In the U.S. it depends on state laws, some permit it, others don't. Where I live, it's sort of a grey area. But honestly I wouldn't do it in front of a cop to test the theory. It's 'bad practice' anyway, and I try not to do it.
I don't get people like this. You should never be in such a hurry that you risk killing someone.
I was lucky enough to be a close proximity witness to a pickup truck roll over accident caused by an SUV trying to speed down the shoulder of a road to bypass traffic congestion when I was in my early 20s. I say I was lucky because no one was hurt, but I got to learn a valuable lesson at an age when I was developing into the kind of driver I would be. I remember that wreck two decades later any time I see someone using the shoulder to try to pass traffic. Sometimes trying to save 5 minutes ends up costing you hours at the very least. A lot of people will routinely run red lights, run stop signs, pass on the shoulder, pass on a double yellow line, speed while weaving in and out of lanes, only give one or two car lengths of space between themselves and the car in front of them despite going 50mph+, etc., and it f***ing pisses me off every time. There are so many common things people do that show how little they consider the people around them. If anything good can come from something like this, it'll be that more people start giving that consideration. No one is an island unto themselves. I don't care how much of a free individual a person thinks they are -- a person's actions can and will impact others.
