New law I missed??? Merging traffic?

[ol'oilburner]

My opinion is that for the most part, just use common sense. If you're in the right hand lane and you're approaching an onramp where you see a vehicle attempting to merge, if it is safe to do so then you move into the the left hand temporarily to allow the merging vehicle lots of room to merge into the traffic flow, but ultimately it is up to the merging vehicle to safely get their vehicle (car, tractor trailer, bus) speed up to the point where it allows them to seamlessly slip into the traffic flow. There's big difference between braking to slowdown and just letting up ever so slightly to create a 30' space for someone to merge into. All that being said, it is sad that common courtesy on the roads has deteriorated to the point where it is today with people flying everybody the "bird" and all the instances of road rage.

 

[RoyJackson]

My opinion is that for the most part, just use common sense.

Common sense, eh?

If folks used common sense, this thread wouldn't have been posted.

 

[Iowachild]

I noticed the OP stated he drove a truck capable of "left lane speed". As far as I know the speed limit is the same in all lanes in most states and in PA it is unlawful to "cruise" in the left lane for no apparent reason.
Pa. law outlaws cruising in left lane.

 

[The Haymaker]

Yeah, I passed that 1.6 years ago, and made it to 2.3+ before I encountered my first chargable accident, which ended up legally not being my fault, but I still could have prevented it, as well as the guy who was SUPPOSED TO prevent it could have. I was just off my game that day. Currently at 2.6 but only with .3 of safe driving to date. Only a split second later... we all make mistakes, some just worst than others.
David from jax

That's still an impressive number. We just had a guy retire who had not had an accident since 1968, where he was T-boned at an intersection. If you figure in the 100k per year, he definitely had some skill and a whole lot of luck.

I'm still building, never started driving until 1995.

 

[The Haymaker]

Common sense, eh?

If folks used common sense, this thread wouldn't have been posted.

"If common sense was common, the news wouldn't be worth watching" is the line I use while training others.

 

[The Haymaker]

Not something I would advise, or admit I had done...if I understand you correctly.
David from jax

I was thinking the same thing. Here in Maine, a cop would get you for aggressive driving and improper pass. Besides, I think I'd need to fill up the empty spaces under the cornbinders hood.

 

[Smallplot]

You hit the nail on the head with those comments.

This is a significant part of the problem...AND a contributor to higher insurance rates in your state. When people don't know the rules of the road and the MV laws of the state are not enforced, there are more accidents and that results in higher rates even for good drivers because insurance companies factor in accident rates in your area when they calculate your rates. So the cop who lets a bad driver off the hook or doesn't stop them at all does us all a disservice in my opinion.

Kinda have to disagree with you on this. More people speed than try cutting in while merging making speeding a bigger issue. Simply put more offenders will add up to more tickets issued. Besides there are reasons for speed limits, they are just not there to disrupt your schedule.

As far as infractions other than speeding. Remember most people drive better when there is an officer visible which leads to officers seeing less disobedience to these types of laws. It is not the officer's fault people are driving in this manor.

 

[bigdad]

This "Bird Flippin" stuff is getting out of hand. The meaning of that gesture has either lost it's severity or people are just not considering the possible consiquenses. To me, if you give someone the "Finger", you better be prepared to defend yourself or even have on fresh Kevlar.

Thats a pretty serious greeting.

 

[westcliffe01]

David, the simple fact is that there is a much higher traffic density in Germany, going considerably faster than here and it works. All it would take is a simple stroke of the pen to make people behave differently. That and perhaps a few video cameras to bust the bad guys, since the on ramps are not exactly going anywhere, right ? This is NOT like trying to prosecute a "regular" moving violation, since the violation zone is always in the same place.

The logic is that the guy joining the traffic flow is automatically at a disadvantage compared to the traffic already on the highway. He has to speed up, determine the position of any traffic in his lane, adjust his speed to slide in ahead or behind of any traffic. All the while, people in the right lane are being egotistical maniacs "I'm not letting that #@%&$# in front of me, no way !!!" which complicates things significantly. Giving way to someone merging takes hardly anything at all from someone already on the highway. Maybe he has to let off for 10 seconds to make a space for the other person to slide into. This is NOT a big deal. Done it a million times myself and still do. If NOT letting someone into the right lane had significant consequences (suspension for 3 months or worse) then people would change their behavior.

I'm pretty proud of my German drivers license. It cost several thousand $ to get and included close to 40 hours of instruction, (similar in scope to getting a pilots license). If you fail any part of the syllabus 3 times, the likelihood is very good that you will be permanently banned for life from driving. That is a pretty sobering prospect. Traffic violations here seem to have little in the way of consequences unless you kill or maim someone. The most common one is that it increases the cost of your insurance.

So that is where this thought process originated, in Europe? Maybe we need to limit imigration from there without a complete and totally new driving school requirement.
The laws of the USA in very, very few instances give the right of way to anyone. It does have many instances where a driver must yield to others, but still doesn't GIVE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO THE OTHER DRIVER.
David from jax

 

[jeffsw6]

in PA it is unlawful to "cruise" in the left lane for no apparent reason.

PA must have more lanes of road or less traffic than we have in Louisville. Oh, that's right, I've been to PA plenty of times and they don't, it's just a stupid law with no basis in reality.

I bet you could avoid driving along in the left lane when they first built these highways. Now there is more traffic, not much more road, and all the cars wouldn't fit in the right lanes. They don't even fit in all lanes with all drivers using a safe following distance. Too many cars and not enough road to go between them must also be a large part of the problem.

I think road signs could be a lot better. I really don't believe 1/2 mile is a long enough notice to get out of a lane that is about to end. Here in Louisville we have a complex interchange where one lane can only go this way, another lane that way, you know, and drivers do not get to see signs that tell them which lane they must be in until way too late. Even in a passenger car you can't find room to safely change lanes in 30 seconds unless it is 2AM. A big truck driver needs much more notice than 30 seconds to get his rig in the correct lane, the signs should clearly indicate what lane goes where several miles in advance.