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From: aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Left Lane Blues \- Get it RIGHT
Message-ID: <527@pucc-h>
Date: Tue, 7-Feb-84 09:07:16 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.527
Posted: Tue Feb  7 09:07:16 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 01:20:16 EST
References: <338@hou5g.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 42

from (** FRODO **):

> Driving THROUGH states does NOT make you an authority on their laws.  Start
> talking to people who KNOW, and you'll realize that "Keep right except when
> Passing" is the law in MOST(If not all) States.

I will admit that I haven't studied the statute books of every state I've
driven in.  However, I remember experiencing only one state of the dozens
I've visited wherein "Keep Right Except to Pass" SIGNS were posted.  Everywhereelse, the signs simply said "Slower Traffic Keep Right" -- which, again, I
entirely agree with.

> What I was stating is that there needs to be CONSISTENCY and UNIFORMITY in
> order to sanely share the highways.   

Consistency yes, uniformity no.  If someone is consistently driving along in
other than the far right lane, and there isn't any faster traffic that needs
to use the left lane, WHAT HARM DOES IT DO?  This case is amply covered by
the less restrictive "Slower Traffic Keep Right" -- i.e. if you're in the left
lane, and you spot a car catching up to you, you should move over as soon as
you can.  I invariably do this myself.  Desire for uniformity sounds to me
like a sickness that can blossom into desire for totalitarianism.

My point is that "Keep Right Except to Pass" is just too restrictive, too
picky.  You must like programming in Pascal, if you like to be so deprived
of freedom.

> I am very much one that believes in following the SPIRIT of the law.

Yes, but not blindly!  If the law is a crock, following the spirit of it is
still a crocked idea!


Before you react too strongly to this, please note two things:
1. This *is* net.flame.  If you want a more reasoned discussion...you'll have
   to look elsewhere than this net! :-)
2. In principle, we agree.  In practice, we disagree.  Both of us want safe
   driving conditions.  But my point is that "Keep Right Except to Pass" is
   UNNECESSARY to ensure safe driving conditions!  "Slower Traffic Keep Right"
   does the job nicely, and can be enforced just as easily as the pickier
   rule.  This is our major point of difference.

-- Jeff Sargent/...pur-ee!pucc-h:aeq