What do you do?

[PsyOps]

Another traffic thread. Not necessarily a rant (maybe a little rant), just wondering what people think when in this situation.

There is roadwork in Dunkirk on NB 4 that has the right lane closed. They give the usual 1 mile ‘road work’ sign, then the usual ½ mile ‘right lane closed’. Because of the hills, you can obviously see the long line of traffic in the left lane. The vast majority of folks get into the left lane early and patiently wait. The predictable usual impatient few say “screw you people, I’m pushing to the end”. There’s always those nice folks that will let them over just as the lane is ending. I don’t. Fella got next to me and saw I wasn’t letting him in. I look over and he is mouthing something that I assume are some choice expletives.

Ok, I don’t care that the guy is angry at me. I feel no obligation to let him over, I have no obligation to let him over. I’m not inclined to reward someone’s impatience when I (and others behind me) have waited patiently.

So my question is two-fold:

1. If you are one that gets over early are you inclined to let folks over… no big deal? Or are one to say "like hell I'm letting these twerps over"?

2. If you are the impatient, selfish twit that lunges past everyone, do you somehow expect folks to let you over; do you feel entitled to cut in? Or do you just wait for someone to leave a gap a jump in; if not, you'll wait, no big deal?

 

[Roman]

I always let a couple of cars over. No big deal. I like being courteous.

 

[Larry Gude]

Does jazz do this to everyone?

 

[Blister]

Generally I try to merge fairly early, and then I let 1 person merge in front of me. 1 for 1 and everyone gets in. After that they aren't cutting in front of me. Usually I am driving a company truck and really don't care if you hit it.

 

[PsyOps]

I always let a couple of cars over. No big deal. I like being courteous.

Do you consider what they're doing - passing all the patient people up - courteous? Sometimes the wait is 15 minutes or more. For someone like me who has a pretty long commute, that adds a lot to my drive. Having people jump the line just adds more to it.

Would you tolerate this at the grocery store?

EDIT: and consider this is an everyday thing.

 

[PsyOps]

Does jazz do this to everyone?

Only if you're listening to fusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrWxyKNX4cg

 

[Roman]

Do you consider what they're doing - passing all the patient people up - courteous? Sometimes the wait is 15 minutes or more. For someone like me who has a pretty long commute, that adds a lot to my drive. Having people jump the line just adds to it.

I understand your dislike, especially with a long commute. No, I don't think what the impatient one's are doing to be courteous, but I like being courteous, so I let maybe one, or two in depending on circumstance.

 

[vraiblonde]

Life is short and there are better ways to spend my anger. I let them in. You are right, however, that you have no obligation to be polite.

Occasionally I have been the selfish twit but usually that's by accident. You're in the lane and it's clear ahead, would you really try and squeeze into the crowded merge lane? No - you roll on up until you *have* to merge.

 

[NextJen]

For the most part, I have no problem letting people merge in. But I have two different feelings about this. First, I figure that you should be able to use both lanes up until the point that the one lane goes away, mostly because it wouldn't make sense for everyone to get over a half a mile back from where the lane ends - that would only back traffic up further in the lane that goes through. But, people should use the zipper method.

Second, I am annoyed (think road resentment, not road rage) with people that cut in front of me when it is not their 'turn'. For instance, if you see someone cut out from a line of cars behind you and zips up in the lane next to you instead of waiting in line like everyone else - that gets the old ire up.

 

[dan0623_2000]

I try to be couteous to other drivers but when you have been seeing signs that say to move over for the past half mile or so, I will be dammed if I will let you in. I really dislike those that think they can wait till the last few yards to merge into the proper lane. If you try to force your way in I will have a shiny new paint job compliments of you and your insurance company.

 

[PsyOps]

Life is short and there are better ways to spend my anger. I let them in. You are right, however, that you have no obligation to be polite.

Occasionally I have been the selfish twit but usually that's by accident. You're in the lane and it's clear ahead, would you really try and squeeze into the crowded merge lane? No - you roll on up until you *have* to merge.

Okay, this is NOT an anger issue for me. I just refuse to accommodate someone’s impatience. The guy was cussing me and I just gave a half grin and turned my head forward. So the anger was his. I’m kind of viewing this in the context of our entitlement society we have today… folks feel free to get one over on people at any opportunity. I don’t care if folks push to the end, just don’t expect anyone to let you over.

But I just wanted to know what goes through peoples’ minds in this sort of situation. I really wanted to know if the ‘passers’ feel folks that are in the ‘waiting lane’ should feel obligated to let them over.

 

[vraiblonde]

Okay, this is NOT an anger issue for me. I just refuse to accommodate someone’s impatience. The guy was cussing me and I just gave a half grin and turned my head forward. So the anger was his. I’m kind of viewing this in the context of our entitlement society we have today… folks feel free to get one over on people at any opportunity. I don’t care if folks push to the end, just don’t expect anyone to let you over.

But I just wanted to know what goes through peoples’ minds in this sort of situation. I really wanted to know if the ‘passers’ feel folks that in the ‘waiting lane’ should feel obligated to let them over.

What runs through my mind is, "Why are you knuckleheads all crammed into that one lane when it doesn't merge for another mile??" Like Jen said, it's supposed to be even up until the point of merge, then you zipper in. It's you all who are backing up traffic, not the people who wait to merge.

 

[Blister]

I don't think you will get anyone to admit they are last second merge jerks, so unless you actually personally recognize one in the act, they will remain anonymous a##holes.

 

[PsyOps]

What runs through my mind is, "Why are you knuckleheads all crammed into that one lane when it doesn't merge for another mile??" Like Jen said, it's supposed to be even up until the point of merge, then you zipper in. It's you all who are backing up traffic, not the people who wait to merge.

I suppose two schools of thought are required here... if the 'zipper' method is already in effect (which is what you would typically see in an accident scene) then folks should cooperate and let those in the ending lane over. I most certainly would. If the rack-and-stack method is in-effect - in other words you see everyone stacking up out of the closing lane - then I would expect folks to play along and just get in line. If you choose not to, don't expect me to let you over.

 

[gretchen]

I tend to go by behavior. If the person gestures to me that they'd like to get it,slows down and puts on a signal,I think oh,they screwed up,let them in. If they fly up and damn near run me off the road,I hold my ground.I actually keep a playlist on my ipod for jerks when they're next to me - Celine Dion,disco,etc. and I crank it up. If you've ever been Rick rolled while sitting in traffic it was probably me.

 

[PsyOps]

I tend to go by behavior. If the person gestures to me that they'd like to get it,slows down and puts on a signal,I think oh,they screwed up,let them in. If they fly up and damn near run me off the road,I hold my ground.I actually keep a playlist on my ipod for jerks when they're next to me - Celine Dion,disco,etc. and I crank it up. If you've ever been Rick rolled while sitting in traffic it was probably me.

 

[gretchen]

Yes! That's the look I usually get,plus fingers.

 

[PsyOps]

Yes! That's the look I usually get,plus fingers.

Actually, I like Celine Dion. Very powerful voice. But I hate Disco. There was just something wrong with our society at that point in time to have invented and accepted that music.

 

[vraiblonde]

I don't think you will get anyone to admit they are last second merge jerks, so unless you actually personally recognize one in the act, they will remain anonymous a##holes.

You have to define what you mean by "last second". Half a mile away isn't last second.

I truly don't understand why people cuddle up and crowd one lane, bringing it to a standstill, when there's a perfectly good other lane to drive in so you're not up each others' ass. That's a real question: why do you do that? Do you have separation anxiety?

(Not you, Blister, personally but all the crowding non-merger people.)

 

[Blister]

I think it is just one of those things that you know it when you see it. Someone else referred to the zipper effect where people consciously let one driver merge and one of the people in the remaining lane moves on. The jerks are easy to spot. I have also been caught driving a low riding vehicle behind a larger vehicle and come upon an unseen accident or unannounced merge at the last minute, and had to signal and try to merge peacefully into the thru lane.
I have been commuting for over 35 years from SOMD to anywhere in the DC-Balt. area. Current daily round trip is about 160 miles to Culpeper, Va. It's a long ride but better than I have dealt with to NOVA or Frederick.
After a while you learn to roll with the traffic situations or you'll drive yourself straight to crazytown.