Heavy Trucks Passing on Right merge lanes

[Country Road]

Originally Posted by DKRITTER

Remember the Golden Rule; Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.

I really try not to be in the right lane if at all possible. On a 2 lane road we stay in the right lane and keep an eye peeled for upcoming on ramps and almost always move over to allow mergers a simple merge.

If we are in multi-lane situations we'll stay in the 2nd or 3rd lane from the left, they seem to be the most stable.

We're not in that big of a hurry unlike the trucker who is working to feed a family. We try to get out of their way and let them move on.

I agree, but I do believe that a lot of truckers view RV owners as idiots who have never driven anything larger than their personal vehicles. Hence, they think we are clueless to the rules that govern big rigs.

[AveryF]

Originally Posted by Onyrlef

When I was there in the 70's, the cars and motorcycles that were approaching light speed had their headlights on auto-flash. Some of them were clocking 275K+. I'd have my little Fist 128S cruising at 150K and they'd.go by like a blur. I'd pickup dependents arriving at Rhein-Main and shuttle them to Weisbaden, about 60 clicks or so,, time we got there I'd just say "On behalf of 1/77 Armor Battalion, welcome to Germany".

My wife was a medical technician in the Air Force at Hahn AB in the early '70's, working mostly in the Emergency Room and Flight Surgeon's Office. She often said that an accident on the autobahn was nearly always fatal because of the speed involved and the ambulance run was usually considered a recovery mission.

Oh, and she also said to watch out for the white Mercedes seemingly coming out of nowhere!!

[carybosse]

Originally Posted by AveryF

My wife was a medical technician in the Air Force at Hahn AB in the early '70's, working mostly in the Emergency Room and Flight Surgeon's Office. She often said that an accident on the autobahn was nearly always fatal because of the speed involved and the ambulance run was usually considered a recovery mission.

Oh, and she also said to watch out for the white Mercedes seemingly coming out of nowhere!!

With the caveat that I don't speak or read German, mastered enough to not starve on the 3 trips I made there over about a 10 year period.

I was looking at a photo in the German language newspaper at the hotel - horrific wreck. I was able to make out the caption was something like " Unlucky but lucky. "

Despite the horrible wreck on the Autobahn, the driver survived. I don't remember finding an estimated speed of the speeding car.

[Dennis123]

Be nice. Get out of their way.

[Beach Walker]

Is it possible he was traveling in the right hand lane and didn't see the merge sign 2 miles back? Had to make a quick maneuver at the last second?

[Idleup]

The problem is simple - there are no longer truck drivers as we once knew them - Today's drivers are total idiots with no courtesy or experience. They are only driving because no one else showed up to work!


I've witnessed the worst truck driving in over 50 years on the road



Thanks Mike

[b.mccoy1960]

Regarding merging trucks passing in the merge lane. Let ‘em pass. It’s your vehicle, your investment, unless you can change lanes just slow down and let them go on. I used to “compete” with the people doing things wrong. Nothing changes just stay alive and protect yourself. Your mission is to find happiness in the time you have. Theirs is to earn a living and be jealous.

[Todd727]

Originally Posted by TandW

Don't know what they teach in Semi-school but have always observed semis giving way to semis on the on-ramp. Some years ago, Pennsylvania state troopers were ticketing semi-drivers for this practice. Have never seen a semi make way for a car or bus of any type that is on the on-ramp. There must be a buddy system in play.

I always make way for a semi, RV or someone towing a trailer as I know what their acceleration limits are.



I rarely, if ever, make way for an idiot coming up the ramp at 45mph expecting to merge onto a freeway where the slowest traffic is going 65-70mph. There is a reason those on ramps are so long.


My question to the OP is, why were there three lanes? Was one a slow vehicle lane for climbing a hill?

[Steve 716]

We were driving in the right lane on the beltway around Atlanta. A dump truck came down a sloped ramp and hit me, fortunately just on my passenger mirror (which he destroyed). He never showed down, never attempted to yield, and after he hit me he just kept going. There was plenty of lane for him to merge and there was no way he did not see me. Rather than merge he decided he wanted my lane immediately and took it.

[PeterFTH]

Install a dash cam yesterday.

[Bonron]

Originally Posted by Persistent

In Wisconsin it is illegal to pass on the right side. Merging is not passing on the right.

The law also requires vehicles to allow merging traffic. Move over or slow down to allow the merging vehicles in.

Stopping at the end of the merging ramp is dangerous and highly discouraged.

That might be the law in other states but what does one do when you’re going 65 mph and the merger is doing fifty and you can’t change lanes. Btw, the merging driver does not have the right of way and must get up to speed and to merge.

[vlamgat]

Originally Posted by carybosse

LOL. So true on DFW drivers. I found myself doing 80 MPH on Hwy 121 in Haltom City this afternoon and I wasn't passing anyone.

It is the indecision that creates most of the problems.

My experience on Sunday, same highway and same place. I was doing 85 and being passed by Minivans full of kids.

But these same people enter that highway and IS on ramps at 50/55 and do not consult their mirrors because who knows why. But a taxi driver in DFW told me that Texans do NOT know how to merge. End of story and drive accordingly.

[Johnynorthla]

These days you just have to drive VERY defensively! Don’t assume anyone on the road is courteous. My biggest pet peeve is when I signal and try to change lanes everyone seems to speed up and try and pass me up and not let me in weather it’s on my left or right! (Not just when I’m driving my RV, it happens while driving my car too)!

These are crazy times! But I still remain as courteous as possible and I move over to let vehicles enter the highway whenever possible, I change lanes to not speed by vehicles on the shoulder and I treat every signal as a request and honor that request, not speed up!

Stay safe out there!

[DRAGN83]

While I have had a couple of incidents like this with truckers. But generally speaking I've found truckers to be far more courteous than the car drivers I encounter. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had a probl3m with a trucker. The problems with car drivers are endless. The Mos common one is where im in the right lane and the car is coming up the on ramp. They come flying up the ramp and right into my lane...I assume they figure ill move over. They seem to think my 50 feet of truck + travel trailer will just swerve over to the left lane; ignoring the fact that there is another dumb...person... causing along next to me on the left. Hit the horn and the brakes and watch them give me the finger after I've saved their lives by reacting quickly enough. Just saying...