this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2024
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The law literally says you should always use the rightmost lane. At least that’s the case in Europe.
Do you even have a drivers license? Entering and exiting is what entrance and exit lanes are for. There is nothing painful or dangerous about it.
You, sir, have clearly never driven a car in your life if you think there is nothing painful or dangerous about entrance and exits. The idea is simple, the execution by about 80% of existing drivers is just dreadful. Both the ones using them and the people who refuse to acknowledge that someone is using them.
He's right, and you're probably American, meaning you're not entirely wrong either. You two are just talking about different systems.
Here in Europe it is taught you drive on the right most lane, as entrance and exit lanes are built separately. So if there are two lanes, there will be a third one at exits and entrances, or if there's three lanes there will be a fourth lane for when there's an entrance or an exit.
So it'd be rare to drive to a highway ans and be able to keep the lane you entered on, as it will merge with the normal amount of lanes, and then begin again when there's an exit coming up.
I'm a taxi driver in the third gen, btw. Or "was"? Hard to say.
I'm in the US, and that sounds like most highways here. Sometimes, the road gets larger and a lane is added for now than just an exit or entrance lane, and sometimes the road gets smaller and a lane becomes the exit lane or otherwise has to merge left. When that happens, you're obviously not expected to remain in the lane that is leaving the highway. That's not "the rightmost lane" any more
Whatever the specifics, I think this is rather about miscommunication online, not actually that either of you are bad drivers in any way.
Driving rules, road infrastructure and "cultural norms" vary somewhat betweeen NA and Europe, afaik.
You're right. I should have clarified originally. Thank you for stepping in.
Holy shit I think you're right on that 80% figure for onramps. The onramp is for accelerating to highway speed. Not 20 under. Not 10 under. People don't realize how dangerous going slow really is.
Well. You keep to the middle lane then. You know it comes with a €270 fine, right?
Highways in my region (western USA) are not always designed with separate exit lanes. Often the right lane we've been happily traveling down suddenly becomes "Exit Only" and anyone not exiting must move to the middle lane. The lane will be replenished after the exit, sometimes miles down the road, but will often go Exit Only again. And again.
Staying in the right-hand lane is literally impossible in certain freeways in North America. Other areas of North America are similar to what you're used to with exit lanes being created for the purpose of exiting and entering so commuters can stay in the right-hand lane but it isn't everywhere.
The law says you should keep as far right as possible. This doesn't mean at all cost, if the right lane is completely occupied you're allowed to drive in the middle or even left lane (if the middle is also occupied). This often happens during rush hour.
Unnecessarily driving in the left lane is the #3 most irritating thing in traffic, according to surveys, with tailgating at #1 and phone use while driving at #2. You're not only blocking those behind you, but everyone on the lanes to your right as well. (Overtaking on the right carries an even heftier fine than not driving in the rightmost possible lane).
I didn't say the alternative was left lane driving or condoned left lane camping. Your response to the other person sounded like you were only used to one type of freeway/highway configuration.
I am pointing out your experience may be a bit local to your area and middle lane driving for through traffic (also called commuter traffic sometimes) is the safest option that minimizes risky lane changes on some roads. But this does contradict the edict of staying in the right-most lane which is different from keeping-right-except-to-pass I think.
Its the same in the States as well. People here are just so far removed from the law because our road design often necessitates breaking the law.
I'm the u.s. they put the highway through the middle of cities. The right most lane is an exit and entrance lane as on and off ramps are usually a mile or less apart. There are usually 4+ lanes in these situations, so the first 2 left lanes are there for people to merge on and off. If you're just passing through, then it makes Sense to stay in the third or fourth lane and leave the farthest left lane for the crazies. Go look at Atlanta Georgia, Chicago, or the East side of the Mississippi River going into St.Louis.
Except for when they put left-lane exits. Then it's Mad Max rules.
For example, there's a major highway junction that I drive every day where there are four lanes. The left two lanes become one two-lane highway, and the right two lanes connect with another two-lane to become a four-lane highway.
In this instance you have two slow lanes sandwiched between two fast lanes.
For fun, look up US Route 60 where it meets Chelyan Bridge just outside Quincy. The through lane is on the right, and the exit lane is the left lane because fuck all reason.