Two Right Turn Lanes....

Yes because then you should only have one right turn lane, which is the RH lane. In that case you would want to keep your trailer as close to the curb as you can blocking that lane for a car to pull up on your right. Then when clear swing left and button hook the turn.

If you have 2 right turn lanes, you normally shouldn't need to worry about a car trying to pass on the right, considering both lanes are turning right.

But if the right lane can be used as a through lane, and is not a turn specific lane, then I would think I need to use the right lane. Is this correct?

So when a Kentucky DOT officer and I were talking, I asked him for clarification. He came to our school and discussed it. The officer said the main thing is to take your time and protect your blind side from cars trying to sneak past on your right by keeping your trailer close to the curb as you make your turn. He also said if we did not complete a right turn like that, whether one or two turn lanes, we would fail our road test.

Reading this explanation, it sounds like the DOT officer was confused about what you were asking. The fact that he said protect your blind side from cars trying to sneak between your trailer and the curb is what makes me think that.

If there are 2 RH turn lanes, and you are in the outside lane, cars won't be trying to sneak between your trailer and the curb. They will be in the turn lane.

The explanation he gave you, is in reference to a single RH turn lane. You have to protect that side because you are generally going to have to take your tractor wide to make the turn, and in those situations, if you take the trailer wide to start the turn, cars may try to go to your RH side.

That ATA training video is spot on and anyone is more than welcome to take it up with DOT. As the video states, you have to adjust for the particular turn, but that is the preferred method.

Stay safe and cover your hiney :-)

That ATA training video is spot on and anyone is more than welcome to take it up with DOT. As the video states, you have to adjust for the particular turn, but that is the preferred method.

Stay safe and cover your hiney :-)

I'm sorry Susan but you'll have to be patient with me. I just must be slow to catch on. Could you tell me where in that video they mentioned the proper procedure for a right hand turn when there are two turning lanes? I just can't seem to find it anywhere in there, and I've watched that video a couple of times.

Could you help me with that?

I thought the video was spot on also...

For executing a single lane right hand turn.

Eh.. GTown doesn't really attack anyone. He just tells it like it is. I don't come off as a "warm and fuzzy" person either much of the time.

Susan wrote:

Eh.. GTown doesn't really attack anyone. He just tells it like it is. I don't come off as a "warm and fuzzy" person either much of the time.

Thank you Susan.

I am never short on words (in unison the entire forum laughs), and at my present station in life nothing really surprises me anymore. But this thread has,… and for several reasons.

The right most lane of a two lane RH turning lane,...nothing has been said will convince me to change how I approach an intersection configured like this. Not a DOT instructor, not a CDL manual and with all due respect Susan, not a successful trainer for West Side Transport. For those of you steadfast in your belief that you are correct, I want to share a piece of reality with you, not intended to judge, "attack", sway or change your mind, but to hopefully make you think about what you are doing and why it might not be "de-facto", prudent operation.

I have said this before, my day typically takes me through some of the most difficult and congested roadways the Northeast has to offer. It's how I make money, so I rely on instincts, experience and most of all common-sense. I recall a scene played out many times in the last five years, crawling in bumper to bumper, gridlocked traffic (no exaggeration) on a Friday afternoon. This particular example was in Saddle Brook, New Jersey while attempting to cross Rt. 46. in order to make my way into the store for a delivery. You see,... North Jersey has numerous very congested divided highways (Rt. 18, Rt. 22, Rt. 9 and of course Rt 46) running through the urban areas of the New York Metro area. The "catch" with all of these roads, it's incredibly rare that you can make a left turn (using a turning lane)...you must use what is called a "Jug Handle", requiring a driver many times to retrace the route in the opposite direction to get to where you need to go. Most of the Jug Handles in this neck of the woods are two or more lanes, very tight, at times with no particular markings or warnings for trucks to stay out of the rightmost lane. I was taught early on to drive the trailer (aka "watch-your-wagon"), which presumes you need to see that which you are attempting to control. Simply put, if I was to place myself in the rightmost lane of one of these two or three lane Jug Handles (like the one in Saddle Brook), the inside right most, very tight radius of the curve is flat-out NOT negotiable with a 53' trailer. I'd argue that it's impossible because these wonderful pieces of human excavation and engineering were designed in the 50's and 60's when 53' trailers were unheard of and only twinkle in the eye of Great Dane, Wabash, and Utility designers. If a driver applies the same approach to this type of road configuration as counter-argued "for" in this thread, "keeping to the right of a two lane RH turning lane" you will get yourself into the type of trouble only the Police are able to safely get you out of. Where do you all think many of the comedic (yet sad) You-Tube videos are shot with trucks dragging poles, traffic lights and trees for blocks behind their trailers? I'll offer a clue, NOT the mid-west.

In Jersey, Pennsylvania, Eastern NY State and to a lessor extent Maryland/Baltimore area, there are numerous roads that are old, very old, designed 50 or more years ago. Roads that if designed with a 53' trailer in mind, would encroach on valuable revenue producing real estate. It's all tightly packed together and definitely NOT truck friendly. That said; on every two lane RH turn lane that I am aware of in these areas, the right most lane has the absolute tightest radius, compounded by the fact it was designed decades before the longer wagons of contemporary commerce existed. Way too tight for a long semi. The basic geometry cannot be dismissed, ignored or explained with text from a poorly written, antiquated manual. There is a very good reason the right most lane of many two lane, RH turning configurations in PA and NJ are protected with highly conspicuous and frequent signage prohibiting trucks from negotiating the turn from that lane. The signs were put there for a reason and they are law. Please be respectful and mindful of this in and around older, highly congested urban centers and do not assume the "road" will comply with what was learned in school, from a CDL manual or a DOT examiner who although must have a CDL, perhaps has never been paid for a single revenue producing mile.

Second, I am extremely passionate about truck driving, especially when it involves safety. There are some who replied to this thread (and will remain nameless, pun intended) that accused me of going on the "attack" in support of that which I know to be true based on years of experience. One of them a pre-student who instead of defending their right to read information that is sugar coated and sweet, should attempt to comprehend the points being presented. To be crystal clear...when anyone insists on being right when I and most of the moderators know, they are mistaken, I will ratchet-up my response to whatever level is necessary to drive home my point. I am extra passionate about this thread's subject because I do not want anyone to get into trouble for believing something that is not true or not advisable. If some of you believe that level of commitment is attacking then I invite you to do whatever you so desire and then, when you are called into the safety department to explain the err of your ways, compare "that conversation" to the one we had in this thread. My goal is for all of us to avoid that type of meeting.

Safe travels.

Here is a principle to follow for all your trailer maneuvering situations. I've actually described it earlier in this post. Go back and look at the diagram I posted, to see the offtracking of the tandems , so far back from where you sit. The safest way to maneuver in a trailer lot, on the highway, and in a left/right turn situation is:

Drive the longest route possible, even longer by inches.

The tandems will always take a shortcut, so you must "drag" them out from cutting turns. Do not drive a truck like you're driving a car. Watch those tandems on any turn (use the "inside-the-turn" mirrors. Yes, this means taking the outer of two turn lanes if you have the chance.

If I have to start a tight turn, I will even move the truck to touch the paint of the outer lane line, just to get three inches more space for the turn.

You can't get two truckers to agree on the price of a free cup of coffee.

Always turn from the outside lane (furthest from the curb) has never done me wrong.

There are quite a few double-turn lanes with plenty of room to take the turn from the curb-side lane though. I80 Morris, IL going to the T/A I turn from the right-most right turn lane for example. Otherwise it can be difficult getting over to get in the t/a. There's a few others I do that at as well, but if it's an unknown intersection, I always turn from the lane furthest from the curb, assuming there's no signs telling trucks what to do.