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

Not to get too political, but a big part of that problem is the general lack of respect amongst younger people and the increasing militarization of cops in their training. I've attended more than one training class (self-defense) taught by cops and/or attended by them and they seem to have a pretty ingrained "everyone is guilty of something" attitude.

 

Good question. One I'd like to ask most four-wheeler drivers myself. Especially those in Denver.

Because we're usually restricted from using it (watch for signs saying "no vehicles towing trailers" or "no vehicles over 12,000 lbs." in left lane. That'd be us.

Here's a story that happened just a couple of days ago to me:

I was coming up I-15 towards Provo, Utah, where it is still a 2-lane road. There is an on-ramp with about seven cars all wanting to enter the freeway, so myself and a tanker truck both move to the left lane to let them in. I'm moving faster than the tanker, so once he moves back over, I keep going. Well, the lanes open up into three about there and there are cars behind me and next to me. I can't speed up (stupid 70mph governor), so I'm stuck there. Some ####### behind me (probably one of the ones we moved over to let on) calls the big 800 number on the back of my truck and complains to my safety officer (Olive Oil) that I'm hogging up the left lane in my slowa$$ truck.

So my QualComm beeps. "Are you in the fast lane? Move over when it's safe."

Had I received that message 3 or 4 minutes earlier when I was still over there, I'd have let off the throttle and let the engine brakes slow me down to show the guy what slow REALLY is.

At any rate, I get in trouble because some fool didn't leave home early enough to make it to work on time without speeding (speed limit was 65 at that point, I was going 70)..

I guess being nice is a waste of time. From now on, I'll just stay in the right lane and let those jerks fend for themselves merging onto the freeway.

 

I sold my Truck and most of my equipment. Just got tired of trading companies in as the majority start out good but they change people or policies, or in the case of Landstar, sign a contract with a National Freight Broker that cuts your rates so bad you can't afford to pick up the freight, let alone deliver it.

No, I retired about three years ago. I miss the driving and most of the time it was great, but I did have my times out there when I got just a little hot under the collar at DOT and all over BS. No tickets! Just garbage harassment. In fact, I only got one overweight when the papers said 36,000 lbs, one item, palletized and shrink wrapped. It was loaded perfect, but it was over gross by two thousand.

I took it to court and beat it simply on the Bills being falsified by the shipper. It is a shame the DOT does not fine the Shippers for all overweight tickets. That practice would quickly come to a halt.

Most of my driving time was pretty friendly time. Just never enough money for the time spent and the miles driven. However, it was time for me to quit then as I had three such run ins with DOT in a couple years time and I was not to friendly toward those that came off as something other than what they are, "Public Paid Servants".

Like I said, "Safety is one thing, and BS is another!"

 

Good thing he did not tell them that you were speeding a little.

 

I can just imagine how hard that person would have been laughed at had they called my office, LOL.

 

Sounds pretty typical of Utah drivers. Now, not all are bad, but the traffic can be a real bear from Ogden south of Provo. You probably met up with one of those Jack or Jill Mormons. A regular Mormon wouldn't do that.I know, I use to live down there many years ago. (Smile)

 

In my mind, 5 miles over isn't speeding if traffic conditions allow you to do it. At any rate, I could have claimed I was still in the 75mph zone (which ends just before all this happened).

I'm a notorious lead-foot, though. I don't bast through 55mph areas at 70mph, but I tend to push the envelope..

 

Every driver who drives CA knows that 55 mph for the trucker is 'really 60-62 mph!!' I talked to a CA DOT 1-day about----he said when they post speed limits they know everybody is going to drive +5 mph over and expect it! The truck 55 mph is to keep them in the right lane and allow cars to pass them..

 

Well somebody who is in law enforcement I would think should already understand the original questions answer.

Referring to truck drivers as low educated people is an ignorant comment. Many truck drivers have college degrees and are driving due to the career they was in has been over ran with foreign labor, resulting in lower pay. I myself was an electronic engineer and was a rewarding career till the engineering jobs where over ran by foreign workers from India ext... Pay went from 120,000 to around 60,000-75,000. Driving a truck became a very attractive career and to tell you the truth it has turned out to be a much more enjoyable one.


Saying "it seems truckers are just trying to protect themselves" again is a poor statement. Any accident with a big truck has a high possibility of somebody loosing their life, and a high number of those is the person or persons in the "CAR". Thus this would leave only one statement from what has been mentioned on why trucks use the middle lane, They are not just thinking of themselves but trying to avoid a potential accident with a 4 wheeler. this would be protecting "other individuals lives" not just their own. This would not exclude the truck and merging vehicle but other vehicles that may also be involved do to "1" poor merging car. This would result in the driver thinking of many other individuals lives not just their own.



Saying "if trucks would just adhere to slower stay to the right" would result in better flowing traffic again is a poor and uneducated statement. ALL TRAFFIC CARS AND TRUCKS WOULD NEED TO ADHEAR TO THE SLOWER TRAFFIC STAY TO THE RIGHT for it to work. It is not just trucks that do such a thing but MANY MANY cars as well do the exact same thing.

The statment " now know.
so it seems as if the majority of sensible drivers will be penalized by the truckers, because of a small majority of poor drivers." Would also lead me to think somebody is not paying attention to what is being said. ASK ANY TRUCKER HERE OR ANYWHERE how many 4 wheelers actually merge correctly and they will say "80%-90% wrong and about 10%-20% correct" (20% would be a extremely generous percentage) This is a not a
"SMALL MAJORITY" , this is a "MAJORITY" .


Not picking on anybody but just pointing out the "obvious".

 

I live there now.

Another favorite tactic of the Utah driver is the turn-signal...make your turn, THEN signal it. haha