I’m not a person who gets angry often. In fact, I’d venture to guess that most of the people closest to me likely haven’t actually seen me angry about anything. Frustrated, yes. Annoyed? All the time. But I can think of only one thing that really makes me mad – people who drive in the left lane.
According to vox.com, drivers can be broken down into two categories, when it comes to this issue: the ones who get irrationally angry when they’re stuck behind someone cruising along in the left lane, and the left-lane drivers who do it constantly without realizing they’re infuriating everyone behind them.
I am absolutely the first type.
What the second group of motorists don’t seem to understand is, no matter how fast you are going, there’s always someone driving faster than you. That’s what the left lane is there for – so that you can pass those cars that are moving slower. It’s not a special lane for people who think they drive the fastest. It’s not an opportunity for you to try and control the speed of other vehicles, for the safety of everyone on the road. It’s for turning left or passing other vehicles – and when you’re finished passing, you’re supposed to promptly return to the lane on the right.
If you don’t do this, you’re contributing to traffic congestion and even increasing the likelihood of collisions.
A 2012 study of road usage patterns in urban areas revealed many traffic jams start with just a few slow cars obstructing the flow – and a line of cars unable to pass a slow driver on the left, with another car on the right, is a perfect example of this scenario.
In addition, studies indicate it isn’t speeders who are most likely to cause accidents – any vehicle moving at a different rate than the average speed of traffic is a hazard to other motorists. A car moving eight kilometres per hour (km/hr)slower than the traffic around it actually has a greater chance of causing an accident than a vehicle traveling eight km/hr faster than surrounding traffic, because slowing down and changing lanes is more dangerous than speeding.
That’s why there are laws in place to regulate lane usage. According to The Globe and Mail, some provinces will fine motorists upwards of $200 for neglecting to drive in the available lane closest to the right-hand curb. In areas where signs are posted reminding drivers to stay on the right except to pass, like the ones found along Highway 2 near Airdrie, “fast lane” hogs risk an additional ticket for failing to obey a traffic sign.
I think it’s time Alberta adopted similar legislation. Not only would it make me and other Category One-type drivers much less rage-y on the road, it would – more importantly – keep us all a little bit safer.
