Virginia to Join the Fight to Eliminate Left Lane Bandits
Many of us, probably especially those on a car news website, have known the singular frustration of cruising along in the fast lane on the highway when you suddenly have to hit the brakes because some oblivious dude in a huge SUV is driving, five under the speed limit, in the far left lane while he yaks on his cell phone.
Sometimes called Left Lane Bandits, that hypothetical guy and others like are an annoyance that can actually potentially lead to accidents, whether they are by someone not paying enough attention and hitting them, swerving on the right-hand side to go around, or simply succumbing to road rage.
Now, it seems that Virginia may be joining the fight to end the reign of Left Lane Bandits, as a new bill being considered would place a fine of $250 on anyone blocking the fast lane and not staying to the right.
According to Delegate Israel O’Quinn, who put the legislation forward, this law would address what has become a “pervasive and ever-growing problem” of drivers going “grossly under the speed limit in the left lane” resulting in swerving and dangerous road rage. Drivers are currently supposed to stay to the right, but there have been no penalties for not doing so.
“Simply put, a penalty behind it that shows that we understand the seriousness of this problem and that we’re going to be serious about actually enforcing it,” said O’Quinn.
The bill is currently set for approval in Virginia’s House of Delegates, after it advanced to a final vote on Monday.
News Source: WTOP
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