Changing Lanes: To the Left or Right?
3 Answers
When changing lanes from the fast lane, move to the right; when changing lanes from the slow lane, move to the left. Here are some additional details: 1. Lane-changing techniques: Before changing lanes from the slow lane, quickly turn on the left turn signal, observe the traffic behind you to ensure safety, and after three seconds of signaling, steer left to smoothly enter the left lane; when changing lanes from the fast lane, turn on the right turn signal, check the right rearview mirror for safety, and after three seconds of signaling, smoothly merge into the travel lane; if the turn signal does not automatically cancel, remember to turn it off manually. 2. Precautions: If space allows, accelerate to a speed faster than the vehicle behind you in the target lane; if there isn't enough space to accelerate, try to minimize the speed difference between your vehicle and the one behind you. Always signal in advance—don't turn the steering wheel and activate the turn signal simultaneously—to give others enough time to react.
I've been driving instructor cars for over a decade and encountered all sorts of lane change issues. There's no absolute standard for left or right lane changes, but generally you need to be extra cautious when changing from left to right. In left-hand drive vehicles, the blind spot when changing to the right lane is particularly large - you have to turn your head over 120 degrees to see clearly, which is completely different from changing to the left. On highways, when changing from the far left lane to the middle, remember to check the rearview mirror and also turn your head to glance behind the B-pillar. Once my student almost caused an accident by missing a motorcycle hidden in the blind spot. For urban roads, you need to signal earlier for right lane changes, since there are often mixed motorcycle and electric vehicle lanes on the right - you can't afford to be careless.
Last week when I was driving my kid to school, I was pondering this very issue. Nowadays, navigation systems often instruct you to change lanes early, but in reality, shifting left tends to flow smoother. If you observe traffic during rush hours, you'll notice the right lane is usually clogged with slow vehicles preparing to turn right, while the left lane moves faster. Once when I exited the Yan'an Elevated Road, three consecutive right lane changes got blocked by crawling cars ahead. But it's the opposite in some countries - like right-hand drive UK where left lane changes are riskier. Ultimately, it depends on road conditions. Frequent lane changes themselves are hazardous - the navigation's 300-meter advance notice is actually the safest approach.
