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One question I've never heard an answer to, when someone suggests it's alright to hang in the left and middle lane as long as you're doing the speed limit, is .

One question I've never heard an answer to, when someone suggests it's alright to hang in the left and middle lane as long as you're doing the speed limit, is ... how do you decide which law you're going to disregard? Because "slower traffic keep right' does not have a 'unless you are going the speed limit' exception.

throw10920 5y ago
I'll happily skirt the line of the "slower traffic keep right" if it means inconveniencing the self-entitled, aggressive drivers that are willing to break the speed limit but are too lazy to actually try to take action to get that speed limit raised.
kelnos 5y ago
Right, and that's the thing. The general rule of thumb is that if you aren't going faster than the traffic in the lane to your right, you should move to the right, and keep moving to the right until the traffic to the right of you is slower. Speed limits aren't really important to this particular discussion. In the US, at least, they're set mostly based on observed traffic (85th percentile, even, I believe), and not based on any real assessment of what's safe. And there are also political and funding issues at play (consider in the 1970s there was a 55mph federal max speed limit law that was intended to increase fuel efficiency in order to lower dependence on foreign oil). I consider speed limits to be more suggestions; what matters most is that you keep up with traffic and stick to the lane that most closely matches your desired speed. If you're uncomfortable with the speed necessary to keep up with even the rightmost lane, you probably shouldn't be driving on that road anyway.
bradlys 5y ago
In regions where they enforce the laws written about moving over for traffic - you get pulled over even if you're going above the limit. Flow of traffic is more important than speed. Now if you're going the speed limit in the right most lane (not well below the speed limit) then you'll not likely have an issue even if you are "impeding" traffic at that point. It's more about taking up the left/passing lanes. Btw - these rules exist even for single lane roads. You will need to pull over for traffic behind you even if you're going the speed limit or above. Generally there is some advisories or rules about 3 cars being behind you.

throw10920 5y ago

I'll happily skirt the line of the "slower traffic keep right" if it means inconveniencing the self-entitled, aggressive drivers that are willing to break the speed limit but are too lazy to actually try to take action to get that speed limit raised.

kelnos 5y ago

Right, and that's the thing. The general rule of thumb is that if you aren't going faster than the traffic in the lane to your right, you should move to the right, and keep moving to the right until the traffic to the right of you is slower. Speed limits aren't really important to this particular discussion. In the US, at least, they're set mostly based on observed traffic (85th percentile, even, I believe), and not based on any real assessment of what's safe. And there are also political and funding issues at play (consider in the 1970s there was a 55mph federal max speed limit law that was intended to increase fuel efficiency in order to lower dependence on foreign oil). I consider speed limits to be more suggestions; what matters most is that you keep up with traffic and stick to the lane that most closely matches your desired speed. If you're uncomfortable with the speed necessary to keep up with even the rightmost lane, you probably shouldn't be driving on that road anyway.

bradlys 5y ago

In regions where they enforce the laws written about moving over for traffic - you get pulled over even if you're going above the limit. Flow of traffic is more important than speed. Now if you're going the speed limit in the right most lane (not well below the speed limit) then you'll not likely have an issue even if you are "impeding" traffic at that point. It's more about taking up the left/passing lanes. Btw - these rules exist even for single lane roads. You will need to pull over for traffic behind you even if you're going the speed limit or above. Generally there is some advisories or rules about 3 cars being behind you.