Ore. Senate bill aims to herd slow drivers out of the left lane
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SALEM, Ore. - Anyone droning down I-5 between Portland, Salem, Eugene or Medford with the cruise control on knows the frustration of the dreaded Slow Driver In The Left Lane.
You either have to slow down or wait to make a less-than-safe pass using the right lane before resuming your previous pace.
Now, an Oregon politician who admits she has become frustrated with left lane lollygaggers - and has even been one herself - has introduced legislation to make it illegal to poke along in the fast lane.
"If someone on the freeway passes me on the right, I feel a sense of personal failure," State Senator Ginny Burdick said with a laugh. "Even I, as hard as I work at it, can get careless at times" and drive too slow in the left lane.
"It would just basically enforce common courtesy on the roads," Burdick said of Senate Bill 511. "If you’re not passing, get over in the next lane and then you don’t even have to think about it. You’re where you belong and if somebody wants to pass you they can pass you on the left - where they should be."
So far, Burdick said reaction to the bill has been very positive.
"There’s just a lot of enthusiasm around this bill," she said. "And I think people are ready to have more enforcement of what really is existing law, you’re not supposed to impede traffic. But that’s kind of a vague term and this is very specific."
The law would not apply during heavy, congested traffic. Burdick hopes to have the bill out of committee next week and up for a full vote soon.
Burdick said the legislation was born of "many thousands of miles of observation - of personal observation - on this problem" while on the road. "It would simply make it a traffic offense to drive in the left hand lane when you’re not passing."
"All you have to do is look on the freeway and you’ll see somebody tailgating, trying to get by, sometimes you’ll see them flashing their lights, you’ll see them dodging in and out of traffic and those are all signs of frustration," Burdick said.
She said the bill "would simply make it a traffic offense to drive in the left hand lane when you’re not passing."
"I think I would have less gray hair if Oregon had had this a while ago," Burdick said. "I’m on a feckless mission to train the traffic."
It should be punishable by death
Um...how are the few police who are left in rural areas going to enforce this law?
Why don't you take the taxpayers money wasted on bills that are going no where...and put that money into more truck lanes on the passes. That would do more good than a law like this.. one that is similar to an exsisting law anyway! Do people here in Oregon realize that each proposed bill costs us a lot of money??? Please help stop the nonsense!  Anyone of these reps who start bills that are already covered by an exsisting law should be removed from office for misuse of their position and misuse of tax dollars!
we cant stop people from reading the newspaper, texting , make up etc why dont we start small
People getting on freeway doing 30
Common sense is not so common, it should stand to reason that if you are not passing someone you should stay to the right.......however, here in Oregon we have the added thrill of driving through a lot of standing water, and it is in those situations where the left lane is much safer, and it would be wrong to be cited for not wanting to hydroplane!! This is more about revenue, the people who agree with this are probably intelligent enough to understand the left lane/right lane concept, and the less intelligent ones won't obey the new law anyway!!!! Just sayin'........
That's why they call the front and back of your car bumpers. Give them a little bump. They will pull over to the side of the road, and just keep on truckin' :)
Hmmm..... When was the last time I saw an 18 wheeler doing 55? I don't have a problem with there speed, but so annoying when they pull right out in front if you and cannot maintain the speed. Slows everyone down and causes accidents!
You can't fix stupid.
I don't know you Marilyn but I know you are wrong! Most of us (me included) are EXTREMELY courteous!!!!! I won't go into my Pet Peeves being a CDL holder!!
18 Wheelers are mostly at fault.
I hate it but enough is enough we have enough laws
Or This Law:
Failure to drive on right
(1)A person commits the offense of failure to drive on the right if the person is operating a vehicle on a roadway of sufficient width and the person does not drive on the right half of the roadway.
(2)A person is not required to drive on the right side of the roadway by this section under any of the following circumstances:
(a)When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing this movement in ORS 811.410 (Unsafe passing on left) to 811.425(Failure of slower driver to yield to overtaking vehicle)or 811.808 (Exemption from speed limits for funeral escort vehicle).
(b)When preparing to turn left in an intersection, alley or private road or driveway.
(c)When an obstruction or condition exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the roadway, provided that a driver doing so shall yield the right of way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the roadway within a distance as to constitute an immediate hazard.
(d)Upon a roadway divided into three marked lanes for traffic under the rules applicable on the roadway under ORS811.380Â (Improper use of center lane on three-lane road).
(e)Upon a roadway restricted to one-way traffic.
(3)The offense described in this section, failure to drive on the right, is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §615; 1991 c.482 §15]
This is already a law, and I have seen tickets wrote for this:
ORS 811.425¹Â
Failure of slower driver to yield to overtaking vehicle
⢠penalty
(1) A person commits the offense of failure of a slower driver to yield to overtaking vehicle if the person is driving a vehicle and the person fails to move the persons vehicle off the main traveled portion of the highway into an area sufficient for safe turnout when:
(a) The driver of the overtaken vehicle is proceeding at a speed less than a speed established in ORS 811.105 (Speeds that are evidence of basic rule violation) as prima facie evidence of violation of the basic speed rule;
(b) The driver of the overtaking vehicle is proceeding at a speed in conformity with ORS 811.105 (Speeds that are evidence of basic rule violation);
(c) The highway is a two directional, two-lane highway; and
(d) There is no clear lane for passing available to the driver of the overtaking vehicle.
(2) This section does not apply to the driver of a vehicle in a funeral procession.
(3) The offense described in this section, failure of a slower driver to yield to overtaking vehicle, is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §640; 1991 c.482 §16; 1995 c.383 §68; 2001 c.104 §307; 2003 c.819 §15]
Just what we nerd more laws crap
We should have dash cams If we have dash cams it will stop a lot of things
It's about time !!!
What I think is funny when the car broke down or something changing a flat tire and you're by the guardrail any can't get your car over anymore you are in a danger that people are passing you and they are not getting over to the Fastlane away from you when you're there changing flat tire I think they should make a law that you have to get over a matter what even if you see a car broke down in a dangerous situation . They do have that law for emergency vehicles but they should make a law for any vehicle is in danger
Getting behind a stupid California in the Fastlane then I got to pass them in the slow lane
Not using blinkers and driving slow in the fast lane. I thought you could already get a ticket for it!!!
I sit in the fast lane because in certain places on I-5 the slow lane has been beaten to death by semi truck. I can just hear the tread being ripped apart. I usually do 70+ and when I notice someone coming up on me, I get over.
I really miss the little bit of traffic from Medford, Grants Pass area. Really notice the traffic here in Vegas since I moved back :(
with the speed limit 65, people on my butt doing 70! (speeding) tailgating! (which is illegal) those getting on on-ramps doing 35-40mph an MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT THAT SPEED! (IDIOTS) the speed limit is "65" NOT "70" GET OVER IT!! an get off my A$@#!!!!. thank you! :-)
this is why i hate driving in washington. if you want to pass you have to do it in the right lane
People drive wayyy to fast, and tailgate wayyy to much on I-5. Doing 68-72 (the speed limit), people pass me like I'm the one doing 30! No, I'm not the one in the passing lane. I had to ask my husband if there was something wrong with my new cars speedometer! lol. Nope. It's just people seem to always be in 85 mph (or more!) rush these days -- including truck drivers that are definitely doing more than their limit of 55 mph. And we all wonder why there's so many accidents on I-5, with the domino effect.
Hell yes I hope they do!
In Oregon its California, and Washington drivers that don't know how to move over...... it is the law
It's called impeding traffic and its already a law. Like many others, it just needs enforced!
What annoys me more than slow drivers in the fast lane are the morons that go 30mph on the on ramp and try to merge going that slow. I hate being on the freeway when they do it and even more, i hate to be behind them. They are going to kill somebody driving like that.
Do they not have anything better to do in Salem but to set back and make up stupid laws as they go ....There are far more serious things that need to be thought about than this ....Its getting way beyond control .....But then I suppose they are going to look for anything to make money on for the short fall the state is facing what don't we pay enough tax now they have to go for more ...What a bunch of jokers we have in Salem .....
Another pet peeve is merging onto the highway doing 40mph slowing everyone down then speeding afterwards ....come on, merge at freeway speeds!
When Semi drivers pass each other on hills.
Semi drivers who pull into the left lane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It should already be a violation... Ever see the sign? "Unlawful to use left lane except when passing".
I agree! Higher the speed limit! Work on that first!
In all honesty they need to raise our speed limit. Try driving in other states colorado we got told to speed up by the police huhh really were doing 75..
I just love it when an 18 wheeler needs yo pass another one going 1 mile an hour faster, especially on a hill
Well sure, Cody! That's what I'm talking about! I don't just hang out in the passing lane at 70, but I also don't do 80 just to pass someone. Which leads to my OTHER pet peeve... people that haul past me, then get in front of me and slow back down.
Turd door launcher lmao. Poooo away
STOP with all the law making already. And people start using your common sense everything dose not need a law
Thats because some people dont want to do 70.. and if you dont need to be in the fast lane get over. If you are passing and they are just being impatient then they need slapped.
People who tailgate with people that are towning ie horse trailers, rvs ect.
go ahead it wont change a thing. it didnt change it for WA either. in places where there is so much traffic, all lanes are full.
Actually, I hate it when I'm already GOING 70 in the passing lane, and some A hole starts riding my bumper like I'm doing 55.
Definitely my freeway pet peeve. I notice that drivers from Washington seem to be the worst offenders, so surprised to see the post above that it is the law in Washington.
It is one of my biggest pet peeve
Its annoying yes. However I dont think it should be a law. Just seems too controlling. And I dont want to be over in the slow lane except to pass.. we only have 2 lanes and I would passing all the darn time. Seems tedious and pain in the you know what.
It is already a law up here in Washington. You are not allowed to drive in the left lane unless you are passing...PERIOD! Their are a few idiots that still do not get it though.
so you have nothing better to do in the Senate?The freeway is never moving at a normal speed, I get lights flashed at me all the time when im doing 80 mph, whats the legal speed limit again? and did I mention that was a big truck pulling a trailer, why dont you get off your butts and do what this state needs,Â