Florida Shooters Network

Florida passes bill to ban left lane driving

https://www.aol.com/news/florida-passes ... 18332.html

The state of Florida is set to crack down on life in the fast lane.

The Florida legislature has passed a bill that would ban motorists from cruising in the left lane of highways, sending it to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature. The bill passed unanimously in the state Senate 37-0.

"If someone in the left lane is going slower, and you pass them (on the right), you are creating an infraction, and you can get ticketed," bill sponsor state Sen. Keith Perry (R) said Thursday, according to The News Service of Florida.

Under HB 317, drivers on a road, street or highway "with two or more lanes" where the speed limit is "at least 65 miles per hour … may not operate a motor vehicle in the furthermost left-hand lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle; when preparing to exit … or when otherwise directed by an official traffic control device."

The legislation was sponsored by Republican state Reps. Jenna Persons-Mulicka and Melony Bell in the House and Perry in the Senate.

Anyone found to be in violation of the law would face fines for a moving violation, with fines up to $158, according to the bill text.

Perry said the measure is intended to improve highway safety. "Last year we had 247 instances where people were either incapacitated or deaths that happened from improper passing on the right-hand side on someone’s blindside," he told Action News Jax last week.

Should DeSantis sign the bill, Florida would join eight other states where it is currently illegal to drive in the left lane except for turning left or passing, according to AutoInsurance.org. States with those restrictions include Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and West Virginia.

"Driving is a pretty uniform practice across the United States, so most of us don't think twice before crossing new state lines. However, many states have their own traffic laws that pose legal penalties and physical dangers if not obeyed," said Jeffrey Johnson, an insurance lawyer.

For that reason, 27 states require drivers to stay right if they are moving slower than the cars surrounding them.

On I-4?

Is this all multi lane roads or just the freeways and turnpike?
Many of the streets and avenues in Pinellas County are two or more lanes east/west and north/south.
And is this actually an enforceable rule? I have never heard of a person overtaking and passing a left lane hog in the right lane being cited for the violation.

....Under HB 317, drivers on a road, street or highway "with two or more lanes" where the speed limit is "at least 65 miles per hour … may not operate a motor vehicle in the furthermost left-hand lane, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle; when preparing to exit....

So obviously it won't affect multi lane city traffic, that's usually limited to 45 mph.

It's the norm in many other places in the world.
Try driving in the left lane in Europe, big No-No.

Correct. They're very strict with passing on the right, but equally strict on daydreaming in the left lane.

This law is unnecessary here in Mosquito County. All lanes are fully congested 100% of the time. Add the 10 minute stop lights while no one goes through the intersections. Spent tens of billions on the I4 expansion and a decade building it just to add two toll lanes when they wasted about 6 lanes of space on exits/entrances and breakdown lanes instead of lanes that carry real traffic. You cannot pass anyone - ever!

Great urban planning. Build 1/4 of the roads for the planned unlimited expensive housing and don't make the developers pay. Now add our favorite super high density no-income housing for illegals!

BerettaRacer wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2024 2:11 pm It's the norm in many other places in the world.
Try driving in the left lane in Europe, big No-No.

Just stating a fact. In France, you drive on the right lane, on highways, no matter how many lanes, from 60 kmh to the speed limit, usually 130kmh. If drive below 60kmh, you must exit the highway. If the right lane moves slower than the max, you go to the middle lane and pass them up to the speed limit. If the middle lane move slower than speed limit you take the 3rd lane to pass, up to the speed limit.

In any case, as soon as you pass slower traffic, your must return to the rightmost lane intil you reach the right lane since nobody slower is in front of you and to allow others to pass you if you're slower than the speed limit.

On any road, you are permitted, for a very short time to go over the speed limit, by amout 10% of the max speed, if you're actively passing a slower vehicle and need the speed topass it safely.

Passing someone on the right is totally forbidden and can cost you a lot. They love fines here.

Not saying that it is the best method. Just stating a fact and helping other if they come over. All europe is "about" the same.

Legio wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 11:31 pm ........

Not saying that it is the best method. Just stating a fact and helping other if they come over. All europe is "about" the same.

Except for Italy. All driving laws and norms seem to go out the window in Italy. They make the drivers in Miami look tame.

George W wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:16 am
Except for Italy. All driving laws and norms seem to go out the window in Italy. They make the drivers in Miami look tame.

Not long ago I lived in northern Italy for 3 yrs

If you're not used to it it does look like Italians drive crazy in the cities and secondary roads. But they are generally good drivers and you don't see may accidents. Cell phone use during driving, verboten. No one's eating a Big Mac behind the wheel. DUI - Hah, random checkpoints, get busted and your car and everything in it gets confiscated.

On the highways it is quite strick on drive right / pass left.

George W wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:16 am Except for Italy. All driving laws and norms seem to go out the window in Italy. They make the drivers in Miami look tame.

You got that right.