Do people not know that the left lane of traffic is for people who are passing?

Question

I drive for a living, every now and again. I have noticed that people who are not passing, stay in the left lane. Do you think that these people are un aware of the fact that the left lane is for passing? Or do you think that they just dont care about anyone else, and just care about themselves? Nothing frustrates me more than a person in the left lane, talking on there phone and going 5 under the speed limit!

Answer 1

Just pass them and get over it.

Answer 2

My theory is they knew it when they got their license back in 20 B.C., they just forgot.  :)

Answer 3

In theory - that's supposed to be the case... however, if you live in a HIGH traffic volume location like I do - I doubt very much that people would "leave a lane open" for people to pass when we're pressed bumper-to-bumper and going 10-mph.

And that person in the far left-lane talking on their cell-phone and going 5-mph under the speed limit would get honked at & high-beamed until they woke up & started paying attention to the flow of traffic around them.

... it's too bad we stopped shooting each other on the roads out here - drivers were a LOT more conscientious & aware of their surroundings during those months.

Answer 4

I had lived most of my life on the west coast, and noticed slow drivers usually kept to the right, other than the occasional idiot. But here in Houston, most people drive under the speed limit, and so many people go under the speed limit in the left lane.

Answer 5

Firstly people in Houston cannot drive at all. Secondly, the freeways are used as city streets, because government planners(oxymoron?) put an entrance and exit at just about every street. Thirdly, if there is a stretch of road with more limited access, then there is one of 7 juridictional law enforement agency vehicles driving at 4 mph under, which makes everyone else do the same (cattle). Otherwise the majority of people go from +-10 from the speed, with the exception of two people, one doing 40 and the other 95, which usually forces everyone else to brake and bottleneck. I have seen the highway patrol pull over an idiot in the 'fast' lane for impeding traffic, as people are convinced if they are going the posted speed, no one can go faster then them so they are safe.

Answer 6

There is no law in any state saying the left lane is only for passing.  

I'm not sure where you got that.  It may be good practice, but it's not law.

Answer 7

They are unaware.  Which includes them being stupid and on the phone at the same time.

I'm with ya - stupid drivers suck.