A $250 fine for "left lane squatters"

Driving to and back from Chicago today, now most people including me were very nice about lane changes due to upcoming needs, but had a few speed racers, cutting in out any lane with an opening, never minded seeing them in my rear view mirror after all their efforts, Sure I am at the same speed as the guy in front of me but crazy racers changeing lanes, driving like a maniac just to try to get a car length ahead. Today was the worst traffic in Chicago I have ever experienced, Had to go 15 miles after the Shedd Aquarium, gps estimated time 24 hours. Maybe a Marathon going on, but sat through 4 cycles of red green light on Michigan Ave without moving an inch. The interstate was bad, bailed 4 miles early due to traffic stop and no go,wifey even said good call, Now I am not in Chicago that often but then had to take the critters to the south side from the north side, Jam Jam Jam, All day long, Worst traffic day I can ever remember, special day Saturday I guess.

It was nice weather for a change so everyone was nuts on the road. Road construction starts Monday (bridge rebuilding) so the back roads will get some use.

@Waterbuff, what day did you read that Lexus ad?

April One.

Does it make a difference? :wink:

I agree 100%. and this is nowhere possible today. A lexus taking control over a Ford or some other brand car? (which is what they seem to say)

And think of the possibility for damage if someone else could start to steer your car !! Plus think of the legal issues.

Autonomous cars are a long way away, and this feature (?) is even further away. Any brand and year of car talking and controlling any other brand and year ! wow, not likely.

Edit: OK, april fools joke I assume. But today is the 2nd.

And the joke was sent out a few days befor 4/1. Lexus a bunch of fun guys? Apparently.

It’s all a matter of priorities. If the governor or the state police chief told troopers to ticket left lane squatters and did that in conjunction with TV public service announcements they could make the highways safer, drivers less angry, less wasted time. But instead troopers set up speed traps which make the highways a little safer. Virginia is trying to pass a left lane bill but if it’s not enforced it’s a waste of time. We already have a “slow traffic keep right” and that’s not enforced. The legislators passed a “lights on with wipers” and that’s never been enforced. Try riding a motorcycle in a pouring rain with fog at dusk and all the morons driving cars have no lights on at all. We have a federal DOT with lots of regulations and no common sense. They mandate all kinds of computers and now cameras but they have never ever mandated one single running light, front or rear or sides.

Even if the guy doing “merely” the speed limit in the left lane is removed from that lane and fined, it’s NOT going to change the aggressive tailgater’s personality and dangerous driving behaviour

1 Like

No, but it will eliminate one left lane squatter causing people to tailgate.

I’ll express another opinion . . . which I suspect profoundly differs from yours . . . even if there is no slowpoke in the left lane, the tailgaters will be aggressively tailgating somebody else and making the freeways unsafe

I’m beginning to think maybe you think the aggressive tailgater’s dangerous behaviour is okay, justifiable, admirable, etc

1 Like

This is so over the top. Sure I have had tail alligators, There cannot be law enforcement every driving moment. I do not remember except in city driving a true tail alligator. I am all in favor of the left lane can go as fast as they wish, and if I have someone behind me who wants to go faster when I am in the left lane I change a lane and let them by unless it is obvious there is the car in front of me controlling the situation.

2 Likes

I am in Oregon. A few years ago the state legislature passed the headlights on when wipers were on law with an effective date. It didn’t affect me as I drive with lights on unless it is a clear sunny day. The law ended up being sent back to the legislature with concerns of daytime running lights (DRLs) qualifying as headlights and light mist with wipers on low speed intermittent qualifying as rain. DRLs do not turn on tail lights which I consider as important as headlights in low visibility conditions. Left lane squatters cannot be cited if they are at or below the speed limit. We have Slower Traffic Keep Right signs but they are advisory not regulatory.

I get tailgated while driving 60mph on a 55mph 2 lane highway by giant pickups and SUVs. With no oncoming traffic for a mile. They will not pass even if I pull as far as possible to the right and slow down. They want me to speed up. It is an intimidation/control thing. The same as left lane squatters wanting everyone to slow down. I guess they miss being hall monitors in school with their pseudo NAZI arm bands.

+1
For example, there has been newspaper publicity in my state about an upcoming statewide enforcement of the ban on using cellphones while driving. The electronic message boards also mention this upcoming blitz, which is made possible by a special grant to local police departments to add one or two officers to each shift just for this type of enforcement.

Yes, this will only take place for one month, but perhaps the people who wind up with a large fine (I think that it is $250.) will re-think their priorities behind the wheel in the future.

1 Like

Until the lunatic lane camper pulls a gun. Highway vigilantes lead to road rage.

What’s needed is a combination of anti-lane camping laws (not every state has them) and directives to law enforcement to actually enforce those laws.

Maybe instead of sitting under a bridge drinking coffee and playing with a laser gun the cop could actually, you know, drive with traffic and get people who are driving poorly rather than just the people who are going 20 over.

3 Likes

Colorado has had this law for years, unfortunately seldom enforced. I’ve actually had conversations with people who think it’s OK to stay in the left lane if they are doing the speed limit. I usually tell them that they are an idiot if they do that. If you are in the left lane and someone behind you wants to go faster, whatever your speed is MOVE OVER AND LET THEM PASS. This has the benefits of clearing the road ahead of any speed traps and a general lowering of tension for all.

We drive in a state where the highways started out as wagon paths and have improved little since then. Lots of curves and hills, and dammit, why are some people incapable of holding a steady speed going uphill?

I got pulled over by a CSP officer at dawn on I-76 in the middle of nowhere with no traffic for miles 35 years ago for cruising in the fast lane and the tongue lashing I received just left a lasting impression I guess.

That happened to a buddy of mine in the early 1970s. He was driving on a 4 lane state highway at night with no traffic in sight. He was using the left lane to avoid heavy grooving in the right lane. A state trooper appeared out of nowhere (don’t they always) and gave him a citation for “failure to drive right”. He went to traffic court planning to plead guilty with explanation and tell the Judge why he was driving in the left lane. He was surprised when the Judge said “Young man, I’m not going to ask you for a plea. I’m puzzled why you were cited for violating a statute that does not exist”. I’m thinking the trooper received some remedial training from his Captain.

1 Like

Not to argue but if the trooper is driving with the traffic, he/she/it only sees the cars going the opposite direction and the few cars that are tagging along with him/her/it. If the trooper is sitting in the center though drinking coffee, they will see cars going both directions. It’s just math. You see more cars sitting than driving with them. I think drinking coffee and eating donuts though is over-blown. There are not many porta potties on the freeways. I always have to limit my intake or I’ll be stopping every ten miles.

That’s a great way to make friends :smirk:

Hey, if they insist on pressing the point