INDOT Reminds You To Stay To The Right, Unless Passing

Last summer as I was returning home on I-64, I was in the right lane as I passed three vehicles. Slow moving vehicles each with a license plate that identified them as being from Vanderbugh County.

This is a MAJOR driving pet peeve of mine. I learned how to drive from people with experience driving in large cities. In a large city, the left hand lane is for PASSING. You don't get in the left lane and put on the cruise control.

The other day I felt vindicated in my road rage, when the Indiana Department of Transportation confirmed what I already knew. On their Facebook page they included the picture you see above with a simple explaination.

" It doesn't matter if you're going the speed limit. You may feel like you're doing the right thing by slowing a speeder down, or you may feel it's your RIGHT to ...drive in any lane you 'darn well please.'

You're not. It's not.
And you ARE breaking the law.

Here's how it is DESIGNED to work:
You're in what you think is just like any other lane except that it's 'fast'. One of us approaches you from behind at 74mph (and you look down to see you're going 67mph and you switch to your smug 'justified' face because the sign says 65). While rather close in proximity, the driver begs you to move over.

Oh, how you should.

But you don't.

The driver tries to be patient and now cars start lining up behind both of you. There's a quick flash of the brights, and if you look up from your phone you either move over, or your ego decides that you'll be stubborn (and in some cases actually slow down ON PURPOSE). In most cases you don't even notice the signal but you just start complaining about the guy riding your bumper.

Now there's four or five vehicles lining up behind you while you have a LOT of distance ahead of you and enough room to move over. Now the sixth vehicle back finally jets across two lanes of traffic to go around not only you and the cars behind you, but but also around the slower cars in the two lanes to your right, only to find that there's no GOOD reason for you to be IN THE WAY. "

 

THANK YOU INDOT. I read a lot of crazy theories from people who commented with their own insane opinions of how highway lanes work, and I'm sure they'll be one of the many people I flip off in town.

Unless you are passing, stay to the right. INDOT said they were asked to remind drivers about this by the State Police. Lets hope they keep their promises to step up enforcement.

And this isn't just leading to an open lane for speeders. As one EMS worker commented, "As an EMS worker this is greatly appreciated... It almost becomes MORE dangerous sometimes due to erratic driving conditions from everyone trying to get out of the way...Yielding to left lane traffic greatly reduces risk of motor vehicle accidents for all responders and fellow motorists."

So if you aren't passing someone on the Lloyd, GET OUT OF THE WAY!