I’ve always felt like the courtesy is to move over to right if someone coming behind you on left lane was going faster than you, then pop back into the left lane. Some disagree and feel like even if you’re going 1 km/h faster than the person on the right lane (or just 1 km/h over the limit) then it’s alright to be on the left/passing lane. I feel like that unnecessarily clogs up the left lane.
But that probably depends on how heavy the traffic is and whatnot.
nah, it’s stupid to move over for literally two seconds only to move back to the left lane
it happens frequently enough to me that I’m passing two cars at a differential of maybe 10km/h and somebody comes up behind me going faster. I’ll drop my speed and sidle into the right lane to let them pass and move right back over
I get what you’re saying. I agree. but there are situations where you can be actively passing but also have some space to let someone by. it’s not required because you’re passing, but it might be nice if it’s a long line of cars
It’s a bit ridiculous imo to start constantly bopping in and out to every available crack. And likely more dangerous too since you’re moving between the lanes.
If there’s plenty of room and you wouldn’t be passing the next car anytime soon, yes of course. If you’d be passing the next car soon anyway and there’s nobody going faster behind you (wanting to pass you), doesn’t seem necessary. It doesn’t really make sense from a safety or traffic fluency aspects to me.
Reminds me of a friend who moves over to the right most lane on a three lane road since that’s where you technically need to be, even though we both know it will soon become a turning lane, then a joining lane for people coming to the highway and then the lane is going to end. Boggles the mind
It’s so situational, and aggressive/inconsiderate drivers never seen to think on the details of why people are driving a certain way.
I’ve only driven through Boston a few times, but I’ve noticed on the East Coast there are lots of old highways and freeways built before all of the lessons learned and modern practices, so you have things like alternating exits on the left and right of the freeways. So some people need to be in the left lane to exit, and others to the right.
I figure, if you are within 1-2 miles of your exit, go ahead and get in whatever lane you need even if you are going slower, because the alternative is an aggressive merge two minutes later. Likewise, if you are going 5-10 over in the far left and continuously passing relatively dense traffic in the middle lane, I don’t think you need to slow down, merge over, and then try and fight your way back just because one guy wants to do 10-20 over.
That said, of the middle lane is mostly open and you camp in the left lane going barely over the limit, that just creates a hazard as people pass to your right.
And this doesn’t even touch on HOV lanes in the far left. Like, of in driving with my family and want to be in the HOV, I’ll get people who want to go 20 over tailgating me acting like I should leave the HOV lane because it is the far left lane. So I dunno what the etiquette even is in some situations, but some aggressive drivers are just never happy if they can’t speed like the highway is their person race track.
For the HOV situation, if you’re going at or above the speed limit during commute traffic, be grateful and setup a good following distance.
You gotta drive a full hour to get a minute of time back at 75 vs 80mph, assuming you can even maintain that speed consistently over distance. The assholes who tailgate to get that extra 5 or 10 just simply lack perspective.
I’ve always felt like the courtesy is to move over to right if someone coming behind you on left lane was going faster than you, then pop back into the left lane. Some disagree and feel like even if you’re going 1 km/h faster than the person on the right lane (or just 1 km/h over the limit) then it’s alright to be on the left/passing lane. I feel like that unnecessarily clogs up the left lane.
But that probably depends on how heavy the traffic is and whatnot.
That’s not courtesy, that’s law. Keep right except to pass.
Done passing? Get right.
Not passing fast enough? Gtfo.
See: https://piefed.zip/comment/4489351
…if there’s room to move right, you shouldn’t’ve been in the left lane no matter what speed you were driving…
KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS
nah, it’s stupid to move over for literally two seconds only to move back to the left lane
it happens frequently enough to me that I’m passing two cars at a differential of maybe 10km/h and somebody comes up behind me going faster. I’ll drop my speed and sidle into the right lane to let them pass and move right back over
I get what you’re saying. I agree. but there are situations where you can be actively passing but also have some space to let someone by. it’s not required because you’re passing, but it might be nice if it’s a long line of cars
It’s a bit ridiculous imo to start constantly bopping in and out to every available crack. And likely more dangerous too since you’re moving between the lanes.
If there’s plenty of room and you wouldn’t be passing the next car anytime soon, yes of course. If you’d be passing the next car soon anyway and there’s nobody going faster behind you (wanting to pass you), doesn’t seem necessary. It doesn’t really make sense from a safety or traffic fluency aspects to me.
Reminds me of a friend who moves over to the right most lane on a three lane road since that’s where you technically need to be, even though we both know it will soon become a turning lane, then a joining lane for people coming to the highway and then the lane is going to end. Boggles the mind
It’s so situational, and aggressive/inconsiderate drivers never seen to think on the details of why people are driving a certain way.
I’ve only driven through Boston a few times, but I’ve noticed on the East Coast there are lots of old highways and freeways built before all of the lessons learned and modern practices, so you have things like alternating exits on the left and right of the freeways. So some people need to be in the left lane to exit, and others to the right.
I figure, if you are within 1-2 miles of your exit, go ahead and get in whatever lane you need even if you are going slower, because the alternative is an aggressive merge two minutes later. Likewise, if you are going 5-10 over in the far left and continuously passing relatively dense traffic in the middle lane, I don’t think you need to slow down, merge over, and then try and fight your way back just because one guy wants to do 10-20 over.
That said, of the middle lane is mostly open and you camp in the left lane going barely over the limit, that just creates a hazard as people pass to your right.
And this doesn’t even touch on HOV lanes in the far left. Like, of in driving with my family and want to be in the HOV, I’ll get people who want to go 20 over tailgating me acting like I should leave the HOV lane because it is the far left lane. So I dunno what the etiquette even is in some situations, but some aggressive drivers are just never happy if they can’t speed like the highway is their person race track.
You covered it well.
For the HOV situation, if you’re going at or above the speed limit during commute traffic, be grateful and setup a good following distance. You gotta drive a full hour to get a minute of time back at 75 vs 80mph, assuming you can even maintain that speed consistently over distance. The assholes who tailgate to get that extra 5 or 10 just simply lack perspective.