Do You Ride In The Middle Lane?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Flatbedder73, Aug 13, 2013.

  1. Dieselgeek

    Dieselgeek Medium Load Member

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    Smith system teaches to use the lane of least resistance... That is almost always the middle lane.
     
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  3. T|2uck3r

    T|2uck3r Light Load Member

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    Dave, he won't get a ticket if he drives in middle lane thru cities like modesto, sacto, where got they signs "Trucks OK". If you passed modesto(north or south) they have signs "trucks use right lane" thats where you stay after that.
     
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  4. x#1

    x#1 Road Train Member

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    Cherokee County, Alabama
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    i am sure that you are referencing me and that is fine."drivers"like you do not make me have a bad day.i merely pass you.

    i don't own the middle lane,don't act as if i do,but do expect drivers that can't keep up with traffic and that are getting passed on both sides,to move over and do their 63 or 65 in a 70 in the far right lane.matter of pride for you there "driver"? taught by some driving school to maintain the middle lane regardless? why not keep up with traffic? never mind.we all know the answer to that one.

    not overly complicated nor beyond a reasonable individual's comprehension level.stay in the middle lane there "driver" and impede the traffic flow w/your slow truck.when i come up on you,i'll swing it right or left and keep on trucking.it is a daily thing that happens countless times.no biggie.i just think that you slow truck "drivers" should be a tad more courteous.

    am i expecting too much "driver"? after all,your avatar states that you have been out here a while so perhaps that i am.

    carry on and enjoy that cluster that you are forced to run in."drivers"like you actually make my day.thanks for confirming it-
     
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  5. Palazon

    Palazon Road Train Member

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    As long as I'm passing whatever is in the lane to my right (IE: merging traffic) I'll take whatever lane is safest for ME! Country road, light traffic: right lane no problem. Portland or L.A. rush hour: one lane to the left unless exiting.
     
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  6. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    Yukon, OK
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    Please don't.

    Giggles is already distracted enough...
     
  7. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    When you're writing, have them look into how Las Vegas handles the express lanes on I-15 through downtown. "Trucks Allowed". How cool is that? Nothing like zooming on through Vegas during rush hour at freeway speed without contending with stop and go traffic in the right lanes.
     
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  8. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    I'm not sure that is an accurate representation of the law in CA. I helped my brother successfully defend a ticket for being in the 3rd (hammer) lane, when he passed two trucks that were going the same speed side by side for over a mile. Our defense was that the truck in the middle lane that was blocking traffic was the trucker that should have been cited, not my brother for clearing around the hazard to improve traffic flow and get out of the shower of gravel coming off the bottom dumper. In our research for submitting his Declaration to the court we never found any law prohibiting trucks in the center of three lanes, in fact we found that lane is acceptable for trucks as long as you don't impede the flow of traffic.

    Many trucking companies teach their drivers to stay in the middle lane in city traffic. The point being that constantly changing lanes to avoid congestion in the right lane increases the chance of having an accident. While that is generally true, the bottom line is that if you are in the middle lane then at least make sure you aren't impeding traffic flow and are going reasonably close to the speed limit as traffic allows.

    In no case does another trucker have the "right" to drive 10 mph or more over the speed limit and therefore tailgate a truck that is already going the speed limit in the middle lane. The problem with traffic flow is that truckers end up creating long daisy chains of tailgating trucks, all trying to "defend the space in front" (an idiotic concept) from getting "cut off" by passenger vehicles. This is driving idiocy at its epitome. It is best to leave plenty of space in front of your truck so that passenger vehicles have room to merge through to the 3rd lane or from the 3rd lane to the merging lane.

    Show me a trucker that whines about "getting cut off all the time" and I'll show you a trucker that is tailgating "all the time".
     
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  9. fisher guy

    fisher guy Road Train Member

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    i ride the middle but im usually doing 5-10 over depending where im at if someone is coming up behind i'll gladly move over to let them pass bear bait in my opinion
     
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  10. Giggles the Original

    Giggles the Original Road Train Member

    what DOES THAT mean??? *tapping foot*
     
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  11. Ghost Ryder

    Ghost Ryder Road Train Member

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    Do you want your dictionary back?
     
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