I'm actually surprised. There's a difference between driving slow in the left lane and driving at the speed limit to pass cars. When I mention this on SSH, I get several angry replies that they are driving their own car and paying their own insurance so how they drive on the highway is none of my business. That's true until they drive by me weaving in and out of traffic going 70. Ever notice it's about $100 fine for not wearing your seat belt and about $1000 fine for littering. Why is that? (rhetorical question)

If you're on a multi-lane highway, if you are driving slower than the normal rate of traffic, move to the right.  There are numerous studies of how slow drivers in the left/passing lane cause traffic and accidents.  Beyond that, we're all adults here. 

Not sure what you were getting at with the difference in fines for seat belt and littering and any connection to the first part of your post. 

If you're on a multi-lane highway, if you are driving slower than the normal rate of traffic, move to the right.  There are numerous studies of how slow drivers in the left/passing lane cause traffic and accidents.  Beyond that, we're all adults here. 

Not sure what you were getting at with the difference in fines for seat belt and littering and any connection to the first part of your post.

Agreed. If you're traveling slower than the right lane, move over but that assumes there are people driving less than the speed limit.

Generally, wearing your seatbelt is a personal decision that will only affect your life and the passengers in your car. Littering is a much higher fine because the opala affects everyone who drives by it. Speeding over the maximum and driving under the minimum affects the safety of the driver and everyone else on the road.

If you're on a multi-lane highway, if you are driving slower than the normal rate of traffic, move to the right.  There are numerous studies of how slow drivers in the left/passing lane cause traffic and accidents.  Beyond that, we're all adults here. 

Not sure what you were getting at with the difference in fines for seat belt and littering and any connection to the first part of your post.

Funny story. When I leave the house at 4:45am to make the trek to Ala Moana, I usually get there unmolested by accidents and traffic. At that time of the morning everyone is driving 65-70mph and the ex LA folk are swerving and driving 75+. However, lately if I am running a little behind schedule and I leave at 4:50am or later I almost always run into the same traffic situation caused by one car. It is a late 70's or early 80's red Pontiac T1000 4-door. BTW, the Pontiac T1000 is the same car as the Chevrolet Chevette. In the 60mph zone it usually goes 45mph and in the 55mph zone it usually is moving along at around 40mph. And I usually run into this situation where the H1 is 3 lanes wide. And he is usually in the middle lane. It seems he backs up traffic by driving that slow for all 3 lanes. As he is driving in the middle lane, cars behind him are trying to change lanes at 40mph while the 2 outside lanes are going like 65mph or so. It is quite funny, maddening and dangerous all at the same time. As people are slowing down trying not ram into the car ahead of them that just changed lanes in front of them it seems the two outside lanes are going almost as slow as the center lane. Making it tough to get around this guy. BTW, he gets on the H1 before Makakilo so I suspect he is from Waianae area.

Anyway, in the last month or so I have been able to avoid this car by leaving at my regular time. But one morning I left at regular time and all of the sudden traffic is slowing and I look ahead and see a clear path in the center lane way ahead of me and there is that car backing up all the lanes because he is going so slow. By the time I got up to the car I realized it was not the red Pontiac. Rather is is a blue early 80's Toyota Corolla station wagon. My thoughts were that it is owned by the same guy. because I have not seen the red Pontiac when I see the blue Toyota.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I left a little later than usual. So I figured on seeing the red Pontiac. Which I did. But that day I also somehow got stuck behind the blue Toyota. So now I know they are not owned by the same people. What is it about 80's cars that drive so far below the speed of traffic and the speed limit? 

H1 at Kinau is 35 mph and I drive 35mph in the far left lane.
Hawaii has no law that mandates the left lane as a passing lane. As a courtesy yes, but its not a law.




My question to HPD:

1. Vehicles that is slower than the max posted speed limit (35/45mph) keep right or traffic that is not consistent with the flow of traffic (60/65mph) must keep right?
2. Am I required to maintain that max speed limit even if it poses a danger to other traffic traveling faster ; causes a huge back log in traffic or even cause an accident for maintaining that legal speed limit?
3. Is the max speed limit consistent within all lanes on the freeway? i.e. far left , middle, and far right.


From HPD ,
Aloha XXXXXXX,
 
Thank you for your email question.  We appreciate you taking your time and writing HPD a question.  If you are driving the posted speed limit on the freeway you are fine.......  The speed limit is for all lanes. Have a great day.

H1 at Kinau is 35 mph and I drive 35mph in the far left lane.
Hawaii has no law that mandates the left lane as a passing lane. As a courtesy yes, but its not a law.

From HPD ,
Aloha XXXXXXX,
 
Thank you for your email question.  We appreciate you taking your time and writing HPD a question.  If you are driving the posted speed limit on the freeway you are fine.......  The speed limit is for all lanes. Have a great day.

Suka, correct me if I'm wrong. Doesn't the yellow signs mean it is just a recommended speed and not the actual speed limit?

Funny story. When I leave the house at 4:45am to make the trek to Ala Moana, I usually get there unmolested by accidents and traffic. At that time of the morning everyone is driving 65-70mph and the ex LA folk are swerving and driving 75+. However, lately if I am running a little behind schedule and I leave at 4:50am or later I almost always run into the same traffic situation caused by one car. It is a late 70's or early 80's red Pontiac T1000 4-door. BTW, the Pontiac T1000 is the same car as the Chevrolet Chevette. In the 60mph zone it usually goes 45mph and in the 55mph zone it usually is moving along at around 40mph. And I usually run into this situation where the H1 is 3 lanes wide. And he is usually in the middle lane. It seems he backs up traffic by driving that slow for all 3 lanes. As he is driving in the middle lane, cars behind him are trying to change lanes at 40mph while the 2 outside lanes are going like 65mph or so. It is quite funny, maddening and dangerous all at the same time. As people are slowing down trying not ram into the car ahead of them that just changed lanes in front of them it seems the two outside lanes are going almost as slow as the center lane. Making it tough to get around this guy. BTW, he gets on the H1 before Makakilo so I suspect he is from Waianae area.

Anyway, in the last month or so I have been able to avoid this car by leaving at my regular time. But one morning I left at regular time and all of the sudden traffic is slowing and I look ahead and see a clear path in the center lane way ahead of me and there is that car backing up all the lanes because he is going so slow. By the time I got up to the car I realized it was not the red Pontiac. Rather is is a blue early 80's Toyota Corolla station wagon. My thoughts were that it is owned by the same guy. because I have not seen the red Pontiac when I see the blue Toyota.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I left a little later than usual. So I figured on seeing the red Pontiac. Which I did. But that day I also somehow got stuck behind the blue Toyota. So now I know they are not owned by the same people. What is it about 80's cars that drive so far below the speed of traffic and the speed limit? 

No HP? 

I used to live in PC and would commute to McCully area.  I am SO happy I don't have that commute anymore.  I would notice that kind of thing as well as get behind the "usual suspects" leaving the subdivision.  Now that I think about it, they may have been 80s cars. 

There's always those, "I do what I want because I can" folks trying to prove a point.  Like there was this lady that would ride her bike in the middle lane of S. Beretania going like 5 mphs.  The traffic would be flowing, but still a lot of cars.  She would pull this trailer that was maybe 6' wide with a sign about her having the right of way, share the road, and other activist, "I know my rights" kinds of signs.  Super dangerous.  People just don't seem to get it.  Yeah, I guess they are not breaking the law, but they are causing problems for everyone else at a minimum, to flat being an asshole and putting others at risk as well. 

its cautionary, just like construction orange signs, it can be used against you if a accident occurs.

Suka, correct me if I'm wrong. Doesn't the yellow signs mean it is just a recommended speed and not the actual speed limit?

It's enforceable if you get in an accident but not as a speeding ticket.

If you want to get into a fist fight in Germany, start passing people on the right.

H1 at Kinau is 35 mph and I drive 35mph in the far left lane.
Hawaii has no law that mandates the left lane as a passing lane. As a courtesy yes, but its not a law.




My question to HPD:

1. Vehicles that is slower than the max posted speed limit (35/45mph) keep right or traffic that is not consistent with the flow of traffic (60/65mph) must keep right?
2. Am I required to maintain that max speed limit even if it poses a danger to other traffic traveling faster ; causes a huge back log in traffic or even cause an accident for maintaining that legal speed limit?
3. Is the max speed limit consistent within all lanes on the freeway? i.e. far left , middle, and far right.


From HPD ,
Aloha XXXXXXX,
 
Thank you for your email question.  We appreciate you taking your time and writing HPD a question.  If you are driving the posted speed limit on the freeway you are fine.......  The speed limit is for all lanes. Have a great day.

phone in hand?

can't prove it.
 

can't prove it.
 

a mere technicality....

can't prove it.
 

so you follow one law to the letter, yet ignore others?

From the Hawaii's Driving Manual,
"Two Lanes in the Direction of Travel. In open area when traffic is free-flowing, use
the right lane; use the left lane for passing or when vehicles are entering from the
right. In heavy traffic or in congested areas use either lane but keep up with traffic.
Move at a steady speed. Avoid continual lane changing (lane hopping).

Three or More Lanes in the Direction of Travel. Choose the center lanes as there
will be less traffic conflicts. Leave the right and left lanes available for vehicles entering
and leaving the roadway. Maintain a steady speed with the flow of traffic and keep
lane changes to a minimum. Use the right lane if you are moving slower than other
traffic. [This refers to the lane to the right of the center lane.]

When there is ample clearance in the other lane, make a gradual, steady move-
ment into the other lane. AVOID ABRUPT MOVEMENTS: YOU MAY
OVERCONTROL OR LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE. It may be
necessary to adjust the speed of your vehicle slightly to avoid conflict with traffic.
It is best to slow slightly and move in behind a vehicle than it is to speed
up and cut in ahead. When you move in behind a vehicle, you always have that
vehicle in sight and there is less annoyance to its driver.

Don’t force your way into the space between vehicles that have the minimum
safe following distance or less. This is a discourteous and dangerous action
which causes other drivers to reduce the spacing interval between vehicles to
deny you space to change lanes. If you allow ample time and signal properly,
other courteous drivers will be inclined to allow you space to make the change.

ALWAYS YIELD TO VEHICLES IN THE OTHER LANE WHEN CHANGING
LANES. If the desired lane is congested, enter at the end of the line; don’t
run up ahead and crowd in. If you cannot make the lane change at the desired
location, remain in your lane until you can safely make the change; even if you
are inconvenienced."

Discuss...

From the Hawaii's Driving Manual,
"Two Lanes in the Direction of Travel. In open area when traffic is free-flowing, use
the right lane; use the left lane for passing or when vehicles are entering from the
right. In heavy traffic or in congested areas use either lane but keep up with traffic.
Move at a steady speed. Avoid continual lane changing (lane hopping).

Three or More Lanes in the Direction of Travel. Choose the center lanes as there
will be less traffic conflicts. Leave the right and left lanes available for vehicles entering
and leaving the roadway. Maintain a steady speed with the flow of traffic and keep
lane changes to a minimum. Use the right lane if you are moving slower than other
traffic. [This refers to the lane to the right of the center lane.]

When there is ample clearance in the other lane, make a gradual, steady move-
ment into the other lane. AVOID ABRUPT MOVEMENTS: YOU MAY
OVERCONTROL OR LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE. It may be
necessary to adjust the speed of your vehicle slightly to avoid conflict with traffic.
It is best to slow slightly and move in behind a vehicle than it is to speed
up and cut in ahead. When you move in behind a vehicle, you always have that
vehicle in sight and there is less annoyance to its driver.

Don’t force your way into the space between vehicles that have the minimum
safe following distance or less. This is a discourteous and dangerous action
which causes other drivers to reduce the spacing interval between vehicles to
deny you space to change lanes. If you allow ample time and signal properly,
other courteous drivers will be inclined to allow you space to make the change.

ALWAYS YIELD TO VEHICLES IN THE OTHER LANE WHEN CHANGING
LANES. If the desired lane is congested, enter at the end of the line; don’t
run up ahead and crowd in. If you cannot make the lane change at the desired
location, remain in your lane until you can safely make the change; even if you
are inconvenienced."

Discuss...

Most drivers obviously don't read any type of manual to drive.
Moanalua Freeway before the H1 merge west bound. No matter how many solid lines there are drivers will always cut in front to save time. ALWAYS. People driving on shoulder lanes. Motorcycles splitting lanes. Talking on mobile phones. I've seen a person with a tablet on her steering wheel.
The argument of paying insurance and minding your own business is the same ainokea attitude that gets people killed.
Laws they are there for a reason. The onus is on you the driver.

I got no problem with people driving whatever speed they want in whatever lane they want.   What bugs the shit out of me is when people try to pass and slow car speeds up or slows down to block everyone from passing.  So unnecessary and that's what causes people to split across 3 lanes to pass the slow cars and/ or road rage. 

In Manila, this is how you change lanes. First you nudge your bumper into the other lane and the car next to you speeds up to block the intrusion. The next car then swerves around the intruding bumper to get by. The third car has to decide whether to stop and let your car in or collide with your car. Since the driver doesn't know who you know and you might be influential, the driver wisely decides to stop and let you in. Of course, this all occurs at the blistering pace of 5 mph in soul crushing traffic.

I have not seen this guy for quite a while. Black Ford F-150 lives up in Makakilo around where I do. He drives like a maniac going down the hill. It is 2 lanes almost all the way down. Then a third lane opens up on the right and this is the onramp to the H1. Those of us who realize going the speed limit and not crowding in gets you to your destination almost as fast and less stressful and safe. The Ford liked to go like gang busters swerving in and out and then swerves into the onramp lane at the last second ahead of the long line of us going the speed limit. One day he tries to get into the onramp lane at the last second and no one let him in. I was laughing then watched him make an illegal left turn across a bunch of lanes going the opposite direction to get onto the H1 from the other onramp. Here is the weird part. He does this every day, but when he gets on the H1 he accelerates very slowly creating a dangerous situation where he and everyone behind him are now merging onto the H1 at slower than the speed limit while the cars already on the H1 are coming up on us at 65+. And he proceeds to get into the middle or fast lane and go the speed limit. Considering that at this time in the morning the flow of traffic is 65+ he is creating a similar situation to the earlier story I posted.

And they all consider themselves good drivers.

I have not seen this guy for quite a while. Black Ford F-150 lives up in Makakilo around where I do. He drives like a maniac going down the hill. It is 2 lanes almost all the way down. Then a third lane opens up on the right and this is the onramp to the H1. Those of us who realize going the speed limit and not crowding in gets you to your destination almost as fast and less stressful and safe. The Ford liked to go like gang busters swerving in and out and then swerves into the onramp lane at the last second ahead of the long line of us going the speed limit. One day he tries to get into the onramp lane at the last second and no one let him in. I was laughing then watched him make an illegal left turn across a bunch of lanes going the opposite direction to get onto the H1 from the other onramp. Here is the weird part. He does this every day, but when he gets on the H1 he accelerates very slowly creating a dangerous situation where he and everyone behind him are now merging onto the H1 at slower than the speed limit while the cars already on the H1 are coming up on us at 65+. And he proceeds to get into the middle or fast lane and go the speed limit. Considering that at this time in the morning the flow of traffic is 65+ he is creating a similar situation to the earlier story I posted.

I remember this guy being featured on SSH a year ago.