On the Road: Lane merging

[Baal]

We've all seen it, but do we really know what it means? I thought I did until my cousin made me question it yesterday.

I was driving with my cousin, of whom I'm not particularly fond of, and notice she's quite the crazy driver. We were talking about people driving and what angers us - not that I'm full of road rage or anything, not in the least, but I digress - and she mentioned a section of road near us that I was quite familiar with.

She mentioned how she had people yelling at her for cutting them off in that area, but she stated how people don't know how to obey signs, such that the sign means "Your lane ends, you must yield to those in the left lane prior to merging"

While I never really thought about it, I guess it can be true, but only if you want to be a real jerk and cut someone off instead of slowing down and letting them merge infront of you.

What is the official law on this? Or more importantly, what is the most courteous thing to do (this much should be obvious) or what everyone here does?

 

[Dalamari]

I'm a very defensive driver, I don't cut people off or anything like that, I do drive ridiculous speeds, but I never overtake

As for people merging, I always let the first person in, and then get right behind him so the next guy has to merge in behind me, nothing worse than sitting there with 3 cars cramming in front of you

 

[Baal]

Oh yes I know a good example of that, which I used to drive everyday.

This merge is kind of high-paced though since there's hardly any stopping involved...it's just straight through.

 

[The Monkey]

You don't have any rights in the traffic, only obligations.

So the cars in the right lane have an obligation to let the other cars drive ahead, but that doesn't mean that the cars in the left line have the right to drive ahead. They must adapt their speed to make sure that the drivers in the right lane could drive ahead of you, even if that means they will brake the law.

If everyone thought and acted like this in every traffic situation we wouldn't have any accidents.

 

[Uriel]

 

[The Monkey]

 

[Link]

I'm not sure on the law, but anyone who dosen't merge left-right-left-right etc etc is a ****ing idiot. Its the easiest way, you can see exactly where your going to merge, which means that you need to slow less, making these jam hotspots move quicker.

 

[Higlac]

 

[<RJMC>]

do it the american way

stop the car infront,grab a bat,and smash windows

 

[Higlac]

do it the american way

stop the car infront,grab a bat,and smash windows

No, that gets you shot, unless you bash your own window.

 

[<RJMC>]

No, that gets you shot, unless you bash your own window.

them shot first

 

[Glirk Dient]

I usually let a person in front of me so that both lanes just merge. However I have been in the lane ending and had a truck driver speed up as I was merging so that i just barely didnt fit and had to slam on my breaks as it is a very abrupt merge and went off the road and almost hit a pole. I followed him and couldn't find any number to call which pissed me off.