Two Right Turn Lanes....

And he wasn't saying just to pass the test, he said he had been in may intersections like that, and always used the right lane. I said, but if someone is in the left hand right turn lane, and you encroach on them, they will be on your blind side. His answer is he would wait until the left was clear, because it is too easy to trap someone on the right side.

I could NOT disagree with him more.

My reply to him would be take it slow and “maintain your lane”, you won’t trap anyone in the rightmost lane because you won’t be in the right lane. If you can’t maintain your lane (as an experience driver should) then you’ve got bigger issues to conquer.

Every “two right turning lanes” configuration I’ve encountered in PA and NJ, the rightmost lane is marked

No Trucks

. Highly conspicuous signage. There is a big reason for this. The turning radius is too tight and there are likely obstructions that you cannot clear.

Graduate, get your CDL and take his guidance on this particular topic with a significant grain of salt. Read what Rob Steeler wrote previous to my reply...he is a retired LEO.

But wait, it gets better!

Different instructor today, asked him the same question, got the same answer. A few minutes later, we came to an intersection that wasn't quite 2 right turn lanes, but two lanes that curved to the right, almost a right turn, in city traffic.

Guess which lane he told me to take, and why? I just did it, and kept my mouth shut. LOL

I spent 2 hours driving in tight city streets today. I don't like cities, LOL. I did well, but I still don't like it.

Dave, even if it is an old thread, it is great for all new drivers to read. Thank you

Dave, even if it is an old thread, it is great for all new drivers to read. Thank you

Absolutely

I would never even thought about this until confronted with it and had no idea what to do

Ok G-Town, I will try and summarize, but I'm not great at that ;-).

An instructor I had told me to turn using the inside lane because to use the outside lane was to risk squishing a car that would cut inside. Sometimes he'd give varying instructions, and I never really understood what was happening all that well.

When I started driving on my own, I remained confused but would start in the inside lane, but being uncomfortable with what I couldn't see to the outside as I started turning, I invented the idiotic method that I later attempted to provide here as input/advice. I won't repeat that now, because it doesn't need to be in print again....better for all to read the correct way rather than other interpretations that are just wrong.

After I posted what I did, G-Town, Old School, Errol, and Brett jumped in and corrected me. Brett not only provided correction, but admonishment.

Thus appropriately corrected and admonished by a quartet I'd already come to hold in high regard, I began following the advice to simply always take the outside lane - indeed, as far to the outside of the outside lane as possible - and then simply watch out for traffic in the inside lane clearly visible in the mirror. Doing that, I quickly learned to adjust speed as necessary to avoid contacting any traffic in the inside lane....and most of the turns with multiple lanes are pretty easy. Plus, I don't have to agonize over what to do...it's simple: if there are multiple lanes and no sign telling trucks which lane to use, then always use the outermost turn lane. Which the mirror to stay clear of traffic in the inside lane. Case closed :-)

I've now happily trucked through all 48+DC...having a blast out here.

Dave replied to Bruce...

Bruce, I wrote that stuff a long time ago, before veterans here rightly straightened me out. This is an old thread....please ignore what I wrote. Dave

And your real-world experience Dave?

That definitely played into the change-of-mind. Experience is always the best teacher. None better.

“C’mon back...”

I think your feedback would be huge for closing the loop on the difference between what is initially perceived as “right” and “correct” vs. the adjusted reality of first-hand experience.

Looks good to me Dave! Thank you.

The second instructor I asked brought it up again today.

I said "I wasn't going to say anything, but right after you told me that, you had me take the outside lane".

He looked a bit sheepish, and said that that wasn't a right turn, more of a sharp curve, LOL.

While navigating it, I was fully able to see the right hand traffic, see exactly where my trailer was, swing wide on the left and remain in my lane (on the right side) with my trailer, time traffic, etc.

Wow! Seems to be quite a bit of bickering and disagreement in this thread. I won't add more than I agree with Dave's advice:

"if there are multiple lanes and no sign telling trucks which lane to use, then always use the outermost turn lane. Watch the mirror to stay clear of traffic in the inside lane."

Using the innermost lane during a two-lane turn just makes things too tight. Heck, making a right turn in a single lane street in city traffic just sucks at times due to the off-tracking of those pesky trailer tandems , lol. The biggest advice I was given and follow for turns is, "drive your trailer (tandems)".

Wow! Seems to be quite a bit of bickering and disagreement in this thread. I won't add more than I agree with Dave's advice:

"if there are multiple lanes and no sign telling trucks which lane to use, then always use the outermost turn lane. Watch the mirror to stay clear of traffic in the inside lane."

Using the innermost lane during a two-lane turn just makes things too tight. Heck, making a right turn in a single lane street in city traffic just sucks at times due to the off-tracking of those pesky trailer tandems , lol. The biggest advice I was given and follow for turns is, "drive your trailer (tandems)".

If you read the entire thread Don, there is a high percentage of agreement on this subject.

Don, there was no disagreement, just merely a misunderstanding. Naturally the safest way to make a turn where there are multiple turn lanes is the outermost lane, HOWEVER, in some areas, when obtaining your CDL , they (as screwed up as it is) test you on taking that inner lane. Not all multiple lane turn lanes are thus marked for no trucks in the inner lane. I was tested in this way in Kentucky. My other half was tested years ago in Georgia doing this. They want to see how you handle it. I still stand by my original comment to take your turn, however your state requires you to, when getting your CDL. The whole point is getting the CDL after all, is it not? The OP at that time did not yet have her CDL, simply advised her to turn how they required it in her state. You simply take it just like you would a single lane turn, watching your tandems going around the corner using the spot mirror and watching for vehicles as you have to encroach in other lanes. Yes I've had to make very tight turns where I had to do it from the wrong lane and into the wrong lane. It's not be a perfect world out there for sure.

G-town, I read the entire thread.

If you read the entire thread Don, there is a high percentage of agreement on this subject.