Slow drivers, do every motorist a favor and keep right. Not only is it common courtesy, but a handful of states actually have laws on the books that prohibit slow-moving vehicles in the left lane or fast lane. In Indiana, one driver discovered this the hard way, and the State Trooper’s public service announcement has gone viral.
State Trooper Stephen Wheeles tweeted out a photo of the offender’s Chevrolet Captiva last Saturday and explained the situation.
“I stopped this vehicle today for a left lane violation on I-65. The driver had approximately 20 cars slowed behind her because she would not move back to the right lane,” Wheeles wrote. “Again…if there are vehicles behind you, you must move to the right lane to allow them to pass.”
Since posting the PSA, Wheeles’ tweet has been “liked” nearly 90,000 times and over 35,000 users have re-tweeted the photo.
The “slowpoke” law went into effect in Indiana in 2015 and is meant to keep a natural traffic flow. Wheeles explained that even drivers going the speed limit in the fast lane could be subject to a traffic stop.
“The spirit of the law is that since many people drive well above the speed limit, it creates an ‘accordion effect’ as traffic starts backing up behind the slower vehicle,” he said. “This is where many of our crashes occur on the interstates. It’s all in the name of safety.”
But, it’s no excuse to excessively speed, Wheeles reiterated in a follow-up comment.
“Vehicles all travel at different speeds. It was put in place to keep left lane drivers (or the family ten cars back) from getting run over by faster traffic while in the left lane.”
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Good. Some ******** got on the interstate yesterday as I was driving, jerked across three lanes of traffic (with me in the center lane), and proceeded to do about 55 in the left lane when traffic was moving along at 70-80 mph. When I flew past him a moment later I saw him looking down at his phone, probably texting.
Slow drivers, distracted drivers, drivers that don't pay any attention to what's going on around them, are just as unsafe as aggressive drivers.
The hero we need.
So driving at or below the speed limit is a citation worthy offense now? ...smh
It is when you're cruising in the passing lane and messing with the flow of traffic
Drive right: pass left. It used to just be called common courtesy, but since too many people lack that, they had to make it a law. If you're left shaking your head over that, you're most likely part of the problem.
Speed is irrelevant. They are being cited for a form of failure to drive right (i.e. not moving to the right lane).
What is the definition of slowpoke? To most people it is someone going five or ten mph over the speed limit. This is nothing but another stupid law designed by stupid politicians so that speeders can speed more easily. Anyone honest with themselves know that slowpokes in the left lane are rare. Aren't 50,000 US highway deaths per year enough? You can't blame cell phones...there were just as many deaths before they were around. Patience is a virtue. Wait your turn. Slow the hell down before you find yourself going there.
Drive on the right, pass on the left, it's the law, and it's not that difficult. It's this simple rule, observed by drivers, that make the Autobahn one of the safest highways in Europe, much safer than highways in North America, despite it having no speed limit. You don't have the right to use your vehicle to regulate traffic.
Autobahn is the safest highway system on the planet. Interstates are in 2nd place.