Lane courtesy means to drive always in the right lane unless you are passing someone slower. In some countries, such as Germany, people practice this simple, helpful idea. Sadly, this is not true in Los Angeles.

Of course, lane courtesy makes no sense during rush hour in Los Angeles, when all freeway lanes, including the carpool lanes, are crawling along equally slowly. (Toll lanes are another matter; they’re usually clear because few people wish to pay for the tolls.)

However, there are times when the freeways are wide open and lane courtesy becomes important. The point of the freeway is to get to your destination as quickly as you can without throwing safety completely out the window. Steam comes out of my ears when I’m closing in from behind on someone drifting along in the left lane.

What’s your excuse? Texting or talking on the phone? Sorry, the call probably isn’t that important – and if it is, do the rest of us a favor and pull over! Then you can talk to your heart’s content! Some of us are old enough to remember the days before cellphones, when you were out of touch while driving. (There’s a certain joy to turning off your phone and being unreachable – try it sometime!) Read more of this article here.