why are trucks driving in the middle lane(s)?

In NYC many on ramps don't have an acceleration lane so it's safer to be in the middle lane or 2nd lane on a four lane road. Another thing most 4 wheelers don't realize is that on bridges there are signs that clearly state "all trucks use middle lane", on the Throgs Neck Bridge the speed limit is posted as 45mph but if you pay attention there are signs leading up to the bridge that state "truck speed limit 30 mph". The LIE in NYC is a 50mph speed limit, NOT 55 like on Long Island. Slow down,you'll get there and you'll be in one piece.

 

Because its generally the best flowing and safe lane to be in. I'm sure this has been said 100 times over in this thread but I'm saying it again.

 

I use to give other trucks room to lock it up if an idiot comes off a ramp, they have one less person(me) to worry about nailing their trailer.

 

Nice cartoon I like that you included the military truck

 

Having driven a governed truck before I would catch the middle lane to avoid on ramp traffic but as soon as I saw a trk that could do the speed limit or was just faster than me I would hit the slow lane when clear let him pass and get back in the middle. Now I run up on trucks going 62 in a 75 in the middle lane and they will not move over for anything even if the right lane is clear. Rude, inconsiderate, dangerous, don't give a s--t drivers. They either turn their cb off or just don't care when you make a comment even if it's not ugly to prompt them to let you by. Read my signature, pretty much says it all!

 

Scenario; You're in the right lane of a 2-lane freeway. There are 5-cars in the fast lane...one @ your door..the others following the first too closely. Granny Farkel tries to enter from the on ramp @ 38.6MPH....she runs out of room, and finally looks in her side mirror at the end of the ramp. As a driver... YOU...ignore her and continue driving so as to NOT cause an accident. Get over it. Pay attention. Get OFF THE PHONE & DRIVE.

 

PET PEEVE! I tend to travel right lane only, I pull nothing but oversize and super loads. I'm not picking on all 4 wheelers or box jockies, but dont they teach yall to yield and check your mirrors on an on ramp anymore? for all of you who have not moving an oversized load is hard enough without having to dodge the on ramp traffic. Not to mention the 62 mph truck that wants to ride right along side of you. In cities you will tend to see us spitting the zipper because thats the only way to get through safely! we are not being road hogs. To all my fellow drivers out there, turn your CBs on we will gladly talk to you most of use 2 radios in our trucks one on 19 and the other for our pilot cars. let us know when your coming around us we will move over. and it would be nice if yall would move over for us when we ask you to. We are not PRIMADONANS and mostly nice guys, its just not easy being big! THAKS FOR YOUR HELP

 

I dunno - whenever I've asked an OD/OS if it's ok to come around, I either get ignored, or get a reply with a tone that makes me feel like I'm intruding on the bromance between the driver and his pilot car.

 

Well ill admit im pretty straight foward on the radio, i dont spend a whole lot of time chatting its just bring it on or you missed me. More consantrating on whats going on around me and ahead of me. But I'm always listening

 

It's probably pretty late, but I just have to give my two cents here. I'm from the Bay Area in Northern California and the last few years I've noticed the trend of trucks getting in the second lane. Second lane is ok. I can still pass and not have to worry about being late. What irks me is lately the trucks have been merging into the third and even carpool lanes in rush hour traffic. Unfortunately, this causes more delays and even worse rush hour traffic. I just don't understand the need to be in the third and fourth lanes. The last few weeks of me going to and coming home from work, there have been huge rigs in EACH LANE of the highway in rush hour traffic. And when I try to pass, I can't because there are too many. And they usually have a ton of room in front of them, causing a backlog in traffic even worse than ever before.

Maybe I'm just simple and not a trucker, but I have driven a 24-footer before from CA to NM and I always stayed in the right lane unless I absolutely had to merge for safety reasons. But I never once went farther. I just don't understand why some truck drivers outright refuse to obey the posted traffic laws.

Also let me say that I've driven on the freeways in parts of the Midwest and those truck drivers drive fast and will run you off the road if you're merging too slowly or too quickly. But they stay where they're supposed to (according to traffic laws). I'd prefer that kind of attitude. But maybe that's just because I drive well. Other people here in CA...not so much.