Keeping Left Unless Overtaking

Reapered on 28/08/2017 - 14:13
Last edited 29/08/2017 - 14:23

Probably one of my biggest pet-peeves is the fact that people drive slow or the same pace as other cars in the neighbouring lanes.

IMO I believe that if the road is 80km/h or more, all drivers should just keep left where safe to do so. If you see someone approaching you at a greater speed from behind, let them pass by going into the free lane to your left.

I've been seeing people occupying lanes driving over 10km/h below the limit and sit in the right lanes and it almost seems intentional.

It might be just me but I enjoy sitting at cruising speed not worrying about slow drivers blocking multiple lanes.

Should this be enforced or at least signed?

What are your opinions OzBargainers?

EDIT 29/8:
Not sure where the hate is coming from but yes I was a little misinformed about the overtaking rules. I don't think I made this post look like I'm wanting a huge uproar. I had made a misinformed, assumption on overtaking rules due to the fact that there were so many people on the road not keeping left.

Anyways, was just looking for general opinion from the Ozbargain community. Wasn't looking to get attacked for my opinions.

Poll Options

  • 12
    Drive Whatever Lane You Want
  • 297
    Law Enforced Keep Left Unless Overtaking
  • 19
    Keep Left Unless Overtaking Signage
  • 28
    Suck it up Princess
  • 26
    Buy an 80K car with Radar Cruise Control for an Investment
Automotive

Comments

    • 2025 on 31/08/2017 - 17:40

      Exactly!
      I'm sure it says somewhere not to walk up escalators and to always hold the hand rail etc.

      Do these people that deliberately block the road lane do the same thing on an escalator? Do they see someone walking up and think to themselves "oh I'm going to block their path"? I doubt they would, it takes more courage when one isn't armed with a 1400kg+ killer weapon with 4 wheels.

      • telljoolz on 04/09/2017 - 14:31

        The escalator point is an interesting one. I think research found, that not walking up an escalator is more efficient because theoretically, you can fit more stationary people on an escalator thus transporting more people at a time, than if you can stationary people on the left and people in a rush moving freely on the right.

        I doubt that works the same for the road unless everyone travelled bumper to bumper, which has it's own obvious drawback.

    • fedupwithjunk on 31/08/2017 - 17:45

      Have you never met a teenage boy?

      I'm thinking enforcing it stops it from being courtesy?

    • cockneylondoner on 31/08/2017 - 18:34

      There are a lot of people about who do walk slowly both in front and coming towards me and they've all got mobile phones in their hands which they are generally texting on!!!

      For what it's worth I do usually block people on escalators, by accident, because in London we are told to stand on the right hand side and sometimes they even have 'footprints' painted on the steps to enforce the instruction - don't ask me why - lol

  • keishton on 31/08/2017 - 10:47

    should the no undertaking rule be enforced together with this?

    • megaclix on 31/08/2017 - 11:22

      What no undertaking rule? We are talking a multi-lane road, right?

      • 2025 on 31/08/2017 - 17:41

        Isn't it the case that undertaking is only illegal if there is no lane or you are using the emergency stopping lane?

        • Euphemistic on 31/08/2017 - 19:55
          +1

          Undertaking is perfectly legal, but only on dead people.

      • keishton on 01/09/2017 - 13:25

        in the uk and probs other countries in eu youre not allowed to overtake from the outside lane. so for aussie roads overtaking from the left side is a big no-no to them.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2017 - 18:26

          You are not allowed to overtake from the inside lane; you must use the outside.

        • keishton on 03/09/2017 - 22:55

          @4sure:
          which side is the inside? haha i was thinking the lane closer to the middle of the road is the inside.

        • [Deactivated] on 04/09/2017 - 09:47

          @keishton: If you drive on the left the inside is your left.

        • keishton on 04/09/2017 - 10:18
          +1

          @4sure: ahh ok cheers

  • [Deactivated] on 31/08/2017 - 14:46
    -3

    I love driving the speedlimit and no faster in the right lane. It's not against the law unless I'm on a road with a limit over 80km/h.

    I love seeing people up my butt in any situation. It just makes me laugh. If you want to go faster than the speedlimit, go to a driving arcade.

  • Praeto on 31/08/2017 - 16:12
    +5

    People should be taught from early on to consider the impact their actions have on the flow of traffic, and to minimise that impact when ever possible. Don't just follow the letter of the law, actively work together with other drivers to make the roads more efficient and friendly. Stop prioritising yourself.

    • 2025 on 31/08/2017 - 17:42

      +1

    • BobLim on 04/09/2017 - 14:48
      +1

      See also: Road works traffic controllers, especially when the 'road work' is building a house on private land with a truck that wants to pull out 45 seconds after someone ambles onto the road with a stop sign…

  • srcc1 on 31/08/2017 - 21:44
    +1

    It is funny how frequently this kind of post appears.
    Having moved here from overseas I still believe that the biggest issue of not following this rule is proper training, or the lack of.

    Theory testing is too easy. Reading a book and then complete a test? How about spending 10-20 hours in a class room and getting some real life examples and insight from a trained professional?

    Couple of driving lessons before getting your licence? How much can you really learn. Then 100 hours spent with parent (or similar) is only transferring all the flaws to the next generation and it's only getting worse.

    Australia should copy the European system, especially the German one, in getting a licence. 20 hours in a class room, 20-30 hours with a proper instructor.

    Sure it will cost $2000-3000 to get a licence but it will make life on the road so much more enjoyable.

    My two cents..

    • Euphemistic on 01/09/2017 - 07:22

      And combine that with a knowledge test every time you render your licence.

  • narcoleptic-haze on 31/08/2017 - 22:16

    80km/h roads near me contain 2 lanes. the left one is for people driving 60-70km/h, the right one is for tradies driving 100+km/h with their rural kangaroo flood lights on. god forbid you ever need to turn right.

    I've never once seen a cop car, yet on my way to work there must be at least 4 huge signs that say "DRIVE CAREFULLY" …

  • Daniel Plainview on 01/09/2017 - 10:03
    +2

    IMHO if we want to cut to the bones of the issue - people's behavior on roads is inline with their overall attitude to interacting with others - thats to say too many folks don't give a rats about rules, common sense or the wellbeing of others and will just do what suits them best.

    I applaud the OP for flagging this area as I live in a rural area and everytime we do a 'road trip' it shits me to tears how many people completely flaunt this very basic and common sense rule.

    As it doesn't matter how many lanes there are on any given road as IF there's just one car in each lane that decides they want to 'cruise' their own personal lane at a set speed - you end up with a multi-car rolling roadblock.

    Now for those saying, ah it's no big deal - suck it up etc - you're right that in itself and on face value alone - cruising out in the right hand lane for many km's isn't as bad as drunk driving, speeding etc……but all too often it's the knock-on effects of this that is the real damage e.g traffic gets backed up behind someone blocking the right lane, resulting in drivers who don't normally feel comfortable overtaking having to do it - or making them drive faster than they're comfortable doing, or making them overtake 'old style' in non-overtaking lane sections of road.

    Again sounds silly but I've seen it so many times and it's one mindless driver who seems oblivious to what 99% of other drivers are doing and as a result people have to drive in ways they'd prefer not to - so they can mitigate this persons actions.

    To be fair - given all the bad behavior and stupidity on our roads this isn't exactly the biggest issue - but I find it an odd one as it's safer, less stressful and better for all to stay left - but for reasons best known to themselves these folks feel they're 'special' - go figure.

  • bathuu on 01/09/2017 - 11:58

    imo some drivers just lack some common sense whether they are doing speed limit or not.

  • centrelink on 01/09/2017 - 18:54
    +1

    We should just ban cars altogether… Kills more people than guns..

  • Ozpit on 03/09/2017 - 08:58
    +2

    Here's a simple question for all those know-all, smart ars*s above who boast they are perfectly within their rights to sit all day in the right lane on roads posted with a maximum 80km/hr limit, and perfectly happy to do so.
    Scenario: you are smugly sitting in the right lane doing less than 80km/hr on a 80km/hr posted road; the lane on your left is empty; a police car with no lights flashing or siren screaming comes up and sits behind you. What do you do?
    My money would be on you moving into the left lane pronto.
    Hmmm, I wonder why you suddenly had a change of mind, and no longer feel legally smug and comfortable about staying in the right lane?

    • Euphemistic on 04/09/2017 - 07:26
      +1

      There's two things I don't like about staying in the right lane.

      1. It is much easier to see a car overtaking on the right, the left hand side has a much bigger blind spot.
      2. You are closer to a head on - highly unlikely, but still a risk. Without a median all it takes is some clown coming the other way texting to swerve a bit and …
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