FL - Road rage bill would clear Florida’s left lanes

[StlouisX50]

Road rage bill would clear Florida’s left lanes

A Florida state lawmaker is renewing his effort to keep most drivers out of the state’s fast lanes.

Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has prefiled a bill for the 2008 regular session that is intended to combat aggressive driving on the state’s multilane highways by reducing the number of drivers in the far left-hand lane. This is the fifth year in a row the bill has been offered in the state.

Dubbed the “Highway Safety Act,” it would give law enforcement more authority to ticket drivers who block traffic, even if they are driving the speed limit in the left lane. A failure to stay to the right would be included as one of the offenses that make up “aggressive careless driving.”

Three different years the bill died in committee and it was vetoed in 2005 by then-Gov. Jeb Bush. He said it would punish people who are driving the speed limit for not getting out of the way of speeders.

Bennett has since changed the bill to address some of the concerns.

The newest effort would prohibit travelers from driving in the left lane of a multi-lane highway when they are about to be overtaken by another vehicle. Previously, the bill allowed law enforcement to issue citations to drivers who used the left lane for anything other than passing.

Opponents say the bill is “code for increasing speed limits” and supports the actions of speeding drivers rubbing up behind slower drivers. Supporters say the measure would avert dangerous situations where frustrated motorists stuck behind a slower-moving vehicle try to pass on the right.

The bill also changes, from two to three, the number of driving offenses that must be committed at one time to constitute “aggressive careless driving.”

Violators would face a $100 fine in addition to any other fines. Repeat offenders would face as much as a $500 fine and a mandatory court appearance. Drivers also would receive points for each offense committed.

The bill – S658 – is awaiting assignment to committee for the session that begins in March.

To view other legislative activities of interest for Florida in 2007, click here.

– By Keith Goble, state legislative editor
keith_goble@landlinemag.com

[edweird]

What I'd like to see is enforcement of the "Keep right except to Pass" in the fast lane, not another law that lumps yet another thing in to the popular buzzword "aggressive driving" catagory.

[SmaartAasSaabr]

Jeb Bush is a prick because he vetoed that

[Nighthawk243]

I'd love to get that F*#@ing Buick out of the left lane while a Caddiliac is in the right.

[Bookm]

This Bill would be one of the biggest steps in improving highway safety since mandatory seatbelt use! Jeb Bush is an outright idiot to implying left-lane blocking is "OK". Germany dropped their death rate by 70% by aggressively educating the motoring public about proper lane etiquette on multi-lane expressways. You will NEVER make all drivers maintain the speed limit, so why not save a huge number of lives by facing reality and passing the dang Bill?

[USFAEDude]

Make sure you all encourage your leaders, maybe now and again in March!

http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/...TOKEN=36595481

And your friends to encourage them!!