PORTLAND, Oregon — Cruising in the left lane is a hot button topic for drivers. Most of us can relate to the frustration of being stuck behind a left-lane slowpoke.
People have all kinds of names for them; left lane campers, left lane hogs, left lane police, Sunday drivers, and some names -not suitable for the workplace. You get the idea. It drives people nuts. The left lane is for passing, the other lanes are for cruising (driving).
The law in Washington? Keep right except to pass.
Trooper Will Finn of the Washington State Patrol tells us they pulled over about 13,000 drivers last year statewide for that offense. And 92 citations were issued in southwest Washington at a $136 a pop.
In Oregon, there is some room for interpretation, but you can be pulled over for driving in the left lane if you’re impeding traffic flow.
In fact, KGW viewer Michael Graham shared a video on Facebook showing exactly that, and he sounds thrilled! Oregon State Police Sgt Yvette Shephard, confirms that the driver being pulled over in that video was given a warning. The cost of that citation in Oregon is a little steeper at $270.
Interesting that while many drivers have some awareness the left lane is for passing, a recent PEMCO insurance poll shows a whopping two-thirds of those surveyed believed other drivers regularly camp out in the left lane.
How do you deal with it? One driver we talked to says he just looks over as he passes them and gives them "the headshake of shame."
I do the "Driving Me Crazy" series as a generally light-hearted, but not always, look at things that drive people nuts on area roadways.
Post your comments, videos, and photos on my Facebook page or you can email me at cmcginness@kgw.com.