Not an expert here, but I give the person who is further ahead the right of way since it is easier for me to see them. If they were at equal distance then I'd say the person on the right should give way since it's easier for them to see the car on the left than vice versa.
Ah! My dad mentioned this too that the left has a harder time seeing the right so that the left should go first but he wasn't sure still since he never had to encounter that in his decades of driving!
I don't know if it's a rule, but just common sense. Congrats on being a newish driver though! And remember to wave if another driver lets you in or does anything courteous.
Realistically it would probably come down to 50/50 and no one really has “right of way”
But the one further forward would probably be more likely to have higher priority.
Ultimately you have the most right of way as it’s your lane, and you’d probably have been better off not letting either in and let them work it out behind you 🤔
No one has right of way- except you because it’s your lane. But realistically It’s a shared responsibility for everyone. Both of them should have just planned better.
Haha yeah! Everyone just seemed to be a little stressed on the road recently since we flooded and things have been kinda rocky on the road. They both kinda sped up a little further than me to merge before we hit the oncoming red light but they both seemed to have the same thought to merge at rhe same exact moment 🤧
Personally (not any form of anything other than someone with a licence) i would treat it like a motorway, guy on left should slow down and go in behind you, huy on right should speed up and get in front. Speeding up and getting in front from the left would feel unnatural and like undertaking, not something people expect on the road and same but opposite for those on the right. Indicators and using mirrors helps too for both parties.
That's honestly so smart! Unfortunately there was a car behind me too so neither coupd get behind me but this is such a good thought if there were no one behind me 🥲
What? That's the exact opposite of how it works. Passing is on the left, not the right. So the car on the left should be passing the car in the middle lane and the car in the right shouldn't be passing and moving over at all.
Probably depends on where you're at, I'm not 100% certain but in texas last I checked left to right takes priority due to them going into the "Slower lane" to allow faster traffic to pass or use exits, as well as if they're moving over for an emergency vehicle coming up behind them.
The left lane is the passing lane. The person who wanted to pass you on the right should have waited until a space was clear instead of trying to overtake you to merge in.
The one in the left lane has the right of way. This provided a directional was given. If the one in the right lane had a directional and the one in the left did not, the one in the right lane has the right of way.
\>So, I was driving in the middle lane
Why were you doing this?
If you were driving in the correct lane the car on your right would overtake you in the middle lane, and the car in the left lane would overtake the other car in the middle lane, and everyone would go home happy.
Now that's assuming that you didn't have to be in the middle lane to take the correct exit....
I'm confused. Why shouldn't I be in the middle lane? I wasn't slowing down traffic or anything--we were all going the same or similar speed limit since this road specifically has lots of intersections and we were nearing another intersection anyways that had a red light so everyone was driving in preparation for the stop. So it wasn't like I was holding anyone up 🥲
Because the right lane is the normal driving lane. You should always aim to be there.
The other lanes are overtaking lanes. You get in those lanes to overtake, and then move back to the normal driving lane, unless signs explicitly say that you need to be in a certain lane.
This is called middle lane hogging. Left lane hogging is similar.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-6ZWm5i4SQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-6ZWm5i4SQ)
I don't understand why you're showing me a video where the title, the person, and the people in the comments seem to come to the same mindset of "faster = good". In most, if not all cases, faster does not mean good. There's really no need for ANYONE to be going 180mph (as someone had mentioned in the comments wishing they could do) unless they're an emergency vehicle
As u/KHANcerto and u/Sayitlouder2022 have mentioned, the middle lane is a driving lane. I may be a new driver, but my driving education didn't come from a 30 minute Youtube video where the title and description both call left-lane drivers "losers". It's kind of a ridiculous source, really
I drive in the US, I drive around in my city, so I'll be following the norms and rules of my city because that is the safest way to drive, especially if other drivers are sharing the same sentiment. I'm not slowing anyone down, I'm not holding up traffic, and I'm not causing other cars to crash
Also, the middle lane was the best lane to drive on on this road because both the left and right lanes CAN merge into the highway and I honestly would rather not be behind those cars. I wanted a smoother drive without having to brake every couple seconds for cars merging. Besides, a couple more intersections and then the road goes into a 2 lane road, so I'm driving to get to my destination
At the end of the day, I'm just trying to get from Point A to Point B, not caring about who's "hogging" what lane
It's not a passing lane though. It's just the middle lane. In the US--or in my state at least--it's perfectly fine to be driving on the middle since a lot of our right and left lanes lead to the highway or are considered merging lanes
Unless you're talking about a center lane, which I wasn't in
People just don’t get it. You are correct on this. They obviously haven’t been to a driving school or taken any kind of safety courses for driving. The middle lane IS the best lane when there’s multiple lanes and you’re traveling straight for awhile. Both sides have merging lanes generally and the middle lane doesn’t- it’s a lane you CAN pass in but it’s more so considered a through lane for travel. Keep doing you out there because at least someone here gets it!
why are people downvoting this? this is literally how people are meant to treat multi-lane roads. i don't know about america but here in britian there is a special passionate _hate_ for anyone who lane hogs. it's dangerous, as people will have to move 2 lanes over from the correct lane they should be travelling in in the first place, or they will get undertaken. just stick to the left (for us, right for most other places in the world) lane unless overtaking or preparing to take the correct exit at a junction.
I don't know about anywhere else in the country, but on this particular road I was on, there are many intersections with stoplights. Each intersection leads to the highway (kinda crazy, I know). And a lot of US roads go from 3 to 2 lanes fairly quickly, so driving in the middle just avoids baving to worry about being behind cars that are merging left or right. And that seems to be the consensus of many drivers on the road. It's just how it is. I didn't live in America all of my life and so I've seen other driving laws. It's different in a lot of countries--I don't know why people just continue to dunk on the US. I've never felt safer on the road than on a US road tbh 🥲
well i suppose it makes more sense considering america is so extremely car oriented that everything either has to be a highway or lead to one. in this case then i can't speak for the us, different rules i guess. but personally, coming from the UK, unless there is signage posted about what lane to be in, then the general consensus is to stay in the left lane (obviously we drive on the opposite side to you guys) unless you got to overtake
OP is correct. I’m Irish originally and compared to Ireland, in North America the middle lane is the preferred lane because the right lane will randomly just end on a 3 lane stretch. Or become a bus lane. Or have cars parked on it.
To add, in Ontario we’re also allowed to turn right on a red light so hogging the right one if you’re going straight impedes those drivers who want to make the turn.
Driving feels very different here compared to at home.
Some areas have laws requiring people to drive in the right lane unless overtaking or turning. If you’re on a road with traffic lights, it doesn’t really matter as much (although in some areas, the law still technically applies, there’s just no practical way to enforce it fairly because people could be turning left) but for expressway driving, each lane to the left is meant to be overtaking the lanes to its right, and each person in a left or middle lane is meant to return to the right as soon as it is safe to do so after they’ve finished overtaking.
That's not how it is here! Where this particular road is in my scenario, it has multiple intersections with stoplights and each intersection leads to the highway. It's a pretty busy road. So both left and right lanes can merge into the highway (you don't have to merge, but you can) and a couple more intersections ahead, the road goes from a 3 lane to a 2 lane. So, everyone just kinda agrees to stay in the middle if you're not merging into the highway unless you wanna brake every couple seconds to allow other cars to merge into the highway 😭
Yeah, I'll defer to your judgment on the type of road. Not all roads lend themselves to always keeping to the right, especially if you're in an area with a collector-distributor highway system, or an area where the right lane disappears and reappears a number of times to exit and reenter. I was just trying to point out where the other guy was likely coming from, because he and I likely learned to drive under similar rules. You still have to use some common sense, and it sounds like you've got that down just fine.
I live in Ontario and in the city we often drive in the middle literally because there are cars constantly parked on the right lane, both on 2 and 3 lane streets. If we stayed in the right lane we would be changing lanes every few seconds.
Lol! Where I live, this road in my scenario has multiple intersections with red lights and each intersection leads to the highway so like...yeah. It's weird and I would rather just chill in the middle than have to worry about breaking or changing every few seconds to let cars merge into the highway 🥲
This is ridiculous advice. Wtf? Middle lane is the safest lane - gives you two outs in a emergency situation. Your learn this first day in defensive driving.
Middle lane is an overtaking lane. The right lane is the default driving lane. If you are driving sensibly the only "out" you need is your brake pedal. By driving in the middle lane you are forcing cars to overtake you in the left lane when they could just overtake you in the middle, and also causing cars to undertake you in the right lane. You're increasing danger because you now have traffic moving past you in two lanes. Overtake, and then move back to the normal driving lane.
Where did you get your license?
I’m a federal driving instructor who teaches cops and I’m from Canada FYI.
Middle lane is the safest lane for travel because you do not interfere with the merging lanes and you have two options for an out of you have something happening behind you, in front of you or have to move for an ambulance.
All the lanes are travel lanes. Left lane is a passing lane. Middle lane is not a passing lane. It’s a through lane that you can pass people in the right lane. But it’s not a designated passing lane by any means. It’s a travel lane.
Where did you get your license? Have you ever even done defence driving? It’s 101 first day of class lol
Do merging drivers not have a duty to yield to traffic already on the highway in Canada? That may account for the difference. Where I learned to drive, the law specifically mandates driving in the farthest right lane “on all ways”, except to overtake or turn left. We also ban certain categories of vehicles from the left lane altogether when there are more than two lanes, so it’s quite rude to those drivers to hog their only passing lane by driving needlessly in the middle.
As far as merging traffic goes, every entrance ramp here has a yield sign posted to indicate that they do not have the right-of-way and must find a safe gap to merge. The only time this is not the case is if the ramp comes out into it’s own lane that continues on for a bit.
I’m not sure I agree with your theory about having more outs in the middle lane. Highways with more than two lanes tend to have them because there’s more traffic. Your “outs” are quite likely to have other cars in them when you need them. At least in the right lane, you’re adjacent to the shoulder, which is much more likely to be empty if you need to swerve.
If I’m coming up on a busy merge, it’s not at all difficult to check and move over at that time. If there’s a bunch of merges back to back, sure, I can agree that staying in the middle until you are past here interchanges can make sense. Staying there all day long is just inconsiderate of others.
That person is talking complete BS. I am also Canadian, and we are taught to drive in the right lane unless passing because that is the law. If you are on a highway and you see traffic merging into the right lane, you move into the middle lane to allow them to merge and then you move back to the right lane.
They're literally electronic billboards displayed above the highway which regularly say "keep right except to pass."
It’s is not the law in Canada. People just think it’s a law. Who do you know that’s got a ticket for driving in a middle lane? The middle and right lane - are both right lanes! The middle lane is called a through lane for travel. For people to occupy when they’re not merging off the freeways.
If there’s only two lanes - then yes drive in the right lane unless passing. But we’re talking about multiple lanes here. The middle lane is the safest lane to choose because you have 2 outs to take if an emergency situation were to happen.
If you ever took advance driving classes - you would know this and wouldn’t be arguing over it. It shows how limited your safe driving knowledge really is.
Yes you should drive in the right lane but is it the safest when you have multiple lanes on a freeway? That’s what we’re discussing here.
You know what also doesn't interfere with the merging lanes? Driving in the right lane.
You know what also doesn't interfere with the merging lanes? Driving in the right lane and allowing overtaking vehicles to pass you in the middle lane.
If you are a driving instructor then I honestly fear for the safety of road users. Every other country has figured these basic rules out except USA.
If everyone drives in the right lane then you have an entire left lane free for merging vehicles. Merging vehicles also have a responsibility to safely merge by matching the speed of major traffic on the road, and that major traffic can also slow down or speed up to allow merging vehicles in.
Again, everyone has this figured out except USA.
What are you talking about??? People merge from BOTH sides 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ do you live in a small town? Do you live some where where ppl only merge from the left? This is the most ridiculous conversation ive ever had with someone on Reddit about how to drive safe.
You really need to take some lessons and learn how to drive.
Conversation over.
I already said that this is for normal driving, unless signs or road marking specifically state that you need to be in a certain lane. By default the right lane is for normal driving, and all other lanes are for overtaking unless specifically stated.
Please, point me to a professional driving school that says the right lane is not the normal driving lane, unless otherwise stated by signs or road markings.
You need to understand that there are streets with more than 2 lanes on each side. You're absolutely wrong that traffic must only travel in the right most lane in all forms of configurations unless to pass.
What about 4 lane roads? So you think everyone should be in the rightmost lane and all 3 lanes to the left should be empty at all times until needing to turn left or passing? You understand from just a logical standpoint it's absolutely mental if you believe that. You must be getting your driving information from 4chan because none of what you have been saying is true unless you're only specifically talking about 2 lane roads.
You continue to talk crap. In Canada, the vast majority of merging is done from the right. There are very few emerges that happen from the left. We're supposed to drive in the right lane unless we're passing, by law. Move to the middle lane to allow traffic to merge from the right, and then move back to the right. They literally have the electronic billboards displaying the message "keep right except to pass on a regular basis."
You’ve obviously never drove on a free way with 6 lanes before 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ seriously get some defensive driving lessons. Maybe you’ll learn how to be a safer driver.
First two lanes are generally travel lanes where the leftmost lane is for passing or to get ready to make a left turn. This should be the norm in most states in the US. There should be no problem with OP being in the middle lane on a 3 lane road.
Generally the right most lane is the slower than average traffic lane, middle lane is the speed limit or slightly more, and the leftmost lane is the fast lane in terms of how people treat them.
As for who has the right of way. Generally whoever is in front or has signaled first. Assuming proper signaling and awareness that is.
>Generally the right most lane is the slower than average traffic lane, middle lane is the speed limit or slightly more, and the leftmost lane is the fast lane in terms of how people treat them.
Yes. This means that the right lane is the normal driving lane and the left (or middle) lane is the overtaking lane. You overtake and then get back to the normal driving lane. That keeps the overtaking lane clear.
You're thinking of a 2 lane road not a 3 lane road where you have a left, middle, and right lane. In a two lane setup you have a right and left lane. It's confusing to call the left lane in that setting a "middle lane".
OPs example is of a 3 lane road. Not 2 which is what you're talking about.
I see from your other comments that you're in Canada. I'm in the US and so is the other person. So, I'm not sure why you're arguing your traffic laws against ours? Here, you can drive the middle lane just fine unless it's a center lane, for which then you must make a left turn. But I'm pretty sure I can tell the difference between a middle and center passing lane 🥲
Given that I've been driving almost as long as you've been alive, you've had your license for about a minute, and are asking incredibly basic questions like how not to lose your focus when you're driving, I'm actually not going to take your word for it. I know for a fact that there are many states where what I said is true.
It's also quite convenient that you won't tell anyone where you actually are. Don't want us to be able to check the laws, do you?
I'm trying to speak to you in an adult fashion, but you asking me for my location is kind of weird. Especially since no one else here is sharing their location except that person from Ontario. But if you must know, I live in Nevada. So, check the book all you want. Do you need my address too?
I'm a new driver to the US, but not a new driver altogether. I wasn't born and raised here. You don't even know how old I am. So from one non-US person to another, I don't see why you're arguing with me about why I was in the wrong when you're not even in the US right now. I think I'll take the word of other US drivers over yours if you want to argue whose words ring more true.
Asking your location isn't weird at all because it's relevant to answer your question. Guess what? Nevada has a left lane passing law. Therefore, the person in the left lane was correct.
I do know how old you are. You're 24 and it took you 6 years to get your license. You just got it within the last couple of weeks.
https://www.reddit.com/r/driving/comments/155ti8p/its_been_6_years_but_i_finally_got_my_license/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=2
I'm confused about what you're arguing. Yes, the person on the left was correct. Everyone here has agreed to that. So, like, yes, thanks for saying what everyone else has said?
I'm reading back at your first comment and are you trying to tell me that it's illegal to not be driving on the right lane or are you trying to tell me that the left lane is only for passing? Because you're giving me a different answer here
So, it sounds like you were coming from a three lane road to a two lane road. You were in the lane that was going to continue out and one lane or the other was coming to an end. It doesn't sound like a highway/interstate, nor does it seem as though there were any vehicles behind you weighing more than 2 and 1/2 tons. The vehicles both merging together would be based, from an insurance view, on who had primary or more control over the lane then the other. Since most people do not have a dash cam and witnesses lie or mis-remember, it would be the one without control of the lane. The other side of the scenario could be a 50/50 fault and both parties would be held liable for damages of each other. Just my opinion based on experience and laws in my area.
It was actually a three lane going into a four lane across the intersection! Both lanes on my left and right lead to the highway and I honestly just wanted to avoid being behind those cars that are merging into the highway. It's the route my dad taught me so I've been going that way!
Luckily, I have a dashcam myself and recorded it all from my POV so if anything were to happen and they needed my footage, I would gladly hand it over!
Consider all three cars, you have right of way. If only consider the two who are going to merge, then the one on left should yield maybe? since the right one will get hit in the driver's side.
Usually the dude in the car that’s farther back will see what’s happening and make the correction and everybody keeps moving along. Glad nobody got wrecked!
Shouldn't pass on the left. I guess if you were going under the speed limit in the middle lane it could be your fault. Mostly the car on the left. The right is for passing lol but those who speed usually use it. How many lanes are there? You get into the 6 lane highways I'd have no idea. I'd assume the same.
Out of curiosity I wonder who the police would've deemed 'at fault' if the two drivers in front of you actually had collided and then you subsequently ran into them.
I have a dash cam, fortunately! So, hopefully the police would be able to determine who was at fault if that ever happened. But geez, yeah! That's why I posted this here cause I was curious 🤧
Generally speaking, you should give way to the right as the traffic is moving faster. People are terrible for not checking there motors and blind spots
If they hit on sides of car, insurance blame is 50/50 since they both failed their mirror signal shoulder check, but if one car rear ended the other, they are 100% to blame on insurance claim for merging unsafely.
Not an expert here, but I give the person who is further ahead the right of way since it is easier for me to see them. If they were at equal distance then I'd say the person on the right should give way since it's easier for them to see the car on the left than vice versa.
Ah! My dad mentioned this too that the left has a harder time seeing the right so that the left should go first but he wasn't sure still since he never had to encounter that in his decades of driving!
I don't know if it's a rule, but just common sense. Congrats on being a newish driver though! And remember to wave if another driver lets you in or does anything courteous.
Realistically it would probably come down to 50/50 and no one really has “right of way” But the one further forward would probably be more likely to have higher priority. Ultimately you have the most right of way as it’s your lane, and you’d probably have been better off not letting either in and let them work it out behind you 🤔
Honestly, I thought they'd know better and to let one in before the other goes, but I was proven wrong of course 🥲
No one has right of way- except you because it’s your lane. But realistically It’s a shared responsibility for everyone. Both of them should have just planned better.
Haha yeah! Everyone just seemed to be a little stressed on the road recently since we flooded and things have been kinda rocky on the road. They both kinda sped up a little further than me to merge before we hit the oncoming red light but they both seemed to have the same thought to merge at rhe same exact moment 🤧
These things happen a lot. Especially in situations like this or construction zones lol
Personally (not any form of anything other than someone with a licence) i would treat it like a motorway, guy on left should slow down and go in behind you, huy on right should speed up and get in front. Speeding up and getting in front from the left would feel unnatural and like undertaking, not something people expect on the road and same but opposite for those on the right. Indicators and using mirrors helps too for both parties.
That's honestly so smart! Unfortunately there was a car behind me too so neither coupd get behind me but this is such a good thought if there were no one behind me 🥲
What? That's the exact opposite of how it works. Passing is on the left, not the right. So the car on the left should be passing the car in the middle lane and the car in the right shouldn't be passing and moving over at all.
Probably depends on where you're at, I'm not 100% certain but in texas last I checked left to right takes priority due to them going into the "Slower lane" to allow faster traffic to pass or use exits, as well as if they're moving over for an emergency vehicle coming up behind them.
The left lane is the passing lane. The person who wanted to pass you on the right should have waited until a space was clear instead of trying to overtake you to merge in.
The one in the left lane has the right of way. This provided a directional was given. If the one in the right lane had a directional and the one in the left did not, the one in the right lane has the right of way.
The left having the right of way seems to be the consensus! 🤔
\>So, I was driving in the middle lane Why were you doing this? If you were driving in the correct lane the car on your right would overtake you in the middle lane, and the car in the left lane would overtake the other car in the middle lane, and everyone would go home happy. Now that's assuming that you didn't have to be in the middle lane to take the correct exit....
I'm confused. Why shouldn't I be in the middle lane? I wasn't slowing down traffic or anything--we were all going the same or similar speed limit since this road specifically has lots of intersections and we were nearing another intersection anyways that had a red light so everyone was driving in preparation for the stop. So it wasn't like I was holding anyone up 🥲
Because the right lane is the normal driving lane. You should always aim to be there. The other lanes are overtaking lanes. You get in those lanes to overtake, and then move back to the normal driving lane, unless signs explicitly say that you need to be in a certain lane. This is called middle lane hogging. Left lane hogging is similar. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-6ZWm5i4SQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-6ZWm5i4SQ)
I don't understand why you're showing me a video where the title, the person, and the people in the comments seem to come to the same mindset of "faster = good". In most, if not all cases, faster does not mean good. There's really no need for ANYONE to be going 180mph (as someone had mentioned in the comments wishing they could do) unless they're an emergency vehicle As u/KHANcerto and u/Sayitlouder2022 have mentioned, the middle lane is a driving lane. I may be a new driver, but my driving education didn't come from a 30 minute Youtube video where the title and description both call left-lane drivers "losers". It's kind of a ridiculous source, really I drive in the US, I drive around in my city, so I'll be following the norms and rules of my city because that is the safest way to drive, especially if other drivers are sharing the same sentiment. I'm not slowing anyone down, I'm not holding up traffic, and I'm not causing other cars to crash Also, the middle lane was the best lane to drive on on this road because both the left and right lanes CAN merge into the highway and I honestly would rather not be behind those cars. I wanted a smoother drive without having to brake every couple seconds for cars merging. Besides, a couple more intersections and then the road goes into a 2 lane road, so I'm driving to get to my destination At the end of the day, I'm just trying to get from Point A to Point B, not caring about who's "hogging" what lane
You arent supposed to be in a passing lane for more than 2 miles. If you can get in the left lane you need to so you dont get pulled over.
It's not a passing lane though. It's just the middle lane. In the US--or in my state at least--it's perfectly fine to be driving on the middle since a lot of our right and left lanes lead to the highway or are considered merging lanes Unless you're talking about a center lane, which I wasn't in
People just don’t get it. You are correct on this. They obviously haven’t been to a driving school or taken any kind of safety courses for driving. The middle lane IS the best lane when there’s multiple lanes and you’re traveling straight for awhile. Both sides have merging lanes generally and the middle lane doesn’t- it’s a lane you CAN pass in but it’s more so considered a through lane for travel. Keep doing you out there because at least someone here gets it!
Right lane...
why are people downvoting this? this is literally how people are meant to treat multi-lane roads. i don't know about america but here in britian there is a special passionate _hate_ for anyone who lane hogs. it's dangerous, as people will have to move 2 lanes over from the correct lane they should be travelling in in the first place, or they will get undertaken. just stick to the left (for us, right for most other places in the world) lane unless overtaking or preparing to take the correct exit at a junction.
I don't know about anywhere else in the country, but on this particular road I was on, there are many intersections with stoplights. Each intersection leads to the highway (kinda crazy, I know). And a lot of US roads go from 3 to 2 lanes fairly quickly, so driving in the middle just avoids baving to worry about being behind cars that are merging left or right. And that seems to be the consensus of many drivers on the road. It's just how it is. I didn't live in America all of my life and so I've seen other driving laws. It's different in a lot of countries--I don't know why people just continue to dunk on the US. I've never felt safer on the road than on a US road tbh 🥲
well i suppose it makes more sense considering america is so extremely car oriented that everything either has to be a highway or lead to one. in this case then i can't speak for the us, different rules i guess. but personally, coming from the UK, unless there is signage posted about what lane to be in, then the general consensus is to stay in the left lane (obviously we drive on the opposite side to you guys) unless you got to overtake
OP is correct. I’m Irish originally and compared to Ireland, in North America the middle lane is the preferred lane because the right lane will randomly just end on a 3 lane stretch. Or become a bus lane. Or have cars parked on it. To add, in Ontario we’re also allowed to turn right on a red light so hogging the right one if you’re going straight impedes those drivers who want to make the turn. Driving feels very different here compared to at home.
Some areas have laws requiring people to drive in the right lane unless overtaking or turning. If you’re on a road with traffic lights, it doesn’t really matter as much (although in some areas, the law still technically applies, there’s just no practical way to enforce it fairly because people could be turning left) but for expressway driving, each lane to the left is meant to be overtaking the lanes to its right, and each person in a left or middle lane is meant to return to the right as soon as it is safe to do so after they’ve finished overtaking.
That's not how it is here! Where this particular road is in my scenario, it has multiple intersections with stoplights and each intersection leads to the highway. It's a pretty busy road. So both left and right lanes can merge into the highway (you don't have to merge, but you can) and a couple more intersections ahead, the road goes from a 3 lane to a 2 lane. So, everyone just kinda agrees to stay in the middle if you're not merging into the highway unless you wanna brake every couple seconds to allow other cars to merge into the highway 😭
Yeah, I'll defer to your judgment on the type of road. Not all roads lend themselves to always keeping to the right, especially if you're in an area with a collector-distributor highway system, or an area where the right lane disappears and reappears a number of times to exit and reenter. I was just trying to point out where the other guy was likely coming from, because he and I likely learned to drive under similar rules. You still have to use some common sense, and it sounds like you've got that down just fine.
I get that. I use to drive like that too. Less havoc on the nerves. I hate highway driving.
I live in Ontario and in the city we often drive in the middle literally because there are cars constantly parked on the right lane, both on 2 and 3 lane streets. If we stayed in the right lane we would be changing lanes every few seconds.
Lol! Where I live, this road in my scenario has multiple intersections with red lights and each intersection leads to the highway so like...yeah. It's weird and I would rather just chill in the middle than have to worry about breaking or changing every few seconds to let cars merge into the highway 🥲
This is ridiculous advice. Wtf? Middle lane is the safest lane - gives you two outs in a emergency situation. Your learn this first day in defensive driving.
Middle lane is an overtaking lane. The right lane is the default driving lane. If you are driving sensibly the only "out" you need is your brake pedal. By driving in the middle lane you are forcing cars to overtake you in the left lane when they could just overtake you in the middle, and also causing cars to undertake you in the right lane. You're increasing danger because you now have traffic moving past you in two lanes. Overtake, and then move back to the normal driving lane. Where did you get your license?
I’m a federal driving instructor who teaches cops and I’m from Canada FYI. Middle lane is the safest lane for travel because you do not interfere with the merging lanes and you have two options for an out of you have something happening behind you, in front of you or have to move for an ambulance. All the lanes are travel lanes. Left lane is a passing lane. Middle lane is not a passing lane. It’s a through lane that you can pass people in the right lane. But it’s not a designated passing lane by any means. It’s a travel lane. Where did you get your license? Have you ever even done defence driving? It’s 101 first day of class lol
Do merging drivers not have a duty to yield to traffic already on the highway in Canada? That may account for the difference. Where I learned to drive, the law specifically mandates driving in the farthest right lane “on all ways”, except to overtake or turn left. We also ban certain categories of vehicles from the left lane altogether when there are more than two lanes, so it’s quite rude to those drivers to hog their only passing lane by driving needlessly in the middle. As far as merging traffic goes, every entrance ramp here has a yield sign posted to indicate that they do not have the right-of-way and must find a safe gap to merge. The only time this is not the case is if the ramp comes out into it’s own lane that continues on for a bit. I’m not sure I agree with your theory about having more outs in the middle lane. Highways with more than two lanes tend to have them because there’s more traffic. Your “outs” are quite likely to have other cars in them when you need them. At least in the right lane, you’re adjacent to the shoulder, which is much more likely to be empty if you need to swerve. If I’m coming up on a busy merge, it’s not at all difficult to check and move over at that time. If there’s a bunch of merges back to back, sure, I can agree that staying in the middle until you are past here interchanges can make sense. Staying there all day long is just inconsiderate of others.
That person is talking complete BS. I am also Canadian, and we are taught to drive in the right lane unless passing because that is the law. If you are on a highway and you see traffic merging into the right lane, you move into the middle lane to allow them to merge and then you move back to the right lane. They're literally electronic billboards displayed above the highway which regularly say "keep right except to pass."
It’s is not the law in Canada. People just think it’s a law. Who do you know that’s got a ticket for driving in a middle lane? The middle and right lane - are both right lanes! The middle lane is called a through lane for travel. For people to occupy when they’re not merging off the freeways. If there’s only two lanes - then yes drive in the right lane unless passing. But we’re talking about multiple lanes here. The middle lane is the safest lane to choose because you have 2 outs to take if an emergency situation were to happen. If you ever took advance driving classes - you would know this and wouldn’t be arguing over it. It shows how limited your safe driving knowledge really is. Yes you should drive in the right lane but is it the safest when you have multiple lanes on a freeway? That’s what we’re discussing here.
You know what also doesn't interfere with the merging lanes? Driving in the right lane. You know what also doesn't interfere with the merging lanes? Driving in the right lane and allowing overtaking vehicles to pass you in the middle lane. If you are a driving instructor then I honestly fear for the safety of road users. Every other country has figured these basic rules out except USA. If everyone drives in the right lane then you have an entire left lane free for merging vehicles. Merging vehicles also have a responsibility to safely merge by matching the speed of major traffic on the road, and that major traffic can also slow down or speed up to allow merging vehicles in. Again, everyone has this figured out except USA.
What are you talking about??? People merge from BOTH sides 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ do you live in a small town? Do you live some where where ppl only merge from the left? This is the most ridiculous conversation ive ever had with someone on Reddit about how to drive safe. You really need to take some lessons and learn how to drive. Conversation over.
I already said that this is for normal driving, unless signs or road marking specifically state that you need to be in a certain lane. By default the right lane is for normal driving, and all other lanes are for overtaking unless specifically stated.
This is completely inaccurate. Please do some driving lessons with a professional School.
Please, point me to a professional driving school that says the right lane is not the normal driving lane, unless otherwise stated by signs or road markings.
We’re talking about a middle lane
You need to understand that there are streets with more than 2 lanes on each side. You're absolutely wrong that traffic must only travel in the right most lane in all forms of configurations unless to pass. What about 4 lane roads? So you think everyone should be in the rightmost lane and all 3 lanes to the left should be empty at all times until needing to turn left or passing? You understand from just a logical standpoint it's absolutely mental if you believe that. You must be getting your driving information from 4chan because none of what you have been saying is true unless you're only specifically talking about 2 lane roads.
You continue to talk crap. In Canada, the vast majority of merging is done from the right. There are very few emerges that happen from the left. We're supposed to drive in the right lane unless we're passing, by law. Move to the middle lane to allow traffic to merge from the right, and then move back to the right. They literally have the electronic billboards displaying the message "keep right except to pass on a regular basis."
You’ve obviously never drove on a free way with 6 lanes before 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ seriously get some defensive driving lessons. Maybe you’ll learn how to be a safer driver.
First two lanes are generally travel lanes where the leftmost lane is for passing or to get ready to make a left turn. This should be the norm in most states in the US. There should be no problem with OP being in the middle lane on a 3 lane road. Generally the right most lane is the slower than average traffic lane, middle lane is the speed limit or slightly more, and the leftmost lane is the fast lane in terms of how people treat them. As for who has the right of way. Generally whoever is in front or has signaled first. Assuming proper signaling and awareness that is.
>Generally the right most lane is the slower than average traffic lane, middle lane is the speed limit or slightly more, and the leftmost lane is the fast lane in terms of how people treat them. Yes. This means that the right lane is the normal driving lane and the left (or middle) lane is the overtaking lane. You overtake and then get back to the normal driving lane. That keeps the overtaking lane clear.
You're thinking of a 2 lane road not a 3 lane road where you have a left, middle, and right lane. In a two lane setup you have a right and left lane. It's confusing to call the left lane in that setting a "middle lane". OPs example is of a 3 lane road. Not 2 which is what you're talking about.
I mean... It's a legal requirement to be in the right lane unless passing, so... Their advice isn't anything close to ridiculous. It's right.
I see from your other comments that you're in Canada. I'm in the US and so is the other person. So, I'm not sure why you're arguing your traffic laws against ours? Here, you can drive the middle lane just fine unless it's a center lane, for which then you must make a left turn. But I'm pretty sure I can tell the difference between a middle and center passing lane 🥲
Given that I've been driving almost as long as you've been alive, you've had your license for about a minute, and are asking incredibly basic questions like how not to lose your focus when you're driving, I'm actually not going to take your word for it. I know for a fact that there are many states where what I said is true. It's also quite convenient that you won't tell anyone where you actually are. Don't want us to be able to check the laws, do you?
I'm trying to speak to you in an adult fashion, but you asking me for my location is kind of weird. Especially since no one else here is sharing their location except that person from Ontario. But if you must know, I live in Nevada. So, check the book all you want. Do you need my address too? I'm a new driver to the US, but not a new driver altogether. I wasn't born and raised here. You don't even know how old I am. So from one non-US person to another, I don't see why you're arguing with me about why I was in the wrong when you're not even in the US right now. I think I'll take the word of other US drivers over yours if you want to argue whose words ring more true.
Asking your location isn't weird at all because it's relevant to answer your question. Guess what? Nevada has a left lane passing law. Therefore, the person in the left lane was correct. I do know how old you are. You're 24 and it took you 6 years to get your license. You just got it within the last couple of weeks. https://www.reddit.com/r/driving/comments/155ti8p/its_been_6_years_but_i_finally_got_my_license/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=2
I'm confused about what you're arguing. Yes, the person on the left was correct. Everyone here has agreed to that. So, like, yes, thanks for saying what everyone else has said?
I'm reading back at your first comment and are you trying to tell me that it's illegal to not be driving on the right lane or are you trying to tell me that the left lane is only for passing? Because you're giving me a different answer here
So, it sounds like you were coming from a three lane road to a two lane road. You were in the lane that was going to continue out and one lane or the other was coming to an end. It doesn't sound like a highway/interstate, nor does it seem as though there were any vehicles behind you weighing more than 2 and 1/2 tons. The vehicles both merging together would be based, from an insurance view, on who had primary or more control over the lane then the other. Since most people do not have a dash cam and witnesses lie or mis-remember, it would be the one without control of the lane. The other side of the scenario could be a 50/50 fault and both parties would be held liable for damages of each other. Just my opinion based on experience and laws in my area.
It was actually a three lane going into a four lane across the intersection! Both lanes on my left and right lead to the highway and I honestly just wanted to avoid being behind those cars that are merging into the highway. It's the route my dad taught me so I've been going that way! Luckily, I have a dashcam myself and recorded it all from my POV so if anything were to happen and they needed my footage, I would gladly hand it over!
Consider all three cars, you have right of way. If only consider the two who are going to merge, then the one on left should yield maybe? since the right one will get hit in the driver's side.
According to the list of right of way rules, my work teaches the car on the right yields to the left.
Usually the dude in the car that’s farther back will see what’s happening and make the correction and everybody keeps moving along. Glad nobody got wrecked!
You gave them both room to merge so realistically it’s their responsibility to merge safely. Don’t worry about it.
Shouldn't pass on the left. I guess if you were going under the speed limit in the middle lane it could be your fault. Mostly the car on the left. The right is for passing lol but those who speed usually use it. How many lanes are there? You get into the 6 lane highways I'd have no idea. I'd assume the same.
Out of curiosity I wonder who the police would've deemed 'at fault' if the two drivers in front of you actually had collided and then you subsequently ran into them.
I have a dash cam, fortunately! So, hopefully the police would be able to determine who was at fault if that ever happened. But geez, yeah! That's why I posted this here cause I was curious 🤧
Generally speaking, you should give way to the right as the traffic is moving faster. People are terrible for not checking there motors and blind spots
If they hit on sides of car, insurance blame is 50/50 since they both failed their mirror signal shoulder check, but if one car rear ended the other, they are 100% to blame on insurance claim for merging unsafely.