Lane closure white knights
Poll: Lane closure white knights
Total Members Polled: 378
Discussion
When you see a "lane closed in X meters" sign on a dual carriageway, do you stay in lane and merge in turn, or join the 1 mile queue in lane 1/2 and sit politely in line?
The white knights are for me one of the most frustrating aspects of driving on the road these days, swerving out to block your pass or just simply not letting you merge in, usually looking straight ahead as if they haven't seen you. TBH in general the everyone else queuing politely suits me as I can cut out a mile of traffic and wait to be let in.
I seem to be in the massive minority on the road, but I have a feeling amongst other enthusiasts it will be the norm...
The white knights are for me one of the most frustrating aspects of driving on the road these days, swerving out to block your pass or just simply not letting you merge in, usually looking straight ahead as if they haven't seen you. TBH in general the everyone else queuing politely suits me as I can cut out a mile of traffic and wait to be let in.
I seem to be in the massive minority on the road, but I have a feeling amongst other enthusiasts it will be the norm...
Merge in turn. Never come across these "white knights" you speak of.
Although if there's a long jam, I tend to go into the far left lane, as 99% of the time that's the fastest one to get past the merge point. The far right is full of people trying not to let each other in and making the jams much worse than they need be.
Although if there's a long jam, I tend to go into the far left lane, as 99% of the time that's the fastest one to get past the merge point. The far right is full of people trying not to let each other in and making the jams much worse than they need be.
Edited by vtecyo on Thursday 19th June 10:58
It's the most pathetic, petty action and drives me up the wall. If they want to sit in line for ages then fine, but there's a reason the cones were merged in at the end and that is because you have until then to merge yourself into the single line of traffic!
I've had it several times before when someone's pulled out so far to block me at the 150yd mark that they've left the door open for me to then take their place in the queue. Mental.
I've had it several times before when someone's pulled out so far to block me at the 150yd mark that they've left the door open for me to then take their place in the queue. Mental.
Edited by Ennoch on Thursday 19th June 10:56
Always right to the end, murge one and one it helps traffic flow better.
There is a replacment gas main going in at Swansea and every day it takes me 35 mins to get though it, mainly because people don't let you murge. Always go to the front and push my way in and then if someone didn't let me in I let others murge and pull out of side roads to annoy them.
What I hate is when people prevent murging and then when the road opens up again you over take then because they are dawdaling along at 30mph in a 50
There is a replacment gas main going in at Swansea and every day it takes me 35 mins to get though it, mainly because people don't let you murge. Always go to the front and push my way in and then if someone didn't let me in I let others murge and pull out of side roads to annoy them.
What I hate is when people prevent murging and then when the road opens up again you over take then because they are dawdaling along at 30mph in a 50
I'm driving the M9 a lot just now and there are a lot of road works at Junction 10.
I've seen this about 5 times in the last 2 months, I used to see it with cars but it is mainly always lorries I see it with now. I haven't heard the term white knight before, I say PITA!
On one occasion the traffic was particularly backed up all the way to Denny and my colleague was further down the road opposite Stirling Castle. He was explaining on the phone that 2 lorries were driving parallel and blocking everyone at 800+ meters to go to merge.
What the lorries didn't realise was that as a result it was putting massive pressure on the traffic further back, meaning instead of 2 lanes usable there was one and an Ambulance couldn't get through as the hard shoulder was out of action.
The police don't take kindly to this, it is their job alone to enforce traffic nobody else's, especially not someone driving something with poor visibility, numerous blind spots and weighing 30-40 tons!
I've seen this about 5 times in the last 2 months, I used to see it with cars but it is mainly always lorries I see it with now. I haven't heard the term white knight before, I say PITA!
On one occasion the traffic was particularly backed up all the way to Denny and my colleague was further down the road opposite Stirling Castle. He was explaining on the phone that 2 lorries were driving parallel and blocking everyone at 800+ meters to go to merge.
What the lorries didn't realise was that as a result it was putting massive pressure on the traffic further back, meaning instead of 2 lanes usable there was one and an Ambulance couldn't get through as the hard shoulder was out of action.
The police don't take kindly to this, it is their job alone to enforce traffic nobody else's, especially not someone driving something with poor visibility, numerous blind spots and weighing 30-40 tons!
Edited by strath44 on Thursday 19th June 11:12
I wait patiently a couple of hundred yards before the closure. I wouldn't deliberately block the lane, I wouldn't let you merge at the last minute either.
Is it just me or do most people who "use up" every meter of the road and single handedly ease all the traffic concerns for the benefit of everyone else look like this:
Is it just me or do most people who "use up" every meter of the road and single handedly ease all the traffic concerns for the benefit of everyone else look like this:
In my experience, people in the North tend to move into the merge lane a lot earlier than those in the South, leaving a massive tailback in that lane. They then get a little grumpy when you cruise up the soon to be closed lane to merge in turn at the merge point. Down South, everyone seems to head toward the merge point at around 90 and then jam the brakes on to slip in at the very last moment.
Horses for courses, I suppose.
What really pisses me off is the people who choose to block the soon to be closing lane (the White Knights the OP refers to), as this benefits no-one
Horses for courses, I suppose.
What really pisses me off is the people who choose to block the soon to be closing lane (the White Knights the OP refers to), as this benefits no-one
some countries use what they call zip zones where each driver is obliged to let one (and only one) other vehicle in to the flow. these seem to work best at maintaining the highest flow of traffic into a set of roadworks.
I have seen police waiting at roadworks and pulling over any driver who only merged, `just' before before reaching the end of the lane that was closed.
I have seen police waiting at roadworks and pulling over any driver who only merged, `just' before before reaching the end of the lane that was closed.
schmalex said:
In my experience, people in the North tend to move into the merge lane a lot earlier than those in the South, leaving a massive tailback in that lane. They then get a little grumpy when you cruise up the soon to be closed lane to merge in turn at the merge point. Down South, everyone seems to head toward the merge point at around 90 and then jam the brakes on to slip in at the very last moment.
Horses for courses, I suppose.
What really pisses me off is the people who choose to block the soon to be closing lane (the White Knights the OP refers to), as this benefits no-one
This is true. I drive in either Newcastle or Central London. I often think that traffic in Newcastle would flow better if people drove with a little more conviction like those in London do. I also think that traffic on London would flow a little better if people drove with a few more manners and courtesy like those in Newcastle do.Horses for courses, I suppose.
What really pisses me off is the people who choose to block the soon to be closing lane (the White Knights the OP refers to), as this benefits no-one
But, merging in turn right at the point of the lane closure is the correct way to handle this situation. It's proven to reduce the length of jams and also be the fastest way for all traffic to get through the pinch point. However, dim people don't recognise this and therefore the system falls down by them not allowing traffic to zip-merge. I guess because they feel that anyone merging in front of them has gained an advantage.
k out of the way and merge in turn.What about dual carrigeways with a third designated flow lane for turning left at the far end... lane 1 queues to go straight on and left (once the left lane can be accessed) and lane 2 is for turning right at the traffic lights and roundabout.
This is Stannigley bypass between Leeds and Bradford if anyone is interested.
Lane 1 often is often nose to tail in rush hour and its not a merge lane. Many in lane 2 continue right up to the point they want to cross both lane 1 and access the left turn lane at the last minute - i.e pushing in and across 2 lanes of traffic not merging - i find this pretty annoying myself and tend to not allow them in.
This is Stannigley bypass between Leeds and Bradford if anyone is interested.
Lane 1 often is often nose to tail in rush hour and its not a merge lane. Many in lane 2 continue right up to the point they want to cross both lane 1 and access the left turn lane at the last minute - i.e pushing in and across 2 lanes of traffic not merging - i find this pretty annoying myself and tend to not allow them in.
If I'm the mergee then I start to create a gap for the merger, especially if it's a lorry as they need much more room.
If I'm the merger then I don't go right up to the bollards and force my way in, but try to get in lane around 100-200 yards depending on traffic flow.
The people that wind me up a little are those that fix onto the bumper of the car ahead, stare straight ahead, and refuse to acknowledge that people are trying to merge. You get a few of these and the merging lane flow just stops.
I think we need more "merge in turn" and "use both lanes" signs so people are directed that it's ok to use both lanes.
If I'm the merger then I don't go right up to the bollards and force my way in, but try to get in lane around 100-200 yards depending on traffic flow.
The people that wind me up a little are those that fix onto the bumper of the car ahead, stare straight ahead, and refuse to acknowledge that people are trying to merge. You get a few of these and the merging lane flow just stops.
I think we need more "merge in turn" and "use both lanes" signs so people are directed that it's ok to use both lanes.
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