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Don for Port Arthur asks: I have a question about people driving 55-60 mph in the left hand lane on the highway. I see this all the time and it doesn’t make any sense to me because it ties up the traffic flow. The other day I observed someone driving slowly in the left lane, so I passed him up in the right lane, and got in front of him in the left lane and slowed down. He passed me back and got in front of me again in the left lane going 60mph. What can be done about this?

Answer: What we can start with first is we need you to STOP being a hazard on the road. Trust me, Don, I do understand how you feel when you have a slow driver in the left lane. But keep in mind, you are NOT the police. The action you took was a mild form of ROAD RAGE, which we experience here in Texas. Don’t take other people’s disobedience of the transportation code into your own hands. Call your local police department and let them take care of it. I must say you are correct by saying the left hand lane is designed for passers and left turn makers. If someone is driving at or under the posted speed limit, they need to be in the right lane. I’m grateful this incident didn’t take an ugly turn, because y’all were playing with a loaded weapon. While vehicles are in motion is not the time to try and correct others’ driving behaviors.

 

Juan from Port Arthur asks: I was traveling on Highway 69 headed back in town from what seems like a daily trip to Lowe’s. This trip home was different because I had a full load on the back of my truck, which made me very uneasy traveling at a high rate of speed. I turned on my flashers and was driving in the right lane, going much slower than the normal traffic flow, but other drivers seemed to get angry, blow their horns and one gave me a finger salute when they passed. I’m aware of the posted speed limit, but is there a minimum speed limit on Highway 69? Should I have traveled down a different street to my home?

 

Answer: I smiled when you said you activated your hazard lamps while driving in the right lane because that’s the correct driving procedure when traveling much slower than the posted limit. With that said, there is NO minimum speed limit on Highway 69, where it used to be 45 mph in the right lane. But today if a motorist is able to continuing operating a vehicle as long as it’s done in the right lane, there’s no violation of the law in Texas. The violation for traveling too slow is called Impeding Traffic but only for traveling too slow in the LEFT lane.

 

Janice from Nederland asks: Is it true that police officers will let you go 5 mph over the speed limit before they stop a vehicle? I guess you’re a lil stricter than the rest. How many miles per hour over the speed limit do police officers in this area allow before they write a driver a ticket?

Answer: Be on the look out for speed limit signs, your speedometer and comply and you’ll be just fine. You and thousands alike are proof that this article is educating our community on the laws of the road, which will eventually make Southeast Texas a safer place to commute. Speeding is no joke. It’s dangerous and deadly. Simply put, Speed Kills! For more than 1/3 of motorists who are killed in traffic crashes, speeding was a cause. I’ve heard the rumor over and over again about me giving a driver a citation for going 1 mph over the posted speed limit. There is absolutely NO truth regarding this matter. There are no grace miles for traveling over the posted speed limit in the Texas Transportation Code. Each law enforcement department or individual officer have the right to set their own limit. You asked what was my limit, and I’ll tell you it’s NORMALLY 9 mph over the posted limit. Once you travel 10 mph over the limit, I’ll stop the violator and issue a citation. Now keep in mind ANY law enforcement officer can stop a vehicle at 1 mph over the posted speed limit. Always remember you are welcome to drive under the posted speed limit, as well.

 

Join Me, Officer Rickey Antoine and the CREW: Stephen “Buzzard Boots” Mosley, Lelo “mouth of Hwy 69/73” Washington & Tejas “Lil Man” Moorin Star for Ask A Cop live on KSAP 96.9 FM The Breeze every Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m. as we discuss in detail the newly released “Ask A Cop” article. You can also tune in via ksapthebreeze.org. Ask your question live at 409-982-0247. Now you can make a comment or ask via TEXT 409-748-6106. Remember to email questions to rickey.antoine@portarthurtx.gov, call 409-983-8673 for voice mail question or mail them to: Ofc. Rickey Antoine, 645 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640. If you happen to see me in public, you can always approach and “Ask A Cop!”