Although all states have various forms of the “keep right unless passing” (aka “lane courtesy”) requirement in their statutes, it is rare to hear about the police actually enforcing the law against a driver who camps out in the left lane. Such a story surfaced recently from Maryland where a woman was ticketed for maintaining her position in the inside lane of I-95 while traveling at 63 mph in the 65 mph zone.
There was an interesting tug of war going on between readers of the online story. The posted comments range from a few questioning the saneness of issuing the ticket . . .“Sorry, but the reason it’s called a speed limit is because you can only go AS fast as 65 mph. There’s nothing about going slower than that speed. The signs say speed limit not speed you need to drive at.”
“There is no such thing as a ‘high speed lane.’ The posted speed limit is the law that applies to all the lanes. The left lane is not some “exception” to it.”
. . . to the vast majority of posters — our visual approximation puts it at about an 8 or 9 to 1 ratio — who display a solid knowledge of the benefits of lane courtesy. Sample contributions:
“It’s a provable fact that staying in the left lane when you are not passing is more dangerous than speeding. Check out facts on the Autobahn. No speed limits in most places, but major fines for riding the left lane. Much lower accident and death rates than US highways.”
“Even if you are driving at or below the speed limit, the left lane is for passing and faster traffic. Let the speeders (and that includes me) run the risk of a ticket. It’s not your job to play Highway Jesus and refuse to move out of the left lane to yield to faster cars.”
“Many states have laws restricting people from driving in the passing lane AT ANY SPEED except to pass. These are good laws, and I wish they were enforced more. As you drive along a freeway and see a jam of cars ahead, you can be absolutely sure that it is caused by an idiot hanging out in the left lane at a slower speed than traffic is flowing.”
To emphasize the first sentence of the last comment, here are pertinent clauses of the Washington State “keep right” statute (§46.61.100), one of the clearer statements in traffic law of the principle of letting faster traffic move unimpeded in the left lane:
Upon all roadways having two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, all vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, except (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow, (c) when moving left to allow traffic to merge, or (d) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when such left turn is legally permitted.
And
It is a traffic infraction to drive continuously in the left lane of a multilane roadway when it impedes the flow of other traffic.
What is interesting, but ultimately frustrating, is the reversal of the “lane courtesy appreciation” sentiment out on the highways where it really matters. It only takes one or two left-lane campers to royally screw up traffic flow, but it seems that at least some who write so forcefully online in favor of lane courtesy change their perspectives entirely when rubber meets pavement.
For many years now, the NMA has declared June as “Lane Courtesy Month,” taking the opportunity to highlight nationally the safety benefits of observing the simple “keep right unless passing” rule. Of course, lane courtesy is not a one-month awareness issue; it only works if it is practiced 365 days a year by all drivers.Improve traffic flow and safety immediately. If traffic is gathering behind you and you can move to a lane further right, do it. Otherwise you are in the wrong lane, regardless of what speed you are traveling at.