Has the left lane become the new right?

[Fan in San Diego]

Ok, I'm wondering how I was supposed to handle this one:

 

Last night I was approaching a massive traffic stand still due to construction. It was a 3 lane road where the two left lanes were both about to close (there were several signs announcing this). I'm in the right lane with a merging lane to my right from an onramp. There's a cop coming up that ramp with his lights on and he gets to the highway pretty much even with me. Traffic ahead of me started moving, so I stayed still and left a huge opening in front of me. But for whatever reason, the cop stops right next to me and lays on his horn. I had given him a huge gap in front of me where he could have gotten all the way over to the closed left lanes that he was trying to get into. For whatever reason, he was expecting me to pull over to the right even though that's exactly where he was.

 

So long story short (or short story even shorter), I wind up having to pull up ahead of the cop and then over so that he can do his thing, which I'm pretty sure was just a shift change so that he could replace the guy who was protecting the construction. It made no sense to me that I was supposed to get in front of him to get out of his way.

 

Sounds like a closeted bicyclist.

[/dev/null]

I recalled this thread earlier today while driving. Sorry if this has been previously covered but....

 

When it's pouring down rain and you can't see more than a few yards in front of you. Please turn your mother f#$%ing lights on! Not so you can see better but so others can better see you!

[ExiledInIllinois]

I recalled this thread earlier today while driving. Sorry if this has been previously covered but....

 

When it's pouring down rain and you can't see more than a few yards in front of you. Please turn your mother f#$%ing lights on! Not so you can see better but so others can better see you!

 

EDIT: Ooops /dev... I thought you were talking about hazard lights... Thought the swear word was: FLASHING. True, most states have laws that you have to turn your headlights on! Turn them on... Here is the debate about moving vehicles and hazard lights:

 

Wasn't there a debate a while back about this? Or, I must have read it somewhere else? In many states (and originally what they were developed for) the hazards and four ways are for when the vehicle is stopped. Having hazards on while moving may cause confusion with other drivers.

 

Your in VA right? Be careful, SOME states ban the use of hazards while moving. NORMALLY, hazards and four ways are for stopped or slowed vehicles to indicate a hazard. In VA, you gotta be going under 30 miles an hour. Use this link below to see if hazards are permitted to be used while moving:

 

http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/hazard-light-use/

 

Banned while moving in many states, Illinois and Florida come to mind. Here is your VA code:

 

"2011 Virgina Code:

Title 46.2 MOTOR VEHICLES. Chapter 10 Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety (46.2-1000 thru 46.2-1192) 46.2-1040 Hazard lights

 

Universal Citation: VA Code § 46.2-1040 (2001 through Reg Session)

 

46.2-1040. Hazard lights.

 

Motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers, when temporarily stopped on the traveled or paved portion of the highway so as to create a traffic hazard, shall flash all four turn signals simultaneously to signal approaching motorists of the existing hazard whenever such vehicle is equipped with a device which will cause the four turn signals to flash simultaneously. All four turn signals may be flashed simultaneously on a vehicle slowed or stopped at the scene of a traffic hazard, when traveling as part of a funeral procession, or when traveling at a speed of thirty miles per hour or less. Except for vehicles traveling as part of a funeral procession, all four turn signals shall not be flashed simultaneously while the vehicle is traveling faster than thirty miles per hour.

 

School buses shall flash all four turn signals when approaching and stopping at railroad grade crossings.

 

(Code 1950, 46-303; 1958, c. 541, 46.1-299; 1962, c. 89; 1968, c. 99; 1972, c. 445; 1974, c. 347; 1979, c. 44; 1989, c. 727; 2001, c. 359)"

Edited August 8, 2012 by ExiledInIllinois

[Wayne Cubed]

I recalled this thread earlier today while driving. Sorry if this has been previously covered but....

 

When it's pouring down rain and you can't see more than a few yards in front of you. Please turn your mother f#$%ing lights on! Not so you can see better but so others can better see you!

This!!!!

 

And day time running lights don't count, cause guess what? Your rear running lights aren't on and I can't see the back part of your vehicle.

[LeviF]

EDIT: Ooops /dev... I thought you were talking about hazard lights... Thought the swear word was: FLASHING. True, most states have laws that you have to turn your headlights on! Turn them on... Here is the debate about moving vehicles and hazard lights:

 

Wasn't there a debate a while back about this? Or, I must have read it somewhere else? In many states (and originally what they were developed for) the hazards and four ways are for when the vehicle is stopped. Having hazards on while moving may cause confusion with other drivers.

 

In NYS, I believe, there are exceptions to this. If you're on the NYS Thruway, for instance, and conditions force you to drive below the minimum speed, you're supposed to turn your hazards on. Don't hold me to it, though.

[shrader]

I recalled this thread earlier today while driving. Sorry if this has been previously covered but....

 

When it's pouring down rain and you can't see more than a few yards in front of you. Please turn your mother f#$%ing lights on! Not so you can see better but so others can better see you!

 

We need to expand this to more than just rain. I'm still waiting for the day I'll get t-boned by a white car driving without its lights on during a snow storm. Yeah, every single car should have its lights on, but those white ones are especially camouflaged.

[ExiledInIllinois]

 

 

In NYS, I believe, there are exceptions to this. If you're on the NYS Thruway, for instance, and conditions force you to drive below the minimum speed, you're supposed to turn your hazards on. Don't hold me to it, though.

 

NYS is on the list as allowing hazards by law. Many states flat out make it illegal to run with hazards on. What gives? Do the laws go back to when the things were first invented? Hazards are to indicate a hazard on the road... Not meant to be moving with them on. States must of not updated their laws? OR: This is still a debate on how to use the hazard lights "properly." ??

 

IMO... They can be used effectively when moving. In blinding snowstorms it is sometimes effective to use the hazards in combo with the parking lights. Normal headlights illuminate the snow and it "blinds" you as the heavy flakes reflect back. With the hazard lights on with parking lights (so others from behind can see you), the flashing pierces through the snow, not causing the snow to reflect back and "blind" you. Snow does reflect the most light. It really does work. A few years ago, we were got into a mess of a storm. We were driving right into the "teeth" of a snow squall coming off Lake Erie while south of Erie, PA and heading north up from Pittsburg (I think that is I-79?)... The hazards in combo with the parking lights and fog lights (if equipped) really took the edge off! Anway... PA doesn't make them illegal to run with @ any speed/situation.

 

Look at my link. It seems Wisconsin is the only state that makes clear note of the many ways hazard lights can be used when in motion. They make their law very clear. Again, there has gotta be debate/theory about this that is still left open?

 

 

 

We need to expand this to more than just rain. I'm still waiting for the day I'll get t-boned by a white car driving without its lights on during a snow storm. Yeah, every single car should have its lights on, but those white ones are especially camouflaged.

 

Doubled edge sword. I don't advocate driving without headlights... BUT in blinding snowstorms, headlights make it even worse... See my post above. AND God knows you aren't supposed to really stop or somebody else will plow into you! Quite a dilemma with snow.

Edited August 9, 2012 by ExiledInIllinois

[Jim in Anchorage]

Or use fog lights. That's what there designed for.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Or use fog lights. That's what there designed for.

 

In my post above, I mentioned we used the fog lights too... Since the car is equipped with them. Most cars are not equipped with fog lights. The hazard trick works great along with the low fog lamps make it even better. The flashing amber "pierces" the snow and illuminates the road intermittantly taking stress off your eyes. My brother is a trucker, he's the one that suggested it.

Edited August 9, 2012 by ExiledInIllinois

[Pete]

Might I add most people have zero clue how to brake. It is just as effective taking your foot off the gas, as it is to break every 5 seconds. I drive a big heavy truck with lots of momentum. Funny, I counted the car in front of me breaking 18 times today over the course of two miles. I didn't break once. Amazing what you can do when you lay off the gas.

 

And it is a lost art merging onto the highway. Several times the past week as I was on highway entrance ramp I got stuck behind some shlep in their sporty midsize car attempting to merge onto highway 40 mph-and leaving me no choice but to be stuck behind them. !@#$ing idiots. It takes time for me to get up to speed and I most definetly don't appreciate them endangering me because their ineptness.

 

And third, in spirit of this thread- the left lane is the passing lane. Lead, follow, or get the !@#$ out of the way. Do people think they are cool because they do 65 in passing lane, while passing no one. So today I was on 95 and 395 is a left exit with two lanes. So 4 cars ahead of me choose the left lane for some unknown reason since they were doing 60. So I blow by them all on the right, then they decide to move over. What the hell were they doing in the left lane to begin with?