Nevada Handles Left Lane Slowpokes

[jakeroot]

Also interesting that this rule is restricted to the far left lane. In my observation, it's a much bigger problem with the middle lane (of 3), because if someone's blocking the middle lane, then you have to go two lanes over to pass someone ahead of you in the right lane.

If you watch some of the "bad driver" videos from Europe, it's a common complaint there (along with fog lights, which also bug me, being in a small hatchback). Middle-lane hogs make it harder to stay right, because inevitably, you have to (as you indicate) move over at least two lanes to pass, and then you have to get all the way back to the right. It's the definition of slalom driving. It wouldn't be that way if that middle-lane hog just kept right all the time.

Why don't you just pass the middle lane hog on the right, since you're already in that lane?

[I will in normal traffic, but not when traffic is quiet]

As a matter of principal, I try to pass on the left. "Undertaking" isn't strictly illegal where I am (it is in a few states, last I checked), but I try to be consistent. Also, it doesn't help when that middle lane hog, realising their error, tries to move right only to realise that you're already there undertaking them. That pisses them off, and then they just camp in the middle, frustrated. I see this crap all the time when a truck is in the left lane. People keep passing on the right -- if drivers stopped passing the truck on the right, he could merge over, and then we could pass properly on the left.

[empirestate]

Also interesting that this rule is restricted to the far left lane. In my observation, it's a much bigger problem with the middle lane (of 3), because if someone's blocking the middle lane, then you have to go two lanes over to pass someone ahead of you in the right lane.

If you watch some of the "bad driver" videos from Europe, it's a common complaint there (along with fog lights, which also bug me, being in a small hatchback). Middle-lane hogs make it harder to stay right, because inevitably, you have to (as you indicate) move over at least two lanes to pass, and then you have to get all the way back to the right. It's the definition of slalom driving. It wouldn't be that way if that middle-lane hog just kept right all the time.

Why don't you just pass the middle lane hog on the right, since you're already in that lane?

Because there's somebody ahead of me in the right lane.

[jakeroot]

Also interesting that this rule is restricted to the far left lane. In my observation, it's a much bigger problem with the middle lane (of 3), because if someone's blocking the middle lane, then you have to go two lanes over to pass someone ahead of you in the right lane.

If you watch some of the "bad driver" videos from Europe, it's a common complaint there (along with fog lights, which also bug me, being in a small hatchback). Middle-lane hogs make it harder to stay right, because inevitably, you have to (as you indicate) move over at least two lanes to pass, and then you have to get all the way back to the right. It's the definition of slalom driving. It wouldn't be that way if that middle-lane hog just kept right all the time.

Why don't you just pass the middle lane hog on the right, since you're already in that lane?

Because there's somebody ahead of me in the right lane.

What makes a driver a true middle lane hog is when they're camped out without anyone to the right of them. Those people are seriously annoying. A secondary annoyance would be those who are in the middle lane, pacing someone in the right lane. They are also middle lane hogs, since they could, and should be in the far right lane, since they aren't passing.

I understand the appeal of the middle lane: not in the "passing lane", nor in the way of merging vehicles. But out in rural areas, where middle lane hogs are the most annoying, there generally isn't that many interchanges, nor that much merging traffic, so staying in the right lane shouldn't be an issue.

[US 89]

Also interesting that this rule is restricted to the far left lane. In my observation, it's a much bigger problem with the middle lane (of 3), because if someone's blocking the middle lane, then you have to go two lanes over to pass someone ahead of you in the right lane.

If you watch some of the "bad driver" videos from Europe, it's a common complaint there (along with fog lights, which also bug me, being in a small hatchback). Middle-lane hogs make it harder to stay right, because inevitably, you have to (as you indicate) move over at least two lanes to pass, and then you have to get all the way back to the right. It's the definition of slalom driving. It wouldn't be that way if that middle-lane hog just kept right all the time.

Why don't you just pass the middle lane hog on the right, since you're already in that lane?

Because there's somebody ahead of me in the right lane.

What makes a driver a true middle lane hog is when they're camped out without anyone to the right of them. Those people are seriously annoying. A secondary annoyance would be those who are in the middle lane, pacing someone in the right lane. They are also middle lane hogs, since they could, and should be in the far right lane, since they aren't passing.

I understand the appeal of the middle lane: not in the "passing lane", nor in the way of merging vehicles. But out in rural areas, where middle lane hogs are the most annoying, there generally isn't that many interchanges, nor that much merging traffic, so staying in the right lane shouldn't be an issue.

In most places I've been, rural areas only have 2 lanes in a direction. People are pretty good about staying right except to pass in the rural areas. In cities and urban areas, not so much.

[jakeroot]

Also interesting that this rule is restricted to the far left lane. In my observation, it's a much bigger problem with the middle lane (of 3), because if someone's blocking the middle lane, then you have to go two lanes over to pass someone ahead of you in the right lane.

If you watch some of the "bad driver" videos from Europe, it's a common complaint there (along with fog lights, which also bug me, being in a small hatchback). Middle-lane hogs make it harder to stay right, because inevitably, you have to (as you indicate) move over at least two lanes to pass, and then you have to get all the way back to the right. It's the definition of slalom driving. It wouldn't be that way if that middle-lane hog just kept right all the time.

Why don't you just pass the middle lane hog on the right, since you're already in that lane?

Because there's somebody ahead of me in the right lane.

What makes a driver a true middle lane hog is when they're camped out without anyone to the right of them. Those people are seriously annoying. A secondary annoyance would be those who are in the middle lane, pacing someone in the right lane. They are also middle lane hogs, since they could, and should be in the far right lane, since they aren't passing.

I understand the appeal of the middle lane: not in the "passing lane", nor in the way of merging vehicles. But out in rural areas, where middle lane hogs are the most annoying, there generally isn't that many interchanges, nor that much merging traffic, so staying in the right lane shouldn't be an issue.

In most places I've been, rural areas only have 2 lanes in a direction. People are pretty good about staying right except to pass in the rural areas. In cities and urban areas, not so much.

I-5 north and south of Seattle, the rural sections of freeway that I'm most familiar with, have long stretches three lanes. I doubt I'd even have an opinion on middle lane hogs, if not for these stretches. That in mind, there's still that third lane for passing, so even though there's that extra gripe, there's hardly ever any point where I'm completely stuck, waiting for vehicles to overtake one another.

[jeffandnicole]

What makes a driver a true middle lane hog is when they're camped out without anyone to the right of them. Those people are seriously annoying. A secondary annoyance would be those who are in the middle lane, pacing someone in the right lane. They are also middle lane hogs, since they could, and should be in the far right lane, since they aren't passing.

Also, many people forget about trucks.  In many states, trucks aren't permitted in the left lane of a highway.  The middle lane is their passing lane, so if someone is camped out in that middle lane, it's effectively the trucker's left lane.

[jeffandnicole]

Also interesting that this rule is restricted to the far left lane. In my observation, it's a much bigger problem with the middle lane (of 3), because if someone's blocking the middle lane, then you have to go two lanes over to pass someone ahead of you in the right lane.

If you watch some of the "bad driver" videos from Europe, it's a common complaint there (along with fog lights, which also bug me, being in a small hatchback). Middle-lane hogs make it harder to stay right, because inevitably, you have to (as you indicate) move over at least two lanes to pass, and then you have to get all the way back to the right. It's the definition of slalom driving. It wouldn't be that way if that middle-lane hog just kept right all the time.

Why don't you just pass the middle lane hog on the right, since you're already in that lane?

[I will in normal traffic, but not when traffic is quiet]

As a matter of principal, I try to pass on the left. "Undertaking" isn't strictly illegal where I am (it is in a few states, last I checked)...

Which states? 

I ask only because I said the same thing a few weeks ago.  I got 2 answers, both of which were wrong (I believe it was MD and NC).  They were in states I'm familiar with, so I knew the answers were incorrect.  It was also interesting that we have several forum members in those states, and none of them confirmed that passing on the right was illegal.

Also, and more importantly, if passing on the right was illegal, then imagine if someone was going 50 in a 70 in the left lane.  If people didn't pass on the right, the highway could be backed up on a rolling basis for several hundred miles!

[kalvado]

Which states? 

I ask only because I said the same thing a few weeks ago.  I got 2 answers, both of which were wrong (I believe it was MD and NC).  They were in states I'm familiar with, so I knew the answers were incorrect.  It was also interesting that we have several forum members in those states, and none of them confirmed that passing on the right was illegal.

Also, and more importantly, if passing on the right was illegal, then imagine if someone was going 50 in a 70 in the left lane.  If people didn't pass on the right, the highway could be backed up on a rolling basis for several hundred miles!

Same question. Someone claimed MI is on the list, but law clearly says otherwise; WA has an explicit permission for that (re Jake's complains).
There was such a law in CT, but as far as I understand no longer the case...

[empirestate]

Also, and more importantly, if passing on the right was illegal, then imagine if someone was going 50 in a 70 in the left lane.  If people didn't pass on the right, the highway could be backed up on a rolling basis for several hundred miles!

Well, there's a difference between "passing" and "just happen to be going faster than". If you go fifty miles in the right lane, you might "pass" some slower vehicles in the left lane just by happenstance. Likewise, you'll "pass" a number of signs, buildings, cows, and so forth. That's all well and good.

Now, at the end of the fifty miles, if you come upon someone ahead of you in the right lane, you'd move over to the left, overtake that vehicle, and move back to the right. That's a particular type of "passing" and is what we'd be referring to here.

Best way to think of it is this: passing is something you do to the vehicles in front of you, not the vehicles alongside you.

[jeffandnicole]

Also, and more importantly, if passing on the right was illegal, then imagine if someone was going 50 in a 70 in the left lane.  If people didn't pass on the right, the highway could be backed up on a rolling basis for several hundred miles!

Well, there's a difference between "passing" and "just happen to be going faster than". If you go fifty miles in the right lane, you might "pass" some slower vehicles in the left lane just by happenstance. Likewise, you'll "pass" a number of signs, buildings, cows, and so forth. That's all well and good.

Now, at the end of the fifty miles, if you come upon someone ahead of you in the right lane, you'd move over to the left, overtake that vehicle, and move back to the right. That's a particular type of "passing" and is what we'd be referring to here.

Best way to think of it is this: passing is something you do to the vehicles in front of you, not the vehicles alongside you.

You put way too much thought into that.  Passing is passing.  Doesn't matter if you're switching lanes or not. 

[Brandon]

Which states? 

I ask only because I said the same thing a few weeks ago.  I got 2 answers, both of which were wrong (I believe it was MD and NC).  They were in states I'm familiar with, so I knew the answers were incorrect.  It was also interesting that we have several forum members in those states, and none of them confirmed that passing on the right was illegal.

Also, and more importantly, if passing on the right was illegal, then imagine if someone was going 50 in a 70 in the left lane.  If people didn't pass on the right, the highway could be backed up on a rolling basis for several hundred miles!

Same question. Someone claimed MI is on the list, but law clearly says otherwise; WA has an explicit permission for that (re Jake's complains).
There was such a law in CT, but as far as I understand no longer the case...

Saw a few signs to that effect when I passed through Connecticut on I-95.  I kindly ignored them.

[kalvado]

Which states? 

I ask only because I said the same thing a few weeks ago.  I got 2 answers, both of which were wrong (I believe it was MD and NC).  They were in states I'm familiar with, so I knew the answers were incorrect.  It was also interesting that we have several forum members in those states, and none of them confirmed that passing on the right was illegal.

Also, and more importantly, if passing on the right was illegal, then imagine if someone was going 50 in a 70 in the left lane.  If people didn't pass on the right, the highway could be backed up on a rolling basis for several hundred miles!

Same question. Someone claimed MI is on the list, but law clearly says otherwise; WA has an explicit permission for that (re Jake's complains).
There was such a law in CT, but as far as I understand no longer the case...

Saw a few signs to that effect when I passed through Connecticut on I-95.  I kindly ignored them.

And looking at CT law it looks like passing on the right is restricted:

Sec. 14-233. Passing on right. The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only when conditions permit such movement in safety and under the following conditions: (1) When the vehicle overtaken is making or has signified the intention to make a left turn; (2) when lines of vehicles traveling in the same direction in adjoining traffic lanes have come to a stop or have reduced their speed; (3) upon a one-way street free from obstructions and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles; (4) upon a limited access highway or parkway free from obstructions with three or more lanes provided for traffic in one direction. Such movement shall not be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the highway except where lane designations, signs, signals or markings provide for such movement. Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction.

[jakeroot]

^^ Washington law is very similar to CT law, the only difference being that passing on the right is legal when there's at least two lanes, rather than three.

The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:
(a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn;
(b) Upon a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two or more lines of vehicles moving lawfully in the direction being traveled by the overtaking vehicle.

NJ law is similar, but turns out, you're required to blow your horn when overtaking on the right! (under most circumstances)

The driver of an overtaking motor vehicle not within a business or residence district shall give audible warning with his horn or other warning device before passing or attempting to pass a vehicle proceeding in the same direction.

[kalvado]

^^ Washington law is very similar to CT law, the only difference being that passing on the right is legal when there's at least two lanes, rather than three.

The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:
(a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn;
(b) Upon a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two or more lines of vehicles moving lawfully in the direction being traveled by the overtaking vehicle.

NJ law is similar, but turns out, you're required to blow your horn when overtaking on the right! (under most circumstances)

The driver of an overtaking motor vehicle not within a business or residence district shall give audible warning with his horn or other warning device before passing or attempting to pass a vehicle proceeding in the same direction.

This is fundamentally different law as far as I understand it.
CT law effectively bans independent lane movements if there are only 2 lanes in one direction (aka most rural interstates). And you don't want to pass on right on a single lane per direction anyway...

[empirestate]

Also, and more importantly, if passing on the right was illegal, then imagine if someone was going 50 in a 70 in the left lane.  If people didn't pass on the right, the highway could be backed up on a rolling basis for several hundred miles!

Well, there's a difference between "passing" and "just happen to be going faster than". If you go fifty miles in the right lane, you might "pass" some slower vehicles in the left lane just by happenstance. Likewise, you'll "pass" a number of signs, buildings, cows, and so forth. That's all well and good.

Now, at the end of the fifty miles, if you come upon someone ahead of you in the right lane, you'd move over to the left, overtake that vehicle, and move back to the right. That's a particular type of "passing" and is what we'd be referring to here.

Best way to think of it is this: passing is something you do to the vehicles in front of you, not the vehicles alongside you.

You put way too much thought into that.  Passing is passing.  Doesn't matter if you're switching lanes or not. 

Wait...huh? Is that actually how you drive? What happens if you're in a No Passing zone and you come upon a sign, building, or cow? No wonder I don't trust cars with Jersey plates!