I wish they would start enforcing lane usage laws

[balakov100]

It's a bit annoying but in a case like that, I almost prefer those idiots ride in the left lane.
Keeps me from having to switch lanes to pass.

 

[sludgeguts]

That's a very good point, Gibson. I've always had my speedometers read 2-3 mph FASTER than my actual (GPS) speed. GPS velocity accuracy is amazingly accurate while in motion (usually to well within 0.1 mph). It is my contention that the speedometers are intentionally set faster than actual speed to err on the side of safety. Motorists who think they're doing 58mph are really only going 55. It's another very good reason to have GPS speed logged on your video. I've noticed that my GPS reported speed is dead on 100% of the time when compared to the side-of-the-road radar signs. My speedo, not so much.

Actually, the gps we use isn't entirely accurate. I have seen me travelling down the motorway at way above the legal limit (according to my gps) and yet my bus is fitted with a limiter which prohibits speeds above 62mph. Even a steep descent will not make the vehicle go faster.
If there is a real problem with a video clip I use for insurance, it's not too difficult for them to calculate my speed rather than rely on a gps speed which may or may not be accurate.

Edit. I, too, have noticed that my GPS speed often coincides with other technology (my tacho, radar speed signs, other gps units) - but not always.

 

[dash riposki]

The only speeding tickets I've had in the last 25 years (Other than on 2 wheels) were due to me having the wrong tires on my pickup.
I drive pretty methodically, and while I am over the speed limit at times on the open road, I'm not going fast enough to interest any cops.....UNTIL.....I bought some new tires for my pickup, 14 years or so ago.
I was getting some 'sale' tires at a big chain, and the salesman told me 'we don't have that exact size in stock, but these will fit and are the same price.'

Stupid me, didn't research.

My speedo ended up about 5-7 mph off. So me doing 50 in a 45, was actually 55-57.

Two speeding tickets later, and it dawned on me.

Duh.

 

[Tim]

So what you end up having are miles long backups behind one idiot who can't get their car out of the "fast" lane despite not passing anybody, and then people get frustrated and pass in the middle and inner slower lanes.

Most states in the U.S. do have "move over" type laws, but I've never seen nor heard of them enforced.

There are "move over" and left lane laws. Actually they are both "common sense" laws that were never requiered to be a "law" until recently because no one has any common sense. "Move over" is for moving left or right leaving an open lane next to emergency vehicles with lights on, or cars with their hazards on. I was taught this in 1981 driver education. Left lane law is what this thread is about. It is a law that is spreading. Again, because no one has common sense.
Which brings up my very first post here on Dashcamtalk worth going back to!
Including myself, this guy pissed off a lot of people.

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/newbie-here.2721/

 

[DT MI]

...It is my contention that the speedometers are intentionally set faster than actual speed to err on the side of safety.....

I worked under contract for one of the manufacturers and was told numerous times that they are set to indicate higher than actual (I checked many of my vehicles and in every one of them this is the case, usually by 2 or 3 mph at an indicated 70), but the reason is to prevent potential lawsuits from people getting speeding tickets if they erred the other way. Makes sense to me because I'm sure a good percentage of people getting the tickets would do exactly that.

I remember growing up the popular 'myth' was speedos were only accurate to within 10% so you could drive 77 in a 70 and have a valid defense. Sounds good on paper unless your gauge was 10% off (the wrong way) and by driving at an indicated 77 you were actually going 85.

 

[Deleted member 46308]

There are "move over" and left lane laws. Actually they are both "common sense" laws that were never requiered to be a "law" until recently because no one has any common sense. "Move over" is for moving left or right leaving an open lane next to emergency vehicles with lights on, or cars with their hazards on. I was taught this in 1981 driver education. Left lane law is what this thread is about. It is a law that is spreading. Again, because no one has common sense.
Which brings up my very first post here on Dashcamtalk worth going back to!
Including myself, this guy pissed off a lot of people.

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/newbie-here.2721/

Totally agree

 

[erkme73]

There are "move over" and left lane laws. Actually they are both "common sense" laws that were never requiered to be a "law" until recently because no one has any common sense. "Move over" is for moving left or right leaving an open lane next to emergency vehicles with lights on, or cars with their hazards on...

This is one of those 'good intention' laws that seem like a good idea at first blush. The reality is slightly more problematic. Much like red light cameras (I know, I'm going off on a tangent), laws like this only work on people who pay attention. The distracted or drunk driver who drifts into an emergency vehicle on the side of the road, or blows through a solid red because they didn't see the light, will do so no matter how many penalizing laws are there to discourage it.

On the flip side, attentive drivers, who clearly see the flashing lights and get to the outside edge of their lane to maximize the distance between themselves and the police car are now forced to change lanes - potentially into the path of another less attentive driver. I've seen countless near-accidents from drivers trying to avoid a move-over ticket, as they cut off faster moving traffic in the outside lane.

Red light cameras cause driver to see yellow as a red - making a panic stop to avoid a split-second ticket. Rear-end accidents have increased significantly enough in my area, that most local municipalities are having them removed (that, and they no longer produce the revenue they were promised).

This doesn't even begin to touch on the 'move-over traps' that law enforcement conducts regularly. Putting a cop car in the shoulder with lights on, but without anyone pulled over - only to have a second hidden cruiser just up the road to snag those that don't move. Recently, the Florida Fish and Wildlife agency started putting their park ranger cars on the sides of one-lane park roads. The FL move-over law requires that a motorist either move over a lane, or slow to 20MPH below the posted speed limit if they cannot move. In the park rangers case, the speed limit on the roads was only 15MPH to begin with. Anyone that didn't slow to a crawl was ticketed $120. And, just like red-light cameras, THERE is your real motivation for the laws.

 

[S P]

Anyone that didn't slow to a crawl was ticketed $120. And, just like red-light cameras, THERE is your real motivation for the laws.

Great post - the "unintended consequences of good-intentioned laws". And this was an earlier point of mine. A lot of these laws or enforcement schemes are strictly for revenue generation and have nothing to do with improving public safety.

Speaking of mover-over laws for emergency vehicles, in the state of Illinois you're required to STOP for any emergency vehicle, including if they're in the opposite direction lanes. When I first moved there I had no idea why people were stopping, only to realize it was required by law. I never did. It was terrifying to suddenly have to "STOP" my car pretty hard from 45 mph, and then depend on the person behind me to actually be paying enough attention to realize that they needed to stop also, and to have the room to do so assuming they weren't riding right up my ***. Terrible law. And now an emergency vehicle travelling at potentially higher speed has to dodge cars suddenly stopping? Slow considerably and move over seems like a much better solution.

I never felt comfortable coming to a full and complete dead stop, and never did. Go ahead and ticket me. I had a car rear-ended and totaled on me when someone failed to notice a sudden stop in traffic. Good thing nobody was in the backseat, because they'd have been showered in glass and probably would have had broken legs.

 

[Deleted member 46308]

Great post - the "unintended consequences of good-intentioned laws". And this was an earlier point of mine. A lot of these laws or enforcement schemes are strictly for revenue generation and have nothing to do with improving public safety.

Speaking of mover-over laws for emergency vehicles, in the state of Illinois you're required to STOP for any emergency vehicle, including if they're in the opposite direction lanes. When I first moved there I had no idea why people were stopping, only to realize it was required by law. I never did. It was terrifying to suddenly have to "STOP" my car pretty hard from 45 mph, and then depend on the person behind me to actually be paying enough attention to realize that they needed to stop also, and to have the room to do so assuming they weren't riding right up my ***. Terrible law. And now an emergency vehicle travelling at potentially higher speed has to dodge cars suddenly stopping? Slow considerably and move over seems like a much better solution.

I never felt comfortable coming to a full and complete dead stop, and never did. Go ahead and ticket me. I had a car rear-ended and totaled on me when someone failed to notice a sudden stop in traffic. Good thing nobody was in the backseat, because they'd have been showered in glass and probably would have had broken legs.

Agree, and try getting out of the way when they are driving on the wrong side of the road at a high rate of speed

 

[kuoh]

I believe the law you're referring to requires you to stop if there is no center divider. The thinking is that the oncoming emergency vehicle may need to use your lanes to maneuver around blocking traffic. I also believe that law exists in all states, at least all the ones I've been in. Everyone on both sides are required to move to the right as far as possible and stop safely BEFORE the emergency vehicle reaches your position. This is also common sense and I have yet to encounter a situation where I have had to make a sudden stop due to an oncoming emergency vehicle, because the lights and sirens are plainly visible and audible for a good distance ahead when there is no center divider with trees or shrubs.

KuoH

Speaking of mover-over laws for emergency vehicles, in the state of Illinois you're required to STOP for any emergency vehicle, including if they're in the opposite direction lanes. When I first moved there I had no idea why people were stopping, only to realize it was required by law. I never did. It was terrifying to suddenly have to "STOP" my car pretty hard from 45 mph, and then depend on the person behind me to actually be paying enough attention to realize that they needed to stop also, and to have the room to do so assuming they weren't riding right up my ***. Terrible law.

 

[kuoh]

They are typically not allowed to do that for any extended period of time, only to get around blocking traffic in the same direction of travel. If you have footage of them being on the wrong side at a high rate of speed when it is unnecessary, then I think the various city and department heads would be interested in seeing that.

KuoH

Agree, and try getting out of the way when they are driving on the wrong side of the road at a high rate of speed

 

[MattP79]

They have just introduced a law in the UK to fine drivers who hog the middle and outer lanes

If they enforced this on just the A406, M25 and A13 for a month or two they'd potentially clear the national deficit... During evening rush hour the inside lane of the A13 from Barking to Wennington can be vacant for miles yet there will be a snaking queue of muppets driving at 55mph in the middle lane in a national speed limit zone, effectively reducing the A13 to two lanes. Ditto the M25 except the muppets hog lane 3 of 4!

 

[richcam]

If they enforced this on just the A406, M25 and A13 for a month or two they'd potentially clear the national deficit... During evening rush hour the inside lane of the A13 from Barking to Wennington can be vacant for miles yet there will be a snaking queue of muppets driving at 55mph in the middle lane in a national speed limit zone, effectively reducing the A13 to two lanes. Ditto the M25 except the muppets hog lane 3 of 4!

Be careful for what you wish for, next time they are resurfacing the road they will probably embed sensors in the road and link them up to roadside cameras to enable them to calculate distances... the fine will be in the post before you get home!!!

 

[Deleted member 46308]

Be careful for what you wish for, next time they are resurfacing the road they will probably embed sensors in the road and link them up to roadside cameras to enable them to calculate distances... the fine will be in the post before you get home!!!

 

[balakov100]

Be careful for what you wish for, next time they are resurfacing the road they will probably embed sensors in the road and link them up to roadside cameras to enable them to calculate distances... the fine will be in the post before you get home!!!

Not in the US.
They had these great (not being sarcastic) Speed Cameras on I10 in Phoenix.
Think they were gone within a year.

 

[Deleted member 46308]

Not in the US.
They had these great (not being sarcastic) Speed Cameras on I10 in Phoenix.
Think they were gone within a year.

There are enough speed traps in the US without something like that

 

[sludgeguts]

If they enforced this on just the A406, M25 and A13 for a month or two they'd potentially clear the national deficit... During evening rush hour the inside lane of the A13 from Barking to Wennington can be vacant for miles yet there will be a snaking queue of muppets driving at 55mph in the middle lane in a national speed limit zone, effectively reducing the A13 to two lanes. Ditto the M25 except the muppets hog lane 3 of 4!

EVERY time, without fail, that I drive on ANY motorway, I can guarantee...
Lane 1, 1 or two cars within a 1 mile stretch, both doing the legal speed limit (70)
Lane 2, half a dozen cars in that same distance, all barely sticking to the 2 second rule and all doing around 65mph.
Lane 3, Hard to say how many cars but it's solid, every one within a car's length of the one in front & doing between 65 & 70 & every one of them constantly twitching their brakes.

I keep meaning to save the footage but by the time I get home I just want to relax & forget the whole ordeal.
One day...

Might be good if ANPR tech was used to signal each car - ABC 123, too close. EFG 321 too close etc etc. See your plate flash up more than a few times in so many miles & you get an automatic fine "ABC 123 £30 fine". If your plate keeps flashing up after this, the fine doubles every (for example) four times

 

[Deleted member 46308]

I keep meaning to save the footage but by the time I get home I just want to relax & forget the whole ordeal.
One day...

 

[Module 79L]

Unfortunately, it's the same everywhere. There's a motorway here that goes through the city's outskirts, and since the introduction of electronic tolls it's pretty much a desert. Nevertheless there are always lots of muppets driving in the left lane for kms on end, on an empty motorway! It's like there's some sort of powerful magnet on the center divider that attracts people to the left lane.

But, you know, there's a simple solution: if drivers in LHD countries like to hog the right lane and drivers in RHD countries like to hog the left lane, let's swap them!