Curse those centre lane hogs!

[Pedro]

Driving along a 4 lane arterial road the other day and came across 3 of those selfish pigs that insist on driving in the overtaking lane instead of keeping to the left as prescribed in the motor traffic act.

Seeing that they had no intention of moving, I accelerated and undertook them. Unfortunately, as I did so my view of the centre divide was obscured by them and a (life saving) camera in a landcruiser managed to take my photo between 2 of the pigs.

The end result is:
Me ... minus 3 points and $150 donation to state revenue
Them ... merrily on their way oblivious to the road rules.

Why isn't the keep left rule enforced???????

[Mechan1k]

I enforce the keep left rule.
<<<<<<<<<< It's called bright driving lights

[pb02]

Originally Posted by Pedro

Why isn't the keep left rule enforced???????

Simple! Most people believe they are the only people on the road, and the authorities are more caught up with revenue raising then trying to make traffic flow better and teach people to respect other road users. :yeees:

[XA Coupsta]

Im hearing ya pb02 - its one of my strong dislikes on the motorway too!

Seems to be a VERY regular occurence on the M1 between Brissy and the Goldy eh. Ive seen some terrible driving displays along there.

Even reversing on the shoulder of the motorway coz they missed the exit. Absolutely shocking.

[deesun]

I find driving with headlights on helps as they tend to see you earlier and if not I flash them as I get closer. Doesn't always work but helps.

[XRchic]

Most people have no idea how to drive on highways/freeways... well in Adelaide at least. We drive on the highway to work every day and its a nightmare.

[xe351]

here here, i was driving back to nsw from the gold coast one time, i overtook some intellectual failure in a rav4, they were 5km under the limit, and they gave me the bird as i overtook.

And the freeway from sydney to newy, there are some right lane hogs there too, i hear ya

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Pedro

The end result is:
Me ... minus 3 points and $150 donation to state revenue
Them ... merrily on their way oblivious to the road rules.

It sounds as though you are blaming the road hogs because you got booked?

You made a choice to speed to get in front of them... you got it wrong.

One could unkindly suggest that you are "oblivious to the road rules" as well?

Originally Posted by Pedro

Why isn't the keep left rule enforced???????

The keep left is enforced. Unfortunately, it wasn't enforced at a time to suit you.

In any event, there's all sorts of stuff out there to annoy the hell out of us.

The measure of our maturity is how we handle it.

[S3SR]

the second worst thing is if they speed in the left lane and by the time you catch up they slow right down BELOW the speed limit......damn excel drivers luckly that day he got pulled over by the cops haha i thought they wanted me....wheres the F350 when u need one

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by Pedro

Driving along a 4 lane arterial road the other day and came across 3 of those selfish pigs that insist on driving in the overtaking lane instead of keeping to the left as prescribed in the motor traffic act.

Seeing that they had no intention of moving, I accelerated and undertook them. Unfortunately, as I did so my view of the centre divide was obscured by them and a (life saving) camera in a landcruiser managed to take my photo between 2 of the pigs.

The end result is:
Me ... minus 3 points and $150 donation to state revenue
Them ... merrily on their way oblivious to the road rules.

Why isn't the keep left rule enforced???????

Pedro,

There is nothing that makes me more angry. It is a law that is not enforced and is a cause of road rage. Which is a cause of accidents and death.

Unfortuately it can not be policed by a person sitting on their but on the side of the road with a camera, so it will remain un enforced.

Usually these act buy inconsiderate nonlaw abiding road users cause other road uses to become non law abiding ie undertaking or tailgating.

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by ronwest

It sounds as though you are blaming the road hogs because you got booked?
You made a choice to speed to get in front of them... you got it wrong.
One could unkindly suggest that you are "oblivious to the road rules" as well?


The keep left is enforced. Unfortunately, it wasn't enforced at a time to suit you.
In any event, there's all sorts of stuff out there to annoy the hell out of us.
The measure of our maturity is how we handle it.

I don't know what planet you live on, but the keep to the left rule is never enforced in Queensland, even to the extent that I've seen police vehicles cruising along in the 3rd and 4th lanes of the M1 on a regular basis.

Why don't you get on your high horse and gallop off down the centre lane.

[Simmo]

i find if they somehow dont hear me roaring away behind them the high beams will move their butts. after that i use the horn. after that i find a way in front and slow them down to 50 and take off again.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Pedro

I don't know what planet you live on, but the keep to the left rule is never enforced in Queensland, even to the extent that I've seen police vehicles cruising along in the 3rd and 4th lanes of the M1 on a regular basis.

Why don't you get on your high horse and gallop off down the centre lane.

C'mon Pedro,

You're not happy about being caught and you're looking for someone to blame... that's fine.

I've also experienced the same as you have. So what?

To say it is "never" enforced is incorrect. You have not witnessed it enforced and that's fair enough. Most of time we can only base our assumptions on what we've seen.

I have a hp cop comes through work and I can assure you that whilst they do prioritise (and road hogs are a low priority as opposed to say...speeders) they are targetted if and when circumstances permit (the same as all law breakers).

No high horse here, mate... just pointing out a few things of which you may not be aware.

[Black XR6]

An ex workmate got done for right lane hogging a while ago. He was on the F3 and driving down the hill and over the Mooney Mooney bridge south bound. Right lane all the way and there was a cop way on the other side. He watched him drive in that lane the whole way and booked him on the other side for it. There were no other cars around him at the time either.

If I come up behind a right lane hog who is doing under the speed limit then I just cruise up with lights on, and sit there for about 15 seconds. If they dont move over I put my wheels on the ripples on the side of the road and that usually gets there attention. If this still fails I just undertake.

[Orbit]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

I enforce the keep left rule.
<<<<<<<<<< It's called bright driving lights

haha me too!
But i truelly believe that some people should just not be on the road.
Not only should you have to posess the skill to drive a car but there has to be some form or aptitude and intelegance test to go with it. driving isn't a right it's a luxury that comes with huge responsibility. A bit of courtesy goes a long way.

Also there are plenty of times that the conditions warrant reduced speeds, but not many people i know actually do that!
further a difference of 5km/h over a "short" distance is bugger all time. why not keep ya head on and wait for an apporpriate moment? much safer, doesn't cost you anything, and you don't get stressed.

[Andy XR8]

once i was tailgating this guy in the right hand lane for a while and when he finely moved i slowly speed up to pass him and got beside him and he honked at me i was like **** off mate and looked at him and it was a cop he must have just finished work or something cause he didn't pull me over he could have got me for tailgating and speeding

[rst2000]

Originally Posted by FORD_AU3_XR8

once i was tailgating this guy in the right hand lane for a while and when he finely moved i slowly speed up to pass him and got beside him and he honked at me i was like **** off mate and looked at him and it was a cop he must have just finished work or something cause he didn't pull me over he could have got me for tailgating and speeding

i think their needs to be a change in the wording.
"keep left AT ALL TIMES unless overtaking"

TO REPLACE

"keep left UNLESS overtaking"

[Bluefreak]

Originally Posted by Simmo

i find if they somehow dont hear me roaring away behind them the high beams will move their butts. after that i use the horn. after that i find a way in front and slow them down to 50 and take off again.

These 2 items will get you a fine for road rage down here while pussnuts continues at 80 in the right hand lane... I was notified of this after flashing and beeping at(unbeknown to me) an unmarked police car doing 75, right hand lane in 110 zone...

[Mechan1k]

Then in turn you can request why the said unmarked police vehicle was obstructing traffic and not abiding by the keep left rule as well. Both fine-able offences (holding up traffic by doing more than 20km/h below the speed limit is an offence) ... and so is not keeping left.

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

holding up traffic by doing more than 20km/h below the speed limit is an offence.

Is it?

Must in NSW. I wish it applied in Vic!

[BJ]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Is it?

Must in NSW. I wish it applied in Vic!

It dose applie here.

[Mechan1k]

From memory it comes under "intentionally obstructing traffic" ... if you need to travel that slow you need to be in the left lane ... and if the vehicle has a problem must have hazard lights on while travelling slow to indicate you are travelling slower due to a problem.

[AC]

Originally Posted by ronwest

It sounds as though you are blaming the road hogs because you got booked?
You made a choice to speed to get in front of them... you got it wrong.
One could unkindly suggest that you are "oblivious to the road rules" as well?

The keep left is enforced. Unfortunately, it wasn't enforced at a time to suit you.

In any event, there's all sorts of stuff out there to annoy the hell out of us.

The measure of our maturity is how we handle it.

Sorry Ron, I have to agree with Pedro.

I was on the road for 2 years of my working life and never have seen it enforced.
I've also commuted more kms than i care to remember and never seen it enforced.

It is in the Australian Road Rules that traffic must keep left unless overtaking when in a zone marked 80km/h or more when in a multi laned roadway. Even if Keep Left Unless Overtaking signs are not present.
Its just not a very well remembered rule and it also applies to all states and territories as far as i remember.

Although it is a given that it is the measure of our maturity is how we handle it.

[sbutler]

I drive the F3 from Newcastle to Sydney at times. I can tell you its the worse road for rude, insulting, fastlane hogs, I've ever seen. I have seen them reading books, SMS, doing makup, reading maps, there was one guy that had a special rig on his steering wheel to hold the book he was reading!!! :
I have come up behind ppl driving in the right lane, not a car in sight, they move to the left let me pass, then move back to the right lane!! I just dont get it?? :
Its times like these I wish I could bring out the pump action & start blasting! :jab:

[XRchic]

The thing that gets me is that all you hear is people rave on about road rage and tailgaters... especially tailgaters. But do any of these people consider for a second that someone is tailgating someone else (perhaps not rightly so) for a reason? Perhaps they are frustrated by someone in the right lane who wont move, and who is doing well under the speed limit?

Perhaps we need to look at the root of the problem with tailgaters... they do it for a reason most of the time. I know I tailgate, but only when Im extremely p****d off, if a driver is in the right lane, doing well under the speed limit and just will not move. Often its the only way to make them move.

[Mechan1k]

True there ... but some people tailgate all of the time ... and in heavy traffic (asking to be killed doing that).

Yes I have tailgated ... but only when the person in the right lane should be there ... and is doing well below the speed limit (M2 and F3 are common areas for this ... and usually Sunday drivers).

But then there's people that tailgate in traffic ... and they keep pushing you. Now when that occurs to me ... and I am doing everything correctly (keeping left and sitting on the speed limit) ... I usually remain calm. But if the said "idiot" driver behind me keeps it up ... I usually slow down ... sometimes a lot quicker than other times.

It's funny watching their facial expression in the mirror when they realise I have really stood on the brakes and back changing.

BUT ... this only occurs on the rarest of occasions ... and only when the driver does get the hint that they are following way too close.

But back to Keep Left Unless Overtaking ... some driver's just need that little extra push to get out of the way.

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by BJ

It dose applie here.

No way. I never knew that.
That is my lesson learned for the day

[XRchic]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

True there ... but some people tailgate all of the time ... and in heavy traffic (asking to be killed doing that).

Yes I have tailgated ... but only when the person in the right lane should be there ... and is doing well below the speed limit (M2 and F3 are common areas for this ... and usually Sunday drivers).

But then there's people that tailgate in traffic ... and they keep pushing you. Now when that occurs to me ... and I am doing everything correctly (keeping left and sitting on the speed limit) ... I usually remain calm. But if the said "idiot" driver behind me keeps it up ... I usually slow down ... sometimes a lot quicker than other times.

It's funny watching their facial expression in the mirror when they realise I have really stood on the brakes and back changing.

BUT ... this only occurs on the rarest of occasions ... and only when the driver does get the hint that they are following way too close.

But back to Keep Left Unless Overtaking ... some driver's just need that little extra push to get out of the way.

Yeah, youre right, a lot of people do seem to do it just out of habit and impatience. I mean, what is the point of tailgating in bumper to bumper peak hour traffic??? I dont like it when people do that either.

But on highways... well.... the funny thing is that gets me is that in a 110kmh zone on the freeway, someone will be in the right lane doing 90. Cars are passing them in the LEFT lane, ie going faster. You are stuck behind them and they wont move left, even for a gap in the left lane.

You get sick of it, get up their backside a little more and they still wont move. You get closer and closer and they see you but refuse to move. Eventually you flash them or something and they move. When you drive past them, they give you the finger or glare at you or whatever...

I mean seriously, what do people expect? If you sit in the right lane, you do 20+ under the limit and refuse to move despite repeated hints, you cant read a sign that says to keep left unless overtaking... and you wonder why people get annoyed and try and make you move...

For people like that, I wish I had a big cardboard copy of the keep left sign in my car so that I could hold it up and point to it when they start carrying on!!!!

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by XRchic

For people like that, I wish I had a big cardboard copy of the keep left sign in my car so that I could hold it up and point to it when they start carrying on!!!!

I have been tempted to make one up with a choice derogatory expletive at the end.

[Keepleft]

Several problems here:

Three laned sections: Australians (except those in NSW) are not taught how to keep left and many accept the middle lane as the left lane, when the left lane itself is clear, often for kilometres.

This problem then manifests itself when regular middle lane traffic overtakes at 0.5 kilometers difference the other regular traffic in the middle lane.

The option for the fast and safe driver is often to simply 'keep left'. Leave the mass of tailgating, married sheep to the middle and right hand lanes.

NOT knowing how to use three laned sections IS THE problem. More the point, the behaviour is mostly deliberate, a way for people to 'get back' at society and those immediately around them, particularly against those 'faster-elitist' drivers. This is Australia, you are meant to be like everyone else.

Sounds all very like a persecution complex. Very much a mindset issue. It is all symptomatic of a driving system that is not at all 'open' in its allowances, but rather plays on societies lowest common denominator as the height we shall achieve. Afterall, what is the point in driving 'well', when allowances and requirements are so low?? (At least to date).

WHAT CAN BE DONE?
* Raise the applicable speed limit or adopt speed derestriction. This effectively furthers automatically,- improved driver behaviour through driving necessity. (This will NOT happen till median barrier and bay barriers are in place-full length).

* QLD, VIC, SA, WA, ACT should adopt NSW RTA's Road Users' Handbook "driving on a motorway/freeway" lane discipline text. Here, we tell you to move out of the middle lane/s IF the left lane is clear.

* Increase the penalties. Last year, NSW bought in a 3 demerit point gain AND a $330 fine for not keeping left 'multi-lane'. In about 9-12 months time I will again seek that this penalty under the respective fines act, be raised to $800 or so. This might require a change of government in NSW to achieve.

Nationwide, our penalties for real 'driving' offences, are to be diplomatic, bloody-weak.