Tell that to the trooper, not me. You'll get pulled WAY quicker on I 95 for doing 50, than you will doing 80. (Limit is 70.).
I wouldnt argue with a VA state trooper. There was actually a symposium on this revently in the fredricksburg news paper. They were interviewing the local VSP batallion SGT.
Their take is that slow drivers on 95 have been the cause of more accidents, becasue of the pace of the highway. One specific interview question was related to the slow drive going, say 60, and the fast driver going say, 80.
The response? We all know that often the flow of traffic on I 95 in the FB corridor is uaually around 75-80 mph. As troopers, we simply don't have the resources to pull people over doing 75-80 mph. There's also the "unwritten 5 mph grace zone". If the flow is 75, how can you pull someone over for being in the known flow? It becomes a legal ground issue as well.
The problem comes when the flow is 75, and someone wants to do 55. They are the odd driver out, at that pace, and they become a hazard. the grace zone goes both ways, and so does the excessive deviation from said flow. Saftey issues come from excessive deviation. People who refuse to yield, encourage aggressive maneuvers. We are going to start tickteting drivers whom ride in the left lane, are not going with the flow, and disrupting traffic.
A direct exceprt, with quote from from VSP Sgt F.L. Tyler, in an article in the fredricksburg freelance star (local paper):
In other words, said Tyler, if you're in the left lane of a divided highway and going down the road, even with a vehicle to your right, the law requires that you give way and let a vehicle behind you pass.
Specifically, he said, if you're in that situation and a vehicle behind you signals its intention to pass, by either honking a horn or flashing its lights, you are required to move to the right as soon as it's safe, and allow the signaling vehicle to pass.
Failure to do so is a violation of the law, he said.
Tyler said that applies even if the vehicle trying to pass is speeding, following too closely or operating in any other reckless manner. "
Leave it up to police officers to deal with any violations they might be committing. We'll handle that," he said. "But
the law still requires you to move to the right and let them pass."
This is a HUGE issue here. And its almost ALWAYS the same MO / types doing it. They are cracking down on it too.
FYI - Here's an MIT study page on the laws, state by state:
http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
Driving culture varies by region, buy in Virginia, from HR to NoVa, less and less quarter is being given.
Lawyers love technicalities.
If you haven't passed me yet, then I'm not an "overtaken vehicle".
You may have gained on me, but now you're matching my speed and not "overtaking".
Since my vehicle is by definition not being overtaken, and additionally you in yours are not overtaking, there is no obligation for me to more to the right.
And whose definition of "safely" is in use?
See?
There are just three classifications for drivers:
Me, going exactly as fast as I want to go.
"hypermilers" in front of me going slower, however much, than I want to go.
Tailgaters behind me trying to go faster than I want to go.
The solution is simple: All of you drive the way I want you to when I'm on the road. You should know that by now.