Merging

[The motor guy]

So we have lots of construction in my area. Nobody knows how to merge a d everyone gets in one lane. I have a trailer behind me so naturally, nobody ever wants to let yoy over and you basically have to force your way over for anyone to let you over. Guess I might as well just be that guy that goes all the way to the front then gets over since nobody let's you in anyways. Today I forced myself over and two cars that didn't want to let me in literally swerved around me and still got in front. They'll wreck their cars to not get behind I trailer I guess. Not sure who's fault that would be though. Probably the people trying to go around me. I hate to drive lime that, but people have no respect anymore on the road

 

[eljefino]

Ya gotta just make it happen. I assume your trailer lights all work. Signal and go.

 

[LenZee]

The only state I've ever seen people merge properly was Oklahoma. People got over long before the lane cut and no one tried to get in at the last moment. Was shocking to see being from the NYC area and now Missouri. In my drive around Missouri today I saw 4 accidents(right after) and two of them closed that road.

 

[Danh]

The only state I've ever seen people merge properly was Oklahoma. People got over long before the lane cut and no one tried to get in at the last moment. Was shocking to see being from the NYC area and now Missouri. In my drive around Missouri today I saw 4 accidents(right after) and two of them closed that road.

The most efficient way to merge in this situations is like a zipper: two lanes of traffic that merge at the point one lane is closed. So maybe Oklahomans were doing it wrong.

 

[Leo99]

The only state I've ever seen people merge properly was Oklahoma. People got over long before the lane cut and no one tried to get in at the last moment. Was shocking to see being from the NYC area and now Missouri. In my drive around Missouri today I saw 4 accidents(right after) and two of them closed that road.

That's correct.

In joint lane merging (zipper merge), both lanes have equal priority, and cars proceed along both lanes until the point of closure, where they alternate like the teeth of a zipper to proceed into the open lane. This style of lane merging uses all available lane space and reduces traffic jams. It also increases safety by reducing the speed difference between lanes when merging happens.

 

[cptbarkey]

Hmm, when towing I'm usually going slow enough to anticipate and I'll get over as early as possible and let the faster buggers do what they want to do. I'm more focused on my own safety and if they want to pancake their cars that's their problem.

 

[The motor guy]

That's correct.

In joint lane merging (zipper merge), both lanes have equal priority, and cars proceed along both lanes until the point of closure, where they alternate like the teeth of a zipper to proceed into the open lane. This style of lane merging uses all available lane space and reduces traffic jams. It also increases safety by reducing the speed difference between lanes when merging happens.

They never do though. Like if the right lane is close. They'll be a 800ft line of cars in the left lane. Nobody utilizes the right lane.

 

[vavavroom]

In my area a zipper merge works only if there's a large number of vehicles in two or more lanes with one lane merging. An individual vehicle has maybe a 1 in 7 chance to get in if indicating intention to merge under other circumstances. I also see drivers going out of their way to keep people from merging. Not letting a Wayno merge or change lanes appears to be a sport.

 

[The motor guy]

Ya gotta just make it happen. I assume your trailer lights all work. Signal and go.

They work. So you mean do what I did, just don't hit anyone? Otherwise I'll just be sitting their until someone with some common curtesy let's me merge

 

[Hall]

Guess I might as well just be that guy that goes all the way to the front then gets over

Nothing wrong with doing that. It's actually more efficient for traffic flow.

 

[eljefino]

They work. So you mean do what I did, just don't hit anyone? Otherwise I'll just be sitting their until someone with some common curtesy let's me merge

Yeah, move over. They'll figure it out. Trucks and trailers appear "big" so they'll be afraid and just get out of the way. They know you've got limited power for the weight, a larger load, and visibility with mirrors only.

They might brake, and they might honk, but it's on them for not seeing your blinker faster. Just turn it on, wait a second, and then move over at a rate of 1-2 feet per second. You can't please everybody all the time.

 

[The motor guy]

Yeah, move over. They'll figure it out. Trucks and trailers appear "big" so they'll be afraid and just get out of the way. They know you've got limited power for the weight, a larger load, and visibility with mirrors only.

They might brake, and they might honk, but it's on them for not seeing your blinker faster. Just turn it on, wait a second, and then move over at a rate of 1-2 feet per second. You can't please everybody all the time.

Lmao. Not around here. People aren't even afraid of Satin behind the steering wheel of an 18 wheeler.

 

[vavavroom]

Lmao. Not around here. People aren't even afraid of Satin behind the steering wheel of an 18 wheeler.

Satin, Chiffon and Velvet - An Introduction to Safe Driving for Truckers.

I find it a bit dismissive when people suggest to "just move over." How do you move over if most people leave only two feet between cars at walking speed and not much more at city speeds? Too many drivers are inconsiderate, unobservant, and look out for only Number One. They don't care about the smooth flow of traffic but are territorial and competitive. 280 was jammed this afternoon and several cars passed me and the jam in the breakdown lane. My lane and the three lanes next to me were stop-and-go at walking speed. The brains in the breakdown lane went 60 and only because the leader of the pack was "slow."

Our MUNI and AC Transit city buses have the right to merge in and if you get caught not letting them in when the have the indicators on you will get cited if caught. MUNI and AC Transit Buses are equipped with cameras and bus drivers will record cars blocking bus stops and transit-lanes only, resulting in citations and fines.

I always let people who indicate wanting to merge when it's safe to do so. Sometimes it's not.

 

[Leo99]

Go drive in NYC and you'll get a new appreciation for merging. I find it extremely stressful. I had a face off merge between me in a 15 year old RAV4 with 350k miles against a new AMG. It was my turn but he wasn't playing nice. We got about 3 inches away from touching and I backed down. Big city driving is brutal and you'll learn how to merge and pull out.

With a trailer, I'd start riding the stripes and move in. How big truck drivers manage in cities amazing.

 

[Kurtatron]

Get some of these

 

[The motor guy]

Go drive in NYC and you'll get a new appreciation for merging. I find it extremely stressful. I had a face off merge between me in a 15 year old RAV4 with 350k miles against a new AMG. It was my turn but he wasn't playing nice. We got about 3 inches away from touching and I backed down. Big city driving is brutal and you'll learn how to merge and pull out.

With a trailer, I'd start riding the stripes and move in. How big truck drivers manage in cities amazing.

I'm just going to go right to the front of the line and cut in since nobody can merge around here. Back to the way I always did it. Just have to go kind of slow in case someone pulls out and blocks me.

 

[George7941]

I have yet to see the zipper merge work anywhere. Works in theory but in the real world it brings both lanes to a halt and unnecessarily slows everybody down whereas if people moved out of the ending lane in advance, cars would still keep moving, albeit not at full speed but they would not be stopping either.

 

[The motor guy]

I have yet to see the zipper merge work anywhere. Works in theory but in the real world it brings both lanes to a halt and unnecessarily slows everybody down whereas if people moved out of the ending lane in advance, cars would still keep moving, albeit not at full speed but they would not be stopping either.

Only time it works is when it goes from 2 lanes to 1 and it's designed that way full time. The problem is the construction people don't place the cones in a way so you can merge. They just put a blinking arrow sign with barrels in front of it

 

[thastinger]

Is it a merge or a yield sign?

 

[The motor guy]

Is it a merge or a yield sign?

It just says something like right lane ends merge left.