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Originally Posted by Hat Rak
I dunno, I prefer to be centered in the lane either way, being passed or passing another truck. Obviously when you're in a turn the truck will take up more of the lane because the trailer is just a notch off center.
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To each, his own, Hat Rak. But, sometimes a trailer is offtracking as much as a tire width (always to the RIGHT for some reason,) even going STRAIGHT down the road. Personally, I have a bit of trouble at times maintaining a "centered" position, as my postion in the truck is different relative to the width of the truck as it is in my POV.
Then there is the optical illusion of the right side mirror. I find that my tandems are almost ALWAYS further to the right when I look in my right mirror, than I suspect them to be based on my left mirror.
This is all part of why I posted this thread. I find that "sticking" to the left line keeps me out of trouble when PASSING another vehicle.
Here's a bit a further analysis: When passing another vehicle on a right hand curve... the BANKING of the road will cause the tandems to tend to drift to the right... so I stay next to the Yellow line.
When passing another vehicle on a left hand curve, the banking of the road AND the leaning of MY truck, tend to "cancel" each other out, but my speed CAN STILL cause the tandems to drift to the right. Again.... I stick to my "friend" and have no problems.
A right hand curve does NOT cause my trailer to "lean" to the left enough to counter the banking of the road.
On a left hand curve, the banking of the road never seems to overcome the "leaning" of the trailer enough to cause me to run off the road to the left. Even if it does, (although there is not much room there,) it still keeps me away from the vehicle to my right.
On a right hand curve, [not passing... just riding in the right lane,] if I DON"T stay close to the MIDDLE, dotted line, my tandems (and most everyone else's that I see,) tend to drift off onto the right shoulder. If a stranded motorist is sitting there.... it could be curtains!
I posted this thread because I believe it is the best method for NEW drivers (and others) to avoid encroaching on the lane (or shoulder) to their right (the BLIND side) when passing on curves, or just "rounding" them.
Today, while passing another truck on a left hand curve, I could see that HE had drifted LEFT of the dotted line, and was encroaching on my lane. By focusing on the yellow line, I managed to maintain the safest position I could take (without risking running myself into the median,) and hoped that he got off his cellphone in time to avoid exchanging paint! Since he didn't, I took myself a few inches left of my "friend." By being as comfortable as I am with my "friend," I knew that I could still "track" the curve without making any wild jerks toward the median.
If that hadn't been enough, I would have held my "line," and let the trailers rub! I'm not about to radically "back out of it" and let his trailer contact my steer tires or fender!
I stayed "focused" on my line! It has NEVER failed me.
I know I said NEVER look in your RIGHT mirror when passing, but I have often looked in my
left mirror and my left fender mirror when rounding a left hand curve in the passing lane. ALL of my left side wheels seem to be equidistant from the yellow line.... ALWAYS.
I take ONLY what I NEED, and leave the rest of the road to the idiots I am forced to share it with.
Hobo
The Yellow Line is my Friend, and.....
