Today's Random News

This ones for Type Ryan.

http://www.baynews9.com/article/news...ing-too-slowly

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Originally Posted by Bay News 9

BRADENTON -- Driving too slowly in the left lane on the highway in Florida could soon land you a ticket.Senator Mike Bennett from Bradenton recently introduced a bill to fine drivers for going too slowly in the left lane.

Bennett said it's a safety act meant to crack down on road rage."Statistics show when they do impede flow of traffic all the sudden you have an increase in incidents of road rage," said Bennett. "People start weaving in and out of traffic and when you start weaving in and out of traffic, and have accidents at 75 to 80 miles-per-hour, bad things seriously happen.

"Drivers who support the bill said the threat of a ticket would encourage drivers to be more courteous."It is frustrating to go in left lane to want to go 70 or maybe 75, which is not speeding terribly, and people won't move over," said Ron Pedigo. "That can cause accidents."Not everyone supports the bill.Some feel it would punish drivers who obey the law.

"How can you do that to somebody when they're doing the speed limit?" asked Amy Espinoza.

Currently, it's illegal to drive in the left lane unless passing. However, it's rarely enforced.Under the bill, drivers caught going slow in the left lane would be ticketed.

Senator Bennett said the bill isn't meant to encourage drivers to go fast. If drivers do that, they'll still get a ticket.He said it's designed to make drivers more respectful of one another on the roads and improve the flow of traffic.The fine would be $143. If the bill passes, it would go into effect July 1st.

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About time. There's also this. Yes, it's a report from the UK but I think the same problem still exists across the pond. The real challenge is getting through the bureaucratic bullshit and red tape to make a change.

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Originally Posted by Daily Mail Reporter

Slow drivers are one of the biggest dangers on the road and should be treated like speeders, a report says today.

Nearly a third of motorists have had a 'near miss' caused by someone travelling slowly.

These drivers create such frustration that six out of ten motorists feel stress rise and about half are tempted to 'undertake'.
It has led to calls for a crackdown on slow drivers including the setting of minimum limits or even ‘slow speed’ cameras.

Transport Department figures show 143 accidents a year are caused directly by slow drivers.

The report from insurer Confused.com coincides with the Government’s deadline today for police and councils to publish prosecution and casualty data on speed cameras to see if they do save lives or just raise cash.

The report notes: ’In reaction to these slow drivers, almost half (45%) of motorists risk overtaking, thus increasing the chances of an accident.

'Although minimum speed limits are enforced on some UK motorways, there are few preventative measures that are used widely.'
In 2011 the government introduced a scheme which allows for £100 on-the-spot fine for careless driving-including those that drive too slow, though there is little evidence of this being taken seriously by the authorities.

More than a quarter (27 per cent) of drivers questioned want an explicit ‘ slow lane’ on roads to combat slow drivers.

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They should just use some patrol cars as pace cars.

Basically. It's a hell of a lot easier to notice/enforce: good driving conditions + open lanes + shit moving slowly = nail the asshole holding everyone up (provided they're in a passing lane, of course).

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Originally Posted by Chux

Best. News Story. Ever.

srsly

Read the comments.

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Damn. The comments were pretty awesome - espcially those from the morons who don't know how to read.

Haha Florida.

Somebody go find the video!

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Originally Posted by Advocate

"Drivers who support the bill said the threat of a ticket would encourage drivers to be more courteous."It is frustrating to go in left lane to want to go 70 or maybe 75, which is not speeding terribly, and people won't move over," said Ron Pedigo. "That can cause accidents."

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Woo hoo! A fine for people who are going slower than "not speeding terribly"!

I know I'm intentionally twisting the meaning of that paragraph, but still... I don't think any law in the history of ever has failed to reflect reality the way speed limits do. If the guy in front of you isn't breaking the speed limit at least just a little, you get pissed off. So here comes a law to strongly encourage you to break the law of the speed limit to prevent pissing everybody else off.

The issue is somebody going slower than the surrounding traffic IN THE LEFT LANE. Go as slow as you want in the right lane... I certainly do.

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Originally Posted by Josh

Haha Florida.

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Let it be is a good song!