Debate: Which is the safer lane?

The inside lane is ALWAYS safest- people tend to turn WIDE , so they will swing away from you instead of into you !!!-
That's my experience anyway (35 years of driving)

 

Agree. Inside is safer.

 

Inside is usually safer, people usually turn wide. But then you have the *#(@ing idiots who switch lanes while turning, even when you are in the other lane! And that works both ways

 

Driving a sports car, I always take the inside lane IF there is a large truck with a trailer or SUV's. They all go blind in the middle of the turn, if they loose it, I can always elect an emergency U-turn and get out of the situation.

If the two lanes are stacked up with just cars I'll take the outside lane because when there is a double-laned left turn, the road is more than likely a three lane road. The outside left turn lane will give me two lanes to choose when the turn is completed, or, if somebody goes wide into me for some reason, I have a whole lane buffer.

 

I agree. If it is a 3+ lane road you are turning onto, i'd go for the outside because it leaves you with 2 lanes to choose once you turn. That being said, I agree that the inside lane is safer.

 

Then you need to worry about cars turning right into the far right lane (or god-forbid the middle lane you intend to turn into), when they have a red light. I've seen more accidents this way than any other left-turns.

 

We have one major intersection that has two-lane turning into 3-lanes. The right lane turns into the outside (right) lane. The left, to either the middle or left lane. 99% of the people in the right-turn lane don't know and don't bother to look at the white marks on the road. I've almost been wrecking there a couple times a week since 1986.

 

Outside lane is the safest becuase you have more control. If I am inside and someone else is outside, I can almost count on them cutting the corner and using part of my lane. On the outside, I can swing as wide as I need to without being cut off from the outside.

Dave

 

toss a poll up and lets see what everyone votes

 

go for the inside lane. i always do now, after i got hit from someone in the inside land sliding out to the outside lane. bad driving habits, but enough people do it that you are just better off taking the inside lane.

john

 

I'll always go for the inside lane.

 

When you have to worry about such matters, there are no "safe" lanes, anymore.

Remember: Ide is a good driver, compared to 99.9% of the people on the streets.

Expect the unexpected. And resign yourself to the notion that, sooner or later, somebody is going to blind-side you in a way you can't avoid. That's why good drivers have collision insurance, too.

Cars have been getting larger: many sports cars now sit below the window level of trucks and SUVs. Even the few remaining people who bother to look before changing lanes have trouble seeing you.

--
New cars now come with windows based traffic avoidance.
Now if only we can get drivers to look through their windows.

 

Here in Toronto people turn into whatever lane they feel like. I regularly used a highway exit that had 2 left turn lanes, one straight ahead (In middle) and two right turn lanes.

I use the outside lane because I'd need the right lane to get to our driveway(Work). Torontonians have NO clue about lane discipline! I've even had drivers go STRAIGHT from the inside turn lane! I also regularly would make the left (In an F250 with a massive workcap on it-BLINDSPOT!!) and as I signal and go for the lane change right would have some moron who made his own "THIRD" left turn lane from the straight through lane!!!! I'd get this approx. 2-3 times a week!

I even came down the ramp one day and a transport truck driver suddenly SLOOWLY makes a sharp left from the far right lane across all FIVE lanes!!! (Our truck drivers are some of the worse on the road!!)

(For those of you familiar with T.O. I'm speaking of the 427 south to Queenway.)


Den.

 

The lane that a Washington State driver isn't in.

 

I think that people in the inside lane sometimes tend to wind up in the outside lane, but that the reverse is seldom true.

Also, since drivers sit on the left side of the car, it is easier for drivers in the outside lane to see the car next to them.

Frankly, I wish ALL cars were required to add a 1" round wide-angle stick-on mirror to their left-side mirror. I have one on both of my cars and it helps eliminate any blind spot.