Ohio's road warriors who have turned the left lane into their personal scenic route received a not-so-subtle nudge from the Ohio Department of Transportation District 12 Cleveland. In a recent Facebook post, the ODOT made it clear: "Some of you LOVE to drive in the left lane... your whole drive." But let's be real, that stretch of pavement is not your private cruising strip. Intended for overtaking, not lingering, the left lane should see you coming and going, ideally without delay.
Reiterating what should be common knowledge, the ODOT has urged drivers to use the left lane properly, to dodge and weave through slower traffic, then gracefully return to the more pedestrian lanes. All in a bid to alleviate the clogged arteries of our highways and byways, which, driving in the left lane, you constantly, really only make worse. The social media reminder, spotlighted on the Ohio Department of Transportation District 12 Cleveland Facebook page, comes with a simple instruction: "Use the left lane to go around motorists and merge back to the center or right lane when done."
This public service announcement is part of an ongoing effort to reduce traffic snarls that can lead to road rage and accidents. Drivers hanging out in the left lane become rolling roadblocks, disrupting the flow and causing unnecessary brake taps and swerves. ODOT’s straightforward hashtag #PleaseAndThankYou hints at the civility they hope to see returned to the roads with a nod to the all-too-common practice of ‘left lane camping.’
