Passing on the right -- *grumble, grumble*

[rationull]

On my way home tonight at 7:45 or whatever, there was almost nobody else on the road (very nice). Going up the 3 mile grade on my normal route, since the road was clear I was taking it easy at 60 in the middle lane, because the far right is home to trucks going 35-40.

So there's a semi about 150 yards ahead of me in the right lane and this guy comes up behind me in a pickup, going faster than me. Instead of taking advantage of the wide-open left lane, he passes me on the right, having to squeeze between me and the semi. [censored]?

It's not like it was real close or anything but if I'd sped up 2 mph he would've been boxed in and would've had to slam on the brakes. I just wonder what's going through people's heads? They just don't think about what they're doing? Why would you pass on the right having to rush to avoid a semi when you can pass on the left with zero hassle?

Anyway, I just wanted to complain.

 

[sciphi]

I pass and get passed on the right all the time, typically on 4-lane roads

When there are 3 driving lanes available, though, I pass in the open lane, with a preference for the clearest lane. No sense in boxing myself unnecessarily.

That guy sounds like a real in-DUH-vidual (thanks, Scott Adams!!).

 

[Cutehumor]

Billy bob is reenacting the kyle busch victory last week. Nascar driving at it's finest.

 

[rationull]

Yeah people pass on the right on the highways here all the time when it's 2 lanes in either direction. I don't have so much of a problem with that if somebody's holding up the left lane for some reason, which seems to happen fairly often. My gripe above was about the needless danger of cutting between two vehicles when the fast lane was wide open.

 

[gtx510]

I agree. Some people really think it's a Nascar race and they just moved up a spot. Did you see that pass?
Or he might be trying to make a point..

My question is..
What 3 lane freeway in Cali were you on? Driving 60?
Isn't the speed limit 65-70?
Flow of traffic around here is more like +80mph. And the bigrigs are doing more like 70+.
You should be driving in the slow lane and just moving out to pass a slow bigrig.
Or next time you see someone coming up behind you that fast signal and move over to the slower lane.
But at least you weren't in the fastlane...

 

[Tosh]

When I see this scenario approaching, I speed up just enough to box the tool in. Maybe they'll learn their lesson if it happens often enough? Doubt it.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: gtx510
I agree. Some people really think it's a Nascar race and they just moved up a spot. Did you see that pass?
Or he might be trying to make a point..

My question is..
What 3 lane freeway in Cali were you on? Driving 60?
Isn't the speed limit 65-70?
Flow of traffic around here is more like +80mph. And the bigrigs are doing more like 70+.
You should be driving in the slow lane and just moving out to pass a slow bigrig.
Or next time you see someone coming up behind you that fast signal and move over to the slower lane.
But at least you weren't in the fastlane...


Why should he have to move over if (a) he was in the middle lane, and (b) the left lane was wide open? If the clown coming up is in such a hurry, let him *pass on the left* as he's supposed to.

 

[MrCritical]

What Tosh said.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Originally Posted By: gtx510

My question is..
What 3 lane freeway in Cali were you on? Driving 60?
Isn't the speed limit 65-70?
Flow of traffic around here is more like +80mph. And the bigrigs are doing more like 70+.
You should be driving in the slow lane and just moving out to pass a slow bigrig.
Or next time you see someone coming up behind you that fast signal and move over to the slower lane.
But at least you weren't in the fastlane...


So in CA the min speed is 65 and the max is 70?

 

[Matt_S]

Getting passed on the right drives me nuts, too, but under some conditions, I understand it. I'll pass on the right if someone's going too slow for the lane they're in and doesn't seem to be making any effort to move over or if I'm just being impatient and someone's going to slow for the lane and doesn't move over before I would have to slow down. Given two clear lanes to pick from, though, I'll always pass on the left.

One reason I've heard that people will pass on the right when the left lane is clear is that they don't want to get a ticket and feel that being on the left puts them at higher risk for that. Personally, though, if I was a cop, 10-over is 10-over no matter what lane you're in and you're still going to see my red and blue lights in your mirror.

 

[brianl703]

On I95 in Va the right lane is often empty while the two left-most lanes are filled with cars.

Only thing that bothers me about people passing on the right is when they decide to do it without any regard for the cars merging onto the highway on the right.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: gtx510

My question is..


I know what you're getting at, but I wasn't just being a lane hog here Highway 101 on the central coast is 2 lanes in either direction for probably almost 250 miles, but changes to 3 lanes for the Cuesta grade (among others) which is about 3 miles of fairly steep hill. The speed limit is 65 here and only changes to 70 a few dozen miles north where there are fewer curves.

One reason it's three lanes now (hasn't always been and was pretty scary when it wasn't) is semis tend to only be able to pull 35-45. To stay in the lane behind a semi and move out to pass would put a car in a situation where they need to either be going 50 mph in the middle lane, or "quickly" accelerate to the speed of traffic, which in a case like this would've actually been dangerous unless the other driver had the foresight to change lanes as a courtesy (which is doubtful).

At any rate I'm always very mindful of not holding up other drivers by being in the wrong lane. The fact that there were only two cars on the road plus the semis meant that going 60 in the middle lane was totally safe and not rude.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: Tosh
When I see this scenario approaching, I speed up just enough to box the tool in. Maybe they'll learn their lesson if it happens often enough? Doubt it.


Oh, I thought about it But I figured that acceleration would've ruined the relaxing drive and my gas mileage on that stretch.

 

[GMFan]

Forget the left lane, pass on the median.

 

[tom slick]

people always drive like idiots on cuesta grade.

I also use Tosh's strategy quit effectively.

Do you live on the central coast?

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: tom slick

Do you live on the central coast?


Yeah, I take it you do too (from your listed location). Nice area but you're right about the grade.

 

[gtx510]

Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
Originally Posted By: gtx510

My question is..
What 3 lane freeway in Cali were you on? Driving 60?
Isn't the speed limit 65-70?
Flow of traffic around here is more like +80mph. And the bigrigs are doing more like 70+.
You should be driving in the slow lane and just moving out to pass a slow bigrig.
Or next time you see someone coming up behind you that fast signal and move over to the slower lane.
But at least you weren't in the fastlane...


So in CA the min speed is 65 and the max is 70?

65mph when an interstate is in a city, 70 in rural areas.
iirc, state highways are still 55.
Drive that slow and expect an SUV-enima.

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: rationull
Originally Posted By: tom slick

Do you live on the central coast?


Yeah, I take it you do too (from your listed location). Nice area but you're right about the grade.


I'm out in Los Osos.

 

[bdcardinal]

my fav is where the 101 goes from 3 to 2 lanes right at the fairview onramp in goleta. so its basically 4 into 2. im amazed there havent been more accidents there.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Our main roads are pretty much all 2-laners. I dunno if that's worse or better. Once section of the Turnpike north of Phila they plan to expand to 3-lanes and I'll have to deal with that then.

Kinda OT, but after some recent cross-country motorcycle riding, I am a LOT more aware and concious on the road. Not that I was a dope before, but now I watch everything like a hawk.

My (one) pet peeve is people stopping short on side streets at stop signs. Some actually have a variation where they begin to pull out before you pass them, sort of a "fake" t-bone effect.

Nice.