What Speed to Exit a Highway for an Off-Ramp

It's close. West Lancaster. If you went east you find yourself on 30 heading into where they strike Aluminum Ingots in a very large installation before downtown proper. 222 north of there is the one with that stone arch bridge about 4 miles out if I remember right, you have to shoot it in the middle.

 

One of my trainers showed me a pic of the truck he was hauling frac sand with, which he rolled avoiding an SUV that didn't stop at a stop sign and had time to see a kid in the passenger seat, swerve, shift into neutral and kill the ignition. Fortunately his seatbelt broke and he lived. Wasn't #### left of the cab. He had to be cut out. Fortunately someone stopped and he wasn't found to be at fault for the rollover... Eventually. He was first fired, ticketed and had his CDL suspended.

He said if he had the same thing happen he'd do it the same way. I just calmly paused for a moment and said in all seriousness, I would have hit them.

I will do what I can to preserve life, but not at the expense of my own or my co driver. We both have families too and I always drive like the people around me are my family. I'll still hit them before I roll the truck.

 

Signal your intention long before you begin to exit so those behind you or beside you become aware of your intentions. Anticipate and expect to slow down to the POSTED exit speed or slower.
Exit speeds are posted for big rigs not 4 wheelers.
If it's a clover leaf expect stopped or slowed traffic coming into it--especially anywhere off 30 in Pa.

 

go fast enough to merge but slow enough so you can safely run the emergency lane when necessary.

 

Use a speed that you feel safe with. traffic can wait. and yes, use your directionals

 

Let off accelerator early and apply brakes when you feel necessary. won't take you long to figure out. What speed I brake at is weather dependant as well. In the winter I am hitting that 30 mph curve at 20 sometimes 15, people behind me can deal with it.

 

Area really has a lot to do with it....but the important thing is to not enter the ramp too fast....there is no set answer....but if you're concerned about trfx behind slow and signal a lol earlier....our Pa yard exit is off an old 4 lane at bottom of 5% grade....decel lane less than 35ft b4 a tight 20mph s curve w/Jerzy barrier to left&guardrail to right.....I'm down to 30 on interstate.....but I start slowing at to of grade....have my signal on for 3/4 of a mile....if trfx still comin hard I'll flip on my 4 ways....cuz more n one has slammed right into the barrier wall....and that ain't gonna b me.....

 

Never worry about what the guy in the car is going to think. Don't appologize and don't get angry. Drive in your safety zone and as long as you are not impeeding traffic it's up to the idiot behind you not to eat your bumper. Safety is your #1 priority, if the person behind you doesn't make it theirs it's on them.