Driving the speed limit

[fd15k]

These signs are all over the highways of the PNW.
Lot of folks dont obey them and hide behind the self righteous "I'm doing the speed limit". The sign is speaking to those exact folks. The state recognizes the issue so much that they spend tax dollars to print and install those signs.


My understanding of what the left lane is for goes all the way back to drivers education in Washington state. 32 years ago.

Once again, that is not / has not been the case everywhere in PNW like you're claiming. I distinctly remember that a few years ago famous here Ginny Burdick was trying to introduce a bill to designate the left lanes in Oregon "for passing only", but it did not pass at the time. I want to say that was about 4-5 years ago, though time flies and it could have been a few years more.

Now it is important to point out that there is a difference between multi-lane highways like say I5 from Portland to Salem (which Burdick wanted to "improve"), as opposed to single lane highways with occasional passing lanes. In case of the passing lanes there are indeed signs saying one must travel on the right unless passing, but that was not the case with the I5 where slower traffic was encouraged to move right, but "slower" was not an absolute metric.

If any of that changed say in the last 5 years, and people have the ORS references, please share.

 

[fd15k]

As a general rule you can exceed the speed limit by 10%. At least for the bazillion years I have been driving.

As a general rule, it is called a "Class D Traffic Violation" in Oregon.

ORS 811.109 – Penalties for speed violations

Violation of a specific speed limit imposed under law or of a posted speed limit is punishable as follows, (a) One to…

oregon.public.law

 

[fd15k]

Here it is, Ms. Burdick's bill from 2015 : https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2015R1/Measures/Overview/HB3414

 

[Flopsweat]

I don't actually KNOW about that (as I haven't researched the law here in WA).

Impeding is impeding.

Driving in the left lane is NOT giving someone the permission to exceed the posted speed limit. Then.....I doubt that traveling at the posted (or close to the posted) speed limit can be defined as "impeding".

BUT......
I was told the same thing while driving in OR (about driving in the extreme left lane). So well, I did do some research on the OR "speed limit law".

As I expected.......
There was NOTHING about permitting driving higher than the posted limit while in the left lane. However......I did NOTE that the speed limit is the speed limit for the roadway (as posted for travel in that direction).

So whatever.

AND, my challenge is........
IF you (or anyone else) finds a particular statute, allowing someone to go faster than the posted speed limit (while in the left lane), please enlighten me (and please also include the particular statute's number).

Aloha, Mark

 

[ma96782]

Note the testimony by Kat Iverson?
Taken from the link provided in Post #23.....
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2015R1/Measures/Testimony/HB3414

What about lower volume hours of the day—those times when some drivers speed? Do the lawabiding drivers who go only as fast as the legal speed limit have to leave the left lane to facilitate those speeders? There are lanes designated for usage only by high occupancy vehicles. This is to encourage carpooling. This bill seems to require law abiding drivers t move aside for speeders. Does the state want to encourage speeding? In fact, if this bill passes, a driver will be breaking the law if he doesn't aid and abet law breakers.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Flopsweat]

Note the testimony by Kat Iverson?
Taken from the link provided in: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2015R1/Measures/Testimony/HB3414


Aloha, Mark

Still not your business to impede others. You could move over and it wouldn't harm you in any way. Instead you choose to impede. There is no righteousness there for you to claim. You're just being a d!ck.

 

[BBQ Guy]

Once again, that is not / has not been the case everywhere in PNW like you're claiming. I distinctly remember that a few years ago famous here Ginny Burdick was trying to introduce a bill to designate the left lanes in Oregon "for passing only", but it did not pass at the time. I want to say that was about 4-5 years ago, though time flies and it could have been a few years more.

Now it is important to point out that there is a difference between multi-lane highways like say I5 from Portland to Salem (which Burdick wanted to "improve"), as opposed to single lane highways with occasional passing lanes. In case of the passing lanes there are indeed signs saying one must travel on the right unless passing, but that was not the case with the I5 where slower traffic was encouraged to move right, but "slower" was not an absolute metric.

If any of that changed say in the last 5 years, and people have the ORS references, please share.

The sign i pulled the picture of was a generic screen grab, so folks like you get the gist of what your missing on the highways.

I am not claiming anything other than it is unsafe to be in the left lane that is typically used for passing purposes. Not so that you can go 45 in a 55.
The state has gone through the trouble to post signs so you move your butt over to the right lane and do not impede traffic. "Slower" is a metric and it is relative to the speed limit.
Then there are real world circumstances where folks dont travel the speed limit as the op observed and stated. If you want to travel in the left lane doing the limit or less because you are correct. Great. Let me know how being correct goes when you get rear ended by some dummy and the wreckage sends you to the grave.
You seem to be having trouble grasping that concept. In which case you are a danger to yourself and others on the roadway.

 

[Bam]

The posted speed limit does not dictate the flow of traffic, traffic does.

Most LEOs around here won't pull someone over unless they are doing 10 mph over, or you are speeding in a school zone. Beaverton, Portland their photo radar enforcement only tickets at 10 MPH over.

Left lane is for passing and going the speed limit in the left lane prevents people from passing and... impedes traffic flow. Want to be a self righteous jerk? The other driver will pass you eventually, and I hate to see you piss off the wrong person, your self righteousness may cost you your or a loved one's life. There are A LOT of angry people on the road, and when they see red, they make stupid decisions. A quick google search will turn up many examples of people regretting their self righteousness.

 

[monkeybutler]

Left lane campers must be punished. Vigorously.

 

[fd15k]

The sign i pulled the picture of was a generic screen grab, so folks like you get the gist of what your missing on the highways.

I am not claiming anything other than it is unsafe to be in the left lane that is typically used for passing purposes. Not so that you can go 45 in a 55.
The state has gone through the trouble to post signs so you move your butt over to the right lane and do not impede traffic. "Slower" is a metric and it is relative to the speed limit.
Then there are real world circumstances where folks dont travel the speed limit as the op observed and stated. If you want to travel in the left lane doing the limit or less because you are correct. Great. Let me know how being correct goes when you get rear ended by some dummy and the wreckage sends you to the grave.
You seem to be having trouble grasping that concept. In which case you are a danger to yourself and others on the roadway.

Typical rhetoric. So you're not claiming anything, but I claim the following: it is the duty of every driver to follow the rules of the road enacted by the people through the legislature. Everything else is a non-quantifiable made up nonsense coming from the individuals who "know better." Latter deserves no recognition or respect, unlike the law.

 

[ma96782]

RE : Post #26
Impeding Traffic

To ME.....
The definition of "Impeding Traffic" is subject to debate here.

Rrrrrright........
"Your definition vs my definition."

And/but of course.......
The only definition that really matters is the one provided for in the law/statute.

That being said.....take for example......
Say that the speed limit is posted at 65 mph for a particular roadway. Imagine that it's three lanes traveling in the same direction, with a center concrete divider, to separate the traffic flowing in the opposite direction.

Now.....traffic permitting and absent any law requiring drivers to ONLY use the left lane for overtaking.......
If I'm going 65 mph (or say that I'm doing 62 mph) in the left lane. Is that considered to be, "Impeding Traffic?"

I'd say, "NOPE."

But then......
Say that I'm going 68 mph in the left lane......does that mean that I'm "Speeding?"

I'd say that I am in fact......"SPEEDING."

BUT, But, but......
Does/will a cop want to pull me over for that (Speeding violation)? Well....probably not. Well, I hope not.

But, get on the cop's "bad side" or maybe the cop is "having a bad day." So then, maybe the cop might/will/could.....start the wheels of justice rolling? WTF?

Yeah.......The cops can/might even make OT while going to court. While a driver might just lose a day of work. See how that works?

So then.......
UP TO YOU.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Flopsweat]

RE : Post #26
Impeding Traffic

To ME.....
The definition of "Impeding Traffic" is subject to debate here.

Rrrrrright........
"Your definition vs my definition."

And/but of course.......
The only definition that really matters is the one provided for in the law/statute.

That being said.....take for example......
Say that the speed limit is posted at 65 mph for a particular roadway. Imagine that it's three lanes traveling in the same direction, with a center concrete divider, to separate the traffic flowing in the opposite direction.

Now.....traffic permitting.......
If I'm going 65 mph (or say that I'm doing 62 mph) in the left lane. Is that automatically considered to be, "Impeding Traffic?"

I'd say, "NOPE."

But then......
Say that I'm going 68 mph in the left lane......does that mean that I'm "Speeding?"

I'd say that I am in fact......"SPEEDING."

BUT, But, but......
Does/will a cop want to pull me over for that (Speeding violation)? Well....probably not. Well, I hope not.

But, get on the cop's "bad side" or maybe the cop is "having a bad day." So then, maybe the cop might/will/could.....start the wheels of justice rolling? WTF?

Yeah.......The cops can/might even make OT while going to court. While a driver might just lose a day of work. See how that works?

So then.......
UP TO YOU.

Aloha, Mark

You don't get to redefine words.

Definition of IMPEDE

to interfere with or slow the progress of… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

Definition of impede

transitive verb
: to interfere with or slow the progress of

 

[made in china]

Note the testimony by Kat Iverson?
Taken from the link provided in Post #23.....
https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2015R1/Measures/Testimony/HB3414


Aloha, Mark

I'd say it's absolutely not up to other drivers to impede others for the sake of enforcing or encouraging the speed limit.
Same as when someone sees a crime being committed, usually it's just best to stay out of the way, no legal entity would ask the average citizen to impede a crime.

Another thought: speedometers are often inaccurate by a certain amount, give or take.
So, if someone doesn't have a calibrated and certified speedometer, they have no right to use their speedometer to justify impeding others.

Someone impeding could be seeing 65 on their dash, when actually going 62, and be holding up someone who is actually going 65.

 

[ma96782]

RE : Post #32
Dictionary vs the statute.

ORS 811.130 – Impeding traffic

A person commits the offense of impeding traffic if the person drives a motor vehicle or a combination of motor vehicles in…

oregon.public.law

NOTE : The ORS does NOT say that a driver can exceed the speed limit while traveling in the left (or passing) lane.

Then......
I think that most people can/will agree that speeding is dangerous. So then...."dangerous" is also normally associated with "NOT reasonable."

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RE : Post #33
Speedometers

Yes......and the Judge gets to decide. Normally a Judge (being a reasonable and prudent person) will in all likelihood take into consideration the calibration defense.


Aloha, Mark

 

[made in china]

Oh, and I just want to leave this right here:

Prius driver. By themselves. Wearing a facemask.

Discuss

 

[fd15k]

RE : Post #26
Impeding Traffic

To ME.....
The definition of "Impeding Traffic" is subject to debate here.

Rrrrrright........
"Your definition vs my definition."

And/but of course.......
The only definition that really matters is the one provided for in the law/statute.

That being said.....take for example......
Say that the speed limit is posted at 65 mph for a particular roadway. Imagine that it's three lanes traveling in the same direction, with a center concrete divider, to separate the traffic flowing in the opposite direction.

Now.....traffic permitting and absent any law requiring drivers to ONLY use the left lane for overtaking.......
If I'm going 65 mph (or say that I'm doing 62 mph) in the left lane. Is that considered to be, "Impeding Traffic?"

I'd say, "NOPE."

But then......
Say that I'm going 68 mph in the left lane......does that mean that I'm "Speeding?"

I'd say that I am in fact......"SPEEDING."

BUT, But, but......
Does/will a cop want to pull me over for that (Speeding violation)? Well....probably not. Well, I hope not.

But, get on the cop's "bad side" or maybe the cop is "having a bad day." So then, maybe the cop might/will/could.....start the wheels of justice rolling? WTF?

Yeah.......The cops can/might even make OT while going to court. While a driver might just lose a day of work. See how that works?

So then.......
UP TO YOU.

Aloha, Mark

Actually there is a caveat. Going slower than reasonable is not permitted in Oregon per basic rule, if that interferes with other vehicles. So like on a single lane highway one would have to pull over from time to time to let faster vehicles pass. That wouldn't be the case on the multi-lane highway though, where going below the speed limit is permissible, but possibly only in the right lane (I have no citation handy). But again, "slower than reasonable" means slower than the speed limit in the absence of adverse conditions and such.

 

[Flopsweat]

Oh, and I just want to leave this right here:

Prius driver. By themselves. Wearing a facemask.

Discuss

Not as low as impeding traffic, but just as retarded.

 

[ma96782]

RE : Post #36
Reasonable.

YES......reasonable. That is just one of the reasons WHY........there is a "Speed Limit." Traveling at (or around) the posted speed limit (when conditions are favorable) is normally thought of as "reasonable."

Rrrrrright.....think of it as.....the Govt is HELPING drivers.

LOL.

While traveling while OVER the SPEED LIMIT is an offense.

"Impeding" (and speeding) can be Judged/Discussed at/in court. Taking into consideration......what the officer testifies to, what a witness says, what the driver says, road conditions at the time, etc...... etc.......

IF the Judge agrees......GUILTY.
If not........case dismissed/NOT GUILTY.

Aloha, Mark

 

[BBQ Guy]

Oh, and I just want to leave this right here:

Prius driver. By themselves. Wearing a facemask.

Discuss

They've outed themselves on this thread...

 

[Quirt Evans]