I'm a believer in the slower-traffickeep-right rule of the road, but there are instances around here where, let's just say, my adherence to it can waver.
We ran a letter a few weeks back that complained about slow drivers using the left lane on southbound Highway 17 because they're eventually going to make the turn into Tsawwassen. I certainly agree that slower moving vehicles shouldn't get in the left lane as soon as they're south of Ladner Trunk, but I'm willing to cut them - and me - a bit of slack given the circumstances.
There have been many occasions when I've been in the left lane on Highway 17 southbound, going at a pretty good clip, when I've had someone come up behind me who's obviously moving a heck of a lot faster. If I'm still north of the rail overpass, it's a no-brainer to pull out of the way and then get back into the left lane in time to make the turn.
When I'm south of the rail overpass, that courteous gesture is not quite so automatic. I'm faced with a more difficult decision, because if I move into the right lane, it might be difficult, depending on traffic flow and distance from the 56th Street intersection, to get back in the left lane.
A similar situation exists on that stretch of Highway 17 northbound between Ladner Trunk and the Highway 99 interchange. If I'm headed to River Road, I don't want to be in the right lane, but if I get in the left lane I could well have a speed demon riding my bumper.
I get the whole slower-traffic-keepright concept, and I think out on the open road where a faster moving vehicle is going to demonstrably benefit from others moving to the side, it should always be followed. There's no doubt it's frustrating to be caught behind a slowpoke when there is a stretch of empty asphalt ahead of him.
But in certain cases around here, where a traffic light or our ever-present congestion can bring faster drivers to a halt in what can literally be a matter of seconds, and where the courteous driver can end up headed in the wrong direction, moving to the right shouldn't be an absolute.
Frankly, I'm not going to get stuck in the right lane and end up going around the loop to the tunnel, when I don't want to go there, just so someone can get to his destination six seconds faster.
It's incumbent on drivers to do the courteous thing and move out of the way of those going faster, but there are certain situations where it would be nice if such courtesies were reciprocated.
