Driving slow in the left lane (Madison, Mooresville: home, living in, moving to)

[dwhisent]

Originally Posted by djmaxwell

When did doing something correctly become entitled?

Well, here's the thing. As an engineer, I accept the value of a good simulation. I will agree that it would be correct and the optimal way to get through. However, unless everyone is taught that, it won't be used and it won't work because it's counterintuitive... and the folks that zip to the front will be thought of as feeling themselves entitled, regardless of the motives. You can't force teach folks like that without potentially inspiring some road rage.

Besides, I'm not convinced the DOTs believe it themselves. If they do, why post a sign a mile back that the lane is closed ahead (and specify which lane), if they are not intending for the drivers to move over to the unclosed lane in advance? If they want a zipper merge, they should just post a sign that says "merge to one lane ahead" or something like that.

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

zipper rarely works like it should. I have been guilty of wheelin my big rig over to block out some entitled that are trying to cut the line.

Originally Posted by dwhisent

That zipper merge would be the ideal. But in any of these situations, there are always those folks who feel that they are special... everyone else merges well back before the blockage, and then these folks race past 50 cars to get to the front and merge in there. A lot of times I have seen 18 wheelers pull to the middle to force them to merge earlier, but I have also seen these folks jump over into the shoulder to get past the 18-wheeler. The devil on my left shoulder says to not let them in, but the angel on the right always wins out, as I feel a car should never, ever be used as a weapon.

For a zipper merge you merge at the merge point. So if you want to merge a mile back while the lane is clearly marked for travel that is on you. Once the cones or barricares or signs signify the lane is officially ending, THAT is your merge point and where cars should be moving in. The merge point is not when the sign says "lane ends in x feet". Besides whats so smart about brake slamming to squeeze in when you can let your car roll down, losing speed, and merge in all with barely a brake tap?

The jerks to me are the ones who get in early then stick their vehicles out when they see someone legally using their lane still, especially in a 18-wheeler. You're crazy if you use your vehicle like that when the lanes havent even merged yet. California seems to be the best at zipper merges followed by the Northeast. For some reason people in the south take it too personal. I think a lot of it is driving skill though since the west and NE are a bit better.

The people who seem to do those things like blocking merge lanes seem to also be the left lane hogs.

[Siberiaboy]

What do you do if you are a fragile cargo heavy vehicle and you need to exit the highway at a left lane exit? Sometimes there’s left exit ramps so getting into the left lane to exit can be hard.

Also some rest stops are on the left in between the 2 sides of the highway. Then temporarily how can the left lane be used for passing? Obviously on rural roads also you have left turns

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by Siberiaboy

What do you do if you are a fragile cargo heavy vehicle and you need to exit the highway at a left lane exit? Sometimes there’s left exit ramps so getting into the left lane to exit can be hard.

Also some rest stops are on the left in between the 2 sides of the highway. Then temporarily how can the left lane be used for passing? Obviously on rural roads also you have left turns

Those are special cases and normally for left exits additional lanes are available well in advance. What I do is I find an opening to move over to the left lane, adjust my speed to the flow of traffic in that lane and as soon as the exit lanes begin, I get over. It is pretty simple stuff.



Probably the biggest mistake some people make is they start slowing down in the right lane, turn their left blinker on and then start looking for an opening to get over to the left. That is just poor interstate driving skills. Once you start slowing down, the traffic immediately behind you is going to start moving to the left lane and going around you and in effect blocking you from being able to move to the left lane. On the interstates, drive with the gas pedal not the brake pedal and you will be able to navigate more easily.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

For a zipper merge you merge at the merge point. So if you want to merge a mile back while the lane is clearly marked for travel that is on you. Once the cones or barricares or signs signify the lane is officially ending, THAT is your merge point and where cars should be moving in. The merge point is not when the sign says "lane ends in x feet". Besides whats so smart about brake slamming to squeeze in when you can let your car roll down, losing speed, and merge in all with barely a brake tap?

The jerks to me are the ones who get in early then stick their vehicles out when they see someone legally using their lane still, especially in a 18-wheeler. You're crazy if you use your vehicle like that when the lanes havent even merged yet. California seems to be the best at zipper merges followed by the Northeast. For some reason people in the south take it too personal. I think a lot of it is driving skill though since the west and NE are a bit better.

The people who seem to do those things like blocking merge lanes seem to also be the left lane hogs.

I've only moved over after the lane has already shrunk from full size. That isn't the time to try and ram your vehicle ahead. People are already trying to space out left right left right and then some dough head will try and jam his car in with another so instead of 1 1 1 it's 1 2 1

I mean who comes screaming up partially in the emergency lane just to save a few spots and seconds.

[FCEddie]

Originally Posted by dwhisent

Well, here's the thing. As an engineer, I accept the value of a good simulation. I will agree that it would be correct and the optimal way to get through. However, unless everyone is taught that, it won't be used and it won't work because it's counterintuitive... and the folks that zip to the front will be thought of as feeling themselves entitled, regardless of the motives. You can't force teach folks like that without potentially inspiring some road rage.

Besides, I'm not convinced the DOTs believe it themselves. If they do, why post a sign a mile back that the lane is closed ahead (and specify which lane), if they are not intending for the drivers to move over to the unclosed lane in advance? If they want a zipper merge, they should just post a sign that says "merge to one lane ahead" or something like that.

Just saying.. I did my part by teaching you folks, now you have to do your part and teach others.

DOT's should do that, it would be fantastic. Let's all suggest it and see what happens?

aldotinfo@dot.state.al.us

Don't try the contact form, gives you a 404 error.

[TexasRoadkill]

Originally Posted by Justacoolguy

It is amazing how many people dont realize the left lane on the interstate is for passing, not for going 10 miles under the speed limit while you play candy crush or watch tic tic

This certainly is annoying, but the worst are bicyclists on the road!

[FCEddie]

Originally Posted by TexasRoadkill

This certainly is annoying, but the worst are bicyclists on the road!

I'm going to cause trouble again...

Bicyclists are supposed to be on the road, unless you a young teen, you are not supposed to ride on the sidewalk.

Sharing the road can be hard, but remember that is someone's father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter. I've lost friends in the past few years because drivers were on their cell phones, talking, texting, surfing the internet.

Give bike riders three feet clearance to keep them safe. Imagine they are an 18 wheeler driving next to another 18 wheeler going up a hill, you can't pass them till it is safe to do so.

Share the Road.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by FCEddie

I'm going to cause trouble again...

Bicyclists are supposed to be on the road, unless you a young teen, you are not supposed to ride on the sidewalk.

Sharing the road can be hard, but remember that is someone's father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter. I've lost friends in the past few years because drivers were on their cell phones, talking, texting, surfing the internet.

Give bike riders three feet clearance to keep them safe. Imagine they are an 18 wheeler driving next to another 18 wheeler going up a hill, you can't pass them till it is safe to do so.

Share the Road.

They have a right to be on the road, but they should use common sense when they choose to do so. Stacking up traffic on a 2-lane road during rush hour isn't very considerate and can be downright dangerous.

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

They have a right to be on the road, but they should use common sense when they choose to do so. Stacking up traffic on a 2-lane road during rush hour isn't very considerate and can be downright dangerous.

Exactly and I will add that although it is legal and they have a right to be on the road, it does not mean it is intelligent to do so. Riding a bicycle on roadways designed for motor vehicle traffic traveling at higher speeds is just simply not a smart thing to be doing.



Most of us probably remember the news story from a few years ago about the two cyclists that were riding I believe on a rural road up in Northern Madison County. One of them was hit and killed by a car. One year later to the day, the other guy was doing a tribute ride to the friend and at almost the exact same place was hit by a car and died.