I understand what it is supposed to do, but, during high traffic situations, the law creates a HUGE hazzard of abrupt and dangerous lane changes by drivers who try and get over at the last minute. I know the safety of the stopped motorist and the law enforcement officer are trying to be increased, but, I really think this law does more harm than good.
Yeah... I always moved over for cops (or anyone standing on the side of the road) anyhow. That is a law in Ga, but Ive done it since I started considering myself a mature driver.
I don't think they have that law here but I pratice it regardless of who is on the side of the street. Never know if someone is not paying attention when you happen to be flying by.
The law I know they have in affect is to move over or stop when there is flashing lights. Although I don't know about the come to a complete stop part. A buddy of mine got into an accident with his Pathfinder when some lady about two cars ahead decided to stop in the third lane when she heard and saw sirens coming from the other direction. The car in front of my buddy, a big Tahoe, managed to switch lanes at the last second but my buddy ass ended her and then flipped. My buddy did not even see or hear the firetruck, one because his radio was on he didn't hear the sirens and two the Taho blocked his view. Needless to saw he ended up totalling his Pathfinder and with three tickets, 1 for failure to yeild to and emergency vehicle, 1 for driving too fast for conditions, and 1 for causing an accident. He took it to court and only got rid of the failure to yeild.
As far as I know this is not something we have here.
It's interesting, but seems to be politically motivated without any understanding of traffic problems.
As robb has stated this can actually cause a greater hazard than actually exists. I wonder if the politicians considered this or what they were actually looking at when passing this law. If it was purely motivated by safety then why not pass this for all vehicles and not just emergency vehicles?
Gard traffic usually tends to unconciously displace away from anything placed within 6 feet of the side of their lanes. So if you're not on the side of the road, the guy was probably driving on the line or on the shoulder.
Sorry for the vent guys, it's been a bad week.
"you will rue this day....well go on start ru-ing" Stewie Griffin
I have stood on the shoulder and had cars pass me close many times. For awhile the truckers would play a game to see if they could blow the hats of the heads of LEO's. That is why I would not wear my hat out on traffic stops.
I'm sure you have seen then the shows, Police Video Chases and C.O.P.S. and all, have you ever seen the ones where they showed the stopped car getting creammed, or the one where the officer had to jump out of the way or the one where the passing vehicle took the door off the stopped car?
Well Gzire, some of these things actually happen back here in the mainland. My dad told me, maybe it was an officer as well, that parked cars along a highway are like magnets, they attract people to hit them. That is one reason why they tell you if you break down on the road, get the hell out of the vehicle and stand way off the shoulder.
Also I'm sure many people here may also remember the bunch of accidents with the Crown Vic that the police have been using. Rear impacts and the car exploding. I think there was actually 4 or 5 of them that happened right here in Phoenix. There is the officer from here that damn near got burt to a crisp, Jason (Sorry forget the last name, Scheckerfield???), who basically was left faceless and I think hand less. Melted his ears and nose off and left him permanently damaged. Matter of fact I saw him about a month ago in a local Home Depot.
I used to work a construction crew for a summer engineering intern program with PennDOT, and cars fly by us all the time. Always had to watch your back. My friend one time left the measuring wheel next to the side of the road as we got out of the way and the old lady had to vear out of her way to clip it, did and kept going. Sent the damn thing about 50 yards into the trees and busted it to hell.
I can see this is a real problem. I don't think the danger to look where you are going, make a lane change and stay clear is as big as a danger to someone out of a car next to the road. Most people can make this safely without effecting others around them. Those that can't just need to learn how to drive.
The law in georgia to my understanding is you must clear the lane IF POSSIBLE and IF SAFE. Meaning... if its an empty highway at night, and there is a cop with someone on the side of the road, the rest of the road is mostly empty, you must clear the lane. If you are in rush hour traffic and another vehicle is beside you, then not clearing the lane is acceptible.
Most people unconciously displace away from objects located within 6 feet of the side of their lanes. This condition does not account for the guys who intentionally try to get closer to these objects/people.
One of the reasons that people may get close to the vehicles is that they are concentrating on the cars on the side of the road rather than where they are supposed to be looking. In general wherever you look is where you steer your vehicle, much like a person turning to check where they want to go and end up drifting in that direction.
I speak in generalities because when people are involved that is really the only way you can look at things.
I would feel much better if the politicians indicated that you should slow down slightly and be prepared to slow down even more. To put a set speed limit reduction is not based on any engineering principle that I am aware of. Again it seems to be a knee-jerk reaction to some problem.
One scenario I can think of is an emergency vehicle that is located over a crest on a two lane road. The car in front gets over the crest and sees the emergency vehicle and gets on his brakes hard due to the short sight distance involved (since it's a two lane road you can't displace into the other lane). The car following is a big SUV he does not see the emergency vehicle until he crests the road also, he then has to get on his brakes even harder than the car in front due to the reduced sight and stopping distances. This is the equation for trouble, it's made worse if the road has rain or snow.
I have no problem with politicians putting measures in that are based on engineering principles, but it is obvious that these are not. In addition by saying this is instituted only for emergency vehicles it is saying that the ordinary person changing his flat on the side of the road is worth nothing.
"you will rue this day....well go on start ru-ing" Stewie Griffin
I guess that's my beef with the law. It has no common sense built into it. I have no problem at all moving over to another lane.
I do this for broken down vehicles, survey crew, trucks collecting debris, emergency vehicles. This works fine when the conditions are safe to make the lane change and you have enough time to brake to the 20mph delta within a safe distance. Too many times though vision is blocked sufficiently that it creates a situation where people make moves in their car that a cop would write a ticket for C&I driving. That to me is more dangerous than staying in the lane and doing the best you can to mitigate the situation. Maybe this is what the law intends, however, that is not how it is written.
My understanding of the law applies to divided highways. Not two lane country roads where there is a double yellow line, and it would be illegal in the first place to cross the line.
sOl, I went back and reread (checked link to SB193) and you are correct that this is to be applied only on highways. I'm guessing you folks have normal highways.
We in Hawaii actually have conditions with two lane highways (undivided also).
Probably won't be a problem, but like robb is saying there are probably still situations which arise that will make this a safety issue (more so than just remaining observant and in your lane).
"you will rue this day....well go on start ru-ing" Stewie Griffin
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Move Over Law
