Idiots straddling lanes on a merge
Discussion
On the way home to Chippenham from the m4 there is a dual carriageway a couple of miles long, at the end it merges, about 1/4 mile before the merge are some traffic lights. Now after the traffic lights you get:
a) people all just using the left lane.
b) some idiots sat straddling both lanes to stop people coming down the right lane, and merging where is says MERGE.
c) People doing down the right lane, merging in half arsed, because where they have merged they have decided is where no one else can go past.
d) Idiots, that slow to the same speed in the outside lane as the very slow moving traffic, making a roadblock.
Obviously, if people used both lanes and merges the road would move quicker.
Legally, they cannot on purpose straddle both lanes to stop traffic can they?
a) people all just using the left lane.
b) some idiots sat straddling both lanes to stop people coming down the right lane, and merging where is says MERGE.
c) People doing down the right lane, merging in half arsed, because where they have merged they have decided is where no one else can go past.
d) Idiots, that slow to the same speed in the outside lane as the very slow moving traffic, making a roadblock.
Obviously, if people used both lanes and merges the road would move quicker.
Legally, they cannot on purpose straddle both lanes to stop traffic can they?
Edited by joe_90 on Monday 1st June 12:47
You will find these are also the self appointed speed limit enforcers who sit in the outside lane of any dual carriageway or motorway with eyes glued to their uncalibrated speedometer needle quivering just below the indicated limit, or glaring "thou shalt not pass" at every other motorist who dares approach.
Usual perpetrators are males around fifty years old who have suddenly found that their penis no longer functions, forcing them to take out their inadequacy on everyone else. Mandatory viagra prescriptions would soon remind them that there are more important things in life.
Usual perpetrators are males around fifty years old who have suddenly found that their penis no longer functions, forcing them to take out their inadequacy on everyone else. Mandatory viagra prescriptions would soon remind them that there are more important things in life.
aquatix said:
You will find these are also the self appointed speed limit enforcers who sit in the outside lane of any dual carriageway or motorway with eyes glued to their uncalibrated speedometer needle quivering just below the indicated limit, or glaring "thou shalt not pass" at every other motorist who dares approach.
Usual perpetrators are males around fifty years old who have suddenly found that their penis no longer functions, forcing them to take out their inadequacy on everyone else. Mandatory viagra prescriptions would soon remind them that there are more important things in life.
Ahh yes.. i forgot about them.. editing Usual perpetrators are males around fifty years old who have suddenly found that their penis no longer functions, forcing them to take out their inadequacy on everyone else. Mandatory viagra prescriptions would soon remind them that there are more important things in life.
If i nudged them with my bumper is that legal
Edited by joe_90 on Monday 1st June 12:48
There will always be people who take the piss in a merging situation.
the actual highway code rule regarding merging reads as follows:
134
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.
As long as you get people jumping out of the traffic queue (thereby changing lanes unnecessarily) in order to get just a couple of car lengths ahead or forcing themselves in behind a car that is merging (thereby not merging in turn), you will get people trying to stop them doing it - such is life.
the actual highway code rule regarding merging reads as follows:
134
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.
As long as you get people jumping out of the traffic queue (thereby changing lanes unnecessarily) in order to get just a couple of car lengths ahead or forcing themselves in behind a car that is merging (thereby not merging in turn), you will get people trying to stop them doing it - such is life.
Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 1st June 13:03
Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 1st June 13:07
That piece of road is utterly ridiculous. It could be dual carriageway all the way up to the roundabout for the sake of 100 yards of tarmac. 100 yards. Will the council ever do it? Will they f
k. My tactic for dealing with these brain-dead morons blocking the right-hand lane: simply lean on the horn until they get out of the way. Usually works, although interestingly not with HGVs...
k. My tactic for dealing with these brain-dead morons blocking the right-hand lane: simply lean on the horn until they get out of the way. Usually works, although interestingly not with HGVs...deeps said:
There's a 2 lane DC near Taunton that merges into 1 lane, and everyday thousands of Lemmings sit nose to tail in lane 1 for over half a mile, while I cruise past in the empty lane 2!! Every day, always the same!! I love those Lemmings
Its very gratifying driving past them all.got this years ago, the fat controller decided that he would block me in for a few miles of traffic where everyone dutifully using lane 1, despite signs saying to use both lanes and then merge, got in front of the guy after the roadworks, slowed right down so he had to overtakem, then sped up so that he had to drop back. repeated 20x at least, guy seemed to be frothing at the mouth and suspect he would need a new dashboard from punching it so much
same sort of thing with a juggernaut, plod pulled him over for a very long chat, lost sight of him and the last sight was him parked with plod
same sort of thing with a juggernaut, plod pulled him over for a very long chat, lost sight of him and the last sight was him parked with plod
EU_Foreigner said:
As per highway code, you need to use both lanes. The self appointed traffic controllers are wrong but there is no way you can convince them of that.
Yes, they are morons who just don't like the thought of someone getting further than them. A bit of psychoanalysis here, but they are probably harbouring deep feelings of failure in life generally.cdrx said:
Guybrush said:
Yes, they are morons who just don't like the thought of someone getting further than them. A bit of psychoanalysis here, but they are probably harbouring deep feelings of failure in life generally.
What I don't get is why these people don't also use the clear lane.No idea of what the highway code says on the matter and likely don't care.
Neither do they realise zip merging will use the entire road space available and help traffic flow.
I'm sure these morons would be happier if every road was a single carriageway and we all just joined a neverending queue.
cdrx said:
What I don't get is why these people don't also use the clear lane.
Probably because they would rather martyr themselves and sit fuming as those of us with half a brain cruise past them. They are probably posting right now on CockHeads, Beligerance Matters, about "those wkers who cut to the front of the queue"...This is a debate I can see both sides of because I drive both cars and trucks.
On the one hand the idea of "zip" merging is a good one, it uses up the available road space and reduces tailbacks, it does not reduce the amount of traffic but it manages it better. A long clear lane in front of someone who is lane blocking is stupid, its a waste of space.
On the other hand "zip" merging NEVER works. you alaways get one fool who will not let the person merge or you get a person who lets 5 people merge and both these action cause frustration, factor in a really pushy cock and its all very interesting on a hot day.
The view from inside my cab on a motorway that is funnelling down into a single lane is that the only reason the outside lane has less vehicles in it is the majority of people have read and understood the big red signs in the previous few miles and moved over to the lane that is staying open, the people who remain out until the last minute and then try to cut in front of more organised motorists are the problem. the traffic flow is then disrupted while the brakes are applied to allow the merging, this few seconds converts into a full stop~start furtherback the line, while the traffic is stopped and the outer lane is fairly free more impatient folk speed up it to try to merge further up the queue, folk then get out of line to overtake and more delays for more merging occur. Result, poor flow.
The trucks that run together to block the late overtakers have a perfect view ahead of the traffic thinning and starting to flow again, the lanes have no need to merge and so the queue moves freely until the double lanes of traffic behind the trucks snaggle it up again.
Zip merging does not work because of the fact that humans are involved, take the hint and read the signs, slow up and join the lane that is staying open early. your passage through WILL be quicker.
ETA: I will say that most of this post is based on a roadworks scenario, not poorly planned local roads where people act like fools for no reason.
On the one hand the idea of "zip" merging is a good one, it uses up the available road space and reduces tailbacks, it does not reduce the amount of traffic but it manages it better. A long clear lane in front of someone who is lane blocking is stupid, its a waste of space.
On the other hand "zip" merging NEVER works. you alaways get one fool who will not let the person merge or you get a person who lets 5 people merge and both these action cause frustration, factor in a really pushy cock and its all very interesting on a hot day.
The view from inside my cab on a motorway that is funnelling down into a single lane is that the only reason the outside lane has less vehicles in it is the majority of people have read and understood the big red signs in the previous few miles and moved over to the lane that is staying open, the people who remain out until the last minute and then try to cut in front of more organised motorists are the problem. the traffic flow is then disrupted while the brakes are applied to allow the merging, this few seconds converts into a full stop~start furtherback the line, while the traffic is stopped and the outer lane is fairly free more impatient folk speed up it to try to merge further up the queue, folk then get out of line to overtake and more delays for more merging occur. Result, poor flow.
The trucks that run together to block the late overtakers have a perfect view ahead of the traffic thinning and starting to flow again, the lanes have no need to merge and so the queue moves freely until the double lanes of traffic behind the trucks snaggle it up again.
Zip merging does not work because of the fact that humans are involved, take the hint and read the signs, slow up and join the lane that is staying open early. your passage through WILL be quicker.
ETA: I will say that most of this post is based on a roadworks scenario, not poorly planned local roads where people act like fools for no reason.
Edited by Getragdogleg on Monday 1st June 21:23
Getragdogleg said:
This is a debate I can see both sides of because I drive both cars and trucks.
On the one hand the idea of "zip" merging is a good one, it uses up the available road space and reduces tailbacks, it does not reduce the amount of traffic but it manages it better. A long clear lane in front of someone who is lane blocking is stupid, its a waste of space.
On the other hand "zip" merging NEVER works. you alaways get one fool who will not let the person merge or you get a person who lets 5 people merge and both these action cause frustration, factor in a really pushy cock and its all very interesting on a hot day.
The view from inside my cab on a motorway that is funnelling down into a single lane is that the only reason the outside lane has less vehicles in it is the majority of people have read and understood the big red signs in the previous few miles and moved over to the lane that is staying open, the people who remain out until the last minute and then try to cut in front of more organised motorists are the problem. the traffic flow is then disrupted while the brakes are applied to allow the merging, this few seconds converts into a full stop~start furtherback the line, while the traffic is stopped and the outer lane is fairly free more impatient folk speed up it to try to merge further up the queue, folk then get out of line to overtake and more delays for more merging occur. Result, poor flow.
The trucks that run together to block the late overtakers have a perfect view ahead of the traffic thinning and starting to flow again, the lanes have no need to merge and so the queue moves freely until the double lanes of traffic behind the trucks snaggle it up again.
Zip merging does not work because of the fact that humans are involved, take the hint and read the signs, slow up and join the lane that is staying open early. your passage through WILL be quicker.
ETA: I will say that most of this post is based on a roadworks scenario, not poorly planned local roads where people act like fools for no reason.
I've read hundreds of PH posts on this subject, and yours is by far the best expressed and reasoned.On the one hand the idea of "zip" merging is a good one, it uses up the available road space and reduces tailbacks, it does not reduce the amount of traffic but it manages it better. A long clear lane in front of someone who is lane blocking is stupid, its a waste of space.
On the other hand "zip" merging NEVER works. you alaways get one fool who will not let the person merge or you get a person who lets 5 people merge and both these action cause frustration, factor in a really pushy cock and its all very interesting on a hot day.
The view from inside my cab on a motorway that is funnelling down into a single lane is that the only reason the outside lane has less vehicles in it is the majority of people have read and understood the big red signs in the previous few miles and moved over to the lane that is staying open, the people who remain out until the last minute and then try to cut in front of more organised motorists are the problem. the traffic flow is then disrupted while the brakes are applied to allow the merging, this few seconds converts into a full stop~start furtherback the line, while the traffic is stopped and the outer lane is fairly free more impatient folk speed up it to try to merge further up the queue, folk then get out of line to overtake and more delays for more merging occur. Result, poor flow.
The trucks that run together to block the late overtakers have a perfect view ahead of the traffic thinning and starting to flow again, the lanes have no need to merge and so the queue moves freely until the double lanes of traffic behind the trucks snaggle it up again.
Zip merging does not work because of the fact that humans are involved, take the hint and read the signs, slow up and join the lane that is staying open early. your passage through WILL be quicker.
ETA: I will say that most of this post is based on a roadworks scenario, not poorly planned local roads where people act like fools for no reason.
Getragdogleg said:
Zip merging does not work because of the fact that humans are involved, take the hint and read the signs, slow up and join the lane that is staying open early. your passage through WILL be quicker.
Yes it does.If everyone reads and acts upon the "USE BOTH LANES" signs you get two similar length queues and a smoothly running zip.
It worked just fine at the long running FRB works with a little encouragement...
correct flufnik it only doesn't work when some morons decide that they have either
a. been queueing longer than someone else and therefore won't allow them to merge
or
b. some asswit in a HGV is playing at being policeman
It's all down to poor attitude.
Use 100% of the available roadspace is the only sane and logical conclusion that can be drawn.
a. been queueing longer than someone else and therefore won't allow them to merge
or
b. some asswit in a HGV is playing at being policeman
It's all down to poor attitude.
Use 100% of the available roadspace is the only sane and logical conclusion that can be drawn.
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