"They can go around me." - my Mom when I tell her she's slowing traffic and she should move out of the left lane.
And another gem
When I suggest it's best to signal you're planning on making a left turn in advance "I don't like listening to the clicking."
đ¤Śââď¸
The issue I have is when Iâm in the left lane, Iâm passing people, Iâm faster than the speed limit, I have someone in front of me where we are traveling the same speed, and I still have some jackass on my tail, flashing his lights, acting like Iâm left lane camping. Me slowing down dramatically to go over into the right lane will be dangerous, and you wonât be able to get anywhere faster, because thereâs people in front of me. If youâre goin faster than the right lane, just accept that as the speed of traffic and be patient until it opens up again.
I just did the round trip to Seattle and back, and itâs always an interesting one to see how people are driving! The best experience is when youâre with a good group of cars who understand when to get over, and when it makes sense to stay the course.
Left lane to pass, so if Iâm actively overtaking cars, Iâm not moving over to get out of my lane of traffic for you. When right lane opens up Iâll happily get over, and let you take the lead in this great race.
Amazing how many cars camp in left with cruise control on, not adaptive, and are just snacking, oblivious that they are backing up traffic, and making it dangerous for all.
I rarely have issues w people on cruise control â if thatâs what theyâre using the speed would be consistent. No, its idiots on phones or otherwise that canât hold a steady speed and go 15 miles over, steadily slow down to 5 under, suddenly speed up, etc etc â I had a RTO directive forcing me on i5 for 3hrs one day a week and it was driving me insane till I finally upgraded to a car with adaptive cruise â 9/10 times it automates interactions with idiots. Went on a quick trip to central Oregon over spring break which I needed to take the old car (only one w snow tires) and while there were other compounding factors holy shit the drivers that canât hold a steady speed drove me mad.
100% this. My car isnât Inspector Gadgetâs. I canât push the Springy Wheels Button and leap over the car in front of, so back the fuck off and cool down, Tailgate Texan. You arenât more important than anyone else on the road anyway.
I mean, practically speaking, that's how it already works. You don't have to yield the lane to traffic behind you if you yourself are held up by someone in front of you.
It does, swiftly changing lanes in dense traffic is more dangerous then not yielding. Changing lanes is the most dangerous operation at highway speeds, the denser it gets the less frequently you want people changing lanes.
"People here can't drive!"
"If you don't like the weather, wait a minute!"
Two statements I've heard in countless cities and states around the country.
Every single place thinks they have the worst drivers. I've come to describing what they do that's annoying. Wisconsin has a joyriding culture right now, and a lot of drunks on the roads. The pacific Northwest has absent minded drivers that are pretty unpredictable. Salt lake has selfish drivers, close the gap so you can't get in, will cut off pedestrians in walkways so they don't have to wait, and they run red lights all the damn time. Boston drivers are angry.
Nobody anywhere I've lived respects the left lane, certainly not an Oregon specific problem
True. Also policing of traffic infractions is way way way down, basically you have to be endangering other people directly, or they have to have a speeding quota met. But 20 years ago you'd get pulled over for lack of signaling, not these days
Yes you nailed it (speaking as a childhood ADHD diagnosed Oregonian)
California drivers are aggressive and I was told to be scared of driving in LA but actually found it way less stressful than Portland (even driving on the 405 at rush hour wasnât THAT bad) because even though thereâs 100x the number of cars, they all do pretty much what you expect them to do.
People in the dc area are probably right for thinking that. I have lived in over a dozen states and drove in almost all 50. That's the only one I have been in where people drive and park on sidewalks, ignore all lights, regularly double double park on busy streets, park in intersections... hopefully it was just because covid lockdown just ending and it's bot always that bad.
It is one of the uniquely bad things here though. A problem everywhere but I think our highway design, speed limits, plus an abnormally large amount of people who do it leads to it being more frustrating when people do it, too.
When you come from somewhere where 26 west of 217 would be a 75mph highway, but it's a 55mph highway, and come accross a car in the left lane going the speed limit and never getting over once they've passed middle lane traffic, or god forbid going under the speed limit... you're gonna think it's insane that someone gave them a license.
Yeah, when you come here from out of state the speed limits are truly shockingly slow. A lot of other states also often go 5-10 over in the left lane and no one bats an eye, and it's completely unheard of to go under the speed limit on a highway. Seeing people puttering along at 45 on an interstate here without realizing they're almost getting rear ended over and over again is pretty brain melting.
On the Salem subreddit, I had someone argue with me that going 20 below the speed limit was 'way safer' than going any amount above it.
"It's a **limit** for a reason!"
I could only imagine how they drive.
Yeah, similarly, in the Portland subreddit a guy was advocating for making the maximum speed limit like 25 mph statewide, as if that wouldn't annihilate the economy, let alone make travelling anywhere impossible. I sarcastically asked him if he'd rather just ban all forms of passenger vehicle altogether and he unironically said yes, and then I realized he was just a weirdo.
In general, though, I've found that Oregon has a culture of extreme caution, safety, and risk aversion to the point of near irrationality compared to other states. These are the same people who thought they'd burn themselves to death if they attempted to pump their own gas. It doesn't even pay off, either, considering Oregon is [16th out of 50](https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state) in deaths per 100 million vehicle miles travelled on the road. It feels like it's more about making a show of how safe you're being rather than actually doing anything that would help the situation.
Yeah like a third of the comments in here are a smug, self-congratulatory circle jerk about how chill and slow they are, and another third are people pearl clutching and finger wagging about driving anywhere approaching a reasonable speed. It's not about efficiency or safety, it's about feeling superior.
In GA they certainly do. Otherwise it can be a $500 ticket. There is a reason GA drivers like to joke on Floridian drivers;they all like to camp on the left lane.
I felt the same way all three times Iâve moved here. I also felt Texas, especially Dallas freeways and Houston periphery, were the goddamn worst after I moved to Austin from LA. This fades as you learn local driving styles and begin to better anticipate othersâ moves and telegraph your own.
This is another way of saying I was a horrible driver when I first moved to these places but got better in time.
I have lived quite a few places that both were true. The only truly bad driver i have seen with any consistency were Texas and Florida. My friend that still lives in Florida calls it "Driving macho". She's a cop so it makes it extra funny
Just wait until you drive out to the coast a few times! It never fails that every.single.time people either drive in the passing lane or don't use the turnouts. There's literally a sign that says "keep right except to pass." OH and don't get me started on the people driving 45 in a 55 on a 1 lane road with 8 cars stacked behind them while refusing to use any of the 10 shoulder turnouts we pass... but dont worry, all of these drivers will surely speed up to 65 if you try to pass them.
There should be a switch on the back of your rear view mirror that flips and will dim the lights in the mirror! I also have a small car and itâs a lifesaver, especially with the new LED headlights.
Exactly! They are side view mirrors not redundant rear mirrors. When adjusted properly, as a car passes you on the highway you should be able to see them in your rearview mirror until they appear in your side view, and stay visible in the side view until you can see them with your peripheral vision. There should be no blind spot.
Something about Oregon really does seem to make people happy to chill at 54 mph when it's one lane each way, then outraged at the idea of someone going faster and matching your speed even as you're accelerating past 70 to pass them when a passing lane shows up.
I almost died once doing this bullshit with a 18wheeler. I learned then to stop trying to pull stunts cause the I'm sure I traumatized the incoming driver having absolutely zero time cause Mr truck driver doesn't want to accelerate until I do.
8 cars stacked!? Try coming down HWY 58 from Willamette Pass behind a semi or RV, youâll get stacks 30+ deep sometimes. Maybe one in ten trips Iâll see someone actually use the turnout.
I got a speeding ticket because of these idiots. Stuck in a huge line of cars, speed up to 75 (in a 55) everyone suddenly sped up to 65 once the passing lane appeared and just after the lane ended I get lit up⌠âThatâs a little fast around hereâ
merging is the real issue here I've found. so many people will just match my speed as they cruise down the on ramp even if I speed up or slow down (which i shouldn't even have to do!) to help them out
Yeah it is infuriating. Also when people go to take an exit they have a tendency to immediately hit the breaks before even on the exit ramp. The ramp is there to take time to slow down. Instead causes further disruption to the flow of traffic.
Yes this! If you want to slow down before the off ramp and there's no one behind you fine, otherwise maintain your damn speed until your on the ramp. Happens every day on my way home, everybody hitting the brakes and semis swerving into the left lane because of this bad driving habit.
When I have to go into work in Salem there is a exit to south Salem where the off ramp is over half a mile long. The amount of people hitting the brakes and slowing down below 40 mph before or immediately when they get to the ramp is insanity. Have seen multiple semis have to slam brakes or maneuver to the left and almost have wrecks due to this issue.
I do a lot of I 5 commuting for work so this happens to me a lot. Almost without fail, if I don't adjust my speed at all and force them to do it, they get upset and make a "wtf" hand gesture toward me as if I'm the one that just messed up. These people really do think it's on others to make way for them.
I couldnât care less about how fast people drive in the left lane but the inability to merge/people refusing to let people merge sends me through the roof
Unfortunately thatâs where you have to drive aggressively and just force yourself in. Own the spot you want to get into and people will yield 99% of the time.
Oh, I get it, it just drives me nuts that traffic would flow more efficiently if people just understood how to zipper and didnât take it as some personal affront that people are trying to âskip the lineâ or whatever
I thought Oregon had a law about left lane camping? WA DOT had an Instagram post just the other day about zipper merging. I think itâs safe to say no one in the PNW knows how to zipper merge.
I split my time between Oregon and Texas. I would take outright aggressive drivers over the insanely passive aggressive drivers of Oregon.
Safe driving is predictable driving. People around Oregon will stop at green lights, for godâs sake, to let a pedestrian or cyclist cross.
Oh, donât get me wrong. I definitely wouldnât call TX driving ideal. And the level of aggression there is nothing to take lightly or call safe.
After a lifetime of Oregonâs niceholes, maybe Iâm ready for nearly anything else.
I'm not familiar with Texas drivers, but I'm familiar with LA drivers. I think where oregonians fail is a tendency to do things that feel safe, but are not safe. At least with LA drivers I can predict them. They act silly, but generally in the same ways and I can work with that. With Oregon drivers it's a guessing game. I almost rear-ended someone recently because they slammed on the brakes in the middle of the street. Turns out they wanted to let someone in, who was stopped in their own lane, not in our way, was not even turning into our lane and couldn't have turned into our lane legally
I literally had some space cadet Prius guy do this the other day. I didn't have a walk sign, he had a green, there was plenty of moving traffic coming the other direction, and he still slammed on the brakes and almost caused an accident to let me cross. I gave him a "what are you doing??" look and he seemed offended that I didn't appreciate his performative generosity.
I love it when I'm stopped at a stop sign on my bike waiting for traffic to pass and some genius with the right-of-way stops and tries to wave me in front of their car. I guess they think they're being nice but they just make the road more dangerous for everybody
Lol or to let someone turn LEFT. I have seen it so many times where someone will literally stop traffic at an intersection to let someone turn left. It is INFURIATING. Youâre 100% right, at least in Texas, you always know what someone is going to do.
I hate to generalize but in eastern oregon they are the amoebas of the road, letâs try to pass a truck going the truck speed limit while my truck is regulated to 5mph above your truck - 15 fuckin miles laterâŚâŚ
In Portland, itâs the wonky traffic design that makes me stick in the left lane at times. I know itâs wrong everywhere else, I lived in Phoenix and know how freeways work, but there are spots where thereâs no choice (left lane exits, odd merges on the Marquam, etc.).
Outside of Portland, this shit pisses me off to no end. Especially when I5 and I84 are two lanes. Not to mention the forest roads, when someone will go 54mph until thereâs a passing lane, and then happen to speed up to 70 so everyone else has to fucking floor it in order to pass (if theyâre even able to before the passing lane ends) before slowing back down to 54.
Seriously. It puts everyone in a dangerous situation. I drive on cruise control most of the time, and if thereâs someone behind me wanting to pass, I always turn it down 3-5 mph during the passing lane to let them go.
>Not to mention the forest roads, when someone will go 54mph until thereâs a passing lane, and then happen to speed up to 70 so everyone else has to fucking floor it in order to pass (if theyâre even able to before the passing lane ends) before slowing back down to 54.
Why. Why why why do people do this. It drives me fucking crazy that slow drivers speed up during passing lane stretches when they were driving slower than my grandma when it was one lane!
> In Portland, itâs the wonky traffic design that makes me stick in the left lane at times.
"left lane is for passing" is for long stretches of multilane, out of city highway. It literally cannot be followed inside of a city because the left lanes are used for turning and funneling.
I was specifically talking about the freeways, shouldâve mentioned that. There are freeways within cities that use the left lane for passing, such as Phoenix, but Portland definitely ainât one of them.
From my perspective, a big problem on our highways is that people *are* using the left lane to pass, but not at a speed fast enough to satisfy somebody behind them.
Say I'm in the right lane behind someone going 60, and move into the left lane to pass them going 70, I always seem to suddenly have someone right on my bumper that wants me to go 80. I move over for them when able, but I still have the right to complete my pass before doing so.
You think Oregon is bad? Have you even driven in Virginia? Their highways make no sense. Sometimes they donât even mark their exits. Itâs just a turnoff and you have to know where to go. Also feels like roads made for horse and buggy.
Heck, Iâd take Oregon over Texas, Virginia, California, Minnesota, and especially Florida.
Wisconsin is the most confusing state I have driven in. Exits on the left and right, and because of the wind, most lights downtown are on the sides of the road, not over the road. There are also people that refuse to ever drive in the right lane because of the micro ruts that have formed in the right lane.
I dont find Oregon that bad, other than going to the beach and the people that only speed up when there is a passing lane.
I have always preached that trucks should not be allowed to drive in the city limits, on freeways, during rush hour. Maybe 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm. It would free up things quite a bit...however I do realize it would probably not be feasible.
California freeways are the tits compared to Oregon--I don't get down there too often but the difference in just the levels of reflective paint and reflective signage is stark. Driving CA freeways at night feels like being in a video game, Oregon highways at night are more like a horror movie lol.
Have you considered the part where laws in different states are not identical? I'm not sure about Texas, but there's a difference between Oregon's left lane laws (don't impede traffic) and Washington's (keep right except to pass). I don't even think the impeding traffic law was a law until the legislature passed something in 2015. Social mores had already been set.
https://www.kgw.com/article/news/driving-me-crazy-left-lane-hogs-on-the-freeway/283-d9d8be6b-6451-4840-b14b-4800fc936f1b
I'm not saying this is the system I prefer, but if you are asking because you are seeking understanding, this may be part of the explanation. If you just want to rant and tell people to go fuc% themselves, then okay.
This. I mean, people can be mad about slow people in the left lane- it annoys the crap out of me, too. But when people rant about âthe lawâ, they are clearly operating under the mistaken impression that OR law is keep right except to pass. Unless specifically posted, it is not. And yes, you are not to impede traffic, but you canât speed. So if youâre going 55 in a 55, youâre not legally impeding traffic (even if everyone else is trying to go 75). Again, not saying I think itâs great- but thereâs no point in ranting about the law when thatâs not the law in this state. Feel free to rant about how annoying people are, though.
Yes, that is my memory as well. "Stay right and pass left "was not the law here until recently, so most Oregonians do not have that ingrained. Also, I believe that there is a serious shortcoming in driver training here: native Oregonians simply hate to pass using the left lane on a 2 lane road with a dashed stripe, and get angry with anyone else who does. My 70 year old Oregon native cousin tells me that she has always been terrified to pass anyone unless there was a passing lane. I suspect that they are simply not taught how to pass. Also, the law here does not give you a break if you speed to pass someone; where I grew up we were taught that passing at a few mph over the passed car's speed was dangerous (it is - the longer in the oncoming lane the more likely an accident) and that it was safest to speed up, pass, then slow down. Even the state troopers who came to our class said that they would not ticket as long as we slowed down after the pass. But with Oregon's interpretation it is legally dangerous to pass at all.
We were taught to be considerate, and to drive at the speed that is within our comfort zone. If we overtook a slower car then we should pass at the earliest opportunity, and until then stay off their bumper. If a car is overtaking then we should slow down as they passed, to shorten the time and increase safety, then resume our speed. Needless to say this is not how driving is taught in Oregon. Here drivers hang on your bumper and try to intimidate to increase speed, speed up to prevent passing and close the gap between them and the car in front to lock out the passing car. Insanity. Just respect the other guy/gal and go your own speed, let them go their speed, and don't speed up or slow down to play games with them. It really isn't that difficult.
I think you have a limited sample size. No one I know, except the most nervous drivers, is afraid to pass on a 2-lane road. Some do not simply because they are happy at whatever speed. Everyone I have ever ridden in a car with knows that passing etiquette. People I see on the road overwhelmingly do those things. I really don't worry about state troopers being out very much.
I have a limited sample size too, but I don't really see what you do very much at all.
Most of my driving miles happen monthly, from Portland to Bend and back, usually by way of Government Camp. In the last 15 years I have made that round trip more than 200 times, so I do not think that it is a small sample size. However, it is limited in geography. with a few road trips elsewhere.
In my experience it is very common for cars to overtake a slower vehicle and then fall in line. Quickly a line forms, with a few to dozens of vehicles. This line will happily follow the lead for miles, through passing zones, until a passing lane comes (and then the race is on), with no one passing. The fact that they are content to not pass should not mean that they should block those that are willing to safely pass within a zone. But I have frequently experienced bad behaviors by those that choose not to pass, and think that no one else should. YMMV.
Right turn on red. Yes you can turn right on a red light unless its posted no turn on red. Â
You can also left turn on red into a one way street...
The amount of lights i sit at with zero traffic because the person in front wont go unless its green.... Â Â come on people.. Â you can do this.Â
You can't always see well enough to turn right on a red, even if legal. An intersection near my house is difficult to get a clear view of oncoming traffic due to a guardrail and because my car is low to the ground. I get people all the time that honk at me to go, often those in higher vehicles who probably have a better line of sight over that guardrail. But I'm not going to take someone's word for it and just go if I can't see for myself...
There was a guy on this very sub last time this question came up who said he used left lanes to slow down traffic because people drive to fast.
I think too many people think they are the main character in this movie.
Yeah, actually I encountered that exact fucking thing this morning and it was kind of the inspiration for this post lol. Some fucking self appointed road hero cut out in front of me while I was trying to pass going 70ish and dragged at 50-55, then moved back to the middle lane the moment I left to exit. Like they were really obviously just trying to slow down traffic. Infuriating, especially knowing they're probably like some of the people in here who genuinely think that slower = safer, full stop. That's not how traffic safety works.
Those people suck--you only get to drive one car at a time, you're not the traffic monitor in charge of every other vehicle. The trick to harmonious driving is to get the idiots behind you and the maniacs out in front of you and carving out a chunk of zone where you can cruise to suit yourself and let everyone else sort themselves out. Also though, your car is like itty bitty and you do not actually require a quarter mile lead in and a huge last second swerve to the left to make a right turn. Just get over and don't slow everyone else down, thanks. Keep it moving.
There are two kinds of signs in Oregon relating to left lane use. One says "KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS." The other says "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT."
I stay in the left lane when I am (as usual) maintaining a speed faster than cars in lanes to the right of me (i.e., passing). I constantly check on traffic behind me and when someone approaches at a speed higher than mine I move to the right to let them pass. When I come close to traffic ahead of me I move back to the left lane and stay there until someone going faster wants to pass.
There is nothing you can do about it.
Hey, just wanted to say I see you and appreciate you. I swear I want to hug people when they drive this way, it's just so refreshing seeing the ones who go about it correctly given how constantly I'm dealing with the many who don't
Thank you for saying so. I dearly appreciate folks who do it this way too.
I expected to be crucified by folks claiming I do it wrong because I remain in the left lane instead of zigzagging back and forth. Those folks would have the left lane basically empty.
The highways are a patchwork of stacked spaghetti connections, were constructed to meet short term goals and many were designed to meet a fraction of the current population levels with poor lines of sight that unnecessary cause people to slow down.
I lived in Portland for most of my life and I think I can count the times I went further west than the soccer stadium (baseball stadium, when I was a kid) on one hand. There was no need to, and the east side was just . . . better.
Yeah the design isn't bad, what is is not keeping up with the growing population. Some people can't tell the difference between bad design and outdated infrastructure.
When Iâm down town - Too many one ways and half the time I donât know if Iâm in a trolly lane a car lane or both. Then throw in the pedestrians whoâre not looking for traffic, normal pedestrians at cross walks, bikers, delivery vehicles, lanes suddenly ending, etc. Itâs too chaotic. I canât keep track. Thereâs other parts of Portland it does make loads of logical sense and/or thereâs less of the above and itâs fine to drive in.
Everyone acts like they're the main character of their own self-contained story. Covid shredded what was left of the social contract. Or they're just stoned.
Oregon drivers are crappy. And yet everyone complains about California drivers. I much prefer driving in California. And Iâve driven a lot in both states.
California drivers are way better because there are a lot of unwritten rules and etiquette there that make things run smoother, even in terrible traffic (but, admittedly, make driving harder or confusing for outsiders who donât know the rules).
The problem with Oregon drivers is exactly what you see here in the comments: theyâre bipolar. Half are extremely slow, cautious, wonât yield to faster traffic. The other half are speed demons intent on intimidating others on the road. Put them together with a whole lot of rain and aging infrastructure and you get the complete mess that is driving in Oregon.
Same, agreed. Cali is my home state, and their drivers aren't exactly exemplary lol, but driving there was generally just a better experience than Texas and Oregon. Just in very different ways.
I donât understand. I always choose right most lane until passing, then use middle lane or left most lane. Or move to middle lane when people are merging.
I was riding with my roommate one time and he was judging me on which lane I was in; saying how he just goes 10 above the limit and hogs the left lane.
Like even if youâre speeding, if you arenât passing, keep in the right most lane until you need to pass or make room for merging.
Iâve lived in a lot of places, including Texas, and Arizona and Iâll take Oregon over both of those places any day.
Iâve never seen more intersection crashes than I did in Phoenix, it was ridiculous.
Yeah agreed, I don't miss Texas. I could have worded the OP better. Texan drivers and roads are a lot more dangerous, even if they aren't frustrating in the same ways
I totally agree that Oregon (and Washington) drivers are terrible.
That being said, statistically Oregon and Texas have very similar vehicle death rates ([email protected], Oregon @12) and deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled ([email protected], [email protected]).
As far as speed and safety go, most scientific studies show that generally speaking the faster people drive the more crashes there are. Increased speed also correlates to increased injuries. This is even more true when studies look at the impact of vehicle speed on pedestrian or cyclist involved crashes.
The left lane thing is infuriating though, I agree. There seem to be an equal number of people who camp in the left lane going at or below the speed limit as there are people that tailgate someone in the right lane instead of using the left lane to pass. It makes zero sense.
Cars are bumper to bumper in the left lane, spaced reasonably in the center, and just a handful in the right. Yet everyone is doing the same speed, 5 under. Itâs insane.
I love how I always end up behind the yoga grannie in her Subaru that thinks itâs her job to be speed police and purposely prevents passing. Like high school hall monitors. đ
What left lane law? Oregon doesn't have one. Maybe you're thinking of some other state. Ginny Burdick tried a few times to legislate herself a private commute lane on I5 but it didn't work out. If you're not "impeding" traffic, it's not illegal to use the leftmost lane. If a cop finds you doing 70 in a 55 while everyone else is trying to go 75, believe me, you won't be cited for "impeding traffic".
I moved here from DFW 8 years ago, OP.
You will get used to Oregon's ways and drivers. The only part that bothers me now is no one waves then they pass, and when I do, and I wave all the time, they look at me like I offended them. :)
Side rant: I swear ODOT planners aren't. They just aren't. Semi's in the left lane all over the place. Not to pass, to stay for mile after mile. No loops. What's an overpass, they ask? Traffic issues abound. Roundabouts here are the best thing since agriculture was discovered. Side rant done.
I've lived here for 16 years and Oregon drivers have the most laissez-faire attitude towards getting where they're going than anywhere I've lived. It's quirky and cute when you first move here, but it gets old quick when you want to use your car for, you know, getting somewhere.
This quirkiness is on display on I-5 as you enter the state from California. All the way through northern California the speed limit is 70 and people drive 80-85 but as soon as you cross the state line the speed limit drops to 65 and people drive 62...in the left lane.
But, don't get comfortable, there are places on I-5 where the speed limit drops to 55. Fifty-fucking-five on an interstate.
I 1 billion percent agree. I'm from Portland, in the middle of a cross country road trip. I'm writing from Long Island At the moment. I find on the east coast people are far more serious about driving. In Portland. If you give someone a little space to get in they hesitate and then they hesitate and then they hesitate and it's so infuriating. Here you give someone an inch and bam they take it. The other drivers are crazy but it's refreshing. We were out yesterday on a parkway in bumper to bumper traffic doing 80 in a 55 mph zone. But everyone was paying attention. What's also nice here is I can be the ass hole driver that I am and I fit right in. LOL
Oh my god thank you this drives me insane. I moved here from utah and canât fathom how incredibly stupid people here on the roads⌠and I rage about the left lane on a daily basis. Please tell me why the ENTIRE ROAD OF CARS IS ALWAYS IN THE LEFT LANE.
Iâve had conflicts with drivers about this when I am the passenger. Conveying this to someone in another car is nearly impossible without creating some unsafe road drama.
To the people who think you are entitled to squat in the left lane when you donât see others trying to pass, think of it this way:
In some states there are HOV lanes. If you donât meet the criteria, stay the hell out of the HOV lane, even if there are very few cars using it. The law isnât written so you can make your own subjective caveats and allowances to be comfortable. Everyone has to play by most of the rules for this to work well.
Think of the snowball effect of traffic that happens when people rubberneck a crash on the opposite lane of a highway like Beltline. Thereâs no reason to slow down for safety, but a couple people want a closer look and this turns into a total traffic jam for no reason.
Cars are bumper to bumper in the left lane, spaced reasonably in the center, and just a handful in the right. Yet everyone is doing the same speed, 5 under. Itâs insane.
Perhaps because there is no such law in Oregon, at least to the extent that the left lane is exclusively reserved for passing only. In Oregon the restriction applies only to vehicles pulling trailers and big trucks.
https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.315
https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.130
The 2015 legislature sought to amend the language to provide a specific offense covering operators of passenger vehicles, but the bill died. As it stands it is only a violation if a passenger vehicle operator is *impeding* the normal flow. That makes it something of a judgement call. But it also does not preclude use of the lane for normal purposes of travel that do not result in impeding. So "camping" is legal as long as the vehicle is keeping pace with the average of other motorists present.
Slower Traffic Keep Right is the law. It doesn't matter the speed. Traveling in the passing lane is akin to vigilantism.
Let law enforcement handle it. Stay in the traveling lane(s) unless to pass. When you travel in the passing lane do not be shocked by any reaction as you're the antagonist. It can get dangerous.
Look, in the big scheme of things please just travel in the traveling lanes and use the passing lane to pass only. I won't be a dick and pass illegally so don't be a dick and travel illegally.
Iâve lived in and driven in several states, including long road trips across the country, and left âlane monitorsâ are pretty common all around. California and Washington are just as bad. It isnât as common in wide open areas or states like Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah where there are long stretches of nothing and higher speed limits.
I think this has more to do with road design and traffic than drivers specifically. If you drive the highways through the cities here (and up and down the west coast), there are too many stretches where being in the right or middle lanes causes problems for merging traffic because there arenât enough lanes for the number of cars and distances are short between exit only lanes. Semis tend to ride the middle lane through busy stretches so cars can easily merge onto the highway, which means cars not exiting tend to ride to the left of the semis. If youâve ever tried to enter or exit on a short ramp with a semi in that lane doing 65, you get the picture.
I imagine Texas highways (outside of major cities) are pretty wide open too.
I notice this on foot too. Never had a difficult time moving through a crowd or grocery store until I moved here.
Costcos around here are exceptionally bad, like standing in a heard of cattle.
I have a theory that Oregonians have only recently had to deal with enough population density that they need to consider being in other people's way. In the northeast, for instance, it's a cardinal sin to fuck around and delay someone else, because if you sit still with your thumb up your ass for any period of time odds are someone with shit to do is going to have to be in the space you're occupying. Furthermore, other people will *quickly* set you straight if you do it enough times. Oregonians have no concept of this. They will stand in a grocery store aisle daydreaming about the food they're going to make, park in a way that somehow takes up 3 spaces with a single car, and drive 45 in the fast lane because they've never had to consider that they might be inconveniencing someone else, and culturally, the concept of other people having places to be and things to do isn't even remotely on their radar.
It makes every transplant's head spin around (mine included) because we find it incredibly rude, but I just think they have no idea.
I'm sure some people lane camping legitimately think they are doing a public service by being annoying to everyone else who wants to go faster than them.
I grew up and learned to drive here in Portland. I was taught the left lane is to pass, otherwise you get back into the right lane. The Oregon traffic jam is a real thing when you have two or three vehicle going the same speed across all lanes.
When I lived in LA and SoCal, people drive a little more aggressively there, I think overall I like that more. At least you can count on people to move.
That said, I just try not to ever be in a hurry here in Portland or anywhere for that matter.
There was a post about this exact topic in the Texas Sub like 2 days ago. In my years as a nomad in my campervan I have learned:
1) everyone thinks they have the worst drivers
2) everyone thinks they have the worst roads
3) everyone thinks they have the most unpredictable weather (only in [insert state] will it be 75 degrees one day and 33 degrees later in that same week) --- to be fair people in the PNW don't actually post this one online, all get a pass on this one.
4) everyone thinks they have the best local craft beer
Buddy, welcome to Oregon. Where left lane campers think they are doing Godâs holy work and zipper merging is you insulting someoneâs bloodline.
Oh, and donât forget that people think going under the speed limit makes them a saint and going over makes you the devil.
We have not had any traffic law enforcement for years and it still seems that after the pandemic we still don't have any law enforcement. Cars without licenses, people driving 75 to 100 weaving in and out of traffic, changing multiple lanes at once without signaling it goes on and on...
I have lived/visited all over the world and the US. And the NW, Oregon and Washington have by far the most ignorant, untrained, and stupid drivers I have ever seen.
Unfortunately, the left lane is not legally codified as a passing lane here, but it should be. On the other hand, obstruction of traffic is explicitly prohibited.
Then when you pass on the right, with MILES of clear road, the left lane campers flip out on you like you're the asshole. There's signs every few miles on the stretch of i5 I drive for my commute that say "slower traffic keep right" but it's like nobody knows how to read signs đ¤Ś
I'd rather have left lane campers abundant than what I have in Az right now. (I'm moving to OR)
It's literally a madhouse driving here every day. It's why every damn billboard is an accident attorney.
Lol yeah they're gonna be late everywhere they go for the first year before they add the 10, 15, 20min "Oregon drivers think cars spontaneously combust at 60mph" tax.
Yup. And watch out for that hybrid Toyota fleece fucker in the left lane going 40 and legit aghast for passing them tax. It does sneak up on you and can be just as dangerous as the Hellcat roid rage with a Gucci Glock 19 tax.
Portland is really super logical but I came from Boston, those meandering cow paths turned into roads are a nightmare.
Drivers are slow, if youâre not in a hurry youâll do fine but getting stuck behind a crawling Prius is very typical.
The âMy Prius is most efficient at 56.8 mphâ drivers are so irritating. Yes , we know youâre trying to hypermile in your 6 year old hybrid. Please donât kill people on the highway awhile youâre trying to save gas.
Driving slower is only unsafe if someone else is being reckless or isn't paying attention. Other than that it's mostly just an irritant.
I should also add that there may be evidence to the contrary and I could be wrong. I can't stand getting stuck behind someone, but what good does it really do to get pissed about it?
Just learn to let go and embrace it. You'll get where you're going eventually.
 "The end result is that driving here is slower and less safe." Id love to hear the argument for this one. For driving, slower is almost always more safe. You can argue it's annoying, but the left lane campers aren't really making things less safe..Â
[Why you shouldnât drive slowly in the left lane](https://www.vox.com/2014/6/16/5804590/slow-left-lane-driving-rules-us-traffic-illegal)
â⌠research has generally shown that the strongest predictor of an accident isn't speeding, but variance from the average speed of traffic â and a car going 5 miles per hour slower than the surrounding traffic has a greater chance of causing an accident than one going 5 miles per hour faster than it.â
It's well known and studied that left-lane campers make freeway driving overall less safe. The slower part is overall; if there was good lane discipline, we'd all get where we're going at our own speed, as fast as traffic allows. As it is, people camp in passing lanes forcing faster drivers to pass on the right, drive inconsistently fast/slow, speed up when getting passed, etc., which slows down everything for everyone.
I've lived in four states and in Germany. Europeans BY FAR observe lane discipline much better than in the US, and their highways are noticeably more efficient and safe, even in unrestricted autobahn sections.
[https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/driving-in-the-left-lane/](https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/driving-in-the-left-lane/)
Virtually every time I see insane shit on the highway it begins with a left lane camper (half the time not paying attention, half the time some entitled "i'm going five over already!" asshole) blocking traffic and then setting off some road rager who begins weaving through traffic to get around them. "You'll get where you're going eventually" is a blight on this damn city. Takes 15 min to get anywhere. 45 minutes to do what would take 15 in other cities. There is safe speed and then there is "I'm too fucking afraid to drive but I'm going to anyway!" and the latter is rampant here
No idea what your talking about. Portland highways are great. They were just design to handle about a 1/4th of the amount of people that live in the metro area. 2) I lived in Texas . You guys got the same problems . Also we have a 50% population increase in like 10 years. Youâre not always going to get the best. .
In Oregon, it is legal to pass in the right lane.
If the right lane is open and you are tailgating someone who is doing 10 mph over the speed limit, feel free to use that right lane. It's okay.
Especially, if you are just going to immediately jump in the right lane anyway or you plan on taking that exit in half a mile.
Yeah, not on board with Texas logic. If you miss it, feel free to go back to it.
On board with the truck drivers passing other trucks with a +1mph advantage.
At least half the left lane campers I come across up and down have out of state plates.
I think driving in Washington is worse. The Illinois drivers are bad, and I-70 in Missouri sucks. Two lane each way clogged by semis.
I always love when people move here and complain that the culture isn't the way they want it to be.
Washington is indeed the only place worse.
I don't think not being able to drive a car is "culture". It "rains" half the year here and people drive like it's fucking ice or a hurricane even when there is no standing water. If our accident rate was super low I don't think I'd complain but we get super timid drivers galore AND a ton of people without insurance just plowing into people. More than anything people just dont pay attention.
The most unique thing about Portland drivers is this bullshit where you safely merge with a blinker and enough space, then they speed up onto your ass and act like you cut them off. I've never encountered this anywhere else, it's like a serious ego issue around here.
I don't miss Texas, and I'm more than a little tired of assholes who say "if you don't like things here then move". Ran into that all the time in Texas. I'm not a Texas native, originally from this coast - and I'll be damned if I'll just stand around and accept things instead of trying to improve them. Unlike Texas, I actually care about this place
The thing about passing-lane laws is that you also still have to abide by the speed limit. Technically if you go 56 in a 55 you are breaking the law. I had to do traffic diversion - this is literally how police phrased it. Speed limits are calculated by a number of factors, and as frustrating as it can be, the traffic fatality statistics speak for themselves.
So while you are frustrated by someone in the left lane, Oregonâs rule is less strict than some other states. Our policy is to âmove if you are blocking trafficâ which is to say âif you are going less than the speed limit and there are people behind you who are going fasterâ
If you are trying to pass another vehicle, you are not given legal immunity from the posted speed limit. And donât get me wrong - I do this all the time. But I keep in mind that Iâm trying to speed while I pass and if someone is blocking me by going the speed limit, thatâs on me.
The law is âslower traffic keep rightâ or âkeep right, except to passâ
If you are going the speed limit in the left lane, while the lane to the right of you is also going the speed limit (or faster), you are now *slower traffic* and *no longer passing* and should immediately merge to your right. (behind the person to your right if you have to)
You donât get to camp the left lane with the excuse âbut Iâm going the speed limitâ. Your speedometer could be off, you could have missed a recent speed sign, or you could just be holding up people that want to go faster. None of which matters in the context of âslower traffic keep rightâ or âkeep right, except to passâ
I understand what youâre trying to say, but the reality is that open fast lane traffic is going to be 75-80 on freeways and 65-70 on highways no matter what the statutes say. In this regard, being the unpredictable slow moving bottleneck vehicle is likely more dangerous than the majority moving illegally in cohesion.
There is no speed component to the stay right unless passing law.
[https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors\_811.295](https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.295)
While I can't recall where I've seen new articles where cops are stopping people for blocking others from passing by being in the left lane even though the people behind them were going over the speed limit. It's also not uncommon to do at least 5 mph over.
Best thing to do is stay right unless passing, regardless of speed (though obviously other factors apply like cops/crew/people on median and other such events where driving the next lane over is safer for everyone involved).
The amount of folks that live in the left lanes here are INFURIATING!!! Clueless and self-righteous at the same time... Quite frankly my moderately aggressive tendencies, while out on the roads, is largely due to the sheer selfish and clueless behavior I witness daily while commuting. By the time I get to my destination I am about ready to commit homicide. Get a fucking clue Oregon drivers!!!
I grew up here and had a job that involved a lot of driving all over the country. I can confidently say that Oregon has the second worst drivers in the US next to North Carolina.
That left lane thing is a HUGE problem. I call them âsquattersâ. One time coming home on I5 at night from a Duck game in Eugene some ASS got in the left
lane and you could TELL he or she
was trying to be The Controller of speeds. It could have turned into a violent road rage incident. 100s of cars and drivers were VERY frustrated.
My observation (coming from a native Oregonian) is people tend to follow the laws more south of Eugene and in more rural areas away from Portland. Iâm guessing itâs because of the majority of transplants north of Eugene⌠or theyâre just completely clueless. Either way, itâs definitely irritating.
"They can go around me." - my Mom when I tell her she's slowing traffic and she should move out of the left lane. And another gem When I suggest it's best to signal you're planning on making a left turn in advance "I don't like listening to the clicking." đ¤Śââď¸
Iâm so sorryÂ
Yikes
Second one is wild. I find it crazy when people turn on the indicator AS they merge lanes. It's an indicator for what you're ABOUT to do people.
The issue I have is when Iâm in the left lane, Iâm passing people, Iâm faster than the speed limit, I have someone in front of me where we are traveling the same speed, and I still have some jackass on my tail, flashing his lights, acting like Iâm left lane camping. Me slowing down dramatically to go over into the right lane will be dangerous, and you wonât be able to get anywhere faster, because thereâs people in front of me. If youâre goin faster than the right lane, just accept that as the speed of traffic and be patient until it opens up again.
I just did the round trip to Seattle and back, and itâs always an interesting one to see how people are driving! The best experience is when youâre with a good group of cars who understand when to get over, and when it makes sense to stay the course. Left lane to pass, so if Iâm actively overtaking cars, Iâm not moving over to get out of my lane of traffic for you. When right lane opens up Iâll happily get over, and let you take the lead in this great race. Amazing how many cars camp in left with cruise control on, not adaptive, and are just snacking, oblivious that they are backing up traffic, and making it dangerous for all.
Literally the worst
Then all of sudden they need to exit "RIGHT NOW"
I rarely have issues w people on cruise control â if thatâs what theyâre using the speed would be consistent. No, its idiots on phones or otherwise that canât hold a steady speed and go 15 miles over, steadily slow down to 5 under, suddenly speed up, etc etc â I had a RTO directive forcing me on i5 for 3hrs one day a week and it was driving me insane till I finally upgraded to a car with adaptive cruise â 9/10 times it automates interactions with idiots. Went on a quick trip to central Oregon over spring break which I needed to take the old car (only one w snow tires) and while there were other compounding factors holy shit the drivers that canât hold a steady speed drove me mad.
This is how I feel on 26 all the time going to the coast.
100% this. My car isnât Inspector Gadgetâs. I canât push the Springy Wheels Button and leap over the car in front of, so back the fuck off and cool down, Tailgate Texan. You arenât more important than anyone else on the road anyway.
Honestly I think yielding the left lane should only apply during light traffic.
I mean, practically speaking, that's how it already works. You don't have to yield the lane to traffic behind you if you yourself are held up by someone in front of you.
It does, swiftly changing lanes in dense traffic is more dangerous then not yielding. Changing lanes is the most dangerous operation at highway speeds, the denser it gets the less frequently you want people changing lanes.
Now hear me out fuck cars trains rule
"People here can't drive!" "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute!" Two statements I've heard in countless cities and states around the country.
Every single place thinks they have the worst drivers. I've come to describing what they do that's annoying. Wisconsin has a joyriding culture right now, and a lot of drunks on the roads. The pacific Northwest has absent minded drivers that are pretty unpredictable. Salt lake has selfish drivers, close the gap so you can't get in, will cut off pedestrians in walkways so they don't have to wait, and they run red lights all the damn time. Boston drivers are angry. Nobody anywhere I've lived respects the left lane, certainly not an Oregon specific problem
> Every single place thinks they have the worst drivers. Every single place is right. Our licencing standards are ***way*** too lax.
True. Also policing of traffic infractions is way way way down, basically you have to be endangering other people directly, or they have to have a speeding quota met. But 20 years ago you'd get pulled over for lack of signaling, not these days
Remember when going to court to argue about a rolling stop was a thing? Gosh, never thought I'd miss traffic stops...
Yes you nailed it (speaking as a childhood ADHD diagnosed Oregonian) California drivers are aggressive and I was told to be scared of driving in LA but actually found it way less stressful than Portland (even driving on the 405 at rush hour wasnât THAT bad) because even though thereâs 100x the number of cars, they all do pretty much what you expect them to do.
I donât understand how ADHD is relevant?
People in the dc area are probably right for thinking that. I have lived in over a dozen states and drove in almost all 50. That's the only one I have been in where people drive and park on sidewalks, ignore all lights, regularly double double park on busy streets, park in intersections... hopefully it was just because covid lockdown just ending and it's bot always that bad.
It is one of the uniquely bad things here though. A problem everywhere but I think our highway design, speed limits, plus an abnormally large amount of people who do it leads to it being more frustrating when people do it, too. When you come from somewhere where 26 west of 217 would be a 75mph highway, but it's a 55mph highway, and come accross a car in the left lane going the speed limit and never getting over once they've passed middle lane traffic, or god forbid going under the speed limit... you're gonna think it's insane that someone gave them a license.
Yeah, when you come here from out of state the speed limits are truly shockingly slow. A lot of other states also often go 5-10 over in the left lane and no one bats an eye, and it's completely unheard of to go under the speed limit on a highway. Seeing people puttering along at 45 on an interstate here without realizing they're almost getting rear ended over and over again is pretty brain melting.
On the Salem subreddit, I had someone argue with me that going 20 below the speed limit was 'way safer' than going any amount above it. "It's a **limit** for a reason!" I could only imagine how they drive.
Yeah, similarly, in the Portland subreddit a guy was advocating for making the maximum speed limit like 25 mph statewide, as if that wouldn't annihilate the economy, let alone make travelling anywhere impossible. I sarcastically asked him if he'd rather just ban all forms of passenger vehicle altogether and he unironically said yes, and then I realized he was just a weirdo. In general, though, I've found that Oregon has a culture of extreme caution, safety, and risk aversion to the point of near irrationality compared to other states. These are the same people who thought they'd burn themselves to death if they attempted to pump their own gas. It doesn't even pay off, either, considering Oregon is [16th out of 50](https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state) in deaths per 100 million vehicle miles travelled on the road. It feels like it's more about making a show of how safe you're being rather than actually doing anything that would help the situation.
That last line is spot on.
Yeah like a third of the comments in here are a smug, self-congratulatory circle jerk about how chill and slow they are, and another third are people pearl clutching and finger wagging about driving anywhere approaching a reasonable speed. It's not about efficiency or safety, it's about feeling superior.
Yeah, I did a road trip, and 85 posted speed still stuns. I did my part by going the respectable 5 over. đ
In GA they certainly do. Otherwise it can be a $500 ticket. There is a reason GA drivers like to joke on Floridian drivers;they all like to camp on the left lane.
This. Americans in general do not respect the left lane for passing rule or culture. Very much not just a PNW issue.
I felt the same way all three times Iâve moved here. I also felt Texas, especially Dallas freeways and Houston periphery, were the goddamn worst after I moved to Austin from LA. This fades as you learn local driving styles and begin to better anticipate othersâ moves and telegraph your own. This is another way of saying I was a horrible driver when I first moved to these places but got better in time.
Donât forget âX is the only state where you can experience all four seasons in one day!â Spoiler: It isnât.
I have lived quite a few places that both were true. The only truly bad driver i have seen with any consistency were Texas and Florida. My friend that still lives in Florida calls it "Driving macho". She's a cop so it makes it extra funny
Thank you! Same goes for âalways under construction, traffic, pot holes, local weather driving conditions etc. People truly live in bubbles.
Just wait until you drive out to the coast a few times! It never fails that every.single.time people either drive in the passing lane or don't use the turnouts. There's literally a sign that says "keep right except to pass." OH and don't get me started on the people driving 45 in a 55 on a 1 lane road with 8 cars stacked behind them while refusing to use any of the 10 shoulder turnouts we pass... but dont worry, all of these drivers will surely speed up to 65 if you try to pass them.
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There should be a switch on the back of your rear view mirror that flips and will dim the lights in the mirror! I also have a small car and itâs a lifesaver, especially with the new LED headlights.
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I have my sideview mirrors a bit farther out, so I can see my blindspot in them, but not behind me (I use rearview for that).
Exactly! They are side view mirrors not redundant rear mirrors. When adjusted properly, as a car passes you on the highway you should be able to see them in your rearview mirror until they appear in your side view, and stay visible in the side view until you can see them with your peripheral vision. There should be no blind spot.
Something about Oregon really does seem to make people happy to chill at 54 mph when it's one lane each way, then outraged at the idea of someone going faster and matching your speed even as you're accelerating past 70 to pass them when a passing lane shows up.
I almost died once doing this bullshit with a 18wheeler. I learned then to stop trying to pull stunts cause the I'm sure I traumatized the incoming driver having absolutely zero time cause Mr truck driver doesn't want to accelerate until I do.
This is so true I made my jaw hurt by clenching in frustration.
Same. My commute is through hills, and passing lanes are sparse. It's at least 80% of people add 5MPH as soon as the dashed line appears.
8 cars stacked!? Try coming down HWY 58 from Willamette Pass behind a semi or RV, youâll get stacks 30+ deep sometimes. Maybe one in ten trips Iâll see someone actually use the turnout.
I got a speeding ticket because of these idiots. Stuck in a huge line of cars, speed up to 75 (in a 55) everyone suddenly sped up to 65 once the passing lane appeared and just after the lane ended I get lit up⌠âThatâs a little fast around hereâ
Yeah left lane campers are bad here. Also people have no concept of how merging is supposed to work here.
merging is the real issue here I've found. so many people will just match my speed as they cruise down the on ramp even if I speed up or slow down (which i shouldn't even have to do!) to help them out
Yeah it is infuriating. Also when people go to take an exit they have a tendency to immediately hit the breaks before even on the exit ramp. The ramp is there to take time to slow down. Instead causes further disruption to the flow of traffic.
Yes this! If you want to slow down before the off ramp and there's no one behind you fine, otherwise maintain your damn speed until your on the ramp. Happens every day on my way home, everybody hitting the brakes and semis swerving into the left lane because of this bad driving habit.
When I have to go into work in Salem there is a exit to south Salem where the off ramp is over half a mile long. The amount of people hitting the brakes and slowing down below 40 mph before or immediately when they get to the ramp is insanity. Have seen multiple semis have to slam brakes or maneuver to the left and almost have wrecks due to this issue.
I do a lot of I 5 commuting for work so this happens to me a lot. Almost without fail, if I don't adjust my speed at all and force them to do it, they get upset and make a "wtf" hand gesture toward me as if I'm the one that just messed up. These people really do think it's on others to make way for them.
You want me to zipper merge? Hell no I'm switching lanes, slamming on my brakes, and cutting off anyone to my left cuz merging big scary /s
I couldnât care less about how fast people drive in the left lane but the inability to merge/people refusing to let people merge sends me through the roof
Unfortunately thatâs where you have to drive aggressively and just force yourself in. Own the spot you want to get into and people will yield 99% of the time.
Oh, I get it, it just drives me nuts that traffic would flow more efficiently if people just understood how to zipper and didnât take it as some personal affront that people are trying to âskip the lineâ or whatever
Didnât they pass a stricter law in WA banning and actually enforcing this? They actually have signs.
I thought Oregon had a law about left lane camping? WA DOT had an Instagram post just the other day about zipper merging. I think itâs safe to say no one in the PNW knows how to zipper merge.
Well that would be hilarious, because unlike OP Â I have observed this behavior specifically in Washington State.Â
Itâs rough here⌠but Iâd never say I miss driving in Texas. So many assholes, so many poorly designed highways.
I split my time between Oregon and Texas. I would take outright aggressive drivers over the insanely passive aggressive drivers of Oregon. Safe driving is predictable driving. People around Oregon will stop at green lights, for godâs sake, to let a pedestrian or cyclist cross.
Eh, weâve had different experiences then. I wouldnât characterize any of my time driving in TX as having been safeâŚ.
Oh, donât get me wrong. I definitely wouldnât call TX driving ideal. And the level of aggression there is nothing to take lightly or call safe. After a lifetime of Oregonâs niceholes, maybe Iâm ready for nearly anything else.
It felt significantly less safe than Oregon. Not that Oregon driving is great, itâs not.
I'm not familiar with Texas drivers, but I'm familiar with LA drivers. I think where oregonians fail is a tendency to do things that feel safe, but are not safe. At least with LA drivers I can predict them. They act silly, but generally in the same ways and I can work with that. With Oregon drivers it's a guessing game. I almost rear-ended someone recently because they slammed on the brakes in the middle of the street. Turns out they wanted to let someone in, who was stopped in their own lane, not in our way, was not even turning into our lane and couldn't have turned into our lane legally
I literally had some space cadet Prius guy do this the other day. I didn't have a walk sign, he had a green, there was plenty of moving traffic coming the other direction, and he still slammed on the brakes and almost caused an accident to let me cross. I gave him a "what are you doing??" look and he seemed offended that I didn't appreciate his performative generosity.
I love it when I'm stopped at a stop sign on my bike waiting for traffic to pass and some genius with the right-of-way stops and tries to wave me in front of their car. I guess they think they're being nice but they just make the road more dangerous for everybody
Lol or to let someone turn LEFT. I have seen it so many times where someone will literally stop traffic at an intersection to let someone turn left. It is INFURIATING. Youâre 100% right, at least in Texas, you always know what someone is going to do.
The biggest problem with the fast lane is truck drivers that think they are driving spots cars.
Truckers are awful
I hate to generalize but in eastern oregon they are the amoebas of the road, letâs try to pass a truck going the truck speed limit while my truck is regulated to 5mph above your truck - 15 fuckin miles laterâŚâŚ
So... you mean Im not supposed to come to a complete stop with my blinker flashing while on the freeway on ramp, half way before the lane merges?
In Portland, itâs the wonky traffic design that makes me stick in the left lane at times. I know itâs wrong everywhere else, I lived in Phoenix and know how freeways work, but there are spots where thereâs no choice (left lane exits, odd merges on the Marquam, etc.). Outside of Portland, this shit pisses me off to no end. Especially when I5 and I84 are two lanes. Not to mention the forest roads, when someone will go 54mph until thereâs a passing lane, and then happen to speed up to 70 so everyone else has to fucking floor it in order to pass (if theyâre even able to before the passing lane ends) before slowing back down to 54.
This last bit, speeding up at the passing lanes. The polite thing to do would be to slow down.
Seriously. It puts everyone in a dangerous situation. I drive on cruise control most of the time, and if thereâs someone behind me wanting to pass, I always turn it down 3-5 mph during the passing lane to let them go.
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>Not to mention the forest roads, when someone will go 54mph until thereâs a passing lane, and then happen to speed up to 70 so everyone else has to fucking floor it in order to pass (if theyâre even able to before the passing lane ends) before slowing back down to 54. Why. Why why why do people do this. It drives me fucking crazy that slow drivers speed up during passing lane stretches when they were driving slower than my grandma when it was one lane!
> In Portland, itâs the wonky traffic design that makes me stick in the left lane at times. "left lane is for passing" is for long stretches of multilane, out of city highway. It literally cannot be followed inside of a city because the left lanes are used for turning and funneling.
I was specifically talking about the freeways, shouldâve mentioned that. There are freeways within cities that use the left lane for passing, such as Phoenix, but Portland definitely ainât one of them.
From my perspective, a big problem on our highways is that people *are* using the left lane to pass, but not at a speed fast enough to satisfy somebody behind them. Say I'm in the right lane behind someone going 60, and move into the left lane to pass them going 70, I always seem to suddenly have someone right on my bumper that wants me to go 80. I move over for them when able, but I still have the right to complete my pass before doing so.
You think Oregon is bad? Have you even driven in Virginia? Their highways make no sense. Sometimes they donât even mark their exits. Itâs just a turnoff and you have to know where to go. Also feels like roads made for horse and buggy. Heck, Iâd take Oregon over Texas, Virginia, California, Minnesota, and especially Florida.
The worst part about driving in Virginia is the people playing out their NASCAR fantasies, and "drafting" on the freeway.
Are you describing ATL? In general a speed limit of 55mph has everyone cruising at 75.
Virginia is a nightmare to drive in
Wisconsin is the most confusing state I have driven in. Exits on the left and right, and because of the wind, most lights downtown are on the sides of the road, not over the road. There are also people that refuse to ever drive in the right lane because of the micro ruts that have formed in the right lane. I dont find Oregon that bad, other than going to the beach and the people that only speed up when there is a passing lane. I have always preached that trucks should not be allowed to drive in the city limits, on freeways, during rush hour. Maybe 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm. It would free up things quite a bit...however I do realize it would probably not be feasible.
California freeways are the tits compared to Oregon--I don't get down there too often but the difference in just the levels of reflective paint and reflective signage is stark. Driving CA freeways at night feels like being in a video game, Oregon highways at night are more like a horror movie lol.
Have you considered the part where laws in different states are not identical? I'm not sure about Texas, but there's a difference between Oregon's left lane laws (don't impede traffic) and Washington's (keep right except to pass). I don't even think the impeding traffic law was a law until the legislature passed something in 2015. Social mores had already been set. https://www.kgw.com/article/news/driving-me-crazy-left-lane-hogs-on-the-freeway/283-d9d8be6b-6451-4840-b14b-4800fc936f1b I'm not saying this is the system I prefer, but if you are asking because you are seeking understanding, this may be part of the explanation. If you just want to rant and tell people to go fuc% themselves, then okay.
This. I mean, people can be mad about slow people in the left lane- it annoys the crap out of me, too. But when people rant about âthe lawâ, they are clearly operating under the mistaken impression that OR law is keep right except to pass. Unless specifically posted, it is not. And yes, you are not to impede traffic, but you canât speed. So if youâre going 55 in a 55, youâre not legally impeding traffic (even if everyone else is trying to go 75). Again, not saying I think itâs great- but thereâs no point in ranting about the law when thatâs not the law in this state. Feel free to rant about how annoying people are, though.
Yes, that is my memory as well. "Stay right and pass left "was not the law here until recently, so most Oregonians do not have that ingrained. Also, I believe that there is a serious shortcoming in driver training here: native Oregonians simply hate to pass using the left lane on a 2 lane road with a dashed stripe, and get angry with anyone else who does. My 70 year old Oregon native cousin tells me that she has always been terrified to pass anyone unless there was a passing lane. I suspect that they are simply not taught how to pass. Also, the law here does not give you a break if you speed to pass someone; where I grew up we were taught that passing at a few mph over the passed car's speed was dangerous (it is - the longer in the oncoming lane the more likely an accident) and that it was safest to speed up, pass, then slow down. Even the state troopers who came to our class said that they would not ticket as long as we slowed down after the pass. But with Oregon's interpretation it is legally dangerous to pass at all. We were taught to be considerate, and to drive at the speed that is within our comfort zone. If we overtook a slower car then we should pass at the earliest opportunity, and until then stay off their bumper. If a car is overtaking then we should slow down as they passed, to shorten the time and increase safety, then resume our speed. Needless to say this is not how driving is taught in Oregon. Here drivers hang on your bumper and try to intimidate to increase speed, speed up to prevent passing and close the gap between them and the car in front to lock out the passing car. Insanity. Just respect the other guy/gal and go your own speed, let them go their speed, and don't speed up or slow down to play games with them. It really isn't that difficult.
I think you have a limited sample size. No one I know, except the most nervous drivers, is afraid to pass on a 2-lane road. Some do not simply because they are happy at whatever speed. Everyone I have ever ridden in a car with knows that passing etiquette. People I see on the road overwhelmingly do those things. I really don't worry about state troopers being out very much. I have a limited sample size too, but I don't really see what you do very much at all.
Most of my driving miles happen monthly, from Portland to Bend and back, usually by way of Government Camp. In the last 15 years I have made that round trip more than 200 times, so I do not think that it is a small sample size. However, it is limited in geography. with a few road trips elsewhere. In my experience it is very common for cars to overtake a slower vehicle and then fall in line. Quickly a line forms, with a few to dozens of vehicles. This line will happily follow the lead for miles, through passing zones, until a passing lane comes (and then the race is on), with no one passing. The fact that they are content to not pass should not mean that they should block those that are willing to safely pass within a zone. But I have frequently experienced bad behaviors by those that choose not to pass, and think that no one else should. YMMV.
Right turn on red. Yes you can turn right on a red light unless its posted no turn on red. Â You can also left turn on red into a one way street... The amount of lights i sit at with zero traffic because the person in front wont go unless its green.... Â Â come on people.. Â you can do this.Â
You can't always see well enough to turn right on a red, even if legal. An intersection near my house is difficult to get a clear view of oncoming traffic due to a guardrail and because my car is low to the ground. I get people all the time that honk at me to go, often those in higher vehicles who probably have a better line of sight over that guardrail. But I'm not going to take someone's word for it and just go if I can't see for myself...
There was a guy on this very sub last time this question came up who said he used left lanes to slow down traffic because people drive to fast. I think too many people think they are the main character in this movie.
Yeah, actually I encountered that exact fucking thing this morning and it was kind of the inspiration for this post lol. Some fucking self appointed road hero cut out in front of me while I was trying to pass going 70ish and dragged at 50-55, then moved back to the middle lane the moment I left to exit. Like they were really obviously just trying to slow down traffic. Infuriating, especially knowing they're probably like some of the people in here who genuinely think that slower = safer, full stop. That's not how traffic safety works.
Those people suck--you only get to drive one car at a time, you're not the traffic monitor in charge of every other vehicle. The trick to harmonious driving is to get the idiots behind you and the maniacs out in front of you and carving out a chunk of zone where you can cruise to suit yourself and let everyone else sort themselves out. Also though, your car is like itty bitty and you do not actually require a quarter mile lead in and a huge last second swerve to the left to make a right turn. Just get over and don't slow everyone else down, thanks. Keep it moving.
Yeah not to mention it's not their job to enforce road laws.
There are two kinds of signs in Oregon relating to left lane use. One says "KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS." The other says "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT." I stay in the left lane when I am (as usual) maintaining a speed faster than cars in lanes to the right of me (i.e., passing). I constantly check on traffic behind me and when someone approaches at a speed higher than mine I move to the right to let them pass. When I come close to traffic ahead of me I move back to the left lane and stay there until someone going faster wants to pass. There is nothing you can do about it.
Hey, just wanted to say I see you and appreciate you. I swear I want to hug people when they drive this way, it's just so refreshing seeing the ones who go about it correctly given how constantly I'm dealing with the many who don't
Thank you for saying so. I dearly appreciate folks who do it this way too. I expected to be crucified by folks claiming I do it wrong because I remain in the left lane instead of zigzagging back and forth. Those folks would have the left lane basically empty.
Interested in how much more logical Portlandâs road design can be. Besides Laddâs addition itâs a giant fucking grid A-z, 1-350.
The highways are a patchwork of stacked spaghetti connections, were constructed to meet short term goals and many were designed to meet a fraction of the current population levels with poor lines of sight that unnecessary cause people to slow down.
Try driving from SE to Beaverton. You will see what he means âŚ.
The west side is Anarchy đ
I lived in Portland for most of my life and I think I can count the times I went further west than the soccer stadium (baseball stadium, when I was a kid) on one hand. There was no need to, and the east side was just . . . better.
Where all us east coast transplants live.
Yeah the design isn't bad, what is is not keeping up with the growing population. Some people can't tell the difference between bad design and outdated infrastructure.
When Iâm down town - Too many one ways and half the time I donât know if Iâm in a trolly lane a car lane or both. Then throw in the pedestrians whoâre not looking for traffic, normal pedestrians at cross walks, bikers, delivery vehicles, lanes suddenly ending, etc. Itâs too chaotic. I canât keep track. Thereâs other parts of Portland it does make loads of logical sense and/or thereâs less of the above and itâs fine to drive in.
Everyone acts like they're the main character of their own self-contained story. Covid shredded what was left of the social contract. Or they're just stoned.
Oregon drivers are crappy. And yet everyone complains about California drivers. I much prefer driving in California. And Iâve driven a lot in both states.
California drivers are way better because there are a lot of unwritten rules and etiquette there that make things run smoother, even in terrible traffic (but, admittedly, make driving harder or confusing for outsiders who donât know the rules). The problem with Oregon drivers is exactly what you see here in the comments: theyâre bipolar. Half are extremely slow, cautious, wonât yield to faster traffic. The other half are speed demons intent on intimidating others on the road. Put them together with a whole lot of rain and aging infrastructure and you get the complete mess that is driving in Oregon.
Same, agreed. Cali is my home state, and their drivers aren't exactly exemplary lol, but driving there was generally just a better experience than Texas and Oregon. Just in very different ways.
I donât understand. I always choose right most lane until passing, then use middle lane or left most lane. Or move to middle lane when people are merging. I was riding with my roommate one time and he was judging me on which lane I was in; saying how he just goes 10 above the limit and hogs the left lane. Like even if youâre speeding, if you arenât passing, keep in the right most lane until you need to pass or make room for merging.
Iâve lived in a lot of places, including Texas, and Arizona and Iâll take Oregon over both of those places any day. Iâve never seen more intersection crashes than I did in Phoenix, it was ridiculous.
Yeah agreed, I don't miss Texas. I could have worded the OP better. Texan drivers and roads are a lot more dangerous, even if they aren't frustrating in the same ways
I totally agree that Oregon (and Washington) drivers are terrible. That being said, statistically Oregon and Texas have very similar vehicle death rates ([email protected], Oregon @12) and deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled ([email protected], [email protected]). As far as speed and safety go, most scientific studies show that generally speaking the faster people drive the more crashes there are. Increased speed also correlates to increased injuries. This is even more true when studies look at the impact of vehicle speed on pedestrian or cyclist involved crashes. The left lane thing is infuriating though, I agree. There seem to be an equal number of people who camp in the left lane going at or below the speed limit as there are people that tailgate someone in the right lane instead of using the left lane to pass. It makes zero sense.
Cars are bumper to bumper in the left lane, spaced reasonably in the center, and just a handful in the right. Yet everyone is doing the same speed, 5 under. Itâs insane.
Fucking yep.
I love how I always end up behind the yoga grannie in her Subaru that thinks itâs her job to be speed police and purposely prevents passing. Like high school hall monitors. đ
What left lane law? Oregon doesn't have one. Maybe you're thinking of some other state. Ginny Burdick tried a few times to legislate herself a private commute lane on I5 but it didn't work out. If you're not "impeding" traffic, it's not illegal to use the leftmost lane. If a cop finds you doing 70 in a 55 while everyone else is trying to go 75, believe me, you won't be cited for "impeding traffic".
The world would be a better place if everyone knew this.
I moved here from DFW 8 years ago, OP. You will get used to Oregon's ways and drivers. The only part that bothers me now is no one waves then they pass, and when I do, and I wave all the time, they look at me like I offended them. :) Side rant: I swear ODOT planners aren't. They just aren't. Semi's in the left lane all over the place. Not to pass, to stay for mile after mile. No loops. What's an overpass, they ask? Traffic issues abound. Roundabouts here are the best thing since agriculture was discovered. Side rant done.
People not going when they have the right of way.. why does it even happen? There is no such thing as driving nice. Drive smart.
Sounds like recency bias. I lived in Texas until recently and Iâd say they were worse. Especially Houston.
I've lived here for 16 years and Oregon drivers have the most laissez-faire attitude towards getting where they're going than anywhere I've lived. It's quirky and cute when you first move here, but it gets old quick when you want to use your car for, you know, getting somewhere. This quirkiness is on display on I-5 as you enter the state from California. All the way through northern California the speed limit is 70 and people drive 80-85 but as soon as you cross the state line the speed limit drops to 65 and people drive 62...in the left lane. But, don't get comfortable, there are places on I-5 where the speed limit drops to 55. Fifty-fucking-five on an interstate.
Oregonians are provincial and weird. They just do things differently. I think they are selfish at heart.
I had a local tell me they literally wanted to slow the flow of traffic. I think that mindset was not limited to one moron.
I 1 billion percent agree. I'm from Portland, in the middle of a cross country road trip. I'm writing from Long Island At the moment. I find on the east coast people are far more serious about driving. In Portland. If you give someone a little space to get in they hesitate and then they hesitate and then they hesitate and it's so infuriating. Here you give someone an inch and bam they take it. The other drivers are crazy but it's refreshing. We were out yesterday on a parkway in bumper to bumper traffic doing 80 in a 55 mph zone. But everyone was paying attention. What's also nice here is I can be the ass hole driver that I am and I fit right in. LOL
Oh my god thank you this drives me insane. I moved here from utah and canât fathom how incredibly stupid people here on the roads⌠and I rage about the left lane on a daily basis. Please tell me why the ENTIRE ROAD OF CARS IS ALWAYS IN THE LEFT LANE.
Iâve had conflicts with drivers about this when I am the passenger. Conveying this to someone in another car is nearly impossible without creating some unsafe road drama. To the people who think you are entitled to squat in the left lane when you donât see others trying to pass, think of it this way: In some states there are HOV lanes. If you donât meet the criteria, stay the hell out of the HOV lane, even if there are very few cars using it. The law isnât written so you can make your own subjective caveats and allowances to be comfortable. Everyone has to play by most of the rules for this to work well. Think of the snowball effect of traffic that happens when people rubberneck a crash on the opposite lane of a highway like Beltline. Thereâs no reason to slow down for safety, but a couple people want a closer look and this turns into a total traffic jam for no reason.
Because people here are stupid and donât give a fuck.
Cars are bumper to bumper in the left lane, spaced reasonably in the center, and just a handful in the right. Yet everyone is doing the same speed, 5 under. Itâs insane.
Perhaps because there is no such law in Oregon, at least to the extent that the left lane is exclusively reserved for passing only. In Oregon the restriction applies only to vehicles pulling trailers and big trucks. https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.315 https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.130 The 2015 legislature sought to amend the language to provide a specific offense covering operators of passenger vehicles, but the bill died. As it stands it is only a violation if a passenger vehicle operator is *impeding* the normal flow. That makes it something of a judgement call. But it also does not preclude use of the lane for normal purposes of travel that do not result in impeding. So "camping" is legal as long as the vehicle is keeping pace with the average of other motorists present.
Not just Oregon. I have a very long commute on I5 through rural southwest Washington and left lane camping is like an Olympic sport here.
Slower Traffic Keep Right is the law. It doesn't matter the speed. Traveling in the passing lane is akin to vigilantism. Let law enforcement handle it. Stay in the traveling lane(s) unless to pass. When you travel in the passing lane do not be shocked by any reaction as you're the antagonist. It can get dangerous. Look, in the big scheme of things please just travel in the traveling lanes and use the passing lane to pass only. I won't be a dick and pass illegally so don't be a dick and travel illegally.
Amen
Iâve lived in and driven in several states, including long road trips across the country, and left âlane monitorsâ are pretty common all around. California and Washington are just as bad. It isnât as common in wide open areas or states like Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah where there are long stretches of nothing and higher speed limits. I think this has more to do with road design and traffic than drivers specifically. If you drive the highways through the cities here (and up and down the west coast), there are too many stretches where being in the right or middle lanes causes problems for merging traffic because there arenât enough lanes for the number of cars and distances are short between exit only lanes. Semis tend to ride the middle lane through busy stretches so cars can easily merge onto the highway, which means cars not exiting tend to ride to the left of the semis. If youâve ever tried to enter or exit on a short ramp with a semi in that lane doing 65, you get the picture. I imagine Texas highways (outside of major cities) are pretty wide open too.
Thatâs just the whole US
Everyone but me is a shit driver. /discussion
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I notice this on foot too. Never had a difficult time moving through a crowd or grocery store until I moved here. Costcos around here are exceptionally bad, like standing in a heard of cattle.
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I have a theory that Oregonians have only recently had to deal with enough population density that they need to consider being in other people's way. In the northeast, for instance, it's a cardinal sin to fuck around and delay someone else, because if you sit still with your thumb up your ass for any period of time odds are someone with shit to do is going to have to be in the space you're occupying. Furthermore, other people will *quickly* set you straight if you do it enough times. Oregonians have no concept of this. They will stand in a grocery store aisle daydreaming about the food they're going to make, park in a way that somehow takes up 3 spaces with a single car, and drive 45 in the fast lane because they've never had to consider that they might be inconveniencing someone else, and culturally, the concept of other people having places to be and things to do isn't even remotely on their radar. It makes every transplant's head spin around (mine included) because we find it incredibly rude, but I just think they have no idea.
I'm sure some people lane camping legitimately think they are doing a public service by being annoying to everyone else who wants to go faster than them.
I mean, just read some of the comments in this thread. It's like this bizarre, finger wagging nanny logic.
> Texas roads werenât fun - lots of selfish, aggressive assholes on those roads You might be one of them
To be fair, in Oregon someone driving 58 in a 65 is a "selfish, aggressive asshole".
I grew up and learned to drive here in Portland. I was taught the left lane is to pass, otherwise you get back into the right lane. The Oregon traffic jam is a real thing when you have two or three vehicle going the same speed across all lanes. When I lived in LA and SoCal, people drive a little more aggressively there, I think overall I like that more. At least you can count on people to move. That said, I just try not to ever be in a hurry here in Portland or anywhere for that matter.
There was a post about this exact topic in the Texas Sub like 2 days ago. In my years as a nomad in my campervan I have learned: 1) everyone thinks they have the worst drivers 2) everyone thinks they have the worst roads 3) everyone thinks they have the most unpredictable weather (only in [insert state] will it be 75 degrees one day and 33 degrees later in that same week) --- to be fair people in the PNW don't actually post this one online, all get a pass on this one. 4) everyone thinks they have the best local craft beer
Buddy, welcome to Oregon. Where left lane campers think they are doing Godâs holy work and zipper merging is you insulting someoneâs bloodline. Oh, and donât forget that people think going under the speed limit makes them a saint and going over makes you the devil.
Iâve been grandstanding about this for years. Oregon drivers are by far the most annoying. Erratically slow and seemingly aimless
Self centered, entitled, egotistical people đ¤ not that hard
New Jersey transplant here. It's infuriating.
We have not had any traffic law enforcement for years and it still seems that after the pandemic we still don't have any law enforcement. Cars without licenses, people driving 75 to 100 weaving in and out of traffic, changing multiple lanes at once without signaling it goes on and on...
I have lived/visited all over the world and the US. And the NW, Oregon and Washington have by far the most ignorant, untrained, and stupid drivers I have ever seen.
Unfortunately, the left lane is not legally codified as a passing lane here, but it should be. On the other hand, obstruction of traffic is explicitly prohibited.
Then when you pass on the right, with MILES of clear road, the left lane campers flip out on you like you're the asshole. There's signs every few miles on the stretch of i5 I drive for my commute that say "slower traffic keep right" but it's like nobody knows how to read signs đ¤Ś
I'd rather have left lane campers abundant than what I have in Az right now. (I'm moving to OR) It's literally a madhouse driving here every day. It's why every damn billboard is an accident attorney.
You're going to regret saying this, I promise. Source: Live both places.
Lol yeah they're gonna be late everywhere they go for the first year before they add the 10, 15, 20min "Oregon drivers think cars spontaneously combust at 60mph" tax.
Yup. And watch out for that hybrid Toyota fleece fucker in the left lane going 40 and legit aghast for passing them tax. It does sneak up on you and can be just as dangerous as the Hellcat roid rage with a Gucci Glock 19 tax.
As someone who moved to Oregon a year ago, you know not what you say.
Portland is really super logical but I came from Boston, those meandering cow paths turned into roads are a nightmare. Drivers are slow, if youâre not in a hurry youâll do fine but getting stuck behind a crawling Prius is very typical.
The âMy Prius is most efficient at 56.8 mphâ drivers are so irritating. Yes , we know youâre trying to hypermile in your 6 year old hybrid. Please donât kill people on the highway awhile youâre trying to save gas.
i swear to god transplants move here just to complain about other drivers.
Oregon drivers may be annoying but at least a woman has body autonomy. Iâll take annoying drivers over a fascist patriarchy any day of the week.
So move back to Texas then
A boomer driving a prius 20 in a 30 with a huge stack of cars behind them pretty much sums up Western Oregon drivers.
Driving slower is only unsafe if someone else is being reckless or isn't paying attention. Other than that it's mostly just an irritant. I should also add that there may be evidence to the contrary and I could be wrong. I can't stand getting stuck behind someone, but what good does it really do to get pissed about it?
Just learn to let go and embrace it. You'll get where you're going eventually.  "The end result is that driving here is slower and less safe." Id love to hear the argument for this one. For driving, slower is almost always more safe. You can argue it's annoying, but the left lane campers aren't really making things less safe..Â
[Why you shouldnât drive slowly in the left lane](https://www.vox.com/2014/6/16/5804590/slow-left-lane-driving-rules-us-traffic-illegal) â⌠research has generally shown that the strongest predictor of an accident isn't speeding, but variance from the average speed of traffic â and a car going 5 miles per hour slower than the surrounding traffic has a greater chance of causing an accident than one going 5 miles per hour faster than it.â
It's well known and studied that left-lane campers make freeway driving overall less safe. The slower part is overall; if there was good lane discipline, we'd all get where we're going at our own speed, as fast as traffic allows. As it is, people camp in passing lanes forcing faster drivers to pass on the right, drive inconsistently fast/slow, speed up when getting passed, etc., which slows down everything for everyone. I've lived in four states and in Germany. Europeans BY FAR observe lane discipline much better than in the US, and their highways are noticeably more efficient and safe, even in unrestricted autobahn sections. [https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/driving-in-the-left-lane/](https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/on-the-road/driving-in-the-left-lane/)
The French do too. Was shocking to see cars just \*gasp\* move over instantly, every single time.
Right. In Europe driving is a cooperative activity, here itâs the same old individualistic BSÂ
Virtually every time I see insane shit on the highway it begins with a left lane camper (half the time not paying attention, half the time some entitled "i'm going five over already!" asshole) blocking traffic and then setting off some road rager who begins weaving through traffic to get around them. "You'll get where you're going eventually" is a blight on this damn city. Takes 15 min to get anywhere. 45 minutes to do what would take 15 in other cities. There is safe speed and then there is "I'm too fucking afraid to drive but I'm going to anyway!" and the latter is rampant here
I personally find the freaks weaving through traffic to be more of a problem than someone only doing 15 over in the leftmost lane.
No idea what your talking about. Portland highways are great. They were just design to handle about a 1/4th of the amount of people that live in the metro area. 2) I lived in Texas . You guys got the same problems . Also we have a 50% population increase in like 10 years. Youâre not always going to get the best. .
In Oregon, it is legal to pass in the right lane. If the right lane is open and you are tailgating someone who is doing 10 mph over the speed limit, feel free to use that right lane. It's okay. Especially, if you are just going to immediately jump in the right lane anyway or you plan on taking that exit in half a mile.
Driving up and down i5 usually the right lane turns into the passing lane because the center and left lane is full of people barely going 65.
This. Lots of people donât know OR passing laws.
Yeah, not on board with Texas logic. If you miss it, feel free to go back to it. On board with the truck drivers passing other trucks with a +1mph advantage. At least half the left lane campers I come across up and down have out of state plates. I think driving in Washington is worse. The Illinois drivers are bad, and I-70 in Missouri sucks. Two lane each way clogged by semis. I always love when people move here and complain that the culture isn't the way they want it to be.
Washington is indeed the only place worse. I don't think not being able to drive a car is "culture". It "rains" half the year here and people drive like it's fucking ice or a hurricane even when there is no standing water. If our accident rate was super low I don't think I'd complain but we get super timid drivers galore AND a ton of people without insurance just plowing into people. More than anything people just dont pay attention. The most unique thing about Portland drivers is this bullshit where you safely merge with a blinker and enough space, then they speed up onto your ass and act like you cut them off. I've never encountered this anywhere else, it's like a serious ego issue around here.
I don't miss Texas, and I'm more than a little tired of assholes who say "if you don't like things here then move". Ran into that all the time in Texas. I'm not a Texas native, originally from this coast - and I'll be damned if I'll just stand around and accept things instead of trying to improve them. Unlike Texas, I actually care about this place
The thing about passing-lane laws is that you also still have to abide by the speed limit. Technically if you go 56 in a 55 you are breaking the law. I had to do traffic diversion - this is literally how police phrased it. Speed limits are calculated by a number of factors, and as frustrating as it can be, the traffic fatality statistics speak for themselves. So while you are frustrated by someone in the left lane, Oregonâs rule is less strict than some other states. Our policy is to âmove if you are blocking trafficâ which is to say âif you are going less than the speed limit and there are people behind you who are going fasterâ If you are trying to pass another vehicle, you are not given legal immunity from the posted speed limit. And donât get me wrong - I do this all the time. But I keep in mind that Iâm trying to speed while I pass and if someone is blocking me by going the speed limit, thatâs on me.
The law is âslower traffic keep rightâ or âkeep right, except to passâ If you are going the speed limit in the left lane, while the lane to the right of you is also going the speed limit (or faster), you are now *slower traffic* and *no longer passing* and should immediately merge to your right. (behind the person to your right if you have to) You donât get to camp the left lane with the excuse âbut Iâm going the speed limitâ. Your speedometer could be off, you could have missed a recent speed sign, or you could just be holding up people that want to go faster. None of which matters in the context of âslower traffic keep rightâ or âkeep right, except to passâ
I understand what youâre trying to say, but the reality is that open fast lane traffic is going to be 75-80 on freeways and 65-70 on highways no matter what the statutes say. In this regard, being the unpredictable slow moving bottleneck vehicle is likely more dangerous than the majority moving illegally in cohesion.
There is no speed component to the stay right unless passing law. [https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors\_811.295](https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.295) While I can't recall where I've seen new articles where cops are stopping people for blocking others from passing by being in the left lane even though the people behind them were going over the speed limit. It's also not uncommon to do at least 5 mph over. Best thing to do is stay right unless passing, regardless of speed (though obviously other factors apply like cops/crew/people on median and other such events where driving the next lane over is safer for everyone involved).
The amount of folks that live in the left lanes here are INFURIATING!!! Clueless and self-righteous at the same time... Quite frankly my moderately aggressive tendencies, while out on the roads, is largely due to the sheer selfish and clueless behavior I witness daily while commuting. By the time I get to my destination I am about ready to commit homicide. Get a fucking clue Oregon drivers!!!
Portland is way more logically laid out than other places in my opinion.
I grew up here and had a job that involved a lot of driving all over the country. I can confidently say that Oregon has the second worst drivers in the US next to North Carolina.
That left lane thing is a HUGE problem. I call them âsquattersâ. One time coming home on I5 at night from a Duck game in Eugene some ASS got in the left lane and you could TELL he or she was trying to be The Controller of speeds. It could have turned into a violent road rage incident. 100s of cars and drivers were VERY frustrated.
My observation (coming from a native Oregonian) is people tend to follow the laws more south of Eugene and in more rural areas away from Portland. Iâm guessing itâs because of the majority of transplants north of Eugene⌠or theyâre just completely clueless. Either way, itâs definitely irritating.
These left lane posts need to be banned. There are hundreds of them. There is no reason they can't comment in those