Put Trucks In Their Place: The Right Lane

I agree and disagree with the article. I agree is bad when 260 mph trucks block both lanes on a 2 lane interstate , i see it all the time on 81 where i live.

at the same time there is no reason 4 wheelers need to run 80+. In my personal vehicle i often will not go over 70 in a 70. However it is completely unsafe to limit 18 wheelers to just the right lane, it means they cannot get over to give room to disabled vehicles on the shoulders, or to allow slower traffics o merge on and off the interstate.

Outlaw speed limiters. Those are the cause of all your problems.

Outlaw speed limiters. Those are the cause of all your problems.

I think insurance companies love these kinds of things. That and there is some fuel savings for the company. But that much said, I don't like it. If the flow of traffic is 75 and you're governed to 62, you become a road hazard.

There is no easy answer to this issue. No matter why the interstate system was started, it is used for quick (ha), safe (haha) transport of all kinds including commercial, military, vacationing, commute to work...etc.

Governed trucks are a pain in the butt, speed demons are dangerous, the time lost in construction zones is becoming worse... and so on. The trucking industry is already way over regulated as it is, so, a new law is not the answer. A private company has the right to limit the speed of their fleet as they see fit (as long as it is above the posted minimum), 4 wheelers will never be governed to the low speeds trucks are (and never should be).

Here is the answer I would give the person who wrote this article: If you want to enjoy your driving experience, take back roads where you will get to see this beautiful country in its pure form, not as it is from an interstate. I used to love getting in my vehicle and just driving to wherever the road took me. Slow down, now, I don`t mean slow down in your car, just slow down and enjoy the ride. You may find that not being in a hurry is the healthier way to go, you know, less stress.

I think this same guy would be writing a whole different article if trucks were in the right lane only and cars actually had to yield the on ramp to the traffic on the highway. Then his complaint would be trucks won't move over to let people on the highway.

Slower vehicles are slowly a hazard if they are going below the minimum Highway speed. If a truck is governed at 62 mph and another vehicle runs up to fast behind him then the guy that is driving much faster is becoming the hazard.

I was just thinking, if people didn't buy so much stuff, stuff that comes on trucks, then there wouldn't be so many trucks to contend with. So in the end its all really the consumers fault. Consumers exactly like the guy writing that article.

Phil

I completely agree with Woody - I can't stand when a truck in the right lane forces a truck in the left lane to ride alongside for 10 minutes instead of just backing out of it for a moment and letting him by. He got out there because he's running faster than you so let him go! Stop holding up 1/2 mile of traffic because you don't want to let off the gas a tiny bit for a tiny moment. As Woody said it's not only annoying but extremely dangerous to be riding side by side with another big rig while 4-wheelers are all crammed nose to tail behind you.

I also agree with Daniel that some of these companies are setting their speeds dangerously low. I'm fully aware of the fuel mileage gains you make by slowing down but there needs to be a reasonable limit to how slow trucks should be travelling.

I had been working, before getting my shiny new CDL A, as a regional manager for the last few years. In the 71,000 miles I put on my own F150 last year, I always stuck very close to the speed limit and minded my following distances because I didn't care to die driving to the next job. My simple response to the author and every other aggressive driver I've ever had to share the road with is the same: if you're in that big of a hurry, you should have left 15 minutes earlier. And yes, Mr. Editorial Writer, if you're lamenting your inability to do 85 plus on any freeway, you are an aggressive driver. An accident waiting to happen. Sorry if other motorists of any vehicle size are such a bother to you. Just try not to kill any of us, please?

I would love to sit down and discuss this with this guy. In his "solution" he doesnt think about the fact that if we are restricted to the right lane, then you're going to end up with a line of trucks, god knows how many miles long, that are going the same speed as the slowest truck at the front. If youve got a 10 mile long string of trucks how easy is it going to be for a 4 wheeler to get off at his exit when it comes up? But I guess in that situation we are supposed to get out if his way again to let him off.

This guy is nothing but a prick.

The thing I find baffling is I get cut-off and tailgated more in a truck with student driver on it then in my jeep.