Cop deserves a medal

[Ross]

That happens over here too. The cops sometimes play a game when they are on a single lane road and they see how low their speed can get before someone overtakes.

 

[Dennisch]

...but the fast lane doesn't just give you permission to speed. A speed limit covers the whole road, not just the slow lane. If I'm doing 75mph in a 75 zone, I should be able to be in whatever lane I want.

Edit: I'm mainly talking about a freeway though, which is a bit different from a normal highway.

That makes you one of those people. If you don't intend to pass anyone, you stay on the right. Or left, if you have the steering wheel on the wrong side.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I see you've never been on an American freeway.

 

[Dennisch]

I see you've never been on an American freeway.

Never. But I will be in the future. Road trip east to west. 👍

 

[CodeRedR51]

Yeah, on a freeway.....any lane is a passing lane/fast lane/wreckfest.

 

[Dennisch]

Yeah, on a freeway.....any lane is a passing lane/fast lane/wreckfest.

It's time for a change then!


Yes we can.

 

[Azuremen]

That was my biggest problem with the video. He didn't need to be right on the rear bumper of that car.

And I'm the kind of person who doesn't care if I am going slow in the fast lane. If I'm doing the speed limit (or 5 over) then I'm just fine right where I am.

No you aren't just fine. The left lane is for over taking, as defined by the law. In short, if you are sitting in it at the same speed as everyone else, regardless of speed, you are technically breaking the law.

Also, your attitude sucks if you really think that way.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Also, your attitude sucks if you really think that way.

Welcome to my life. Deal with it.

 

[Azuremen]

Welcome to my life. Deal with it.

Following your logic above - everyone does it so screw being considerate.

Brilliant.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Point is, if you need to pass someone in the "fast lane" that is doing the speed limit, then you are breaking the law too. So you're no better than the person in the lane.

Brilliant!

 

[Azuremen]

Point is, if you need to pass someone in the "fast lane" that is doing the speed limit, then you are breaking the law too. So you're no better than the person in the lane.

Brilliant!

Almost sounds like you've never driven in California or a proper city...

It also doesn't change the fact the left lane is very specifically, and often marked, for over taking.

Really, want makes the video amusing is the person didn't get out of the way of the cop for ages. I do hope you at least move over when a vehicle comes up behind you at a higher speed.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Almost sounds like you've never driven in California or a proper city...

It also doesn't change the fact the left lane is very specifically, and often marked, for over taking.

Yes, I see the signs on a regular highway.

No, they are not posted anywhere on the freeways in my town.

Really, want makes the video amusing is the person didn't get out of the way of the cop for ages. I do hope you at least move over when a vehicle comes up behind you at a higher speed.

If I'm doing the speed limit, then no I don't really see the point. I may be breaking the law by being in the lane, but then they are breaking the law by speeding.

 

[Villain]

As a resident of California, I can tell you with 100% confidence that in normal traffic conditions, you will never get ticketed for going exactly the speed limit in the fast lane. You'll get middle fingers, honked at, the good 'ole blast of the high-beams, etc. but never a ticket.

Turbo is right.

As to thing "proper city" business... You try getting all the way to the speed limit on the 405 or 110 and you'll get a medal. Traffic never allows that in the city.

 

[Azuremen]

If I'm doing the speed limit, then no I don't really see the point. I may be breaking the law by being in the lane, but then they are breaking the law by speeding.

And what do you get by sitting in the left lane going exactly speed limit if traffic is doing that right next to in the right? Besides someone probably tailgating you now.

Honestly, sounds a bit spiteful and childish.

As a resident of California, I can tell you with 100% confidence that in normal traffic conditions, you will never get ticketed for going exactly the speed limit in the fast lane. You'll get middle fingers, honked at, the good 'ole blast of the high-beams, etc. but never a ticket.

Turbo is right.

As to thing "proper city" business... You try getting all the way to the speed limit on the 405 or 110 and you'll get a medal. Traffic never allows that in the city.

I was never claiming he'd be ticketed at all. And don't think he was trying to argue his way out of it.

My point was numerous people don't go the speed limit, and they certainly aren't going to be ticketed for going 5 to 10mph over it. And all he'll do by sitting in that lane going exactly the speed limit is cause people to get pissed, want to get around him, and so fourth. At least outside of rush hours - in rush hour, yeah no one is going any where.

 

[Perfect Balance]

I may be breaking the law by being in the lane, but then they are breaking the law by speeding.

I should mention, once they have to slow down because you didn't move over, they are no longer speeding, and you are then the only one left still breaking the law.

Good thinking.

 

[Downhill Dino]

But is it really such a problem to wait a minute and go around if needed or whatever needs to be done? People and a lack of patience these days...

Great video by the way, made everyone here in the family laugh.

 

[Azuremen]

But is it really such a problem to wait a minute and go around if needed or whatever needs to be done? People and a lack of patience these days...

You don't drive, so you don't quite understand the hassle getting around someone sitting in the far left on a freeway can be.

It isn't impatience, it is the beyond annoying aspect of two people sitting next to each other at nearly identical speeds simply refusing to admit other people might be there. Especially with those driving newer cars that tend to read a bit higher than they are actually going.

 

[a6m5]

If you live in a city, commute on freeways, then you should understand the humor in this video. Yes, the cop should not tailgate *yawn* But this video is such a hit to drivers who understand the meaning of, or the purpose of what is often referred to as "fast lane", or "passing lane".

During many morning commute, I see these slow drivers in the left lane and wonder: "if these guys actually learned to get out of the way, how much less traffic would there be in this town?"

I don't want to get in trouble, so I won't get into the details, but anytime I'm in a hurry & see these drivers in the left lane pacing the lane(s) on the right, refusing to move over when they easily can, I get creative to get ahead of them(no, I never tailgate). Seriously, how many times have you guys been stuck in a nasty traffic, and as soon as you finally get past the car or two that was unnecessarily blocking the passing lane, road opens up with not a soul ahead! Behind the slow car(s), heavy traffic. Past the slow car(s), just stretches of open road with like three lanes with nothing on them. Maybe it's just my town, I don't know.

Sorry for ranting, but I deal with this almost daily.

 

[Downhill Dino]

You don't drive, so you don't quite understand the hassle getting around someone sitting in the far left on a freeway can be.

It isn't impatience, it is the beyond annoying aspect of two people sitting next to each other at nearly identical speeds simply refusing to admit other people might be there. Especially with those driving newer cars that tend to read a bit higher than they are actually going.

Regardless of not driving yet, I still see the impatience in such an act and what you've said now is different then what you have said earlier if I'm not mistaken. The purpose of the lane is so people can get from point A to point B faster right? Wouldn't one get impatient if another happens to be in the way? Going around ain't all that hard. Neither is waiting.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

If I'm doing the speed limit, then no I don't really see the point. I may be breaking the law by being in the lane, but then they are breaking the law by speeding.

What if your speedo is off?

 

[CodeRedR51]

And what do you get by sitting in the left lane going exactly speed limit if traffic is doing that right next to in the right? Besides someone probably tailgating you now.

Honestly, sounds a bit spiteful and childish.

Nope, sounds like you are being childish. See, my thinking is if I am going the speed limit or maybe 5 over, it's OK to be in that lane. Reserve the other lanes for people that want to go below the speed limit.

I find it appalling that you are getting on my case for breaking a simple law of staying in the left lane, so that you can use it to break another law as you speed down the road. You are no better than me, so stop acting like it. 👎

I should mention, once they have to slow down because you didn't move over, they are no longer speeding, and you are then the only one left still breaking the law.

Good thinking.

Yeah, so you can pass me while acting like a douche and continue speeding and breaking that law?

But is it really such a problem to wait a minute and go around if needed or whatever needs to be done? People and a lack of patience these days...

Another type of driver I hate. Those that are so impatient to drag race away from a stop light that they have to zoom around me just so they can get to the speed limit in 2 seconds. These are the type of drivers who have no right to complain about gas prices because they need to get a reality check lighten the load on their right foot.

 

[Eric.]

So what benefit is it to you to sit in the left lane dawdling along on your sunday drive? In Illinois it is illegal to drive in the left lane for over a quarter of a mile if you're not passing.

And drop the "oh my god speeding is bad and illegal" attitude and quit acting like you don't ever do it.

 

[a6m5]

I guess it's matter of opinion, but I personally don't consider speeding or blocking passing lane law breaking. If a cop pulls you over for just few miles over the limit on a freeway, he has another reason for pulling you over. The cop in the video, kicking off slow car off the passing lane, you bet he also had special motivation(that's why we love him ). It's like barely rolling thru a stop sign. They are traffic violation, and that is all, at least to me.

In Washington, I see signs telling slower drivers to keep right(I know Cody, I know). We need more of that, because this is not the first time I've heard "I'm doing the posted speed, why do I need to move over?".

 

[niky]

Left-lane hogging is infinitely more dangerous than going five or ten over.

When you sit in the passing lane when not passing, you are forcing other motorists to decide whether or not to pass you on the right side. It's not against the law for them to pass on the right, but it's dangerous.

When you pass another motorist on the left, it's easier for him to see you in his peripheral vision and/or mirror. The mirror is over there beside his left elbow, and it's easy to glance at it as you go down the road.

When you pass a motorist on the right, there's a whole number of problems. The motorist being passed needs to be watching his mirrors. Which means taking his eyes very far off the road and looking towards the side mirror on the right. The motorist passing needs to look into his side mirrors to check that another impatient motorist isn't pulling up on him trying to overtake on the right. And then to be doubly sure, he needs to turn his head nearly 100 degrees to check his blind spot.

Accidents on the highway always inevitably involve blind spots. A quick look at the statistics reveal about 840,000 vehicles damaged every year because of blind spot issues.

By creeping along in the left lane, you're putting the entire highway in your blind spot and the blind spot of any unfortunate sitting behind you waiting to overtake. And why? So you don't have to pull out to overtake slower cars, forcing other people to find creative (and dangerous) ways to overtake you, instead?

Don't be smug. Pull over. Let the speeders choose their own graves, and make sure they don't share it with you.

 

[Azuremen]

Regardless of not driving yet, I still see the impatience in such an act and what you've said now is different then what you have said earlier if I'm not mistaken. The purpose of the lane is so people can get from point A to point B faster right? Wouldn't one get impatient if another happens to be in the way? Going around ain't all that hard. Neither is waiting.

You apparently missed the part where going around is hard. Which you'd understand if you actually drove, especially in a proper city area, ever.

As niky clearly described, there are often situations where, even in a 4 lane wide freeway, you'll have 3 or 4 drivers in adjacent lanes all going close to the same speed holding up a huge amount of traffic. There is no safe way to get around them, and so forth.

Nope, sounds like you are being childish. See, my thinking is if I am going the speed limit or maybe 5 over, it's OK to be in that lane. Reserve the other lanes for people that want to go below the speed limit.

I find it appalling that you are getting on my case for breaking a simple law of staying in the left lane, so that you can use it to break another law as you speed down the road. You are no better than me, so stop acting like it. 👎

Me, being childish, when your entire justification is "I don't really care because I'm not really doing anything wrong and they should just go the speed limit?"

Honestly, if you didn't notice, several other adults are getting on your case about this because you aren't making the roads safer (in fact, the opposite), you are breaking a law in the process, and it is just simply a dick move.

Or as niky put it, smug.

 

[Tornado]

See, my thinking is if I am going the speed limit or maybe 5 over, it's OK to be in that lane. Reserve the other lanes for people that want to go below the speed limit.

And you're absolutely allowed to think that way.



You'll just be wrong, hence this video.

 

[niky]

Oh, and to clarify... tailgating and intimidating other motorists is incredibly, incredibly dangerous and stupid... so don't try that at home, kids.

-

I honestly don't understand left-lane huggers. I really don't. You've got everyone else on your blind side, you've got nothing but lightweight deformable barriers protecting you from trucks that jump the center divider at 60-70 mph when they have a blow-out, and when you have a flat tire, you've got several lanes of traffic to cross.

I always drive in the middle lanes when going at average speed or at the limit. This gives you the most escape routes if there's an accident ahead. And I move far over to the right when I'm going slower than traffic (still have the shoulder as an escape) because I hate people passing me on the right.

 

[Perfect Balance]

Yeah, so you can pass me while acting like a douche and continue speeding and breaking that law?

I have never once felt that someone "passed me while acting like a douche" when I was driving in the right lane like I should have been.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Keep in mind I'm talking about a freeway here. Which, in AZ are anywhere from 3 to 5 lanes wide each way. Far left lane is HOV, obviously you stay out of that lane if you are driving by yourself. Then you have 3-4 lanes to the right of the HOV lane.

Let's number them. 5 (HOV), 4, 3, 2, 1 (far right)

Now, when driving on the freeway I judge which lane I need to be in by how far I am traveling. If I'm only going a few miles, I'll stay in lane 2, maybe use 3 if I'm passing someone. Lane 1 is reserved for people getting on/off the freeway. You can drive in that lane if you like to speed up and slow down every 1/4 mile.

If I'm going to downtown Phoenix, then I'll use lanes 4 and 3 mainly, while doing the speed limit or just over (65-70). Here, people pass left and right, doesn't really matter which lane you are in. If anyone pays attention to the "Left lane only" rule on these freeways I would be really surprised.

People are confusing the above situation with a normal 4-lane highway. In this case, I always stay to the right. I'm not arguing about a normal highway.

Edit: Eh, smug is fine. I'm opinionated and apparently some people can't deal with it. I'm fine with that, and really could care less.

 

[Villain]

For the record, if it's an open freeway and I'm driving... Ain't no way in hell you'll catch me doing anything less than 10 over and there'll still be cars flying by. The unofficial speed limit in the suburban car pool lanes seems to be 80mph.