No, I’m not trying to make any kind of political statement here. I’m just trying to argue that this driving rule should apply in all cases, not just where signs indicate. (In the U.S. and other right-side driving countries; see strangemaps’ Driving Orientation).
The existing rules
Sometimes you see this sign. Often you’ll see one on hills or other spots along multilane highways or boulevards where traffic gets congested. It’s a good place for heavy trucks or underpowered cars to move over and get out of the way, right?
Some narrow highways have passing zones with an extra lane on long uphill grades, where you’ll see signs telling you to keep right except to pass. These exist for pretty much the same reason as the previous sign, just on a more temporary basis.
Some U.S. states (e.g. CO, OH) have passed laws in recent years which require you to keep right except when passing. I used to think was was stupid, but I’ve come to see its general efficacy, if only to get people into the habit. Of course, if people actually do it, the rightmost lane will wear out much faster than the other(s), but surely the state highway department is aware of this, and they are part of the plan, right? Maybe not, knowing how government bureaucracy works (and don’t call me Shirley).
For those of you who actually took a driver’s education class, you probably were taught (notice, I didn’t say “you probably learned”) to pass on the left, and to move right if someone wants to pass you. In fact, this is also the law in most states, at least on highways.
The reasoning
“But why should this rule be universal?” you might ask. Go ahead, ask. Nobody’s listening.
To grease the flow, as I say. (Pronounce “grease” with a “z”; it sounds cooler.) To lubricate the potential congestion spots. To regularize the traffic. To prevent highway constipation. You get the idea.
The more that driving behaviors can be normalized into a set of common expectations — habits, if you will — then the easier it is for everyone to do it with minimal complications. Face it, many of you don’t pay a lot of attention to your driving. At least, not always. So if you can a least be in the habit of doing the right thing (where “right thing” is defined as “what everyone expects you to do”), the smoother traffic can flow; the fewer accidents; fewer traffic jams; lower insurance rates.
The logical extension
How about we always do it? On every road — highway or boulevard. Busy road or empty one. Make it be the expectation. Always stay to the right when there’s somebody going faster than you in the vicinity.
This matters most when traffic gets really heavy. If the rule isn’t followed, then eventually you get everyone going the same speed, in every lane. And that speed is whatever the slowest car wants to do, because nobody can pass when both lanes are going the same speed. So, if you find yourself going the same speed as the guy to your right, and that’s the speed you want to go, then you need to figure out how to get into his lane. Slow down or speed up just a tad, long enough to find a place to move over. Then you will provide others behind you the opportunity to pass.
Sure, when you’re all alone on the road, it really doesn’t matter. But if you’re in the habit of keeping right except to pass, then you’ll already be in the right place when somebody wants to pass you. And they’ll be expecting to pass you on the left. Just like you, when wanting to pass somebody, will pass them on their left.
The Germans figured this out long ago, at least for their highways. And when everybody follows the rule (which they almost always do), traffic flows amazingly well. If you’ve ever had the pleasure to cruise the Autobahn, you’ve been impressed with how fast some cars are able to travel. Safely. Smoothly. Because their drivers can trust that only the cars that can actually go at the highest speeds will ever enter the leftmost lane, and that those who do, will indeed go very fast, and will give up their position to any car approaching them from the rear at an even higher speed. Okay, occasionally it requires a quick flashing of headlights, but from a long ways off, not right at the last second.
That’s the key — don’t let the traffic go the same speed in two different lanes. Keep the traffic greased.
