NFR Passing Cars Correctly with Space

[Divad]

I’m a rather slow driver, speed limit or a little over, don’t need to go Mach 10 and danger others so I enjoy the right lane.

But when people pass and then almost cut me off it’s extremely disrespectful. Don’t do that. Why? Well because where are the two places road debris congregates, the middle and the edges.

I was taught this common sense lesson as to not shoot rocks at cars behind me when passing. How the f*** do so many people not get that?

Rant over.

 

[Old406Kid]

In some cases, I think the passenger "Objects Aren't Where They Appear To Be" mirror, might have something to do with it.

 

[nwbobber]

I like to give the car in front of me some room so that I can be safer, and it allows other drivers more freedom to change lanes as they need to. There are other folks on the road that believe that hole needs to be filled. It gets frustrating. I hear you about the debris too. My wife is on her fifth windshield on her 2017 Subaru. It's ridiculous.

 

[DimeBrite]

Don't get upset. If cut off in traffic, calmly deploy the PIT maneuver on the offending vehicle and continue your hyper-miling journey.

 

[TicTokCroc]

Fatalities today below our house, it is a very dangerous stretch of hwy that everyone passes on. Sickening loud explosion sounds, screaming and crying and wailing, life flight, the sound of the jaws of life. Some family is ruined thanks to someone's impatient reckless mistake. Not sure how the first responders can do it. Slow down, is that extra 2 seconds really worth dying? Drive defensive, head on a swivel, I'm trying to go to bed and I can't stop thinking about how fucked up that was today.

 

[Yard Sale]

I'm a slow roller and see that a lot too. Whatever happened to a car length per 10mph?

I think it has gotten a lot worse since the mirror/rear cam sensors got popular. If the light aint yellow they think they can move over. Of course those sensors are built for parking....

 

[iveofione]

Very few people are competent 2 lane road drivers anymore. 95% of my driving is 2 lane and most of it in the mountains so I see many drivers that are just unsure or afraid to make a pass. Some have followed me for as much as 35 miles passing up numerous opportunities to overtake only to blow by me at 75mph once we reached the 4 lane section. Depth perception seems to be a problem for many of them as they are reluctant to make a pass if there is a car in the oncoming lane that is still over a mile away. They have no idea what the loud pedal is for and little idea how fast the car they are driving can accelerate. Or how slow it is and how much more space they need than they have. Freeways and manual transmissions have really lowered the bar of driving skills.

 

[Zak]

Very few people are competent 2 lane road drivers anymore. 95% of my driving is 2 lane and most of it in the mountains so I see many drivers that are just unsure or afraid to make a pass. Some have followed me for as much as 35 miles passing up numerous opportunities to overtake only to blow by me at 75mph once we reached the 4 lane section. Depth perception seems to be a problem for many of them as they are reluctant to make a pass if there is a car in the oncoming lane that is still over a mile away. They have no idea what the loud pedal is for and little idea how fast the car they are driving can accelerate. Or how slow it is and how much more space they need than they have. Freeways and manual transmissions have really lowered the bar of driving skills.

What gets me is when I'm 3 or 4 cars behind the slow car and none of the cars ahead of me will pass the slow car. Relatedly, if you are leading a parade of cars on a two lane road, please pull over and let them pass!

When I am poking around on roads scoping out the river, I often pull over and wave people past.

 

[Matt B]

Rules, schmoolz
It’s all just guidance, right?
When there’s no enforcement, pretty much…

RCW 46.61.427: Slow-moving vehicle to pull off roadway.

Slow-moving vehicle to pull off roadway.​

On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow moving vehicle, behind which five or more vehicles are formed in a line, shall turn off the roadway wherever sufficient area for a safe turn-out exists, in order to permit the vehicles following to proceed. As used in this section a slow moving vehicle is one which is proceeding at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place.

RCW 46.61.100: Keep right except when passing, etc.

Keep right except when passing, etc.​

(1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven 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 such movement;
(b) When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard;
(c) Upon a roadway divided into three marked lanes and providing for two-way movement traffic under the rules applicable thereon;
(d) Upon a street or highway restricted to one-way traffic; or
(e) Upon a highway having three lanes or less, when approaching the following vehicles in the manner described under *RCW 46.61.212(1)(d)(ii): (i) A stationary authorized emergency vehicle; (ii) a tow truck or other vehicle providing roadside assistance while operating warning lights with three hundred sixty degree visibility; (iii) a police vehicle; or (iv) a stationary or slow moving highway construction vehicle, highway maintenance vehicle, solid waste vehicle, or utility service vehicle that meets the lighting requirements identified in RCW 46.61.212(1).
(2) Upon all roadways having two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, all vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, except (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow, (c) when moving left to allow traffic to merge, or (d) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when such left turn is legally permitted. On any such roadway, a vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds shall be driven only in the right-hand lane except under the conditions enumerated in (a) through (d) of this subsection.
(3) No vehicle towing a trailer or no vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds may be driven in the left-hand lane of a limited access roadway having three or more lanes for traffic moving in one direction except when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when a left turn is legally permitted. This subsection does not apply to a vehicle using a high occupancy vehicle lane. A high occupancy vehicle lane is not considered the left-hand lane of a roadway. The department of transportation, in consultation with the Washington state patrol, shall adopt rules specifying (a) those circumstances where it is permissible for other vehicles to use the left lane in case of emergency or to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic, and (b) those segments of limited access roadway to be exempt from this subsection due to the operational characteristics of the roadway.
(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.
(5) Upon any roadway having four or more lanes for moving traffic and providing for two-way movement of traffic, a vehicle shall not be driven to the left of the center line of the roadway except when authorized by official traffic control devices designating certain lanes to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by traffic not otherwise permitted to use such lanes, or except as permitted under subsection (1)(b) of this section. However, this subsection shall not be construed as prohibiting the crossing of the center line in making a left turn into or from an alley, private road or driveway.

 

[nwbobber]

Those rules are great and I try to follow them, but... if you are impatient with the douchebag that's ruining your day, it's still no excuse to drive in an unsafe manner, as in passing and pulling into the lane ahead of said slowpoke without a reasonable amount of clearance. A few minutes here or there are not worth the frustration or worse of an accident.

 

[JudyM]

Rules, schmoolz
It’s all just guidance, right?
When there’s no enforcement, pretty much…

RCW 46.61.427: Slow-moving vehicle to pull off roadway.

Slow-moving vehicle to pull off roadway.​

On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow moving vehicle, behind which five or more vehicles are formed in a line, shall turn off the roadway wherever sufficient area for a safe turn-out exists, in order to permit the vehicles following to proceed. As used in this section a slow moving vehicle is one which is proceeding at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place.

RCW 46.61.100: Keep right except when passing, etc.

Keep right except when passing, etc.​

(1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven 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 such movement;
(b) When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard;
(c) Upon a roadway divided into three marked lanes and providing for two-way movement traffic under the rules applicable thereon;
(d) Upon a street or highway restricted to one-way traffic; or
(e) Upon a highway having three lanes or less, when approaching the following vehicles in the manner described under *RCW 46.61.212(1)(d)(ii): (i) A stationary authorized emergency vehicle; (ii) a tow truck or other vehicle providing roadside assistance while operating warning lights with three hundred sixty degree visibility; (iii) a police vehicle; or (iv) a stationary or slow moving highway construction vehicle, highway maintenance vehicle, solid waste vehicle, or utility service vehicle that meets the lighting requirements identified in RCW 46.61.212(1).
(2) Upon all roadways having two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, all vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, except (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow, (c) when moving left to allow traffic to merge, or (d) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when such left turn is legally permitted. On any such roadway, a vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds shall be driven only in the right-hand lane except under the conditions enumerated in (a) through (d) of this subsection.
(3) No vehicle towing a trailer or no vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds may be driven in the left-hand lane of a limited access roadway having three or more lanes for traffic moving in one direction except when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when a left turn is legally permitted. This subsection does not apply to a vehicle using a high occupancy vehicle lane. A high occupancy vehicle lane is not considered the left-hand lane of a roadway. The department of transportation, in consultation with the Washington state patrol, shall adopt rules specifying (a) those circumstances where it is permissible for other vehicles to use the left lane in case of emergency or to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic, and (b) those segments of limited access roadway to be exempt from this subsection due to the operational characteristics of the roadway.
(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.
(5) Upon any roadway having four or more lanes for moving traffic and providing for two-way movement of traffic, a vehicle shall not be driven to the left of the center line of the roadway except when authorized by official traffic control devices designating certain lanes to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by traffic not otherwise permitted to use such lanes, or except as permitted under subsection (1)(b) of this section. However, this subsection shall not be construed as prohibiting the crossing of the center line in making a left turn into or from an alley, private road or driveway.

Oregon drivers staying in the left lane to travel do not realize that it is a no-no. Law passed in 2015 to match Washington Law #4. I stay to the right, thank you! https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2015/04/oregon_left_lane_hogs_banned_b.html It is known as ORS 811.295

 

[Rob Allen]

What gets me is when I'm 3 or 4 cars behind the slow car and none of the cars ahead of me will pass the slow car. Relatedly, if you are leading a parade of cars on a two lane road, please pull over and let them pass!

When I am poking around on roads scoping out the river, I often pull over and wave people past.

I agree but the law reads, or at least used to read that it is unlawful to hold back 5 or more vehicles AND be traveling more than 10 miles an hour under the posted speed limit .

 

[Robert Engleheart]

……manual transmissions have really lowered the bar of driving skills.

???

 

[VAGABOND]

Good gawd man……you’re driving the speed limit..or a little over it? That’s the problem right there.

Think of it as you are the baitfish that turned right when the school went left. It’s all about staying within the school and survivability.

 

[_WW_]

(2) Upon all roadways having two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, all vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, except (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow,

That looks like permission to speed! I'll be keeping that in my back pocket.

 

[Robert Engleheart]

Where I live the 2-lane roads are laid out on a North/South and East/West grid. To go for most shopping, Dr. Appointments, etc I avoid the 4-lane cluster and take the two lanes which are pretty light traffic and more direct. Biggest issue is passing on solid yellow lines (intersections) and running stop signs. Big increase in accidents lately, lots of dumbfoolery happening in last 6 months.

 

[_WW_]

This keep right except to pass sounds all groovy and shit but there are just too many cars on the road these days to make that even remotely efficient. Other wise we would only need two lanes.

 

[Buzzy]

Where I live the 2-lane roads are laid out on a North/South and East/West grid. To go for most shopping, Dr. Appointments, etc I avoid the 4-lane cluster and take the two lanes which are pretty light traffic and more direct. Biggest issue is passing on solid yellow lines (intersections) and running stop signs. Big increase in accidents lately, lots of dumbfoolery happening in last 6 months.

Only the last six months? Robert - just my two cents worth; I think there's a huge percentage of distracted drivers. How do folks text or surf the internet without being distracted with the point being so many drivers aren't defensively driving they're distractedly driving. Is defensive driving even a thought in many drivers minds?

I try to get out and walk most days. On those days when I loop downtown (the big city of 8,000 people), I keep my head on a swivel if I cross a street. I don't know how many times a year drivers don't yield to this old pedestrian.

 

[Old406Kid]

This keep right except to pass sounds all groovy and shit but there are just too many cars on the road these days to make that even remotely efficient. Other wise we would only need two lanes.

I agree that this rule is only applicable in less trafficked areas.

 

[VAGABOND]

^^^^^^this!

And waiting for the person IN THE LEAD at the traffic light to finish a text 10 seconds after the light has turned GREEN!