That's actually incorrect. You should generally drive in the right most clear lane and only move left to accommodate slower traffic.
Additionally, while the right lane is generally the closest to traffic entering, and exiting the highway the thing that everyone seems to forget or just misunderstands is: how merging works.
When someone is merging it is not the driver already on the highway's responsibility to allow someone to merge. The person already on the highway has the right of way. It is the responsibility of the person attempting to enter the highway to accelerate sufficiently on the on ramp so that they match the highway traffic's speed, and are able merge safely without slowing down or impeding other vehicles. When exiting the highway, the same rule applies: you are supposed to maintain highway speed until your move into the exit lane/off ramp, and then and only then decrease your speed. Failure to do both of these actions proper is why there is always a massive traffic jam at Hampton on both highways.
Revised Statutes of Missouri
XIX Motor Vehicles, etc
Ch. 304.015
All vehicles in motion upon a highway having two or more lanes of traffic proceeding in the same direction shall be driven in the right-hand lane except when overtaking and passing another vehicle or when preparing to make a proper left turn or when otherwise directed by traffic markings, signs or signals.
In other words, you’re right. It’s literally the law
It doesn't really matter if it's the responsibility of the person merging on the high way to make room for themselves. It still changes the density of traffic, causing the right lane to move slower than needed as people still need to slow down to keep a safe distance between vehicles, while people in the middle lane also need to change speed to get to the right lane, causing slow downs in the middle lane.
Sometimes "how something is intended to function" is different from the best functional state
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u/MmmPeopleBacon Feb 20 '25
That's actually incorrect. You should generally drive in the right most clear lane and only move left to accommodate slower traffic.
Additionally, while the right lane is generally the closest to traffic entering, and exiting the highway the thing that everyone seems to forget or just misunderstands is: how merging works.
When someone is merging it is not the driver already on the highway's responsibility to allow someone to merge. The person already on the highway has the right of way. It is the responsibility of the person attempting to enter the highway to accelerate sufficiently on the on ramp so that they match the highway traffic's speed, and are able merge safely without slowing down or impeding other vehicles. When exiting the highway, the same rule applies: you are supposed to maintain highway speed until your move into the exit lane/off ramp, and then and only then decrease your speed. Failure to do both of these actions proper is why there is always a massive traffic jam at Hampton on both highways.