Right-Turning Semi and the Rider in Its Blind Spot
You are riding a standard motorcycle at 45 mph in the right lane of a four-lane arterial. Ahead, a 53-foot semitrailer has its right turn signal on and is beginning a wide right turn into a driveway. The truck first swings left, and its tractor occupies part of the left lane. You are about 40 feet behind the trailer, positioned near the right edge of your lane. A cyclist is riding on the sidewalk to your right, and a car is close behind you. The driveway has a raised curb and a narrow apron; the truck's trailer wheels will track well inside the turn. You intend to continue straight past the driveway. The truck's brake lights are on, and the driver's right mirror is visible but the cab is angled away from you.
1. Explain the right-turn squeeze and where you should be positioned relative to this truck.
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The right-turn squeeze happens because a long trailer does not follow the tractor's path. The driver swings left to create room, then the trailer cuts across the right side of the lane as the tractor turns. A rider who is on the right side of the lane, especially near the trailer's rear wheels, can be trapped between the trailer and the curb. The truck's right mirror is angled away, so the driver may not see you there.
You should not be near the right edge at 40 feet back. The safer position is farther back and toward the left side of your lane, outside the area the trailer will sweep through. Do not try to pass on the right, and do not move into the driveway apron. The cyclist on the sidewalk adds another reason not to drift right. Your plan is to let the truck complete the turn, then continue straight.
2. What following distance and lane position should you use at 45 mph, and why?
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At 45 mph you travel about 66 feet per second, so a four-second following distance is roughly 264 feet. Behind a large turning truck, even that may be too close because the trailer's path is not obvious and the driver's visibility is limited. Increase the gap until you can see both of the truck's mirrors and have room to stop if the trailer swings wider than expected.
Lane position should be the left portion of the right lane, not the right edge. That position keeps you out of the trailer's off-tracking area, makes you more visible in the truck's left mirror, and gives you an escape path to the left if the trailer crosses toward you. It also avoids squeezing the cyclist on the right. The close car behind is a constraint, so make any speed adjustment smooth and early rather than braking abruptly.
3. If the trailer begins to cross the curb, what should you do?
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Do not swerve right. The trailer is already claiming that space, and the cyclist and curb are there. Slow smoothly, stay left in your lane, and let the truck finish the turn. If the trailer continues to sweep toward you, use the left-side escape path only after checking that the left lane is clear; do not fixate on the trailer. Your goal is to create distance, not to hold your original line.
The raised curb and narrow apron matter because they limit the truck's options and may force the driver to continue the turn even after realizing the trailer is close. Assume the driver cannot stop on a dime and may not see you. A smooth reduction in speed plus a left-side position gives you the most room to avoid the squeeze.