Left Lane Ticket

[Karried]

We're on CNN this morning... not too bad.

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

I love this law... I can't stand it when a self imposed traffic controller decides to 'obey' the law and drive under the speed limit and then refuses to get out of the way for those who want to go the speed limit or even a few miles over, to pass him.

$206 ticket. The problem I see is that anytime someone sees a Trooper behind them, they automatically slow down..so even if they were going the speed limit, it might not appear they were when he gets behind them.

[kmf563]

I swear I heard trumpets and angels singing when I watched this video. People driving slow in the passing lane cause so many accidents. and make my blood boil.

Why do people do that Karried? I've never understood slowing down when a cop is behind you or when you see someone being pulled over. The way radar works is you have to move something passed the radar - so it has to cross. Think about when you are at the fair or a carnival and you throw the baseball. It has to pass in front of the radar gun to clock the speed. It's the same thing. They can't clock your speed behind you. They have to follow you and average about the same speed you are going to determine how fast you are going. That takes a few minutes - so just let the foot off the gas but don't break.

You can learn a lot from knowing cops. =) They all aren't complete jerks.

[Karried]

Why do people do that Karried? I've never understood slowing down when a cop is behind you or when you see someone being pulled over.

lol... all I know is when I look in the mirror and see a cop behind me... my heart starts pounding and I automatically check my speed and then try to get the heck out of his way so he'll leave me alone!

[MadMonk]

That...is...AWESOME!

[CuatrodeMayo]

YES!!! Finally.

[FRISKY]

GOOD! GOOD! GOOD!
It is so good to see the Highway Patrol is finally doing something about those self righteous idiots that deliberately and illegally police traffic flow in the left lane. Apparently they can’t comprehend the thousands of “Slow Traffic Keep Right” signs posted on every highway in the state. Those morons don't have a clue their actions are the main reason for highway accidents by forcing other drivers to make multiple lane changes at widely varying speeds, not to mention spawning scenarios that make those susceptible to road rage get fanatical.

[FRISKY]

Link to the actual Oklahoma law:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/inju...oc/okspeed.pdf

Minimum Speed Limit: I. No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. Title 47, '11-804(a)
II. A person, driving at less than the normal speed of traffic, shall drive in the right-hand lane when available for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. Title 47, '11-301(b)

Mandatory Minimum Term: None
Fine:
Amount ($ Range): I. For Speed Law Violations, Except as Noted9 (Title 47, ''11-801 to 11-807)$10 to $200 Title 47, ''11-807(c) & 11-1401(m)
II. For a Not Driving in the Right Lane When Proceeding at Less than the Normal Speed of Traffic (Title 47, '11-301(b))-1st offense-$20 to $500 2nd offense (within 1 year)-$20 to $500 3rd or subsequent offense (within 1 year)-$20 to $500 Title 47, '17-101(B)

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

That video gives me the vapors.

*sniff*

[oneforone]

I think they should have also mentioned the other ticket you can get in this situation.

Say if the driver in front of you is going the speed limit (let's say 65 for argument's sake) and you come up behind someone doing 70-75 and riding someone's bumper until they move.

You will get a ticket for doing that as well. Most driver's do not understand that the left hand outside lane is passing only. It is not a speed lane, nor is it a cruising lane. You should only use left lane when your passing or exiting to a left hand off ramp. Once you have cleared the car(s) your passing, move back over to the center lane or outside lane.

The main reason OHP is enforcing this is because drivers that stay in the left lane are keeping them from getting to emergencies in a timely manner.

The biggest complaint I have with Oklahoma Driver's is the lack of common sense and courtesy. If your out killing time, move to the slower lanes. If you have to haul ass to get to your destination, leave earlier. It only takes 20 minutes or less (30 or less in rush hour) to get anywhere in OKC. If you leave 30 minutes prior to when you have to be there, you will find the drive is so much more relaxing. Not to mention you will visit the gas pump a little less often.

[kevinpate]

The trouble is the guilty mind.

Joe six packer sees a trooper, thinks of all the times he's rocked and rolled down the highway, sober or otherwise, and irrationally decides the trooper knows. So Joe gives his spincter a few crunches and then slows down in hopes of making amends, if only in his own mind, praying the trooper will pass him on by.

Sadly, if the trooper also slows down, so traffic will be able to move on and ignore the tight grimicing Joe show, danged if Joe and now Bubba and Betty lou don't also slow down a bit more.

Fergitabout the folks who dawdle in the left lane. Passing on the right solves that issue for me. I choose to save my wrath for the folks who cause traffic to drop 10-15-20 miles or more in all lanes as they end up sandwiching in a trooper front and back and keep matching his ever slowing speed speed, just to prove in their own deluded small minds how good they can be when they think someone is watching.

It's those special precious moments when I readily comprehend how road rage happens.
8^)

[kmf563]

one for one -
It takes me 45 minutes to get to work every morning. Sometimes an hour. In the city. Not 30 minutes or less. And sometimes you just can't leave earlier than you do - kids can't be at school earlier than a certain time, maybe the daycare doesn't open until a certain time. That leave earlier crap gives me rage too. Why should I have to leave earlier because people want to drive slow in the passing lane?

You will most likely not receive a ticket for driving close to the person in front of you if they are in the passing lane. However, you can receive a following too closely ticket if you accidently hit them or if they are in the middle lane and the cop has absolutely nothing better to do that day than paperwork and is in a piss mood because someone probably was driving too slow in the passing lane and gave him road rage!

I guess they were protesting this CNN show this morning and didn't announce it because they were slower than ever!!!! That's okay, unbeknownst to them I was promoting a Ludacris song in my head.

Here's a good rule to follow - it doesn't matter what speed you are doing in the passing lane. Whether it's 45 or 85 - once you pass the person on your right, move back over. And if there are a lot of persons on your right - when you look in your rear view mirror and there are people behind you keeping up or riding your butt, move over to the right. Regardless of what speed you are going - move over. You are not the patrol police. Another fine example of where we need the mind your own business law. Stop worrying about what speed others are going and just drive your pace in the appropriate lane! Move out of the way.

[CuatrodeMayo]

How about a "Don't stop at the end of an on-ramp Law"?

[kmf563]

You mean the acceleration ramp? Isn't it called that for a reason?! I agree.
We could also use a "don't stop in the middle of the interstate to get into another lane at the last minute for your exit" law.

[Dark Jedi]

I swear I heard trumpets and angels singing when I watched this video. People driving slow in the passing lane cause so many accidents. and make my blood boil.

Why do people do that Karried? I've never understood slowing down when a cop is behind you or when you see someone being pulled over. The way radar works is you have to move something passed the radar - so it has to cross. Think about when you are at the fair or a carnival and you throw the baseball. It has to pass in front of the radar gun to clock the speed. It's the same thing. They can't clock your speed behind you. They have to follow you and average about the same speed you are going to determine how fast you are going. That takes a few minutes - so just let the foot off the gas but don't break.

You can learn a lot from knowing cops. =) They all aren't complete jerks.

This is bad advice.

Speed radar is much more sophistcated than the one you toss a baseball past. It is capable of differential readings as wel, so it tells the cop the speed difference between you and a fixed object, like a signpost. They also keep their speedo's calibrated, and it is perfectly legal for him to clock you by pacing you.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

From what I've seen and played with, radar (the doppler kind, not laser) ISN'T any different than what you clock a baseball or a hotrod with.

[venture]

I'm still waiting for the next part of this, when they actually start enforcing those nice new signs - move over for emergency or stopped vehicles. I mean...I was always taught, those signs in white with a black border = law. Essentially it means if a cop has someone pulled over or another emergency vehicles is on the side of the road...you get out of that lane (usually right). If you can't, then you slow down a bit until you pass. So, by the law, if there is a cop on the side of the road - ideally no one should be in that lane he is walking by.

Now does that happen? Well no. I doubt most people even realize that law exists. Ohio rolled it out a few years ago. No one paid attention to it, so they started educating people. Most traffic stops would have 2 police vehicles...usually a car and motorcycle. When they would have someone pulled over, and another car drove by - and was able to get over and didn't...the motorcycle went and delivered a nice present for about $150.

After about a month of that, its amazing to see people give law enforcement the space they deserve on the road.

Also...how about the no semi in the left lane law, especially with 3 or more lanes like most states. Or...when the "passing" semi is only doing 1-3 mph more than the one they are trying to pass. If anything, that is just as dangerous as what we are talking here. It is always nice, say in Norman, with traffic along 35 crusing around 65-70 (okay slightly over the speed limit, I think some still think it is 70 like it was 8 years ago)...and you have a semi decide to pass another one. The one they are passing is doing just around 60, and that passing semi is doing less than 65 but a little bit more than 60.

[dismayed]

I'm glad they are finally enforcing this. It is annoying when folks just hold down the left lane, but I'm quite surprised at the number of people who won't speed up or get over when they see a police car come up behind them who clearly wants through. I've never understood this.

[Sue Branham]

Actually, you can be caught on radar from behind. It happened to me several years ago at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I asked the SP how he knew how fast I was going since he was behind me..... Doppler radar, he said. It was a new technology back then. At least I got off with a warning!

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

This is awesome...I saw somebody get pulled over for it last night.

She was blocking me by matching speed with the car next to her on S. Sooner Rd...Going about 2mph under the speed limit. This went on for about 5 miles. I didn't ride her tail, but stayed close enough to let her know. I could see her looking at me in her mirror, she knew I was there. Which tells me that she was doing it on purpose.

A cop came up behind me, I moved over, the squatter didn't....Here come the flashing lights. I giggled like a schoolgirl when he pulled that lady over. It was like a really early birthday present that I didn't deserve.

I love it when somebody who's doing something mean gets busted for it. Witnessing insta-karma is awesome.

[MadMonk]

OGTS, that warms my heart. Did you wave as you went by?

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Close.

I was giving the cop two thumbs up

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I'm actually kinda surprised at this thread. Most of the times I've seen this particular issue discussed online, it's been quite the flamewar.

[Karried]

I giggled like a schoolgirl when he pulled that lady over.

How could anyone possibly think to flame with that visual?? LOL

[Ginkasa]

I just hope this doesn't encourage speeding (which, judging by some reactions, it apparentely is).

Its not JUST the people who "hog the left lane" who cause accidents, but the jerks who can't seem to comprehend that the world doesn't revolve around them and their poor planning/need for speed.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I just hope this doesn't encourage speeding (which, judging by some reactions, it apparentely is).

Its not JUST the people who "hog the left lane" who cause accidents, but the jerks who can't seem to comprehend that the world doesn't revolve around them and their poor planning/need for speed.

Both the speeders and the left lane squatters are breaking the law (which makes most of this argument a wash). However, what I find to be particularly aggravating (and just a little disturbing) is the motivations of a very large number of people. You see, speeders are, by and large, simply trying to get some place a bit faster. Wrong? That's up to ODOT and the popo, not John the plumber's...The people hogging the left lane are (much of the time) intentionally going out of their way to piss off other people. There's just something clicking wrong in that head of theirs.

By "policing" that lane, those people are deliberately making other people's day a little worse and should get a second ticket for being an jerk and a drag on society.