How to do left lanes right way
Dear Mahatma: We are traveling to the capital city a couple of times a week for medical issues and I now understand how those multilane highways are to be driven. The objective is to find someone driving at a speed you like and drive right beside them at that speed in the adjacent lane.
— Retired and Riding the Roads
Dear Retired: Bless your heart. Or whatever organ is under medical review.
Arkansas Code Annotated 27-51-301 is titled “Vehicles to be driven on right side of roadway — Exceptions.”
It says drivers should stay out of the left lane of a multi-lane highway except for passing, a few other exceptions or, as may be the case on wider interstates, “Upon a roadway divided into three (3) marked lanes for traffic under the rules applicable thereon.”
What we’re talking about is, many times, a matter of common courtesy. Move over, dude, so that the driver riding your bumper may pass. Ours is not to enforce the speed limit, but to drive safely.
We also think cruise control has something to do with this phenomenon. Driver X is in the middle lane doing 65 mph. Driver Y is in the left lane doing 66. And so passing takes some time.
Ah, well, the world is imperfect.
Dear Mahatma: In cities across Arkansas, you see city limit signs when entering into the boundaries of the various towns. While I have seen city limit signs for Little Rock in some places, on minor highways and county roads, you never see them when entering into Little Rock on an interstate. I’ve always wondered why. — Richard
Dear Richard: Wonder no longer.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation doesn’t put up “Howdy to Little Rock,” or other interstate-connected city signs because doing so would be in contravention of its Signing Policies and Guidelines Manual, which says: “The Arkansas Department of Transportation typically erects and maintains city limit signs on all State Highways other than freeways.”
Richard, we have two thoughts.
First, the Constitution gives us the right to petition government for a redress of grievances. We suggest picketing the ArDot offices with a sign that says, “Signing Policies and Guidelines Manual Unfair!”
Second, is “contravention” a great word, or what?