[Falstaff]

I have been watching the local news here in Colorado Springs, and for the past couple of years the issue of traffic safety and road rage has been hotly debated. Battles on the highway between people experiencing road rage and their victims has prompted state and local officials to examine the behavour of motorists and attempt to come up with a workable solution. The number one factor in most road rage incidents is driver courtesy or the lack of driver courtesy. In an effort to keep people from being victimized by careless and reckless drivers, the State of Colorado is going to pass a law to keep all motorirsts on the right hand or slow lane on the freeway unless they are attempting to pass or going over the legal posted limit. Personally I think this is great, even though I am not some asshole with a cell phone in one hand, and meal in my lap, driving an SUV, way over the legally posted speed limit, like most people here in my town...LOL. I think it might actually cut down on all the accidents, and incidents of combat between motorists here in my state. At least it will bring to bear the law on people that need to be protected from people with large Sport Utility Vehicles that would normally pass in the right lane or the shoulder to swerve around drivers travelling the posted speed limits...

[Dyre Straits]

In most places I've been, it's always been the 'common sense law' to 'keep right except to pass'. In most places there are even signs posted saying that or, "Slower Traffic Keep Right".

I had an interesting conversation with my own mom a while back. She had gone with a nephew from GA to KY and back. At one point, the nephew was in the 'fast lane' going well over the speed limit and someone was up behind him flashing their lights and wanting to pass him. The nephew wouldn't budge. My mom thought he was right to not let this other speeder get through because '[the nephew] was already exceeding the speed limit.'

I had to explain to her that [the nephew] wasn't the law enforcement and that he was actually breaking the law by maintaining constant presence in the fast lane while others were trying to get past him. I still don't know if she understands it. I've always felt that if someone else wants to speed like that, it's best to let them get through.

I guess it remains to be seen whether codifying this is really going to help. It seems that the traffic enforcement already is having a hard time enforcing laws already on the books.

[drakesteakn]

i can't wait for this law to pass. Drivers that are like me and jeff will be able to drive with no worries about bad drivers as much.

[Falstaff]

I wish the common sense law was useful here, we have alot of tech type people that are accustomed to driving SUVs at high rates of speed with a cell phone glued to one ear. When it snows here it gets particulerly dangerous to be crossing the street for fear of being run over by the imports from California or the east coast. I want them to ban cell phone use in motor vehicles while drivers are occupied trying to drive. I think it would improve the chances of survival for people that have common sense...LOL
SUV + CELL PHONE + SPEED = DEATH

[Logla]

Do you guys have speed trap enforcement cameras in your part of the world?

[Roadee]

Jeff......um buddy.......I have 2 SUV's a Dodge Durango 4x4 and a Ford Explorer 4x4.....plus 1 Import....a 2003 Toyota Racing Developement built Celica GT. And I have cell phones and drive over the posted speed limit.......Disabled Vet license plate and all

Road rage sux ass, people talking on cell phones while driving is stupid, and someone thinking that just because they drive a SUV that they think they own the road is retarded. Also I found that passing someone with an SUV that has disabled tags really pisses them off!!!

In Germany they have "traffic camera's" that will take your picture VERY well even at speeds over 150mph.......trust me.....I know!! I think that this would be the only way to curve the problem, but it will meet alot of resistance here in the states due to the "BIG BROTHER" factor. Though I do wish they would do it, it would take alot of stress off of the law enforcement agencies and let them concentrate of more important things.......like making our homes safe to sleep in.

[Dyre Straits]

To answer the question about camera-aided traffic control: Here in Metro Atlanta we DO have some experimental areas that are equipped with cameras. Several intersections that have become notorious for accidents are among them.

We also have camera-aided traffic control on the Interstate system. This is a very recent development and they are saying that it's NOT for traffic enforcement. However, I wouldn't be one bit surprised that the cameras would be (and maybe even ARE being) used to aid the highway patrol and local authorities to track down reckless drivers and those speeding excessively. (Hmmm.....how to define 'excessively' when the posted speed limit is 55 and people generally do 70 -75??)

[GutterPunk]

here is bad, people back traffic up so bad on the interstate, one person right hand lane goign 60 mph person passing going 61 the traffic is so bad traffic backs up and turns to a crawl 3 miles back..... it sux it really does suck... road rage is fun...

[Dyre Straits]

Originally posted by disastropy
here is bad, people back traffic up so bad on the interstate, one person right hand lane goign 60 mph person passing going 61 the traffic is so bad traffic backs up and turns to a crawl 3 miles back..... it sux it really does suck... road rage is fun...

There actually IS a law making it a violation to drive side by side with another vehicle in the [EDIT]adjacent [EDIT] lane. That's called 'impeding the flow of traffic'. If people are getting away with THAT, then any new law they make isn't going to be worth the paper they write it on.

[Markius]

where i live in Australia, it is against the law to drive and talk on a mobile (cell) phone at the same time.
im pretty sure its law to keep to the left (right over there obviously) generally but is defenitly a law to keep to the slow lane if there is a sign saying so.

and guess what people? it doesnt stop or even curb road rage.

[Rayder]

I just don't understand....I mean, the speed limit is 60mph, 65mph in rural areas (at least around here it is). Why must people be in such a hurry that they ALL do 70+mph, forcing me to break the speed limit or be a victim of angry drivers? I am perfectly content to obey the speed limit, yet I am constantly having to break it just to appease the speed-freaks around me. It should not really matter what lane you are in, the speed limit is the speed limit. You know, the speed limit that's posted means you are not supposed to go FASTER than that. It does not mean "go at least that fast".

Is it really that hard to obey such a simple thing as a speed limit sign? Is common sense really that far gone?

[kelticknight]

here in eire,cell phones banned in cars while,you can get points on your licence if pulled over by cops,also have cameras every,mounted on highways and towns and citys,the cops have also have mobile camera vans which over 10 cameras and can take 6 car speed shot with one camera photo shot every time.cops also carry mobile cameras in the crusiers and set them up anywhere,they are gettting more high tech every year.speeders are punished hard here