"Sgt. Ness I’m an outside sales rep. and on the roads 3 to 4 days a week. Most of my travels are on the interstates. In the last 18 months or so I’ve noticed a change in the truck driving profession. These drivers will indicate a lane change and just swing that truck over. Many times cars needing to swerve into the other lane or shoulder. These cars are maybe doing 70 or so but not accessive. I’ve been behind trucks while they’re passing another truck for 4 to 5 miles before the pass is completed and he moves back to the right lane. I’ve seen cars pass on the shoulder due to this fact. Just last week on I-80 a line of cars were behind a truck at Larkin in Joliet, we followed this truck all the way to the Minooka exit where 4 cars passed on the onramp to get by. He finally moved back to the right lane at the rest stop. Thats more than 10 miles. He passed a total of 2 trucks. Safety to me becomes an issue when cars start doing stupid things to get pass these guys. What it boils down to is the attitudes both of the truck drivers and other drivers."
Thanks, Dave
Dave, you are correct, safety on the road is very much a matter of driver's courtesy, attitude and behavior. Obviously the trucks you mention first who move into a lane and force cars to take evasive action are doing so illegally and can be cited for Improper lane usage. Additionally, the situation you mention with a truck driving for 10 miles in the passing lane sounds to me like a violation of the left lane law. This law prohibits vehicles from blocking the left lane and not allowing other vehicles to pass. The problem comes in because most trucks are limited to 55mph while cars can drive 65mph on much of the interstate. However Truck drivers are required to obey this law as well, and not impede the flow of traffic.
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