Bill would impose $200 for driving slowly in the fast lane

Chris Rodier —
FILE PHOTO: Joy Anderson

RALEIGH — N.C. Senator Jeff Tarte (R-Mecklenburg) is achieving social media fame with his new bill that would fine drivers up to $200 for driving slowly in the fast lane. The bill imposes the fine for impeding the flow of traffic on North Carolina’s interstates.Tarte commutes to the N.C. General Assembly from Cornelius, just outside Charlotte. He says that other members of the state legislature experience similar frustrations with slow drivers in the passing lane during their hours on the road to Raleigh. He says slow driving in the fast lane can lead to road rage but is often “a safety hazard that creates congestion.”.The simple, one-page bill has struck a chord with N.C. drivers. Since he proposed the measure, supporters have spread the word through their social media accounts and commended him on the proposal. The bill passed the first reading in the state Senate on Monday and was referred to the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.