News Flash: There is NO Fast Lane

Interesting fact: back in the early 70s, some California freeways
actually had signage which indicated that the speed limit in some
lanes was higher than in the adjacent lanes. The posted limit in the
#1 lane might be 65 MPH, while the speed limits in the #2, #3, and #4
lanes might be 55 MPH. This was wiped away by the NMSL, and has never
been reinstated.

People still call the #1 lane "the fast lane," but in reality it is
now the PASSING lane.

Now go kick butt in your next game of Trivial Pursuit.

Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> Interesting fact: back in the early 70s, some California freeways
> actually had signage which indicated that the speed limit in some
> lanes was higher than in the adjacent lanes. The posted limit in the
> #1 lane might be 65 MPH, while the speed limits in the #2, #3, and #4
> lanes might be 55 MPH. This was wiped away by the NMSL, and has never
> been reinstated.

The only place I ever saw such limits posted was on an uphill stretch
of I-15, where the climbing lane had a lower limit. Can you name a
place where the limit in the fast lane was actually faster?

John F. Carr wrote:
> Colorado posts minimum speed limits in the left lane of some
> freeways, making that lane the fast lane in some sense.

The only minimum speeds I've seen posted in CO (on I-25) applied to all
lanes.

On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 00:43:52 -0700, John David Galt
> wrote:

>Scott en Aztlán wrote:
>> Interesting fact: back in the early 70s, some California freeways
>> actually had signage which indicated that the speed limit in some
>> lanes was higher than in the adjacent lanes. The posted limit in the
>> #1 lane might be 65 MPH, while the speed limits in the #2, #3, and #4
>> lanes might be 55 MPH. This was wiped away by the NMSL, and has never
>> been reinstated.
>
>The only place I ever saw such limits posted was on an uphill stretch
>of I-15, where the climbing lane had a lower limit. Can you name a
>place where the limit in the fast lane was actually faster?

Not offhand - it was definitely before my driving time.

Perhaps there is some highway historian out there who knows the
answer?

Scott en Aztl=E1n wrote:
> Interesting fact: back in the early 70s, some California freeways
> actually had signage which indicated that the speed limit in some
> lanes was higher than in the adjacent lanes. The posted limit in the
> #1 lane might be 65 MPH, while the speed limits in the #2, #3, and #4
> lanes might be 55 MPH. This was wiped away by the NMSL, and has never
> been reinstated.
>
> People still call the #1 lane "the fast lane," but in reality it is
> now the PASSING lane.
>
> Now go kick butt in your next game of Trivial Pursuit.

If true, that sounds pretty stupid. I imagaine they had lane #1
jampacked and the other lanes MT.

Scott en Aztl=E1n wrote:
> On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 00:43:52 -0700, John David Galt
> > wrote:
>
> >Scott en Aztl=E1n wrote:
> >> Interesting fact: back in the early 70s, some California freeways
> >> actually had signage which indicated that the speed limit in some
> >> lanes was higher than in the adjacent lanes. The posted limit in the
> >> #1 lane might be 65 MPH, while the speed limits in the #2, #3, and #4
> >> lanes might be 55 MPH. This was wiped away by the NMSL, and has never
> >> been reinstated.
> >
> >The only place I ever saw such limits posted was on an uphill stretch
> >of I-15, where the climbing lane had a lower limit. Can you name a
> >place where the limit in the fast lane was actually faster?
>
> Not offhand - it was definitely before my driving time.
>
> Perhaps there is some highway historian out there who knows the
> answer?

There are currently some Eastbound DOWNHILL lanes that are posted for
50 MPH on I-80 between Auburn and Truckee.

"Michael Angelo Ravera" > wrote
> Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> There are currently some Eastbound DOWNHILL lanes that are posted for
> 50 MPH on I-80 between Auburn and Truckee.

Not quite the same thing, but trucks have a 35mph limit downhill
the southbound Cuesta Grade on 101 just north of San Luis Obispo,
wile the normal 60 mph limit applies to cars.

FloydR

"Scott en Aztlán" wrote:

> Interesting fact: back in the early 70s, some California freeways
> actually had signage which indicated that the speed limit in some
> lanes was higher than in the adjacent lanes. The posted limit in the
> #1 lane might be 65 MPH, while the speed limits in the #2, #3, and #4
> lanes might be 55 MPH. This was wiped away by the NMSL, and has never
> been reinstated.
>
> People still call the #1 lane "the fast lane," but in reality it is
> now the PASSING lane.
>
> Now go kick butt in your next game of Trivial Pursuit.

The 'fast lane' is a classic populist term.

In the UK to it's officially always been the overtaking lane too. Doesn't
stop ppl hogging it though so as to stop *other* ppl passing *them* !

Graham

fbloogyudsr wrote:

> "Michael Angelo Ravera" > wrote
> > Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> > There are currently some Eastbound DOWNHILL lanes that are posted for
> > 50 MPH on I-80 between Auburn and Truckee.
>
> Not quite the same thing, but trucks have a 35mph limit downhill
> the southbound Cuesta Grade on 101 just north of San Luis Obispo,
> wile the normal 60 mph limit applies to cars.

Reminds me. In days of old it was not unusual to see an 'escape road' for
trucks that hadn't been able to control their speed on a downhill stretch.

Graham

Pooh Bear wrote:

> In the UK to it's officially always been the overtaking lane too. Doesn't
> stop ppl hogging it though so as to stop *other* ppl passing *them* !

As compared to the US, the UK's problem with PLBs (passing lane
blockers) is not nearly as bad.

Maybe we should trade our LLBs for your RLBs (assuming they try blocking
the same lane)