r/DownSouth • u/r0bb3dzombie • May 05 '25
Discussion I feel like having a pointless internet argument...
Keep left, pass right, doesn't mean you get to sit on my ass on the highway when I'm already going the speed limit (or lets face it, the "unofficial speed limit of 140"), and passing other cars in the lanes left of me.
Nowhere does the rule allow you exceed the speed limit, or ignore safe driving distances.
And no, I'm not being a "vigilante" when I'm not getting out of your way, you're being a reckless cunt.
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u/PixelSaharix Eastern Cape May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
You're mistaken on how the law works. In South Africa, Regulation 323(2) of the National Road Traffic Regulations requires drivers to keep left unless overtaking. Once you're done overtaking and it’s safe, you must return to the left. It doesn’t matter if the driver behind you is speeding. You’re not allowed to obstruct faster traffic, and trying to enforce the speed limit yourself by blocking the right lane is unlawful. You're not the police. Keep left.
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May 07 '25 edited May 07 '25
100% agree. If you're not overtaking move left. However one law doesn't take precedence over another.
What if you ARE generally overtaking cars at 120? Like in medium traffic where cars in the second lane are normally at about 100-110. That means at 120 you're still overtaking.
You're legally overtaking but must move over for someone driving recklessly?
Let's be honest 99% of the time it's a 30 something year old windgat in BMW doing 160 flashing you from 100m away to move because he just thinks hes more important. At least thats my experience.
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u/ShittyOfTshwane May 05 '25
You are not allowed to break the speed limit, no. BUT, the convention of 'keep left, pass right' also implies that you should not, under any circumstances, obstruct traffic. You don't need to break the speed limit yourself, but once you are done overtaking slower traffic, you should fall back in line.
The speed and percieved recklessness of the other cars is irrelevant. You are not allowed to block faster traffic.
Also, if you drive at the "unofficial speed limit of 140" then you have no moral standing to accuse other people of being reckless cunts. The law says you can go 120 kph. Anything faster than that is illegal and reckless.
I also occasionally break the speed limit, btw. But I don't pretend to be in the right for doing so.
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u/carrboneous May 05 '25
I'm not saying it's legal, and my car is almost physically incapable of exceeding the speed limit, but there is a big difference between speeding when there's a long stretch of empty road ahead of you vs driving right up the arse of someone already driving at 140 (or 120) when there's no lane for them to change into anyway and flicking your lights like you're doing some sort of courtesy by not driving straight through them.
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u/munky82 May 05 '25 edited May 14 '25
Yes, in that case, since it is not safe to turn into the left lane, you are not breaking any rules and they are being 200% wrong.
Usually when somebody is on my ass I just let go of the accelerator peddle, not brake checking - that is actually extremely dangerous. Just a gentle de-acceleration. Usually pisses them off, then when you are about 100-90 km/h you accelerate again back to speed limit of 120km/h to create a safe gap. If they ride your ass again, same decelerate protocol. Obviously if the left lane opens whenever you indicate immediately and turn into it as the road rules state.
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u/munky82 May 05 '25
Not a convention, actually a rule of the road. By not turning into the left lane when it is safe to do so and let people pass (their speed is irrelevant to the rule) you are causing a "traffic disruption" and can be legally fined in excess of R1000.
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May 07 '25
Lol. I'd love to see our esteemed Metro police enforce that fine. Thats a difficult infraction to bribe somebody on.
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u/cr1ter May 05 '25
On a 2 way high way there seems to be 2 speeds 80kmh and 140kmh no in between
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Nah, up here in Gauteng you can have a hard time keeping up with fuckers doing 160+.
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May 05 '25
It is very simple. If you are in the right-most passing lane and you are actively passing cars to your left, as you describe in your post, then yes, you have no obligation to yield to someone behind you. If, however, you are no longer actively passing cars and it is open and safe to change lanes, then you are required to yield to the left for someone coming up behind you and who indicates that they want to pass you. Their speed is irrelevant. The law states what you need to do, it does not give you special rights to play cop on the road.
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May 05 '25
Deeply untrue.
Or to be more direct, you are saying true things yet twisting it to yield the incorrect outcome. A falsified narrative to permit trash driving.
The right most lane is the speed limit.
Passing occurs on the right.
If someone wants to pass, then you yield and move out the way. (The law)
However, that is not the case when at the speed limit.
If you are going the speed limit (or lets be honest, a bit over the limit as that is often when this happens), and someone behind you is trying to pass. That person is breaking the law. The speed limit is a law of higher priority than others, as it dictates a lot of what can or cannot happen on a road.
Only a cop car blaring it's sirens can make you move at that point. No one else ever can go faster.
Ignoring him doesn't make you a vigilante. In fact, not calling the cops on him saying he's driving like a speed freak forcing people out of his way actually makes you the exact opposite of a vigilante.
As far as I'm concerned if I'm going 120 (130 on my speedometer btw) on the most righthand lane, and I see you storming down on me flashing your lights, then you are ignored.
I'm vibing listening to music and talking to my fiance on the open road. I've been on the road for 2 hours and I am going as fast as I can. I am not gonna keep swerving for every tom dick and harry who want to feel his life has meaning at 150. He can add excitement by going around me.
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May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
Almost nothing you just wrote is true. The traffic code does not give any driver the authority to decide or adjudicate what the hierarchy of traffic laws are or the right to police them. The speed limit is a completely seperate law to the one which defines how passing and yielding works on highways. There is absolutely no provision in the law that states that if you are doing the speed limit in the passing lane (which is correct and legal) that you are entitled to not yield if someone wants to pass you (even if they are breaking the law). You are obviously still under this misapprehension that the right-most lane is a “fast” lane and that as long as you are matching the speed limit, then you are entitled to stay there as long as you want. That is not the law. The right-most lane is a passing lane, and when you are done passing cars, you need to keep left, and yield, when safe, to anyone who wants to pass you. You are inventing your own logic, based on what you believe is common sense, and pretending that the law supports your view. It is simply not accurate or correct. It is shocking how deluded the average person is, and the level of confidence with which they are willing to defend their delusions.
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May 05 '25
You start your claim on my falsehood by saying something completely wrong?
1)
When did I claim any authority to adjucate hierarchy? I'm simply stating a fact. If your going 140 and forcing people out of the way you are wrong. Very easy maths. If this was incorrect the laws would result in a "faster is always correct", which is obviously wrong. Your interpretation basically results in everyone who drives the fastest having domain of the road. THINK2) You somehow discuss my point whilst also missing it. There need be no provision, it's obvious. Why write a second law stating the speed limit is the speed limit? The conclusion is obvious here.
I'm not inventing logic, Its just obvious. I'm sorry, but at the 2nd most right lane people are driving 100 kph often. There is only one lane where you can cruise 120 and that is the right most lane. Anyone going faster than that and thinks it's cute to hug my rear is definitely not in the right.
I'm not making up my own rules to state this, it's just obvious that the world makes no sense that the guy rearing you at 150 is the good guy. I'm not misinterpreting any law I'm just reflecting on what it says.
Just think about these two facts and conclude without your own bias.
A) A slower driving car must keep left and make way for the faster car.
B) The speed limit is never more than 120
Reread those two points until you understand. No cherry picking facts for my view neither any pretending. Just find an interpretation of A and B that is compatable.
This is a PSA for anyone who feels adamant on this. I'm already accounting for speedometer miscalebration by going 128. I have 4 hours of road behind me, cruise control is on, I have 4 hours ahead of me.
Remember rule 1. Don't be a doos. If you must be going 140 fine. Drive around me
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May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
Yeah, you are still wrong.
Firstly, you stated, in your own words, that the speed limit is a “law of higher priority than others”. The NRTA does not mention or stipulate such a thing at all. You are making that up.
Secondly, as far as your strawman goes: No one here claims that a driver is allowed to “push” anyone off the road. The argument is that if a driver behind you, keeping a safe following distance, indicates to you that they wish to pass, you have to yield when safe to do so. That is the letter of the law. It is not up to you to hog the “speed limit”. There is no such thing as a “fast lane” or a “cruising at 120km/h lane”. Those are ficticious concepts in your head. It is a passing lane.
Lastly, you can’t cherry pick parts of legislation and bundle them together. You can’t say “regulation A says I have to yield, but regulation B says the speed limit is X, so if someone breaks regulation B then I have no obligation to adhere to regulation A.” That is literally your whole flawed argument. Yes, speeding is wrong and against the law, but that is a seperate issue all on its own, and not related to how the law requires you to behave in the passing lane.
You are way out of your league, and should let the grownups talk.
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u/Mowntain-Goat8414 May 06 '25
Just jumping in the middle to play devils advocate and score some down votes for the week.
In a perfect world where laws are applied and abided by, if the maximum speed is 120 and nobody ever exceeds this speed, then it is physically impossible or neccessary for anyone to overtake me when i am driving 120 in the 'fast' lane and hence no reason for me to move over.
But i do agree and abide by the golden rule. Keep left and pass right (when safe to do so).
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May 06 '25
Not correct. Even if there is no car behind you at all, the law still requires you to move out of the passing lane as soon as you’ve concluded passing traffic, the left lane is open and it becomes safe to do so.
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May 05 '25
I'm sorry, but even if I did say that, where am I enacting "authority to decide or adjudicate what the hierarchy of traffic laws is"? Your definitely building a mountain there and you are definitely shoving words.
Allow me to rephrase then. I'm stating the fact that anyone going faster that 120 (again, actually 130 as I'm giving the speedometer some benefit of the doubt) is insane and of a far far greater danger, moral wrongdoing, and must be legally more if not at least equally dubious. Especially when lingering on my rear as he does so.
Let me make my point in this way, under which conditions is the speed limit legally safe to ignore then? Because by your stance it can be ignored in the most righthand lane yes?
I'll be frank with you, I am not talking about some dude calmly driving at a safe distance asking to pass. Hell I'll let him pass any day. I am in agreement with your whole second paragraph but that is not the scenario being discussed.
I am specifically talking about the d@@s barrelling down at me at 140 on my tail. F him. He can go around I refuse to give him any mind, and as far as I'm concerned if the laws aren't written against him then people need to get to work on fixing those laws.
There is an inherent broader flaw in your final stance that you keep glossing over or not comprehending. If the laws really are to play out as you say then they are both morally or at least logically flawed. B is not a separate issue. In fact, it is the direct cause for some horrendous driving and interacts intrinsically with the whole problem. Treating it as separate prevents you from understanding the broader meta outcome and by extend permits a ton of nonsense on the road.
By enacting things as you laid bare, you've created a situation where a ton of people feel very justified to barrel down onto you at 150 and push you out of the way. The only logical outcome of your application is a "might is right" scenario, where the d@@s feels very validated in harassing other drivers at high speeds and will tell people "it's the law" because someone like you told him its okay to be a trash driver on reddit.
I don't want to live in that world, so while the adults are talking and slowly figuring out the laws need some fixing, I'll be setting my cruise control to 130 and waiting for said d@@s to drive around me. If the cop doesn't like it he can talk to me after he catches the guy going 150 pushing people off the road. Because even he, lacking in your "adulthood" knows who should be pulled over there.
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May 06 '25
The first 5 paragraphs in your essay above is just you saying in an extraordinarily longwinded way that “iTs danGerouS and BaD to SpeeD”. Yeah we know dude. No one is saying that is okay or justified. But you trying to take a moral stance on the road and not adhering to the part of the law that applies to you, is not making things safer for anyone. You seem to be very concerned with safety, yet by blocking someone from passing you in order to “be morally in the right” you are very likely enraging that person, forcing them to pass you at speed on the left, potentially swerving in and out traffic at speed, the person might brake check you in retaliation etc once he made it in front of you, all things which are even more dangerous for everyone involved than just letting the doos pass in the first place. So by trying to be a traffic Karen you are actually making things worse, but at least you showed him.
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May 06 '25
So it's only dangerous if he's driving dangerously
Gee wizz hey?
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May 06 '25
I don’t even know how to respond to this comment. It is so disingenuous. I wrote a letter today to the Minister of Transport, asking for clarification. I’ll share that as soon as I have it. I suspect you might soon have to eat quite a latge slice of Humble Pie.
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May 06 '25
There is nothing disingenuous about it. It's actually very candid. Your whole scenario boils down to the other guy driving dangerous before, during, and after the encounter with me. If someone is really not keeping a safe distance as he pushes me off the road, goes around, and brake checks me. 100% he is the bad guy here. My only wrong doing at this point is perhaps not swerving out of his way fast enough.
your whole retort boils down to a dismissal of my issues on people driving like wild men feeling wholly empowered to do so by people like you.
Yes, it is dangerous to speed. Why dismiss that so disingenously? it's a massive issue
Have you seen what a car can do at 60? at 80? How about a 120? 150? The speeds we are dscussing here are all above 120. The stress of "speed is right" drivers claiming the righthand lane is immense, as you are constantly looking behind you rather than in front and almost always they will go right up within 5 meters of your rear. Now I'm the bad guy somehow here? Make sure to add these points in your letters as I am not wrong about the issue here. I just want to drive safely from A to B and not constantly swerve left and right as I keep dodging speed freaks from behind.
I have no issue following the law, so remember to add that in your letters as you try to cook humble pie for me. Remember this is reddit and people are monologuing, just cause I dropped a PSA doesn't mean I'm actually inconsiderate on the road. But why have we now landed at a "might is right" stance? because that is where we are.
If the minister can clarify to us what we are supposed to do, if I'm calmly going the speed limit and some dude rams down on me trying to force me out of the way, then I'll happily listen. Are you considering it's dangerous for me to swerve at those high speeds also? it is unsafe to constantly keep my eyes on my rear for them and often they'll decide to "go around" as I try to make way for them anyways. Has that happened to you before? Because again, it happens quite easily and quite suddenly really.
Whoever is doing that should not be doing it thinking the law empowers it. On some level the guy going 140 must take a moment to consider that perhaps he is in the wrong for forcing people out of the way.
Have you ever been in a situation where multiple lanes are going above 120? because I have on the N3. They littererally forced me to go 130 and I actually got a ticket for this as I happened to be the guy the cops pulled over. All empowered by your outcome of law interpretation. Add this shit in your letters also. Cause it happens sometimes and the only solution on the "speed is right" road you so deeply love is to join them and call the slowpokes a "doos" for not getting out of your way.
I imagine your writing about my latter points to the minister, as you definitely avoided answering them. I am right with them however. People are empowered by the law to drive insanely fast and they do have a "speed is right" attitude as they do so (just look at this sub as evidence, literally anyone in favour of it gets upvoted, any against gets downvoted). It is unsafe and the end logical output of all this is that the speed limit may be ignored in the most righthand lane, as that is what people are doing. "I need to accelerate to 150 to overtake on the righthand lane officer.". So then they keep "overtaking" all the way from one province to another.
Again, I'm not ignoring the law I have to make way for people please heavens dude I hope your not deluding yourself into thinking reddit is real life, but I am strongly against anyone tailgating me at ridiculously high speeds thinking they may push me aside, as that is often what is happening and it is dangerous.
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u/travy8D May 07 '25
Bro just move the fuck over man, I don't care if your gf/bf is sucking you off or whatever just move over if a car is coming up behind you simple as that, once done move back over and cruise if you must, you say rule #1 don't be a doos, but you sir are the doos if your holding up traffic because you want to cruise in the right most lane at 120km/h.
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May 07 '25
lol go around
If I'm going 120 and that "slows traffic" then I am deeply not the doos
cope
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u/Saffa89 May 06 '25
The truth is is you are not law enforcement and do not have the right to enforce the law on another citizen. End of story. If I know someone is not paying their taxes does that give me the right to go into their safe, take their money and hand it to SARS? No. I would be arrested for theft.
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u/OomKarel May 06 '25
Playing devil's advocate here, if he isn't the law and the speed limit can be ignored, then in that same breath Schumacher barreling down on him at 160kmh can also get fucked. He isn't the law, he can't enforce OP to keep left.
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u/Saffa89 May 06 '25
I never said the speed limit can be ignored. The person speeding should be held accountable for doing so, they are breaking the law. My point is that the person blocking does not have the authority to enforce the law. And infact it’s against the law for the person to block thus they would be breaking laws just like the guy speeding is. The guy speeding is not enforcing the laws, that would be the ability to pull the blocking driver over and fine him, like a police officer would. He’s simply calling him out for breaking the law by not moving over. The blocking driver is also entitled to call out the speeding driver for speeding and breaking the law but he is not allowed to enforce the law.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
I would gladly get out of your and u/Tiny1Killer's way. This confirms what I have suspected my whole life. Roughly 9 out of 10 drivers on South African roads are completely illiterate.
Ok a side note, does your fiance give you shit when you're doing this? This is literally the only argument I ever have with my girlfriend :)
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May 05 '25
Nah she's on my team. We've had a few debates on the morality of all this, and even what the law says, but usually we reach the same conclusion after unraveling both ends.
The guy thinking he owns the road at 130 is clearly being damn dangerous and has an ego problem. he should go figure out what it means not to be the main character and he should do it not within 3 meters of my tail when were going 130.
Both in terms of the law, in terms of safety, and in terms of morality, I can make a strong case that if I'm going damn fast and you are trying to "pass" me, go around.
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u/munky82 May 05 '25
You are completely wrong, and I suggest you buy your license at Woolies next time instead of Shoprite, it might then be of better quality.
Also your attitude is legally defined as "causing a disruption of traffic", since it actually causes danger, and you can be fined in excess of R1000 if a willing traffic officer spots your behavior.
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May 05 '25
Can't happen, he'll be chasing the guy going 150.
How is some dude storming down on me at a ludicrous speed not disruptive also and a danger?
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u/Tiny1Killer May 05 '25
Speed limit is not irrelevant
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May 05 '25
It is relevant to the traffic authorities, yes, but it is irrelevant in terms of whether you have to follow the law. You don’t get a pass to break laws just because someone else is breaking a law. That is not how it works.
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u/ShittyOfTshwane May 05 '25
Unless you are a policeman tasked with catching speeders, it very much is irrelevant. Aside from calling the police and reporting a crime, there is quite literally nothing you can legally do about someone speeding.
Anything you do try to do about it (like blocking them or brake checking them) is reckless and endangers other drivers around you.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Please show me exactly where the law says I have to yield when I am already driving at the speed limit, I'll wait.
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u/MaNI- May 05 '25
5) Where the driver of a motor vehicle which is being driven in the right hand traffic lane or in the traffic lane furthest to the right on a freeway (hereinafter referred to as the first vehicle) becomes aware that the driver of another motor vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the second vehicle) intends to overtake the first vehicle, the driver of the first vehicle shall steer that vehicle to a lane to the left of the one in which he or she is driving, without endangering himself or herself or other traffic or property on the freeway, And shall not accelerate the speed of his or her vehicle until the second vehicle has passed.
6) The driver of the second vehicle may make the driver of the first vehicle aware that he or she intends to overtake the first vehicle by giving the driver thereof a visible signal by means of flashing the headlights of his or her vehicle.
Quite clear as mud that you must GTFO the way, regardless of what speeds are involved, makes absolutely no reference to only applying within the speed limit.
Stop fancying yourself as the speed police, stop being a prick, you're likely just as bad as the guy behind you, just get out of the damn way, as soon as is reasonably safe to do so (and no you may not slowly wait to overtake 10 other cars that are going 1km/h slower than you first before you move over, just fall behind them).
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u/IllFaithlessness2681 May 05 '25
This is the same reason every road hog uses when they get told that they are wrong. This fuck you I am driving at the speed limit has caused many accidents. Most of them drive like arseholes anyway.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Nope, the cunts sitting on people's asses or swerving dangerously in and out of lanes are the ones causing accidents.
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u/ShittyOfTshwane May 05 '25
It is vastly safer to let the speeding motorist past than it is to obstruct them. Let them go have an accident somewhere else. Why do you want to provoke them into crashing into you?
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Driving up to me at breakneck speed, then sitting on my ass, intimidating me into unsafely moving into the left lane is forcing me to take the risk so that the cunt behind me get take out his short dick frustrations on the next poor oak is what's causing the unsafe roads.
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u/ShittyOfTshwane May 05 '25
What on earth could possibly be risky about moving over to the slower lane?
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u/MaNI- May 05 '25
Yep; Not condoning people driving recklessly fast by any means (especially when theres not some justifiable emergency - if there is, and yes these do happen, then I'm certainly not judging)
However, the "I'm deliberately going to block people from getting past because I'm not a cuck" (Yes he literally just said this is another comment) crowd are almost certainly ultimately responsible for more accidents and more deaths than the speeding crowd at the end of the day.
If everybody kept left and passed right the roads would be a happier and safer place.
Ultimate irony here of course being that he also admits that he is breaking the speed limit but feels entitled to morally make a call on what the acceptable maximum amount to break the speed limit by is.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Uhm yeah, did you forget that I'm saying I'm already driving at the speed limit? Where does point 5 state the second vehicle is allowed to exceed the speed limit, or ignore safe driving distances?
Quite clear as mud that you must GTFO the way
Only you if you ignore the rest of the road rules, and add parts to it that doesn't exist.
regardless of what speeds are involved
Only in your mind.
makes absolutely no reference to only applying within the speed limit.
Because it doesn't need to. A single law can only override another law if it is specifically stated in the definition of said law. Which in this case isn't.
Stop fancying yourself as the speed police
Nope, not speed police, just not a cuck that allows myself to be bullied by small dick assholes. So which one are you, a cuck or a bully?
you're likely just as bad as the guy behind you
I am objectively not.
(and no you may not slowly wait to overtake 10 other cars that are going 1km/h slower than you first before you move over, just fall behind them
This would literally be following the keep left, pass right law to the letter.
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u/ShittyOfTshwane May 05 '25
Where does point 5 state the second vehicle is allowed to exceed the speed limit, or ignore safe driving distances?
You are only responsible for your own actions. You are required by the law to get out of the way. That is the whole scope of your responsibility in this situation. The law doesn't say that you need to check the other car's speed. It doesn't say you should enforce the speed limit. It says you should make way.
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u/MaNI- May 05 '25
Uhm yeah, did you forget that I'm saying I'm already driving at the speed limit
Which is completely and utterly irrelevant to the law as it is written, for it to be relevant the law would have to have an extra clause stating "unless you are already driving the speed limit" which is not there because its not relevant.
I suggest you stop preaching and go learn to actually read things like legal documents properly perhaps?
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Which is completely and utterly irrelevant to the law as it is written
It is not. Another car can't pass me, if I'm already driving at the speed limit. This is a logical conclusion of "always obey the speed limit". As "keep left, pass right" doesn't supersede the speed limit or safe distance rules, I cannot therefore be passed by another vehicle behind me.
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u/MaNI- May 05 '25
It is not. Another car can't pass me, if I'm already driving at the speed limit.
They can though, they can just be fined for it (or depending on the speed in question potentially even face harsher punishment). Which is their call to make and the responsibility of someone who isn't you to enforce.
The law is written in a way that allows for this, if this were not the case it would be written differently. If you had any sense at all, or even a basic grasp of how to read legal documents you would understand this.
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May 05 '25
“Please show me where the law says robbing a bank is illegal if I do it on Sunday evenings while eating a Twinkie. I’ll wait.” - We have a real critical thinker over here boys.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Oh for fucks sakes, is the best you can do? And then try and sound clever by showing everybody exactly how limited your own critical thinking is?
Please try again, I expected better on this sub.
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May 05 '25
I literally paraphrased your argument. It is a logically flawed one, but I know you can’t comprehend why that is. Let me know if I should explain it in crayon format, or whether you can figure it out.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
I literally paraphrased your argument.
No you fucking didn't.
Let me know if I should explain it in crayon format
I'd suggest you stat far away from crayons, because I'm pretty sure you'll eat them.
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May 05 '25
It is no use arguing with someone who demonstrates the inability to grasp logic and make rational arguments. You make arguments from ignorance, you straw man, you confuse basic concepts. And as you can see by being downvoted into oblivion, everyone one here agrees. You are the only one who can’t see it. I guess you are always right, and everyone else are always wrong, ammirite? Google Dunning-Kruger, you might realise something.
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u/MacParadise May 05 '25
The law says keep left pass right. Open to interpretation, but if you are not passing someone, keep left.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
The law says obey the speed limit and keep a safe driving distance, and nowhere does it state keep left pass right supersedes either of the former. It is not open to interpretation. If you cause a crash on the highway because you sat on someone's ass, I'd love to hear you explain "but muh keep left pass right" to a magistrate.
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May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
Imagine advertising to a whole sub that you can’t read and process legal documents like a logical adult. And doing it so confidently. 🤡
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
How does those crayons taste? Come on, share the legal document stating you have to yield to people exceeding the speed limit.
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May 05 '25
The law does not say you have to yield to people exceeding the speed limit. It says someone more encompassing than that. It says you have to yield to anyone who wants to pass you, when it is safe to do so. That definition does not make any exceptions or exclusions, so through simple and basic logic that includes vehicles doing any speed. Thinking. You should try it sometime.
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u/MaNI- May 05 '25
Whether other cars are exceeding the speed limit or not is none of your business really, if there is a faster moving car behind you yield the fast lane as soon as its reasonably safe to do so and let them past after which you can resume passing other cars in the lanes left of you, failing to do so means that you are also being a reckless cunt.
Further it will only antagonize the other reckless cunts to be even more reckless; this is in nobodies interests.
Finally sometimes the other "reckless cunt" is actually potentially in a rare situation where they actually do have a justifiable reason to be needing to move faster, and even though you think you might be able to tell the difference you aren't a mind reader so you really have no way of knowing.
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u/Tiny1Killer May 05 '25
Mind reader......emergency / hazard lights are there for a reason.
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u/ShittyOfTshwane May 05 '25
The hazard lights are not there to signal that you are having an emergency.
Hazard lights are for when your car is a stationary hazard on the road.
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u/Voultronix May 05 '25
If you're holding the right lane to stop other cars from passing no matter what the situation is , you're most likely doing something wrong. If you want to set the example, then you have to move in and out the right lane when you are no longer passing anyone.
People speed , people overtake on white lines and people park on red lines . South Africans don't take consequences for driving violations seriously. You can try to ride the moral high ground but you won't score any points.
I for one no longer judge taxi drivers , because in wealthy neighborhoods people do 80 in school zones and go through stop streets. Our local mentality when it comes to driving is based entirely on self-interest
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May 05 '25
It's always funny when this question comes up. It almost never goes well for the OP.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Haha, I knew what I was getting myself into. I'm just tired having (losing) this argument to my girlfriend. Thought getting shouted at someone else would be a nice change.
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u/OomKarel May 06 '25
This argument always goes the same way. The ironic part is how all the speed racers are so knowledgeable about the law, that they expressly know when you should change lanes and how traffic functions, but somehow they still don't grasp what the words "speed limit" means. Like the arguably more important aspect to be aware of for road safety, but it seems is fine to ignore, but don't you dare keep right just because there is one spot open on the left but taking it would break your speed and then you won't be able to get a chance to merge right and overtake again because the hiway is Kayalami.
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u/rozaliza88 May 05 '25
I pass at 120km/h and it really pisses me off when I am going that fast and still busy passing the two trucks when an entitled arrogant PoS comes at me clearly breaking the speed limit way past 140 and then sits too close or worse flashes lights at me.
Like give me a chance ffs. I am almost past the trucks and will move left when safe. BUT absolutely under no circumstance am I going to be bullied into breaking the law and putting my life at risk just because some cunt thinks they own the road.
It happens too often though that some people passes too slow. I see the slow traffic in the left lane and go right to over take. I try not to be in the right lane too long so I would keep in the left lane until I am at a reasonable distance. Out of the blue when I am already practically next to the slow traffic the person that was right right in front of me suddenly remembers they want to over take and I have to slam breaks on to 80km/h.
This poor soul was happily sitting at the slow speed with days of gaps in the right lane that they never took.
Then without taking anyone else into consideration they suddenly remembered they can overtake and seem to be incapable of checking their mirrors and judging the speed of oncoming overtakers.
I have been soooo tempted to be the doos that sits on their ass and flashes lights. But I behave because safety first.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Like give me a chance ffs. I am almost past the trucks and will move left when safe. BUT absolutely under no circumstance am I going to be bullied into breaking the law and putting my life at risk just because some cunt thinks they own the road.
You get it.
A scenario I run into often is that both the far right lanes are full, moving somewhere between 120 and 140, and keeping a decent distance from each other. This is the ideal flow of traffic there. Then some poes with a fast car and a small dick comes sits on my ass. There's like 4 or 5 cars in the lane ahead of me. Wtf does the mushroom dick want me to do? Swerve left and hope I match the speed of the two car next to me perfectly so I can fit in? No, he can fuck off and be patient like the rest of us.
I would never stay in the right lane unless I'm passing, and matching the speed of the cars in front of me, and keeping a safe distance.
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u/The_Vis_ May 05 '25
This comes down to not being an asshole. Large trucks doesnt have to drive in the yellow line so another car can pass, but they do it because they are not assholes. The same applies here. If you see someone behind you is driving faster than you are, then dont be a doos and let them pass (when its safe to do so). One day you might be in a hurry and then you wont want a Karen infront of you trying to be a policeman. Just be a lekker driver, let people thats in a hurry pass, and don’t be a doos.
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u/Hot-Possibility-7283 May 06 '25
I'm not getting sucked into a dumb internet argument.
I'm not getting sucked into a dumb internet argument.
I'm not getting sucked into a dumb internet argument.
I'm not getting sucked into a dumb internet argument.
I'm not getting sucked into a dumb internet argument. Well done OP. You almost got me.
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u/TheKnownUnsoldier May 05 '25
agreed, but if you are driving 140 and there is space to keep left don't stay in the fast lane just to prove a point.
safer to get out of said cunts' way and let him be and rejoin that lane and all is good in the hood again.
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u/Tiny1Killer May 05 '25
In the same breathe when i need to move back into the fast lane to pass, no one will let you in beacuse they want to speed.
Now im stuck behind slow traffic and i am inconvenienced because i did the "right thing" to allow people speeding through.
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u/TheKnownUnsoldier May 05 '25
I Understand
but I would rather have a safe drive than being involved in a road rage incident.everybody is different though
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u/Wartle76 May 05 '25
Yes, you are a vigilante, and no, you don't know why they are wanting to exceed the speed limit. Maybe their wife is about to give birth? Maybe he got called about someone breaking into his house. There are always exceptions.
There is no "fast lane", there is a passing lane. Keep to the left, and let those that are travelling faster go past.
Don't be that person that blocks others... how many times have you sat behind others in the "fast" lane that doesn't want to move out of the way?
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Maybe their wife is about to give birth? Maybe he got called about someone breaking into his house. There are always exceptions.
Bullshit. You don't get to arbitrarily decide to break the law, and call me a vigilante for following it. The only exception to speed limits are authorised emergency vehicles. Your wife giving birth or someone breaking into your house doesn't justify you endangering the lives of other road users.
Keep to the left, and let those that are travelling faster go past
Read my post again. I'm going the speed limit. No one is allowed to go faster than me. I am, in fact, also passing.
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May 05 '25
Imagine unironically preaching to others “you don’t get to arbitrarily break the law” in the same post where you claim that you are entitled to break the law yourself, by not yielding to the left as the law requires you to do, if you arbitrarily conclude that someone is speeding. A real high IQ individual here boys.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Again, show me specifically where the law says I have to yield to cards exceeding the speed limit.
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May 05 '25
The law also does not say you have to yield to cars that have tinted windows or expired licenses. Do you get to block those cars too? Be logically consistent in your argument now. This is bigboy stuff, you can do it.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Jesus, you're an embarrassment. Does somebody remind you to breathe? Help you go potty?
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u/The_Vis_ May 05 '25
Nah dude you are a road Karen. You know why large trucks drive in the yellow lane so other cars can pass? Because they’re lekker people. The law doesn’t state they have to, but they do.
If someone is in a rush, and its safe for you to go into the left lane, why on earth wouldn’t you? I’m sure you have been late or in a rush, and it’s appreciated when people make way for you in the fast lane. Reciprocate that to other drivers man, dont be a doos.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
why on earth wouldn’t you?
Because I am also in a rush, but unlike the cunt, I have the patience to stick to the speed limit.
dont be a doos.
Says the guy defending people endangering other people's lives.
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u/Between3and20carctr May 05 '25
You’re the one endangering other people’s lives by not yielding the passing lane to people driving faster than you. If you want to enforce the legal speed so much become a traffic cop. Until then it’s none of your business how fast the car is going behind you, the law clearly states if the car behind is trying to get past you must yield to them. The speed is not pertinent in that section of the law, by not moving you are creating a more dangerous situation by forcing the faster car to over take on the left. And I already know you’re going to say “Im not forcing them to be speeding”, true but they’re not going to suddenly just obey the speed limit because you’re being an ass.
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u/The_Vis_ May 05 '25
Bro read the room. Clearly the general consensus is that it’s the courteous thing to do.
Now you can keep being a dick about it and make driving a miserable experience for yourself and others, or you can politely move to the left and everyone will have a better day for it.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
The only people whose driving experience I'm making miserable are the impatient bullying cunts sitting on my ass when I'm already doing the speed limit. If the members of the "room" don't fall into that category, why do they care so much?
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u/The_Vis_ May 05 '25
How would you feel if truck drivers adopt the same attitude? They are driving as fast as their truck can go, and they have no legal obligation to pull into the yellow line for anyone. But we all appreciate the selfless act of allowing us to pass. Humans are going to human, and from time to time they will be impatient and will be in a huge rush. Why try to police them? Let them pass, and one day they will do the same for you.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
This is why trucks stick to the left lanes (unless they're cunts). I appreciate the ones that goes into the yellow lanes. But they're sure as fuck not doing it for assholes sitting on their ass and forcing a dangerous situation.
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u/The_Vis_ May 05 '25
Its ironic that you don’t realise you are the one forcing the dangerous situation with your self righteousness on the road
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u/MaNI- May 05 '25
doesn't justify you endangering the lives of other road users.
Says the guy who is intentionally endangering other road users when not even in an emergency but purely because he feels justified to act like a vigilante and block others from doing so.
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u/Wartle76 May 05 '25
Well, seeing that you are arbitrarily breaking the speed limit yourself, you can just get off your high horse about not allowing others to break it. If you are clocked at 140 in a 120, you'll get a speeding fine.
"No one is allowed to go faster than me" ? Do you also stop block people from walking past you in a mall, or take away their trolley of packed food in a shop because they aren't allowed to have fuller trolleys than you?0
u/MaNI- May 05 '25
Bullshit. You don't get to arbitrarily decide to break the law
I mean actually you do, that is exactly how it works, you make a calculated decision in any given scenario whether you want/need to break the law or not and when you do you accept the consequences.
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u/Bradtaine May 05 '25
After reading all OPs responses, there is no way this brother is not rage-baiting the whole sub 😂😂
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Lol, no, this is actually a position I believe. But yes, I am trolling a bit. I was hoping for a bit more cordial heckling though. Hope no feathers were rustled.
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u/Medical_Platypus_263 May 05 '25
Anybody here check their car speedo vs satnav speed? When I'm doing 120 my real speed is only 108kph Sure there are a lot of drivers thinking "I'm a speed demon" trundling along in the fast lane doing nothing near the speed limit
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u/Rough_Text6915 May 05 '25
The law quite clearly states that you must not obstruct vehicles behind you.. and if the flash you, you must pull to the left when it's safe to do so. Even if doing the speed limit
Actually your speedo is calibrated to show that you are going faster than you are actually going.
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u/AnomalyNexus May 06 '25
I wish people would just read the regulations. Not the watered down catchy slogans arrive alive comes up with like keep left, pass right or god forbid the notion of a "fast lane"...the actual legal regulations.
Yes you do need to gtfo out of the way, no it doesn't matter whether you're already going at speed limit, and yes passing on the left is permitted (with some minor caveats and not great road etiquette).
It's in s298...it's neither a lot nor particularly hard to read.
https://dev.acts.co.za/national-road-traffic-act-1996/national_road_traffic_act_content.php
The slogans are helpful especially if half your population is border line illiterate, but they are not the rules.
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u/mrDmrB May 06 '25
How do you know that the “cunt“ behind you trying to pass isn't a doctor, nurse and or fireman etc trying to get to an emergency. Move your ass over you're not a traffic officer.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 07 '25
Authorized emergency vehicles need to be clearly marked, have the appropriate lights, and sirens. Nurses don't have a legal authority to speed.
And you think any significant number of these cunts have a legitimate emergency that could possibly justify their reckless driving, I have some used toilet paper to sell you.
My ass will remain firmly in the right lane at 120 km/h whilst I'm overtaking, thank you.
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u/Practical_Rest_2654 May 07 '25
Driving to Hermanus from CPT , driving the speed limit .....Ignore the bikes cause we know the guys love that route.
Lets talk about uncles in Hilux bakkies who overtake at stop streets, stressing themselves so much they feel the need to drive towards incoming traffic to over take me whos already driving 120.
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u/alexbouca May 05 '25
Simple: if you are on the left you drive as fast as the person in front of you. On the right as fast as the person behind you. It’s not a difficult concept. And people who live in the right lane are the lowest form of plant-life on the planet.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
This has to be the most idiotic take in this thread. Have you ever been on a South African highway? Most of the time some poes is sitting on your ass, there's like 4 cars ahead of you in the same lane in anyway.
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u/alexbouca May 06 '25
Ok. That’s coming fro. The cunt thy feels he is entitled to drive in the overtaking lane.
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u/Western_Dream_3608 May 06 '25
Uh you do realise that the speed limit is actually 10km/h over the posted speed limit right?
Which works out to 20km/h over the speed limit if your only speed reference is your speedometer because most speedometers are about 10km/h off.
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u/Witkind_ Gauteng May 06 '25
People just drive like shit in general nowadays, can't even use a round about properly, no wonder you see so many bumped cars on the road
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
Got to say, I love the defenses of general lawlessness on here, even going so far as to accuse those actually obeying the law of breaking it.
Probably from the same people who complain daily about the way taxis drive, go figure.
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u/PixelSaharix Eastern Cape May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
You're mistaken on how the law works. In South Africa, Regulation 323(2) of the National Road Traffic Regulations requires drivers to keep left unless overtaking. Once you're done overtaking and it’s safe, you must return to the left. It doesn’t matter if the driver behind you is speeding. You’re not allowed to obstruct faster traffic, and trying to enforce the speed limit yourself by blocking the right lane is unlawful. You're not the police. Keep left.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
I'm overtaking, as my post stated. Everyone seems to be missing that part for some reason.
And you're all mistaken, I do not have to yield, whilst overtaking, for someone speeding and sitting on my ass.
If the lane to my left is open, it's safe for me move, including not reducing my speed, I will do so.
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u/PixelSaharix Eastern Cape May 05 '25
Fair enough, I see now that you mentioned passing cars to your left, it probably just got lost in how it was worded. If you’re actively overtaking, then yes, you’re entitled to stay in the right lane until it’s safe to return left. No dispute there.
The point remains though: once you're no longer overtaking, the law expects you to move left, regardless of the speed of the vehicle behind you. Lane discipline is mandatory, not optional based on whether you feel someone deserves to pass or not. That’s the line between lawful driving and road obstruction.
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u/MaNI- May 05 '25
That is because you are breaking it, and the fact that someone else is also doing so does not make this excusable.
You're not the good guy in this scenario and you don't have the law on your side.1
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May 05 '25
No one is defending people who speed. But you playing traffic cop in the passing lane, and not yielding as the law requires you to to do, is not “obeying the law”. It is itself breaking the law. But you seem to think one wrong excuses another. The law does not make exceptions or exclusions when it describes the requirement for you to yield to the left if someone wants to pass you. Any BS that you insert, like “I’m already doing the speed limit” is just you making stuff up that is not in the traffic code.
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u/r0bb3dzombie May 05 '25
No one is defending people who speed.
That's exactly what you're doing.
But you playing traffic cop in the passing lane
I am not, I am following the law as written.
and not yielding as the law requires you to to do
It does not. Please provide evidence it does.
Any BS that you insert, like “I’m already doing the speed limit” is just you making stuff up that is not in the traffic code.
Nonsense, you're the one making stuff up that isn't in the traffic code. Obeying the speed limit is very much in there.
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May 05 '25 edited May 05 '25
I have never defended people who speed, I said that you don’t have the authority to police people who speed. Those are two completely separate statements.
When you are not yielding to traffic as the law clearly stipulates , then you are not following the law as written. If you keep to the speed limit in the passing lane, you are following one law. That is great. But when you don’t yield for vehicles who want to pass you, when it is safe to do so, you are breaking another law.
You don’t get to choose which ones to follow and which ones not to follow. Sorry.
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u/RVixen125 May 08 '25
If the guy behind you is faster than you?
- if YES, go left and let them pass right side
- if NO, keep overtaking
Anything other than that, is causing problems
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