How Do You Merge In Traffic? Intelligence Test.

seventiesdemon

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Describe how you merge, or allow merging traffic.

Most traffic problems happen at merges. It has become clear those who lack brain function are the cause of traffic chaos.

Merging lanes are designed long, with dotted lines for the purpose of merging traffic on Freeways, Motorways, Highways.

How many times do you cut in, cut off, duck in, stop in merging lanes. approach at slow speed, no allowance to weave in to and merge with traffic at highway speed?

If you do, surrender your licence and save the rest of us the pain of putting up with your shit inability to progress or gain basic driving or common sense skills to survive on the roads.

The traffic is flowing one way...............how hard is it??
 
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T_Lurch

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I look well ahead of me to see where onramps are, and get in the left lane beforehand so they can feed into traffic without having to slam on their brakes.

If I'm merging into a main artery road, I look over to the left to see if there's room to get over, and then if not, speed up or slow down accordingly to merge, then get to speed.

I can't vouch for the rest of the world (or Australia), but Florida drivers have some of the worst driving habits ever. It's because of all the transplants. Octogenarian drivers from New York who go twenty miles below the speed limit in the fast lane. Elderly people who slow to a stop before very slowly making a right turn on a 45 mph road. Large truck drivers (usually Dodge Rams and Chevy Silverados) who tailgate close enough to see your nostril hairs in the rearview mirror and flash their lights at you to get the fuck out of their way. People who blatantly drive forward through a school stop on a road with no median, heedless of any children they might mow down (even though it's illegal as hell). Tourists who suddenly brake and slow way down to take pictures of everything.

Sorry, got on a soapbox for a moment there. Thank you for watching the latest episode of Disgruntled Driver. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
 

seventiesdemon

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I look well ahead of me to see where onramps are, and get in the left lane beforehand so they can feed into traffic without having to slam on their brakes.

If I'm merging into a main artery road, I look over to the left to see if there's room to get over, and then if not, speed up or slow down accordingly to merge, then get to speed.

I can't vouch for the rest of the world (or Australia), but Florida drivers have some of the worst driving habits ever. It's because of all the transplants. Octogenarian drivers from New York who go twenty miles below the speed limit in the fast lane. Elderly people who slow to a stop before very slowly making a right turn on a 45 mph road. Large truck drivers (usually Dodge Rams and Chevy Silverados) who tailgate close enough to see your nostril hairs in the rearview mirror and flash their lights at you to get the fuck out of their way. People who blatantly drive forward through a school stop on a road with no median, heedless of any children they might mow down (even though it's illegal as hell). Tourists who suddenly brake and slow way down to take pictures of everything.

Sorry, got on a soapbox for a moment there. Thank you for watching the latest episode of Disgruntled Driver. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

I've been driving for 45 years. I had to move a modern vehicle the other day from a jobsite entrance..............it beeped and buzzed so much it was a distraction to concentrate to reverse the bloody thing.

If you stood in front of it and pulled a face it would probably have an oil leak. Weak piece of crap.
 
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T_Lurch

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I've been driving for 45 years. I had to move a modern vehicle the other day from a jobsite entrance..............it beeped and buzzed so much it was a distraction to concentrate to reverse the bloody thing.

If you stood in front of it and pulled a face it would probably have an oil leak. Weak piece of crap.
I miss the days when vehicles were made out of glass and steel mostly. Everything is made of plastic and breaks down quickly.

At my work I sometimes drive a large box truck who's engine sounds like one long death rattle. It's only got a little over 100K miles on it and it's a diesel engine. Brakes are shot; you basically have to stomp hard on them and pray it comes to a halt in time. And there's a hole in the seat with the stuffing missing and exposed springs from beneath.

They just don't make em like they used to....
 

Lance V

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I drive mostly rentals now. My little POS car is fine for running around town, but I live in Dallas and would prefer not to drive anywhere. If I'm going out of town I'll be hitting up Enterprise.

I never considered myself aggressive, but I could be what you call assertive as I read somewhere else on this site. I know where I'm supposed to be and how to legally get there by pissing of the fewest amount of people. I don't like bad drivers, and I try hard not to be an asshole. But in a city with the majority of asshole drivers it takes major effort not to be counted among them.

Probably the most courteous drivers I've ever encountered were in Santa Barbara of all places. Merging onto 101 I was amazed at how I was given wide berth time after time. It's almost as if everyone knew how to drive.
 

Motion-of-the-Ocean

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As @T_Lurch indicated, Florida is pretty much the wild west of brain stems who were somehow given licenses and the concept of merging in particular is more foreign than an unknown island in the South Pacific.

Since I used to drive many hours a day, for many years, for a living I'm very defensive and accept the fact there are only two choices. If the closet car in the travel lane is far enough away and my four banger is going fast enough, I will attempt to merge ahead of them. If not I will maintain enough of a speed to wait till he passes and then slip into the right lane.

It's actually a simple concept which explains why most of the drivers here choose the third option of traveling like a clueless zombie in the merge lane and only when they almost run out of road they will suddenly veer into the path of the car in the first lane; either causing it to hit the brakes, slow considerably or swerve into the adjoining lane themselves.

If I was the one traveling in the adjoining right lane when they did this, my M.O. to deal with the dumb fuckinsteins used to be to try to keep pace with them so they had no choice but to speed up or slow down and merge in front of or behind me and if not, the look on their face when they were suddenly confronted with no more lane and a guardrail was priceless.

Of course this was a far better use of intimidation and rude awakening education when my vehicle consisted of 26,000 lbs. of hardened steel and ballistic glass. With my personal putt-putt Econbox...not so much...and simple physics of size and acceleration difference requires me to be a more courteous driver.
 
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bar4doug

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Describe how you merge, or allow merging traffic.

I learned "highway" driving on the pre-modernized parkways of New York built by Robert Moses in the 20's and 30's. Non existent entrance and exit ramps, miter bends (like on the Interboro / JRP underneath Queens Boulevard), hair-pin cloverleafs, you name it. I can drive or park anywhere..

When merging into traffic on these short ramps, I will stop, look up-traffic for a space, and plan to get to highway speed as that opening approaches, but before I run out of on-ramp..

When in traffic, traveling in the slow lane, I try to move over towards the fast / thru lanes to let merging traffic in...

I am also one of those who prefer to have a somewhat safe distance between myself and the vehcile in front, to the detriment of driver's behind me, who can't stand to see space on the road unoccupied. It never ceases to amaze me how they must pass me to fill that empty space. They aren't really saving any time, but I digress....
 
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T_Lurch

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As @T_Lurch indicated, Florida is pretty much the wild west of brain stems who were somehow given licenses and the concept of merging in particular is more foreign than an unknown island in the South Pacific.

Since I used to drive many hours a day, for many years, for a living I'm very defensive and accept the fact there are only two choices. If the closet car in the travel lane is far enough away and my four banger is going fast enough, I will attempt to merge ahead of them. If not I will maintain enough of a speed to wait till he passes and then slip into the right lane.

It's actually a simple concept which explains why most of the drivers here choose the third option of traveling like a clueless zombie in the merge lane and only when they almost run out of road they will suddenly veer into the path of the car in the first lane; either causing it to hit the brakes, slow considerably or swerve into the adjoining lane themselves.

If I was the one traveling in the adjoining right lane when they did this, my M.O. to deal with the dumb fuckinsteins used to be to try to keep pace with them so they had no choice but to speed up or slow down and merge in front of or behind me and if not, the look on their face when they were suddenly confronted with no more lane and a guardrail was priceless.

Of course this was a far better use of intimidation and rude awakening education when my vehicle consisted of 26,000 lbs. of hardened steel and ballistic glass. With my personal putt-putt Econbox...not so much...and simple physics of size and acceleration difference requires me to be a more courteous driver.
The old axiom about driving defensively sounds overused, but it really holds true. You have to watch out for other drivers and never, ever assume they're gonna do the smart, safe, or responsible thing. And then, balance it with a certain amount of assertive, decisive driving when called for.

A real test of alertness is driving on the Pacific Coast Highway. In 1999 I was visiting a friend over there and we drove the PCH freeway in LA and it was bumper to bumper, 80+ miles an hour. One false move, one person hits their brakes suddenly and you've got a 20 car pileup and they're hosing you off the asphalt with paint thinner and burying what's left of you in a Big Gulp cup.
 
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bar4doug

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A real test of alertness is driving on the Pacific Coast Highway. In 1999 I was visiting a friend over there and we drove the PCH freeway in LA and it was bumper to bumper, 80+ miles an hour. One false move, one person hits their brakes suddenly and you've got a 20 car pileup and they're hosing you off the asphalt with paint thinner and burying what's left of you in a Big Gulp cup.

Cars have gotten too good.

You could be driving 90 mph, and not even realize it. The driver has been isolated from realizing speed. Sound dampening is ten times better than what it once was. Handling, tires, suspension, too. My first car was a shit-box Buick. Way too heavy and under-powered. If I got to 75, downhill, it was a good day, and I felt it in the handling, steering, and braking. Todays cars? Not so much.. 75 feels like you are standing still.

Starting in the late 90's, probably coinciding with the end of the National 55 mph speed limit, I noticed the average travel speed on interstates going up and up. When I was younger, someone doing 70 was rare. Now, someone doing LESS than 70 is a rarity...

If a municipality is having trouble paying its bills, it's time to start ticketing speeders..
 
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T_Lurch

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Cars have gotten too good.

You could be driving 90 mph, and not even realize it. The driver has been isolated from realizing speed. Sound dampening is ten times better than what it once was. Handling, tires, suspension, too. My first car was a shit-box Buick. Way too heavy and under-powered. If I got to 75, downhill, it was a good day, and I felt it in the handling, steering, and braking. Todays cars? Not so much.. 75 feels like you are standing still.

Starting in the late 90's, probably coinciding with the end of the National 55 mph speed limit, I noticed the average travel speed on interstates going up and up. When I was younger, someone doing 70 was rare. Now, someone doing LESS than 70 is a rarity...

If a municipality is having trouble paying its bills, it's time to start ticketing speeders..
That's something I've never considered. 75 mph doesn't feel very fast unless there are cars bunched up around me.

I still think cars have too much damn plastic in them though. The shit wears out quickly, the heat and cold makes it get brittle and crack, and it just isn't as tough as metal parts. Though I know metal corrodes over time.

And trust me, often they set up plenty of speed traps in my county in certain places. Other times, they seem to be pretty laissez faire about speeding. As the population explodes and there's less and less space, I think people won't be able to go 70 mph and up because of gridlock everywhere. Just picture New York City. I don't think you could reach that speed there with all the traffic.
 
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Capitolhillguy

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Ideally cars should have minimum of three cars between cars when at highway speed. You slow down less trying to merge thus no slowing of the traffic when you can merge easiy. By spacing the cars out they are more like a zipper formation for merging. I think not letting cars merge is the height of rudeness. When cars are more tightly packed there is more variation in speed and it is much less safe. Tailgaters have a special place reserved for them in hell.
 

Scarletbegonia

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The laws in each US state are different. It seems the majority lay the responsibility on the driver merging. California requires (ha) that drivers let the merging driver in.
In reality, at least Bay Area, it’s “use a signal and people will try to keep you from getting in.”
 
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T_Lurch

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The laws in each US state are different. It seems the majority lay the responsibility on the driver merging. California requires (ha) that drivers let the merging driver in.
In reality, at least Bay Area, it’s “use a signal and people will try to keep you from getting in.”
That's pretty brutal.

Reminds me of driving in Orlando, where stop signs and traffic signals are treated more as a mild suggestion rather than a command.
 

Lance V

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I don't drive, it's a mystery to me. Probably just as well since I'd just fuck up ALL of your cars. And not even notice :)

Believe me, I almost did the same on a trip to Dublin. I got a rental to drive to Galway and Cork just enjoying the countryside. I spent more time remembering which side of the road I was supposed to be on. Hitting pubs along the way sure didn't help.

I was never more relieved to return a rental car after that week. I'm pretty sure it was mostly intact.
 

DiamondJoe

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Believe me, I almost did the same on a trip to Dublin. I got a rental to drive to Galway and Cork just enjoying the countryside. I spent more time remembering which side of the road I was supposed to be on. Hitting pubs along the way sure didn't help.

I was never more relieved to return a rental car after that week. I'm pretty sure it was mostly intact.
This is why I should never drive :D
 

bar4doug

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Believe me, I almost did the same on a trip to Dublin. I got a rental to drive to Galway and Cork just enjoying the countryside. I spent more time remembering which side of the road I was supposed to be on. Hitting pubs along the way sure didn't help.

I was never more relieved to return a rental car after that week. I'm pretty sure it was mostly intact.

My first time driving on the left.... Just got off a plane after 30+ hours in transit. Had to learn which side of the steering column the wipers were compared to the turn signals; my depth perception was off sitting in what is normally the passenger seat; and I had to pull out of the airport and into a round-a-bout...

The hardest part was the car parks and keeping myself from drifting out of my lane... But I managed to return that car without a scuff...
 

Lookinginconshy

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They always say the worst drivers are in NJ but they forget to say that those drivers live in Philadelphia. I don’t think most in Philly have a license. Merging onto an expressway...well just floor it and hope they get out of the way as they don’t care...they don’t have insurance. Car insurance rates are highest in Philly because of bad drivers.

so if in The city of brotherly love, just shut your eyes and push the gas peddle to the floor and you will yield and merge like a true Philadelphian. Oh don’t forget to pass long lines of car by going down the shoulder at breakneck speeds and flash everyone the finger!
 

NCbear

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How do I merge into traffic? I try to become a tooth of a zipper.

NCbear (who took only a few minutes to learn, in drivers ed, how to merge, because I had to--we were in Raleigh learning how to merge onto the Beltline on my first day in a car [!!])
 
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andigazed

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Describe how you merge, or allow merging traffic.

Most traffic problems happen at merges. It has become clear those who lack brain function are the cause of traffic chaos.

Merging lanes are designed long, with dotted lines for the purpose of merging traffic on Freeways, Motorways, Highways.

How many times do you cut in, cut off, duck in, stop in merging lanes. approach at slow speed, no allowance to weave in to and merge with traffic at highway speed?

If you do, surrender your licence and save the rest of us the pain of putting up with your shit inability to progress or gain basic driving or common sense skills to survive on the roads.

The traffic is flowing one way...............how hard is it??

Are you merging from a stop sign, a yield sign, or is no sign at all? Is there a posted speed limit on the weave from lane? Are you merging into an expressway from a suburban county road? Are you exiting a traffic circle, or entering. What state? The answer really depends.