A passing lane is the lane on a multi-lane highway or motorway closest to the center of the road (the central reservation). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Before adding any more images to this * * page please do carefully consider * * whether they would be mere decoration * * or actually improve Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation On divided roads including Expressways Motorways or Autobahns the central reservation (British English, median (North American
In North American terminology, the passing lane is often known as a left lane or leftmost lane, due to left hand drive (driving on the right). Right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic mean regulations requiring all traffic to keep either to the left or the right side of the Road. In British/Irish terminology, the passing lane is termed an outer lane or outside lane, while a normal lane nearer the hard shoulder is termed an inner lane (or inside lane). A hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a Road or Motorway. Note that in some other countries, like Hungary and Australia, the passing lane is called the inner lane (belső sáv in Hungarian), because this lane is the closest to the middle of the road, thus it is the innermost. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.
In modern traffic planning, passing lanes on freeways are usually designed for through/express traffic, while the inner lanes have entry/exit ramps. Transportation planning is the field involved with the siting of Transportation facilities (generally Streets Highways sidewalks bike lanes and Public Local-express lanes or collector-express lanes are a set of two same-direction one-way multi-lane roadways usually on a Freeway. However, many freeways often have ramps on the passing lane, these are known as "left exits" in North America.
A passing lane is often colloquially referred to as a fast lane because it is often used for extended periods of time for thru traffic or fast traffic. In theory, a passing lane should only be used for passing, thus allowing, even on a road with only two lanes in each direction, motorists to travel at their own pace. Good driving practice is to slip out of the passing lane once slower cars have been passed.
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Signage
The use of the left lane for faster traffic is sometimes acknowledged with signs using phrases such as "Slower Traffic Keep Right"[1] (in Canada, where the passing lane is to the left). The U.S. state of Rhode Island and Georgia uses the idea of a "Truck Lane" for tractor trailers traveling express through the state[2] In a study by the AASHTO Subcommittee on Traffic Engineering, all 24 states involved used some form of passing lane courtesy signage, nine of which only use those signs for steep graded roads. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule truckcartransporterarp750pixjpg|thumb|right|A tractor with an auto-transport Semi-trailer. AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications test protocols and A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government [2]
Misuse and common practice
Common Practice and most law on United States Highways is that the left lane is reserved for passing and faster moving traffic, and that traffic using the left lane must yield to traffic wishing to overtake. The United States Uniform Vehicle Code states:
Upon all roadways any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic . . .
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's website on "Keep Right Laws" points out that:
This law refers to the "normal" speed of traffic, not the "legal" speed of traffic. The 60 MPH driver in a 55 MPH zone where everybody else is going 65 MPH must move right. . . "[1]
It is also illegal in many states in the U. S. to use the "far left" or passing lane on a major highway as a travelling lane (as opposed to passing), or to fail to yield to faster moving traffic that is attempting to overtake in that lane. For example, Colorado's "Left Lane Law" states:
A person shall not drive a motor vehicle in the passing lane of a highway if the speed-limit is sixty-five miles per hour or more unless such person is passing other motor-vehicles that are in a non-passing lane. . . (emphasis added)[2]
Other examples, such as Massachusetts (General Statute 89-4B), New Jersey, Maine, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and others, make it illegal to fail to yield to traffic that seeks to overtake in the left lane, or to create any other "obstruction" in the passing lane that hinders the flow of traffic. As a result, heavy trucks are often prohibited from using the passing lane.
A common problem arising from misuse of the "fast lane" is that it forces faster moving traffic that wishes to overtake on the left to change lanes, do so on the right, and then change lanes again. Further, if the vehicle misusing the passing lane is going slower than the flow of other traffic, it forces those using the middle "travel" lane (but who are moving faster) to pass on the right as well, even though they have no intention of doing so.
A driver hoping to pass a slow motorist in the "fast lane" is stuck in an awkward situation. One strategy is to signal a lane change toward the center median. The traffic light, also known as traffic signal, stop light, traffic lamp, stop-and-go lights, robot or semaphore, Another is to flash headlights. A third, which sacrifices safety, is to drive very close to the "fast lane" driver's bumper (this is known as tailgating). An automobile's bumper is the front-most or rear-most part ostensibly designed to allow the car to sustain an impact without damage to the vehicle's frame or safety systems Tailgating is the practice of driving on a road too closely behind another vehicle such as less than the travel distance in two seconds or equivalently one vehicle-length In Germany it is common to signal a lane change toward the center of the road, as if there where another lane to the left of the "fast lane".
Most commonly, motorists will attempt to overtake the outer car on the inner lane either to continue at a face pace or to pass a car that is simply going too slow in the passing lane. For high-capacity multilane freeways (three or more lanes per direction), many motorists often pass on the inner lane, largely in response to misuse of the "passing lane" by slower traffic.
Hammer lane
The hammer lane is another term for the passing lane. Its etymology originated with truckers in North America and compares a foot pressing hard on an accelerator pedal with the slamming action of a hammer. A truck driver (Commonly called a trucker, driver or Teamster in the United States and Canada, a truckie or A hammer is a tool meant to deliver an impact to an object The most common uses are for driving nails fitting parts and breaking up objects Truckers often use the hammer lane in moderate traffic, where it is legal to do so, since they travel long distances. In many areas, tractor trailers are banned from using the hammer lane for safety reasons; these restrictions are normally found along urban, often congested highways with multiple lanes (e. truckcartransporterarp750pixjpg|thumb|right|A tractor with an auto-transport Semi-trailer. g. Interstate 40 west of Raleigh, North Carolina), or on rural freeways with 6 or more lanes (3 in each direction). Interstate 40 in North Carolina runs for 421 miles through the state of North Carolina from the Tennessee state line in the west to its eastern terminus Raleigh (pronounced rah-lee) is the Capital of the State of North Carolina and the county seat of Wake County, USA HOV lanes are not usually considered hammer lanes, but are also used for express travel by commuters. In Transportation engineering and Transportation planning, a high-occupancy vehicle lane (or HOV lane) is a lane reserved for Vehicles with
Climbing lane
In hilly country, some standard highways (not dual carriageway) are built with three lanes. A dual carriageway or divided highway is a road or Highway in which the two directions of traffic are separated by a central barrier or strip of land known as a Two lanes are used for traffic heading in the uphill direction, with one lane being a passing or climbing lane, and one lane is used for downhill traffic. Climbing lanes are Lanes typically used on Interstate highways They allow slower travel for large vehicles such as semis, up a steep grade.
Cultural references
- Fast Lane, an arcade game. Fast Lane is an Arcade game created by Konami, released in 1987.
- Life in the Fast Lane, a song by the Eagles
References
- ^ You can drive on the left lane as long as you go fastAlberta, Canada Government - Road Signs (Slower Traffic Keep Right)
- ^ a b AASHTO Subcommittee on Traffic Engineering: Passing Lane Study
External links
" Life in the Fast Lane " is a song written by Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey and Don Henley and recorded by the American rock band Eagles forDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic