But the trooper unfortunately sighted her for going 63 in a 65 zone:
Most states have a statute regarding, “keep right unless passing”, or something to that effect, and I would be very surprised if Maryland did not have that type of statute also. So, why the cop chose to ticket her for driving 2 mph too slowly, rather than for “failure to keep right” is a mystery–at least to me. As noted in the article, due to the cop citing the woman for driving too slowly, rather than for failure to keep right, it is possible that the case may be thrown out of court.
It is just a shame that–all too often–enforcement of traffic laws seems to focus more on people driving 5 mph over the speed limit, rather than on people who block the left lane, people who use cell phones while driving, people who drive with no lights in inclement weather, and other factors that are more likely to lead to accidents than simply driving a few mph over the speed limit.
I hope to see more of these “left lane bandits” getting pulled over. The law here is that you can be ticketed if you stay in the left lane without passing a vehicle. It’s a good law but it’s rarely enforced.
I like to drive in the left lane because the pavement is smoother (no trucks) and traffic flows smoother when not dealing with exit and entrance ramps…The cops think they OWN the left lane but we all paid to build it and we should be able to use it freely…
Now obstructing traffic is another issue. But when you are driving “ten over” that argument has little validity. There is truth in the statement “No matter how fast you are going in the left lane, somebody will pull up behind you and flash their headlights…” Off-duty cops perhaps?
The law in MA is keep right except to pass and they had a campaign to enlighten drivers about the law over the last couple of years. On the stretch of expressway I frequently travel, they have an informational, lighted sign that flashes that message when it’s not being used to alert people to other temporary hazards.
Where I grew up, the lady would have been cited for impeding traffic rather than the 2 mph slow citation which could easily be contested based on speedometer accuracy.
I really hate “Middle Lane Hogs”, who are slower or even with the RightLaners. Which forces drivers to either pass on the Right because the left is clogged with cars going much faster.
She was cited for failure to move to the right, not for going 2 mph below the limit. It is unusual for a cop to write one of these tickets outside Arkansas as they usually don’t have a large fine. Small fines are often seen as a waste of the officers time.
There may be more to this story than the offender is telling. Police officers will sometimes write a penny ante ticket when they observe other driving behaviors they consider unsafe but are difficult to enforce or they don’t remember the traffic code number etc. They do this to send a message to the driver.
BTW, in Arkansas, it is a $500 fine to hold up traffic in the left lane no matter your speed. The criteria is if you are passed on the right by three or more vehicles without passing any vehicles yourself. Being passed on the right by some out of control speeder will not get you one of these. It is only a $50 fine in the surrounding states where speeding fines start at $150.
She was cited for failure to move to the right, not for going 2 mph below the limit. It is unusual for a cop to write one of these tickets outside Arkansas as they usually don’t have a large fine. Small fines are often seen as a waste of the officers time.
There may be more to this story than the offender is telling. Police officers will sometimes write a penny ante ticket when they observe other driving behaviors they consider unsafe but are difficult to enforce or they don’t remember the traffic code number etc. They do this to send a message to the driver.
BTW, in Arkansas, it is a $500 fine to hold up traffic in the left lane no matter your speed. The criteria is if you are passed on the right by three or more vehicles without passing any vehicles yourself. Being passed on the right by some out of control speeder will not get you one of these. It is only a $50 fine in the surrounding states where speeding fines start at $150.
Glad to see it. She said “somethimes you have to slow down to stay safe”. So she drives in the left lane to stay safe from the wind? Really.
I don’t drive in the left lane. One of the reasons is you have less room to maneuver if there is a problem. In the right lane, you have the shoulder and the left lane before you hit the ditch but in the left lane, only a couple feet and you’re in the ditch.
Good, I wish lane discipline was more rigorously enforced in this country. However the citation for going below the posted speed limited is quite dubious.
“No matter how fast you are going in the left lane, somebody will pull up behind you and flash their headlights…” Off-duty cops perhaps?"
No just someone who you’re holding up by not using proper lane discipline
I ALWAYS leave the left lane after passing someone.
Even if I am in the middle lane, as soon as I pass someone, I move to the right–unless there is a merging lane coming up very soon.
What is so hard to understand regarding, “keep to the right unless passing”?
???
I don’t see why she can’t ride in the left lane. It is legal in MD to pass on the right. Why does someone feel like they have to pass on the left? I see lots of people passing on the right on I-95. At 80 MPH. In the rain. I don’t ride in the left-most lane because I don’t like being tailgated.
I often drive in the left lane, but I’m continually passing slower traffic. If someone comes up behind me and wants to go faster than I am, I move over for them. Seems reasonable to me. My pet peeve is when someone hogs the left lane and either drives at exactly the same speed as the car next to them, or passes another vehicle by making their speed .05 MPH faster than the vehicle next to them. Seriously, just push the gas, complete the maneuver, and get out of everyone else’s way.
The portion for going to slow is stupid. The speed limit is the max limit, not the cruising requirement.
But the left lane coma is spot on! Wish more snoozers would get lit up for this.
As it should be, Digital rights have elimininated all the pinkard and bowden videos. Nothing out there but the lyrics so sing along the lyrics in your head to the tune of blue eyes crying in the lane, I know you can do it!
Put on Your Willie album and imagine!
In the taillight’s glow I see ‘em
(What do we call ‘em, Sandy?)
Blue Hairs Drivin’ In My Lane
When she hit me and departed
I knew there’d be no insurance claim
Lucky I’m a paid-up member
Here comes good old Triple-A
From the tow-truck I remember
Blue Hairs Drivin’ In My Lane.
Someday on the streets up yonder
They’ll be no-old Chevrolets
In a land that knows no parking
And no more Blue Hairs Drivin’ In My Lane.
There may not be a case against that lady.
http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
One would think that something like this would be standardized instead of everyone doing their own thing.
Usually, back East, traffic is so heavy ALL the lanes are full to capacity and the term “passing lane” becomes theoretical…Out west, in many areas, you can cruise in the left lane for hours and never bother anyone…But with the speed limit at 75 and say you are cruising at 82, that’s pretty much all the cops will give you, if someone approaches from behind going 90, no problem, I’m happy to surrender the left lane to that driver…Now if you are sleeping in the left lane, traveling below the speed limit, unaware of cars behind you, that’s a different story…
I finally gave up trying to control the lane discipline of others.
Once I complete a pass, I signal and pull to the right lane. But my feeling for those that don’t and aren’t keeping up with the left lane traffic is that they’d better not mind if I blast by them on the right. 'Cause I will. And I’ll probably beep on the way by to let them know I’m there.
NH finally passed a law to keep right except to pass just a couple of years ago. But I’d say a good 50% of people on the highways in MA and NH drive in the left most lane even when they’re NOT passing someone. It’s the only area of the country I’ve traveled in where the right lane is the passing lane. So many people in the left lane going BELOW the speed limit. And then they finally pull over when they are 100 yds from their exit…sometimes crossing 3 lanes of traffic.
Kudos to the cop in Maryland! Police in all state should do this AS WELL as ticketing merging traffic for not yielding the right of way to traffic on the highway. In high frequency of on-ramp areas the trucks all run in the middle or left lanes clogging up traffic because merging traffic expects the highway traffic to make room for THEM. Too many accidents have happen with cars under-running the trucks because of their failure to properly merge. This fudges up traffic as much as the left lane bandit.