Merging while driving - do you slow down, or speed up?

[purbeast0]

As soon as start to merge I insist on merging 4 lanes right away I don't care if there are ZERO cars ahead of me in any lane I must get to the fourth lane right away or I will die.

lol. and let me guess, you also end up going 5 mph below the speed limit as soon as you make it all the way into the far left lane.

 

[moonbogg]

I don't understand the question.

If I am driving down the freeway in the right lane and I pass an on-ramp with cars travelling down, I shift into the left lane so the car can get over.

If I am driving down the freeway in the right lane and I pass an on-ramp with cars travelling down and I can't get into the left lane, I continue at my current speed since the onus is on the merger to make a safe transition.

If conditions are poor, I am always more cautious and will drive slower.

I would never ever speed up to "let" someone in behind me.

In congestion while travelling slowly, if I am in the right lane and passing an on-ramp with cars travelling down, I leave space between myself and the car in front.

Regardless of anything, if all else fails, it is 100% the onus of the person who is merging onto a freeway, into traffic, or onto an exit to do it safely. This rule has no exception and is without fail.

As you watch them run right off the overpass and die in a fire. Excellent.

Also, are you guys afraid of people's rear view mirrors in front of you? You ever notice there is someone up ahead at a stop light and they just stare at you like they want to fight? I feel threatened everywhere in CA. I need a machine gun.

 

[cbrunny]

As you watch them run right off the overpass and die in a fire. Excellent..

Hey, if you can't get on a freeway safely, you don't belong there at all.

 

[kt]

Yep, exactly. Here in CA, people will maintain course and speed and watch you run right off an overpass, crash, burn and die in a fire. I promise you, it wouldn't bother them.

CA drivers are the worse because they think anything that moves is trying to race them and God forbid should anyone get in front of them.

 

[Greenman]

The scenario in the OP almost never happens. People in my area of NY almost always move over into the left lane to give merging traffic more room to merge onto the highway. I think it's called, "being courteous to other drivers." Though it may be an alien concept in some areas of the country.

This almost never happens in the Bay Area.
Changing lanes has become a game of chicken around here. When my blinker goes on for a lane change the car behind me in the lane I'm moving into almost always hits the gas to try and get in front of me. I wouldn't even bother with the blinker but I don't want to squish a biker splitting lanes.

 

[moonbogg]

Hey, if you can't get on a freeway safely, you don't belong there at all.

Hurray for me and fuck everyone else, I presume?

CA drivers are the worse because they think anything that moves is trying to race them and God forbid should anyone get in front of them.

Precisely. They would rather watch others die.

 

[cbrunny]

Hurray for me and fuck everyone else, I presume?

No not at all. If I can reasonably and safely be courteous, I am, just as I mentioned in my first few posts in this thread.

But I have literally zero control over what someone else does in their car. I don't know anything about their intention or if they're a good driver or if they're drunk/stoned or if they have winter tires or if they've ever even been on a freeway in their life. There is a limit to how much I can do safely. If I can't do anything safely, I don't feel bad about it because it is not my responsibility to drive someone else's car.

If I'm blocking their merge, it is because I don't have any other option. They can slow down or figure something else out. Either way, not my problem if I can't do anything.

 

[feralkid]

No not at all. If I can reasonably and safely be courteous, I am, just as I mentioned in my first few posts in this thread.

But I have literally zero control over what someone else does in their car. I don't know anything about their intention or if they're a good driver or if they're drunk/stoned or if they have winter tires or if they've ever even been on a freeway in their life. There is a limit to how much I can do safely. If I can't do anything safely, I don't feel bad about it because it is not my responsibility to drive someone else's car.

If I'm blocking their merge, it is because I don't have any other option. They can slow down or figure something else out. Either way, not my problem if I can't do anything.

Then you obviously failed to "leave yourself an out" which is 100% the rule and this rule has no exception and is without fail.










..

 

[moonbogg]

No not at all. If I can reasonably and safely be courteous, I am, just as I mentioned in my first few posts in this thread.

But I have literally zero control over what someone else does in their car. I don't know anything about their intention or if they're a good driver or if they're drunk/stoned or if they have winter tires or if they've ever even been on a freeway in their life. There is a limit to how much I can do safely. If I can't do anything safely, I don't feel bad about it because it is not my responsibility to drive someone else's car.

If I'm blocking their merge, it is because I don't have any other option. They can slow down or figure something else out. Either way, not my problem if I can't do anything.

Said the rich man as billions starved to death.
Said the German soldier as millions went to the laughter
Said the Bank criminals as millions lost their homes
Said the driver who ran someone off an overpass

 

[Newbian]

What this thread needs is some poorly drawn ms-paint art showing the driving op is talking about.

 

[cbrunny]

Said the rich man as billions starved to death.
Said the German soldier as millions went to the laughter
Said the Bank criminals as millions lost their homes
Said the driver who ran someone off an overpass

Lol yeah you really seem like the socialist type to me... I don't need your preaching.

Happy road rage. Make sure you blame everyone else for your own mistakes, right?

 

[jlee]

I generally merge fast enough that I won't be in anyone's way. If I need to slow down to find a space, so be it. You can't really definitively answer this question, as it depends on the situation.

 

[moonbogg]

What this thread needs is some poorly drawn ms-paint art showing the driving op is talking about.

Hmm...

Lol yeah you really seem like the socialist type to me... I don't need your preaching.

Happy road rage. Make sure you blame everyone else for your own mistakes, right?

Alright, relax. I actually like you.

 

[alzan]

I don't understand the question.

If I am driving down the freeway in the right lane and I pass an on-ramp with cars travelling down, I shift into the left lane so the car can get over.

If I am driving down the freeway in the right lane and I pass an on-ramp with cars travelling down and I can't get into the left lane, I continue at my current speed since the onus is on the merger to make a safe transition.

If conditions are poor, I am always more cautious and will drive slower.

I would never ever speed up to "let" someone in behind me.

In congestion while travelling slowly, if I am in the right lane and passing an on-ramp with cars travelling down, I leave space between myself and the car in front.

Regardless of anything, if all else fails, it is 100% the onus of the person who is merging onto a freeway, into traffic, or onto an exit to do it safely. This rule has no exception and is without fail.

^This

On ramps end quickly; the onus may be on the merger but if I can't move to the left and can safely slow down I will do so. I'm not in such a huge hurry that I can't let someone into the lane.

That being said I stay to the left of the right-hand lane unless I'm exiting the freeway.

 

[moonbogg]

 

[alzan]

Images need more gore and dripping blood.

An ambulance and tow truck would be nice as well.

 

[moonbogg]

Images need more gore and dripping blood.

An ambulance and tow truck would be nice as well.

Yeah, like I'll fall for that one. They asked for a pic, and I delivered. Now you want blood and emergency vehicles. Next you'll want telephone poles and grass. Then you'll want a sidewalk. Then you'll want clouds and sun and trees. Then you'll want houses and other traffic. Then you'll want businesses and stores. Then you'll want birds in the air.

 

[alzan]

Yeah, like I'll fall for that one. They asked for a pic, and I delivered. Now you want blood and emergency vehicles. Next you'll want telephone poles and grass. Then you'll want a sidewalk. Then you'll want clouds and sun and trees. Then you'll want houses and other traffic. Then you'll want businesses and stores. Then you'll want birds in the air.

But we need detail so that we can beat this already dead horse mercilously.

Context is everything my friend. This thread has the potential of generating thousands of posts; I'd hate to think that it could fall short of it's potential all because of artistic license or autonomy issues.

 

[OverVolt]

If I sense they are too scared to speed up, driving as if they can barely control their car in a straight line, then I speed up. (Or if in a split second I see its an 80yr old lady driving with white hair)

If its some douche in a sports car and I anticipate he is the one to speed up, then I slow down.

It depends on: Your car, and their car.

 

[rh71]

If we're equal or I'm a bit behind, I slow down. I don't like wasting that little bit of gas for that little purpose when I can just go in after. That's unless I'm already ahead of them right at the merge.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I just texted my chauffeur to find out what we do.

 

[OverVolt]

I just texted my chauffeur to find out what we do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqlsmp0kn98

Uber doesn't count

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

depends on my mood
sometimes i'll start driving on the other persons road space if i'm not sure what they're going to do. sometimes ill let them merge first if i want to quickly merge into the fast lane while there's a gap.
usually i'll do whatever is safest and not going to piss someone off.

 

[OverVolt]

depends on my mood
sometimes i'll start driving on the other persons road space if i'm not sure what they're going to do. sometimes ill let them merge first if i want to quickly merge into the fast lane while there's a gap.
usually i'll do whatever is safest and not going to piss someone off.

This man drives in heavy traffic.

Not everyone here I think really understands driving in congestion with all their little rules and quirks they apparently have the time to think about with their huge merge lane and all of 2 cars on the road with them.

 

[moonbogg]

This man drives in heavy traffic.

Not everyone here I think really understands driving in congestion with all their little rules and quirks they apparently have the time to think about with their huge merge lane and all of 2 cars on the road with them.

Its safe to assume that if you don't live in CA or NY, then you don't know shit about driving with other cars on the road. In other states, all you have to do to figure how long it will take to get somewhere is divide distance by MPH of the posted speed limits.