Is it not courteous to drive in the right lane unless your passing , or is a uninforced law?

Question

Is it not courteous to drive in the right lane unless your passing , or is a uninforced law?

Answer 1

In NY you can drive wherever you want, or at least thats how we drive, but when I go to Connecticut, and say Rhode Island people only use those lanes to pass in normal traffic conditions. So laws vary.

Answer 2

It is general un-inforced, but is the law in La.

No one uses common courtesy any more.

We were taught in the sixties to be courteous

Answer 3

Depends on where you are.  In Europe keeping to the right is the law, and it's illegal to pass on the right.  In most of the states of the U.S. it's courtesy wherever there are more than two lanes in each direction.

Answer 4

In U.S., Colorado passed a law making traveling in the left lane (the passing lane) on highways a moving violation and punishable by a fine.

In my opinion, if every state passed legislation similar to Colorado, it would cut down the number of 'road rage' acts and aggravation.

Answer 5

In the US it's just a courtesy.  In some countries in Europe, it's law.

Answer 6

In most cases it is a law. On two lane highways, the right is the driving lane and the left is reserved for passing. On 3 or more lanes, the the right and middle lanes are for slower traffic and the outer left is for passing. In bigger cities there are also Carpooling lanes which are reserved for cars with 2 or more occupants. Even though it would be courteous to move over into the right lane, it is also the law!

Here is an excerpt from a website on traffic laws.....

You must drive on the right half of the roadway except:

when passing another vehicle moving in the same direction on a two-lane highway, interstate highway or controlled freeway.

when a blockage makes it necessary to drive to the left of the center line. You may drive on the left after yielding to oncoming traffic.

on a roadway divided into three marked lanes for traffic.

on a roadway restricted to one-way traffic.

when directed to drive in a left lane by traffic control signs and signals on a multi-lane, two-way highway.

when crossing the center line to make a left turn into or from an alley, private road or driveway.

when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle (when it is safe to do so).

Additional rules apply to some vehicles in certain situations:

Slow vehicles must use the right-hand lane except when passing or making a left turn.

Weaving from lane to lane to move faster than the traffic flow is unlawful.

Traffic must travel in the direction of posted one-way streets or roadways. This rule does not apply to police and emergency vehicles using sirens or flashing lights.

It is unlawful to drive across median strips such as unpaved strips or median barriers. A driver may turn left across a paved dividing-space unless it is not permitted by a traffic control sign or signal.

A driver must not enter or leave any controlled-access roadway except at a posted entrance or exit.

When driving on an interstate highway or full access controlled freeway, a person may not drive in the left lane, except when passing another vehicle. Exceptions include when no other vehicle is directly behind the vehicle being driven in the left lane, when traffic conditions/congestion make it impractical to drive in the right lane, when weather conditions make it necessary to use the left lane, when there is an obstruction or hazard in the right lane, or when the driver is changing lanes to yield to emergency or construction vehicles.

Answer 7

It depend on where you are.  Some states are now enforcing it.  

It is best to drive in the right lane.  This allows passing motorists and emergency vehicles better access.