Middle Lane Etiquette

I agree with this. Especially in Chicago. Always have Schneider. Or some random company going 50 in the middle lane. Then you can't pass on the left because no trucks. On the right you can't pass because of some other reasons. So you're stuck.

And something that you all might find entertaining. I am with central ref. so as you might know swift bought us all. Well because of this we had to go thru all their classes for new drivers and what not. And in the one class. They actually tell their drivers to stay in the middle lane on a 3 or more lane road I started laughing my ### off. And when he asked me why. I explained to him how stupid of a rule that is. And how this is one of the reasons the company gets a bad rep.

 

it wasn't anywhere near as bad back then.

 

I agree with this except I don't just see the mega-companies' trucks doing it, I see the mom and pop operations doing it as well. I'll stay in the middle lane when there is a heavy merge coming in from the right but as soon as someone is behind me again I'll get back to the right. Otherwise I'll keep right.

I completely disagree with this. I remember asking people in WA state why they left lane hang or generally fail to keep right when I first moved there and they had the same attitude as your's - if I'm doing the speed limit then I can hold up traffic by not keeping right. Good way to mess up traffic and make other's have to pass you on the right. Making people pass you on the right because you think that simply doing the speed limit makes it ok to drive in whatever lane you want is bull. If someone wants to speed and break the law you have no right to keep them from doing it. Keep right regardless...

Swift never taught us to drive in the middle lane. Nor did any of my trainers. Never heard that but if you were told that they were obviously clueless.

 

It was in the sideshow from the swift decision driving course.

 

Words of wisdom from a 1 year driver with poor reading comprehension. If Im in the middle lane doing the legal max and you don't feel that's good enough feel free to go around bud. If youre going to insist on breaking the law might as well hit the left lane anyway. hopefully you can get a double or more violation and we can get you off the road sooner.

 

If everyone is jammed up in the middle and right lanes because of this I'll use the left lane, regardless of restriction if a) I can go at least 5 mph more than the middle guy and b) no 4 wheelers coming up in the left. Most of them don't like being in the left lane until you get in it anyway so by the time they see me and decide to eat my taillights over it I've already passed middle lane and I'm in front of him.

 

Anyone that is going to lose their temper over having to drive the speed limit needs to lose their license.

No, we need the drivers of these trucks exercising self control.

WTF is the big deal about just driving the speed limit?

 

Only time I'll hang in the middle lane is when I'm going through a heavy merge area (major city or major traffic time) where many cars are entering / exiting. Makes their lives easier and mine as well, not having to watch so closely... however, if there IS a truck lane restriction and I can see others clearly coming up on me, I'll go right out of courtesy til they pass.

If it's a quiet stretch, back to the right I go.