TT in the middle lane.

[gmacecsko]

I'm sure this will offend someone but it is not my intent.

Can anyone tell me why so many people towing a TT hang in the middle lane. I live in NJ and all summer long I see them on the parkway. Drivers sometimes 2 or more traveling together refuse to give up the middle lane. Traffic backs up for miles as everyone else tries to get around them. I just do not understand it .It is rude and dangerous .

[nukerj]

I have noticed this as typical practice in CO as well. My only guess is that people don't know how to merge for the right lane, which causes people hauling to brake often or attempt to get over in which case no one lets them move over for merging traffic. So to avoid the hassle and save some fuel, they hang out in the center lane. Personally it doesn't bother me, here in CO the law is to stay right unless passing, but no one follows that law and so the only ones that bother me are the people that hang out in the left lane, and that's mostly commuters and idiots. Seldom do you see a trailer or rig in the left lane.

[Retired-Jake]

Originally Posted by nukerj

I have noticed this as typical practice in CO as well. My only guess is that people don't know how to merge for the right lane, which causes people hauling to brake often or attempt to get over in which case no one lets them move over for merging traffic. So to avoid the hassle and save some fuel, they hang out in the center lane. Personally it doesn't bother me, here in CO the law is to stay right unless passing, but no one follows that law and so the only ones that bother me are the people that hang out in the left lane, and that's mostly commuters and idiots. Seldom do you see a trailer or rig in the left lane.

Exactly right. If you stay in the right right lane, you have to constantly brake/slow down for people who do not know how to merge, because people to the left of you will not let you over. To avoid all of that, we use the 2nd lane if there are 3 or more lanes and there is heavy traffic. It is safer this way, trying to stay in the right lane can be dangerous.

Jake

[D Lindy]

Yes the MAIN reason for running the middle lane IS idiots flying up the entrance ramps, not looking to their left and just pulling right into the travel lane sometime without the room for them to fit. From driving truck for 20+ years yes this is what I did all the time for just this reason. Now with the motor home I still do the same thing for the same reason. Also there are those that think they HAVE TO slow down BEFORE getting on the exit ramp.

[CNPH]

All states have different laws but for me at least here in CA the far right (slow lane) often becomes an exit lane, just the way our roadways are set up. In heavy traffic it's often white knuckle tying to get out of an exit lane smoothly. I often stay in the middle to avoid getting stuck. Plus as stated there are so many drivers that either can't merge smoothly.

[Rorytug]

Not just TT's either. I run center land for all the above. You will also see truckers doing it too. Appearantly "merge" and "yield" are no longer topics of instructions in driver training courses. And exit only lanes are just as evil as the people who wont let you out of them.

[Atom Ant]

If there is a middle lane and congestion, I take it. I always thought people appreciated it because there is nothing worse than trying to merge and blend with vehicles over 60' in the right lane. You can get trapped there pretty fast, and Denver you may find yourself on a different highway if you hang there too long. I keep the left lane open.

[Deweydog]

Biggest issue is the right lane is constantly merging traffic either on or off the highways. Requires sudden acceleration or constant braking to get the indecisive merging cars and often very dangerous not to mention nerve racking. Middle lane is usually only my passing lane but with a large amount of entering and exiting traffic, it makes sense to drive there.


My 2 cents......

[Podivin]

I agree, in heavy traffic in town I'm in the middle lane (or at least one lane to the left of the right-hand lane) - regardless of what I'm driving. That way I don't have to dodge the folks coming and going from the freeway. My general rule of thumb is if the entrance/exit ramps are more than 5 miles apart then I'll move to the right lane. If the exits are closer together than that then you'll find me in the middle lane.

[nukerj]

Originally Posted by Atom Ant

If there is a middle lane and congestion, I take it. I always thought people appreciated it because there is nothing worse than trying to merge and blend with vehicles over 60' in the right lane. You can get trapped there pretty fast, and Denver you may find yourself on a different highway if you hang there too long. I keep the left lane open.

No kidding - I absolutely hate traveling on 25 through Denver- Might as well set the park brake and just wait it out!

70 is no better.

[CJ7365]

Originally Posted by gmacecsko

I'm sure this will offend someone but it is not my intent.

Can anyone tell me why so many people towing a TT hang in the middle lane. I live in NJ and all summer long I see them on the parkway. Drivers sometimes 2 or more traveling together refuse to give up the middle lane. Traffic backs up for miles as everyone else tries to get around them. I just do not understand it .It is rude and dangerous .

Yup, do it all the time and will continue to do it.

When people learn how to merge onto the highway I might consider traveling in the right lane.

I am not compromising my families safety so you dont have to go around me, sorry

[JohnBoyToo]

Ditto, but typically YOU will be the one slowing me down as I am very comfortable driving thru town and traffic at the speed limit...

In the 'Mixmaster' near downtown Dallas
(so named because some traffic engineer decided multiple INTERSTATES needed to merge there... or is it called that from all the wrecks ?!? )

anyway, they have one of many what I call suicide lanes, meaning the right lane just goes away without warning... first time through there years ago I was in a Class c towing a jeep and learned about it all of a sudden

[cwsqbm]

Originally Posted by CJ7365

Yup, do it all the time and will continue to do it.

When people learn how to merge onto the highway I might consider traveling in the right lane.

I am not compromising my families safety so you dont have to go around me, sorry

+1.

On my last trip out east, it seemed like people would come down the ramps at the posted ramp speed, pull in front of me at 35mph, and then consider speeding up. If I can easily reach the speed limit by the bottom of the ramp towing my TT, then an empty SUV should be able too.

Worse, even if I slowed to let them in front of me, they'd jam on their brakes at the last second when they saw a big vehicle in the right lane, not realizing that I had slowed for them. After dealing with this constantly, I gave up and moved to the center lane.

[lanerd]

Originally Posted by gmacecsko

I'm sure this will offend someone but it is not my intent.

Can anyone tell me why so many people towing a TT hang in the middle lane. I live in NJ and all summer long I see them on the parkway. Drivers sometimes 2 or more traveling together refuse to give up the middle lane. Traffic backs up for miles as everyone else tries to get around them. I just do not understand it .It is rude and dangerous .

So.... do you understand now?

Ron