Community Forums

UTTransplant · 12-13-2019, 06:11 AM

Reminds of one of my more memorable merge stories. Driving the red 3/4 ton pickup with a 30’ trailer behind me. Somewhere out in the plains on I-80, very rural. A small motorcycle group was on the entry ramp (all in full helmets), I was in the right lane, and a car was on my left. The lead cyclist just kept coming even though there was no way she was going to be merging right into the side of my truck without any adjustments! I thought surely she will speed up a bit or slow down a bit, but no, she didn’t look at my lane at all. Remember I said full helmets? These were the ones with limited side visibility, and she never turned her head. Finally I honked and she was so startled to see me (first time she had turned her head!) that she almost fell off her bike. Abrupt movement to the shoulder of the entrance ramp and she stopped. Idiot.

NITEHAWK · 12-13-2019, 06:39 AM

Someone is going to have to contact Wheaties cereal and tell them to quit including drivers licenses in their cereal boxes!

Ray,IN · 12-13-2019, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NITEHAWK

Someone is going to have to contact Wheaties cereal and tell them to quit including drivers licenses in their cereal boxes!

dix39 · 12-13-2019, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKB218NYC

A defensive driver course should be mandatory before someone can get a driver's license and again at every renewal of that license.

I think that would be a good idea too.

As well as I remember we had some of that while I was in the Navy too. I worked on the flight line moving large and small aircraft around and had licenses to run a lot of equipment. The last job I had before retiring in '94 also required a lot of driving and we had a defensive driving course there every year. I thought they were very worthwhile.

Steve

A32Deuce · 12-13-2019, 11:36 AM

I had to go through a driving course every year for 37 years for work. They frowned on moving violations on the job or your own vehicle! After years of that and being retired since 08, I'm not in any hurry. I do the speed limit in the right lane or center lane as the need arises.

powerboatr · 12-13-2019, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

They are the ones 'MERGING'........therefore I maintain my speed.

yep me to as much as possible, usually its 18 wheelers that try to force us over, I move if there is room, but i dont slow down just for them.

RichnSue · 12-13-2019, 11:50 AM

When it becomes apparent I'm going to meet the merger at the merge point seconds before that I lay on the Hadley's, love that sound. They have two choices hammer it or pound the brake pedal, 100% success rate!

R Bob · 12-24-2019, 02:04 AM

As everyone seems to agree, it's called a MERGING lane for a reason. You want to join my club (interstate) get up to speed.

Cloud Dancer · 12-24-2019, 04:39 AM

IMO it's easier to handle a mergeree if they go very fast (on the ON-ramp). The problem is that drivers who know how to safely drive fast are in the MINORITY.
Today, my celebration starts early. Forgers Classic Roast, 2 red-chile PORK tamales, fried pinto beans, and a couple of fried eggs.

doc · 12-24-2019, 06:10 AM

You guys that are familiar with Atlanta traffic will know about this. I some areas inside the loop and on the loop, we have traffic lights on the ramp requiring you to stop. (yep, traffic lights) I have no idea what the rationale is for this, other than possibly to break the steady stream of cars coming onto the roadway during rush hour. The lights don't work all the time and many people ignore them when the are working.

backpack96 · 12-24-2019, 07:36 AM

I was recently driving in Atlanta and was amazed that most folks did not understand or care how to safely merge. I live in the Houston area and it does not seem to be that much of an issue. Had one guy cut me off on the 285/85 exit and then he drove in the left hand break down lane passing the cars in front of me and then cut off some drivers as the break down land ended.

EdInArk · 12-24-2019, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Itchytoe

They are merging with the freeway. They have to find an opening and safely merge. There is absolutely no onus on the freeway drivers to make room for them. It is a nice thing to do though. If there's not much traffic, I'll try to pace myself in a way to make merging easier for them, or move over into the left lane (OMG!). Fortunately, my big red one ton dually pickup with aftermarket front and rear bumpers tends to get noticed so people don't try and merge into me often. Nobody sees the bike, so I have to be extremely cautious in areas with merging traffic. A little Prius will probably explode if it merges into the truck, but it'll eat me and the bike and not even notice it.

Same here. My bike is a 140 hp sport tourer, so it's easy to get out of the way. Not so much in the RV

I like your point that though we have no obligation to do anything to help it's sometimes a nice or even safer thing to do. I will open a hole in front of me by backing off a couple of mile per hour sometimes. Or I'll speed up a tad to make a hole behind me as necessary. I'll move left one lane if it can be done safely without cutting other traffic off.

Some people, though.

If they come up and just drive beside me they're on their own. It's kind of bizarre. I'll see another vehicle enter the ramp knowing they can see this RV. Then they'll pace me all the way up, come up right beside me, then wait for me to move.

richard5933 · 12-24-2019, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doc

You guys that are familiar with Atlanta traffic will know about this. I some areas inside the loop and on the loop, we have traffic lights on the ramp requiring you to stop. (yep, traffic lights) I have no idea what the rationale is for this, other than possibly to break the steady stream of cars coming onto the roadway during rush hour. The lights don't work all the time and many people ignore them when the are working.

We have those in Milwaukee as well. The idea is to meter the on ramp traffic so there is time between cars for proper merging.

They're fine on the newer ramps, since they are long enough to get up to speed before merging. Some of the older ones are so short that it's impossible to get up to speed. Makes for a fun commute.

oldbird1965 · 12-24-2019, 10:04 AM

I just saw this thread and was surprised to read the whole thing and no mention of being nice and moving over. On a two lane freeway I try to be nice and move over only to be stuck in the fast fast because cars are streaming by on the right lane. After awhile of this the drivers are assuming that I drive all the time in the left lane and I get funny looks and a few times even the finger! Now if I feel compelled to move over I try to immediately to move back into the right lane even if I cut the merger off. What to do, what to do?