Open Letter To Ignorant Iowa Drivers Who Do This

It's inevitable. Someone will make you mad when you drive. I mean, between being cut off by someone who slows way down and a motorist "forgetting" to use a turn signal. Still, Iowa is constantly given love for having some of the best drivers in the country. While we may, there's still one thing that irks me, and I see it all the time.

Oh, and it may be illegal in the Hawkeye State soon.

Move ovvvvvvver!

What irks me may be something you do. And, it's not the worst thing a motorist could do. Far from it, actually. It's more of an annoyance than anything. It could be illegal soon, so it's something to be aware of.

Motorists in Iowa face a lot of four-lane highways/interstates. That is two lanes on each side. In other words, a left lane and a right lane. Before we get into the annoyance and possible law change, I'll share my story quickly. I live in Cedar Falls and drive almost daily to Cedar Rapids.

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So I-380 between Waterloo and Cedar Rapids and I have become very close. It's a slick, easy stretch of road when the weather is good. My gripe here is, I'll be totally honest, very minor in the grand scheme of things.

One common practice I've observed since driving between Cedar Falls and Cedar Rapids is left-lane loitering. This is where a vehicle just sort of moseys about their drive in the left lane, despite not passing another car, or needing to be in the left lane to allow a stalled or emergency vehicle space. It is, and there's really no better word for it, loitering.

Move over or face a fine?

Back in January, the Iowa Senate Transportation Committee began work on a bill that would punish left lane lingering. If it stays on track and gets passed, starting in July 2025, left-lane lingerers could be fined up to $135 for not scooting over. Most states have some sort of rule regarding the left lane and the time a driver spends poking around in it.

Senator Mike Klimish from Spillvile feels that it's not only annoying, but dangerous. He said,

It slows traffic, increases hazards and creates concerns.

And he's not wrong. How do you feel? Should Iowa adopt a left lane loitering law? Or just leave it be?

While you're tooling around in the... right lane, check out some fun and free destinations in Iowa!