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[Kagus]

I believe it actually is illegal to "block" the left lane if you're not actively passing another vehicle. Obstruction of traffic. If not directly illegal, you will still get stopped and griped at by the cops for doing it.

Now, "passing another vehicle" is where things get a bit silly, because it's technically illegal to exceed the speed limit while passing (and no "+5mph" either)... So if you're going the speed limit, and you're trying to pass another car, which is also going the speed limit... Yeah. That's gonna be a pretty dang long pass.

[Bumber]

Wouldn’t that mean one of them is driving the wrong way? Assuming we’re talking a highway with one lane on each side, equaling two, but maybe I’m misinterpreting.

Do such highways exist? Kind of just makes it a two-way road, doesn't it?

[scriver]

I believe it actually is illegal to "block" the left lane if you're not actively passing another vehicle. Obstruction of traffic. If not directly illegal, you will still get stopped and griped at by the cops for doing it.

Now, "passing another vehicle" is where things get a bit silly, because it's technically illegal to exceed the speed limit while passing (and no "+5mph" either)... So if you're going the speed limit, and you're trying to pass another car, which is also going the speed limit... Yeah. That's gonna be a pretty dang long pass.

This, exactly. Only exception is when you're in a turn-off heavy area but then there's usually designated lanes.

Left lane is for passing. You still aren't allowed to go faster than the speed limit in it, but you're not allowed to just hang out in it either. If you're going the speed limit the only reason to go into the left lane is to pass a vehicle going under the speed limit (which is perfectly fine).

And if you need to pass a vehicle going the speed limit then you should slow the fuck down.

[Frumple]

Actual legality wise, well. It's the goddamn USA. There aren't unified road laws, shit varies by area you're in. By state, sometimes by municipality or whatever. Some places staying in the left lane like is being discussed when you're going slower than most traffic (i.e. you're not speeding) is indeed an active violation of road law. Some places it isn't. Which it is where you are, specifically, well, sometimes not even the fucking cops know.

I hear yeh on the 'just go the fucking speed limit", though. It's got so I'll go two or three over (when I'm outside city limits/residental areas, anyway) in an attempt to stave off the impatient shits doing suicidally stupid shit so they can break the law harder, but no more, not on the interstate, I fucking refuse to do it inside city limits, and I hate it fairly intensely.

... not nearly as intensely as I hate the fuckers that have forgotten the face of their science teachers and get way too fucking close to other vehicles, though. Safe distance is somewhere in the realm of a car length per 10 mph -- 55 (or about 90 kph for you metric folks) it's about the distance between two telephone poles, where I'm at. Outside of myself the number of people that seem to actually remember this is like... less than one in twenty or some shit. S'pretty infuriating, even when it's not some suicidal/homicidal fuckwit actively riding my own ass. Back the goddamn hell off, inertia is a thing, you're driving hundreds of pounds of hurtling machinery, and both you and the vehicle and the people around you need time and space to react if something goes wrong

[Iduno]

From context it's clearly 2 lanes in one direction.  Sometimes the directions of a highway split for a while, if you want to picture it, but I think the meaning was clear

However, personally I see nothing at all wrong with going the speed limit in the left lanes.  I am aware enough to avoid it, because I have no intention of "harming" people, but...

It's the speed limit

Call me crazy, maybe I am, because it actually bugs me that people feel so entitled... sometimes extremely angry, even, about traffic in the non-rightmost lanes which dares to obey the law.  I think my brother called it "camping" the left lane?  Travel sucks, we're all doing it.  People don't have some right to speed.  The limit isn't only there for everyone's safety, it decreases gasoline usage.

It's actually illegal to block the flow of traffic, even if your reason is that you were following the speed limit. You're also required to go "the prevailing speed of traffic" in most places. It's the same here. Minimum speed limit is 45 but everyone is going 20? You aren't allowed to speed up.

Besides, most of the people who drive in parallel like described were going below the speed limit.

The limit isn't only there for everyone's safety, it decreases gasoline usage.

Nope. It's made by legislation, not related to any sort of efficiency or scientific basis. Otherwise the speed limit would be something entirely unreasonable like "65 cars, 55 trucks, unless you have a diesel car or a semi or...".

[sluissa]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Maximum_Speed_Law

Speed limits were lowered during the oil crisis in the 70s as an attempt to save fuel. It didn't do as much as they'd hoped to help with the problem, but it wasn't ineffective either.

Largely gone now, but some states with politics that tend to be favorable those concerns, still have a 55mph limit in place. (California still has one for trucks, and Hawaii has a 55-60mph limit for all vehicles.)

As for the left lane, rules VARY GREATLY.

Just personally, I'll accept that on freeways and interstates, you should leave the left lane open unless you're passing. But on multi-lane highways with left hand turns and frequent traffic signals. Just get over yourself. You're not going to get anywhere significantly faster by speeding if there's any sort of traffic at all and there's plenty of legitimate uses to that left lane beyond just going fast. Even in locations where a slow driver is supposed to keep the left lane clear, it doesn't mean it makes fast drivers immune from speeding tickets.

Either way, you're an asshole if you think it's more important for you to get somewhere than it is for anyone else to get to their destination. Even if you're technically in the right(and often you're not) stop being the asshole and just accept that travel takes time. If you're on a schedule that matters, leave early and don't blame others for your failure to plan.

[Iduno]

If you're on a schedule that matters, leave early and don't blame others for your failure to plan.

"If you have somewhere to go, just be born rich and not need to have a job. Go fuck yourself if you're poor. You're entitled for not letting me be entitled."

[wierd]

not even close to the same thing.

Leaving earlier means planning ahead, often more than a single day in advance, because it means you have to take the time to assure the children are properly settled/taken care of, that you have slept properly to be safe to drive, that you have everything laid out so that you can get dressed and out the door expediently, etc.


"Being born rich" is more like "Oh, I don't have to worry about any of those things-- the nanny takes care of it for me. In fact, I have a man-servant who does the errands in town, while I go and fuck off at the social club."


Deciding "Yeah, I can get the kids dressed, dropped off at school at exactly 8 AM, and then have 5 minutes to race across town to get to work on time--- YEAH, I CAN DO THAT!" is the real problem here.

It denies the reality that you can leave the children at the school up to an HOUR before the 8AM bell, (see for instance, the latchkey and breakfast programs at public schools-- THERE ARE responsible adults supervising children at the school who can receive your children from you at that time.), which then gives you much more allowance to plan your commutes-- etc.


So no, not buying that line. It's a false equivalence.

[sluissa]

https://www.nmjusticelaw.com/blog/2017/12/how-much-time-does-speeding-really-save-you.shtml

15-mile trip, 55 mph speed limit, 10 miles over the speed limit: 2.51 minutes saved
    30-mile trip, 55 mph speed limit, 10 miles over the speed limit: 5.04 minutes saved
    50-mile trip, 55 mph speed limit, 10 miles over the speed limit: 8.4 minutes saved

That's one thing I love bringing up. Speeding actually saves so little time it's not even worth it. Find yourself a nice radio station, or make a music playlist or grab a podcast to listen to. Make the drive enjoyable. I know I enjoy the drive to work(or just about anywhere else) more than I enjoy the work(or just about anything else except getting home) itself.

[Iduno]

not even close to the same thing.

Leaving earlier means planning ahead, often more than a single day in advance, because it means you have to take the time to assure the children are properly settled/taken care of, that you have slept properly to be safe to drive, that you have everything laid out so that you can get dressed and out the door expediently, etc.

Ah, you're right. I have started planning ahead, and places I need to go no longer close 30 minutes after I get off work. Thank you for the help changing the space-time continuum with positive thinking.

[wierd]

In such circumstances, you inform your employer about the situation, and request allowance.  Assuming you do not abuse the privilege, many employers will allow for such things, especially if your shift is very likely to be impacted by 'Government hours'. 

(EG, second or third shift.)

[Zangi]

*Shrug*
Where I am, on highways, cops won't pull you over as long as you do not go more then 20 over the posted speed limit.  21 over and they will get ya.  Unless there are other circumstances of course.
Is funny, one stretch of highway, regular speed of traffic is +25 over speed limit.  And I never see any cops around the Tappen Zee Bridge.  So that is another one that is regularly +25 over speed limit.

Off the highways, you tend to be safe going 10 over the speed limit.  The +20 probably counts too, but I tend not to exercise that.

New York

[Telgin]

I'm the guy everyone hates because I drive the exact speed limit.  If the speed limit drops by 5 MPH on a short stretch of the interstate only to go back up right after, I still follow the speed limit.

[Iduno]

In such circumstances, you inform your employer about the situation, and request allowance.  Assuming you do not abuse the privilege, many employers will allow for such things, especially if your shift is very likely to be impacted by 'Government hours'. 

(EG, second or third shift.)

Fuck that, I like being employed. If I bring it up, I stop having a job.

https://www.nmjusticelaw.com/blog/2017/12/how-much-time-does-speeding-really-save-you.shtml

15-mile trip, 55 mph speed limit, 10 miles over the speed limit: 2.51 minutes saved
    30-mile trip, 55 mph speed limit, 10 miles over the speed limit: 5.04 minutes saved
    50-mile trip, 55 mph speed limit, 10 miles over the speed limit: 8.4 minutes saved

That's one thing I love bringing up. Speeding actually saves so little time it's not even worth it. Find yourself a nice radio station, or make a music playlist or grab a podcast to listen to. Make the drive enjoyable. I know I enjoy the drive to work(or just about anywhere else) more than I enjoy the work(or just about anything else except getting home) itself.

30 mile trip at 65 mph (efficient point for most cars): <28 minutes
30 mile trip at 25 mph (normal speed): 72 minutes
30 mile trip at 10 mph: 180 minutes.

If you plan ahead and have an employer who won't refuse you time off/fire you for being gone too much, you can get places fine by walking.

[nenjin]

Over time I've learned to deal with people driving the speed limit, and concomitantly, I speed less.

But the people I can't fucking stand are the ones that drive 5 mph under the speed limit for no reason. That shit still makes my blood boil. I know how fast I'm going intuitively. I feel my vehicle and how fast it's going, so I can often know that I'm not driving the speed limit just by feel and I correct it. And I suspect that people who drive under the speed limit habitually are intuitively going a speed that feels comfortable to them. The speed that doesn't require their attention to maintain. The speed that allows them to read text messages, or think about what they're going to do with their garden, or what they'll do this weekend, or w/e.

Put another way, when people drive like they're the only one on the road it makes me go fucking crazy. If everyone on the road was mindful, we'd all get where we're going faster. But because some fucking jackass is just staring ahead in to the distance and not actually thinking about driving traffic jams up. Every action someone takes on the road affects everyone behind them, in a giant chain of causality. People that don't get that and are like "screw you, I'm in my little bubble!" are the reason driving sucks ass.