Passing on the right in the US

[Max Rockatansky]

I didn't realize until this thread that there were any states that actually prohibited passing on the right on a multi-lane highway.  I thought that was just people misunderstanding the laws.

Yeah, I always thought that was just a Europe thing.  Quite frankly, I can't see how such a prohibition could work in the US.  It's interesting that MD was mentioned, given that at one point there was a driver who would drive in the left lane of the Capital Beltway with his cruise set to 55 to "enforce" the speed limit on everyone else.  Too many people in this country either have a MFFY attitude or want to dictate what everyone else can do.

MFFY was new acronym for me, had to look that one up.

*takes Max's AARoads rank away*

Heh, at least you guys aren't as bad with the acronyms as the military world is.

[kphoger]

Heh, at least you guys aren't as bad with the acronyms as the military world is.

When my high school best friend joined the Air Force academy, he told me they (new recruits, at least) weren't allowed to use any acronyms but had to say everything's full name instead.  He was amused that the word 'radar' (radio detection and ranging) was perfectly fine, though.

I suspect that what he was talking about only applied to testing situations, based on Cadet Standards and Duties 2.8.2.4.2.

[Max Rockatansky]

Heh, at least you guys aren't as bad with the acronyms as the military world is.

When my high school best friend joined the Air Force academy, he told me they (new recruits, at least) weren't allowed to use any acronyms but had to say everything's full name instead.  He was amused that the word 'radar' (radio detection and ranging) was perfectly fine, though.

I suspect that what he was talking about only applied to testing situations, based on Cadet Standards and Duties 2.8.2.4.2.

Retail is no better either.  I do get amusement when the Operations folks want to use "POS" when all the normals use "register."  POS often has very different meaning in the real world. 

And yes before anyone asks, I do know a Point of Sale is different from a cash register.

[1995hoo]

I didn't realize until this thread that there were any states that actually prohibited passing on the right on a multi-lane highway.  I thought that was just people misunderstanding the laws.

Yeah, I always thought that was just a Europe thing.  Quite frankly, I can't see how such a prohibition could work in the US.  It's interesting that MD was mentioned, given that at one point there was a driver who would drive in the left lane of the Capital Beltway with his cruise set to 55 to "enforce" the speed limit on everyone else.  Too many people in this country either have a MFFY attitude or want to dictate what everyone else can do.

MFFY was new acronym for me, had to look that one up.

*takes Max's AARoads rank away*

Heh, at least you guys aren't as bad with the acronyms as the military world is.

I'd say that's government generally, not just the military, and a lot of the acronym-obsessed government types don't seem to understand that their acronyms are really not anywhere nearly as important as they think they are.

[kphoger]

Retail is no better either.  I do get amusement when the Operations folks want to use "POS" when all the normals use "register."  POS often has very different meaning in the real world.

In the business I work in, everybody uses at least a few acronyms without knowing what they even stand for.  This, coupled with talk-to-text, makes for some interesting accounts sometimes.  A common one is spelling "MoCA filter" (Multimedia over Coaxial Alliance) as "mocha filter", which sounds like something used in brewing coffee rather than installing cable.

[ElishaGOtis]

I didn't realize until this thread that there were any states that actually prohibited passing on the right on a multi-lane highway.  I thought that was just people misunderstanding the laws.

Yeah, I always thought that was just a Europe thing.  Quite frankly, I can't see how such a prohibition could work in the US.  It's interesting that MD was mentioned, given that at one point there was a driver who would drive in the left lane of the Capital Beltway with his cruise set to 55 to "enforce" the speed limit on everyone else.  Too many people in this country either have a MFFY attitude or want to dictate what everyone else can do.

MFFY was new acronym for me, had to look that one up.

*takes Max's AARoads rank away*

Heh, at least you guys aren't as bad with the acronyms as the military world is.

I'd say that's government generally, not just the military, and a lot of the acronym-obsessed government types don't seem to understand that their acronyms are really not anywhere nearly as important as they think they are.

Can we put a PHB at the RCUT during the next 3R project instead of an ICWS? 

[bing101]

I pass people in the right lane every day.  On four lane surface expressways you can make up a crap ton of spaces by hanging in the right behind truckers approaching traffic lights.  All the passenger vehicles dog pile in the left lane and have to wait for the accordion to unfold at green. 

I pass on the right when I am on the freeway to avoid the blind spots of Trucks. 

[Road Hog]

Passing on the left is now the law in Arkansas and is signed prominently with left side signage. But in the double nickel days, trucks in the state were actually encouraged to stay in the left lane to even out pavement wear (don't think it was ever law).

[gonealookin]

Passing on the left is now the law in Arkansas and is signed prominently with left side signage. But in the double nickel days, trucks in the state were actually encouraged to stay in the left lane to even out pavement wear (don't think it was ever law).

We have a bit of this in Nevada, on I-580/US 395 between Reno and Carson City.  There's a segment that goes through Washoe Valley that's subject to high west-to-east downslope crosswinds.  When winds are strong enough, vehicles over 9 feet in height are banned entirely from the freeway.  With lesser but still significant wind conditions, southbound vehicles of height are instructed to stay in the left lane through the valley.  Signage here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GkL1fxgeU65wa9pY7

The reason being that, if the truck or bus is hit by a gust of wind from the west, it will tend to veer into the center divider; if it were in the right lane it would veer into the left lane.  Similar signage on the northbound side instructs those vehicles to remain in the right lane through the valley as those gusts will then push them toward the right shoulder.

[pderocco]

We have a bit of this in Nevada, on I-580/US 395 between Reno and Carson City.  There's a segment that goes through Washoe Valley that's subject to high west-to-east downslope crosswinds.  When winds are strong enough, vehicles over 9 feet in height are banned entirely from the freeway.  With lesser but still significant wind conditions, southbound vehicles of height are instructed to stay in the left lane through the valley.  Signage here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GkL1fxgeU65wa9pY7

The reason being that, if the truck or bus is hit by a gust of wind from the west, it will tend to veer into the center divider; if it were in the right lane it would veer into the left lane.  Similar signage on the northbound side instructs those vehicles to remain in the right lane through the valley as those gusts will then push them toward the right shoulder.

You'd think the sign would simply set a very low speed limit, like 30 or 40.

[RobbieL2415]

Since CT has been mentioned, I will explain my understanding of the passing on right statues.

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.

(1) and (3) are common across every state. (2) implies that passing on the right is allowed at multi-lane intersection where you have more traffic in the left lane than in the right lane(s), so its OK to pass on the right to fill in the space. (4) is necessary because of Sec. 14-230.

Sec. 14-230. Driving in right-hand lane.
(a) Upon all highways, each vehicle, other than a vehicle described in subsection (c) of this section, shall be driven upon the right, except (1) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (2) when overtaking and passing pedestrians, parked or standing vehicles, animals, bicycles, electric bicycles, mopeds, scooters, electric foot scooters, vehicles moving at a slow speed, as defined in section 14-220, or obstructions on the right side of the highway, (3) when the right side of a highway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair, (4) on a highway divided into three or more marked lanes for traffic, or (5) on a highway designated and signposted for one-way traffic.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic shall be driven in the right-hand lane available for traffic, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the highway, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

(c) Any vehicle which exceeds the maximum width limitations specified in subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 14-262 and operates on an interstate highway with a special permit issued by the Commissioner of Transportation under the provisions of section 14-270, shall be driven in the extreme right lane of such highway, except (1) when such special permit authorizes operation in a traffic lane other than the extreme right lane, (2) when overtaking and passing parked vehicles, animals or obstructions on the right side of such highway, (3) when the right side of such highway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair, or (4) at such locations where access to or egress from such highway is provided on the left.

The bold subsections here imply that when there are three lanes or more, vehicles moving slower than the common speed of traffic must keep all the way right, or I guess right enough so that the lane they're in is moving at the speed they want to move at; and oversize loads must absolutely keep all the way right. As long as you're moving with the speed of traffic in the left lane, you don't have to leave it.

And then of course trucks can't use the extreme left lane when signposted.

Sec. 14-230a. Restricted use of left-hand lane on divided limited access highways. On any divided limited access highway which provides more than two lanes for traffic proceeding in the same direction, no operator of any motor vehicle with a commercial registration, motor bus, vehicle with trailer or school bus shall drive in the extreme left lane where the Office of the State Traffic Administration so designates, except on the direction of a police officer or except when access to or egress from such highway is provided on the left, in which latter case such operator shall drive in such left lane only for such period as is reasonably necessary to enter or leave such highway safely. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall have committed an infraction and shall be fined eighty-eight dollars.

[Ted$8roadFan]

I pass on the right only when it's obvious that the passing lane driver isn't doing what they should in that lane and there's no alternative. I notice it tends to be worse on the weekends.

[1995hoo]

One general comment: I distinguish between "passing on the right" and what the Brits sometimes call "undertaking." In my mind, "passing on the right" denotes that you move to the right in an affirmative attempt to pass someone. That's distinct, to me, from the situation where you're already in either the right lane, or you're in some lane somewhere to the right of someone else, you're going faster than someone who is driving in one of the lanes to your left, and you continue on past without changing lanes or otherwise doing anything to interact with the other driver.

An example might be on the Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway near my neighborhood. The two far left lanes of the Beltway (where the Google car is in that image) are the thru lanes for southbound traffic on I-95 heading towards Fredericksburg and Richmond, so you routinely get some people going slower in those lanes than you might otherwise expect (both because drivers who would otherwise keep to the right have to move left for the flyover and because some drivers unfamiliar with the area tend to slow down due to the sheer number of road signs). Four lanes continue on the Beltway past the I-95 split. I'm almost always in one of the two lanes farthest to the right through there (normally I would be on the other side of the Toyota SUV you see to the right of the Google car), mainly because I normally enter the highway at the on-ramp a short distance east of that point. I normally try to keep my speed to 65 mph (it's a 55-mph zone). If someone in one of the two far left lanes that go to the I-95 flyover is doing 55 mph, I don't consider myself to be "passing on the right" because that person is pretty much irrelevant to my driving and I'm not affirmatively trying to "pass" that person.

[kphoger]

Passing on the left is now the law in Arkansas

cite?

[CtrlAltDel]

I have passed on the right occasionally, and gotten horn blasts at times for doing so

This has never happened to me, and passing on the right is not something I pay conscious attention to.

[Flint1979]

Then let me get this straight. If you have to pass in the right lane and it's on a highway with two lanes in each direction then the car on the left would be in the wrong because they are getting passed, not passing anyone. I use whatever lane has the longest gap between me and the car in front of me.

[pderocco]

Then let me get this straight. If you have to pass in the right lane and it's on a highway with two lanes in each direction then the car on the left would be in the wrong because they are getting passed, not passing anyone. I use whatever lane has the longest gap between me and the car in front of me.

I think the car on the left could only be considered "in the wrong" if their speed isn't being limited by a car in front of them, and the right lane is also empty. I'm a fast driver, and I generally don't sit in the left lane if there's no actual reason to. That said, my preference is still that people should be able to pass on either side.

People complain about LLBs around here a lot, but I find myself occasionally angry about some RLB as well. If there's a line of cars in the left lane, and the right lane is empty but for one car going the same speed, I'm pissed at that car for not getting into the left lane with everyone else, so that those of us who want to go faster can use the empty right lane to pass. That happens frequently, since a lot of slow drivers just don't want to drive in the right lane because they don't want to have to deal with slowing down for exiting vehicles or merging with entering vehicles.

[Flint1979]

Then let me get this straight. If you have to pass in the right lane and it's on a highway with two lanes in each direction then the car on the left would be in the wrong because they are getting passed, not passing anyone. I use whatever lane has the longest gap between me and the car in front of me.

I think the car on the left could only be considered "in the wrong" if their speed isn't being limited by a car in front of them, and the right lane is also empty. I'm a fast driver, and I generally don't sit in the left lane if there's no actual reason to. That said, my preference is still that people should be able to pass on either side.

People complain about LLBs around here a lot, but I find myself occasionally angry about some RLB as well. If there's a line of cars in the left lane, and the right lane is empty but for one car going the same speed, I'm pissed at that car for not getting into the left lane with everyone else, so that those of us who want to go faster can use the empty right lane to pass. That happens frequently, since a lot of slow drivers just don't want to drive in the right lane because they don't want to have to deal with slowing down for exiting vehicles or merging with entering vehicles.

One time on US-23 within the last year I was driving southbound and had my cruise set at 80, then here comes someone driving the same speed as a semi truck in the right lane refusing to pass the semi and get over and I was the second car behind the person doing this and I started getting pissed because this went on for at least 10 miles before I finally got fed up and noticed an opening on the shoulder that was long enough for me to get on the shoulder and pass the lead car so that is what I did there, the first car (the car in front of me) had no idea what I was doing and just stayed there when I went past that car. I was so pissed off that I drove 90 mph for about 10 miles until I finally slowed back down to 80. The car that was doing this was doing about 62 mph. I hate that freaking freeway between Flint and Toledo, it cuts off about 25 miles vs. taking I-75 all the way into Ohio and for almost the entire stretch is only four lanes (two in each direction) with at least 50,000 VPD.

Whenever anyone wants to drive faster than me I just hurry up and get passed whoever I'm passing and get over and let them pass me. I'd rather have them in front of me than on my ass and I know that I'll be able to maintain my speed since they'll be going faster than me. I think driving in the lane with the longest clearance in front of you is the best thing to do. I usually just work my way through traffic lol.

[kphoger]

Then let me get this straight. If you have to pass in the right lane and it's on a highway with two lanes in each direction then the car on the left would be in the wrong because they are getting passed, not passing anyone. I use whatever lane has the longest gap between me and the car in front of me.

It seems that both the driver impeding the left lane and also the driver passing in the right lane would be 'in the wrong'.  So I guess, if you're the faster driver, then you're just supposed to impede the right lane as well...

[kalvado]

Then let me get this straight. If you have to pass in the right lane and it's on a highway with two lanes in each direction then the car on the left would be in the wrong because they are getting passed, not passing anyone. I use whatever lane has the longest gap between me and the car in front of me.

It seems that both the driver impeding the left lane and also the driver passing in the right lane would be 'in the wrong'.  So I guess, if you're the faster driver, then you're just supposed to impede the right lane as well...

And keep in mind that the right lane is often worn out by trucks..

[kphoger]

And keep in mind that the right lane is often worn out by trucks..

On highways where the right lane is terribly worn and rutted to the point where you just stick to the left lane (somewhat common in Mexico, for example), courtesy still dictates that you move into the right lane whenever a faster vehicle approaches from behind.

[kalvado]

And keep in mind that the right lane is often worn out by trucks..

On highways where the right lane is terribly worn and rutted to the point where you just stick to the left lane (somewhat common in Mexico, for example), courtesy still dictates that you move into the right lane whenever a faster vehicle approaches from behind.

We had someone on this very forum complaining about being stuck for miles behind a such slow vehicle on an otherwise empty Interstate (which went into a serious rebuild a year or two later).

[kphoger]

We had someone on this very forum complaining about being stuck for miles behind a such slow vehicle on an otherwise empty Interstate (which went into a serious rebuild a year or two later).

Not only do I expect that to be quite the minority opinion, but you also conveniently left out the part of his complaint about the left lane being full of cars.  Not at all the same scenario I was describing.

[kalvado]

We had someone on this very forum complaining about being stuck for miles behind a such slow vehicle on an otherwise empty Interstate (which went into a serious rebuild a year or two later).

Not only do I expect that to be quite the minority opinion, but you also conveniently left out the part of his complaint about the left lane being full of cars.  Not at all the same scenario I was describing.

yes, I did comment on another situation. Of course, not blocking the highway should come as a part of common courtesy (seemingly uncommon between many usernames here). Common sense should also be a part of it, and it is equally pretty uncommon though.

[pderocco]

One time on US-23 within the last year I was driving southbound and had my cruise set at 80, then here comes someone driving the same speed as a semi truck in the right lane refusing to pass the semi and get over and I was the second car behind the person doing this and I started getting pissed because this went on for at least 10 miles before I finally got fed up and noticed an opening on the shoulder that was long enough for me to get on the shoulder and pass the lead car so that is what I did there, the first car (the car in front of me) had no idea what I was doing and just stayed there when I went past that car. I was so pissed off that I drove 90 mph for about 10 miles until I finally slowed back down to 80. The car that was doing this was doing about 62 mph. I hate that freaking freeway between Flint and Toledo, it cuts off about 25 miles vs. taking I-75 all the way into Ohio and for almost the entire stretch is only four lanes (two in each direction) with at least 50,000 VPD.

Good thing it didn't turn out that there was a cop right in front of the truck.