Bad Drivers

I've lived in New York State since I was 5 years old, and I have never seen such a diagram on a highway sign. Sure, at intersections, the turning vs. through lanes are often painted on the road, but signs on major highways enforcing rechtsfahren? Tell me where.

-- Mike Smith

Mass, CT, and NY. NY has a sign saying "passing lane/travel lane/slow lane". Common sense should be enough for a driver to know not to drive below the speed limit in the fast lane. Common sense should be enough for a driver to know that he has traffic stacked up behind him while in the fast lane. But, then again, ain't too many US drivers with common sense. Take a trip to Europe - you'll learn real quickly.

Forgot to ask: Do you agree the law says "keep right except to pass"?

The message from Dave LaCourse contains these words:

Particularly in the UK. Driving on the wrong side of the road's a very short steep learning curve, and falling off it hurts.

LOL

What Dave said, about both the sign and the European driving experience.

I think it's more of a suggestion than something that could get you a ticket. The wording may be different. I seem to remember the NJ turnpike signs read "slower traffic keep right". Additionally trucks are not allowed in the left lane there (though at some points they have their own lanes).

The thing that I notice about the "fast" lane is that many seem to think their amount of speeding is all right, but anything faster is just crazy so they're not moving over.

--Art

In most states, "keep right except to pass" is codified into law. When it's posted on rectangular black&white signs (like speed limit signs), it's not advisory. (Like diamond black and yellow signs.)

Enforcement is just about non-existant, however.

E.P.

In other words they are saying, "I will select your speed limit." Never escalate. Never impede. If I am traveling in the fast lane, it is because I am passing someone, or I am in a line of traffic. When I pass someone, I pull into the right (or center) lane, especially if there is someone behind me. He wants to go faster -- who am I to deny him? Left lane bandits are more dangerous than speeders - not as dangerous as tailgaters, but right up there with causes for accidents.

Dave

BTW, the signs I saw were in CT. Mass has "keep right except to pass" as many (all) states have.

I drive south on Rt. 95 from NH to MA every morning. The 3rd lane of 4 is filled with clueless dopes going 55-60, sometimes even less, who aren't passing anyone, they're just forcing others to clog up the 4th lane. 90% of these people are from Maine, where their own Maine Turnpike has signs to keep right. I use headlights, horn and/or quick French-style lane returns after passing in an effort to get them to see they're in the wrong lane. 1 in an 50 will move over.

It's our own home-grown problem and here's an example. A couple months ago, I pick up my son from driver's ed class. Next to me is a guy apparently picking up his son. The son hops in the SUV, neither one is buckled up. The dog is on the the driver's lap. Leaving, no turn signals are used and he just whips through a stop sign. Good example Dad! And I see cops breaking common rules almost daily. How the hell is the average Joe supposed to drive well?

I've driven in Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland and all over the US. We just suck when it comes to driving. I think a lot of it is the "it's a free country, I'll do what I want" attitude. The rest is just ignorance of what's going on around them. Very lame.

Glad I didn't get started about cell phones.... :)

Left lane cruising is epidemic here in Louisiana-- it should be a capital offense, IMHO... I often dream of the traffic laws here changing to favor the German standard where rear-ended collisions in the left lane of the expressway are the person in front's fault for not getting out of the damn way!

The message from snipped-for-privacy@horsehill.net (Kyle Tucker) contains these words:

We get that here, too. A local copper was nicked recently for doing nearly 60mph in a 30mph zone and 159mph in a 70mph zone. Worse, he got off.

d;o) Yes. Let us not venture into that hornet's nest.

Son's taking driver's ed, eh? Do him and his mom a favor and enroll him in the Stevens Advanced Driver Training, aka Skid School. Their site is

School is half day, typically 16 students with four new Volvos. Cost is $300, with Mass Auto Dealers Assoc. picking up $150.

They emphasize abs braking (and non-abs braking to those who want it), car handling (starting with proper seating and hands positions), emergency reaction, tailgating, and the dangers of backing-up. Great school. I used to work for Stevens when he taught cops (VT, Md, MA) and if I sponsor a kid, he will use me as a demonstrations driver for the kids' parents.

Dave

... whereas right lane cruising causes us a problem in the UK.

I wonder what would happen if we sent all our right lane cruisers over to you and you sent your left lane cruisers here?

Well he's had his license for a few months now, but we are real ball-busters about driving correctly *and* wearing seatbelts. I read about this course in the Globe's Automobile section one week. According to the website's schedule notes, it's only open to residents of certain Massachusetts towns listed, depending on which session.

The message from Dave LaCourse contains these words:

Anyone in Massachusetts may attend. The towns listed are *where* the school will be taught on those days. I usually use Devens (the old airfield runways) when I sponsor a kid. I've sponsored about 4 or 5 this year so far. You can choose which site you want, i.e., Ayer (Devens), Bedford, West Springfield, etc.

It sounds like you are giving him what he needs, but believe me, he will benefit greatly from all the exercises in Stevens' school. And, he (and you) will have a ball doing it. d;o)

Dave

Ever heard of reverse polarity, Peter? Your rightlaners would love our left lanes. d;o)

The message from Peter Bell contains these words:

They'd all form a concretion along the central reservation, which I think you call the median strip.