Two Right Turn Lanes....

The best way to turn either left or right has never been in debate. The issue I had attempted to point out is that some states, during testing have you make these crazy 2 lane right hand turns from the inside lane.

ATA Training Video from 1991 - Safety Brief Right Turns

That is a helpful video as far as it goes, but it doesn't address the multiple right turn lane issue that is the subject of this thread.

The multiple turn lane treatment will need to vary a bit depending on the design of the intersection. But what I normally do is initially get in the right lane but as I approach the intersection I move the tractor into the outer lane, leaving the trailer tandems in the right lane. I turn using the outer lane but keeping the wheels close enough to the curb that a car can't get by. This usually lets me complete the turn quickly, only briefly blocking multiple lanes. It insures that I won't hit anything, including a 4 wheeler, on the right side, gives me room to avoid any obstacles, and lets me see what is on the left if anyone tries to sneak up there. I've been doing this for several months now and it works like a charm. If for some reason I could not do this, I'd do the whole thing from the outer lane as Brett described.

what I normally do is initially get in the right lane but as I approach the intersection I move the tractor into the outer lane, leaving the trailer tandems in the right lane. I turn using the outer lane but keeping the wheels close enough to the curb that a car can't get by. This usually lets me complete the turn quickly, only briefly blocking multiple lanes. It insures that I won't hit anything, including a 4 wheeler, on the right side, gives me room to avoid any obstacles, and lets me see what is on the left if anyone tries to sneak up there. I've been doing this for several months now and it works like a charm. If for some reason I could not do this, I'd do the whole thing from the outer lane as Brett described.

Dave, there are a lot of problems with doing it that way. The whole design of that multiple turn lane is because there is going to be a lot of traffic in that area. The design is to help move things along. By taking the outer lane you are already keeping anyone from going around you on your blind side. While making a safe turn like that, people can be moving along on your inner side without any fear of you crushing them. I don't see any advantage to your approach, but can see some serious issues developing that you have been fortunate enough to not have experienced yet.

I don't see any advantage to your approach, but can see some serious issues developing that you have been fortunate enough to not have experienced yet.

I agree. In fact I believe that's dangerous as can be.

Think about this for a moment. On the simplest level, what causes multi-vehicle accidents? Someone did something unpredictable. Simple as that. Maybe a car ran a red light and plowed into you. If you knew they were going to do that you would have avoided it. Maybe someone falls asleep at the wheel, crosses the centerline, and hits you head on. If you had known they were going to do that, you would have avoided it.

So if there are two right hand turn lanes and you start in one lane and then move off into the other, who could possibly know what the heck you're doing? No one can predict where you're going to go next or what strategy you're taking. No one would have guessed you would start in one lane and then take over the next lane also. You're not following any lines on the road. You're not trying to work in unison with the traffic around you. You're just totally doing your own thing and it's highly unpredictable.

Not only that, but you're going to have a blind spot on your left while you're doing that, and it's going to be while you're wandering into someone else's lane unexpectedly. At some point you're going to have to have faith that they recognize what you're doing and they stop to let you take over their lane before they wind up in a bad spot in front of your tandems.

Take the outside lane, the one with the bigger turn radius.

Brett says:

... you're going to have a blind spot on your left while you're doing that, and it's going to be while you're wandering into someone else's lane unexpectedly.

Take a look at my comment on page 1 here. It's for a left turn, but the same experience can be had for the right turn we're talking about here. I blocked the lane on my blind side, scared the driver waiting on the inside of the turn, and nobody knew what I was trying to do.

Dave wrote:

ATA Training Video from 1991 - Safety Brief Right Turns

That is a helpful video as far as it goes, but it doesn't address the multiple right turn lane issue that is the subject of this thread.

The multiple turn lane treatment will need to vary a bit depending on the design of the intersection. But what I normally do is initially get in the right lane but as I approach the intersection I move the tractor into the outer lane, leaving the trailer tandems in the right lane. I turn using the outer lane but keeping the wheels close enough to the curb that a car can't get by. This usually lets me complete the turn quickly, only briefly blocking multiple lanes. It insures that I won't hit anything, including a 4 wheeler, on the right side, gives me room to avoid any obstacles, and lets me see what is on the left if anyone tries to sneak up there. I've been doing this for several months now and it works like a charm. If for some reason I could not do this, I'd do the whole thing from the outer lane as Brett described.

Dave I totally agree with Brett, Old School and Errol on this. Your approach is unfortunately a potential recipe for disaster and a citation waiting to be written. There is no way it is without risk, especially in heavy, urban traffic, complete with impatient commuters rushing home to suburbia.

I highly recommend (if you haven't done so), reading all the replies in this thread and rethink what you are doing.

I've learned a lot from reading this whole thread, and am amending my approach immediately. I really appreciate this excellent forum.

Thanks especially to Brett, Old School, and G-Town.

Dave

what I normally do is initially get in the right lane but as I approach the intersection I move the tractor into the outer lane, leaving the trailer tandems in the right lane. I turn using the outer lane but keeping the wheels close enough to the curb that a car can't get by. This usually lets me complete the turn quickly, only briefly blocking multiple lanes. It insures that I won't hit anything, including a 4 wheeler, on the right side, gives me room to avoid any obstacles, and lets me see what is on the left if anyone tries to sneak up there. I've been doing this for several months now and it works like a charm. If for some reason I could not do this, I'd do the whole thing from the outer lane as Brett described.

Dave, there are a lot of problems with doing it that way. The whole design of that multiple turn lane is because there is going to be a lot of traffic in that area. The design is to help move things along. By taking the outer lane you are already keeping anyone from going around you on your blind side. While making a safe turn like that, people can be moving along on your inner side without any fear of you crushing them. I don't see any advantage to your approach, but can see some serious issues developing that you have been fortunate enough to not have experienced yet.

Came across this last night and thought I would bump. I agree with Dave it was a great thread. Very interesting read.

There are instances where there is no signage, but the right lane is for trucks. Case in point is coming off I-75 NB at the Corbin, KY exit heading east towards the Pilot. If you look at the lanes it is obvious. The left lane is narrow and the right lane is extra wide. Sometimes you just have to pay attention to how the lines are painted.

I am normally pretty good at finding stuff on the internet, but there is very little on this subject.

I agree with Susan in one respect though, for the CDL test, you have to do what they want to hear. In NY, the inspectors don't have a CDL, so they are just going out of a book, and if KY doesn't have anything on dual turn lanes, he is enforcing what is the wrong way to do it.

I found this on a LEO forum, by an LEO. His answers are in bold.