True or False: Prius = Left Lane Hugger

I've not noticed that. When I need to be in the left lane I try to delay the lane change as long as (safely) possible. And still, as often as not some territorial idiot will get on my case, there's no pleasing some folks.

This is a big concern for you?

 

If I'm in the left lane, its because I'm passing the car in the next lane to the right. I stay as far right as my speed vs traffic allows.

 

It might be an issue, as I remember a thread mostly devoted to it, where people where arguing about their right to do it id speed limit. Then many stated that most states have passed laws about being in the right lane, except to pass. It was a fun thread, have to re-read

 

I am in the right lane except to pass. My issue is when some one who will ultimately be faster than me (72 in a 70) pulls on to the freeway slowly. Then we do a complicated dance of me passing him and him passing me on the right as I never got far enough ahead to pull right.

I am unable to report on other Prius owners, should I see any, I will take note.

 

not noticed it out here, but this ain't l.a. is it worse if a prius does it, rather than a...

 

I drive in left lane because that's how I get the best MPG. Everybody appreciates me saving environment with my effective driving skills, so they honk their horn as they drive by and I wave and smile.

 

I thought that left lane hogs were more common back in the 20th Century, before the Prius even existed here.

Or am I suffering from an observation bias, now that typical traffic speeds (since repeal of the national 55 speed limit) have risen significantly above my speed and I have much less need to use the left lane?

 

As others have said, I also spend very little time in the left passing lane. I believe it is an Arizona (and others) state law against passing on the right. I pass on the right anyway when I have to. I could force the issue I suppose, pull up behind the left-laner and maybe flash brights. That might be a good way to start some road rage incident. I prefer to drive non-confrontationally. I can't believe the number of left-lane huggers I see in my daily travels. I can also comment that most if not all have California and Texas license plates. Have I noticed any left-lane hugging Prius ? An emphatic no.

 

interesting that the o/p drives an 'other non hybrid'. must be frustrating to see a prius in the left lane vs a... ?

 

So, OP watches a lot of television, doesn't he?

 

Threads such as these only reaffirm my decision to not live in a large urban area.

 

I have always only used the left lane for passing and if i need to turn left.

 

It doesn't matter whether I'm driving one of the "Prii", the Fusion, the F150, or the Super Coupe, I'm only in the left lane if I'm passing traffic on the interstate. I prefer the two-lane roads to get the best MPG and avoid the competition of who can get there first. Driving 70 and over certainly reduces the MPG for me. I don't try and race much these days since I don't "win" too often in the hybrids. But I can go several hundred miles on a tank of gas.

 

My observation is that "left lane huggers" are more common from certain states (NJ for example) than others. Ohio used to be the worse - largely when they had the insane 55mph limit for trucks with 65 for cars. That pretty much forced the car traffic to the left. Well, Ohio changed that and gradually the Ohio drivers started to drive in the right lane again. Traffic in NJ usually occupies all lanes, so drivers from here often routinely drive in the left. I've also noticed that drivers in Wisconsin have a tendency to drive in the left - no good explanation for that.

Driving a Prius makes me particularly attentive to other Prius drivers bad driving habits, and I must say that I haven't noticed that Prius drivers are really much different than others. Personally, I am a 10mph over type of guy and my pet peeve is those damn "left land huggers". Also, the Prius we drive on trips has DRCC, so we can easily adopt to varying traffic speeds.

 

Saw a Gen II left lane hugger last night doing 70 MPH, as everyone passed them on the right!

 

Left lane, Right Lane....since IMO The Prius is capable of reaching, obtaining freeway speeds, just like any other vehicle, my habits in how I use the left lane haven't changed just because I'm driving a Prius.

I generally have ALWAYS tried to only use the left lane when passing. But that would be my approach and philosophy regardless of what vehicle I'm driving.

I don't generally see Prius drivers as abnormally hugging the left lane.

My guess is that with people that even think about or care, when they see a Prius in the left lane they simply note it.

So a Prius doing 75 mph in the left lane will be a "slow" Prius driver hogging the left lane.
While any other vehicle doing 70 in the left lane would simply be ignored.

 

I almost always run the posted speed limit [ right lane ] and get passed quite frequently,, a LOT of them are driving a Prius. I hardly ever have seen slow Priuses on the interstate, just the opposite.

 

Either different states have different meanings to this law, or many people are misinterpreting it.

In both states where I have been licensed, it is perfectly legal to pass in a separate marked lane. E.g. when one encounters a left lane hog on the freeway, there is no legal issue with using the middle or right lanes to pass it.

The prohibition is on passing without another marked lane, i.e. no passing on the shoulder or same lane as the car being passed. For example, when encountering someone stopped waiting for a left turn on a road with only a single lane, it is illegal to pull onto the right shoulder to go around. An example where I saw frequent enforcement in Washington State was the left hand turn from eastbound Hiway 2 (Stevens Pass) to the Sultan Basin Road. The intersection has since been upgraded with turn lanes and a traffic signal.

Are other states really different on this?