Western PA natives - who taught these people how to drive? (Clarion: DMV, live)

[The_Outsider]

Ok, maybe central PA? not sure what category Jefferson County would fall under. But anyway, I'm pretty sure the DMV or a driving instructor would never teach a person to:

A. Stop at the end of an interstate on ramp before merging in with the flow of traffic.

B. Stop at the end of an interstate off ramp before merging in with the flow of traffic.

Yet I see this on a daily basis since I've moved to PA. Why do PA natives do this? It is dangerous for everyone involved

[Johnny C]

You have to stop while merging on the highway if there is traffic coming.

Remember - you have the yield sign - not them.

Coming to a complete stop is the last resort, but necessary if there is too much traffic and noplace to go.

[North Beach Person]

There's only five interchanges in Jefferson County for I-80. Corsica, Brookville, Hazen, DJ Airport, and Reynoldsville. Most are short run ups. Two things are probably happening: traffic is coming, and in Brookville and Hazen it's coming downa hill, and you have to remember a lot of the drivers in Jefferson County are older and they were taught to stop. I'm 54 and I was when I took Driver's Ed in 1970.

[The_Outsider]

Yeah they are pretty short ramps. And yes I agree when both lanes are tied up you have no choice but to yield and slow down or worse come to a complete stop.

The reason I say it is dangerous is because some of the people I have run up on will stop at the end of the ramp even where there is no traffic on the interstate. They will accelerate full speed to the end of the ramp and stop for no reason at all before proceeding to enter the interstate lanes

If you're not from around here or just passing through this can become a very ugly rear ender accident, especially on the Hazen on-ramp because it crests a small hill before you merge. I've lived in three different states to date and this is the only one where I have seen this happen. I've been here about a year now and I see this at least 1-2 times a week in Dubois, Clarion and Brookville.

[North Beach Person]

It happens in MD, too. With a lot worse traffic.

[firefightermom]

I noticed that people in PA stopped on ramps maybe 15 years ago, when I used to travel from Ohio. I had never seen it before then, and at that point had really only driven in Ohio myself.

I agree that it's very dangerous, but if that's what PA used to teach back in the day, then it makes sense. Now that I live here, I don't see it too often but I do warn my friends and family from out of state to watch for it. When I moved here, I actually did skim throught their DMV book just to make sure of the state driving laws, and I do think I remember seeing an area where it actually said to stop, but I can't find the book. If I do, or can find it online, I'll post what it says.

[jimmyrocks]

I've seen it in Philly too! I usually just go up/down the ramp slowly until I can pick my spot in traffic, then I speed up to where I need to be. If traffic is too heavy to fit your car in, then it's probably crawling, and therefore easy to merge into!

[Billustrator]

Originally Posted by The_Outsider

Ok, maybe central PA? not sure what category Jefferson County would fall under. But anyway, I'm pretty sure the DMV or a driving instructor would never teach a person to:

A. Stop at the end of an interstate on ramp before merging in with the flow of traffic.

B. Stop at the end of an interstate off ramp before merging in with the flow of traffic.

Yet I see this on a daily basis since I've moved to PA. Why do PA natives do this? It is dangerous for everyone involved

I agree that someone stopping at a high speed merge can be dangerous, but...YIELD means you must give right of way to other traffic, even if it means you must stop. That's the law, in the '50's, the '70's, and now. That's not just PA; most states have the same law. Who's the bad driver, the person who follows the law correctly, or the uptight person in a hurry behind him who has no respect for the law or those who follow it? You must pay attention to traffic ahead of you as well as that which is oncoming in the travel lanes; that takes a skilled driver.

[chazztrons]

Oh no, I will not know how to merge when I move back (that is the area I will be in).
Im use to Tucson Traffic......

These people dont Yield nor do they stop.
Getting on and off the Freeway here you grab something and pray!!

LOL

[deathegg88]

You haven't seen bad drivers until you've been to Southern CA..... horrible drivers here.