Driving etiquette. Am I missing something?

[seafeye]

So I’m driving Down I40. They are doing construction and have the two lanes merging into one. Trucks are stopping people from using the full two lanes about 2 miles prior to the construction. They set their speed to match the trucks in the right lane. I desperately wanted to get off the highway and stop at a rest area for a relief. But I was crawling along being held up.

Is there a law that if two lanes merge to 1. That you start merging 2 miles prior?
Shouldn’t we use the all the usable real estate first?

I don’t remember reading that in the driving handbook. Arggggggg

[wdfifteen]

No law, and it’s been proven that filling both lanes and alternatiing into the single lane is the fastest way to get through.

[seafeye]

Non upside down photo:

[RKDinOKC]

Only so many cars can go thru at a time. You can either stack up and take longer at the choke point or extend the line. What pisses people off is when they are polite enough to merge and some joker runs up to the last inch and then wants to cut in.

[rwest]

Using both lanes and then taking turns is the best use of asphalt, but what happens is people move into the continuing lane early and traffic is creeping and then other cars go whipping by and pulling in at the front making those who are creeping along pissed and then jerks start doing the lane blocking making a bigger mess.

Honestly I don’t know why they close a lane and announce it in advance. I would sign it as two lanes going to one merge at the end. Make both lanes go into the middle of the road then use cones and barricades to direct traffic to the actual side of the road they want you driving on, that way there is no ending lane- they both end and everyone takes turns.

[john70t]

If we were still all driving stick shift with 100hp we'd appreciate the semi's behavior.

[drkshdw]

Do you need to merge 2 miles prior? No but if there is space 2 miles before to get over, do it because there won't be space at the merge. I mean, that's just rude to make 20 people stop to let you in because you couldn't get in line when you had your chance.

And don't even get started on this 'zipper merge' business they are trying to implement. It only works on paper.

[seafeye]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

Do you need to merge 2 miles prior? No but if there is space 2 miles before to get over, do it because there won't be space at the merge. I mean, that's just rude to make 20 people stop to let you in because you couldn't get in line when you had your chance.

And don't even get started on this 'zipper merge' business they are trying to implement. It only works on paper.

But you are missing my point. Because the trucks were holding up traffic. I couldn't get off at the rest area and take a piss.
Sometimes it goes back blocking people from getting off of an exit 1 prior.
Why slow down people who aren't ever going to get the the construction zone?

[stomachmonkey]

In TX trying to zipper at the end will get you shot.

They actually teach in drivers ed that you get over as soon as you see the merge, even if it's a mile away.

People here get real pissed off when you try it.

I've been run off the road more than once when making a left from the outside lane of a two lane turn lane that feeds into one lane.

It's weird, they'll stack up 10, 20 cars deep in one of the turn lanes while the other lane is completely empty then get pissed when you use the empty lane like you are "'cutting in line".

[Baz]

Originally Posted by seafeye

But you are missing my point. Because the trucks were holding up traffic. I couldn't get off at the rest area and take a piss.
Sometimes it goes back blocking people from getting off of an exit 1 prior.
Why slow down people who aren't ever going to get the the construction zone?

If I had to move over a lane......that bad.....I would put the signal on, my arm/hand out the window to signal a lane change,....and then I'd start moving into that lane. Inching over a little at a time....until "someone" got the message.

That's if I were driving my truck of course.....

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

Do you need to merge 2 miles prior? No but if there is space 2 miles before to get over, do it because there won't be space at the merge. I mean, that's just rude to make 20 people stop to let you in because you couldn't get in line when you had your chance.

And don't even get started on this 'zipper merge' business they are trying to implement. It only works on paper.

There is plenty of space at the merge if people stop with the entitlement crap, pay attention to the cars around them, and cooperate while driving.

I find the same anti zipper mindset are typically also the ones who don't accommodate for speed and distance when approaching on ramps and don't make space for traffic merging onto a highway.

It's not difficult, you see the cars on the on ramp, do a quick speed comparison and figure out if you need to speed up a bit to let them drop in behind or slow down a bit to give them space in front.

It's just common courtesy.

Same concept applies to the zipper.

[Baz]

Scott: You're assuming those drivers really care about anyone else but themselves....that's a HUGE leap!

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

There is plenty of space at the merge if people stop with the entitlement crap, pay attention to the cars around them, and cooperate while driving.

I get off work around 5:15-5:30PM and dump out from suface streets onto four lanes of freeway creeping along 25-30mph. I come down the on ramp onto the freeway where my lane disappears. Most of the time people are smart and each person gives up a spot to merge... but once in a while there is someone 'special' that has to ride the bumper of the car in front of them. Protecting 'their' space on the freeway

[drkshdw]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

There is plenty of space at the merge if people stop with the entitlement crap, pay attention to the cars around them, and cooperate while driving.

I find the same anti zipper mindset are typically also the ones who don't accommodate for speed and distance when approaching on ramps and don't make space for traffic merging onto a highway.

It's not difficult, you see the cars on the on ramp, do a quick speed comparison and figure out if you need to speed up a bit to let them drop in behind or slow down a bit to give them space in front.

It's just common courtesy.

Same concept applies to the zipper.

I'm not arguing that it's not plausible and not a good idea, I'm just saying that in practice it never works.

You always have that one person who sits at the merge (or worse, a mile back) until the thru lane stops for them to merge or you have the person in the thru lane tailgating the person in front of them to prevent others from merging into their lane.

It's stupid because we're all going nowhere fast. It wouldn't kill ya to let someone in. But that's not the way this society works. It's me, me, me and screw you because I need to be nowhere first.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Baz

Scott: You're assuming those drivers really care about anyone else but themselves....that's a HUGE leap!

Normally I'd agree and to some degree it's a valid point.

I got a huge rude awakening when my daughter took driving lessons here.

All those behaviours that baffle me are actually taught in Drivers Ed.

When we first moved here I nearly rear ended a dozen people the first 6 months.

We'd be driving along, traffic light in the distance, green, and out of no where the person in front of me would actually come to a full stop at a green light.

It happened agin one day during the time she was in Drivers Ed, I as usual, lost my ****.

She pipes up from the back seat, "they teach us that in drivers ed, if the lights been green for a long time we should stop, even if it's still green"

What ****ing moron thought that was a good idea.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

I'm not arguing that it's not plausible and not a good idea, I'm just saying that in practice it never works.

You always have that one person who sits at the merge (or worse, a mile back) until the thru lane stops for them to merge or you have the person in the thru lane tailgating the person in front of them to prevent others from merging into their lane.

It's stupid because we're all going nowhere fast. It wouldn't kill ya to let someone in. But that's not the way this society works. It's me, me, me and screw you because I need to be nowhere first.

Works fine in the Northeast.

Yeah you always get one asshat here or there but when everyone does it it becomes the norm and everyone goes with the flow and the asshattery is minimal.

[Brian 162]

I was taught to merge at the end of the merging lane.
The same scenario above happened to me on I-79 a month ago. The right lane was closed for paving. I was already in the right lane. The left lane was plugged but the right lane was open for another mile until the merge point. I crept along at 25 m.p.h. until the merge.
It didn't make sense to me that the right lane wasn't being used.

[drkshdw]

Wait until you experience the 'diverging diamond' (in Springfield, MO). Then you'll see the epitome of driving fail. It goes against everything you or I have ever been taught about driving. But it apparently works well. It's just scary as hell going through it for the first time when you didn't even know it was a thing.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

Do you need to merge 2 miles prior? No but if there is space 2 miles before to get over, do it because there won't be space at the merge. I mean, that's just rude to make 20 people stop to let you in because you couldn't get in line when you had your chance.

And don't even get started on this 'zipper merge' business they are trying to implement. It only works on paper.

^ This.

[A930Rocket]

Back in the 70’s, I was taught that a light that was green for a long time was a “stale green light” and be prepared to stop.

BUT DON’T STOP WHEN IT’S GREEN!😡

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Normally I'd agree and to some degree it's a valid point.

I got a huge rude awakening when my daughter took driving lessons here.

All those behaviours that baffle me are actually taught in Drivers Ed.

When we first moved here I nearly rear ended a dozen people the first 6 months.

We'd be driving along, traffic light in the distance, green, and out of no where the person in front of me would actually come to a full stop at a green light.

It happened agin one day during the time she was in Drivers Ed, I as usual, lost my ****.

She pipes up from the back seat, "they teach us that in drivers ed, if the lights been green for a long time we should stop, even if it's still green"

What ****ing moron thought that was a good idea.