Practices & Pitfall w/ On Ramp Merging Traffic

[ransil]

I will give a reasonable time to get out of my way, then ease over a bit and crowed them out with them thinking I'm conning over, usually gets them out of the way.

However base on the guy I car pool with he beleives the spot his car is in is his space, we have driven in truck blind spots for miles with me watching the wheel go round & round, he will get pissed if he almost gets run over, but will get out of the way, but does not comprehend what happen or how is driving caused it.

[grindstone01]

Originally Posted by V3600

That is the major problem - parents being the driving teachers. What do parents know? I was trained by a professional to get my pilot's license. I was trained by a professional, in high school driver's ed for my car license. I was trained by a professional for my CDL to drive commercial vehicles. Common thread is professional training, which is severely lacking in our society.

...

If you take a required Defensive Driving course for driving US Forest service vehicles, they will instruct that no one has the "right of way". Your best defense is to imagine what is the worst thing the vehicle near you could do and mentally plan your evasive reaction.

[TonyMac]

Signals? I read the OP and several of the followers, and I missed the point about signals. I use mine to ask/inform other drivers that I need to/am about to merge (obvious). And I will squeeze the line, not cross it, to make my point. I deploy the air horns/middle finger as a last resort.

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by jbrv

If it a motorhome or semi truck that i know needs a little extra time to get up to highway speeds I will make a reasonable effort to move over or if i pinned in the right land then i will try and slow down or speed up a bit to give them some space just i would like (and get most times) from other large vehicles.

if it is a car or pickup truck motorcycle. I hold my ground and my speed. They can adjust by braking or mashing the gas and work around me. I am not going to move to the left and hold up people on the interstate because someone has not figured out to get up to speed on the ramp not the interstate and that they never even looked over their shoulder or checked a mirror until there is only 50 yards left in the merg lane.

Always run a dash cam just in case someone thinks it would be cute to brake check me. Have not needed the footage yet. knock on wood never do. car brake checking rv with dash cam....wont end well for car on the highway when they get hit and wont end well for them in court when the footage shows they brake checked me.

Ditto. My thoughts exactly. Thanks for keeping me from having to type all that.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

A thought on "right of way."

When I was taught how to teach sailing, I was told that a craft that had the right-of-way privilege was to maintain its course and speed "... until the moment at which collision appears imminent." After that moment, the right-of-way craft was to make all efforts to avoid a collision. The right of-way "privilege" comes with a responsibility: To move in a manner that allows a reasonable person in the non-right-of-way craft to determine how to give way clearly, expeditiously, and safely. Incumbent upon both parties is the responsibility to avoid collision.

The analogy used was describing how difficult it is to pass a weaving drunk in a narrow hallway. Another way to think about it is that in ballroom dancing someone has to lead, if there's going to be any order to the effort.

To "grindstone01's" point, a right-of-way vehicle should anticipate problems and move- if safe to do so, and well in advance- to eliminate problems. However, it's just as important that a right-of-way vehicle maintain its course and speed "... until the moment at which collision appears imminent."

[Winemaker2]

Thanks guys for the thoughts & practices.

I have to admit most - maybe 90% - of professional truckers are very good at merging & allowing others to merge. The other 10% is what scares and frustrates me.
And to top it off I can't tell them apart before the encounter - but it's really clear after the encounter.

You have given me some tools to put in the tool kit and practice on future trips

THANKS for your replies

[biker art]

It's unbelievable how dumb some drivers are. They try to merge at 40mph. Some will not slow or speed up and as a result cause a dangerous situation or almost drive off into the bushes or stop on the ramp.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by rollondown

I gotta put on my flame suit for this....
I move over to allow the onramp vehicle to merge in. If they decide to pace me, I have a habit of ...... ommmmmm.... crowding the line...... wiggling the trailer a little in their direction. All with my turn signal on so everyone behind me understands that I will get out of their way as soon as I can. But if you decide to continue to pace me while texting your better half, and eat your McMuffin I do have an alternative way to get rid of you......
Now lucky for me, is that we tow with a converted semi tractor with more than enough HP to move up the highway I may be known to mash the skinny pedal and see just how fast the gawking car next to us wants to go. I guarantee that if I'm in the passing lane and you're in the outside, you will put on your brakes when you suddenly catch the next vehicle in front of you and have no place to go.
And yes our trailer tires are rated for high speeds.....

But your truck tires are only rated for 75 mph, just like mine even though I can exceed 90 with the towed on. I run up against the 2100 rpm limit before I run out of power.

[Dutch Star Don]

I'm courteous to everyone and often make room for truckers merging and passing. Personally, I believe that being polite to truckers helps other RVer's. When it comes to merging, if you're stupid and not paying attention when merging, I'll put you out in the weeds.

Now my favorite is when I want to pass someone, wait until it's clear, put my signal on and some jerk a few cars back, speeds up. I lure him in a little closer and then change lanes. Now this may sound like road rage, but its really not. It's driver education for mental midgets! I do smile when they eventually go by.

[TonyMac]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I'm courteous to everyone and often make room for truckers merging and passing. Personally, I believe that being polite to truckers helps other RVer's. When it comes to merging, if you're stupid and not paying attention when merging, I'll put you out in the weeds.

Now my favorite is when I want to pass someone, wait until it's clear, put my signal on and some jerk a few cars back, speeds up. I lure him in a little closer and then change lanes. Now this may sound like road rage, but its really not. It's driver education for mental midgets! I do smile when they eventually go by.

Ditto.

[bluie5]

I have always thought that in order to drive on the interstate people need to pass a test first on merging, passing and lane changes.

[Sudsy]

Originally Posted by bluie5

I have always thought that in order to drive on the interstate people need to pass a test first on merging, passing and lane changes.

Sometimes you just have to conduct a "Short Course" in common sense!


Sudsy

[U-me]

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

Possession is 10/10ths of the law. The vehicle in the active freeway lane adjacent to the on ramp/acceleration lane doesn't have to yield to merging traffic, by law. The onus is entirely on the merging traffic to do so safely. At least where I come from.
Doesn't mean you can't let them in, if it's safe to do so, but not a requirement.

Exactly correct.
If you move over you had better make darn sure you have plenty of room. Don’t risk your life or someone else’s by trying to be the mr nice guy.

[lancslad]

[QUOTE=Dutch Star Don;4139631]I'm courteous to everyone and often make room for truckers merging and passing. Personally, I believe that being polite to truckers helps other RVer's. When it comes to merging, if you're stupid and not paying attention when merging, I'll put you out in the weeds.

Me too!!
Here in VA,(and many other states) at just about every access ramp, there's a YIELD sign. If I'm in the right lane, it's mine...you can get in front by speeding up or behind where there's room a plenty. I move over ( when clear behind) or speed up for trucks since most are doing less than my cruising speed at the point of merge.