left lane law?

@quita88 (3715)
United States
January 13, 2010 5:39pm CST
In the US there is a law, effective 11-01-09 that a left lane law came into effect. If you are caught driving in the left lane for an extended period of time and therefore blocking faster traffic, you will be issued a $206.00ticket, due to emergency vehicles and they cannot pass. You can also be given a ticket for driving less than the posted speed limit. Another law you might know about is when drivers do not use their turn signals and don't move over to the far lane when an officer has pulled somone over on the side of the road can also cost you. Both of these violations can cost you over $200.00.
3 people like this
10 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Dose that mean if someone gets pulled over you have to pull over too ? What if they have had them there for awhiloe and you pass? I know about the stopping when an emergecy truck or what ever is coming thro to pull as far right as you can and we do but so many here dont and if all three lanes are full no where to go!
1 person likes this
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
15 Jan 10
No. if a policeman has someone pulled over or an accident has happened, all you need to do is slow down and move over as far as you can but continue on unless you are flagged to stop. It's for the safety of the cop and who ever they pulled over and you too. As far as the lanes being full and nowhere to go, just slow down and look for a place to pull over ----or into another lane if you can. I just don't want you hitting someone LOL
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
15 Jan 10
ih no nott hat I just get stuck where I am and I hate it!
@StarBright (2798)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Some states have had the left lane law for years. It is nothing new. Where I am, if you drag your tail in the left lane, you will get run over , One thing that needs to be corrected is how little respect citizens have for emergency vehicles. I have seen people actually speed up and drive right along side emergency vehicles (police cars as well as paramedics) rather than pull over to the right and let them pass. Those people need to be ticketed. The other person that presents a risk in traffic is the person who keeps his signal on forever. He turned the corner a mile back and the signal is still on. I want to get a grappling hook and reach in their car and turn the darn thing off.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
14 Jan 10
What you do is at the first opportunity pass them and put your directional on. In the midst of them cussing you out they will realize that they have theirs on and shut it off. That is when you shut yours off and they will get it. Same thing with High beams. I once was travelling in the wee hours of the morning and was very tired. It was a long boring stretch of highway. I had my high beams on and totally forgot that I did when I came up behind another car. All of a sudden the car in front of me pulled over and let me by. I thought nothing of it until he came up behind me with his high beams on and as I was cussing about it, noticed mine.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
I think it's been a law now for many years but noone has ever enforced it. I was having a heart attack in an ambulance and one pickup would not get out of the way---------I could see my BP dropping and said, I'm dying----- the driver, bless her heart , hit the siren, sped up and swiped that driver off the road. I never heard about what happened to him but did see he didn't turn over but do think she reported him as I know she got his tag number. I made it ok but still it's time drivers woke up , turned on or off their signals of their intentions to turn or not. Getting mad does no good but run up your own BP Take a tag number, call the police and report him. Hang in there. Nothing is ever perfect but if we work together we can make it better.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
14 Jan 10
I think it is a shame that they have to make laws for what is common sense and common courtesy. I was taught to do both of these things. It is amazing how many people were not.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
I was taught to give courtesy to all drivers and learned the rules too. My grandparents raised me and cuz of a generation gap, they made sure they knew the rules and taught them to me. But, we do have those who are "above" the rules and think they do not pretain to them. It's sad too cuz so many accidents could be prevented if we all paid attention to the rules of the road.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Hi quita, I actually did not know about the 2nd law you mentioned but it only makes sense really. So does the first one which I actually always thought was a law since the signs have always said that slower traffic should be in the right lane. It is just all common sense and the only reason that we even have to have these laws is because there are those that just done exercise common sense. I have been on the highway and behind one of those people that just lingers slowly in the left lane and all it does is irritate people and slow up traffic.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
14 Jan 10
The only reason we have to have these laws is because some people just don't use their common sense.
• Malaysia
15 Jan 10
Yea it agree with u, sid556. LOL
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
The second law does make sense. The first one seems to be a personal law most don't quite understand. It's simple. Drive in the right lane if you a slower driver. The left lane is used for passing or emergency vehicles to get to their destination,either chasing a trouble maker or ambulance. Also, obey the speed limit. If you drive too slow you can get ticketed too. Got to stay with the flow of traffic or get run over or be run over. Moving over as far as possible to avoid hitting a police officer or the driver of the other car makes sense to me. After all the driver of the car could have just had trouble the the officer was/is helping him out. It only takes half a brain for most to understand and those who do not need to be taken off the roads.
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
14 Jan 10
i knew about pulling in the further lane once police pulled someone over to avoid getting hit on the side of the road. however i didn't know about getting a ticket for staying in the left lane too long for driving slow and blocking traffic. i say someone would really have to overdo it to get a ticket for driving slowly in the left land too long.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
It's only common sense to me that pulling over for the police when they have someone stopped is a good idea. I have encountred many who drive like 40-50 in the left hand lane and won't move to the right hand lane and then traffic gets boggled and a wreck is bound to happen. I try my best to pass and get back in the right hand lane. So now we all know and we should all pass this along.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Yikes these are pretty steep penalties I guess I can see where they are coming from these are all safety concerns, but of course this is a way for them to pull in money off us and at hefty sums. Pretty soon we will be getting fined $200 for picking our noses at stop lights. These fines are pretty steep what if there is no where for you to go when an emergency vehicle passes, I have had that happen to me before? The traffic fines these days are just way too steep.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
14 Jan 10
People around here are pretty good at getting out of the way. Ir helps now that the emergency light comes on at the traffic lights so even if you don't here or see it you know an ambulance, fire truck, or police car is approaching with flashing lights so you can start looking around to try and figure out where the emergency vehicle is comeing from and prepare for it.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
No the fines have become a necessity to keep slow drivers from camping in the left lane. The left lane is for emergency vehicles and I've been a passenger in an ambulance where it was life threatening and no one would pull over to let my ambulance thru. I made it as you can tell, but still the left lane is used to pass and turn left and for emergency vehicles and not particualarly in that order. The fines are good with me, I don't pick my nose at stop lights either tho. Just wait til you are in an ambulance and you are looking at your last breath, then tell me the fines are too steep. it's time we Americans pay attention to the rules and there should be stiff penalities for those who don't pay attention.
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
13 Jan 10
But it's ok to drive in the left lane in the US if you are going faster than the others? It is about time that people who don't use their turn signals get some sort of comeuppance. Where did you find this information? I would love to send the link to my husband and step-son as they are less likely to do either of those things without seeing it in black and white.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
13 Jan 10
I got this out of my local paper . You can pass in the left lane but do not camp there ! it's only for passing and turning left. The turn signals are put there for a reason-------------and I wish all drivers paid attention and use them. Just last week I watched traffic not stop for a highway patrol who was chasing a car---------people need to learn to get out their way. I also have seen people who will not move over for an ambulance with its' lights going ninety to nothing-------I was the sick person in that very ambulance----- a heart attack. I know all about husbands and stop sons. Got 'em both but even reading this article they won't listen. They will end up getting fined and I can do nothing about it. Just pass along the info and if I can I'll get the link and send it back to you.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Good info but u know i don't go anywhere to have to worry about that. U know i'm an old saty at home. hugs.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
Yeah, well stay at home, you are fine LOL, but really read some of these responses and see what people say. unsafe and not law abiding. Still there will be some who agree.
@Torunn (8609)
• Norway
13 Jan 10
I hate people stuck in the left lane just a bit too slow! It's illegal to pass them on the right side, so what are you to do? I'm afraid I'm not very patient in this case, so I usually start with blinking the lights. If that doesn't work, I use the horn. If they still stay in the left lane I go to the right lane and drive just beside them so nobody can pass. Usually while glaring at them. I feel a bit like the ones they warn you about in the "drive safely" campaigns, but I really wish people would use the left lane for what it is meant for, passing other cars then get back to the right lane.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
These people who choose to camp in the left lane are the reasons for many accidents. My husband suffers road rage and good Lord I hate it when he comes up to a car in the left lane and he needs to pass !!! It' time people learned which lane is used for emergency vehicles and got out of the way !
@JDLofton (51)
• United States
14 Jan 10
I agree with the left lane law. Though it is not inforced like it should be. What I dislike is that when I am on way toward Baton Rouge, the right lane car is doing 55 in a 65 and the car in the left lane is right beside theh car in the right lane. That is what gets to me. I believe that if they put the law into effect that they should inforce it as well.
@quita88 (3715)
• United States
14 Jan 10
You are so right, the rules should be enforced. I understand where you are coming from too and doubt there is one person in mylot who has not been faced with the same thing. Drive safely.