I have always wondered what other people would do in this situation, or at least what the majority would do. I'll tell you up front that I would have pulled over. Here's the situation. We were returning from a short trip. The road is two lane with passing stripes and many straight areas to pass. The speed limit is 55. But the lead rv, a class c,would only go 55!!!! Now he's obeying the law and is not in the wrong according to the speed limit. But at one time he had 8 vehicles behind him. For some reason the car or two behind him would not pass him making it unsafe for anyone farther back to pass such a long group. I know of the 5 car pull over law, but if you are going the speed limit, does that still apply? I would and have. I don't like having people on my tail. The road is country and elk or deer are your biggest concern. Also it was daylight. We know the road and I usually go 60 max. This a problem everywhere. I've often said it doesn't matter what the posted limit is, it could be 90mph and I bet some nut would exceed it. Just wondering. rich

If there's no easy passing place in sight, or if I know the road and they'll unlikely be able to pass me, I'd pull over. No big deal for me to do so and I'll make a bunch of people happy. No-brainer.

I think common sense dictates that pulling over when safe to do so is the prudent thing to do in that situation. Why risk getting caught up in someone else's wreck when they make a poor passing decision out of frustration.Then again, as we all know, common sense isn't so common these days...

Don't know about other states but in CA if you delay 5 or more vehicles you are considered a "slow moving vehicle" and it's pull over time. The code doesn't mention speed limits. In general when I'm driving the motorhome I'll pull over, when its sale, to let anyone who's been following me for a little while get by me.California Vehicle Code, Div. 11, Chapt. 3, Article 1, Sect. 21656 On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because oftraffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow-movingvehicle, including a passenger vehicle, behind which five or morevehicles are formed in line, shall turn off the roadway at thenearest place designated as a turnout by signs erected by theauthority having jurisdiction over the highway, or whereversufficient area for a safe turnout exists, in order to permit thevehicles following it to proceed. As used in this section aslow-moving vehicle is one which is proceeding at a rate of speedless than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time andplace.

I always pull to the right but keep moving even if only one car behind me. That way they can easily see beyond me to make passing decisions easier. If I get several vehicles behind me I will pull over. Usually need to use the bathroom anyway.

What would you do, stay put or pull over? | Good Sam Community

atreis
Explorer
Aug 29, 2015
paulcardoza wrote:
Actually, judges have way more latitude than that! I was ticketed for (ESTIMATED) 58 in a 55 zone. I fought the ticket and won. I asked the cop how many tickets he wrote for 3-over the limit and he said probably none. The judge threw out the ticket immediately.

In this case, there's a VERY good chance the judge wasn't using discretion but just following the law. Every speed limit law I've seen allows for some variance (usually a percentage or a fixed amount depending on speed) to allow for speedometers that aren't perfectly accurate.
Jayco-noslide
Explorer
Aug 25, 2015
Keep in mind that a speed limit of 70 does not require you to drive 70 even if there are cars behind. Perfectly legal to drive any speed above the legal minimum.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Aug 24, 2015
Not to mention the fact that in most states it's illegal to drive on the shoulder except in emergencies.
08UltraRider
Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
eocamper wrote:
If there is a shoulder, I pull 1/2 way on the shoulder (where the white line is even with me) slow my speed a little.

While I appreciate your courtesy :) it irritates me when a driver crosses the solid line into the shoulder.

He then is kicking up rocks and other debris that's in the shoulder possibly damaging windshields behind him.... albeit he is moving over not to be courteous but most always because they're distracted by their CELLPHONE but that's another thread!
paulcardoza
Explorer
Aug 24, 2015
Actually, judges have way more latitude than that! I was ticketed for (ESTIMATED) 58 in a 55 zone. I fought the ticket and won. I asked the cop how many tickets he wrote for 3-over the limit and he said probably none. The judge threw out the ticket immediately.

myredracer wrote:

This is universal. Judges have to enforce the laws on the books. If you were ticketed for driving 1 mph over the posted limit, you are breaking the law - period. May not be fair in some cases, but the law is the law. Same if you were in an accident and your insurance co. investigated and found you to be 1 mph over the limit.
Bluebeard
Explorer
Aug 22, 2015
Eocamper-

that's what I do, even if I am driving a car and someone comes up on me quickly. You have to be careful doing that though, as bicyclists use that lane and if a highway patrol sees you doing that, you may get a ticket. I'd just rather the guy who wants to go fast, get around me asap.
eocamper
Explorer
Aug 22, 2015
If there is a shoulder, I pull 1/2 way on the shoulder (where the white line is even with me) slow my speed a little. I give them a couple minutes to pass. If they choose not to I pullback on to the road. I drive a double trailer set up at work and it's governed at 64. I do the same there. I feel I gave them an option rether than cover the whole road.
myredracer
Explorer II
Aug 22, 2015
Naio wrote:
et2 wrote:
I was in traffic court many years ago. A doctor got up to the front to plead his case to the judge for a speeding ticket. He was a surgeon and said he was called in for a life threatening emergency operation.

The judge told him it didn't give him the right to possible kill someone else with his driving. The ticket stood.

Interesting. Was his driving actually dangerous? Did he have proof of this lifesaving operation? I wonder if the judge just didn't believe him.

This is universal. Judges have to enforce the laws on the books. If you were ticketed for driving 1 mph over the posted limit, you are breaking the law - period. May not be fair in some cases, but the law is the law. Same if you were in an accident and your insurance co. investigated and found you to be 1 mph over the limit.

My FIL got ticketed once for doing 2 mph over the limit in his small town - cops had nothing else to do. Another time following this ticket, he was visiting a big city driving at the posted limit and holding up a huge line of traffic on a bridge. Motorcycle cop came up to him waving frantically to speed up. The normal speed was something like 10-15 over the limit.

Sometimes signs are the max, sometimes they're a minimum and sometimes it's a case of name your own speed limit. It's ridiculous out there.
mowermech
Explorer
Aug 22, 2015
hotbyte wrote:
mowermech wrote:
If you are going the speed limit, you are obviously not in a "slow moving vehicle".
However, here in Montana if you can not maintain the speed limit, and there are 4 or more vehicles trapped behind you, you ARE in a "slow moving vehicle", and you MUST pull over at the first safe place to do so. That is the law!
Again, MCA 61-8-311:
"(2) On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of oncoming traffic or other conditions, the operator of a slow-moving vehicle behind which four or more vehicles are formed in line shall turn off the roadway at the nearest area where a sufficient and safe turnout exists in order to permit the vehicles following it to proceed."
I just can't see where that is so difficult to understand!

One, this only applies to which ever state code it was pulled from.

Two, it states where a sufficient and safe turnout exists. Sufficient and safe can be very subjective. Also, does it only apply to an officially developed for this purpose turnout with appropriate signage? I can't say I've ever seen one of those in Ga.

There, I fixed it to make easier to understand.
A "sufficient and safe turnout" may be an unpaved wide spot in the road. It may or may not have signs announcing its presence; YOU are expected to pay attention, notice it, and use it. If you don't, and an MHP sees you pass it with a long line of vehicles behind you, it is likely you will get a ticket.
hotbyte
Explorer
Aug 22, 2015
mowermech wrote:
If you are going the speed limit, you are obviously not in a "slow moving vehicle".
However, if you can not maintain the speed limit, and there are 4 or more vehicles trapped behind you, you ARE in a "slow moving vehicle", and you MUST pull over at the first safe place to do so. That is the law!
Again:
"(2) On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of oncoming traffic or other conditions, the operator of a slow-moving vehicle behind which four or more vehicles are formed in line shall turn off the roadway at the nearest area where a sufficient and safe turnout exists in order to permit the vehicles following it to proceed."
I just can't see where that is so difficult to understand!

One, this only applies to which ever state code it was pulled from.

Two, it states where a sufficient and safe turnout exists. Sufficient and safe can be very subjective. Also, does it only apply to an officially developed for this purpose turnout with appropriate signage? I can't say I've ever seen one of those in Ga.