Do you drive in the left lane (fast lane) on highways?

[Another Fan]

I do driving too work.  Due to traffic patterns locally it makes the ride in much quicker.

 

Otherwise I’m pretty more laid back.  Center lane or right lane driving 

[Augie]

I’m ONLY in the left lane to pass......unlike my wife and it drives me crazy. She prefers the left lane apparently. I pick my battles. 

[Soda Popinski]

I was in Wisconsin 3 years ago on business in February, and i did not understand why every single car on the road was in the left lane on a 4 lane highway.  I got over into the right lane and just going the speed limit passed 15 cars.    I don't drive up north in winter is there some unwritten rule about driving in the right lane when there is snow on the ground???

 

and I live in Florida in a suburb of Orlando, and i can tell you that all you northerners come down here and drive like hell when you're on vacation.   right turns from the left lane, no signal, merging at 35 MPH onto a 70mph highway.    I know Fl gets a bad wrap for having crap drivers but if i see a Michigan plate, good lord I give those morons a wide berth.  

[BuffaloBill]

11 minutes ago, Augie said:

I’m ONLY in the left lane to pass......unlike my wife and it drives me crazy. She prefers the left lane apparently. I pick my battles. 

 

 

Your wife tells us that you do not pick battles wisely

 

But back to the point of the post if you are not passing and in the left lane you should be obliterated and moved out of the way.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I weave back a forth like a maniac.  

[Bad Things]

Just about always in the left lane down here, Mate! (Apart from some of the foriegn tourist drivers. )

[Fadingpain]

In America the left lane is usually plugged up by some slow driving idiot in a SUV refusing to look in his mirror or get the hell out of the lane.

Ironically, the lane furthest to the right is often the fastest.

 

There is zero lane discipline in this country and in general, I find driving on American highways kind of scary.  You never know what anyone is going to do, cars move in all directions, and half the drivers are asleep at the wheel or doing something other than focusing on driving.

 

Yes, this is a huge pet peeve of mine.  

[seregil42]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

I’m ONLY in the left lane to pass......unlike my wife and it drives me crazy. She prefers the left lane apparently. I pick my battles. 

This.  Center lane for me otherwise.

[CowgirlsFan]

Yes. I usually drive 10 mph over the speed limit.  When I see someone is approaching,I move over to allow for them to pass. Afterwards I move back to the left lane so I'm not behind someone who just goes the speed limit.

[mrags]

I’m in the left lane doing 85 everywhere no matter what. 

[billsfan5121]

I live close to DC.  Doesn’t matter what lane you’re in, it isn’t moving anyways!

[Greybeard]

3 hours ago, Bad Things said:

Just about always in the left lane down here, Mate! (Apart from some of the foriegn tourist drivers. )

                Wait a minute.  Your left lane is the right lane.  So you have both bases covered. or in your case, whatever they call the turning points in Cricket.

[Buffalo_Gal]

6 hours ago, Augie said:

I’m ONLY in the left lane to pass......unlike my wife and it drives me crazy. She prefers the left lane apparently. I pick my battles. 

 

My husband does that (your wife's driving tendencies). Unlike you, I am not smart enough to forgo that battle.   Let's just say that if I am paying attention to his thruway driving, we inevitably have "words" about his driving in the left lane and not passing. At least he doesn't question why I get back in the right lane after passing someone. That would probably start WW3.

[Gray Beard]

I drive on the Thruway near Syracuse almost daily. Two lanes in each direction. Fast lane goes 78 mph, slow lane goes 68 mph (truck speed). I like to go 72 mph. I will stay in the fast lane and pass the trucks until somebody starts to approach me from behind, at which point I’ll move into the slow lane.  I’ll stay there until the faster vehicle goes past, then I usually pull back out and start passing trucks again. 

[Wacka]

On the way to work  (normal streets) the road slows from 35 to 30 in front of a school. I drive at 30 because the cops like to sit nearby.  It then widens to two lanes on an overpass and then back down to one. That stretch is 35. I stay at 35, but so many people speed past me when it widens and get just ahead of me. Doesn't  do them any good as they are right in front of me at the light ahead.

[SinceThe70s]

5 hours ago, CowgirlsFan said:

Yes. I usually drive 10 mph over the speed limit.  When I see someone is approaching,I move over to allow for them to pass. Afterwards I move back to the left lane so I'm not behind someone who just goes the speed limit.

 

What she said.

 

Only thing I'd add is if I'm stuck behind someone in the left lane and someone's approaching fast I'm not moving over. Happens a lot on a two lane highway near me.

[Sig1Hunter]

8 hours ago, Augie said:

I’m ONLY in the left lane to pass......unlike my wife and it drives me crazy. She prefers the left lane apparently. I pick my battles. 

Pick that battle! The rest of us will thank you!

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, Sig1Hunter said:

Pick that battle! The rest of us will thank you!

 

Sorry, but I’m FAR too self-centered to help YOU...... at my expense!  ?

 

Ask anyone who knows me. 

[Sig1Hunter]

Ok, then we can compromise...

 

Will you kindly explain to her why it is that I flipped her off when I went by in the right lane?

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

- The Rest of Us

[Augie]

11 minutes ago, Sig1Hunter said:

Ok, then we can compromise...

 

Will you kindly explain to her why it is that I flipped her off when I went by in the right lane?

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

- The Rest of Us

 

She’s actually quite bright in so many ways. If you can band together and present a unified single digit salute front, she will catch on. You may get flipped off in return, but you might wear her down over time. 

[Gugny]

I try to be a stickler for highway driving rules and I'm a firm believer that if everyone followed those simple rules (and stayed off of their ***** phones) there would be no accidents on highways.

 

I only get into the left lane if I need to pass someone.  If I don't, then I'm in the middle lane passing the slow drivers in the right lane.

 

Passing on the right is something I avoid, but I will do if there's some prick in the left lane not passing anyone.

[Augie]

5 minutes ago, Gugny said:

I try to be a stickler for highway driving rules and I'm a firm believer that if everyone followed those simple rules (and stayed off of their ***** phones) there would be no accidents on highways.

 

I only get into the left lane if I need to pass someone.  If I don't, then I'm in the middle lane passing the slow drivers in the right lane.

 

Passing on the right is something I avoid, but I will do if there's some prick in the left lane not passing anyone.

 

Next time wave to me in the passenger seat and my wife behind the wheel! 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Hammer lane until someone comes up fast. 

And I drive 10 miles per over the posted limit 

[snafu]

1 hour ago, Wacka said:

On the way to work  (normal streets) the road slows from 35 to 30 in front of a school. I drive at 30 because the cops like to sit nearby.  It then widens to two lanes on an overpass and then back down to one. That stretch is 35. I stay at 35, but so many people speed past me when it widens and get just ahead of me. Doesn't  do them any good as they are right in front of me at the light ahead.

 

I was driving in Portugal this summer. Instead of cameras that "deter" speeding (money-making device), their cameras activate a traffic light ahead that turns red. Brilliant. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

Always drive in right lane, except to pass.  It kept me alive.

 

A few years back... A wrong way driver wizzed past be in the left lane.  If I was in that left lane, I would have been dead.

 

Always get over to left.  Unless traffic is full.  No reason to in left when right is clear.  Just as signs day on some Interstates like the NYS Thurway.  "Stay in right lane except to pass."

 

I mean... That car wizzing by me, I didn't even see it coming.  I got to the next light The young Lady in car ahead of me looked like she saw a ghost!

 

Oh... The wrong way driver was to his right!  You get the drift of my argument about everybody staying right.

 

It's a safety thing!

1 hour ago, snafu said:

 

I was driving in Portugal this summer. Instead of cameras that "deter" speeding (money-making device), their cameras activate a traffic light ahead that turns red. Brilliant. 

Dumb!

 

Just run the red light like they do here.  The Portuguese aren't too bright.  Already breaking one law, what's another.

Edited November 8, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois

[Greybeard]

13 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Always drive in right lane, except to pass.  It kept me alive.

 

A few years back... A wrong way driver wizzed past be in the left lane.  If I was in that left lane, I would have been dead.

 

Always get over to left.  Unless traffic is full.  No reason to in left when right is clear.  Just as signs day on some Interstates like the NYS Thurway.  "Stay in right lane except to pass."

 

I mean... That car wizzing by me, I didn't even see it coming.  I got to the next light The young Lady in car ahead of me looked like she saw a ghost!

 

Oh... The wrong way driver was to his right!  You get the drift of my argument about everybody staying right.

 

It's a safety thing!

Dumb!

 

       Out of curiosity, was it a divided highway or a 4 lane highway with just a Yellow strip running down the middle of the road?

 

   

[Not at the table Karlos]

I'm usually in the left lane because I am doing 15-20 over but if the right lane is open I'll move over. There's not much that pisses me off more than someone doing the speed limit or under driving next to another car doing the same speed and blocking traffic from passing. That and people that are driving slow and you go to pass them and then it turns into a race.  

[ExiledInIllinois]

17 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

       Out of curiosity, was it a divided highway or a 4 lane highway with just a Yellow strip running down the middle of the road?

 

   

It was a divided highway.  Two lanes each way... 55mph... Lights at both ends.  Big medium in middle... Grass.  I was going south towards light, just passed the north light.  They must have made turn north at light on wrong side of medium.

 

It has those "wrong way" signs at light.

 

Right here:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/1400+E+Steger+Rd,+Crete,+IL+60417/@41.4705764,-87.5776217,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x880e1db339066877:0x5f8d236336cd091b

 

But I was on IL-394 going south, they were going north, wrong way on my side of medium, in what was my left lane.

 

I would have been toast! Spam in a can!

 

 

Switch to satellite mode to see geography.

11 minutes ago, Not at the table Karlos said:

I'm usually in the left lane because I am doing 15-20 over but if the right lane is open I'll move over. There's not much that pisses me off more than someone doing the speed limit or under driving next to another car doing the same speed and blocking traffic from passing. That and people that are driving slow and you go to pass them and then it turns into a race.  

Yet.  They are following the law.  They do have a right.  If You weren't speeding, you wouldn't catch them to be irritated.

[ExiledInIllinois]

 

 

EDIT:  Greybeard it happed here.  My bad, between Sauk Trail & Steger Road.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/IL-394,+Sauk+Village,+IL+60411/@41.484039,-87.577424,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x880e1dd29d022297:0xcd758ba747c705b8

 

When I got to light at gas station on Steger Road... The young Lady in car ahead of me was visibly shaken and calling police!  I turned west, onto Steger Road.  She was in right lane going south towards Crete, Illinois.  I rolled down window and said: "Did You see that!" She was shaking and calling on phone.

Was about 12:30 am.  Just going home from work.

[Sig1Hunter]

8 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Always drive in right lane, except to pass.  It kept me alive.

 

A few years back... A wrong way driver wizzed past be in the left lane.  If I was in that left lane, I would have been dead.

 

Always get over to left.  Unless traffic is full.  No reason to in left when right is clear.  Just as signs day on some Interstates like the NYS Thurway.  "Stay in right lane except to pass."

 

I mean... That car wizzing by me, I didn't even see it coming.  I got to the next light The young Lady in car ahead of me looked like she saw a ghost!

 

Oh... The wrong way driver was to his right!  You get the drift of my argument about everybody staying right.

 

It's a safety thing!

Dumb!

 

Just run the red light like they do here.  The Portuguese aren't too bright.  Already breaking one law, what's another.

They actually talked about this exact scenario in my academy training.  Its really just good,  common sense. Glad it saved your life! 

[boyst]

Left lane is to pass only, or cruise in open highway when exceeding the speed of those in the flow of traffic which is only an issue until someone is coming up behind you - then move lanes.  Drive as fast as you can in the rightest lane and pass with far clearance when exceeding the speed.

[Royale with Cheese]

Just to pass.  I get an uncomfortable feeling if I sit there too long and check my rear view mirror pretty consistently if I am in that lane.

[LB3]

Never. I drive in the right lane and pass on the shoulder.

[I'm Spartacus]

I work in downtown Buffalo. Get on the 190 North at the Dingens street entrance.

Stay in the far right lane all the way to last exit before downtown (Hamburg exit 5).

No reason to get into the passing lanes, just to slow down to a crawl sometimes.

Most people drive like $hitz

 

[DC Tom]

Just to pass.  But I pass everybody, so I never leave it.

 

Really, DC is just weird.  There's so many left exits on expressways that people invariably and understandably drive in the left lane.  Driving north on 270, once you get north of Frederick, MD, everyone starts driving in the right lane.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

On 11/7/2018 at 12:56 PM, Another Fan said:

I do driving too work.  Due to traffic patterns locally it makes the ride in much quicker.

 

Otherwise I’m pretty more laid back.  Center lane or right lane driving 

 

Yes, it's easier to get there faster without much hassle . The right lane is annoying with slow people clogging things up.

 

 

On 11/7/2018 at 2:18 PM, Fadingpain said:

In America the left lane is usually plugged up by some slow driving idiot in a SUV refusing to look in his mirror or get the hell out of the lane.

Ironically, the lane furthest to the right is often the fastest.

 

There is zero lane discipline in this country and in general, I find driving on American highways kind of scary.  You never know what anyone is going to do, cars move in all directions, and half the drivers are asleep at the wheel or doing something other than focusing on driving.

 

Yes, this is a huge pet peeve of mine.  

 

go to Italy, you will think America is relaxed and considerate.

 

 

[GaryPinC]

 

I drive a lot of miles, 10 or more mph over, and would drive myself crazy if I let these left-squatter and race-the-passer people's self-centered habits bother me. 

I use all open spaces in every lane to get where I'm going and accelerate through my passes.  Definitely follow the unenforced left lane rule but it's only possible like 15-20% of the time.

 

On a on a standard 4 lane divided interstate  with a left-squatter, I'll take one for the team and attempt a hopeless right lane pass just to force the squatter to speed up.  Works almost every time!

I totally get why road rage happens.  Just can't take it personal on the road.

 

On 2 lane rural state routes, my passing record is 9 cars and a semi at once on the flats out to Toledo.  Hate people too scared to use the dashed yellow line.

 

Another hate is people leaving the parking garage won't back out when you are waiting for their spot.  Like I'm creating a hostile environment waiting on them for "their" spot!  GTFO and stop dragging ass!

[RaoulDuke79]

Generally I drive really slow in the ultra fast line while people behind me are going insane. 

[BuffaloBill]

3 hours ago, RaoulDuke79 said:

Generally I drive really slow in the ultra fast line while people behind me are going insane. 

 

 

You must have been on the 290 this morning.  You in a pickup in the far right lane going slower than the rest of traffic, people passing around you and making it a bit crowded in the middle lane next to you.  Your solution to break free? You cut someone else off to your left. You then cross the middle lane and continue your slow progress westbound in the far left lane.

 

Awesome driving!

 

 

[ExiledInIllinois]

5 hours ago, GaryPinC said:

 

I drive a lot of miles, 10 or more mph over, and would drive myself crazy if I let these left-squatter and race-the-passer people's self-centered habits bother me. 

I use all open spaces in every lane to get where I'm going and accelerate through my passes.  Definitely follow the unenforced left lane rule but it's only possible like 15-20% of the time.

 

On a on a standard 4 lane divided interstate  with a left-squatter, I'll take one for the team and attempt a hopeless right lane pass just to force the squatter to speed up.  Works almost every time!

I totally get why road rage happens.  Just can't take it personal on the road.

 

On 2 lane rural state routes, my passing record is 9 cars and a semi at once on the flats out to Toledo.  Hate people too scared to use the dashed yellow line.

 

Another hate is people leaving the parking garage won't back out when you are waiting for their spot.  Like I'm creating a hostile environment waiting on them for "their" spot!  GTFO and stop dragging ass!

I agree.  I am doing this in urban driving.  Every space available.  A commute will be rural to urban.  Once I get rural, open... I go right. Stay right.