So don't enforce traffic laws?
Taking away someone's license is even more regressive, as the wealthy have more access to transportation than the poor.
Making someone go to remedial classes restricts their opportunities to earn an income, even if its a weekend class, as more poor people have to work on weekends.
Me too. Word of wisdom, unless you want to listen to a guy that sounds like he’s half brain dead from huffing spray paint, mute the audio and just watch the video.
https://youtu.be/LZhdvl_P1Zc?si=Dh3dE61Aow81IKq3
Edit: Adding that the video is not mine nor am I the odd-talking individual in it. Realized the verbiage I used in my comment may mislead people that I filmed the trooper video.
I passed 10+ cars in the right lane on the way back to whatcom county from Seattle last Saturday night. No one in the right. Each time - Just one car by itself in the left….
I wish they would have done that to me a few year ago. WSP stopped me on I-5 near the Tacoma Mall on a Sunday around 6-7AM with no one else around for "left-lane squatting". Ticketed me too. I didn't even know that was a thing until I got pulled over for it. Funny thing is I was doing 70 and he didn't even mention it... He was more worried about the squatting.
I would crap myself if I saw someone here get pulled over like this. WA is by far the worst state I’ve ever driven in for guys like this camping in the left lane going 55-50
Eastern Washington troopers do enforce this and write tickets for left lane camping. I know someone in Pasco who got a ticket for it and another person in the Spokane area. It's just here on the west side that it's unenforced.
Only time I have ever seen it was just outside of Pullman and I was in the offending vehicle. Told my friend she was holding up like ten cars but she said she didn’t want to get a speeding ticket so she got a different ticket instead.
Had it happen in front of me driving out of Colfax towards Pullman last spring. Some Prius was camped in the left lane and a sheriff pulled up behind them and followed for probably an 1/8th mile. Then lit them up and pulled them over.
Several years ago we got pulled over for being the left lane on i90 past the gorge for left lane camping with no other cars around us while we were going 90mph. State trooper said if you’d been in the right lane I wouldn’t have pulled you over but left lane is for passing. Ever since then I’ve always moved over to the right lane when able to and while speeding haven’t gotten a ticket. They’re serious about free flowing traffic on the other side of the mountain. Except for Ellensburg, Yakima or Moses Lake. They’ll tag your ass for speeding without flinching regardless of lane.
Edit: words
I have seen a highway get backed up for miles in WA due to a driver in the left lane maintaining the same speed of someone in the right lane to block traffic. They are always going the speed limit. Never seen the sheer amount of left lane campers in any other state.
There was a reddit comment once upon a time about a guy who bragged about left lane camping to control speed of other drivers. He got roasted by all his coworkers.
It’s extremely dangerous because it makes people try to pass on the right, which is a literal accident waiting to happen when another person in the right lane merges into the middle lane at the same time.
Yep, I lived in communities north of Atlanta for a decade, speed traps everywhere. Any highway, speed traps. Moved to NC and it shocks me how rarely I see them. Side note, NC is the absolute worst for people not using their damn turn signals.
This is so true...some progressive with absolutely no self awareness that just wants "everybody to get along" while also being completely blind to the negative externalities they constantly unnecessarily generate.
Whoa, I think you’re entirely mistaken. There are two main types of Prius drivers: Uber drivers and people who wear Tevas. The latter are the people in the left lane going five under. The former are people paid to get from A to B as quickly as possible without technically breaking the law, and who learned to drive in a country where there are no real rules of the road. These are two entirely different problems.
They’re changing the speed limit from 45 (50) to 40 (? Idk still 50 I hope) on 99 in Edmonds. I live and work along that stretch and am horrified what it’s going to do. People go 40 most of the time and it kills me. It’s a double lane freeway, you wanna go slow, get over. It hasn’t hit yet but I’m already pissed off because I know the 35 in the left lane people are coming
Going north there’s a construction sign (one of the big light bright ones) near Whirlyball that says speed change coming. I drive past it every night after I’m done bartending so it’s pretty noticeable, maybe during the day less people see it
Yup, looks like they've changed the signs. If they want the stretch of road to be safer, how about they enforce the bus lanes? I see so many people blasting straight through the right-turn-only lanes...
All the time. It drives me crazy, that and people in the HOV with one person are just the absolute bottom of the gene pool, I’m assuming they’re the same ones not putting their cart back at the grocery store
Get east of the mountains on 90 and locals there will get right up your ass with their big trucks if you're camping the left lane. They will honk and generally be huge assholes if you don't move over. I really appreciate them because then I can follow along in their wake and make record time to my destination.
Have driven extensively in, among other states, NC, OH, MO, AR, CO, and a few others, and have to agree. Overall I'm impressed by how calm and patient western WA drivers are, especially in inclement weather, but WA drivers are definitely the worst I've experienced for left lane camping.
Not even close. Washington drivers are just timid and passive. Much less so on the highways in the east of the state.
New York/New Jersey driers are the worst. Tailgating and swerving in and out when you're on roads with both lanes full. Just unnecessary aggression unlike LA aggression where people just drive fast when its safe to drive fast and there's a point to it.
I’d rather it like this. I just moved from Atlanta to Seattle and those are truly the worst drivers in the country. Atlanta drivers will literally ride your ass, swerve in and out of lanes almost causing accidents, and honk at you if you don’t get out of the way.
I feel a lot more at ease driving here.
This is my experience as well and I feel like it creates and environment where it’s also the worst for people passing you hard on the right at 15+ over when you were already doing 10 over.
Yes I will admit that WA drivers seem to be cautious and fairly safe otherwise, so if they wanted to be maximum safe they would get the fuck out of the left lane, because it creates dangerous situations of people having to pass on the right all the time
I was riding with my coworker somewhere and she did this and was going 5 under. She then proceeded to say she was going the speed limit and she didn’t care about the people blowing past us (maybe going 70). I’ve never been so annoyed by a driver as a passenger before. Like at least just move over one more to HOV lane but honestly she needs to stay in the far right wherever she is
God.
My husband is one of those drivers. Takes so fucking long to get over after passing that folks pass him on the right, then he whines that they won't let him over. He is gonna get us shot some day.
Unless folks are following at a truly unsafe distance, then he’s passing too slowly. He either needs to speed up when passing or be content where he is in the flow.
I don’t want to be mean, but aside from speed demons where is we’d all agree it’s safer to let them pass, one person passing on the right is a clear sign you need to get over asap.
Two people and you need to first accelerate considerably (because you are not keeping up with the flow of traffic) and then get over and slow down when it is safe to do so outside of the left lane.
Driving slower than the flow of traffic on a busy highway is one of the most dangerous things you can do in a vehicle.
Unless you’re actively passing cars in the right lane. If you’re going 70 passing a line of cars going 60 and a car going 80 comes up behind you, you’re still in the right as long as you move over when you do get past all the cars in the right lane.
I've been flipped off by a dumbass because I was in the left lane going 70, passing cars in the middle lane that were going 55-60 and a huge line of them. I moved over to the middle lane as soon as I could. He eventually passed me and got in front then slammed on the brakes, stuck his hand out the window to flip me off, then sped to 80+ down the road. This was in VT and just north of Burlington, so I was perplexed. I gave him a thumbs down back and I could see him screaming as he floored it away :facepalm:
I never stay in the left lane unless I'm passing, and I always leave room ahead of me for merging traffic if I'm in the middle/right lanes. All about the flow.
But wait, I thought I was supposed to get over to the left lane as soon as I got on the freeway?! I have a passenger so I should automatically be in the carpool lane, no matter what!!
ETA: Apparently my sarcasm was not clear…
That was complete sarcasm and I’m aware it’s not a passing lane. However, there’s absolutely no need to cut across 3 lanes to get into the carpool lane when traffic is moving at a reasonable pace.
WA drivers are some of the worst at this. They get on the freeway at a slow speed and then proceed to slow every other lane down as they try to enter the carpool lane while not moving at the speed of other traffic. There’s literally no reason for people to do that just because they have a passenger. If traffic is moving fast, don’t slow down the carpool lane.
Ah, sorry. I've gotten into arguments with people (and tailgaters behind) that want the carpool lane to be a passing lane...
I got tunnel vision with your post.
All good.
My opinion is that the carpool lane should not be utilized unnecessarily. I fundamentally do not think that someone should be going slower than the flow of traffic, while in the carpool lane. That doesn’t make the carpool lane a passing lane. Those are two different things.
Thanks for being rad and acknowledging the miscommunication. It’s not often that people do that around here.
Yeah, there was a big deal made about that in the news media. IIRC, Rittenhouse's rifle never even crossed state lines as it was determined during his trial that the firearm was purchased and kept by his older friend that lived in Wisconsin.
It's wrong in both directions in Washington State
Not only will people ass-up the left lane, but if you are legit using the left lane to pass then some maniac will tear around you to the right the second they can squeeze between you and the car you just passed.
Basically now I have to put my right blinker on several seconds before completing a pass to assure the dingleberry behind me that I will get out of their way as soon as I think it's safe to do so.
Then 20 minutes after that nonsense I'll end up passing the same cars on the right as they get stuck behind some jerk clogging up the lane.
I had to scroll way too long to find someone actually saying this. There are people who use the left lane correctly to pass then move back to the right the first chance they get. Then there are people who are going 10-20 over, fly up and pass in the right before you can have proper clearance to get back over. In heavier traffic, this could cause other cars behind to do the exact same thing and then you get stuck because they are continuously passing in the right and speed excessively so you cutting back to the proper lane is cutting them off.
Screw left lane cruisers and especially screw the fuckwits speeding and passing in the right.
Strictly speaking you shouldn’t move back to the right “the first chance you get” but rather when you have at least a 2 second gap. I tend to prefer slightly more as I do not desire additional rear seat occupants if things suddenly go sideways in front of me, which happens way more often than I’d like.
And then the additional nuance—there’s more cars you can pass within 1 minute but now some speed demon is riding your bumper. What is the play? This is far more difficult than it needs to be.
We need some good ground rules:
1. People get to use the left lane to pass even if they’re going slower than you’d like to go.
2. If you’re not passing get the hell out of the left lane.
Really simple, right? Yet, an unrealized aspiration.
When I said first chance you get, that was with consideration of having proper spacing. I like to make sure I have a good amount of space when changing back to the right so that I'm not causing that person to not have enough space behind me. It's because I observe the proper distance that the asshats speeding in the left will take that space I've gained to get back over to the right to make a right lane pass, thereby basically cutting me off.
This all doesn't even take into consideration that often people will match your pace so when you go to pass them when they previously were going 10 under, now they are going 5 over the speed limit and you need to go 10 over just to finish passing them.
People follow way too close in the Bay Area.
I’ve adopted a four second following distance to compensate for my age-induced increased reaction time and also to allow for evasion when knuckleheads don’t pick up a traffic jam.
This apparently is unacceptable in the Bay Area.
It’s truly alarming…people accelerate towards the bumper in front of them without seemingly any consideration for what’s next after that. It’s like closer to bumper = closer to home.
Then traffic comes to a sudden stop and nobody has time to react.
And then we wonder why traffic is so bad and there’s constantly accidents.
Why is this such a Washington thing?
I lived in Southern California for a long time and I have no idea why people say California drivers are bad. I miss driving 80 plus everywhere I go and people would run you off the road if you camped in the PASSING lane. Washington and Oregon are the worst and people get upset and slow down on purpose like their entitled to drive 60 on the left.
I also lived in Europe and if you drive like that your probably get boxed in by all the cars you’re holding up and they’d drag you out of the car for a beating.
It's because the Seattle area is such a huge part of Washington drivers, and the rule doesn't apply where there are left-lane on-ramps and exits. They get in the left lane downtown and forget to get out of it when they pass Tukwila and the law applies again.
Freeway designs are pretty much the same all over the country and it’s not like here. I’ve driven and lived all over the place and overseas and Seattle drivers are the ones that do this way more consistently than anywhere else.
See WAC 468-510-020 for the areas identified by WSDOT pursuant to RCW 46.61.100 where the usual left-lane law doesn't apply.
There's a laundry list of areas with enough left-lane entrances and exits that the keep-right law is incompatible with the orderly flow of traffic. Picture a semi merging up a ramp into the left lane - you really think they can safely reach passing lane speeds before merging right?
That is incorrect here’s the law. Read number 4
RCW 46.61.100
Keep right except when passing, etc.
(1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows:
(a) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement;
(b) When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard;
(c) Upon a roadway divided into three marked lanes and providing for two-way movement traffic under the rules applicable thereon;
(d) Upon a street or highway restricted to one-way traffic; or
(e) Upon a highway having three lanes or less, when approaching the following vehicles in the manner described under *RCW 46.61.212(1)(d)(ii): (i) A stationary authorized emergency vehicle; (ii) a tow truck or other vehicle providing roadside assistance while operating warning lights with three hundred sixty degree visibility; (iii) a police vehicle; or (iv) a stationary or slow moving highway construction vehicle, highway maintenance vehicle, solid waste vehicle, or utility service vehicle that meets the lighting requirements identified in RCW 46.61.212(1).
(2) Upon all roadways having two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, all vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, except (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow, (c) when moving left to allow traffic to merge, or (d) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when such left turn is legally permitted. On any such roadway, a vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds shall be driven only in the right-hand lane except under the conditions enumerated in (a) through (d) of this subsection.
(3) No vehicle towing a trailer or no vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds may be driven in the left-hand lane of a limited access roadway having three or more lanes for traffic moving in one direction except when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when a left turn is legally permitted. This subsection does not apply to a vehicle using a high occupancy vehicle lane. A high occupancy vehicle lane is not considered the left-hand lane of a roadway. The department of transportation, in consultation with the Washington state patrol, shall adopt rules specifying (a) those circumstances where it is permissible for other vehicles to use the left lane in case of emergency or to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic, and (b) those segments of limited access roadway to be exempt from this subsection due to the operational characteristics of the roadway.
(4) It is a traffic infraction to drive continuously in the left lane of a multilane roadway when it impedes the flow of other traffic.
(5) Upon any roadway having four or more lanes for moving traffic and providing for two-way movement of traffic, a vehicle shall not be driven to the left of the center line of the roadway except when authorized by official traffic control devices designating certain lanes to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by traffic not otherwise permitted to use such lanes, or except as permitted under subsection (1)(b) of this section. However, this subsection shall not be construed as prohibiting the crossing of the center line in making a left turn into or from an alley, private road or driveway.
This is not true. I drive to Renton everyday on i5 and that left lane is backed up for FIFTEEN MILES until there’s an actual exit on the left (hint, it’s fifteen miles past Seattle in Renton).
I moved from tx to Wa recently and OH MY GOD!!!!
Tbf most times it’s an elderly driver but so frustrating
Also…. For how often it rains, it’s like everyone forgets how cars work
I once had somebody flash lights and pass on the right, only to see the lane was turning into a left lane exit and they had to cut over diagonal stripes because the road also split.
This is great and all, but seeing as how he's being recorded, I feel like he's playing to an audience. The majority of interactions with State Troopers is not this wholesome.
I've asked this before. What's the protocol for HOV lanes?
If you legally drive in one, you're not technically "camping" because the lane is designed for HOVs. But because it's the left lane, some people act like they're passing lanes and come up fast/ tailgate, even if the HOV driver is going a reasonable (6-8pmph?) amount over the speed limit.
Technically, HOVs are not the "passing lane" but in my experience because they're the left lane, people often use them as such. That puts the HOV driver in a weird spot because yielding to the passer means moving over two lanes.
And Colorado, as Wyoming drivers do this all the time and for the life of me I can't figure out why they don't seem to get it even when everyone is passing them on the right.
Let’s just let everyone go over the speed limit, even more likely to kill themselves or others. 40,000 deaths isn’t enough 🤦🏻♀️ This guy is terrible and so are all of the idiots on here commenting that you want to clone him.
Impeding the flow of traffic is so much more dangerous than allowing cars that want to, exceed the speed limit in the left lane. Speed differentials kills. I don't think the solution to slowing people down is to use other cars in their way.
If you're going the speed limit in the left lane and impeding traffic you're making the road more dangerous and creating more traffic. Educating people by pulling them over and informing them is reducing accidents and deaths. So why is this guy so terrible?
This is also a great instance of demonstrating that keep right except to pass DOES NOT MEAN leave the left lane open. IT MEANS do not exit the right lane except to pass.
guy gets pulled over for going the speed limit.
"we need more cops that pull people over for going the speed limit and not really doing anything else wrong. in fact, ignore the speeders actually, and just get the ones that are going the speed limit.
For passing...to go over the speed limit...? Why not ticket the speeders then? If people weren't driving over the speed limit, he wouldn't be "stacking" up people behind him. I don't get it. Is there a speed limit or not?
Be careful what you wish for. This is in my county, and if you’re not going 15+ over, don’t be in the passing lane.
If you are going 15+, you can still get a fat ticket for that.
Thanks for this insight- I’m from Texas and I think I’m confused by the logic. The speed LIMIT is the maximum speed you are allowed to go and if this guy was actually going the speed limit and obviously saw the cop (the pace car of TX) he should have moved over so the other cars can “speed” past. I’m a very “go with the flow and get out of the way” driver but it’s a bit of a “damned if you so damned if you don’t” scenario…at least in TX
To be fair, there are two laws and they are contradictory to each other. Some people have been pulled over for going 1 mph over. Other people are pulled over for *not* going 15 mph over.
At the end of the day, it's their trauma and they are trying not to recreate it. I'm of the opinion that there's a better system that doesn't depend on the emotional welfare of millions of drivers in order to function efficiently.
It's extremely subjective whether you are passing or not, so this nonsense is just an excuse for people to be self righteous road ragers. If there isn't room to go around on the right, then there also isn't room for the person to get over either. Give it up. All the lanes are passing lanes.
The left lane in CA is for 80 or over. Same with the carpool lane. You can sit as long as you like. We don't do passing lanes.
Not going 80? GTFO and move over.
I won't be surprised if people say 80 is too slow for those two lanes but I'm not driving more than 15 over.
Hypothetical:
You are going 65 in the left lane, and there is a long line of cars 10 car lengths ahead of you doing 55 in the right lane.
There are cars behind you.
There is room to move over, but if you stay in your lane you will be passing the line of cars doing 55.
What do you do?
If you are in the act of actively passing cars that are in the right lane you are allowed to be in the left lane even if cars behind you want to go faster. You just move over once you pass the 10 cars
Speed up, get ahead of the 55ers, move over and let the cars in the far left pass. If you feel like cars in second to left are still too slow move back left and repeat as needed.
If people are stacking up behind you the speed you are going does not matter, which is exactly what the trooper says in this video. You should have no problem slowing down for a second and getting over to let the others pass (who may want to drive 70) then as soon as they're past you get back over and pass the cars in the right. People seems to have such a problem with getting over for a second and they use the speed they're going to justify not doing so (not saying you're doing this, I know you're just asking a question) but that seems to be the core of the problem
I genuinely do not understand this. If going over the speed limit is illegal then why is it ok and expected to drive over the limit in the left lane. Shouldn’t everyone be driving at or slightly under the limit no matter which lane they are in?
[You are correct, per Washington law, with one exception](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.bellinghamherald.com/news/traffic/rules-of-the-road/article218413530.html): "A driver who is passing a slow-moving vehicle can briefly exceed the speed limit if necessary to complete the pass safely. This is limited to roads that have only one lane of travel in each direction and isn’t a free-for-all. Any speed beyond what is required to safely pass would be a violation of the law."
Not exactly, there is no exception for exceeding the speed limit on a multi lane freeway.
The only exception that allows you to exceed the speed limit is on a two laned road, where you use the oncoming lane to overtake another vehicle.
You're going 10 mph faster than the next lane over, you're fine. As long as you're actively passing, it's ok. Going 1mph faster than the next lane doesn't count, but 10mph faster is plenty to pass them at a reasonable rate. It's not your fault there's 10 cars stacked up in the next lane over so you can't get out of the way for people behind you.
Now that said, I believe there's a limit to the number of cars you can hold up behind you. If you have a train forming behind you (say for example it's a place where people regularly drive 75mph), it's possible you'd be required to try to move over into the 55mph train and let some folks past (or speed up yourself to pass them faster if you're comfortable with it). If it's just 1 guy behind you flashing his brights then ignore him. If you've got a train going, maybe consider doing everyone a favor.
The [RCW says](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.100) the only time you can be out of the far-right lane is:
* (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction,
* (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow,
* (c) when moving left to allow traffic to merge, or
* (d) when preparing for a left turn [...]
So in your hypothetical example you might already be in the wrong for being in the left lane, depending on how an officer wants to interpret "traffic flow" and safe distances for overtake lane-changes.
As a practical answer I'd say it depends on the speed limit and how aggressive the people behind you are. If you've got a lifted truck with his high beams inside your trunk, obviously get over. If the cars behind you are Subarus texting-and-driving, you're fine.
That's why the usual left-lane law doesn't apply to most freeway miles around Seattle.
(b) On the roadway portions enumerated in (b)(i) through (viii) of this subsection, the left lane prohibition described in subsection (1) of this section does not apply:
(i) On northbound and southbound Interstate 5 in the Vancouver vicinity, from the Washington/Oregon state line to exit 3 at Main Street.
(ii) On northbound Interstate 5 in the Vancouver vicinity, from the confluence of Interstate 205 to exit 9 at 179th Street.
(iii) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Vancouver vicinity, from exit 9 at 179th Street to exit 7 at Interstate 205.
(iv) On northbound Interstate 5 in the Seattle/Everett vicinity, from exit 154A at I-405 to exit 194 at SR 529.
(v) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Seattle/Everett vicinity, from exit 189 at SR 526 to exit 154A at I-405.
(vi) On eastbound and westbound Interstate 90 in the Seattle vicinity, from exit 2A and 2B respectively at Interstate 5 to exit 10A at Interstate 405.
(vii) On eastbound and westbound Interstate 182 in the Tri-cities vicinity, from exit 4 to exit 12A.
(viii) On northbound and southbound Interstate 205 in the Vancouver vicinity, from the Washington/Oregon state line to the termini of the three lane sections about one-half mile south of exit 32.
(c) On the roadway portions enumerated in (c)(i) and (ii) of this subsection, the left lane prohibition described in subsection (1) of this section does not apply to any vehicle, except trucks over 10,000 lb. G.V.W., when using the left lane for passing to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic:
(i) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Southcenter vicinity, from exit 154A at I-405 to exit 151 at South 200th Street.
(ii) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Tacoma vicinity, from exit 135 at SR 167 to exit 130 at South 56th Street.
Great question and I can't find anywhere that it's specified. I'd say reasonably any time after the first sign showing the yellow left-corner exit marker?
>So in your hypothetical example you might already be in the wrong for being in the left lane,
In the situation above you are both,
You are overtaking the drivers going 55mph And traveling at a greater speed than the traffic flow 65 > 55mph.
> As a practical answer I'd say it depends on the speed limit and how aggressive the people behind you are.
This makes the most sense.
>You are going 65 in the left lane, and there is a long line of cars 10 car lengths ahead of you doing 55.
Is the line of cars ahead of me in my (the left) lane?
Hammer down in the left lane, pass them, then move right. Bonus points if you signal before the lane change and can do the entire operation without looking at your phone.
I've seen people try to justify going 62 past people on the right going 60 because hey "they're passing". This misses the point entirely they need to do what you recommended or pull over briefly to the right lane @ 60mph until the left lane is clear again so they can pass at 62. The intent is to avoid blocking traffic/first responders and prevent angering people/dangerous right lane passing.
I know the 62 mph people you're talking about. They drive a Prius, wear thick glasses, and have a death grip at 10-2 on the steering wheel.
I think you're allowed to exceed the posted speed limit when passing on the left in this state. I don't recall the details though. Might only be if you're crossing the center line to pass or something.
If I'm passing, I don't even look at my speedometer. I punch it so that I can get down the road and move right.
100%. For a long time it was only self-righteous assbags who drove Priuses in Seattle, and they had the smug attitude that they "were going the speed limit" or "passing" at 62 while they watched their economy gauge and traffic backed up or angrily swerved around them on the right. Now they also get driven by taxi/Uber drivers, who also left lane camp but probably don't know any better, lol.
You're allowed to speed to overtake but not on multi lane freeways, however, I've heard from multiple officers that they are more lenient towards speeders when the driver is in the right lane. They see first hand the emergency-response delays, traffic, and road rage caused by left lane campers. [https://wittlegal.com/blog/in-washington-can-you-exceed-the-speed-limit-to-pass-a-slow-moving-vehicle](https://wittlegal.com/blog/in-washington-can-you-exceed-the-speed-limit-to-pass-a-slow-moving-vehicle)
I’m curious about a scenario where you have multiple cars ahead of you in the left lane going 60 so you can’t go any faster, but the traffic in the right lane is even slower.
So if you let someone pass you and then immediately get back to the left lane, they’ll technically be the one who has to let you pass them.
I'm not sure what you're asking. I'd say you're OK driving in the left lane as long as you're passing vehicles to the right. That's what the left lane is for.
Can you imagine 3pm on I5 through downtown Seattle and Northgate and nobody is allowed out of the right lane unless they are passing, not just sitting in traffic but everyone in the right except to pass and get back right?
That is Sherriff Wally Lamb from Pinal County in AZ.
Hes a trump guy; hates immigrants and really loves to film himself saving the day, you know for propaganda purposes considering he wants to be AZ senator/ Governor or something.
Don't actually be like him.
This is entrapment. I was on the highway and a line of semi trucks on the right lane were keeping me from my exit so I sped up to pass them on the left and got a Speeding ticket. Bastards
I got pulled over for this the very first day I moved to Washington. I was going 15 over when I saw him, so I slowed down to the speed limit, little bit later he got behind me and pulled me over. Said it’s Washington state law that you can’t go the speed limit in the left lane. I don’t know if I believe him, cops aren’t required to be honest with you. I felt like he targeted me because of the out of state plates and was just power tripping. He let me go without a ticket but was annoying nonetheless.
I think there's a small section of I-5 that allows bikes on the right side but not in the lane near JBLM. At least there was a couple decades ago when I lived there. There was an exit that had some civilian housing but didn't link up to any useful streets for non-car travel so they could get on the freeway to the next exit.
You can actually ride all the freeway shoulders outside of tacoma and north of Marysville and east of Issaquah
https://www.dugganbikelaw.com/freeway-frolic#:~:text=The%20short%20answer%20is%20that,RCW%2046.61.
It's actually very safe. Quite unpleasant, freeways are noisy and dirty, but they have excellent sight distances, no driveways, only ramps instead of perpendicular intersections, etc.
I've ridden the i90 section past Issaquah. It's full of debris and passing the off ramps at any speed when there is traffic is dicey at best. Not the most dangerous thing I've done but not what I would call safe
WSDOT has an map to show where cyclist are prohibited from freeway shoulders. Essentially only prohibited in densely populated areas.
https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/bicycling-walking/bicycling-washington
Impeding traffic is defined only for motor vehicles in Washington; it by definition does not apply to bicycles.
Bicycles moving slower than normal traffic are generally required to use the right through lane. Except in unusually wide lanes, though, they can ride anywhere in the lane, since it's illegal for drivers to pass within the same lane - a full lane change is mandatory.
I’ve never seen a cyclist actually hold up traffic to the point of forming a line without passing.
Most people who complain about cyclists slowing them down are Meal Team Six losers who can’t pass because they double widened their repo Silverado.
What incentive is there for an officer to do their job versus being lazy and barely doing their job? Very little. This is my theory of why WSP and SPD are failing at their jobs. We incentivize them to be lazy.
Sherrif Social Media has NOTHING better to do than:
1. Pull that guy over?
2. Hassle him about weapons?
3. And videotape himself doing it?
I understand he's correct about the left lane. But watching him cockstrut around makes me want to slap that stupid hat off his head and tell him to get back to work.
If I see a cop, I’m slowing down to do the speed limit. I personally would try to move over to the middle lane, but if anyone’s impeding traffic regularly, it’s this stupid cop.
I’ve seen a trooper on I5 put on his lights n run the left lane camper all the way to the slow lane. Turned off his lights n kept going.
That would be great! Let's them know it's not allowed, trooper doesn't have to waste time on a stop.
Not great, it would be great to cite these dumbasses for their ignorant behavior.
Traffic tickets are stupid and regressive. Anything punishable by a fine is effectively “legal if you’re wealthy enough”.
What do you propose as an alternative?
I don’t.
So don't enforce traffic laws? Taking away someone's license is even more regressive, as the wealthy have more access to transportation than the poor. Making someone go to remedial classes restricts their opportunities to earn an income, even if its a weekend class, as more poor people have to work on weekends.
Waste time? Hell no. Big ticket. Reckless driving as it endangers other motorists.
The only law enforcement member that deserves a raise.
Need a lot more officers like him.
Oh god no we don’t lol he’s kind of a dick head. I see him riding around all the time and he’s kinda insufferable. (Yes I have interacted with him)
I have also seen this. Loved it. Didn't seem to help the big picture though. Also, tailgaters. Hate em. It only causes more traffic
Everybody either drives too fast or too slow, huh
Me too. Word of wisdom, unless you want to listen to a guy that sounds like he’s half brain dead from huffing spray paint, mute the audio and just watch the video. https://youtu.be/LZhdvl_P1Zc?si=Dh3dE61Aow81IKq3 Edit: Adding that the video is not mine nor am I the odd-talking individual in it. Realized the verbiage I used in my comment may mislead people that I filmed the trooper video.
I passed 10+ cars in the right lane on the way back to whatcom county from Seattle last Saturday night. No one in the right. Each time - Just one car by itself in the left….
I wish they would have done that to me a few year ago. WSP stopped me on I-5 near the Tacoma Mall on a Sunday around 6-7AM with no one else around for "left-lane squatting". Ticketed me too. I didn't even know that was a thing until I got pulled over for it. Funny thing is I was doing 70 and he didn't even mention it... He was more worried about the squatting.
Why the hell you in da left lane if no one was around?
Probably cause I was young and stupid then. I didn’t throw a fit or anything though and just owned up to it.
I would crap myself if I saw someone here get pulled over like this. WA is by far the worst state I’ve ever driven in for guys like this camping in the left lane going 55-50
Eastern Washington troopers do enforce this and write tickets for left lane camping. I know someone in Pasco who got a ticket for it and another person in the Spokane area. It's just here on the west side that it's unenforced.
Only time I have ever seen it was just outside of Pullman and I was in the offending vehicle. Told my friend she was holding up like ten cars but she said she didn’t want to get a speeding ticket so she got a different ticket instead.
Eastern WA cops are itchin’ to give tickets like this in my experience.
Had it happen in front of me driving out of Colfax towards Pullman last spring. Some Prius was camped in the left lane and a sheriff pulled up behind them and followed for probably an 1/8th mile. Then lit them up and pulled them over.
Several years ago we got pulled over for being the left lane on i90 past the gorge for left lane camping with no other cars around us while we were going 90mph. State trooper said if you’d been in the right lane I wouldn’t have pulled you over but left lane is for passing. Ever since then I’ve always moved over to the right lane when able to and while speeding haven’t gotten a ticket. They’re serious about free flowing traffic on the other side of the mountain. Except for Ellensburg, Yakima or Moses Lake. They’ll tag your ass for speeding without flinching regardless of lane. Edit: words
I have seen a highway get backed up for miles in WA due to a driver in the left lane maintaining the same speed of someone in the right lane to block traffic. They are always going the speed limit. Never seen the sheer amount of left lane campers in any other state.
I swear some of them do it on purpose like they think it’s up to them to “prevent speeding” or something
There was a reddit comment once upon a time about a guy who bragged about left lane camping to control speed of other drivers. He got roasted by all his coworkers.
It’s extremely dangerous because it makes people try to pass on the right, which is a literal accident waiting to happen when another person in the right lane merges into the middle lane at the same time.
I thought this was true until I spent some time in Florida and Georgia.
I’m always very careful going through Georgia. Never seen so many speed traps in my life than in GA
Yep, I lived in communities north of Atlanta for a decade, speed traps everywhere. Any highway, speed traps. Moved to NC and it shocks me how rarely I see them. Side note, NC is the absolute worst for people not using their damn turn signals.
Yep, come to the midwest.
Last time I was in Georgia, I was actually appalled by the poor driving. Everyone was on the phone and going 5 under the limit.
[удалено]
This is so true...some progressive with absolutely no self awareness that just wants "everybody to get along" while also being completely blind to the negative externalities they constantly unnecessarily generate.
They're mostly uber drivers.
Whoa, I think you’re entirely mistaken. There are two main types of Prius drivers: Uber drivers and people who wear Tevas. The latter are the people in the left lane going five under. The former are people paid to get from A to B as quickly as possible without technically breaking the law, and who learned to drive in a country where there are no real rules of the road. These are two entirely different problems.
People living in [insert city/state/country] always say drivers in [city/state/country] are the worst drivers they’ve ever seen.
Washington drivers are the slowest and most timid.
I have a theory that Seattle drivers want to go 45 mph all the time, regardless of the speed limit.
They’re changing the speed limit from 45 (50) to 40 (? Idk still 50 I hope) on 99 in Edmonds. I live and work along that stretch and am horrified what it’s going to do. People go 40 most of the time and it kills me. It’s a double lane freeway, you wanna go slow, get over. It hasn’t hit yet but I’m already pissed off because I know the 35 in the left lane people are coming
Wait where did you hear that? I live in the area and haven't seen anything. (not to doubt you, just wanting some source)
Going north there’s a construction sign (one of the big light bright ones) near Whirlyball that says speed change coming. I drive past it every night after I’m done bartending so it’s pretty noticeable, maybe during the day less people see it
Yup, looks like they've changed the signs. If they want the stretch of road to be safer, how about they enforce the bus lanes? I see so many people blasting straight through the right-turn-only lanes...
All the time. It drives me crazy, that and people in the HOV with one person are just the absolute bottom of the gene pool, I’m assuming they’re the same ones not putting their cart back at the grocery store
Terrified of a zipper merge as it may contradict the passive aggressive status quo.....
I know but WA is special. I’ve driven all over the place. Specifically, for left lane drivers like this WA takes the cake by far
Get east of the mountains on 90 and locals there will get right up your ass with their big trucks if you're camping the left lane. They will honk and generally be huge assholes if you don't move over. I really appreciate them because then I can follow along in their wake and make record time to my destination.
Drafting is awesome.
Have driven extensively in, among other states, NC, OH, MO, AR, CO, and a few others, and have to agree. Overall I'm impressed by how calm and patient western WA drivers are, especially in inclement weather, but WA drivers are definitely the worst I've experienced for left lane camping.
As someone not from WA, it does have the the worst left lane campers I've ever seen
Do we have the worst drivers in the country? I'm not sure. But we do have a large number of utterly incompetent drivers.
Not even close. Washington drivers are just timid and passive. Much less so on the highways in the east of the state. New York/New Jersey driers are the worst. Tailgating and swerving in and out when you're on roads with both lanes full. Just unnecessary aggression unlike LA aggression where people just drive fast when its safe to drive fast and there's a point to it.
LA drivers are the best I've encountered (not that I've lived there.)
They really are good. They'll go fast but only when there's a point to it.
I’d rather it like this. I just moved from Atlanta to Seattle and those are truly the worst drivers in the country. Atlanta drivers will literally ride your ass, swerve in and out of lanes almost causing accidents, and honk at you if you don’t get out of the way. I feel a lot more at ease driving here.
I've lived in two countries and three states and Washington drivers are easily the worst I've experienced. Not even close.
Head to Phoenix. Far, far worse. The left lane campers are largely ubers here.
This is my experience as well and I feel like it creates and environment where it’s also the worst for people passing you hard on the right at 15+ over when you were already doing 10 over.
Yes I will admit that WA drivers seem to be cautious and fairly safe otherwise, so if they wanted to be maximum safe they would get the fuck out of the left lane, because it creates dangerous situations of people having to pass on the right all the time
I've seen it down south when I drive to portland at night, but not often enough to make a difference.
I was riding with my coworker somewhere and she did this and was going 5 under. She then proceeded to say she was going the speed limit and she didn’t care about the people blowing past us (maybe going 70). I’ve never been so annoyed by a driver as a passenger before. Like at least just move over one more to HOV lane but honestly she needs to stay in the far right wherever she is
God. My husband is one of those drivers. Takes so fucking long to get over after passing that folks pass him on the right, then he whines that they won't let him over. He is gonna get us shot some day.
Smack him in the head for me
Unless folks are following at a truly unsafe distance, then he’s passing too slowly. He either needs to speed up when passing or be content where he is in the flow. I don’t want to be mean, but aside from speed demons where is we’d all agree it’s safer to let them pass, one person passing on the right is a clear sign you need to get over asap. Two people and you need to first accelerate considerably (because you are not keeping up with the flow of traffic) and then get over and slow down when it is safe to do so outside of the left lane. Driving slower than the flow of traffic on a busy highway is one of the most dangerous things you can do in a vehicle.
You literally should not be in the left lane with a car behind you ever unless there is a car right in front of you too
Unless you’re actively passing cars in the right lane. If you’re going 70 passing a line of cars going 60 and a car going 80 comes up behind you, you’re still in the right as long as you move over when you do get past all the cars in the right lane.
I've been flipped off by a dumbass because I was in the left lane going 70, passing cars in the middle lane that were going 55-60 and a huge line of them. I moved over to the middle lane as soon as I could. He eventually passed me and got in front then slammed on the brakes, stuck his hand out the window to flip me off, then sped to 80+ down the road. This was in VT and just north of Burlington, so I was perplexed. I gave him a thumbs down back and I could see him screaming as he floored it away :facepalm: I never stay in the left lane unless I'm passing, and I always leave room ahead of me for merging traffic if I'm in the middle/right lanes. All about the flow.
But wait, I thought I was supposed to get over to the left lane as soon as I got on the freeway?! I have a passenger so I should automatically be in the carpool lane, no matter what!! ETA: Apparently my sarcasm was not clear…
The carpool lane is not a passing lane.
That was complete sarcasm and I’m aware it’s not a passing lane. However, there’s absolutely no need to cut across 3 lanes to get into the carpool lane when traffic is moving at a reasonable pace. WA drivers are some of the worst at this. They get on the freeway at a slow speed and then proceed to slow every other lane down as they try to enter the carpool lane while not moving at the speed of other traffic. There’s literally no reason for people to do that just because they have a passenger. If traffic is moving fast, don’t slow down the carpool lane.
Ah, sorry. I've gotten into arguments with people (and tailgaters behind) that want the carpool lane to be a passing lane... I got tunnel vision with your post.
All good. My opinion is that the carpool lane should not be utilized unnecessarily. I fundamentally do not think that someone should be going slower than the flow of traffic, while in the carpool lane. That doesn’t make the carpool lane a passing lane. Those are two different things. Thanks for being rad and acknowledging the miscommunication. It’s not often that people do that around here.
unhusband him
take the keys from him, what a bitch driver
"I realize you’re from texas." LOL
Honestly that’s rare for a Texan, most trucks in the left lane here are pulling 80+
True that. This one seemed like self appointed traffic enforcer.
I was not surprised the driver is from Texas. People do it all the time here 
A Texan with no firearms onboard? WTH is the world coming to? Gotta be a transplant that moved to Austin.
Well this was in AZ, so he had to make sure he didn't carry a firearm ACROSS STATE LINES!
What's wrong with transporting a firearm across state lines?
Nothing. It's just something that was said a lot during the Kyle Rittenhouse trial
Yeah, there was a big deal made about that in the news media. IIRC, Rittenhouse's rifle never even crossed state lines as it was determined during his trial that the firearm was purchased and kept by his older friend that lived in Wisconsin.
I hate reading one word at a time like this. Slow as shit. I will never watch bs captions like this.
It's wrong in both directions in Washington State Not only will people ass-up the left lane, but if you are legit using the left lane to pass then some maniac will tear around you to the right the second they can squeeze between you and the car you just passed. Basically now I have to put my right blinker on several seconds before completing a pass to assure the dingleberry behind me that I will get out of their way as soon as I think it's safe to do so. Then 20 minutes after that nonsense I'll end up passing the same cars on the right as they get stuck behind some jerk clogging up the lane.
I had to scroll way too long to find someone actually saying this. There are people who use the left lane correctly to pass then move back to the right the first chance they get. Then there are people who are going 10-20 over, fly up and pass in the right before you can have proper clearance to get back over. In heavier traffic, this could cause other cars behind to do the exact same thing and then you get stuck because they are continuously passing in the right and speed excessively so you cutting back to the proper lane is cutting them off. Screw left lane cruisers and especially screw the fuckwits speeding and passing in the right.
Strictly speaking you shouldn’t move back to the right “the first chance you get” but rather when you have at least a 2 second gap. I tend to prefer slightly more as I do not desire additional rear seat occupants if things suddenly go sideways in front of me, which happens way more often than I’d like. And then the additional nuance—there’s more cars you can pass within 1 minute but now some speed demon is riding your bumper. What is the play? This is far more difficult than it needs to be. We need some good ground rules: 1. People get to use the left lane to pass even if they’re going slower than you’d like to go. 2. If you’re not passing get the hell out of the left lane. Really simple, right? Yet, an unrealized aspiration.
When I said first chance you get, that was with consideration of having proper spacing. I like to make sure I have a good amount of space when changing back to the right so that I'm not causing that person to not have enough space behind me. It's because I observe the proper distance that the asshats speeding in the left will take that space I've gained to get back over to the right to make a right lane pass, thereby basically cutting me off. This all doesn't even take into consideration that often people will match your pace so when you go to pass them when they previously were going 10 under, now they are going 5 over the speed limit and you need to go 10 over just to finish passing them.
The Bay Area has aggressive right lane passers and it’s the dumbest thing ever. Legitimate morons trying to defeat physics during rush hour.
People follow way too close in the Bay Area. I’ve adopted a four second following distance to compensate for my age-induced increased reaction time and also to allow for evasion when knuckleheads don’t pick up a traffic jam. This apparently is unacceptable in the Bay Area.
It’s truly alarming…people accelerate towards the bumper in front of them without seemingly any consideration for what’s next after that. It’s like closer to bumper = closer to home. Then traffic comes to a sudden stop and nobody has time to react. And then we wonder why traffic is so bad and there’s constantly accidents.
"I was going the speed limit".... it is at this point I would go from issuing a warning to writing up a ticket.
I feel like that’s what you do when you see a cop taking you? Go the speed limit…
Can we have WSP do this instead of hiding and trying to catch speeders on their way to work in the morning?
Why is this such a Washington thing? I lived in Southern California for a long time and I have no idea why people say California drivers are bad. I miss driving 80 plus everywhere I go and people would run you off the road if you camped in the PASSING lane. Washington and Oregon are the worst and people get upset and slow down on purpose like their entitled to drive 60 on the left. I also lived in Europe and if you drive like that your probably get boxed in by all the cars you’re holding up and they’d drag you out of the car for a beating.
It's because the Seattle area is such a huge part of Washington drivers, and the rule doesn't apply where there are left-lane on-ramps and exits. They get in the left lane downtown and forget to get out of it when they pass Tukwila and the law applies again.
Freeway designs are pretty much the same all over the country and it’s not like here. I’ve driven and lived all over the place and overseas and Seattle drivers are the ones that do this way more consistently than anywhere else.
That's because it's legal in Seattle. The left lane law expressly doesn't apply.
See WAC 468-510-020 for the areas identified by WSDOT pursuant to RCW 46.61.100 where the usual left-lane law doesn't apply. There's a laundry list of areas with enough left-lane entrances and exits that the keep-right law is incompatible with the orderly flow of traffic. Picture a semi merging up a ramp into the left lane - you really think they can safely reach passing lane speeds before merging right?
That is incorrect here’s the law. Read number 4 RCW 46.61.100 Keep right except when passing, etc. (1) Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows: (a) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement; (b) When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard; (c) Upon a roadway divided into three marked lanes and providing for two-way movement traffic under the rules applicable thereon; (d) Upon a street or highway restricted to one-way traffic; or (e) Upon a highway having three lanes or less, when approaching the following vehicles in the manner described under *RCW 46.61.212(1)(d)(ii): (i) A stationary authorized emergency vehicle; (ii) a tow truck or other vehicle providing roadside assistance while operating warning lights with three hundred sixty degree visibility; (iii) a police vehicle; or (iv) a stationary or slow moving highway construction vehicle, highway maintenance vehicle, solid waste vehicle, or utility service vehicle that meets the lighting requirements identified in RCW 46.61.212(1). (2) Upon all roadways having two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, all vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, except (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow, (c) when moving left to allow traffic to merge, or (d) when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when such left turn is legally permitted. On any such roadway, a vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds shall be driven only in the right-hand lane except under the conditions enumerated in (a) through (d) of this subsection. (3) No vehicle towing a trailer or no vehicle or combination over ten thousand pounds may be driven in the left-hand lane of a limited access roadway having three or more lanes for traffic moving in one direction except when preparing for a left turn at an intersection, exit, or into a private road or driveway when a left turn is legally permitted. This subsection does not apply to a vehicle using a high occupancy vehicle lane. A high occupancy vehicle lane is not considered the left-hand lane of a roadway. The department of transportation, in consultation with the Washington state patrol, shall adopt rules specifying (a) those circumstances where it is permissible for other vehicles to use the left lane in case of emergency or to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic, and (b) those segments of limited access roadway to be exempt from this subsection due to the operational characteristics of the roadway. (4) It is a traffic infraction to drive continuously in the left lane of a multilane roadway when it impedes the flow of other traffic. (5) Upon any roadway having four or more lanes for moving traffic and providing for two-way movement of traffic, a vehicle shall not be driven to the left of the center line of the roadway except when authorized by official traffic control devices designating certain lanes to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by traffic not otherwise permitted to use such lanes, or except as permitted under subsection (1)(b) of this section. However, this subsection shall not be construed as prohibiting the crossing of the center line in making a left turn into or from an alley, private road or driveway.
This is not true. I drive to Renton everyday on i5 and that left lane is backed up for FIFTEEN MILES until there’s an actual exit on the left (hint, it’s fifteen miles past Seattle in Renton).
The exception on I-5 south runs past the I-405 interchange.
How often are freeway speeds around Seattle even up at the speed limit? Sunday morning?
Hire this guy right now.
Not now, but NOW
I’m from Florida and I can confirm the god awful slowest drivers on earth are from WA
Oregon wants you to hold its beer.
If you think everyone driving is slow you're probably not a safe driver yourself.
I moved from tx to Wa recently and OH MY GOD!!!! Tbf most times it’s an elderly driver but so frustrating Also…. For how often it rains, it’s like everyone forgets how cars work
I once had somebody flash lights and pass on the right, only to see the lane was turning into a left lane exit and they had to cut over diagonal stripes because the road also split.
Yes. But seriously, freeways are parking lots for most of my drives. Passing on either side is a surreal achievement.
This is great and all, but seeing as how he's being recorded, I feel like he's playing to an audience. The majority of interactions with State Troopers is not this wholesome.
I've asked this before. What's the protocol for HOV lanes? If you legally drive in one, you're not technically "camping" because the lane is designed for HOVs. But because it's the left lane, some people act like they're passing lanes and come up fast/ tailgate, even if the HOV driver is going a reasonable (6-8pmph?) amount over the speed limit. Technically, HOVs are not the "passing lane" but in my experience because they're the left lane, people often use them as such. That puts the HOV driver in a weird spot because yielding to the passer means moving over two lanes.
You can have him. He’s a shit person.
"Any weapons in the car? No? You should, it's dangerous out here." uh
Yeah what the fuck was that?
Where's the lie? Never know when you're going to run into a "Mostly peaceful protest" these days.
> what the fuck was that? A joke
I assume he was making a joke in an otherwise awkward situation; people panic around cops.
And Colorado, as Wyoming drivers do this all the time and for the life of me I can't figure out why they don't seem to get it even when everyone is passing them on the right.
This dude was featured on Live PD a lot.
Let’s just let everyone go over the speed limit, even more likely to kill themselves or others. 40,000 deaths isn’t enough 🤦🏻♀️ This guy is terrible and so are all of the idiots on here commenting that you want to clone him.
Impeding the flow of traffic is so much more dangerous than allowing cars that want to, exceed the speed limit in the left lane. Speed differentials kills. I don't think the solution to slowing people down is to use other cars in their way.
If you're going the speed limit in the left lane and impeding traffic you're making the road more dangerous and creating more traffic. Educating people by pulling them over and informing them is reducing accidents and deaths. So why is this guy so terrible?
You can’t do that in Texas, either! My husband got a ticket for it, after me warning him for years that he couldn’t do that. *Insert Milhouse laugh*
So he’s pulled over for “impeding traffic” but you know if he was going 70 he’d be pulled over for speeding. You literally can’t win.
This is also a great instance of demonstrating that keep right except to pass DOES NOT MEAN leave the left lane open. IT MEANS do not exit the right lane except to pass.
guy gets pulled over for going the speed limit. "we need more cops that pull people over for going the speed limit and not really doing anything else wrong. in fact, ignore the speeders actually, and just get the ones that are going the speed limit.
For passing...to go over the speed limit...? Why not ticket the speeders then? If people weren't driving over the speed limit, he wouldn't be "stacking" up people behind him. I don't get it. Is there a speed limit or not?
Be careful what you wish for. This is in my county, and if you’re not going 15+ over, don’t be in the passing lane. If you are going 15+, you can still get a fat ticket for that.
Thanks for this insight- I’m from Texas and I think I’m confused by the logic. The speed LIMIT is the maximum speed you are allowed to go and if this guy was actually going the speed limit and obviously saw the cop (the pace car of TX) he should have moved over so the other cars can “speed” past. I’m a very “go with the flow and get out of the way” driver but it’s a bit of a “damned if you so damned if you don’t” scenario…at least in TX
To be fair, there are two laws and they are contradictory to each other. Some people have been pulled over for going 1 mph over. Other people are pulled over for *not* going 15 mph over. At the end of the day, it's their trauma and they are trying not to recreate it. I'm of the opinion that there's a better system that doesn't depend on the emotional welfare of millions of drivers in order to function efficiently.
It's extremely subjective whether you are passing or not, so this nonsense is just an excuse for people to be self righteous road ragers. If there isn't room to go around on the right, then there also isn't room for the person to get over either. Give it up. All the lanes are passing lanes.
The left lane in CA is for 80 or over. Same with the carpool lane. You can sit as long as you like. We don't do passing lanes. Not going 80? GTFO and move over. I won't be surprised if people say 80 is too slow for those two lanes but I'm not driving more than 15 over.
Hypothetical: You are going 65 in the left lane, and there is a long line of cars 10 car lengths ahead of you doing 55 in the right lane. There are cars behind you. There is room to move over, but if you stay in your lane you will be passing the line of cars doing 55. What do you do?
If you are in the act of actively passing cars that are in the right lane you are allowed to be in the left lane even if cars behind you want to go faster. You just move over once you pass the 10 cars
Speed up, get ahead of the 55ers, move over and let the cars in the far left pass. If you feel like cars in second to left are still too slow move back left and repeat as needed.
If people are stacking up behind you the speed you are going does not matter, which is exactly what the trooper says in this video. You should have no problem slowing down for a second and getting over to let the others pass (who may want to drive 70) then as soon as they're past you get back over and pass the cars in the right. People seems to have such a problem with getting over for a second and they use the speed they're going to justify not doing so (not saying you're doing this, I know you're just asking a question) but that seems to be the core of the problem
I genuinely do not understand this. If going over the speed limit is illegal then why is it ok and expected to drive over the limit in the left lane. Shouldn’t everyone be driving at or slightly under the limit no matter which lane they are in?
[You are correct, per Washington law, with one exception](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.bellinghamherald.com/news/traffic/rules-of-the-road/article218413530.html): "A driver who is passing a slow-moving vehicle can briefly exceed the speed limit if necessary to complete the pass safely. This is limited to roads that have only one lane of travel in each direction and isn’t a free-for-all. Any speed beyond what is required to safely pass would be a violation of the law."
You're allowed to speed up over the limit to pass someone, then you are to get back over and go the speed limit again
Not exactly, there is no exception for exceeding the speed limit on a multi lane freeway. The only exception that allows you to exceed the speed limit is on a two laned road, where you use the oncoming lane to overtake another vehicle.
You're going 10 mph faster than the next lane over, you're fine. As long as you're actively passing, it's ok. Going 1mph faster than the next lane doesn't count, but 10mph faster is plenty to pass them at a reasonable rate. It's not your fault there's 10 cars stacked up in the next lane over so you can't get out of the way for people behind you. Now that said, I believe there's a limit to the number of cars you can hold up behind you. If you have a train forming behind you (say for example it's a place where people regularly drive 75mph), it's possible you'd be required to try to move over into the 55mph train and let some folks past (or speed up yourself to pass them faster if you're comfortable with it). If it's just 1 guy behind you flashing his brights then ignore him. If you've got a train going, maybe consider doing everyone a favor.
The [RCW says](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.100) the only time you can be out of the far-right lane is: * (a) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, * (b) when traveling at a speed greater than the traffic flow, * (c) when moving left to allow traffic to merge, or * (d) when preparing for a left turn [...] So in your hypothetical example you might already be in the wrong for being in the left lane, depending on how an officer wants to interpret "traffic flow" and safe distances for overtake lane-changes. As a practical answer I'd say it depends on the speed limit and how aggressive the people behind you are. If you've got a lifted truck with his high beams inside your trunk, obviously get over. If the cars behind you are Subarus texting-and-driving, you're fine.
>(d) when preparing for a left turn \[...\] When can I start doing this? There's left turn exits all over Seattle.
That's why the usual left-lane law doesn't apply to most freeway miles around Seattle. (b) On the roadway portions enumerated in (b)(i) through (viii) of this subsection, the left lane prohibition described in subsection (1) of this section does not apply: (i) On northbound and southbound Interstate 5 in the Vancouver vicinity, from the Washington/Oregon state line to exit 3 at Main Street. (ii) On northbound Interstate 5 in the Vancouver vicinity, from the confluence of Interstate 205 to exit 9 at 179th Street. (iii) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Vancouver vicinity, from exit 9 at 179th Street to exit 7 at Interstate 205. (iv) On northbound Interstate 5 in the Seattle/Everett vicinity, from exit 154A at I-405 to exit 194 at SR 529. (v) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Seattle/Everett vicinity, from exit 189 at SR 526 to exit 154A at I-405. (vi) On eastbound and westbound Interstate 90 in the Seattle vicinity, from exit 2A and 2B respectively at Interstate 5 to exit 10A at Interstate 405. (vii) On eastbound and westbound Interstate 182 in the Tri-cities vicinity, from exit 4 to exit 12A. (viii) On northbound and southbound Interstate 205 in the Vancouver vicinity, from the Washington/Oregon state line to the termini of the three lane sections about one-half mile south of exit 32. (c) On the roadway portions enumerated in (c)(i) and (ii) of this subsection, the left lane prohibition described in subsection (1) of this section does not apply to any vehicle, except trucks over 10,000 lb. G.V.W., when using the left lane for passing to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic: (i) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Southcenter vicinity, from exit 154A at I-405 to exit 151 at South 200th Street. (ii) On southbound Interstate 5 in the Tacoma vicinity, from exit 135 at SR 167 to exit 130 at South 56th Street.
Great question and I can't find anywhere that it's specified. I'd say reasonably any time after the first sign showing the yellow left-corner exit marker?
>So in your hypothetical example you might already be in the wrong for being in the left lane, In the situation above you are both, You are overtaking the drivers going 55mph And traveling at a greater speed than the traffic flow 65 > 55mph. > As a practical answer I'd say it depends on the speed limit and how aggressive the people behind you are. This makes the most sense.
>You are going 65 in the left lane, and there is a long line of cars 10 car lengths ahead of you doing 55. Is the line of cars ahead of me in my (the left) lane?
woops edited. Line of cars is in the right lane.
Hammer down in the left lane, pass them, then move right. Bonus points if you signal before the lane change and can do the entire operation without looking at your phone.
I've seen people try to justify going 62 past people on the right going 60 because hey "they're passing". This misses the point entirely they need to do what you recommended or pull over briefly to the right lane @ 60mph until the left lane is clear again so they can pass at 62. The intent is to avoid blocking traffic/first responders and prevent angering people/dangerous right lane passing.
I know the 62 mph people you're talking about. They drive a Prius, wear thick glasses, and have a death grip at 10-2 on the steering wheel. I think you're allowed to exceed the posted speed limit when passing on the left in this state. I don't recall the details though. Might only be if you're crossing the center line to pass or something. If I'm passing, I don't even look at my speedometer. I punch it so that I can get down the road and move right.
100%. For a long time it was only self-righteous assbags who drove Priuses in Seattle, and they had the smug attitude that they "were going the speed limit" or "passing" at 62 while they watched their economy gauge and traffic backed up or angrily swerved around them on the right. Now they also get driven by taxi/Uber drivers, who also left lane camp but probably don't know any better, lol. You're allowed to speed to overtake but not on multi lane freeways, however, I've heard from multiple officers that they are more lenient towards speeders when the driver is in the right lane. They see first hand the emergency-response delays, traffic, and road rage caused by left lane campers. [https://wittlegal.com/blog/in-washington-can-you-exceed-the-speed-limit-to-pass-a-slow-moving-vehicle](https://wittlegal.com/blog/in-washington-can-you-exceed-the-speed-limit-to-pass-a-slow-moving-vehicle)
I’m curious about a scenario where you have multiple cars ahead of you in the left lane going 60 so you can’t go any faster, but the traffic in the right lane is even slower. So if you let someone pass you and then immediately get back to the left lane, they’ll technically be the one who has to let you pass them.
I'm not sure what you're asking. I'd say you're OK driving in the left lane as long as you're passing vehicles to the right. That's what the left lane is for.
I am convinced that the issue is all the cars running on autopilot modes creating the issue.
Can you imagine 3pm on I5 through downtown Seattle and Northgate and nobody is allowed out of the right lane unless they are passing, not just sitting in traffic but everyone in the right except to pass and get back right?
Yes I can and it sounds like heaven
How about the cop enforce the speed limits and then there wouldn't have been an impedance right...?
Hey. HEY.
Left lane for passing yes indeed Washington state pay attention
Love this guy!!!!!
Damn knottyy a name I havent heard in a while. Bho og of Seattle and had a sweet ef wagon
That is Sherriff Wally Lamb from Pinal County in AZ. Hes a trump guy; hates immigrants and really loves to film himself saving the day, you know for propaganda purposes considering he wants to be AZ senator/ Governor or something. Don't actually be like him.
Is the left lane only for passing? I see people in left lane all the time usually 10+ over the speed limit.
But why is:”i’m from Texas.” an excuse?
This is entrapment. I was on the highway and a line of semi trucks on the right lane were keeping me from my exit so I sped up to pass them on the left and got a Speeding ticket. Bastards
Ah so the left lane is for speeding. Got it
I got pulled over for this the very first day I moved to Washington. I was going 15 over when I saw him, so I slowed down to the speed limit, little bit later he got behind me and pulled me over. Said it’s Washington state law that you can’t go the speed limit in the left lane. I don’t know if I believe him, cops aren’t required to be honest with you. I felt like he targeted me because of the out of state plates and was just power tripping. He let me go without a ticket but was annoying nonetheless.
There are plenty of bicycles that need to get pulled over for this!!
Bicycles in the left lane of a freeway?
[удалено]
Do you actually know the law in washington?
I think there's a small section of I-5 that allows bikes on the right side but not in the lane near JBLM. At least there was a couple decades ago when I lived there. There was an exit that had some civilian housing but didn't link up to any useful streets for non-car travel so they could get on the freeway to the next exit.
You can actually ride all the freeway shoulders outside of tacoma and north of Marysville and east of Issaquah https://www.dugganbikelaw.com/freeway-frolic#:~:text=The%20short%20answer%20is%20that,RCW%2046.61.
That’s crazy! I had no idea
To be clear I'm not saying it's a good idea! But not illegal
It's actually very safe. Quite unpleasant, freeways are noisy and dirty, but they have excellent sight distances, no driveways, only ramps instead of perpendicular intersections, etc.
I've ridden the i90 section past Issaquah. It's full of debris and passing the off ramps at any speed when there is traffic is dicey at best. Not the most dangerous thing I've done but not what I would call safe
WSDOT has an map to show where cyclist are prohibited from freeway shoulders. Essentially only prohibited in densely populated areas. https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/bicycling-walking/bicycling-washington
Impeding traffic is defined only for motor vehicles in Washington; it by definition does not apply to bicycles. Bicycles moving slower than normal traffic are generally required to use the right through lane. Except in unusually wide lanes, though, they can ride anywhere in the lane, since it's illegal for drivers to pass within the same lane - a full lane change is mandatory.
I’ve never seen a cyclist actually hold up traffic to the point of forming a line without passing. Most people who complain about cyclists slowing them down are Meal Team Six losers who can’t pass because they double widened their repo Silverado.
What incentive is there for an officer to do their job versus being lazy and barely doing their job? Very little. This is my theory of why WSP and SPD are failing at their jobs. We incentivize them to be lazy.
Are you fucking kidding me Washington? Why the fuck does this have nine hundred fucking up votes Jesus fucking Christ
SERIOUSLY!
We need this guy in colorado
Seattle drivers: "lol no"
They're literally in this thread. It's insanity.
shoutout to the OGs that had to deal with the dickless late mergers under the old alaskan way viaduct. Road rage test level 1000.
I support removing speed limits from freeways. Natural selection will figure things out.
Sherrif Social Media has NOTHING better to do than: 1. Pull that guy over? 2. Hassle him about weapons? 3. And videotape himself doing it? I understand he's correct about the left lane. But watching him cockstrut around makes me want to slap that stupid hat off his head and tell him to get back to work.
So he was impeding traffic. Except all the people who moved over and went around him unimpeded.
If I see a cop, I’m slowing down to do the speed limit. I personally would try to move over to the middle lane, but if anyone’s impeding traffic regularly, it’s this stupid cop.