It could be, but I just think they think it’s OK to chill in the center lane. Everyone else is doing it, after all, never mind that everyone else is also causing traffic to be worse.
The California DMV handbook literally tells you to do that. If there’s three lanes, cruise in the middle lane. If there’s two lanes, cruise in the right lane. I don’t think it’s a requirement, but it is the official recommendation in California.
Interesting, that seems to me like it would encourage people to pass on the right. In my experience driving with 3 lanes the right lane is often bare and clear while the left lane is clogged and the middle lane is moderately busy which is, of course, the opposite of what it should be, generally. In cities, obviously, cruising in the middle lane can make more sense, as there’s much more merging on/off of the freeway.
Passing on the right is also… Not that big a deal. The only thing that supposedly makes it worse than passing on the left is that supposedly people don’t check when moving right. Realistically, the people who don’t check when moving right are also mostly not checking when moving left.
I looked it up to see if they provide reasoning for it, and discovered that they’ve removed the language about where to cruise (at least I couldn’t easily find it) since I took the test years ago, but they’re kind of saying it between the lines:
Here are some tips for choosing a lane:
Use the left lane to pass or turn left.
Use the right lane to enter or exit traffic or when you enter the road from a curb or shoulder.
Sidenote: In my experience, on/off ramps in California are ridiculously short, often with low visibility until you’re on it, so they’re kind of relying on the right lane not being all that crowded.
Unless you drive in Sweden. On 3 lane highways you will regularly see people hog the middle lane for long long times. And while Swedish drivers are generally on average just terrible drivers (fight me on this if you have to, it is true), it is not because they don’t pay attention but because Swedish highways are chaoticly designed.
Does the right lane merge into an exit in a kilometer or not? No one knows, it just randomly happens. Or if you have 3 or more lanes in a city that will go differrent directions at the end, you’d think giving clear signs where each will go at the end very early would be helpful. Not here, lets place those as far back as possible. So people stay middle lane just in case they need to make a switch far right or far left.
It is stupid but won’t ever change because the highways are just set up that way.
Why are you saying that the signs are bad? The signs above the road are pretty clear. Each arrow above the lane points to its destination. I can’t say much about the situation around Stockholm but personally I have never had any issues following directions on the highway.
In and around Gothenburg is where you can make that experience. I don’t have issues either, well not anymore after driving these roads for a few years, I just mentioned the potential reason why a ton of drivers here stay in the middle lane.
I am glad I don’t need to drive in Gothenburg as well then 😂 I agree that quite a few people here don’t know how to drive properly but compared to what I persons have experienced in other countries I would say that we are good drivers in general in Sweden.
It’s an indicator that the center lane driver is not paying attention. I want to be far away from drivers that are not paying attention.
It could be, but I just think they think it’s OK to chill in the center lane. Everyone else is doing it, after all, never mind that everyone else is also causing traffic to be worse.
Another class of driver I want to be far away from
Absolutely
The California DMV handbook literally tells you to do that. If there’s three lanes, cruise in the middle lane. If there’s two lanes, cruise in the right lane. I don’t think it’s a requirement, but it is the official recommendation in California.
When did they change that? No wonder traffic is so fucked. That literally conflicts with the LAW that says ‘slower traffic keep right.’
Interesting, that seems to me like it would encourage people to pass on the right. In my experience driving with 3 lanes the right lane is often bare and clear while the left lane is clogged and the middle lane is moderately busy which is, of course, the opposite of what it should be, generally. In cities, obviously, cruising in the middle lane can make more sense, as there’s much more merging on/off of the freeway.
Passing on the right is also… Not that big a deal. The only thing that supposedly makes it worse than passing on the left is that supposedly people don’t check when moving right. Realistically, the people who don’t check when moving right are also mostly not checking when moving left.
Legally speaking it’s a big deal in some states. California discourages it at highway speeds, but doesn’t ban it.
I looked it up to see if they provide reasoning for it, and discovered that they’ve removed the language about where to cruise (at least I couldn’t easily find it) since I took the test years ago, but they’re kind of saying it between the lines:
Sidenote: In my experience, on/off ramps in California are ridiculously short, often with low visibility until you’re on it, so they’re kind of relying on the right lane not being all that crowded.
Yea, in cities it can make sense to cruise in the middle lane. Where there’s an exist every few miles, nah, keep to the right.
Unless you drive in Sweden. On 3 lane highways you will regularly see people hog the middle lane for long long times. And while Swedish drivers are generally on average just terrible drivers (fight me on this if you have to, it is true), it is not because they don’t pay attention but because Swedish highways are chaoticly designed.
Does the right lane merge into an exit in a kilometer or not? No one knows, it just randomly happens. Or if you have 3 or more lanes in a city that will go differrent directions at the end, you’d think giving clear signs where each will go at the end very early would be helpful. Not here, lets place those as far back as possible. So people stay middle lane just in case they need to make a switch far right or far left.
It is stupid but won’t ever change because the highways are just set up that way.
Why are you saying that the signs are bad? The signs above the road are pretty clear. Each arrow above the lane points to its destination. I can’t say much about the situation around Stockholm but personally I have never had any issues following directions on the highway.
In and around Gothenburg is where you can make that experience. I don’t have issues either, well not anymore after driving these roads for a few years, I just mentioned the potential reason why a ton of drivers here stay in the middle lane.
I am glad I don’t need to drive in Gothenburg as well then 😂 I agree that quite a few people here don’t know how to drive properly but compared to what I persons have experienced in other countries I would say that we are good drivers in general in Sweden.