Turning left?

Stay in the let lane and pull straight on through as far as you can before turning left. This will give you the best chance to clear your tandems. I have done both myself and in the city I sometimes even block a lane if I need to make a right or left turn. Sometimes I'll accept being wrong instead of eating a car or a pole. The instructor only sees what his little rule book states.

 

I assume your question is in regard to the lanes you're turning into...If you're the only turn lane, you use as much of the 2 lanes as you safely need to...

If you're talking about the lanes you're turning from, again, you take as much of the 2 lanes as you SAFELY can and need...

 

Hes asking what lane you are supposed to end up in when you complete the turn....I think technically youre always supposed to turn into the left lane when making a left turn, and right lane when making a right turn....But this is all CDL book drivel that doesnt really apply in the real world. You turn into whatever lane you need, have the room to get into, or whatever.

 

It's illegal to make a left hand turn into a right hand lane. It's illegal to make a right hand turn into a left hand lane. Buttonhooks are also illegal in most cities. For the reason that you'll get morons that'll want to pass you in the direction you want to turn.

When you make a left turn into a 4 lane highway, aim for lane #1 until the tandems clear the oncomming vehicles in lane #3. When the tandems clear, swing back over to lane #2. Once the vehicle is straight in lane #2, then merge to lane #1.

 

The instructor/Bear/whatever, don't care what the rest of the truck does. They want to see those trailer wheels clear the center stripe by 3' or more. I was tricked into thinking you can't use the curb. Lane choice is everything! Use both! Your not driving a minivan. Tells them you know what your doing.

 

What I was taught in school was as you make your left turn, you start off in the left lane or the lane closest to you and after you clear the median you proceed to the right lane when you can do so safely. However, in the PA CDL manual, they tell you to use the right lane as you're making a left turn. Personally, I'd go by what the manual says for your state. I didn't have such an intersection on my road test, so I'm not sure how the tester would've reacted.

 

Using the right lane and turning into it are two different things. If you need to use the right lane so your trailer clears oncomming traffic, then use it. But don't make a left turn into a right lane. Make a left turn into a left lane.

 

MANY places will require you use much of the right lane to enter the left lane and clear those waiting to turn left(on your left), depends on the size of the intersection...

This question can only be answered 'exactly' based on the exact situation...We all know not every left turn is the same...