None co-operation during merging
Discussion
I seem to have this odd issue when trying to merge at low speeds (20 to 30 mph) where the driver I'm attempting to merge in front of isn't making a bid for the lead, but nor are they co-operating by dropping back. Instead they just hover around my rear quarter, maintaining pace, up to and beyond the point where there is comfortably room for two cars to travel side by side as the road narrows to a single lane.
On several occasions this has led to me slowing to a complete stop in order to avoid colliding with them. Cue horns and gesturing from everyone around, including the car (to my mind) causing the problem.
This isn't a car I've just overtaken either. I'll have had the clear lead the entire time. I could accelerate but I'm trying to maintain a safety gap between myself and the car in front and I don't especially feel that I should be chased through the merge.
Does anyone else find themselves in this situation? I'm coming across it at least a couple of times per month. Any strategies for dealing with it?
On several occasions this has led to me slowing to a complete stop in order to avoid colliding with them. Cue horns and gesturing from everyone around, including the car (to my mind) causing the problem.
This isn't a car I've just overtaken either. I'll have had the clear lead the entire time. I could accelerate but I'm trying to maintain a safety gap between myself and the car in front and I don't especially feel that I should be chased through the merge.
Does anyone else find themselves in this situation? I'm coming across it at least a couple of times per month. Any strategies for dealing with it?
Bennet said:
I seem to have this odd issue when trying to merge at low speeds (20 to 30 mph) where the driver I'm attempting to merge in front of isn't making a bid for the lead, but nor are they co-operating by dropping back. Instead they just hover around my rear quarter, maintaining pace, up to and beyond the point where there is comfortably room for two cars to travel side by side as the road narrows to a single lane.
On several occasions this has led to me slowing to a complete stop in order to avoid colliding with them. Cue horns and gesturing from everyone around, including the car (to my mind) causing the problem.
This isn't a car I've just overtaken either. I'll have had the clear lead the entire time. I could accelerate but I'm trying to maintain a safety gap between myself and the car in front and I don't especially feel that I should be chased through the merge.
Does anyone else find themselves in this situation? I'm coming across it at least a couple of times per month. Any strategies for dealing with it?
Let the gap in front of them open up a bit. They're still on your rear wing... so give it a quick squirt, and you're in before they can speed-match. Quick thank-you wave, and ignore them.On several occasions this has led to me slowing to a complete stop in order to avoid colliding with them. Cue horns and gesturing from everyone around, including the car (to my mind) causing the problem.
This isn't a car I've just overtaken either. I'll have had the clear lead the entire time. I could accelerate but I'm trying to maintain a safety gap between myself and the car in front and I don't especially feel that I should be chased through the merge.
Does anyone else find themselves in this situation? I'm coming across it at least a couple of times per month. Any strategies for dealing with it?
A positive move early on seems to work for me. Choose whether in front or behind is best and then take up position early on in the merge. As in the post above opening up a gap in the traffic prior helps the manoeuvre.
When I am driving my BRIGHT RED PORSCHE you do get the odd idiot who just want to make trouble during a merge. I find the positive move thing defuses that best.
When I am driving my BRIGHT RED PORSCHE you do get the odd idiot who just want to make trouble during a merge. I find the positive move thing defuses that best.
Crash into the other car. Post clip to the interweb. Complain about it.
That's the usual response these days, right?
Alternatively, do as the others suggest: let a bigger gap open up to the car in front and then plan to accelerate into that gap as the merge point approaches. The other driver will either have shot into the gap as quickly as possible, in which case you just ease off; or he wont, in which case he will drop behind.
That's the usual response these days, right?
Alternatively, do as the others suggest: let a bigger gap open up to the car in front and then plan to accelerate into that gap as the merge point approaches. The other driver will either have shot into the gap as quickly as possible, in which case you just ease off; or he wont, in which case he will drop behind.
Bennet said:
I seem to have this odd issue when trying to merge at low speeds (20 to 30 mph) where the driver I'm attempting to merge in front of isn't making a bid for the lead, but nor are they co-operating by dropping back. Instead they just hover around my rear quarter, maintaining pace, up to and beyond the point where there is comfortably room for two cars to travel side by side as the road narrows to a single lane.
On several occasions this has led to me slowing to a complete stop in order to avoid colliding with them. Cue horns and gesturing from everyone around, including the car (to my mind) causing the problem.
This isn't a car I've just overtaken either. I'll have had the clear lead the entire time. I could accelerate but I'm trying to maintain a safety gap between myself and the car in front and I don't especially feel that I should be chased through the merge.
Does anyone else find themselves in this situation? I'm coming across it at least a couple of times per month. Any strategies for dealing with it?
Literally what my username means, It is my number one thing this annoys me, the easiest way to defuse it is larger gap upfront and just move forward there not going to overtake you nor crash into the quarter of your vehicle, infuriates me! On several occasions this has led to me slowing to a complete stop in order to avoid colliding with them. Cue horns and gesturing from everyone around, including the car (to my mind) causing the problem.
This isn't a car I've just overtaken either. I'll have had the clear lead the entire time. I could accelerate but I'm trying to maintain a safety gap between myself and the car in front and I don't especially feel that I should be chased through the merge.
Does anyone else find themselves in this situation? I'm coming across it at least a couple of times per month. Any strategies for dealing with it?
I find making a choice early as to whether I'll be ahead of or behind the vehicle at my side, then adopting a speed and position to match, helps.
If ahead, then either make a bigger gap or, if my nose is ahead, start moving very gently (keeping a good eye on the bubble of space around me) towards the other vehicle. 99 times out of 100 they'll ease off. In the 1% case I'll give way, I'd rather do that than ding my car.
I've found people get aggravated if one tries to make space rather than fit into one.
If ahead, then either make a bigger gap or, if my nose is ahead, start moving very gently (keeping a good eye on the bubble of space around me) towards the other vehicle. 99 times out of 100 they'll ease off. In the 1% case I'll give way, I'd rather do that than ding my car.
I've found people get aggravated if one tries to make space rather than fit into one.
If another car is hovering around your rear quarter at the merge point and matching speed then that would seem to be a pretty clear indication that they are intending to slot in behind you. If they were side by side then it becomes a bit more dodgy and one of you needs to make a clear move to determine intent.
I'd find it very unusual if a car stopped at the merge point under those circumstances so I'm not surprised you're getting some reaction to it.
Just continue, unless they're a total nutter no-one is going to drive in to you under those circumstances, they'll be looking to move in behind you at the merge. OK they're doing it later than they should but because drivers are generally so crap at merging in turn that's no surprise.
I'd find it very unusual if a car stopped at the merge point under those circumstances so I'm not surprised you're getting some reaction to it.
Just continue, unless they're a total nutter no-one is going to drive in to you under those circumstances, they'll be looking to move in behind you at the merge. OK they're doing it later than they should but because drivers are generally so crap at merging in turn that's no surprise.
Agian forward planning and observing. Assuming i am in L2, i check the car i wish to merge behingd and then get 'behind' him but still in my lane, hopefully the guy behind reads my actions and backs of, all goes well no braking and the flow is smooth, AS IT SHOULD BE. But you then get the none shall pass knob, so i back off a bit and let him get his extra 16 ft of road,again the guy following is intelligent and knows what merge in turn actually means!
charltjr said:
Just continue, unless they're a total nutter no-one is going to drive in to you under those circumstances......
I completely agree although sadly I have met that one nutter who did this to me, has to be a one in a million though! Section of road where people create two lanes during busy periods but it's actually only marked out as one. I'm in a VW Lupo so small with plenty of visibility.
The traffic is freeing up very slightly so I look over my shoulder and see the pick up truck behind me is over a cars length away so I merge across to the middle. He obviously takes issue with this and floors it up between me and the railing in the middle. Totally misjudges the gap and wedges his pickup between my car and the railings.
The chap got out of the car and immediately went on the offensive, "You've hit my car, I want all your details and will be claiming from your insurance". Fortunately with the aid of witnesses I made a successful claim from his insurance.
But, even based on that experience I'd go with the fact that most normal people wouldn't do this and if you're that far in front you could in theory assume they would let you merge. As mentioned as well, if there's a bit of space then a quirk bit of acceleration should clear create that necessary space.
In the OPs situation as described I'd say the indicator as a sign of intent, if no move to close from the other car then in you go and thanks.
In crawling traffic I've found that getting eye contact with the car alongside usually invites a gap to open, even if you've followed the correct doctrine and made progress in the faster moving lane. Quite refreshing in the current local roadworks to see that more people than you expect are actually quite sensible.
I also learned a point today on a non-driving related training course: If you ask the person in front of you in a queue if you can go first "because X, Y, Z", you have a 30% better chance of getting permission than if you just ask to go ahead. Worked at the ice cream van on the break, worked in the supermarket that evening (Aldi Hounslow!), indicators / eye contact seem to work in queues.
In crawling traffic I've found that getting eye contact with the car alongside usually invites a gap to open, even if you've followed the correct doctrine and made progress in the faster moving lane. Quite refreshing in the current local roadworks to see that more people than you expect are actually quite sensible.
I also learned a point today on a non-driving related training course: If you ask the person in front of you in a queue if you can go first "because X, Y, Z", you have a 30% better chance of getting permission than if you just ask to go ahead. Worked at the ice cream van on the break, worked in the supermarket that evening (Aldi Hounslow!), indicators / eye contact seem to work in queues.
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