Story Published:
Jul 9, 2008 at 10:46 AM PST
Story Updated:
Nov 20, 2008 at 9:54 PM PST
Yes, completely serious.
You can read the story we aired on KOMO-TV at this link. You can also watch the video of us riding along with Washington State Patrol as they pulled people over for breaking this law.
I'm still really surprised at how hot this topic was. Thanks to everyone who wrote in to talk to me about this law. I've decided to share some of your e-mails on the jam session so we all can see how passionate people are about this. Continue to e-mail me as I love to hear from you.
A few comments and questions from Jenni Jammers:
Beth -
Regarding the campaign to ticket people who are impeding traffic by going only the speed limit in the left lane...isn't there some irony there? If people are speeding around the car that is going the speed limit, shouldn't they be the ones ticketed? That seems more than a bit backward. Additionally, I am a person that when someone hauls up going a hundred behind me, I do NOT move, because I figure that person is already doing something unpredictable- they will no doubt swerve just as I am trying to get our of their way. What is the best way to handle crazy drivers like that?
Answer:
Great question! If you do notice a person driving dangerously behind you, the best thing to do is call 9-1-1 and tell the operator about the vehicle, the road you're on and the direction you're traveling in. Troopers warn that you don't want the aggressive driver to focus their attention on you as this could target you for a road rage situation. Let them go around you or move over if it's safe to do so and try not to attract their attention.
Sennet -
Not a question, but a BIG THANK YOU for the report on left lane hogs. I hate them!!! I'm so happy that the State Patrol is targeting this, it's so overdue. I come from a place called California and if you drove there the way that people here drive, you'd get shot!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you Jenni!!! I hope that you run the story a few more times so the word gets out that 90% of the drivers around here are breaking the law with their horrible habit of being a lane hog!!!
Paul -
So--the speed limit sign should read 'Go as fast as the guy behind you wants you to'? This is crazy. It allows speeders to have their way legally. Is that really what they want?
Answer:
This is a legitimate concern you have Paul. I spoke to the Trooper Leary about this and he assured me speeding is still breaking the law. He explained that if a vehicle is in the left lane going slower than the person behind them and doesn't move over then that person behind them is no longer speeding and the trooper can't pull them over for that as they would be going the same speed as you. The other danger in that situation is it could then potentially turn into road rage and put you in danger.
It also was brought to my attention that they don't want you to speed up and go as fast as everyone else in your lane, just to move over if people are passing you on the right hand side and you have the "opportunity" to move over to the right lane. If you don't take that opportunity, then that is when it could be considered that you are impeding traffic. If you are going slightly faster than people to your right, or the exact same speed and can't get over because someone else is going that speed then I was told you're not in trouble when people stack up behind you.
Curtis -
I just read your report on the slow driver's in the passing lane. This has always irritated me and I have always wondered why this happens so often. I feel like I've always understood this to be against the law, but it seems as though most people don't know realize it is a law.
Gary -
So if you're passing cars (on your right) and you're doing 63-64 in a 60 mph limit zone, can you still get a ticket? Thanks
Answer:
Thanks for the e-mail Gary. I'd take WSP's explanation to mean that you would not get in trouble if you were doing what you described above (as far as the RCW in the story goes). Having said that there is also a do not speed law that the trooper could then choose to enforce if you were going over the speed limit.
Bob -
The real reason and we all know it but refuse to admit it is the fast lane is the smooth lane by far. That is why the State Patrol wants you to stay out of it so they can have the smooth lane all for themselves. If the road department would repair the right (slow) lanes we would have no problem driving in them..I feel as though my Tax's are buying me the fast lane not the beat-up slow lanes..
Matt -
Love this report; if you do a follow up to it I would add that a lot of drivers think the carpool lane is the fast lane too, it’s not, it’s the HOV lane and impatient drivers coming up from behind those of us that have a right to be in the HOV lane should not be intimidated by faster drivers in that lane. I think drivers also need to be educated about this as well.
Answer:
I've received a ton of e-mails asking about the HOV lane as far as this law is concerned.
The carpool (or HOV) lane is an interesting lane when it comes to this law. It is considered it's own lane (not a left or a right lane). That means you do not have to get over to the right hand lane if you are traveling the speed limit. It is however against the law to impede traffic, no matter what lane you're in. When I spoke to the trooper about this, he said that impeding traffic would be if you have quite a few cars backed up behind you, then you should move over if safe to do so then let them clear and move back in. If you're traveling around the same speed as everyone else in the HOV and there is one person speeding around the cars then you are in the right to stay where you are. Moving over would just be a courtesy. Speaking with WSP they have seen many incident like this where it attracts the attention of an aggressive driver. The driver then gets followed home and it can lead to an assault. Even though you're in the right, the safest thing for you to do may be to move over.
William -
This is more a follow up question to the article you wrote about left hand slow drivers and the associated $124.00 ticket: Why are there no "slower traffic keep right" signs on the freeways from Seattle to just south of Bellingham? This regulator sign is quite common elsewhere, just not here. Any Ideas?
Answer:
Thanks for your interest in this topic. I spoke to WSDOT about this and here is their official response to your question. Cheers!
Rick Mowlds, WSDOT Signing Engineer, says:
We currently have nine "keep right, except to pass" signs on I-5 between Seattle and Bellingham. There are five signs in the southbound direction from Bellingham to Everett. In the northbound direction, there are four signs from Mountlake Terrace to just south of Bellingham.
The "keep right, expect to pass" signs are not allowed to be within five miles of each other in the same direction, they can't be placed in an interchange area and they must be more than a half mile away from an interchange. These guidelines were designed to keep costs down, reduce clutter along the sides of the highway and allow drivers to safely merge from the on-ramps to northbound or southbound I-5. We currently do not have plans to add anymore signs
Randy -
I COMMEND THE WSP on final enforcement of a statute that has been in place for years. Traffic traveling in the left lane is the major cause to our freeway congestion and road rage, and it seems so simple to enforce a law that lowers peoples blood pressure and helps the flow of traffic.
Barry -
It's about time they start giving out tickets to left lane hogs! I drive for a living and am sick of people's general lack of attentiveness to who is behind them. It seems like people here take it personally when I want to pass them, they will purposefully try and keep others from passing, it's simply bad driving.
Cathy -
I just read "Poking along in the left lane? Prepare to pay" and I just can't believe it. Well I believe it because I read the statute, but my goodness. So how fast can we go in the far left lane? I'm shocked, I truly am. It almost seems silly and I think any policeman that would actually stop someone and give them a ticket for that is on a power trip. A warning, yes that would be OK because I'm sure no one knew.
Elaine -
THANK YOU soooo much for this alert to drivers!! This is very annoying for us that go faster and have to pass on the right of a slower vehicle. I would love to see KOMO suggest something every morning that relates to the terrible traffic and bad habits of other drivers.
