Legislature Gets it ‘Right?’ DE drivers see end in sight for left-lane loping crisis

We don’t advocate for much around here. But occasionally an issue comes along of such supreme moral and existential importance that we have to speak out.

One such crisis we’ve weighed in on is the plague of terrible, uninformed and poorly-policed drivers on roads across the First State (and the country), moseying about in the left lane with little apparent awareness of the rules of the road or neighborly consideration.

TSD first addressed this tragedy way back in 2011, saying that it “is galling and vexing to see so many highway-goers blissfully slugging along in the left lane at 52 mph or so” and the behavior exhibited “an atrocious lack of road etiquette.”

In 2017, Michael Fleming wrote that states were increasingly cracking down on the left-lane lopers/laggards because of the trouble they were causing with accidents, traffic and generally just bottling up our nation’s highways (a column that was distributed by a brilliant driver’s ed instructor to his students).

 

Well, our prayers have been answered in the form of Senate Concurrent Resolution 7, which calls for the Delaware Department of Transportation and the Delaware State Police “to examine the issue of slower traffic in the left hand lane and jointly report to the General Assembly by May 1, 2019, their recommendations, if any, for action to address this issue.” 

The measure passed with unanimous approval in both the House and Senate last week.  A great bipartisan coming-together we can all celebrate!

Thank you Senator Bryan Townsend (sponsor) and Representative Ed Osienski (co-sponsor) for your leadership in making this a legislative priority in this new session.  Now the ball is with DelDOT and the State Police – if you are reading this and tired of the sluggos blocking traffic in the left lane, please reach out to these good people and insist they deliver some reforms with real teeth that will enforce the law as written.