Move Over America

[tyketime]

No... not another politically motivated thread. We currently have a couple of very active threads for that! Often, Mrs Tyke forwards EMails to me she receives from others with "warnings, can you believe this, etc.". One quick check of Snopes debunks many of them. But this one turns out to be true.

71 percent of Americans have not heard of “Move Over” laws (Count me among those, until today):

Forty three states have passed "Move Over" laws, which require motorists to "Move Over" and change lanes to give safe clearance to law enforcement officers on roadsides. If drivers can't change lanes or are driving on a two-lane road, they must slow down at least 20 m.p.h. under the posted speed limit. If drivers do not move over or slow down, officers can and do write citations.

"When America's law enforcement officers pull over a motorist, they put their lives at risk. The last thing they need to be worried about is being struck by a bad driver, but that's one of the gravest dangers they face today," said Ken Underwood, president of the National Safety Commission. "Americans must know that they are required by law to move over and keep our state troopers, police officers and sheriff's deputies safe."

End of my public service announcement... You may now return to the political rant/rave threads!

[Kodos]

Slow down?!? Move over?!?11! It wasn't like this when Ronnie Reagan was in office!

[molson]

We just passed this in Idaho last year. Though if you haven't been doing this your whole life on your own, you're kind of an asshole.

[terpkristin]

I didn't know that this wasn't a law everywhere. Also, it's a bit of common sense and safety for our policemen and women.

/tk

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by molson

Though if you haven't been doing this your whole life on your own, you're kind of an asshole.

This.

Although, with all the traffic laws on the books, I'd guess that I'm probably breaking at least 3 laws every time I drive from point A to B. Hell, I didn't move my car yesterday and broke at least 2 laws. (I didn't move my car at least 75 ft in a 24 hour period and I was closer than 10 feet to a driveway entrace)

[stevew]

Okay, the one I don't get, is when an ambulance is on the other side of a divided highway, and yet people on the other side feel the need to slow down and pull over.

And yeah, you're an asshole if you don't either slow down or move over when you see anyone(not even a cop) dealing with a road hazard on the brim of a 2 lane highway.

[Lathum]

Yeah, I do this anyway.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by tyketime

No... not another politically motivated thread.

Ohhh.. very sneaky. I just caught this you devil you.

You're trying to suggest that it is a law that everyone moves to the left.

[Logan]

I do it, but didn't realize it was an actual law until someone mentioned it maybe a month ago. I also didn't know there was an official reduction in speed requirement.

[tyketime]

Originally Posted by Mustang

Ohhh.. very sneaky. I just caught this you devil you.

You're trying to suggest that it is a law that everyone moves to the left.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Logan

I do it, but didn't realize it was an actual law until someone mentioned it maybe a month ago. I also didn't know there was an official reduction in speed requirement.

Everyone slows down anyway to get a good look at the poor sucker.

[JediKooter]

Yup, always done it too unless for some reason I can't get over.

[DanGarion]

This law is only when the emergency vehicle has his lights on though. Not just in general right?

[claphamsa]

wait... people didnt know this? did you not do drivers ed?

[Pyser]

had no idea that was an actual law. thought people just did it out of common sense

[RendeR]

It shouldn't NEED to be a law. People shouldn't be fucking morons and should move away from people pulled off to the side anyway.

[gstelmack]

The problem I've seen run into is folks may know about this, but not how much you need to slow down. I have a coworker who got a ticket when the highway patrol was out on the Interstate with a speed trap during rush hour, and he got nabbed because the full highway meant he couldn't move over, and he apparently did not slow down enough for them.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Slow down?!? Move over?!?11! It wasn't like this when Ronnie Reagan was in office!

First the government is deciding for me when and where I can masterbate and now this? This is outrageous, my tax dollars paid for those roads, I should be able to drive on them when and how I please without having a police state taking away my freedoms, man.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by RendeR

It shouldn't NEED to be a law. People shouldn't be fucking morons and should move away from people pulled off to the side anyway.

What he said.

Driving home the other day the ambulance slowed down through an intersection and a guy decided he could make it and cut the ambulance off so he could make his green light. There was no wreck, but I hope like hell the ambulance driver caught the license plate number.

So many laws should simply say "Don't be a dumbass"