Tips on changing lanes

Me Again wrote:
Will(gitane59), I drove a gas tanker semi back in the 70's on the Olympic Peninsula on Washington state. 2 lane roads and around Lake Crescent was a thrill a minute in the summer with tourist and the logging trucks. One thing I did and still do today in a tight situation on a two lane road is to not look at the on coming vehicle. I look and drive the fog line or right side of the road, standing my ground/lane and giving the other guy his lane.

I was not going in the ditch back then and do not plan on it now without getting a piece of the other guy. If the other driver looks at you he will most likely move away from you. If he is going to hit you, then he is going to hit you! You can not control that. I just did not want to go off the road with 8500 gallons of gas while the other guy drove away, with a ball of fire in his mirror or an explosion occurred.

My wife always tightens up in the shotgun seat in close passes. I do not, as I am not looking at how close it is!!!!

Had a guy with a motor home loose a compartment door on the guard rail on what they call the rock wall on the Lake Crescent highway. Saw it hanging there in my mirror after the pass. A Chevy Titan 90 cab over class 7/8 tractor with a 8500 gallon tanker trailer looks pretty large coming at you. Not my fault and nothing I could do as I was in my lane and there are very few pull outs Eastbound around the lake to stop at anyway! Had another lady in a pickup camper stop in the road in a curvy section of the lake and try to flag me by her! Like right with empty logging truck high balling the other direction. I popped the spring brakes and put my elbows on the steering wheel, giving her visual signs that when she was ready to get moving again I would also. She had to drive another couple miles before there was a pull out. She most likely had to change her shorts at that point.

This has been working for many years, given that I am looking at 70 next time around.

Chris

We just came by Lake Crescent last weekend, what a beautiful drive, but a few tight spots with on-coming logging trucks. Good advice about not looking at the on-coming vehicle. Not wanting to look in the mirrors in a tight situation, I center myself by imagining my right foot in the center of the lane. (It also works when driving in the UK on the left, but use your left foot).

We came across a friend in his 36' MH at a pull-out/view point on the Lake last weekend, and knowing that he likes to take a short nap there, I pulled alongside, quietly got out, loudly knocked on his door and said: You know that you can't park this thing here! I ruined the last minute and 37 seconds of his nap. I'll need to sleep with one eye open now.

Will(gitane59), I drove a gas tanker semi back in the 70's on the Olympic Peninsula on Washington state. 2 lane roads and around Lake Crescent was a thrill a minute in the summer with tourist and the logging trucks. One thing I did and still do today in a tight situation on a two lane road is to not look at the on coming vehicle. I look and drive the fog line or right side of the road, standing my ground/lane and giving the other guy his lane.

I was not going in the ditch back then and do not plan on it now without getting a piece of the other guy. If the other driver looks at you he will most likely move away from you. If he is going to hit you, then he is going to hit you! You can not control that. I just did not want to go off the road with 8500 gallons of gas while the other guy drove away, with a ball of fire in his mirror or an explosion occurred.

My wife always tightens up in the shotgun seat in close passes. I do not, as I am not looking at how close it is!!!!

Had a guy with a motor home loose a compartment door on the guard rail on what they call the rock wall on the Lake Crescent highway. Saw it hanging there in my mirror after the pass. A Chevy Titan 90 cab over class 7/8 tractor with a 8500 gallon tanker trailer looks pretty large coming at you. Not my fault and nothing I could do as I was in my lane and there are very few pull outs Eastbound around the lake to stop at anyway! Had another lady in a pickup camper stop in the road in a curvy section of the lake and try to flag me by her! Like right with empty logging truck high balling the other direction. I popped the spring brakes and put my elbows on the steering wheel, giving her visual signs that when she was ready to get moving again I would also. She had to drive another couple miles before there was a pull out. She most likely had to change her shorts at that point.

This has been working for many years, given that I am looking at 70 next time around.

Chris

0rion wrote:
this is just another reason I love my Chevy. I have extendable tow mirrors that have wide angle lens in the bottom section of the mirror. My truck virtually has zero blind spots from the cab to the back of the trailer. After a few miles you'll know pretty quickly when you're past someone and can change lanes. You'll also find that semi drivers are some of the more alert/helpful drivers out there. They almost always "flash" to let you know when you're past them. More than a few 4 wheelers will flash to let you know also but you can't solely rely on that. Just takes a bit of practice and you'll know when you're past.

X2 except I love my FORD for the same reasons.
My FIL drove OTR trucks for thirty+ collision free years. Travelling back and forth to Florida for a couple years with our trailers taught me alot about freeway and major city towing. He stayed out of the right lane as much as possible, maintaining a speed in the centre lane that was not a fast as the lefty lane but faster than the right lane. It was impossible to state a speed at which he drove as he matched his speed to the conditions and traffic flow around him to always maintain the safest possible position in the traffic. Sometimes that meant hitting the left lane and motoring on through with the thru traffic staying out of the local traffic in the lanes to the right. I gained a huge amount of experience and confidence following him on those trips.

A trick I use on slow city traffic is making eye contact with other drivers so they know you are looking at them and if eye contact is not possible to look at the front wheels for directional intentions of the other driver.

Neat trick a couple of pages back about looking at the telephones wires on curves for reflections of oncoming vehicle lights. THX

I'll also add that I constantly check my mirrors and when things are clear around me I'll move side to side in my lane a little watching my mirrors....this gives me a better view of things directly behind me. I plan ahead and it's a rare situation when I have to switch lanes in a hurry. If I want to pass someone and I move side to side in my lane and see a line of 3-4 cars coming up I'll just wait until they get by me before I move out to pass. I'm never really in a hurry so time is on my side. I also move with the flow of traffic to a certain extent which also keeps people from flying up on me out of nowhere. Just be alert and plan ahead.

this is just another reason I love my Chevy. I have extendable tow mirrors that have wide angle lens in the bottom section of the mirror. My truck virtually has zero blind spots from the cab to the back of the trailer. After a few miles you'll know pretty quickly when you're past someone and can change lanes. You'll also find that semi drivers are some of the more alert/helpful drivers out there. They almost always "flash" to let you know when you're past them. More than a few 4 wheelers will flash to let you know also but you can't solely rely on that. Just takes a bit of practice and you'll know when you're past.

Atom Ant wrote:

Sundance07 wrote:

I'm signalling my intentions, not asking for permission.

Ya - tell that to the judge. You move into an occupied lane, you buy the damage.

Please re-read......I said when clear.

As when I pass you and I am clear I will signal and move over...............

Gau 8 wrote:
With my mirrors and cameras, I dont have a blind spot!

I'm lurking here with a (tall) Class A, and I do have a blind spot just beside and below my wife's seat... that's why I have her look for me. Cameras and mirrors miss it... I've heard from an excited vehicle(s) beside me.

Your truck may be different.

Large letters on back and right side of rig, "CAUTION STUDENT DRIVER"

I have a F-350 long bed CC and have towed both a 34' and currently a 40' 5er. There is some very good advise above. Personally, I go a little slower than the speed limit and travel in the right lane when safe to do so. By traveling in the right lane you not only let everyone pass you, but you are allowing a safetly margin should you have a tire failure.

Should you have to pass someone, never take the other driver for granted that they will let you in. Many persons will speed up as soon as you put your directional on. Give yourself plenty or room, be sure your mirrors are set right, and know your rv and truck habits when passing. Even though you can not see the end of the RV you should know when you are passed the other vehicle.

Keep your cool an drive with 100% concentration on the road, the conditions, traffic pattern and defensively.

Sundance07 wrote:

I'm signalling my intentions, not asking for permission.

Ya - tell that to the judge. You move into an occupied lane, you buy the damage.