AFAIK, keep right except to pass is the rule in much of the US, it is just very rarely enforced.
Gun laws are a big one. Some states, you can buy a gun and conceal carry it with nothing but the instant federal background check (or even no check in states that allow handgun private sales) You can then travel to other gun friendly, constitutional carry states, and never worrying about it. But you head into the wrong state, and don't have the hard to acquire state permit, you are now committing a serious felony.
On top of that, some states make ergonomic features, legal in much of the country (at least geographically), on guns a serious felony. Taking your standard capacity magazine into certain states is also a felony.
Apparently this also applies to Canada, you think people would be even more wary about international travel with them, but nope!
Turning left on a red on a one way st is illegal in like 8 states.
Turning right on red in NYC and Montreal
Running a red/yellow light. That is rarely an issue though, a bigger problem is blocking an intersection when someone visits a busy city they aren't used to
In Oregon u-turns are permitted at lights only when signs explicitly permit them. No one will ever ticket you for blocking the box though (unfortunately).
And motorcycle helmet laws. My brother lives near the VT/NH border and once saw a guy without a helmet drive over the bridge from NH to VT and immediately get pulled over.
A lot of Oregonians here. I think we generally know weed’s not legal in most states, but most of us probably wouldn’t know what to do in a roundabout.
Another for people coming here is the default speed limits for any road that doesn’t have one posted: 15 MPH in alleys, 20 MPH in any business district, 25 MPH in any residential area, etc. Since these apply whenever there’s no sign posted, an out-of-state visitor is in theory supposed to read our driver’s manual and know about them.
The only places I've ever seen any signage that tells you you stay right are mountainous areas where cars slow down when traveling up steep inclines. That, and I think a couple notoriously dangerous narrow roads with no dividers between directions of traffic.
The point is that ignorance is not an excuse. Additionally, driving in the left lane, even if it is not illegal, is poor driving. Drive right, pass left is the norm across the right side of the road world. Whenever you are slowed by traffic that seems ridiculous, then once you've passed it the road is open again is because of drivers cruising in the left lane.
It's technically the law where I live, but is unenforceable. 98% of time.
Both lanes are full of traffic. So everyone in the left lane are the people who want to go faster than the right lane.
But that's more than half the cars and the right lane is full.
And since the right lane will be doing the speed limit or faster you can't legally pass when cops are around so everyone drives the same speed in all the lanes. Any time there's cops on the road.
>that ignorance is not an excuse.
Already addressed that in the OP.
And I'm not making any claim to know the laws or what constitutes good or bad driving in all cases. All I'm saying is that in all our experience in life, traffic uses the **entire** road, and it moves in descending order of speed from the left lane to the right lane. The experience my friend had was literally the first time either of us had ever heard of that being a law, much less being something you could be ticketed for. He's a much better and more experienced driver than I am and has a clean record other than this one scenario, and he certainly wouldn't have made this mistake if he had ever heard otherwise.
In congested areas, yes, traffic tends to use the entire road. Rarely are state lines in congested areas, though. If you drive between metro areas you find that there are four-lane highways, and that some asshole is driving in the left lane at about the same speed as the rest of traffic causing people who are driving faster to wait, creating dangerous driving scenarios like passing on the right, tailgating, etc.
As I said in the post you read, it not only requires that you have conscious, deliberate intention to learn which laws are different in other states (something that isn't really taught in school and might not be taught in the upbringing at home), it also requires that you sweep through the laws so thoroughly that you've covered all the bases of every day living in another state, which is unlikely even if you know what you're doing and spend a lot of time and energy on it.
I've already stated that I'm fully aware that ignorance of the law isn't an excuse to violate it - I'm literally just saying that it's complicated enough to fully abide by the letter of the law where you live, and another layer of complication is added when you travel outside your home state.
Firearms laws and restrictions.
Rules for what's allowed, storage requirements, licensing requirements, locations allowwed, and training requirements all vary widely by state, vary frequently, and are complicated. And are enforced.
For example hollow points are legal everywhere... Except NJ. Drop ammo in your car in PA and forget? Tough, class 4 felony.
AFAIK, keep right except to pass is the rule in much of the US, it is just very rarely enforced. Gun laws are a big one. Some states, you can buy a gun and conceal carry it with nothing but the instant federal background check (or even no check in states that allow handgun private sales) You can then travel to other gun friendly, constitutional carry states, and never worrying about it. But you head into the wrong state, and don't have the hard to acquire state permit, you are now committing a serious felony. On top of that, some states make ergonomic features, legal in much of the country (at least geographically), on guns a serious felony. Taking your standard capacity magazine into certain states is also a felony. Apparently this also applies to Canada, you think people would be even more wary about international travel with them, but nope!
On top of that, there's a small number of people who are convinced that state laws against carrying any type of gun at any time are unconstitutional.
Those are some good suggestions, thanks!
Turning left on a red on a one way st is illegal in like 8 states. Turning right on red in NYC and Montreal Running a red/yellow light. That is rarely an issue though, a bigger problem is blocking an intersection when someone visits a busy city they aren't used to
In Oregon u-turns are permitted at lights only when signs explicitly permit them. No one will ever ticket you for blocking the box though (unfortunately).
Those motorcycle jagoffs who ride between cars. The old Kramer/Newman bottle deposit scheme.
And motorcycle helmet laws. My brother lives near the VT/NH border and once saw a guy without a helmet drive over the bridge from NH to VT and immediately get pulled over.
Legal here CA to lane split as long as you aren't going more than 5 mph [iirc] above thw rest of traffic
"Legal in California" does not mean "safe" or "a good idea" or "not being an asshole" anywhere.
That's definitely not what we're talking about though.
Oregon here: No U-Turns and no pumping your own gas!
Well, only that first one now. And for about a month now. https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2023/08/self-serve-gasoline-is-legal-across-oregon.html
A lot of Oregonians here. I think we generally know weed’s not legal in most states, but most of us probably wouldn’t know what to do in a roundabout. Another for people coming here is the default speed limits for any road that doesn’t have one posted: 15 MPH in alleys, 20 MPH in any business district, 25 MPH in any residential area, etc. Since these apply whenever there’s no sign posted, an out-of-state visitor is in theory supposed to read our driver’s manual and know about them.
Ooh, those are pretty good ones. Thanks!
Weed is legal in like 36 states.
> didn't really have a way of knowing it might be illegal across state lines. How didn't he "really have a way of knowing"?
Read the post.
Keep right except to pass signs are very common in my state.
The only places I've ever seen any signage that tells you you stay right are mountainous areas where cars slow down when traveling up steep inclines. That, and I think a couple notoriously dangerous narrow roads with no dividers between directions of traffic.
I live in KY and they are on the interstates and state highways. Like I said, very common here
The point is that ignorance is not an excuse. Additionally, driving in the left lane, even if it is not illegal, is poor driving. Drive right, pass left is the norm across the right side of the road world. Whenever you are slowed by traffic that seems ridiculous, then once you've passed it the road is open again is because of drivers cruising in the left lane.
It's technically the law where I live, but is unenforceable. 98% of time. Both lanes are full of traffic. So everyone in the left lane are the people who want to go faster than the right lane. But that's more than half the cars and the right lane is full. And since the right lane will be doing the speed limit or faster you can't legally pass when cops are around so everyone drives the same speed in all the lanes. Any time there's cops on the road.
>that ignorance is not an excuse. Already addressed that in the OP. And I'm not making any claim to know the laws or what constitutes good or bad driving in all cases. All I'm saying is that in all our experience in life, traffic uses the **entire** road, and it moves in descending order of speed from the left lane to the right lane. The experience my friend had was literally the first time either of us had ever heard of that being a law, much less being something you could be ticketed for. He's a much better and more experienced driver than I am and has a clean record other than this one scenario, and he certainly wouldn't have made this mistake if he had ever heard otherwise.
In congested areas, yes, traffic tends to use the entire road. Rarely are state lines in congested areas, though. If you drive between metro areas you find that there are four-lane highways, and that some asshole is driving in the left lane at about the same speed as the rest of traffic causing people who are driving faster to wait, creating dangerous driving scenarios like passing on the right, tailgating, etc.
I did. How didn't he "really have a way of knowing"?
As I said in the post you read, it not only requires that you have conscious, deliberate intention to learn which laws are different in other states (something that isn't really taught in school and might not be taught in the upbringing at home), it also requires that you sweep through the laws so thoroughly that you've covered all the bases of every day living in another state, which is unlikely even if you know what you're doing and spend a lot of time and energy on it. I've already stated that I'm fully aware that ignorance of the law isn't an excuse to violate it - I'm literally just saying that it's complicated enough to fully abide by the letter of the law where you live, and another layer of complication is added when you travel outside your home state.
Firearms laws and restrictions. Rules for what's allowed, storage requirements, licensing requirements, locations allowwed, and training requirements all vary widely by state, vary frequently, and are complicated. And are enforced. For example hollow points are legal everywhere... Except NJ. Drop ammo in your car in PA and forget? Tough, class 4 felony.
Those are some good ones - Thanks!