Just learn how to merge

jsb5717 · 06-05-2022, 06:20 PM

Why is it that people don’t know how to safely merge into freeway traffic? Been traveling that past few days and am appalled at how many drivers try to join flowing freeway 65-70 mph traffic without any attempt to match speed before jumping into the line at 5-10 mph slower than everyone else! It’s like they expect the entire freeway to slow down for them. It’s unsafe and irresponsible!

Sorry for the rant. Just frustrated with the shear number of lousy, inconsiderate drivers we have to share the freeways with.

**chuckster57** · 06-05-2022, 06:35 PM

Train horns!!!

bsmith0404 · 06-05-2022, 06:41 PM

I’ve seen all kinds, especially when I was transporting. I guess when you put that many miles on, you’ll see just about everything. My favorite was the lady that went through the ditch along side a semi instead of slowing down and getting in behind him. I saw her coming down the on ramp, the semi in front of me and I both had cars alongside us and couldn’t change lanes. I slowed down to give her a gap to merge, instead she stayed alongside the semi going through the weeds after the merge lane ended. Finally hitting the brakes and coming to a stop down in the ditch. She was probably cussing the driver for not letting her in. They just don’t realize when you’re 65-70 feet long, you can’t always move over for them. I even had one guy tell me I was number one because I didn’t move over. Of course he didn’t see the car alongside me. All he needed to do was accelerate and merge in front of me, I gave him plenty of room. Instead he slammed on the brakes and got in behind me. Oh well.

wrvond · 06-05-2022, 06:45 PM

You must have been in Ohio.

**sourdough** · 06-05-2022, 07:23 PM

Driving expertise had dropped so far these days that I'm not sure if 1/2 of the drivers have any idea about basic driving skills or etiquette. Merging, yep. They have just about blocked off all the major intersections in our little city for highway construction (5 of them coming in/out). They put 4 way stops at all of the intersections where they tore up everything. You want to talk about a who's on first scenario. Same with merging, the folks have zero idea of what you do at a 4 way stop sign. It's hilarious if it didn't aggravate my "patient" self.

bobbecky · 06-05-2022, 07:34 PM

Besides not matching speed before merging, I guess there are a lot of defective turn signals on cars these days. You watch them and most never look behind them and rarely do I see the use of signals. That tells me they don't know where they are going and don't care. I doubt if a train horn would wake them up.

**JRTJH** · 06-05-2022, 07:48 PM

We were talking about this very thing last night... Schools have been closed for the past 2+ years, but kids are still having birthdays... The schools stopped sponsoring driver's ed, kids are learning either with "online simulators" or from a friend or Mom or Dad.... Merging is just a small part of what today's "beginning drivers" are missing. Just think about the kid that doesn't know how to back out of a parking space or down the drive... Eyes on that little screen on the dash, to heck with turning around to see what's behind the car or using the mirrors... Eyes on the dash, put it in reverse and foot on the go pedal....

Certainly, that's no excuse for "kids in their 20's or 30's, but......

Merging, well, you've got to get the car out of the garage first.....

peanut · 06-05-2022, 08:05 PM

X2 - and 3 and 4 to all the above posts.
Just returned from a six week trip almost coast to coast. I try to stay off of interstates but sometimes you just have to. My wife got tired of me muttering to myself at every on ramp when I saw someone entering in front of me - - "Come on, a*$*&%, you have something called a gas pedal - USE IT."
It is maddening how many people people think that you are supposed to slow down for them instead of them speeding. As for moving over? I do when it is safe but when pulling a trailer it's rarely easy to switch back and forth between lanes like a sportscar.

wrvond · 06-06-2022, 01:58 AM

My pet peeve is when I'm towing, driving 60 or 65 in a 70 and a couple drivers are coming down the on ramp. I check for a clear left lane and move over to let them get on then they pace me and I can't get back over without really slowing or speeding up. Fast traffic catches up and there I am blocking the left lane and I'm the Richard Cranium that's bottling everything up as far as they are concerned.
No good deed goes unpunished...

jxnbbl · 06-06-2022, 02:36 AM

Or the opposite....you are trying to merge and there is a perfect gap for you to merge into and the person says I don't want to be behind this trailer...and closes the gap to make it vanish. Of the driving variant....you need/want to pass, put on the turn signal and someone closes the gap, only to slow down again once they get past you.

**flybouy** · 06-06-2022, 04:22 AM

I'm "on board" with Chuck on the train horns. Once they've done it it's too late but I bet they will remember it! Happened last week to me going to my dentist. Straight & level road for well over a mile with clear visibility. Two way traffic road and absolutly no one behind me in sight (about 3,00'). I'm doing 45 mph and a car, little white early 2000's Honda, was stopped on an intersecting road to my right.

As I approached the car sat there for maybe 15 seconds as I approached. I got within about 100' and she pulled out in front of me and I guess forgot where the accelerater pedal was. In laid on the brakes and the horns at the same time. At the first stop light she (a young female under 30 I'm guessing) with her spiked pink and blue hair gets out and walks back to my truck. She said some words I can’t repeat her to emphasize why her crotch was wet. I told her that I cam close to having a similar experience when she pulled out infront of me and I had visions of my truck giving the truck thru the back seat and and crushing her body makeing "pop open" like a ripe watermelon falling on concrete.

I could see those few brain cells connecting and she looked nauseous. She returned to her car and hopefully had something to think about. Some people just don't care, some think the world should be at their command. It seems to me that the more stressful the times the worse it gets. Folks get distracted and don't pay attention. That's why I really limit traveling around Holidays. After towing campers I have an increased empathy for commercial truck drivers as I know they tolerate it ALL THE TIME.

gearhead · 06-06-2022, 05:45 AM

We don't tow close to home, so I am driving 3-6 days to a destination. Every trip I encounter 2 or 3 of the failure to merge folks. I can spot them before it gets to a wreck. Usually a dead like straight ahead head position. No situational awareness. I'll move over for them if I can, but sometimes I can't. I've watched several drive off the road onto the shoulder. How have they lived this long??
I avoid the right lane when I can.

bsmith0404 · 06-06-2022, 06:19 AM

I know every state has them, but the worst I’ve ever dealt with were in CA. The state doesn’t help with their stupid 55 mph speed limit while towing. You can’t have a 20 mph difference between vehicles traveling the same road. Seems like every time I used the turn signal to change lanes, someone would pull out from behind me and come up alongside blocking me. I talked to some locals about it, they told me “don’t use your turn signals”. I guess that explains one thing. So I’m stopped using my turn signals for lane changes, low and behold I had a lot less trouble driving in CA. Another person told me that using my turn signals to change lanes was telling the person behind me to come around me instead of staying behind me…….when did that become an unwritten rule?

**JRTJH** · 06-06-2022, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

I know every state has them, but the worst I’ve ever dealt with were in CA. The state doesn’t help with their stupid 55 mph speed limit while towing. You can’t have a 20 mph difference between vehicles traveling the same road. Seems like every time I used the turn signal to change lanes, someone would pull out from behind me and come up alongside blocking me. I talked to some locals about it, they told me “don’t use your turn signals”. I guess that explains one thing. So I’m stopped using my turn signals for lane changes, low and behold I had a lot less trouble driving in CA. Another person told me that using my turn signals to change lanes was telling the person behind me to come around me instead of staying behind me…….when did that become an unwritten rule?

I'm telling on my age with this, but years ago, before the era of interstates, multiple lane highways, CB radios and cell phones, there were "unwritten rules" used to talk to other drivers... Two fingers extended over the dash in an "inverted V" signaled a speed trap behind that driver, so slow down. That's similar to the headlight flashing to warn of an accident or a speed trap behind the car doing the flashing... Three "taps on the brakes" followed by a left turn blinker was a signal that the road was clear to pass on the left. Three taps on the brakes with a right turn signal meant to move right, there's a problem in the current lane ahead. Three taps on the brakes with no turn signal was a "thank you" (still used by truckers when you slow down and let them merge or when you turn off your headlights so they can move right, in front of you....

There were several other "communication signals" some of which are not suitable for a "family forum", but with the transition to "improved communications and away from driver courtesy" many of them are no longer "used by the average driver"....

Years ago, it was "understood" that if a vehicle was on the shoulder ahead of you, you slow down and move left to protect the people on the shoulder. If you couldn't move left, you STOPPED rather than risk running over someone.... Today, many (maybe most) drivers are simply too "busy to be bothered" with protecting people outside their little "air bag protected cabin". Now, almost every state has enacted a law to require what used to be "a understood courtesy"..

Back in that era, when riding my MoPed to town, the only hazards on the highway were loose gravel and telephone poles. Other drivers didn't "play the game" of seeing how close they could come to you without actually causing you to crash.... These days, merging is only one of many irritants on the highway.

**chuckster57** · 06-06-2022, 06:43 AM

Even in my Kia I will signal any OTR truck when it’s clear to move over. When towing I get the signal more often than not.

**flybouy** · 06-06-2022, 07:33 AM

I guess "out east" here the truckers are younger. I will still "flash" my headlights to truckers moving in my lane but find fewer and fewer acknowledge it back. It used to be SOP and truckers would install a momentary push button in the truck to make it easier. On our last trip I probably did this with 30 or more truckers and maybe had 2 acknowledge by flashing the trailer lights.

bsmith0404 · 06-06-2022, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

I guess "out east" here the truckers are younger. I will still "flash" my headlights to truckers moving in my lane but find fewer and fewer acknowledge it back. It used to be SOP and truckers would install a momentary push button in the truck to make it easier. On our last trip I probably did this with 30 or more truckers and maybe had 2 acknowledge by flashing the trailer lights.

Have noticed the same thing, not as bad as 10%, probably more like 50-60%. New generation of truckers not as courteous as the old. I still get about 50% that will flash their lights for me when towing the RV as well.

**flybouy** · 06-06-2022, 08:53 AM

Maybe they were PO'd at the "old man" driving 63-67 mph in the 70 mph zone in the mountians.

Seemed like they were mostly blowing by me (going down hill) at about 80 mph or better getting momentum for the next incline.

It was funny in WV as a Tundra pulling a boat (maybe 21'L) and I played leap frog thru the mountians. He would fly by me going down and I would catch up and pass him about 1/2 the way up. My speed wouldn't vary much under or over 63, my setpoint for cruise control. I started waving when passing and when he passed me I would point 2 fingers at my eyes and then point up to say " see you on my way up".

After about 25 miles I passed him going up and he gave me the finger.

I got a good laugh out of it and didn't see him again. Don't know if he stopped or ran over the side but I hope he made it home.

**JRTJH** · 06-06-2022, 09:07 AM

A comment about flashing headlights for truckers to signal they can move over in front of you... That USED to be OK back when headlights were incandescent and not as bright... Now, newer cars have OVERLY bright LED's that are blinding when flashed on high... Imagine the trucker, glancing in his side mirror, trying to judge the back of his rig and the front of yours, and suddenly, a set of "aircraft landing lights start flashing"... THERE GOES HIS VISION until he can recover....

The "new rule" is DO NOT FLASH YOUR HEADLIGHTS (the turn signal flasher function uses high beam headlights) but rather turn off your headlights with the parking/running lights on. That will allow him to look at your rig in the mirror and verify the "signal to move right" that you're sending.....

Any more, since the addition of LED headlights, what you're doing by "flashing the trucker that it's clear" is really "blinding him if he happens to be looking in his mirror".... In that case, it's not puzzling why he fails to "thank you by flashing his running lights".....

Something to think about as you "ponder those passing trucks in your LED headlight equipped tow vehicle"....

dutchmensport · 06-06-2022, 10:08 AM

Having traveled through many states and driven many interstates and experienced many, many merges, I think some of the "irresponsible" merging has to do with the local terrain of the land. Some merge lanes are long and wide and relatively flat. Others in congested areas may be tight and narrow, and merge without a decent length after coming around a 25 mph curve. And how about those merging lanes that are like a circle on the side of a straight line. If you are exiting the interstate, you have to move right to exist. But you pass first, the left entrance. If you are entering the interstate, you have to merge left, get over, otherwise, you are immediately exiting again. I hate those.

Then what happens when you are merging onto the interstate and both lanes are occupied by a half a dozen semi trucks and a guard rail is forcing you left as your ramp ends. And how about ramps, on and off in construction zones. Those are absolutely NO fun at all, hair raising for both sides of the merging. I've seen construction zones and populated areas where traffic is completely stopped on the ramp because the main flow moving so fast and so thick and the ramp is so short, there is absolutely no way for folks entering to merge in at highway speeds.

And one more thing, folks who live in a specific area and drive the same roads every day know what is going on. They instinctively know when to speed up or slow down, or when they simply have to be a bully and make their own way. That may not be right, but it is what it is. Now, someone towing a behemoth RV driving down unknown roads in a new location ... well ... we are the visitors in that area. All you can do is be vigilant and be aware and go with the flow.

Yes, there are a lot of crazy people driving on the roads these days who probably should not be. But, it is what it is. We have to adapt.

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