Merging Traffic

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

It's done to death in the motor thread, but it seems like something magical and impossible to perform. What's the deal exactly? Why is there such ignorance on the subject?

On my commute to work, most days, I witness this ignorance. Why would you refuse to allow somebody merge?

This morning I turned left onto a road which has two lanes, one main lane for traffic and a second lane that turns into a bus lane. The merging lane. I am in this lane, indicating to go right into the main lane. This bint in her merc wouldn't allow me to merge. Not that she drove on and kept to the car in front, that's the sort of díckhead behavior you see all the time and just put up with. Now I understand you are slightly behind a vehicle that it's not possible to merge, I mean you would be rude to try it. You should merge behind that vehicle.

This woman wasn't paying attention at all. There's room ahead of her, so I begin to merge. She realises what is happening, gets angry and accelerates, she then has to swerve to avoid a collision, is now on the other side of the road and starts getting close to me, forcing me back out of the lane and into a bus lane. We have a "chat", which is her screaming incoherant crap, while I try to explain the concept of merging. Her first words "That's disgusting, you are in a bus lane". Like I tried to skip the queue in Tescos or something. Unfortunately I didn't get her reg as traffic started moving again.

Drive with due consideration of others and have some god damn respect on the roads. If nobody allows anybody to merge, the roads become much more congested than they already are.

The Purveyor of Truth

There was a thread last night called 'Traffic Jam/Lane Jumpers' which has the opposing view.

Can't link to it but it was last posted in around 11pm last night.

I would agree with yourself. I turn left onto Clanbrassil St most days and you always get some muppet acting like you have just driven up the bus lane from miles and decided to merge at his point in traffic just to ruin his day.

Barely There

I'm more than happy to allow cars to merge into my lane.

As long as they merge behind me.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

The Purveyor of Truth wrote: »

There was a thread last night called 'Traffic Jam/Lane Jumpers' which has the opposing view.

Can't link to it but it was last posted in around 11pm last night.

I would agree with yourself. I turn left onto Clanbrassil St most days and you always get some muppet acting like you have just driven up the bus lane from miles and decided to merge at his point in traffic just to ruin his day.

Yea lane jumping is another thing. If people are using the bus lane, and a lot do it wrecklessly, that's another topic. I mean merging two "normal" lanes of traffic together. You should let one person in ahead, it means that the other cars turning left get a chance to do just that and not get stuck at a red again unable to move at green.

Barely There wrote: »

I'm more than happy to allow cars to merge into my lane.

As long as they merge behind me.

If that's truely your attitude, and you're not in it for the thanks, then that's a contributing factor to our not so fantastic ability to drive. It's selfish at the very least.

Traffic already on the motorway/main road has right of way and it's up to you to fit in somehow.


That said, it's pretty rude to not let people merge and dangerous to actively try and block them

cournioni

Mergin traffic?! Huho where's me pattta gooold?!

Pinch Flat

Barely There wrote: »

I'm more than happy to allow cars to merge into my lane.

As long as they merge behind me.

That's part of the problem, this attitude that people own the road in front of them.

Personally, doesn't bother me if I'm in heavy traffic and someone merges on front. It's not like it makes a huge difference. People heading up bus lanes and then skipping in - have to say this boils my p!ss

Caliden

Irish motorists seem to really struggle with 'zipper' lanes.

In the OP is a textbook example where there are 2 lanes capable of handling traffic but for some reason people only use one and then get extremely angry for anyone using the other lane.

Another example is on Wolf Tone Quay where there are 2 legitimate lanes and traffic eventually merges. For some unknown reason people only use the left lane and then get angry near the top when you try to merge.

Some people try to merge early which ****s everything up while others try to merge later and go in to the crosshatch area.


It's simple: merge at the end, everyone lets just 1 car merge at a time. Problem solved.

simplybam

zipper system, simples

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

bluewolf wrote: »

Traffic already on the motorway/main road has right of way and it's up to you to fit in somehow.


That said, it's pretty rude to not let people merge and dangerous to actively try and block them

It's a traffic light system with a yellow box. Once you turn left, you are on the main road. So there's two lanes for a short period, lane on the left turns into a bus lane. A pretty common and regular set up.

SouthTippBass

I'l allow one car to merge. Just one. I think that's reasonable enough.

Pinch Flat

SouthTippBass wrote: »

I'l allow one car to merge. Just one. I think that's reasonable enough.

Well if everyone uses this then the zipper system pointed out above works well.

But as someone pointed out Irish people struggle with it - combination of social immaturity and selfishness on the roads.

Barely There

Pinch Flat wrote: »

People heading up bus lanes and then skipping in - have to say this boils my p!ss

I do this all the time.

There's always some nervous numpty who'll let you in or who leaves a large enough gap for you to slip in without any drama.

I commute home down Pearce Street and onto the Quays before heading out on the N4 and I'd estimate that I save at least 20minutes every evening, probably more, by doing a bit of strategic queue jumping.

You'd be amazed how much time you can save.

I think it's justified because I have a pretty long commute every day and it takes me long enough to get home as is, also I'm a very good driver so I don't really feel I'm delaying anyone else - it's the overly nervous drivers that are responsible for most of the delays - not very good drivers like myself.

Pinch Flat

Barely There wrote: »

I do this all the time.

There's always some nervous numpty who'll let you in or who leaves a large enough gap for you to slip in without any drama.

I commute home down Pearce Street and onto the Quays before heading out on the N4 and I'd estimate that I save at least 20minutes every evening, probably more, by doing a bit of strategic queue jumping.

You'd be amazed how much time you can save.

I think it's justified because I have a pretty long commute every day and it takes me long enough to get home as is, also I'm a very good driver so I don't really feel I'm delaying anyone else - it's the overly nervous drivers that are responsible for most of the delays - not very good drivers like myself.

Good look to you, another example of the rife mé féin attitude of some motorists. I cycle in daily into Dublin, so leave the motorists battle it out while I (legally) zip up the bus lane.

Tenzor07

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Good look to you, another example of the rife mé féin attitude of some motorists. I cycle in daily into Dublin, so leave the motorists battle it out while I (legally) zip up the bus lane.

I knew all you cyclists were to blame for these sorts of issues!! :pac:

Pinch Flat

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I knew all you cyclists were to blame for these sorts of issues!! :pac:

I can feel the simmering resentment as I pass by. Burning into my Lycra.

Mint Sauce

Cyrus Most Spokesperson wrote: »

It's done to death in the motor thread, but it seems like something magical and impossible to perform. What's the deal exactly? Why is there such ignorance on the subject?

On my commute to work, most days, I witness this ignorance. Why would you refuse to allow somebody merge?

This morning I turned left onto a road which has two lanes, one main lane for traffic and a second lane that turns into a bus lane. The merging lane. I am in this lane, indicating to go right into the main lane. This bint in her merc wouldn't allow me to merge. Not that she drove on and kept to the car in front, that's the sort of díckhead behavior you see all the time and just put up with. Now I understand you are slightly behind a vehicle that it's not possible to merge, I mean you would be rude to try it. You should merge behind that vehicle.

This woman wasn't paying attention at all. There's room ahead of her, so I begin to merge. She realises what is happening, gets angry and accelerates, she then has to swerve to avoid a collision, is now on the other side of the road and starts getting close to me, forcing me back out of the lane and into a bus lane. We have a "chat", which is her screaming incoherant crap, while I try to explain the concept of merging. Her first words "That's disgusting, you are in a bus lane". Like I tried to skip the queue in Tescos or something. Unfortunately I didn't get her reg as traffic started moving again.

Drive with due consideration of others and have some god damn respect on the roads. If nobody allows anybody to merge, the roads become much more congested than they already are.

Depends on how people use the merging lane, ie, lane disapline and manners.

One such near me. T juction. Cars turning right on to main road have use of traffic lights. Cars turning left on to main road have use of merging lane. Some cars stop at start of merging lane hopeing to join main road, ending up backing up traffic behind them. I dont give way to them, my arguement, merging lane, use it, i'm not going to block taffic behind me, or cause them to stop suddenly. Other cars will go down the merging lane, and no mater how heavy the traffic is, will usally be able to join, withour stopping. these I will be be more likely to give way to, as only have to slow, so not blocking traffic behind me, and everyone usally gets to where they want to go to, a bit quicker.

dub_skav

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I can feel the simmering resentment as I pass by. Burning into my Lycra.

That's your piles

realdanbreen

Barely There wrote: »

I do this all the time.

There's always some nervous numpty who'll let you in or who leaves a large enough gap for you to slip in without any drama.

I commute home down Pearce Street and onto the Quays before heading out on the N4 and I'd estimate that I save at least 20minutes every evening, probably more, by doing a bit of strategic queue jumping.

You'd be amazed how much time you can save.

I think it's justified because I have a pretty long commute every day and it takes me long enough to get home as is, also I'm a very good driver so I don't really feel I'm delaying anyone else - it's the overly nervous drivers that are responsible for most of the delays - not very good drivers like myself.

Another good one is when someone is tailgating you and starts flashing,just flick on the rear fog light! That will soften their cough.

Caliden

Barely There wrote: »

I do this all the time.

There's always some nervous numpty who'll let you in or who leaves a large enough gap for you to slip in without any drama.

I commute home down Pearce Street and onto the Quays before heading out on the N4 and I'd estimate that I save at least 20minutes every evening, probably more, by doing a bit of strategic queue jumping.

You'd be amazed how much time you can save.

I think it's justified because I have a pretty long commute every day and it takes me long enough to get home as is, also I'm a very good driver so I don't really feel I'm delaying anyone else - it's the overly nervous drivers that are responsible for most of the delays - not very good drivers like myself.

Serious question, have you ever been caught by the Gardai doing this and how long have you been doing it for?

osarusan

This has come up before - I remember a discussion about this about roadworks on a motorway, after somebody in a truck had moved into the overtaking lane and driven at the same speed as the clogged middle and left lanes, to stop people speeding up the overtaking lane and then trying to merge zipper style after passing out hundreds of cars.

I think that there is a belief that people trying to merge from a faster/emptier lane have been 'cheating' by using that lane, and people want them not to get away with it.

vintagecosmos

I was on the M50 last night where it went from 3 lanes to 1 for road works. Merging was working relatively ok but some people decided to drive through the traffic cones and zip up the closed lanes nearly hitting roadworks men and cones in the process. Couldnt believe it!

Shenshen

Caliden wrote: »

Serious question, have you ever been caught by the Gardai doing this and how long have you been doing it for?

I can't imagine the guards care - there's **** people like this doing that every day at the Dunkettle roundabout - drive donw the right-turning lane and then push themselves into the middle lane to turn left instead. I've seen such "good drivers" stopped on the right-turning lane with their left indicators on and holding up traffic behind them for minutes at a time waiting for a gap large enough to squeeze themselves into.

Absolute nightmare if you're actually in the correct lane to turn left to begin with, there's 2 sets of traffic lights and traffice coming from the left joining your queue, and then you get the odd moron deciding that, no, they are so much more important than anyone else and won't wait in the queue so you need to watch out for those as well.

I never understood why they don't just go on round the roundabout - in rushhour, that'll still save you a few minutes without annoying and endagering other drivers.

Captain Flaps

Barely There wrote: »

I do this all the time.

There's always some nervous numpty who'll let you in or who leaves a large enough gap for you to slip in without any drama.

I commute home down Pearce Street and onto the Quays before heading out on the N4 and I'd estimate that I save at least 20minutes every evening, probably more, by doing a bit of strategic queue jumping.

You'd be amazed how much time you can save.

I think it's justified because I have a pretty long commute every day and it takes me long enough to get home as is, also I'm a very good driver so I don't really feel I'm delaying anyone else - it's the overly nervous drivers that are responsible for most of the delays - not very good drivers like myself.

10/10

The Diabolical Monocle

Cyrus Most Spokesperson wrote: »

It's done to death in the motor thread, but it seems like something magical and impossible to perform. What's the deal exactly? Why is there such ignorance on the subject?

Wait your turn princess. Its called a queue and nobody owes you a place in front of them.

Nemeses

Barely There wrote: »

I do this all the time.



I think it's justified because I have a pretty long commute every day and it takes me long enough to get home as is, also I'm a very good driver so I don't really feel I'm delaying anyone else - it's the overly nervous drivers that are responsible for most of the delays - not very good drivers like myself.

If you drive a bus/taxi, then yes its justified.

If you don't drive a bus... Then no, You're one of those Ahole drivers I'd probably block.

Fighting Irish

It all comes down to the biggest problem on Irish roads, tailgating

Barely There

Nemeses wrote: »

If you drive a bus/taxi, then yes its justified.

If you don't drive a bus... Then no, You're one of those Ahole drivers I'd probably block.

That's ok.
I'd just get in in front of the guy in front of you.

delop

I think this might be related, the merging that boils my sweets is ...

2 sets of traffic lights , and usually a bridge inbetween
Bus lane before the first set of lights and bus lane after the second set of lights, but no buslane inbetween the second and first.

So cars in the driving lane in heavy traffic , when they get to the first set, they see that the driving lane is full inbetween the lights , so they cross the first set of lights in the left lane , only to get stuck trying to merge after the second set of lights

Usually people wont let them in, or in heavy traffic its not possible to merge, they then sit there in the left lat at the start if the new bus lane blocking buses and taxis...

Crazy selfish IMO

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

EyeSight

IT's funny. When i came to the US i found that everyone was merging, changing lanes constantly. At first it was intimidating but then i saw that it actually works quite well. It's rare for someone to refuse you a merge and it's understood that if a lane is blocked/closed, every second car will merge. We do have problems where there are long lines to get off the freeway and if you go to the top of the line before merging(with the transport department recommend) you feel like a dick

That said in Ireland i never let any tractors merge in front of me ever. Those assholes are the worst

topper75

Two lanes in a city context? Fine I'll zip - every second one. No worries.

Dual carriageway or motorway? Different scenario.
The hard-ons who are in the overtaking lane and ignoring all the "Merge Now" signs until the last second - not a chance I'm leaving them in when they try to nose across at the traffic cones blocking their way. They are only the Most Important People in the World(TM) in the own minds, not in mine. They probably had a kilometer or more to merge and refused to.

Nemeses

Barely There wrote: »

That's ok.
I'd just get in in front of the guy in front of you.

You better rephrase "Good" driver to Cr@p driver so.

Trebor176

I do not mind merging traffic, as that is perfectly tolerable, and I will give way to one car, of course. My thread yesterday was in relation to the gob****es, who try to bully their way in at the top of a lengthy queue of traffic because they can't be arsed sitting in traffic like the rest of the not so small-minded people. Motorcyclists and cyclists are the exception, as they can zip in and out

Irish Steve

the mergers that grind my gears are the gobsh1tes that come down a motorway slip at 60Kph and move across into the second or third lane without any awareness or respect of what's already happening on the motorway, See it all the time on the m50, no signal, no awareness of the relative speeds, and no urgency about getting moving after they've got well and truly in the way of the people that were already on the motorway and moving at considerably higher speeds.

The American system would sort them out, for about half a mile before and after some junctions, there's a barrier between Lane 1 and 2 (on a 3 lane motorway) so there's no way from the slip into the overtaking lanes for some distance, and it has solved the near miss issues that used to be so much of a problem on the busier junctions.