You are not alone, both mine experience this on occassion and of course the outside lights are not working when you hear the double speed clicking. I find a little more pressure on the lever usually makes them work and of course you can always push to the latch position. I just consider it an idiosyncracy of the car but it probably indicates poor or prematurely worn switch contacts.
There is also a known failure mode where with key out you will hear the double speed click, replacement of switch necessary if that ever occurs.
Before posting I looked in the '98 manual to see what Ford called this switch position since I know it as the lane-change feature. Interesting that they don't mention it.
