New Kansas Law

[Lazy Bear]

I drove a commercial truck for 25 years and I always thought it was against the law to drive in the left hand lane except to pass. I know the OK Turnpike has signs saying just that, and I'm almost sure it was in my kansas driver's hand book when I was in drivers ed 40 years ago.

[Teresa]

Trouble is, most people I see in the left lane aren't there because they're passing. It's because they're speeding and the speed limit isn't fast enough for them. I'd venture to guess if you were to count how many drivers on a given highway are going under the speed limit in the right lane and how many are going over the limit in the left ... give me a break already.

I'm happy to see this law go into effect. And I hope Tobina is right in that all those tickets (I won't be getting! Ha!) will help fill city coffers.

Oh, and I NEVER want to live where there are more than three lanes going one way.

True... but I drive a few miles over the limit.. ( what is legal) and I move to the left to pass and immediately get back over ..but if people want to drive really fast.. I'd just as soon they drive fast and be able to pass me and get out of my area... ( that way when the cop stops them for speeding, he won't think it is me.. ) LOL

Actually I do not get road rage at all... Unless Kjell is behind the wheel..and he drives me absolutely crazy when he drives. So to keep me from getting Kjell Rage.. I do most of the driving.. Easier for me to scare the hell out of him with my driving than he scare me into next year.. 

[srkruzich]

I drove a commercial truck for 25 years and I always thought it was against the law to drive in the left hand lane except to pass. I know the OK Turnpike has signs saying just that, and I'm almost sure it was in my kansas driver's hand book when I was in drivers ed 40 years ago.

uhmm most states the left lane is for passing or thru traffic.   I cna't remember when i was driving what the individual states were but i know if you got caught riding in the left lane in your petercar that they would write ya a big fat ticket if caught, Except for arkansas. THey want trucks to ride in the left lane anyway.

Most trucks use the left lane to pass.  Then get over. that is the proper driving procedure.
the left lane is supposed to be kept open for faster traffic and emergency vehicles.   Around the cities though that is not ever enforced at all.  The 4 wheelers fill it up as fast as they can. 

[Wilma]

Flint, true that the left lane westbound is also the passing lane for eastbound, but when passing, whether going east or west, it is illegal to cross into the lane going the other way unless the lane is clear.  Clearly, if there is a vehicle in the passing lane westbound, the way is not clear.  Maybe your concern is that the eastbounders do not see it this way.  But if your side of the road is only one lane, if the lane you have to use to pass is not clear, you are in the wrong if you try to pass.  If you are westbound and in the passing lane, even if you are not passing, you are in the wrong lane, but you still have the right of way.  Eastbound belongs in their right hand lane, not in westbound's passing lane if it is not clear.

[flintauqua]

Maybe your concern is that the eastbounders do not see it this way. 

Yes, that was the point I was trying to make, westbounders camped out in the inside lane, taking away the eastbounders possibility of using it to pass. 

[Ole Granny]

The new law should help with this problem.  Either some folks don't understand the concept of the lanes in the hills near Beaumont or they just don't care.

[Wilma]

You are right, Flint.  I think we have had that problem, too.  Daughter is so cautious, though, that if there is a car coming her way, she doesn't pass.  Almost every time we go west on 400, we are faced with someone trying to pass where there isn't room to get back in.  Sometimes to the place where we have to pull over and stop to avoid a collision.

[frawin]

Wilma, I had that happen Memorial weekend, we were going West on 400 and around Keighley corner some idiot pulling a big trailer with a race car in it started around us  and an East bound car came over the rise, the guy passing me is only halfway past and he starts pulling in, I had to slam on my brakes to let him in or there would have been a really nasty accident scene.

[Diane Amberg]

I'm glad you all had the move left law. We had it as a "suggestion'' for quite sometime (also the stay right except to pass) but move left was recently passed into law. Our keep right except to pass is a little more flexible, because of some areas that have serious backups during rush hour (slow hour?) traffic. Usually it is signed. As far as I 95 and it's 5 lanes, it's a big major east coast arterial and only has 5 lanes at some major pinch points, but it a big road the whole way. We have people here too who won't drive on it.
    Just out of curiosity, what would you do if you were driving down the road and you came upon a flashing green at an intersection?

[dnalexander]

Flashing green is a new one to me. Call the Public Works guys to come fix it? People have enough trouble with the three we have already.

David