Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › Left lane drivers
- This topic has 46 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 10 months ago by KBear.
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June 3, 2016 at 1:16 pm #846344
ShawnParticipantIn fact, from the RCW linked by the OP:
Legislative intent—1986 c 93: “It is the intent of the legislature, in this 1985 [1986] amendment of RCW 46.61.100, that the left-hand lane on any state highway with two or more lanes in the same direction be used primarily as a passing lane.” [ 1986 c 93 § 1.]
Which means Admiral Way, Highland Park Way, and even the West Seattle Bridge do not apply.
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Shawn.
June 3, 2016 at 2:59 pm #846352
KBearParticipantShawn, RCW 46.04.197 defines “highway” as basically any street or road. “Highway” does not just mean roads with state route numbers, it applies to city streets as well.
June 3, 2016 at 4:32 pm #846369
JoBParticipantKBear.. so you posit that any street in any town is a state hiway?
June 3, 2016 at 4:33 pm #846370
JoBParticipantand.. i do have another question.
if the person in the left hand lane is traveling at the posted speed limit, why would you need to pass them?June 3, 2016 at 5:01 pm #846372
SmittyParticipantI pass any truck that hasn’t covered their load, dump trucks, cement trucks, stupid people not tying stuff down, busses, panel vans that I can’t see around……the list goes on and on….
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Smitty.
June 3, 2016 at 9:35 pm #846384
JoBParticipantbut smitty.. if there are two lanes you don’t need to pass the vehicle obstructing your view .. you can move to the other lane… can’t you?
June 3, 2016 at 9:38 pm #846385
JoBParticipantJune 4, 2016 at 5:59 am #846409
sboneParticipantThe whole concept of driving in the right lane and passing in the left lane is to allow the safe and free flow of traffic. Think of these lanes as driving (right) and passing (left). That’s the easy part. Putting it into practice is another thing. Active driving must be employed. Awareness of others around us is important. That is where the rear view mirrors come into play. If we simply follow the car in front because it is going the same way, at least leave plenty of space, not only to stop, but also so any other driver can maneuver into that space should he/she want or need to. Employing a squeeze play is just mean, not to mention stupid, as it will always be the rear-enders fault in an accident. This is often referred to as assured clear distance. To tailgate is not only unsafe, but also impedes the free flow of traffic. When making lane changes, use the turn signal as soon as you start to think about wanting to make a lane change…that is the time to turn it on. Note: the turn signal is that lever on the left side of the steering column. On my car, I don’t even have to take my hand off the steering wheel to activate it. I am pretty sure they are standard on all cars now. Once we put proper distance and spacing between cars driving down the road, and once we employ the turn signal to let others around us know our intentions, we are that much closer to safe and free flowing driving. Back to the rear view mirrors. In a two lane situation where someone is “on your tail” in the left hand lane, that usually means they want to move past you. Immediately put on your turn signal. This lets your tailgater and everyone else around know your intention to get out of the passing lane and back into the driving lane. If the drivers in the right hand lane did not get the memo about spacing, at least the tailgater knows you are trying. Since you are in the passing lane, suffice it to say your next option for getting out of the way to allow the safe and free flow of traffic, is to further depress the foot pedal on the right to speed up and pass a car or two, still with your turn signal on so everyone continues to be aware of your intention to get back into the driving lane. If at this point you are that driver in the left lane who does not feel like getting over because you are going fast enough, then shame on you. Passive aggressive driving like that may get you rammed or shot in todays’ world. Personally, I like to drive at or below the speed limit in town, and as fast as traffic will allow on the highway. I am a walker, bike rider and car driver. All lives matter.
June 4, 2016 at 6:46 am #846412
SmittyParticipantJob, you are supposed to pass on the left. Left lane “campers” force you to either go slower then them (to avoid junk flying out of their trucks, etc which is extremely selfish) or pass them on the right – which is not preferred or the norm. Passing on the left – as well as being passed on “your” left – are what people looks out for.
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Smitty.
June 4, 2016 at 7:51 am #846422
JoBParticipantsmitty.. what i question is the basic concept of ‘passing” on city streets… where unseen obstacles can and do occur on the roadway.. especially when you are following a vehicle that obstructs your vision.
Yesterday in White Center i was driving down the road when suddenly a man ran right in front of me. I nearly hit him. As i took my foot off the brake preparing to move ahead a policeman followed him.
All i can say is that it’s a good thing that I wasn’t one of those people who rushes to fill every roadway vacancy.. because if i had been i would have hit either the first or the second when i hit my gas..
Treating city streets like hiways is going to have fatal consequences for someone…
I would far rather be yelled at as a little old lady driver than have that on my conscience for the rest of my life.
by the way.. the running policeman did catch the fleeing suspect… he endangered his life for nothing.
June 4, 2016 at 8:40 am #846427
aaParticipantOmg folks! How about common courtesy? Who cares what the law states? Why don’t we each just practice some common courtesy today. Drive on the ride side and move to the left lane when you need to to turn left, stop at a yellow light instead of racing through it, let someone merge in front of you.
June 4, 2016 at 8:58 am #846428
SunuvaParticipantAgree, aa. There’s laws of the road which we are supposed to legally obey and there’s also common rules of the road that generally are followed for courtesy to other drivers and to help traffic flow. Letting somebody pass you is one of those things, just like letting somebody merge. It’s really easy to do and it’s good for you too. Letting somebody pass you is much less stressful than blocking them and causing anxiety and road rage. As I drive, sometimes I pass but often I’m the one being passed. I don’t care if someone wants to go faster than me. If they are driving dangerously then I’d rather them get on past me and leave the policing to the police officers.
June 4, 2016 at 9:44 am #846440
mpentoParticipantJune 4, 2016 at 12:39 pm #846455June 4, 2016 at 10:06 pm #846517
JoBParticipantloved the video
June 5, 2016 at 7:32 am #846565
SmittyParticipantmpento, could NOT have said it better myself!
June 6, 2016 at 7:39 am #846678
ShawnParticipantSorry, but you can’t argue that the law applies to all roadways when the legislative intent is pretty clear; “state highway with two or more lanes in the same direction” simply does not apply to city streets. I challenge someone who thinks it is the law that we much drive down ONLY the right lane of a city street unless we are passing to ask this of a SPD officer. Or a traffic lawyer.
Go ahead, I’ll wait.
June 6, 2016 at 8:28 am #846682
SmittyParticipantI am with Shawn, BUT this seems pretty clear. I could have googled the wrong thing though:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.100
“(1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half”
“(4) It is a traffic infraction to drive continuously in the left lane of a multilane roadway when it impedes the flow of other traffic.”
- This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Smitty.
June 6, 2016 at 8:57 am #846683
935ParticipantUnfortunately, laws, logic and consideration of others isn’t going to change many minds here…..
June 6, 2016 at 10:42 am #846692
ShawnParticipantYes, but there is more to that RCW. Specifically the note about legislative intent at the bottom.
June 7, 2016 at 8:19 am #846775
JoBParticipantit’s not hwy __________
it’a a city street…June 7, 2016 at 12:21 pm #846804
KBearParticipantThe legislative intent statement means it also applies to designated state highways. It does not negate the phrase “upon all roadways”, which was part of the same amendment. It does not change the fact that the word “highway” is used throughout the code to mean ANY public street or road.
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