| Author | Message | ||
     Along4theride |
DENVER (AP) - Colorado is serious about its no-dawdling law in left lanes. Drivers who insist on staying in the passing lane are risking tickets as the State Patrol has begun enforcing a law requiring motorists to use the left lane for passing only. Since the patrol started enforcing the "Left Lane Law" three months ago, troopers have written about 460 tickets or about an average of five a day to drivers who dawdle in the left lane. The law applies in zones with speed limits of 65 mph or higher. It took effect July 1, but troopers gave drivers until January to get used to the new law; warnings were issued instead of tickets. Violators of the left lane rule may be fined up to $41 and have three points tacked onto their driver's licenses. The law is not enforced when the highway is too congested to allow drivers to pass. I dunno about the 3 points on your license part but the rest is a very good idea. | ||
| Brucelee |
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Mikej |
Way back in the olden days the left lane was the "through" lane when there were a series of interchanges to allow better merging of incoming or offgoing traffic. So I wonder what is the heavier ticket: going the speed limit in the left lane, or doing 20+ over the speed limit in the left lane, or tailgating in the left lane? Oh well, fuel and ammo for the aggressive drivers out there. I think I'll take the next exit. Have a nice day. Bye. | ||
| Buelliedan |
Mike, In Wisconsin it seems most drivers will pull over to the right lane if a faster car comes up behind them. lately here in TX it seems as if we have tons of drivers who will just sit in the left lane no matter how much traffic stacks up behind them. I can't tell you how many times I have to pass some butthead on the right because he is going less than the speed limit in the left lane. It is totally aggravation to say the least and causes many accidents because it stacksa up traffic. This is a very good law IMO!! | ||
| Slaughter |
I'm jealous. About 20 years ago, I was running throug an Eastern state with similar laws - keep to right except to pass - something like that. AMAZING how it helps to keep traffic flowing. Here in CA we aint so lucky! | ||
| Along4theride |
it seems as if we have tons of drivers who will just sit in the left lane no matter how much traffic stacks up behind them Sounds just like Atlanta. The 'flow' of traffic on the interstate is 80mph, even in 55 zones. That's just how it is. Inevitably there is 1 person who decides to do 65 in the left lane and are oblivious to the world around them not to mention the congestion behind them.  One more reason why I can't wait to move back to Colorado- 77 days and counting | ||
| Bryguy269 |
They do this in IL also | ||
| Rek |
In OR slower traffic is supposed (keyword-supposed)to yeild to over-taking vehicles even on the two-lane roads. Rob | ||
| Mikej |
Agreed to some extent. But unnecessary if the existing laws were simply enforced. I wonder if they have any left side exit ramps there in Denver like we do here. I had one guy yell at me in traffic one day telling me to get out of the left lane. I was on the Buell, in traffic, on a city street, at rush hour, waiting for a traffic light to turn green, behind at least 6 cars in front of me, and he was two cars back in the right lane. If the traffic flow is 80mph, even in a 55mph zone, should the police enforce the speed limit or should they site the people doing the speed limit? Food for thought. Or anarchy for thought. And I'm not holy, and I do exceed the speed limit at times, might have even done so this morning, just curious if folks are in favor of more laws or in favor of existing law enforcement. If the regular traffic flow is 80mph shouldn't we then push for an 80mph speed limit instead of ticketing those who are obeying the law? Think about that for a moment before you respond. Is it fair to get a speeding ticket if you are driving/riding at the prevailing speed of the general traffic flow? Just some thoughts, not looking for arguments, I don't like new laws being added to the existing ones, especially ones that may be very subjective in nature or enforcement. And what are they going to do when it's snowy or icy out, eh? Remember, Denver is the city that made it illegal to legally transport a firearm through the city limits. I never look to Denver for an example of good lawmaking. YMMV. Have a nice day, I'm done with this thread. Now get out of my way before I ticket you for dawdling. | ||
| M1combat |
I think it would have been better to make a law allowing me to RTFI (Run The F Into) anyone doing ten under or less. Granted... I almost ALWAYS am on the Buell, so maybe that would have done more harm than good  . I also think they should give motorcyclists an extra 5-10MPH on inter-states and highways/freeways... Roads that don't have very much incoming traffic or that the incoming traffic is "expected" to merge mostly at speed anyway. Of course, I'm sure one of the reasons they don't do this is because most people would have the mental capacity to realize that they shouldn't do that in heavy traffic... | ||
| 2000m2 |
FINALLY!! Drives me nuts when people sit in the left lane... | ||
| Chainsaw |
Remember, Denver is the city that made it illegal to legally transport a firearm through the city limits. I never look to Denver for an example of good lawmaking Repealed by the state legislature in April 2002. The left lane law is a STATE law, not city, hence inforcement by the State Patrol. Only place in Denver with a 65mph zone is on Pena Blvd to the airport. Law also states you have to have 5 cars backed up behind you before it is ticketable. | ||
| Ted |
Sure like to see that law here. "drive fast in the fast lane" is a key to world peace! | ||
| Jlnance |
Law also states you have to have 5 cars backed up behind you before it is ticketable. I like that part. You actually have to be causing a problem before you get a ticket. | ||
| Jeremyh |
a lot of police officers will just nail the guy doing major excess of the current flow of traffic. Basically if the major flow is doing 85 and your doing 90-95 or so guess who's getting the ticket. cops know that they can't very well pull over 4 thousand cars doing 85 so its easier to pull over the one or two people cramming traffic at 5 or 10 mph over the current traffic flow. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
Think about that for a moment before you respond. Is it fair to get a speeding ticket if you are driving/riding at the prevailing speed of the general traffic flow? Its only fair if everyone one of the cars around you got the ticket also. I have seen small packs of cars pulled over as a group by multiple officers and everyone cited. That is fine, but if yo are going to pull over and cite only 1 vehicle, then that can be construed as discrimination. | ||
| Jeremyh |
I SEE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY ALMOST 260 DAYS A YEAR ON MY DAILY COMMUTE ON THE INTERSTATE. EVERYONE SPEEDS HERE AND ITS ALWAYS 80-85 AND THE ONLY ONES GETTING NABBED ARE THE ONES TRYING TO GO EVEN FASTER THAN THE REST OF US. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE ME BUT I LIVE IT EVERY DAY. AND ONE MORE THING....SINCE WHEN IS EVERY STATE TROOPER FAIR. GIVE ME A BREAK. (Message edited by jeremyh on April 04, 2005) | ||
| Daves |
They need that law in WI too. Every trip I make I get behind some dumba$$ driving in the left lane, right beside someone in the right lane. If you're going to go the same speed as the right lane then either speed up and get over or slow down and get over. Just get over! I'm usually only going about 5 over(except for that ticket I just got) | ||
| Whodom |
Sounds like a good law to me, but I also wish they would nail people for deliberately passing in the RIGHT lane. The interstate near here (I-26) is mostly 6 lanes, and I generally ride in the middle lane at the prevailing speed of traffic. The left lane usually runs about 20 MPH over the posted speed limit (much of it in a construction zone where fines are supposed to be higher yada, yada, yada) and I stay out of the right lane to let people merge (and to avoid getting squeezed). I'm amazed at the number of people who will deliberately pass to the right (and the hell with the people trying to get onto the interstate and merge into traffic) when the left lane is completely open, or the people there are "only" doing 15 MPH over the posted speed. I suppose if they enforced "passing only in left lane" it would help stop this, but I regularly see people do it when 2 out of 3 lanes are open. The number of people willing to risk people's lives so they can be 5 minutes earlier to someplace they probably don't want to be in the first place blows my mind. | ||
| Twowheeldream |
The number of people willing to risk people's lives so they can be 5 minutes earlier to someplace they probably don't want to be in the first place blows my mind. aint that the truth!! funny as hell too  | ||
| Socoken |
"They need that law in WI too." they have signs posted, "slower traffic keep right." should a person not going as fast as you, but passing another car, albeit slower than you, have to speed up or slow down to get out of your way? one way or another, someone needs to break their cruise, shouldnt it be the one that is speeding more, ie breaking the law by a farther margin, rather than the one that is going slower? do people speeding more have more rights on the freeway? dont get me wrong, i have a deeply harbored hatred for slopes tooling along all alone in the left lane. i was under the impression that it was illegal to pass on the right, but i might be wrong. in any case, its frustrating. to get worked up about one car not passing another fast enough seems like unnecessary stress. there is a line somewhere between stressing a couple road-ragers out, and impeding the flow of traffic. the above mentioned law sounds dead on in my book. in Kuwait faster drivers just flash their lights and people simply get out of the way. of course, they (mostly) dont let women drive over there, so that makes things easier too. i am also fairly certain most speed limits are set the way they are more for fuel economy than safety, but again, i might be mistaken. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
That law could never pass in CA. The cost of printing it in the seemingly hundreds of non-english languages is alone a major deterrent. I'm not sure why but it seems that if you are a driver that may have immigrated to the USA from somewhere west of Santa Barbara, it is imperative that you immediately move to the leftmost lane of the freeway, and then do no more than 5 mph LESS than the posted limit. While on the phone. I just do like the motor cops do and use them like slalom cones. AL | ||
| Buellerthanyou |
"in Kuwait faster drivers just flash their lights and people simply get out of the way." I've noticed this in Spain, too. An excellent place to drive (at least out on the highway). Maybe we should all start doing that in the United States. Here in Texas, we have signs posted on the Interstates that state quite clearly, "Left Lane For Passing ONLY", so it must be a law. It's amazing how many people drive slooooowly by these signs in the left lane with dozens of cars stacked up behind them. If the cops would just enforce the existing laws, we'd probably never need any new ones! HBJ "When I rode Buells in the left lane, I didn't ride for fun. . .It's no pink tea, and mollycoddles had better stay out. It's a contest and everything that implies, a struggle for supremacy, a survival of the fittest." --Ty "Buellistic" Cobb | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Here in Europe the laws vary slightly here & there, but basically the inside lane is for any vehicle & any further lanes are for passing only, it is strictly illegal to pass on the inside. Also on any road with 3 or more lanes trucks over 7.5 ton & vehicles pulling trailers of any sort are barred from the outside lane. Trucks over 12 ton are limited electronically to 56 mph, & tampering with the sealed limiter system is an imprisonable offence. I didn't say right & left lanes cos the UK & Ireland still drive on the other side. The Irish are talking about changing over to meet European standards, they say they'll start with the trucks & if it works, the cars will go 3 months later!  | ||
| Court |
>>>The cost of printing it in the seemingly hundreds of non-english languages is alone a major deterrent. Al....you're tell me! My fair city has 173 countries represented amongst it's taxi drivers. The most salient difference in the way traffic is handled, in speaking to pals around the world, is lane discipline. It appears that most of Europe kinda understands that a vehicle approaching frrom the rear with flashing lights is a courteous "hey, I am overtaking at a higher rate of speed, please give way" and received as such. I am led to beleive the most simply give way and never give it another thought. I dream of this world. Approaching an SUV in Queens on the BQE and flashing your lights is a bolder, and oft times more foolish, stunt than pulling onto the Brooklyn Bridge with your toy gun. It is "received" as "I am more of a man than you and my car, complete with all these bumper stickers, bears witness to my dominance in superiority. I have no life and I seek to be define by which one of us reaches that bridge ahead first. I have friends who will come to your house and beat youse if you so much as think about making a legal lane change which might place you, in these 2 million cars this morning, 10 feet ahead of me" New York Drivers excel at being utter and complete imbiciles. The fun part is the free entertainment. For a highway system with an average speed of 7 MPH, these folks love to, the moment they see any opening, put the pedal to the metal. To my amusement, it is with inordinate regularity that they make contact wtih and and everything. I carry a camera in the car with me and have photographed (at the rate of 2 a week) some of the most amazing impromtu meeings of the "Club the Refused to Yield". Burned out hulks of vehicles, totally demolished impact barriers and multiple rolled vehicles (this one always amazes me...try rolling your Buick at 15mph) are the norm. We could learn from the Europeans. Court | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Court, I've driven in Texas. Picture the scene, a Ford Aerostar full of people from Austin, except me who's driving, 6 lanes, me in lane 4 being passed on both sides, with my buddy his wife and her family all arguing about which exit to take for the Ballpark at Arlington. Give me Paris or Milan in the rush hour any day! |
