For many drivers, the speed limit that is posted is more than suggested pace and the law - it's a way of life. And for many of the drivers who adhere to this limit, life is much simpler than it would be if they ignored it.
Their safety is a little more assured as they aren't traveling at an excessive rate of speed, their fuel economy is less likely to suffer and therefore impact their pocket books; even their car is likely to fair better due to less wear-and-tear from driving too fast.
However, associated with the speed limit are a few caveats that some drivers fail to recognize while they're out on the open road - some of them leaving the potential to cause major problems. One such caveat is driving the speed limit in the left - or passing - lane.
This is something in particular that is near and dear to my heart, as I have experienced it time and time again. I'm not sure what the standard is in other countries, but in the U.S., when you're on a two-lane road - whether it be highway, interstate or in-town - the right lane is considered the driving lane (or the slow lane for those of you unfamiliar with the terms) and the left lane is the passing lane (the fast lane).
The "unwritten rule," so to speak, is that if you're driving in the passing lane, you're doing so in order to pass someone who is in the driving lane, with the overall intention of either getting BACK into the driving lane or to put yourself into position do to so.
Instead, many people will not only drive in the passing lane, they will do so while driving UNDER or AT the speed limit.
What's that, you say? The speed limit is to be obeyed? Yes, that's true. However, if the fact that you're obeying the law in the passing lane is holding up the flow of traffic due to someone in the driving lane going the same speed, you are creating a dangerous situation.
What you're doing is slowing the overall flow of traffic (which you're supposed to go with, despite the speed - meaning if they're speeding around you and you're going to be in traffic, go the speed they are) and causing a bunch of already-in-a-hurry drivers to be compacted together in a small area of road. From this point, all it takes is one impatient idiot to do something stupid and cause an accident - all due to the improper usage of the passing lane.
In Florida, you might even get a ticket for driving slow in the passing lane, based on a bill passed in April of this year.
According to an
article in the Florida Times-Union,
"The bills in the Legislature would require slower drivers to move over 'if the driver knows, or reasonably should know, that he or she is being overtaken in that lane from the rear by a motor vehicle traveling at a higher rate of speed.' "
That's right - if you're aware of another car behind you going faster than you and you fail to give way to them - and the traffic - you may end up with a $143 ticket.
And personally, I think that's the way it should be. If you are impeding the flow of traffic because you're not paying attention, you're too afraid to speed or you're just trying to "show" the car behind you who's boss for tailgating, then you might need a friendly reminder from your local law enforcement that what you're doing is not only annoying to your fellow drivers, but also potentially hazardous.
Is there a problem with going the speed limit? Absolutely not. But you need to be cognizant of the other drivers on the road - not just cognizant of how fast the state says you should go on a particular stretch of that road.
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Jonathan Swigart is an award-winning journalist and has been around the automotive world his entire life. This is his first entry for "Moving Violations." In this column, he will explore some of the basic aspects of driving that drivers often overlook, among other topics. He lives in Champaign, Illinois with his wife and son and works at the University of Illinois.
You can reach Jonathan by emailing [email protected]