Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Hooray for the Cops--Left lane vigilante crackdown

It's even worse when the officers don't know the law, like the one who taught my defensive driving class I had to take a couple months ago.

He was starting a lesson about controlling yourself behind the wheel and mentioned a left-lane squatter situation and how you're just creating road rage by doing it, and I added "and breaking the law!" and he looked at me in complete puzzlement. I mentioned that even if the person wanting to pass is going faster than the speed limit, the left-lane squatter still has to yield and change lanes (which I believe is correct), and the officer said I didn't know what I was talking about...that there was no such law against left-lane squatters.

Maybe it's state by state. In any case it's stupid to be in the left lane except for passing.

Yeah let's keep increasing the speed of the highways until we all kill ourselves or over-work the already near full output capacity oil refineries. I don't sit in the left lane, but this is still encouraing the problem of speeding. *gasps* Problem...Speeding is a big problem!?

Yes. Until our roads are built better, and some scientific breakthrough comes along that actually INCREASES mileage as your drive faster (Yeah, right), I will continue to go 62 on the 65 MPH speed limit highway, because we all stop at the same red light anyway. Everytime I see someone pass me at 5-10 or more MPH over the speed limit, I just laugh (Especially if it's an SUV). I got 30.5 MPG on my last fillup, and that included sitting an hour in rush hour traffic. EPA says I should get 21 in the city. I have smashed those secondaries open racing a car to 60, and still got ~28. I live on a hill even.

We all zip around the crowded roads trying to get nowhere faster. Increasing the speed limit is not the answer. Traffic accidents stop traffic completely. Then you really ARE getting nowhere.

Speed kills more than just gas mileage...

*Edit* Oh, and if you want to fix the traffic problems, stop letting the road authorities place traffic lights at every single intersection on highways. Suburbs and the commuters they bring are destroying what used to be a decent road system in Austin. I'm sure this happens elsewhere. Atlanta was a disaster. It has its own problems with roads. Speed limits don't exist in that worthless town. You got lanes ending once you leave town, and everybody expects you to know it.

Check out the autobahn. No speed limit on much of the road though obviously it's quite different than our highways and will never happen here. They also have a lot better driver training, harsher punishment for breaking laws, and yes more pollution.
Keeping slow cars out of the left lane could actually reduce accidents as I see it. People are still going to travel at whatever speeds they already do. It will also decrease road rage incidents.
I laugh at people going 62 in a 65 because I get the same gas mileage or better at 80 as I do at 60 and I get there quicker. Well, that would be if I ever went 80, that's a bit slow.

You do not get the same mileage. You think you are, but you are not. The best speed for optimal mileage is around 40-50, but that is not fast enough to get me around town, but 80 is ridiculous on city roads.

Prove it then. If you don't want to take the challenge than that's fine, but you better not make up anymore lies.