 2022 November 25 10:37:56 UTC

				

User ID: 1928

eee


				
				
				

				
0 followers   follows 0 users   joined 2022 November 25 10:37:56 UTC

					

No bio...


					

User ID: 1928

My state just has (fairly new) laws that say that if you are going slower than the flow of traffic you have to be in the right-most lane and that if you are in the left lane and someone wants to overtake you that you must move over when it is safe to do so. Our signs are like "Slower traffic keep right". Other states have stricter laws.

Like here is a bit from Texas's handbook "Watch for signs on Texas multi-lane highways that read “Left Lane For Passing Only.” These signs let you know that the left lane on a divided highway is not a “fast” lane. It is a passing lane. After you pass someone, move back into the right lane once you’ve safely cleared the vehicle. Impeding the flow of traffic by continuing to drive in the left lane is punishable by a fine of up to $200."

That seems pretty clear about only using the left hand lane for actively passing someone and to move back immediately and not just you can use the left lane as long as you are going faster. If you are going 65 mph and there are 10 cars ahead of you spaced 10 car lengths apart it prescribes that you are in the right lane, then move to the left lane, pass the first car, move to the right lane, catch up to the next car, move to the left lane, pass the car, move to the right lane... in a bizarre game of leapfrog that is incredibly unsafe.

  1. Should. You should be in the habit of doing it and it isn't like doing it has a downside.

  2. Should. Though stopping at a timed red light and then proceeding when you know it is clear is fine in the middle of the night for example. Very little downside compared to a small chance of a very high downside.

  3. No. Speed limits around here are 55-60 but driving less than 70 is actively dangerous due to other drivers.

  4. This one genuinely confuses me and makes no sense. Interstates around here are normally 2 lanes wide, there is always traffic, and there are frequent cloverleafs with on ramps and offramps right next to each other. If people only utilized the left lane for passing traffic would be much worse because of less throughput on the roads and slowdowns due to contention merging on and off the interstate. If anything the opposite would be a better system (the right lane is only for merging on and off the interstate and passing).

     Often I will be in the left lane going 70-75 and matching pace with the car ahead of me. Some moron comes up behind me and instantly tailgates me. I put on my turn signal and try to merge to let him pass, but there generally isn't room in the right hand lane to do so without cutting someone off. They get impatient and then either pass on the left using the shoulder or will change lanes in places were there are barely more than one car gaps and cut you off. They are now basically one more car length ahead of where they are before and stuck behind someone that is doing the same exact speed I was. Bravo, you endangered the lives of a dozen people to move a dozen feet.
    
     Basically my mental model of anyone that says this is "the left lane is only for me and I have no considerations at all for other people". They don't even agree with their own statement because they exclusively use the left lane.
    
  5. No and if you think this I seriously doubt your cognitive abilities.

  6. Obviously not.

  7. There is a large line on cars trying to get off at an offramp or merging. Instead of cooperating and getting in line behind them you defect, drive to the last possible merge point and force your way in because "zipper merges are more efficient". (I disagree personally, but if we could solve the coordination problem I would prefer zipper merges. Since we can't you are just being an asshole and negatively effecting everyone else for your own personal gain.)

Basically all of my thoughts are based on the fact that driving is especially dangerous and probably the most dangerous thing people regularly do. People don't give it anywhere the respect they should. It doesn't make any sense to drive aggressively and unsafely to save 30 seconds on your 15 minute+ commute.