ZS.ESTACADACOPS.1-1A.FJ.8/19/199

(Frederick D. Joe/The Oregonian)

Oregon is known for...what's the opposite of good drivers? But a bill that passed the Oregon Senate on Tuesday might be a start in fixing one type of aggravating Oregon motorist: the slow left laner.

You know the slow left laner. You probably are the slow left laner. You pull into that left lane and set cruise control at 50 miles per hour, either because you have no concern for your fellow man or because you want to really take in the sights off of I-5.

Senate Bill 532, which passed Tuesday 19-10, calls for a fine of up to $250 for "certain persons" who are not allowed to "drive in far left lane unless passing."

According to the text of the bill, "A person commits the offense of failure to keep a vehicle in the right lane if the person is operating a vehicle and the person drives the vehicle in the far left lane on a roadway that has two or more lanes for traffic proceeding in a single direction and that has a speed limit or posted speed greater than or equal to 55 miles per hour."

"People who hog the left lane lead to road rage and frustration, tailgating and passing on the right," said Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, one of the chief sponsors of the bill, told KVAL in Eugene. "All of these are unsafe behaviors. Several states across the nation are taking this approach to make their highways safer. It will improve traffic safety and help end an annoying behavior on the roadway."

The new law would allow driving in the far left lane for purposes of passing, left turns and in response to traffic and emergency conditions.

Now the bill moves on to the Oregon House.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker