Vox article explains why cruising in the passing lane is dangerous

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Here you go:

http://www.vox.com/2016/8/26/12648826/highway-driving-slowly-left-lane

Okay left lane cruisers, defend your actions now.

[Pebble thats Stubby]

Ok Scot,  

I drive in the left lane because and pass in the right or middle lanes because

1. Its how I was taught to drive.

2. Its whats stated in the highway code.

3. I am not a dick.

 

I could go on,  but I really don't think I need to.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Pebbles,

Did you watch the video?

[Pebble thats Stubby]

Scot,  You do know where I'm from?  and what side of the road we drive on?

[Astromech]

lol, Pebbles. If this irks you, Scot, never take a road trip in Wisconsin. We camp the left lane.

[Tempra]

Yes, left lane cruisers force other drivers to weave in and out of traffic in a reckless manner.  Brilliant video.

 

Scot, what do you believe is the maximum speed should be for a driver on the Interstate in a non-emergency situation with normal road conditions?  Left, middle or right lane.

 

Edit: cause WWTR.

[White Walker Texas Ranger]

5 minutes ago, Tempra said:

Yes, left lane cruisers force other drivers to weave in and out of traffic in a reckless manner.  Brilliant video.

 

Scot, what do you believe is the maximum speed for a driver on the Interstate in a non-emergency situation with normal road conditions?  Left, middle or right lane.

As fast as their cars will go, obviously.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

How hard is it to keep to the right if you aren't passing?  If not keeping to the right is safer why does Germany, with large stretches of the Autobahn without speed limits, have lower rates of traffic deaths than the US?  

Pebbles,

Or, left for you countries that drive on the left (I'm sorry I missed the joke).

[The Marquis de Leech]

The inverse (obviously) applies here. Keep left, unless you are actually passing. Once you've passed, get back in the left lane as soon as possible.

[Impmk2]

7 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

How hard is it to keep to the right if you aren't passing?  If not keeping to the right is safer why does Germany, with large stretches of the Autobahn without speed limits, have lower rates of traffic deaths than the US? 

Pretty much everywhere in the western world has lower traffic deaths than the US. The article is trying to pin it to a single factor, rather than really address the complexities of the problem, which is lazy and intellectually dishonest journalism imo.

However that isn't to say that keeping out of the overtaking lane when not passing isn't a good idea, and sure that kind of behaviour annoys me too.

[all swedes are racist]

um, did I watch the same video as everyone else?

edit: because what I got from that was Vox article explains why driving like a self important, entitled lunatic with a rage boner because someone is cruising in the passing lane is dangerous. I mean, am I fucking taking stupid pills here? 

[Pebble thats Stubby]

well the video was a bit over the top to say the least.  but it is a proven fact that slow drivers in the passing lanes does encourage undertaking.  which in turn also increases the chance of accidents.

But yes driving with a complete disregard to your safety and others is far more likely to cause an accident than someone driving slow in the wrong lane.

 

 

What freaked me out the most when I was driving in Florida was the Left turns on multi lane roads.   On this side of the pond our duel carriageways and mortorways all the junctions are on the same side of the road (left).

[DireWolfSpirit]

Regarding holding up traffic........

Anyone ever experience these lunatic intersections like they have around the Vegas valley, where instead of continuing straight through the intersection, they often have these half a lane jogs in them? The first time I came up on one of those I actually froze and couldnt figure out how to proceed, I thought maybe theres supposed to be a turn signal involved with this traffic light. Anyways a Police officer had to agree with me that its a piss poor set up and no ticket was issued. Apparently the populace has been lulled into accepting that craziness as normal because they have these all over their valley. Its a big Desert just Grid it out in normal squares FFS!!!!! 

I do have to give Nevada props on allowing UTurns, they are some UTurning drivers, Loved that lololol.

[Equilibrium]

People need Vox articles to know driving slowly in passing lane is dangerous?

Further more it is a dick move and it is direct provocation of accidents. 

Shifting blame to people who do the undertaking is really a shit tactic, yeah they are at fault but anyone that makes them do it is also at fault.

There should be a fine for that, "obstruction of traffic" "creating of public endangerment" or so.

Americans will never fall for that though they have the freedom to be dick in traffic, maybe there is even amendment for it

[Jen'ari]

I usually stay in the outside lane and flash people out of the way, if I want to get past them and they don't have the common sense to move over, if that doesn't work then I undertake.

if I'm on my bike I just automatically undertake, it saves having to slow down and you're past them so quickly it's a non issue.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

In theory it should be absolutely fine to stay in the overtaking lane, as long as you're always doing the speed limit and nobody drives faster than that. Obviously it doesn't work like that in reality, so don't do it.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

One point to clarify: my belief that people shouldn't cruise in the passing lane in no way justifies idiots to aggressively tailgate to try to force people out of their way.  Tailgateing in that manner is asking for an accident.  It cannot reasonably be justified.

[Tears of Lys]

For some odd reason, I go completely calm, cool, and collected while driving.  You want to go faster than I am going?  I move over.  You're cruising along at 60 mph. in the passing lane?  Okay, whatever.  I go around you.  Even when somebody makes a bonehead mistake and has to do something to correct it that's not strictly allowed by law, I figure, "I've probably done that myself now and then."

The only thing I do NOT forgive is if you are being a complete asshole to some other driver who obviously just messed up.  Then the wrath of a million pissed-off hornets will descend upon you. 

Oh, and if I see you toss trash out the window, I'll probably chase you down and holler at you. 

So, yeah, I'm kind of a weird driver, I guess. 

[OnionAhaiReborn]

This video was satisfying to me in that I always wonder when I see left lane cruisers whether they don't know or just don't give a fuck. I usually shade more toward assuming the latter, because I just don't understand how any driver could not know. It's still baffling to me how a person can learn to drive without learning what the left lane is for, but if this guy is admitting it I imagine there are plenty more like him. 

3 hours ago, Stannis Eats No Peaches said:

In theory it should be absolutely fine to stay in the overtaking lane, as long as you're always doing the speed limit and nobody drives faster than that. Obviously it doesn't work like that in reality, so don't do it.

Yes, thankfully. Speed limits are often ridiculous (in the US at least) and driving would be hell if they weren't widely ignored. 

[The Mance]

I wonder how many of these left lane cruising incidents are actual just cases of someone passing slow lane travelers at a slower rate than overtaking left lane drivers.

So, say I'm traveling at 70mph in the slow lane of a 65mph roadway. I come up behind a line of cars traveling at 65mph and pull out to pass them.  While passing the group of cars at 70mph, another group comes up behind me at 75mph.  Am I obligated to to slow down and merge into the slow lane so that the faster travelers can pass me?  Should I increase my speed to 75mph until its safe to merge right and slow down to my preferred speed?  Or can the 75mph'ers just suck it since I am actually passing in the passing lane and am already traveling above the speed limit?