genec

Cops may ticket you for driving too slow... WHAT?!?!

https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow...211957738.html

Yes, she was in the left lane... but she said she was driving slow due to heavy wind conditions and that she was simply being cautious... and yet the cop ticketed her for going only 2MPH below the speed limit.

Meanwhile...

mulveyr 

The very first sentence in the story is wrong - she didn't get a speeding ticket, she got a ticket for using the left lane without passing.

unterhausen

they may not have a law against not passing in MD. I don't really see anything wrong with the ticket. People don't take care not to tie up traffic.

genec

I think it is a ticket for wrong lane too... but your "not tie up traffic" comment is loaded with irony... so as a cyclist you never "tie up traffic," even for a moment?

And what about that big old cement truck... they never "tie up traffic?"

The fact is that motorists should not be held to unreasonable minimum speed limits... and 2 MPH under is unreasonable. Even AAA thinks this is BS.

AlmostTrick

2 mph below the SL is not driving slow, it is near the maximum allowed by law. Arguably as near as you can get without exceeding it. I’d take it to court.

The speed limit is the same for every lane. Going 2 mph OVER is illegal in any lane, even the left. Before you attempt to dispute this point, please find an exception for exceeding the SL in any vehicle code. You won’t.

Yep, it's not about the actual law, it's about what's tolerated.

gcottay

No, I don't have to drive faster, just choose the appropriate lane for my speed.

unterhausen

I pretty obviously meant needlessly tie up traffic. And no, on my bike I never needlessly tie up traffic. I remember one incident in my entire cycling career where I could plausibly have been described as "tying up traffic". Probably should have pulled over and let people go. Wasn't my fault, but I could have fixed it.

genec

Exactly, not only what is tolerated, but in this case, apparently the PD ENCOURAGE speeding.

Gref

The left lane is the passing lane, not a driving lane, regardless of your speed. If you are not passing another vehicle, you must move back to the right (or left for UK and other like countries) and this is as much a safety law, if not much more so, than the speed laws. Any time a vehicle comes up behind you and is traveling faster, you are required to move over at the next opportunity. The law does not take into account the speed of the overtaking vehicle or give you the option of deciding if they are going too fast. That is up to a law enforcement agent and the requirement on the driver is to move to the right.

The right lane would be a perfectly appropriate space for a person to drive lower than the posted speed limit and they can do so all the way down the lower limit if posted. This would be a much safer move than staying in the passing lane and influencing other drivers to make a less safe move of passing to the wrong side. This person obviously was not concerned about safety and simply wished to drive slowly in the wrong lane and was appropriately ticketed.

The proper enforcement of lane discipline should be applauded for as far as impact on safety, this would have a much larger impact for reducing accidents on the road than speeding. Accidents occur for the most part due to unexpected action, not just speed or any other factor, and lane discipline is there to keep an orderly flow.

work4bike

The simple fact is, everyone disobeys the law, even cops. Even if this woman was going the speedlimit or even slightly above, I bet she would have gotten a ticket. I understand the notion of the left lane being a passing lane, but if you're going the speedlimit then why would you need to pass, unless of course someone is going under the speedlimit, which is alright, but actually rarely happens. The fact is people see this lane as a speeding lane, a lane in which it's alright to go above the speed limit, yet they rationalize it as a passing lane.

I never ride in the left lane, because I do try and do the speed limit at all times, but even then you get all these crazy ******** coming up your rearend, because the traffic is such that they can't pass, and then they pass, because I let up on the gas, due to a light change, they pass, speedup only to stop at the light

I'm much calmer person riding on my bike than in my car, probably why I put so much miles on my bike.

Also, people wonder why 40,000 people die on the roads each year, and flying miles above the ground is actually safer, because of idiots...

unterhausen

a while back, Virginia State Police put out a press release that said get back over even if you are going the speed limit. That is definitely the law in Virginia. The reality is that if you are on a multi-lane road, this becomes a safety issue because a batch of vehicles will be driving together in close proximity. My guess is this person was being a junior deputy and causing a big tie up. I have seen it many times.

genec

How do you know she wasn't passing at 63 MPH?

TomCat_Ford

I drive at or below the posted limits, and I still need to pass people on occasion. For example, the speed limit on highways in MI for semi trucks is 60mph, while the speed limit for passenger vehicles is 70mph; therefore, even if both vehicles (a semi and a passenger vehicle) are traveling at the posted limits, the need to pass still arises.

work4bike

The simple fact is, the vast majority of drivers out there speed, period. You can come up with all the other scenarios you want, and they may be valid, but they're also a very small part of what's happnening out there -- reckless driving. I think a lot of people become blind to this danger, but it is why so many people die on our roads each year. How else can flying miles above the ground be safer?

work4bike

That's true we don't know. Here's something else I don't know, according to the law she wasn't going too slow, unless I'm misreading something or maybe there has been a change. https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland...itle-3/21-301/



§ 21-301. Driving on right side of roadway; exceptions.



(a) General rule.- On every roadway that is wide enough, a vehicle shall be driven on the right half of the roadway, except:

(1) While overtaking and passing another vehicle going in the same direction, under the rules governing this movement;

(2) Where there is an obstruction that makes it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway, but the driver of any vehicle doing so shall yield the right-of-way to any other vehicle that is traveling in the proper direction on the unobstructed part of the highway and is so near as to be an immediate danger;

(3) On a roadway that is divided into three or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic, subject to the rules applicable to these roadways;

(4) On a roadway designated and signposted for one-way traffic; or

(5) On a roadway that is marked or signposted in a manner indicating that a contrary rule exists.

[B](b) Special rule for slow-moving traffic.- On every roadway, except while overtaking and passing another vehicle going in the same direction or when preparing for a lawful left turn, any vehicle going 10 miles an hour or more below the applicable maximum speed limit or, if any existing conditions reasonably require a speed below that of the applicable maximum, at less than the normal speed of traffic under these conditions, shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. [/B]

(c) Roadway with four or more lanes and two-way movement of traffic.-

(1) On any roadway that is divided into four or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic and that provides for two-way movement of traffic, a vehicle may not be driven on the left of the centerline of the roadway, except:

(i) Where authorized by a traffic control device designating a lane to the left of the center of the roadway for use by traffic not otherwise permitted to use this lane; or

(ii) As permitted under subsection (a) (2) of this section.

(2) This subsection does not prohibit the crossing of the centerline of a roadway while making a left turn into or from an alley or a private road or driveway.



[An. Code 1957, art. 661/2, § 11-301; 1977, ch. 14, § 2.]

Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. Maryland may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

AlmostTrick

I've never seen any reference in the vehicle code to any "passing lane". And again, any exception ever allowing exceeding the speed limit. Please post if you have it.

As to the made up rule that a driver can only use the left lane if passing, this would mean that during peak periods (think all lanes traveling below the SL) the left lane could basically not be used by anyone. Pretty silly.

unterhausen

Many states have a limit on how long you can remain in the left lane without passing. In Pennsylvania, it's 2 miles. Virginia is the same, I believe. Darn bicyclists make googling for these laws difficult because of 3 foot passing laws.

I just hope I never catch any of you guys that think collecting traffic behind your car on the interstate is just a-ok because you are going the speed limit. There is a lot of antisocial driving out there and this is a big one.

AlmostTrick

Sounds like junior deputy talk, to me. How is enforcing lane usage laws any different than enforcing SL laws?

Kactus

You should become more informed of the laws of your State if you use the highways!


CHICAGO – During his first year in office, Governor Blagojevich pushed for and signed into law landmark legislation from raising the minimum wage to protecting elders from abuse to ensure women’s access to contraceptives and to improving road safety. These laws and others will take effect New Year’s Day.


Left Lane Law - While traveling on an interstate highway, a vehicle may not be driven in the left lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle. This prohibition does not apply to authorized emergency vehicles while engaged in official duties.



It's covered in 625 ILCS 5/Chapter 11 Article VII.

unterhausen

I suppose that could come off as a threat, but I'm just hoping to avoid the annoyance of having to get past someone that is blocking traffic. The thing is, if there is a furball of traffic behind someone that is blocking all passing, then there is a yoyo effect behind. It's really annoying. People should just show a little consideration.

Rocketrobo

We will tolerate you driving at more than the speed limit, but it you drive below the speed limit, then you're penalized for that.'-- That's true.

AlmostTrick

Fair enough. I suppose based on that one could consider the left lane the "passing lane", even though it is never actually called that in the code, which was my point.

So how does one comply with this law, when the traffic density is such that it doesn't allow for passing while in this lane? I suppose you'd have to get out of it!

Also, how do you legally use this lane when the other lanes are already traveling the SL? You can't.

That's why I say it's all about what's tolerated, and not the actual laws. Drivers only throw down the "passing lane" law as justification for them breaking the SL law. What gives them the right? Nothing in the written law.

AlmostTrick

Agreed, and I was laughing when I used your term of "junior deputy". I should have added a smilie.

work4bike

It's one of them laws that sound good on paper, but if you really look at the real world with no bias then you see the stupidity. Everyone speeds and that's their bias. Can you imagine if everyone drove the speedlimit and stayed out of the passing lane, that's crazy. I know, some will drive below the speedlimit, but not enough to require this law. It allows people to speed, it's that simple.

storckm

Certainly this would depend on circumstances somewhat. If there are or can be cars parked in the right lane, that would make staying to the left reasonable. Also if you are planning to turn left before too long. I don't believe that Maryland has a law regarding not staying in the left lane.