You know what a PSA is, right? It’s a Public Service Announcement. We make one in this space every Tuesday. Try this one on for size:
Let’s say you’re walking down a long hospital hallway, and you’re in a hurry. You need to be someplace stat! Walking rapidly, you come up behind two or three people walking down the same hallway. They’re not slow; they’re walking at a normal pace, but you’ve got an urgent situation awaiting you ahead. You say, “Excuse me,” and try to get around.
The people ahead of you glance over their shoulders – they heard you…they know you’re there – but they don’t move out of your way.
“Pardon me,” you say again. “If I could get past…”
Again, they continue to ignore you. You have no choice but to follow them down the hallway. Then one of them says to you, “We’re not walking slowly, so we’re not going to move.”
I think we would all agree these people are rude. They aren’t showing manners or simple courtesy. You and I probably would never act like that. Unless…
How did we miss the fact that June was Lane Courtesy Month? Sorry about that.
“I’m going the speed limit. Why should I have to move?” says one.
“My speed is already 10 mph above the speed limit. I’m in the fast lane and I’m going fast,” says another. “Let them move.”
Yes, there are plenty of people who are normally meek, mild-mannered, sweet, generous, kind, loving and courteous, but when it comes to the left lane, the so-called fast lane, they wouldn’t move out of the way for Jesus Christ himself. They try to live by The Golden Rule every day – except when it comes to the left lane.
“I view myself as kind of a rolling speed bump,” says another left lane habitué. “I’m slowing down these speeders and making the highways safer for all of us.”
That is very noble of you. There’s just one problem with your reasoning. Well, ok, let’s be honest. There are several.
1. You are breaking the law. Out of the 50 states, exactly 50 of them have some law on the books that discourages people from traveling in the left lane on multi-lane roads and highways. It’s not that you’re never allowed in the left lane, just that you should only use it when necessary, like for passing, then get back over. In Georgia, it’s not just a matter of a simple traffic citation: earlier this year the offense of not moving over was upgraded to a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and a year in prison. The law, incidentally, was written by a state senator (Rep. Bill Hitchens) who was a Georgia state trooper for 33 years and is the former head of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. Think he knows what he’s talking about?
2. You are not making the roads safer. Here’s what the National Motorists Association (NMA) has to say about it: “a driver going the speed limit in the left lane can still be a serious problem. They can cause abrupt lane and speed changes, as well as hostility or road rage…There is no good reason to remain in the left lane if a faster vehicle wishes to pass you. It only creates friction and makes our roads more dangerous.” They go on to add this: “people driving substantially slower than the flow of traffic [regardless of their speed or the posted limit – ours] are just as likely to cause accidents as people driving substantially faster than the flow of traffic. [This] is not a theory. It has been proven by the numbers…Teaching drivers to keep right when driving slower than the flow of traffic will improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and eliminate many of the aggravations that cause road rage. It’s a free and easy fix that will benefit all road users. There simply isn’t a good excuse not to practice lane courtesy.”
3. You are, quite simply, rude. As we already established, you wouldn’t do this in a Kroger aisle. Did you notice that the National Motorists Association uses the word courtesy when discussing this issue? Even though they are vocal advocates on this issue, they say the solution doesn’t lie in writing tickets, issuing fines, or throwing people in jail. The solution lies in educating drivers to employ a little civility, to employ lane courtesy. Another definition of lane courtesy is something often seen on roadside signs: “Slower traffic keep right.”
Here’s a capsule summary of this topic from the NMA:
4 KEY BENEFITS OF LANE COURTESY
When drivers choose to block the left lane, whether intentionally or not, they are making the roads less safe and efficient for everyone.
Here are some of the benefits you and the other drivers on the road will notice if you keep the left lane open for passing:
1) You’re Less Likely To Be In An Accident
By not obstructing other drivers, traffic is able to flow more smoothly. When traffic flows smoothly, there is less tailgating, less weaving in-and-out of traffic, and therefore fewer accidents.
2) You’ll Get Better Gas Mileage
Lane courtesy promotes the smooth flow of traffic and helps drivers maintain an even pace. Vehicles use the most gas when accelerating. Less braking followed by acceleration will improve fuel economy.
3) You’ll Get To Your Destination Faster
Yielding to faster traffic reduces congestion. When traffic is flowing smoothly, highway capacity can be utilized to the fullest extent.
4) You Will Not Have To Deal With Road Rage
There’s little doubt that “left lane hogs” are a source of irritation for many drivers. The courteous act of moving to the right can eliminate driver stress and conflict.
HERE’S A LINK WITH MORE INFO:
http://www.motorists.org/lane-courtesy/