What's wrong with CARS and not understanding right of way on an onramp?

[Piker]

It seems like most of the time we spend driving through cities where there are 3+ lanes of traffic, I see big rigs and RV's one lane to the left of the lane furthest to the right. This is also where I spend most of my time simply because I am unable to adjust speed, up or down, as quickly as the cars entering the on ramps to the right. (I realize I'm not SUPPOSED to have to adjust my speed, but that's just not the reality of the situation much of the time) I try to run my speed with traffic, (which almost always ends up being above the speed limit) but perhaps just 1 or 2 mph slower at times so that when people cut in front of me there is at least an ever widening gap between us and them... the three second rule is just not achievable in congested areas. There will always be people running 85+ in a 55 or 65mph zone, who flip you off because you're only doing 70 and in their way. You simply can't win.

When merging, our plans don't always work out for those of us driving big heavy equipment... again, it seems like the same problem as stated above... you can't adjust your speed, either up or down, as quickly as those around you. Short on ramps and cars following bumper to bumper on the freeway are always a challenge. Sometimes yields us a "you're #1" from our friends in the other lanes.

The culture in the US has trended rapidly towards instant gratification and narcissism over the last 25 years. This is most evident when you consider the popularity of things like snapchat, facebook, twitter, etc... but it shows up on the highways for sure.

Be safe out there.

-cheers

[Paradiddle1]

I grew up in Northeast and we always would yield to the highway traffic coming on the highway. Most of our on ramps were short. Then when traveling in the southeast down I-95 I noticed that people would yield for a tractor trailer coming on the highway as they had a long ramp and were getting up to speed. Thats where I think this started. It became a standard thing to do to yield to the on coming - but now it was not just a courtesy to the big truck but for everyone one. and without regard that if I was in right lane with no room to move over. I stay in the lane - I was towing a race trailer with van and now a MH. But we have to be aware. I was just on I75 in Florida and they have 2 lane on ramp and its a drag race of cars on coming to highway and jogging for position to get across the highway to far left lane

[Superburban]

I miss the old days, when most bigger vehicles had CB's, and had them on. The majority of the drivers looked at fellow drivers, as being equal, and the majority worked with each other to meet everyone's goal of getting safely down the road.



These new drivers with the "all about me" attitude suck.

[THenman]

At 43K + a Wrangler in tow even with 600hp I don't slow or speed up very fast. Best I can do is sometimes a slight speed adjustment for someone coming onto the road. I can help them get either in front or behind me by a bit but that is based on their size and what looks to be their plan. Basically if stuck in right lane I stay close to same speed as I have been driving. I have had some folks get well in front of me but going so slow I have to scrub speed which really PO's me as it takes a good while to get back to speed and often creates a cluster F with cars stacking up behind me while others pass.



Frankly I worry more about getting onto the road from the ramp than most other situations. Due to speed difference, length, and slow accel/decel.



Tom

[D Gardiner]

We drive our RV to a lot of local baseball tournament games for our 12 year old's travel baseball team. Living in congested San Francisco Bay Area we travel most often in the second lane from the right. As many have posted, the right lane is to hectic in metropolitan traffic.

We also try to keep a fair size buffer negotiating city traffic. Most drivers don't cut us off or dart into the buffer zone, but inevitably....someone does. The best was the driver who ripped around our left side, pulled in front of us, then hit their brakes to pull into the next business driveway.

We currently drive a 30' RV, but I have experience driving 60' commercial trucks. I was also taught to drive by my father who drove trucks in Australia's outback, in the 50's. He and my mom emigrating to the USA in the early 1960s. He taught me that the best insurance was distance between you and the vehicle ahead. He also taught me how to signal 'thank you', or 'you have room to merge' with my running lights and headlights. When I began driving, in the 1980's, truckers almost always used those types of signals. Today,....it's very rare to see.

[akeagle]

The rules for merging are pretty simple and clear, but it often requires common sense and common courtesy on the part of both drivers, especially in heavy traffic. Unfortunately cooperation is usually in short supply then, so we RVers must do the best we can without appearing to be a bully or an actual obstruction to traffic flow. The best we can do is to make our intentions as clear as we can (signaling) and hope someone in the right lane will give us a break by either changing lanes or backing off enough to make room for us. Just be ready to immediately accelerate or decelerate to fit in. If that fails, our only choice is to run past the end of the on ramp and enter the breakdown lane until there is a break in traffic.

[Piker]

Just had the wonderful opportunity to reinforce why I run the middle lane. Went thru Charlotte NC last night at rush hour on 77. There were 2 or three times when the right lane(s) exited and the center lane I was in became the right lane. Traffic was so congested that it took time for an opening to appear in order to get back into the center lane. Wouldn’t you know it, someone was merging from the on ramp in a little white car... I had a semi behind me and vehicles to my left... and a nice buffer zone in front of me. The little white car was accelerating at a good pace to be able to get in in front of me, but it’s like suddenly they lost their stones and started slowing down. The on ramp was disappearing... and they were right at my front bumper... and what do they do? They started pushing into my lane. I HAD to swing as far left in my lane as I couldn’t and I HAD to slow down, otherwise there would have been a disaster. Luckily the semi behind me must have been paying attention because he was far enough back that the speed adjustment I made did not get me rear ended.

You can say “hold your lane and hold your speed” but I’m telling you right now that if you do that in the congestion of these east coast cities, someone is going to get smashed. You absolutely gotta have your wits about you when your rolling in a 10 or 20 ton bus, and be focused on what’s going on around you. Defensive driving is a must... and rolling slower than the rest of traffic is a must as well when it’s congested and the traffic on the interstate becomes stop and go. Your surrounded by cars that do 0 to 60 5 times faster than you, and can stop just as quick. If you try to run with them, you stand a good chance of rear ending someone when they cut in front of you to get that next position in line, and then slam on their brakes.

All that, and I still get a kick out of driving the motorhome no matter where we are at. Be safe out there!

Cheers

[Yosemite77]

Originally Posted by TwelveVolt

That is standard driving procedure in Miami. The turn signal means “That driver up there is about to claim a piece of the lane that is rightfully yours and it is your responsibility to stop him”. That is why nobody uses their signals…

How long do you think it will be before manufacturers stop including turn signals, seeing as fewer and fewer people are using them? You will probably have to pay extra to get them.

[Daycruiser]

Originally Posted by VanDiemen23

Couldn't agree more.

[V3600]

People drive however they want because 1) they aren't properly trained and medically qualified to drive, 2) they don't fear the law because cops aren't anywhere to be seen, 3) they're ignorant of everything going on around them. Yet the professional driver gets all the bad press.

[sinterior]

Very simple reason, IMHO, like most basic rules and laws, lack of enforcement.


Basic human nature, give an inch, take a mile.
Where will it eventually end, anarchy?


History has many lessons, unfortunately we never learn.