Merge in turn - a forgotten rule.

[MC Bodge]

Whilst the majority of the Great British public insist on queueing up for 800 yards or more before a lane closure it gives a greater advantage to those who do use more of the open, but empty lane

FWIW, I usually use some of the empty lane, but will merge a reasonable distance before the lane closure to avoid angering ignorami.
-What amuses me is when I attempt to merge at aforementioned reasonable point and someone (usually a clueless looking young woman or an over-weight middle-aged bloke) blocks me out. I then drive a couple of cars forward and merge (politely) there instead.

A German former colleague found the British method very strange. As he said, 'in Germany we would merge, like a zip and if we didn't the Police would ask us why'.

Edited by MC Bodge on Friday 26th March 23:02

[Six Fiend]

Just come down the M5 (quite busy for a late evening) - 1.5 mile queue in lane 1 to the lane merge, 3 lanes into 1.

Got to 400yds and was blocked out, so went to 200yds and was allowed to merge by a driver with a working brain

Truck then decided he would block lanes 2 and 3 some distance back. wker.

Edited by Six Fiend on Friday 26th March 23:48

[grumbledoak]

Six Fiend said:

Got to 400yds and was blocked out, so went to 200yds and was allowed to merge by a driver with a working brain

Truck then decided he would block lanes 2 and 3 some distance back. wker.

"working brain"

Selfish .

[heebeegeetee]

eztiger said:

heebeegeetee said:

eztiger said:

3 lanes.

When you've got a mixture of 3 lanes and some vehicles being the length of 3 others, how does merge in turn work?

Only two lanes merge, not all three.

That pinch point discussed works exceptionally poorly. The irony is, immediately afterwards at the entrance to the bridge, there is another merge to the two lanes from a third sliproad coming from another access route.

That part seems to go much more smoothly than the previous merger, possibly because it can be viewed as a more 'traditional' motorway style joining procedure which people I guess are more comfortable with.

Take a trip northbound over the Forth bridge sometime, it's truly fascinating stuff!

I've been in more 3 to 1's than I care to remember. Spent a lot of happy time north of the Forth Bridge too and don't remember many DC's. Me no understandy.

[Baby Huey]

What the left hand lane only idiots don't realise is that their actions are extending the length of the queue and therefore causing traffic problems further back down the road. Bloody muppets.

[SilentH]

This is pretty common on the A303/A30 heading towards from Devonshire... People don't seem to mind so much if you drive down the right side lane SLOWLY, then join within a reasonable distance of the merge point (rather than nailing it and forcing your way in at the end!)

[Pigeon]

jagracer said:

mmm-five said:

Waiting for authorisation for repairs and then see whether my insurance company simply bends over and accepts it as a 50:50. Then I've got to do some 'negotiation' down the phone with them - I've even got a 14 page document showing diagrams, photos and commentary of what happened.

There was even a HATO vehicle nearby that must have seen it all but didn't stop - well nobody did actually, so there's no witnesses other than maybe the CCTV in that area.

Unfortunately for what I assume will be a relatively small claim, I can't see them wanting to get the BIB involved to get that evidence, unless 'someone' makes a complaint about DWDCA or dangerous driving.

Did he pull out while you were along side or did you play chicken and lose? The thing is that he's not going to worry about your damage or be affected as someone else will be sorting it all out. I had alorry driver try the same thing with me on the A1 a few months back but it's easier to let them get on with it.

Report the yourself. To the police and to his fleet manager. Make sure they know they are employing someone who not only drives illegaly (ie. blocking lanes) but deliberately causes collisions in the process (which is a more serious offence).

[theaxe]

For reference highway code 134 covers 'Merge in Turn'.

HighwayCode said:

You should follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed. In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily. Merging in turn is recommended but only if safe and appropriate when vehicles are travelling at a very low speed, e.g. when approaching road works or a road traffic incident. It is not recommended at high speed.

[Steameh]

spaceship said:

Why do the majority of drivers queue up in one lane on a dual-carriageway when the other lane isn't closing for 800yds?

Now that I think about it, that doesn't even bother me - what bothers me is when cars queuing deliberately move half way out into the other lane to block people making use of a lane that is still open for almost half a mile. I was almost on the grass verge today to drive round an old woman in a Golf who gave me a pile of abuse and blasted her horn as I went by. Saw various other cars and truck doing the same to stop other drivers using both lanes.

I'm sure there is something in the highway code about merging when lanes are restricted.

Ah yes...

I also find annoying the people who decide the second they see a lane closure sign to immediately stop and indicate to move in to the other lanes. Quite irritating during relatively free flowing traffic (speeds around 20mph+) to find some twonk has stopped in the outside lane 800 yards from the actual lane closure.

Edited by Steameh on Saturday 27th March 20:09

[Scraggles]

had some guy in a mini do that to me when was a lot younger, got in front of him after the roadworks, slowed down so that he needed to overtake, sped up so was faster than him, repeated at least 30 times, when let him go eventually told him thru the window to not block people at roadworks

[berg1]

Six Fiend said:

Just come down the M5 (quite busy for a late evening) - 1.5 mile queue in lane 1 to the lane merge, 3 lanes into 1.

Got to 400yds and was blocked out, so went to 200yds and was allowed to merge by a driver with a working brain

Truck then decided he would block lanes 2 and 3 some distance back. wker.

Edited by Six Fiend on Friday 26th March 23:48

Perhaps the drivers who were in the queue took offence that someone had the right to cause them to loose more time by them butting in ahead of them.
If the "very important people" who go steeming down the outside lane and then barge in had any manners and thoughts for other people they would join at the back which would make the front flow quicker due to no knobs barging in and everyone would get moving quicker.
This will go against the views of many who belive it is ok to cause delays for others as long as they are all right.
I suspect these people are the same lot who barge in at the bar and demand serving first because "they are important"

[chr15b]

Scraggles said:

had some guy in a mini do that to me when was a lot younger, got in front of him after the roadworks, slowed down so that he needed to overtake, sped up so was faster than him, repeated at least 30 times, when let him go eventually told him thru the window to not block people at roadworks

I'll admit I've done this, very satisfying.. Also with one 'person' on the m1 who cut me up twice in his insistance to be in front of me yet have no clue which exit to take, he didn't make it off onto the m6

[CoopR]

berg1 said:

Six Fiend said:

Just come down the M5 (quite busy for a late evening) - 1.5 mile queue in lane 1 to the lane merge, 3 lanes into 1.

Got to 400yds and was blocked out, so went to 200yds and was allowed to merge by a driver with a working brain

Truck then decided he would block lanes 2 and 3 some distance back. wker.

Edited by Six Fiend on Friday 26th March 23:48

Perhaps the drivers who were in the queue took offence that someone had the right to cause them to loose more time by them butting in ahead of them.
If the "very important people" who go steeming down the outside lane and then barge in had any manners and thoughts for other people they would join at the back which would make the front flow quicker due to no knobs barging in and everyone would get moving quicker.
This will go against the views of many who belive it is ok to cause delays for others as long as they are all right.
I suspect these people are the same lot who barge in at the bar and demand serving first because "they are important"

But if the people "taking offense" had used both lanes and merged in turn properly they wouldn't be getting overtaken.

If your queuing in the longest lane and getting overtaken then your a brainless sheeple.

[Oakey]

berg1 said:

Six Fiend said:

Just come down the M5 (quite busy for a late evening) - 1.5 mile queue in lane 1 to the lane merge, 3 lanes into 1.

Got to 400yds and was blocked out, so went to 200yds and was allowed to merge by a driver with a working brain

Truck then decided he would block lanes 2 and 3 some distance back. wker.

Edited by Six Fiend on Friday 26th March 23:48

Perhaps the drivers who were in the queue took offence that someone had the right to cause them to loose more time by them butting in ahead of them.
If the "very important people" who go steeming down the outside lane and then barge in had any manners and thoughts for other people they would join at the back which would make the front flow quicker due to no knobs barging in and everyone would get moving quicker.
This will go against the views of many who belive it is ok to cause delays for others as long as they are all right.
I suspect these people are the same lot who barge in at the bar and demand serving first because "they are important"

Erm, but it's alright for them all to queue up in the left lane causing traffic to form a mile back? There's two lanes, what do you think they're there for you muppet? Scenery?

And your analogy is retarded, it'd be more like two cashiers being open in McDonalds but people, for whatever reason, only queuing up at one of them, then getting pissed off when someone goes to cashier two.

Edited by Oakey on Sunday 28th March 14:56

[cottonfoo]

CoopR said:

If your queuing in the longest lane and getting overtaken then your a brainless sheeple.

Complete imbeciles as well.

Why people think of it as 'cutting in' I don't know, it's not a race to the same destination. The idiots that block the road are breaking the law.

This problem causes traffic to tail back over the Hertingfordbury roundabout (causing all sorts of issues) and up the A414 in Hertford, because people don't know how to use the roads and have this 'cutting in' mentality which marks them as complete and utter tts. If people merge in, there'd be no problems at that roundabout. Anyone that thinks traffic flows better in a single lane in that situation is an idiot. That means you too, berg1.

We need 'merge like a zip' signs like they have in NZ and other countries, although some uncommon sense wouldn't go amiss for all these turds that think everyone is just 'cutting in'.

[berg1]

Oakey said:

berg1 said:

Six Fiend said:

Just come down the M5 (quite busy for a late evening) - 1.5 mile queue in lane 1 to the lane merge, 3 lanes into 1.

Got to 400yds and was blocked out, so went to 200yds and was allowed to merge by a driver with a working brain

Truck then decided he would block lanes 2 and 3 some distance back. wker.

Edited by Six Fiend on Friday 26th March 23:48

Perhaps the drivers who were in the queue took offence that someone had the right to cause them to loose more time by them butting in ahead of them.
If the "very important people" who go steeming down the outside lane and then barge in had any manners and thoughts for other people they would join at the back which would make the front flow quicker due to no knobs barging in and everyone would get moving quicker.
This will go against the views of many who belive it is ok to cause delays for others as long as they are all right.
I suspect these people are the same lot who barge in at the bar and demand serving first because "they are important"

Erm, but it's alright for them all to queue up in the left lane causing traffic to form a mile back? There's two lanes, what do you think they're there for you muppet? Scenery?

And your analogy is retarded, it'd be more like two cashiers being open in McDonalds but people, for whatever reason, only queuing up at one of them, then getting pissed off when someone goes to cashier two.

Edited by Oakey on Sunday 28th March 14:56

I don't get your analogy its more like 2 cashiers open at mcd's and people are queing for them tnen you barge in at the front.
But heho you must be right as I'me a retarded muppet.
edit: expected some reaction to my post from the keyboard warriors, some are so brave!

Edited by berg1 on Sunday 28th March 15:17

[berg1]

CoopR said:

berg1 said:

Six Fiend said:

Just come down the M5 (quite busy for a late evening) - 1.5 mile queue in lane 1 to the lane merge, 3 lanes into 1.

Got to 400yds and was blocked out, so went to 200yds and was allowed to merge by a driver with a working brain

Truck then decided he would block lanes 2 and 3 some distance back. wker.

Edited by Six Fiend on Friday 26th March 23:48

Perhaps the drivers who were in the queue took offence that someone had the right to cause them to loose more time by them butting in ahead of them.
If the "very important people" who go steeming down the outside lane and then barge in had any manners and thoughts for other people they would join at the back which would make the front flow quicker due to no knobs barging in and everyone would get moving quicker.
This will go against the views of many who belive it is ok to cause delays for others as long as they are all right.
I suspect these people are the same lot who barge in at the bar and demand serving first because "they are important"

But if the people "taking offense" had used both lanes and merged in turn properly they wouldn't be getting overtaken.

If your queuing in the longest lane and getting overtaken then your a brainless sheeple.

Maybe I was using the wrong quote, was really trying to explain/justify motorway situations where 3 lanes go to 2.

[cottonfoo]

berg1 said:

Maybe I was using the wrong quote, was really trying to explain/justify motorway situations where 3 lanes go to 2.

That's quite different to a dual carriageway which merges into one lane on entering a town. One wouldn't generally merge in at 70mph unless it was very quiet.

[tyranical]

I am surprised by the views in this thread tbh.

I always refuse to let people in to the point where they'll have to hit me if they continue because at the end of the day, if everyone got over well in advance then you wouldn't get the issue, the traffic slows down so much because of all the people forcing themselves in at the end if you just got over in good time when there is a gap that you don't have to ram yourself into to fit then it would surely ease the congestion somewhat.

I'll be honest and say i'm unaware of who's right of way it is according to the law, but people who get in the outside lane, go flying down, then try and squash in again at the end proper piss me off as its just slowing everyone else down.

[berg1]

tyranical said:

I am surprised by the views in this thread tbh.

I always refuse to let people in to the point where they'll have to hit me if they continue because at the end of the day, if everyone got over well in advance then you wouldn't get the issue, the traffic slows down so much because of all the people forcing themselves in at the end if you just got over in good time when there is a gap that you don't have to ram yourself into to fit then it would surely ease the congestion somewhat.

I'll be honest and say i'm unaware of who's right of way it is according to the law, but people who get in the outside lane, go flying down, then try and squash in again at the end proper piss me off as its just slowing everyone else down.

prepare to get called a retarded muppet.