Just wondering... I don't think there is any law in Florida that forbids overtaking on the right. There was where I learnt to drive, so I continue to only overtake on the left just as a courtesy.

I think it's safer as well to have faster traffic always on your left, so that when you do merge right and may only be able to use the passenger side mirror, there won't be a faster moving car zipping through your blind spot.

Anyone have any input on this? Please specify your location if there are laws about this.

EDIT: add some stories

3 lane section of I-95 in rural FL at night with extremely light traffic. 70mph speed limit. I am in the left lane and come up behind a car doing 62mph. Middle and right lanes are clear. I wait a bit, then flash my headlights. After about 30 seconds he finally moves right so I can pass, which I do, then I move back to the middle lane after leaving a safe distance in front of him. Then I watch in my rearview mirror as he inexplicably moves back into the left lane, almost cutting off a speeding car in the process. This car just overtakes on the right.

2 lane section of interstate. Sometimes a semi tractor trailer needs to overtake another one but their speed differential is not much so it takes some time. Impatient car drivers like to wait until the overtaking tractor trailer has opened up just enough space in front of the 2nd, then squeeze through that gap to overtake the 1st on the right. Don't know if they realize they are preventing and delaying the 1st tractor trailer from moving back to the right lane. I've seen a whole queue of 4 cars do this.

This is not overtaking on the right, but I also think it's dangerous when I'm on a freeway onramp and the person behind me decides to jump and merge first. Because of their greater speed, they sometimes end up beside me, blocking me so now I can't merge. Particularly dangerous if the onramp is short. I think it's just common courtesy that you should let the car in front of you merge first.

 

I abide by it for common courtesy. If there's a slow poke in the left lane I usually tailgate till they move over hah

 

If it's paved, I pass.

 

I imagine rather quickly with a supercharger.

 

Passing on the right is stupid, because 90% of drivers don't check their mirrors when changing into right lane. Driving fast in the right lane is asking for an accident.

 

Over here in Vegas, people have no courtesy, so just drive whichever lane to pass.

 

^^^^^^ same here ... The worst is someone drivin below the speed limit in the left lane with two clear open lanes next to them. Just pass and move on.

 

BY LAW,,, passing/overtaking on the right is ILLEGAL in just about every state with a few minor exceptions, for the very reasons you listed.. Basically, if you are just merging onto the highway from an on-ramp, and the lane is clear in front of you, passing a car on your IMMEDIATE left is permissable. Other than that,, not.

In your state,,,,
http://www.zqlawyers.com/library/wha...in-florida.cfm

 

Some times you have no choice. Around these parts, all the drivers like to collect on the left and there is actually an sparse right lane.

 

In Maryland, passing or overtaking on the right gets lumped in with "aggressive driving", but you have to be doing at least three of the things for it to be considered aggressive.

http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/bystate/md.html

So passing on the right by itself isn't a crime, but if you're doing other stuff too it is. I routinely get stuck behind dimwits in the left lane of a local highway going 35 in a 50 zone and pass on the right all the time. So long as I'm not breaking 50 to pass, it's not illegal.

 

i use to live in becamp md and travel i95 and rt 40 all the time.some drivers would make it a point not to get into the right lane and do 20 miles under the posted speed limit.you either pass on the right or get hit in the rear.
i did see a cop pull over a driver on i95 once when it happened to him when the driver wouldnt get into the left lane and travelind under the posted speed.

 

I just don't pass them on the right, but I also cut them off and give them the bird...

 

Same here

 

Did that on a highway once, got home, there was a message on the answering machine from a police station in the hicks for me to call back. I got a warning for agressive/dangerous driving as the old geezer had called in my license plate. They really had nothing better to do?????

 

I give drivers a chance to move over so I can stay in the left lane. If they don't take the hint they probably aren't paying attention anyway.