The Fine Art of Merging

[Bluerauder]

Maybe this is a problem "peculiar" to this area of the country; but I have noticed in recent years that alot of driver's don't seem to know how to merge safely into traffic.

Generally out on the highway if I ever find myself in the right lane (not too often), I will slide left when approaching an exit ramp to give way to folks entering the flow of traffic.

However, I have noticed in recent years that an increasing number of folks just don't know how to merge. It is becoming a "Lost Art" in my opinion. ;)

How many times have you seen a driver pass by a hole big enough to put three Mayflower Moving Vans into just "jam" in between the cars ahead with no more than 6 feet between them? The end result is massive brake lights, stopped traffic, and near misses. :o

Those of you who have been to Europe are probably familiar with the "Zipper Law" in heavy merge traffic. One car past, then one car in ... and so on. It works very well. Much better than the "Me First" system around here.

BTW --- anybody know what "Yield" means?? :rofl:

[Cheeseheadbob]

Charlie, you should see the winners we have here on the Baltimore beltway. Here in Maryland, the driving schools do not teach you how to drive, they teach you how to pass the test. One of the skills they must teach here is to stop on the entrance ramp and use only your side-view mirror to look for an opening. When one of these people does see an opening, they make a left turn into it instead of merging, causing the panic stops, swerving cars and the like. I just stay in the left lane and keep my eyes open and my foot on the go pedal. I must admit, I love to merge with the blower going a little bit. People seem to slow down and let me in.:D

[MM03MOK]

I must admit, I love to merge with the blower going a little bit. People seem to slow down and let me in.:D^^^ What he said!! ^^^

[MAD-3R]

BTW --- anybody know what "Yield" means?? :rofl:
My problem is that it says "Yield", not "Give In"

[Bluerauder]

Here in Maryland, the driving schools do not teach you how to drive :D
Bob, in Virginia driver's licenses are issued by a big DMV vending machine that operates like those kiddie "claw" contraptions. That is the only explanation I can figure out for how some of these folks got on the road in the first place. Sheer random luck at the "Claw Machine". :rofl:

[Cheeseheadbob]

Don't get me started about the "skills" of our foreign guests in the DC/Baltimore metro area. If you see a DC plate with "Diplomat" on it, get away as fast as you can. It would be best to get past them; you do not want to be involved in the pile up they will eventually cause.
Bob, in Virginia driver's licenses are issued by a big DMV vending machine that operates like those kiddie "claw" contraptions. That is the only explanation I can figure out for how some of these folks got on the road in the first place. Sheer random luck at the "Claw Machine". :rofl:

[GAMike]

I have no problem merging in Atlanta since acquiring the marauder, cause everyone flinches when they see my black beauty coming on the highway.

The yielding thing? May have to work on that a little..lol

Seriously though, what you guys face in DC/Baltimore, is the same thing that we face here in Atlanta. 3 lane cuts to get off the highway, and no understanding of the come along-get along (zipper) theory. Houston and Dallas have it too, only difference is they drive at a slower pace in those cities.

[marauder307]

...for cruddy drivers.

Merging? Fugehdaboutit! You're more likely to get run over by one of the local types with a jacked-up Dodge Ram sporting a 2-foot lift kit, a "Kamehameha" sticker in the back window right next to the "Akaka Bill--Yes!" one, cigarette hanging out the driver's window, two pit bulls with 3 Samoans in the bed (and they're all holding down the surfboards), and absolutely no sense of speed or position. All this if you can even get to the freeway, because some timid old Japanese immigrant in a rusted-out Datsun is too scared to put their foot down and actually get up to road speed.

These people out here just can't seem to get it right...high speed for these folks is anything over about 35. I long deeply for some open interstate...I'd even be willing to deal with Hotlanta's "bypass" right about now...

[BruteForce]

I find using the combination of a "la cuckaracha" siren and lime green/day-glo orange wig wags helps with merging into traffic.

[duhtroll]

What I hate are the folks who believe that since they are merging, they by divine providence have some right to not even slow down and look into traffic. You, being already on the roadway are supposed to get out of their way, no matter what.

And too many people LET THEM DO THIS, which makes it even worse. I refuse to slow down when there is traffic both to my left (unable to merge) and behind me. It is the responsibility of the merger to yield, and I illustrate that fact from time to time. I have sent more than one person onto the shoulder, but it's their problem.

[MAD-3R]

I have no problem merging in Atlanta since acquiring the marauder, cause everyone flinches when they see my black beauty coming on the highway.

The yielding thing? May have to work on that a little..lol

Seriously though, what you guys face in DC/Baltimore, is the same thing that we face here in Atlanta. 3 lane cuts to get off the highway, and no understanding of the come along-get along (zipper) theory. Houston and Dallas have it too, only difference is they drive at a slower pace in those cities.


I have driven in DC traffic, Atlanta traffic, and Dallas traffic.

DC is the worse. Because the roads are fairly well marked is one of the reasons I concider it worse. They don't have an excuse.

Atlanta, Pansys when it comes to driving in traffic. Not enough population desity to really count.

Traffic here is almost as bad as DC, but her they don't mark the streets well, AND evryone is driving there full size pickups at 80mph, exiting across three lanes of traffic.

[CRZYBIKER]

Gotta love the ones that get to the end of the ramp and just stop to wait for that mile long opening; and of course they gotta get an invitation first!! In Texas there really is no such thing as an on ramp, they are so short its more like a oh ***** cross your fingers ramp.....haha.

[2003DOHC]

What I hate are the folks who believe that since they are merging, they by divine providence have some right to not even slow down and look into traffic. You, being already on the roadway are supposed to get out of their way, no matter what.

And too many people LET THEM DO THIS, which makes it even worse. I refuse to slow down when there is traffic both to my left (unable to merge) and behind me. It is the responsibility of the merger to yield, and I illustrate that fact from time to time. I have sent more than one person onto the shoulder, but it's their problem.

Happens here also,plus what are people thinking when a 3 lane road becomes 2 lanes and people will stay in the lane that ends until they almost collide with the guard rail:mad:

[LVMarauder]

People cant use stop signs, much less weave lanes.