Proper Lane Usage

No right to be in the left, or center.

KEEP RIGHT UNLESS PASSING! This is the law in most states and common courtesy everywhere. Yet most drivers and even many law enforcement officers seem to be totally unaware or this law.



Driving in Left Lane	Driving in Middle Lane	Driving in Right Lane

Above are 3 different examples of proper and improper lane usage. As you can see, when a driver fails to keep to the right they impede traffic flow and they create dangerous driving situations.

In effect, what those who fail to keep right do is to cut 3 lane highways down to 2 lane highways and 2 lanes down to one since passing on the right is dangerous and illegal.

It’s the same as if you were jogging on a track, the slower runners stay to the inside lane, the faster runners in the next lane and the fastest runners on the outside lane. And just because you are doing the speed limit, this does not grant you the right to violate this law or any others. It is not your job to slow speeders down by acting as a pace car in the center or left lane. You are only making a dangerous situation much worse.

SO the next time someone is tailgating you or flashing his lights at you or giving you the one finger salute, while it may not be right, you should ask yourself if you are staying to the right.

Stop Signs and Yield Signs

Does anyone know how to read anymore? “Stop” and “Yield” do not mean step on your gas pedal and race to get in front of an oncoming vehicle.

Cell Phones and Other Distractions

I once saw a guy reading a book while driving along a busy highway at 65mph. I once saw a guy brushing his teeth, another guy shaving, and of course we’ve all seen women putting on make up or brushing their hair while driving.

Now it’s the cell phones, not only talking on them, but texting too. And I have to admit that I am sometimes guilty of this myself, but it really is a serious distraction and it poses a threat to everyone else on the road. How often do we see someone doing something so stupid and then we pull up next to them and sure enough, they are yapping away on their phone, oblivious to everything else.

Seatbelts

Unlike the above mentioned situations, the use or non-use of a seatbelt does not have an affect on anyone other than yourself and should be of no concern to anyone else including the police.

Seatbelts may indeed be a good idea, but the government has no right to enforce your own personal behavior when it is hurting no one else. Same goes for helmets on motorcycles.