Q: Don Brennan of Chino asked if “the rules have changed” to allow semi trucks and vehicles pulling trailers to drive in the No. 2 lane on a four-lane freeway with a carpool lane. “I see it happening a lot lately and it pretty much turns the road into a one-lane freeway,” Brennan said, adding that he sees this happening often on the 60 Freeway near the 71 and the 57. Brennan also asked if big rigs can pass in the No. 2 lane. Another reader from Anaheim, Ann-Marie Chrisman, wrote also with the same complaint about trucks driving in the No. 2 lane on the 60, 91 and 15.
A: It’s still illegal for big trucks to drive or pass in the No. 2 lane on a four-lane freeway, said CHP Officer Dan Olivos of the Inland Division. They are supposed to drive and pass in the outer lanes so on a four lane freeway, this would be the No 3 and 4 lanes. The only exception is if the truck is breaking off to another freeway that’s on the left and the truck has to get into a left lane to make the transition.
Brennan and Chrisman are not the first readers to point out their concerns with semi trucks driving in the wrong lanes. It’s likely (but certainly not a legitimate excuse) that some out-of-state truck drivers are not aware of California’s truck lane restrictions because such laws differ from state to state.
It is incumbent upon the truck drivers to know the traffic laws of the states in which they drive so that they drive in the correct lanes in each state. Truck driving schools should do better to educate drivers in training and truck drivers should study up on each state’s rules.
While we understand and sympathize with our reader’s frustration, there are only so many CHP cars out there and officers must see the violation to cite the truck driver.
As for what can be done to address this problem, Olivos agreed that more CHP cars patrolling California’s freeways would help. The coronavirus pandemic left the CHP with reduced staffing statewide as the academy to graduate new CHP officers was closed for months. The CHP ispreparing to hire 1,000 more officers during the upcoming hiring campaign, Olivos said. “They are calling it the CHP 1,000.”
Q: Tim Hite of La Verne asked if it’s mandatory to stop in a large parking lot when there is no actual stop sign, just an indication on the pavement to stop at a location or intersection.
A: By and large, law enforcement rarely patrols parking lots although police will respond to parking lots if there’s a crime in progress or a traffic accident. Some parking lots are marked “CVC enforced” (meaning that the California Vehicle Code is enforced there), but most are private property and are not CVC enforced, said California Highway Patrol Officer Dan Olivos.
The marking on the pavement to stop is a safety recommendation for private parking lots, and the marking is there for a reason, so it’s a good idea to stop. Is it mandatory? No. But it’s best to stop because it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@pe.com or call 951-368-9670.
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