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A 'driving question' gets answered
Well, I’ve got some good news. I’ve found the answer to that driving question I raised a couple week ago.
To refresh your memory, I queried that if you are driving the speed limit in the fast lane on a state highway or expressway, is it illegal if you are delaying some drivers who wish to go faster?
The question arose not because people enjoy utilizing the left hand traffic lane but with Michigan’s crumbling road system, many drivers are doing many things to save their vehicles from potentially hundreds of dollars worth of car repairs.
Alert drivers try to straddle pot holes or even swerve to avoid them, obviously a dangerous act, depending upon the traffic volume.
When on our freeways and major highways, there appears to be more rugged roadway in the right-hand lanes. The passing or fast lane is often in a little better shape than its sister lanes.
This created an interesting legal question. To avoid the bone jarring and body shaking experience not really desired in a drive on the highway, many people are moving over to the fast lane.
They are driving the speed limit but is it legal? Driving over the maximum speed limit certainly is asking for a ticket. But, if you hold up an impatient driver, can you get a ticket?
The answer, according officers with The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is no, it is not illegal.
If there are only two lanes, courtesy would dictate moving over to the right hand lane but on a three-lane highway with the lanes going in the same direction, if you’re doing the speed limit, then it’s OK to use the fast or left-hand lane.
So, go ahead and drive in that lane at the maximum speed if you believe you can avoid the ruts, potholes and other menaces of our deteriorating highway system. Make sure it's not a construction zone. There you have to show down.
Also, you probably will tempt the wrath of drivers who do wish to speed. Beware of various verbal assaults and hand signals from them showing their displeasure. But if they must pass you, then let them breeze by and chance getting a ticket for speeding.
To refresh your memory, I queried that if you are driving the speed limit in the fast lane on a state highway or expressway, is it illegal if you are delaying some drivers who wish to go faster?
The question arose not because people enjoy utilizing the left hand traffic lane but with Michigan’s crumbling road system, many drivers are doing many things to save their vehicles from potentially hundreds of dollars worth of car repairs.
Alert drivers try to straddle pot holes or even swerve to avoid them, obviously a dangerous act, depending upon the traffic volume.
When on our freeways and major highways, there appears to be more rugged roadway in the right-hand lanes. The passing or fast lane is often in a little better shape than its sister lanes.
This created an interesting legal question. To avoid the bone jarring and body shaking experience not really desired in a drive on the highway, many people are moving over to the fast lane.
They are driving the speed limit but is it legal? Driving over the maximum speed limit certainly is asking for a ticket. But, if you hold up an impatient driver, can you get a ticket?
The answer, according officers with The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is no, it is not illegal.
If there are only two lanes, courtesy would dictate moving over to the right hand lane but on a three-lane highway with the lanes going in the same direction, if you’re doing the speed limit, then it’s OK to use the fast or left-hand lane.
So, go ahead and drive in that lane at the maximum speed if you believe you can avoid the ruts, potholes and other menaces of our deteriorating highway system. Make sure it's not a construction zone. There you have to show down.
Also, you probably will tempt the wrath of drivers who do wish to speed. Beware of various verbal assaults and hand signals from them showing their displeasure. But if they must pass you, then let them breeze by and chance getting a ticket for speeding.
posted by Allan Adler at
9:11 PM
5 Comments:
THE REALITY TO THIS SCENARIO SO OFTEN NOTICED IS A REALLY DIFFERENT THEME REGARDING LEFT LANE USAGE. NAMELY, THAT MANY DRIVERS IN THE LEFT LANE ARE ACTUALLY GOING 10-15 MILES BELOW THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. I BELIEVE THAT M-59 IN WATERFORD HAS A CONTEST ON TO SEE WHO CAN ANGER THE MOST DRIVERS.
IS THIS STILL A LEGAL ACTION?
I HAVE SEEN MANY VERY ANGRY DRIVERS WHEN CONFRONTED WITH BEING BOXED IN BY SUCH LOW-SPEED DRIVERS.
There are many who drive in the passing lane that are driving at the posted speed limit. The problem is that they are driving in the passing lane at the posted speed. The left lane is for passing only. It's against the law to drive in the left lane unless your passing a car.If the law were inforced it might help reduce traffic tie ups.Lets hear from the police what their opinion is.
When there's road work or construction being done 2 miles back there are road sign that say construction ahead move to the proper lane.Drivers will stay in the wrong lane till the last minute and expect everyone to stop and let them into the proper lane.This causes traffic back ups for miles.They should put police out there and give tickets to everyone who waits till the last minute to move over.In a days time money would be rolling into city coffers. when I drove to Tennessee there was road consrustion and there was only one sign that said move to proper lane.they meant right now.I was stuck in that lane until someone was kind enough to let me in.
Speaking of road work and other great plans that our Governor has,Please explain why you want to build a bridge that we can't pay for? You also have plans to raise the gas tax.Still there isn't one voice that speaks up for the people of Michigan.Your agenda is getting what you want no matter the toll it takes on almost everyone. Your not a Governor,your a Dictator.With wages being cut to the bone where is all this so called money going to come from? Is there a money tree in your back yard. As a businessman you run government like it was a business and it's not.You were elected to help the people,not stab them in the back with your underhanded methods.What happened to that man who claimed that everyone must sacrifice? It must have been that the people didn't hear you correctly.Nothing like stepping on the middle class and poor to get what you want at any cost.
For all you self-righteous rule makers about the PASSING LANE, READ this part of the Michigan Code:
MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE (EXCERPT)
Act 300 of 1949
257.634 Driving on right half of roadway; exceptions; driving on roadway having 2 or more lanes for travel in 1 direction; traveling on freeway having 3 or more lanes for travel in same direction; ordinance regulating same subject matter prohibited; violation as civil infraction.
Sec. 634.
(1) Upon each roadway of sufficient width, the driver of a vehicle shall drive the vehicle upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows:
(a) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing that movement.
(b) When the right half of a roadway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair or when an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway. A driver who is driving on the left half of a roadway under this subdivision shall yield the right-of-way to an oncoming vehicle traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the roadway.
(c) When a vehicle operated by a state agency or a local authority or an agent of a state agency or local authority is engaged in work on the roadway.
(d) Upon a roadway divided into 3 marked lanes for traffic under the rules applicable on the roadway.
(2) Upon a roadway having 2 or more lanes for travel in 1 direction, the driver of a vehicle shall drive the vehicle in the extreme right-hand lane available for travel except as otherwise provided in this section. However, the driver of a vehicle may drive the vehicle in any lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel when the lanes are occupied by vehicles moving in substantially continuous lanes of traffic and in any left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel for a reasonable distance before making a left turn.
(3) This section shall not be construed to prohibit a vehicle traveling in the appropriate direction from traveling in any lane of a freeway having 3 or more lanes for travel in the same direction. However, a city, village, township, or county may not enact an ordinance which regulates the same subject matter as any provision of this subsection. The driver of a truck with a gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds, a truck tractor, or a combination of a vehicle and trailer or semitrailer shall drive the vehicle or combination of vehicles only in either of the 2 lanes farthest to the right, except for a reasonable distance when making a left turn or where a special hazard exists that requires the use of an alternative lane for safety reasons.
(4) A person who violates this section is responsible for a civil infraction.
History: 1949, Act 300, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949 ;-- Am. 1968, Act 260, Eff. Nov. 15, 1968 ;-- Am. 1976, Act 170, Imd. Eff. June 25, 1976 ;-- Am. 1978, Act 510, Eff. Aug. 1, 1979 ;-- Am. 1988, Act 346, Eff. Jan. 1, 1989
© 2009 Legislative Council, State of Michigan
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