Passing in Construction Zones

On I-80 in Iowa, there is a construction zone starting at about the 242 mile marker and ending at about the 248. I was westbound through this last night. Between the 246 and 245, the Jersey wall had been moved to allow a single lane of traffic to the left, into the work area. This was because there was a crane in the right lane fishing an overturned truck out of the ditch. Immediately past the crane was another Big Truck being put on a hook. I have no idea what the company name was on the overturned truck and, while I did see the names on the one being towed, it is not relevant.

Listening to chatter on the radio, the truck being removed from that 20-foot drop was the third truck in four days that had gone off the road in that same spot. At least one of the drivers did not make it. This is per the local guy who goes through there twice each day. When I saw the undercarriage of that truck, it felt like somebody kicked me in the belly.

This construction zone is set up so that the right lane is big enough for a truck, plus 4 to 6 inches on each side. There is about an 18-inch right shoulder, which then drops sharply. The left lane starts about 3 inches from the Jersey wall. I had to get into that lane so traffic from the on-ramp had somewhere to merge to. I was squeezed as close to the barrier as I dared to be and my right tires were still in the right lane...by about 4 inches.

It is a 55mph maximum zone with a minimum speed of 45mph.

With this information, 90% of people will come to the same conclusion I did: the truck in the ditch was in the right lane, maybe going 55, maybe a little slower. Someone else (perhaps the truck being hooked up-it did not appear to be damaged) just couldn't stand going that speed for six or seven miles and decided to pass in this construction zone. Since the left lane isn't wide enough for a truck, the guy in the right lane felt "pushed" and edged toward the right side of his lane. He may have gone just barely close enough to the edge for the lip of the road to catch his right steer...and all of us have experienced what happens next. It sucked him right off the road. I hope that driver is okay.

Iowa kind of messed this one up. There isn't enough room for trucks to pass eachother, but we all know they will anyway. I think maybe a single wider lane might be a better idea through there, rather than trying to maintain two lanes of traffic. Some of us get into a big hurry. 55mph is aggravating and tiresome. There are those among us who would pass in this situation. We've all seen them every day. They get this idea that the extra 30 seconds to get through that construction zone will cause them to be late. Well, I'm not going into the "she coulda done this or he shoulda done that" discussion.

I'm only going to state what my plan is when passing through this or any similar construction zone that has such a narrow left lane. My plan is to straddle the lanes going through and take all the cussing and finger-waving at the other end....because I will be alive to enjoy it and the person waving that bird at me will not have my death on his conscience. I will do the upper speed limit and move way right at the other end to let you by. I just don't feel the need to be run off the road in that section of road....like what has happened three times in four days.

*zips on flame suit*