From: steinmar@blaze.rutgers.edu (Dan Steinmark)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Passing cars on the right...why?
Date: 16 Apr 92 15:51:25 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
To: acura@cbnewsi.cb.att.com

In article <1992Apr10.170843.12410@cbnewsi.cb.att.com> acura@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (james.r.feeney) writes:

> I travel the major highways here in N.J. (Gareden State Pkwy, Turnpike, I-287)
> quite often and I've noticed that on 3-lane roads, people seem to prefer 
> passing on the right instead of the left. To test my observation I went out
> on the G.S.P. during mid-day with light traffic, got in the center lane, and

[tap.. tap...  "Is this thing on?"]

Now, I realise this was a test, and thereby says nothing regarding how
you normally drive, but hanging out in the middle (or worse, the left!)
lane is one of the social tendencies of NJ drivers.  However, one of the
laws in NJ (and most states) is to KEEP RIGHT, except to pass.  Now,
granted, if one has a choice, they should pass on the left, as it's
considerably safer.  However, If we expect people to only pass on the
left, yet we hang out in the middle lane with no traffic to our right, we
effectively reduce the 3 lane road to only 2!

> did 60 mph (55 mph posted). Almost without exception (4 cars in fact) every
> car going faster than 60 passed me on the right! In fact 2 cars actually waited
> until a slower car in the right lane was passed before they passed on the right
> even though the left lane was clear!
> 
> Has anyone else noticed this? Any suggestions as to why? The only thing I
> could think of was a perception that you are more likely to be stopped by
> the police if you're in the left lane? Just an observation.
> 
> Jim Feeney
>  
Now in cases where the following car is also in the middle lane, and they
have the option of passing in either direction, but choose the right,
this can be from one of 2 reasons:
     1.  Police.  (as you said)  NJ troopers, particularly on the GS Pkwy
     are notorious for hanging out behind bridge abuttments and median
     turns on the left side.  Chances of being tagged by radar are
     greatly reduced by travelling on the right in those situations.

     2.  Habit.  NJ is full of LL hogs, and people get in the habit of
     "pass right".  Or, more closely related to the "Keep Right Except to
     Pass" law, would be a philosophy of "Keep Right, Except when you
     need to move left in order to Pass".  Either way, both drivers
     (those that pass on the right, AND those that leave the right open
     to be passed) are in the wrong.

In the case where the left lanes are occupied, which is most of the time
in NJ, passing on the right cannot really be helped.

But there's a middle situation...
Suppose 3 lanes in one direction:
Say, I'm traveling in the right lane, no traffic in the other lanes
around my car.  
Someone else is hanging out in the middle lane, no traffic in the other
lanes around their car.  
I'm approaching them.  When I pass, do I:
      a.  Move all the way to the left lane, pass, move all the way back
      to the right.
      b.  proceed by passing on the right.

What to do?  I try to do (a) but I frequently get fed up doing that, and
end up doing (b).

Please, Keep Right, and get others to do so.

	-Dan
----------------
"55.  It's not justly a good idea.  It's the lawyers."
Dan Steinmark   steinmar@paul.rutgers.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos