The American superhighway system: 🧵 
In other countries where you drive on the left, the rule is "say left except to pass" and this works. In the US (where we drive on the right) we don't do that. Cars are in all the lanes. There IS a system though.
The far-right lane (remember we drive on the right) is the "ramp lane." People are always slowing to get off the highway, or coming on slow and speeding up.
You'll be always accelerating/decelerating there, so don't drive this one. Go left.
You'll be always accelerating/decelerating there, so don't drive this one. Go left.
Trucks ("semi tractor-trailers" or "lorries") have lower speed limits than automobiles. They usually take the second-to-the-rightmost lane except to pass. If you take that lane, you're subject to the 10mph lower speeds.
This leaves a few lanes open. The third from the right is the cruising lane. You can expect more patient people following more-or-less the speed limit there.
Sometimes trucks pass each other in this lane, slowing traffic, but it is usually at the posted auto speed limit.
Sometimes trucks pass each other in this lane, slowing traffic, but it is usually at the posted auto speed limit.
Left of the cruising lane is the auto passing lane. Don't go there except to pass (go around a truck passing another truck), or you'll be an obstruction to others.
If there is one more lane to the left, that's the fast lane. People there want to go well beyond the posted speed limit. At least they're not behind you, right? Stay out of their way, don't be in their (inevitable) accident.
There are cheaters.
Sometimes highway vigilantes get in the fast lane and drive slowly to stop others from speeding (more fool they).
Some maniacs pass on the right, rather than left, and often cause serious multicar accidents. This is always ill-considered: DONT.
Sometimes highway vigilantes get in the fast lane and drive slowly to stop others from speeding (more fool they).
Some maniacs pass on the right, rather than left, and often cause serious multicar accidents. This is always ill-considered: DONT.
An then there are characters: they try to take the off-ramp from the far left lane. They're stupidly aggressive, or terrified and constantly tapping their breaks, don't notice the speed limits, never signal lane changes, text while driving, drift from lanes.
Beware!
Beware!
But that's pretty much the system. I hope that's helpful for foreign visitors and rural drivers coming into the cities.
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