A lot of people do this for one of two reasons: 1) The acceleration lanes on
on-ramps are too short and subsequently, traffic cannot get up to highway
speed before merging. or 2) Many roads where number one isn't a problem have
to deal with stupid drivers who don't merge to highway speed (or at least
the speed limit) in the acceleration lanes. As a result, many drivers just
decide it is easier to go the speed limit in the middle lane as opposed to
having to slow down to ten below the speed limit at every interchange they
pass. Is it right? Well as much as it may not be the best thing to do, at
least there is a way for other traffic to pass those go the speed limit in
the middle lane.

What a surprise. I know that I am opening a can of worms by saying this, but
banning cell phones while driving is just like banning guns in order to
reduce crime. It just doesn't work.

Everyone knows it is insane to use your blinker in Houston! If you do, you
alert the guy behind the whole you are about to pull into so he knows to
pull up and block it!

I just moved back to Houston from Austin and am having to relearn that. My
wife from Austin gets seriously agitated. My grandad from Dallas quit
driving to Houston when he got 'old.'

And the one about Chinese signs: we got some. All the street signs are also
in Chinese in our China Town suburb...not to be confused with the original
China Town downtown!

I drive an old pickup and noted I was almost hitting someone every day after
I moved back here and that every time it was someone on a cell phone cutting
me off or slamming on their brakes almost too late to turn or... Staying
further back doesn't help; I just get more people cutting in front of me
without using a blinker. Texas decided not to pass the law about hands-free
cell phones...not that I hear it is helping anywhere else it did go through.

John
in Houston

That depends on what "this" country is.
Hogging the left lane is illegal in California, but they don't enforce it.
It's more fun to promote road-rage, I guess. In Oregon they will write a
citation.

I believe it is referring to six lane roads. The middle and right lane
in the US is for overtaking however many people drive in those lanes at
lower speeds than the rest of traffic. I know here where I live it is a
major problem, especially when semis group up across the lanes while
going about 45 in a 65 zone blocking traffic and slowing everything
waaaay down.

I guess. Though here the hog all over the place. ;)

Who says cops have to prove anything?

When traffic is light to moderate, these rules make sense. When traffic is
heavy, the rules have to be relaxed. But when when traffic is heavy, slower
traffic should keep right.

I have experienced numerous floating traffic jams caused by one car traveling in
the #1 or #2 lane (counted form the inside out) significantly more slowly than
everyone else. Had they been in the right lane, it woudl have been less of a
problem.

"The lane courtesy ethic must be reinvigorated, promoted, and
recognized for the contribution it can make toward safer, faster and
more enjoyable travel."

It makes sense to me though I doubt the lion will give any priority to
these issues. Story at bottom.

'Lane Courtesy, also called Lane Discipline, has a powerful influence
on highway safety, traffic flow, and congestion. Arguably, its effect
is more important than speed limits, traffic enforcement, or any other
attempt to control driver behavior. Ask almost any motorist what most
raises their ire when using major highways and the answer will be
"failure of slower traffic to keep right or yield to the right when
faster traffic approaches."

The concept, or ethic, of lane courtesy evolved in the United States
with the development of the Interstate System. However, the concept of
slower traffic yielding to the right for faster traffic has its origins
in the older system of two lane highways. Almost all states have a
provision in their traffic law that requires slower traffic, upon being
signaled by a following vehicle, to pull to the right to allow the
faster traffic to pass.

Prior to 1973, rural speed limits reflected typical travel speeds.
Consequently, slower vehicles were not driving the speed limit and
there was no rationale for deliberately blocking the progress of faster
traffic. The 55 MPH National Maximum Speed Limit changed all that.

After 1973, there was a serious disconnect between speed limits and the
actual speed of traffic. There was also a total breakdown in lane
courtesy. The slower traffic that would normally stay in the right hand
lane could now linger anywhere on the highway, in any lane, and still
be traveling at the legal maximum speed of 55 miles per hour. This
counter productive process was reinforced over a period of 21 years,
influencing a whole generation of new drivers.

In 1995 the 55 MPH National Maximum Speed Limit was repealed and
several states raised speed limits to put the limits more in concert
with the reality of highway travel. However, the almost quarter century
habit of wallowing anywhere on the highway did not disappear with the
advent of new speed limit signs.

The lane courtesy ethic must be reinvigorated, promoted, and recognized
for the contribution it can make toward safer, faster and more
enjoyable travel. We hope the NMA's "Do the RIGHT Thing!" campaign and
declaring June as "Lane Courtesy Month" will reawaken interest and
support for this incredibly important and positive traffic safety
concept.'

http://www.motorists.com/right/releaseone.html

HOW THE LION BENEFITS FROM THE LITTLE ANIMALS' POVERTY

One day all the little animals went up to the King of the Jungle and
complained about their poverty, and in particular about the fact that
every time, during the dry season, they had to travel long distances to
drink the precious fluid, and demanded a WATER WELL be built for
them... They cited how the resources that they contributed to the
kingdom were wasted in WARS and EXTRAVAGANT PROJECTS to the tastes of
the King... He, however, replied with all kinds of excuses: the lack of
resources, that it wasn't a matter of him not wanting it, but that it
was a matter of "priorities" --which was one of his favorite words...

Meanwhile, an Owl --who had very good eyes-- had been observing life in
the jungle, and thought this way: "Every time there's a dry season the
little animals must come to the little dirty waterhole where the Lion
waits for them... Had they been well fed and strong, he would have had
to run after them and even risk resistance. And, more importantly, the
little animals are forced to fight the Lion's wars as the quick way out
of poverty..."

And that's how the Owl landed an important --and well paid-- post in
the brand new Astronomy Department created by the King of the Jungle
--to the effect of exploring life in other planets...

http://committed.to/justiceforpeace

... ooooooooooo.   the big bad a.s with the big mouth.
i'm suuuuuuurrrrrre you shotgun all those in your way.

Oh, come on, don't be so shy. Tell us what you really think.