I wrote this in response to an earlier letter in which a woman protested against drivers who flash their brights and in which the AAA essentially says it's OK to hog the left lane.
Link to original article (subject to expiration)
ASK DR. CONEHEAD
Taking a second pass at passing
May 29, 2005
A recent column about passing in the left lane led to a number of responses from readers. Here are a few:
Russell Salerno, of Dix Hills, writes: "I was dismayed at the AAA's response to Beth Rose Feuerstein's question about yielding the left lane to faster traffic.
"Firstly, it's OK to flash headlights at a vehicle you wish to overtake. This time-honored rule of the road is a simple and effective way to signal the vehicle ahead of your intentions.
"'Slower traffic keep right' is another longstanding rule of the road which inexplicably has fallen out of favor in the NY region. It costs us nothing to swing over to the right a few moments to allow faster moving traffic to pass, and it makes good sense to do so: it reduces congestion which leads to quicker commutes, and it's one of the most effective ways to reduce frustration that can flare tempers on the road.
"More troubling is the AAA's implication that it's OK to block the left lane unless traffic is moving substantially faster than you. This is a vague and subjective standard. How about when a vehicle is moving exactly the same speed as the vehicle next to it? We've all been there, trapped, sometimes for miles, behind two vehicles travelling side by side, unwilling to yield to the traffic behind. Here the simple act of moving to the right lane is a courtesy we can all appreciate regardless of how one interprets the meaning of 'substantially faster'."
And motorist Debbie Howarths writes: "Driving should be first and foremost about safety. I drive various Long Island highways daily and many times have witnessed the scary scenarios described in her letter; tailgating, flashing of headlights and worse. Obviously she is not traveling with the often illegal speedy flow of traffic. This results in aggressive drivers passing on the left and putting slower moving vehicles in both lanes in danger. Has she considered what would happen if she suddenly had to stop short with a tailgater so close he can read her speedometer? Parkway policing is best left to the real police. The most prudent course of action would be to move to the right lane allowing the infuriated driver to pass you."
SEND QUESTIONS to Dr. Conehead, Newsday 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville NY 11747-4250, or e-mail at [email protected]. Please include an address and phone number so the doctor can reach you.
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.
NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this
material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed
a prior interest in receiving the included information for research
and educational purposes.
Link to original article (subject to expiration)
ASK DR. CONEHEAD
Taking a second pass at passing
May 29, 2005
A recent column about passing in the left lane led to a number of responses from readers. Here are a few:
Russell Salerno, of Dix Hills, writes: "I was dismayed at the AAA's response to Beth Rose Feuerstein's question about yielding the left lane to faster traffic.
"Firstly, it's OK to flash headlights at a vehicle you wish to overtake. This time-honored rule of the road is a simple and effective way to signal the vehicle ahead of your intentions.
"'Slower traffic keep right' is another longstanding rule of the road which inexplicably has fallen out of favor in the NY region. It costs us nothing to swing over to the right a few moments to allow faster moving traffic to pass, and it makes good sense to do so: it reduces congestion which leads to quicker commutes, and it's one of the most effective ways to reduce frustration that can flare tempers on the road.
"More troubling is the AAA's implication that it's OK to block the left lane unless traffic is moving substantially faster than you. This is a vague and subjective standard. How about when a vehicle is moving exactly the same speed as the vehicle next to it? We've all been there, trapped, sometimes for miles, behind two vehicles travelling side by side, unwilling to yield to the traffic behind. Here the simple act of moving to the right lane is a courtesy we can all appreciate regardless of how one interprets the meaning of 'substantially faster'."
And motorist Debbie Howarths writes: "Driving should be first and foremost about safety. I drive various Long Island highways daily and many times have witnessed the scary scenarios described in her letter; tailgating, flashing of headlights and worse. Obviously she is not traveling with the often illegal speedy flow of traffic. This results in aggressive drivers passing on the left and putting slower moving vehicles in both lanes in danger. Has she considered what would happen if she suddenly had to stop short with a tailgater so close he can read her speedometer? Parkway policing is best left to the real police. The most prudent course of action would be to move to the right lane allowing the infuriated driver to pass you."
SEND QUESTIONS to Dr. Conehead, Newsday 235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville NY 11747-4250, or e-mail at [email protected]. Please include an address and phone number so the doctor can reach you.
Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.
NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this
material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed
a prior interest in receiving the included information for research
and educational purposes.
