State police to enforce left lane driving
Posted: 03/04/17, 9:26 AM EST | Updated: on 03/05/2017
Michigan State Police Very first Lt. Larry Schloegl once took a complaint from a man who was ticketed for driving in the left lane on U.S. 127.
When Schloegl, commander of the Mt. Pleasant post, reviewed the in-car movie of the traffic stop, he eyed that the man was driving in the left lane in the middle of the night, without another vehicle on the roadway.
He listened to the man, and politely told him it’s against the law to drive in the left lane on any road with two or more lanes going the same direction unless passing or preparing to make a left turn.
Schloegl noted that left lane driving, in addition to being a disturbance of state law, it is a prevalent cause of road rage.
If motorists argue that they drive in the left lane to stop others from putting the petal to the metal, Schloegl said is isn’t up to them to police other drivers.
“If people want to drive quick, let them,” he said. “We’ll catch them.”
Enforcing left lane driving can be difficult because typically drivers budge to the right when the see a police vehicle, Schloegl said.
But it’s something state police take gravely, and there is presently an enforcement and education effort to stop motorists cracking the law.
The state police Sixth District headquarters has recently been getting several complaints about left lane drivers.
Covering Isabella, Clare and Gratiot counties, the district also includes Montcalm and Mecosta counties.
From now through the end of April, troopers will be on the lookout for left lane drivers on all Michigan freeways.
Some drivers don’t realize the left lane is not for general travel, according to Very first Lt. Chris McInire, commander of the Rockford post.
Education is the main concentrate of the initiative because many people don’t know the left lane is reserved for passing, McIntire said.
Besides being generally disruptive to, traffic flow, this disturbance can actually be dangerous, as frustrated motorists attempt risky maneuvers to get around the log jam, McIntire said.
A motorist stopped for this disturbance during the enforcement period can expect at the very least a brief lesson on the law and how their deeds disrupt traffic flow.
“We just want motorists to understand the law and work on developing courteous driving habits,” McIntire said.