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

Not that I agree with what that EVIL guy said....but you are no better!!I do not agree with what your tailgater was doing either.I however do have an issue with how you said you handled your tailgater especially because your reaction was the same thing you are bit--n at that evil guy for! I've got one more suggestion for you.....You should think about how stupid you are going to look with that video camera shoved into your skull as you smash into that EVIL guys trailer in an attempt to pay him back for cutting you off and hitting his brakes but I guess that comes with that 0-1 year driving experience.DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD VIDEO TAPING,that is as bad or worse than typing an e-mail or watching TV while driving. Either way if you followed through with trying to run over EVILs trailer it would likely be your first and last time and more importantly I hope no innocent people are driving in the lanes next to you guys when all hell breaks loose!

 

Your response sounds like a security guard not a cop or someone just intent to stir up crap.. In heavy traffic areas I move into the center lanes, This allows for the commuter to enter and exit easier. I hate it when trucks travel side by side, I hate to agree but that drives me up a wall. On open highway I stay in the right except to pass as do most other trucks. Some times it has to do with what lane we are told to be in, sometimes we have to be there for a up coming enterchange. Professional truck drivers are positioning there truck where it needs to be a mile down the road, Most car drivers are thinking 20 feet down the road not a mile or 2.

 

And THERE is the 'final answer', by Squid. Anything to the contrary is wrong, IMO.

 

I'm going to side with skunk. Out of 3 lanes of road, and depending on the traffic, if it is heavy, i'm always going to be in the middle lane. Is that the safest lane? No. Safest lane would be the right lane, cause you have an 'out', being the emergency lane. But the center lane, particularlly when on-ramp traffic is heavy, would you rather be in the left lane and always constantly be slowing down or lane changing to the center every other mile?? Whenever you lane-change in a big truck, that just opens you up to be in an accident. "drive for 5", something i remembered in my defensive driving class a while back for big trucks. you (1) and four other sides of your truck....always leave yourself a 'bubble' around you....or try to.

But for me, being in the center lane cuts out extra chances of being in an accident. Either from lane changes or stupid 4-wheelers who dont know how to merge.

I cannot tell you how many times, i see a car coming down an on-ramp, be 40 yards ahead of me, can notice i'm slowing down (if they'd pay attention to traffic flow on the way down the ramp) to open up more room for them ahead of me...then HIT THEIR BRAKES.

Now i'm not one who is going to 'bully' them or race them to the end of the on-ramp, that is just stupid. I will slow down for them, i'll lane change if i can, but i'm not going to babysit them. If i slow down, flash my lights, give them a signal to merge ahead of me, and they hit their brakes, then 'screw em'....i'm back on the gas, and they can take the emergency lane. I'm not going to be the one who becomes a road hazard because they expect me to stand on the brakes to let them in.

When merging into traffic.......step on the gas!!!! I want to get a big magnet made and put it on the right side of my truck that says, "IF YOU CAN READ THIS ..... YOU NEED TO STEP ON IT !!!!!" or "GOT GAS ??"

 

Most of the time, I run the middle lane on 3 laners and the 2nd lane on >3 lanes simply for not having to deal with merging problems. My speed totally depends on the conditions. If I'm running 5 under posted, you can bet there's a reason for it, especially in rush hour traffic. The reason usually is as simple as this: The amount of space in "front" of my truck is the only space around me I CAN control.

 

Trucks should be in the first lane only unless they are passing slower vehicles, they are clogging the freeways causing vehicles to change lanes in both directions to get around them.

 

If I am staying with traffic and driving legally, i will drive in the center lane. Deal with it.

A truck has as much right to use that lane as a car.

IMO, it's much safer for all on the road as i am not clogging the right lane in a metro are for people to get on and off the freeway.

A dangerous mix with large vehicles and slow/fast moving traffic.

 

I drive for Knight. I have a 63MPH truck. I always stick to the middle, because 4 wheelers cannot merge and I've had too many close calls. At least I can explain via CB what I'm doing if another trucker gets confused.

When I stick to the granny lane, I am forced to brake excessively.

The center lane is the lane of least resistance. The second I'm out of major city areas, I go back to the granny lane, except to pass.

 

Agreed. I've been stuck behind another rig going 55 in a 65, but I just set my cruise and stay back with him/her until I am out of that major city traffic. I would rather slow down and be in the lane of least resistance, than have to brake all the time for the four wheelers that don't even look and cut into your nose!!!