How come drivers in Pittsburgh do not know how to merge? (Coraopolis: live in, safe)

[Mugatu]

Haha, my favorite topic. I've griped at length about this in other traffic threads so I'll keep it short here.

But yes, this is a Pittsburgh-specific issue. Many Pittsburghers have a tendency to stop on on-ramps even when there is plenty of room to get up to speed. They simply do not understand the concept that using the acceleration lane to get up to the speed of traffic makes it very easy to merge onto the highway. I've never seen people anywhere else stop on on-ramps in the sheer numbers that Pittsburghers do. It's one of life's great mysteries.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

Haha, my favorite topic. I've griped at length about this in other traffic threads so I'll keep it short here.

But yes, this is a Pittsburgh-specific issue. Many Pittsburghers have a tendency to stop on on-ramps even when there is plenty of room to get up to speed. They simply do not understand the concept that using the acceleration lane to get up to the speed of traffic makes it very easy to merge onto the highway. I've never seen people anywhere else stop on on-ramps in the sheer numbers that Pittsburghers do. It's one of life's great mysteries.

There are quite a few on ramps that don't allow enough room to get up to speed, so perhaps Pittsburghers always err on the cautious side, even if the ramp is long enough to get up to speed.

Why does it irritate people already on the road though? I could see being annoyed if you are behind a car that stops, but if you're already on the road, who cares, it isn't affecting you.

[Katarina Witt]

I'm with the group that says slowing down a little, or moving over a lane is the more appropriate thing to do. I have driven in a lot of states, that's how it's done most places.

You guys who say the merger has to yield are technically right, but to keep traffic flowing, sometimes the above needs to be done.

[BrianTH]

I'm going to slow down rather than getting into an accident or running a merging person off the road. So if I see someone merging ahead of me I will: (a) check to see if I can get over; (b) if not, assess if I will comfortably pass them or fall short of them at my current rate of speed and their apparent acceleration; and (c) if not, slow down to avoid the apparent looming accident.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I'm going to slow down rather than getting into an accident or running a merging person off the road. So if I see someone merging ahead of me I will: (a) check to see if I can get over; (b) if not, assess if I will comfortably pass them or fall short of them at my current rate of speed and their apparent acceleration; and (c) if not, slow down to avoid the apparent looming accident.

We agree on something! That is how I drive, too.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by MissShona

Hmmmm are you one of these drivers?

Yes... because I am supposed to yield to you. That's the law.

You are not supposed to slow down on a highway, yielding to merging cars.

[greg42]

If the road ahead of me is clear enough I will often speed up if I find myself even with a car merging from an on ramp. But around here it's typically not necessary, because they will just start slowing down at that point. More baffling than not using the acceleration lane to, you know, accelerate, is when some folks accelerate some and then slow back down at the end. There is no practical reason for this. Even in heavy traffic it is possible to match speeds and merge, apart from some of those too-short ramps, that is. (I am not talking about those.)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

Visit Kansas City. You'll see it here too.

I have. I didn't. Didn't see it in Topeka or Lawrence either.

Maybe I would have seen it if I lived there. But just visiting... nope.

[Heit]

This topic reminds me of an ole saying................."It's like beating a dead horse"!!!! Unreal.

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

Yes... because I am supposed to yield to you. That's the law.

You are not supposed to slow down on a highway, yielding to merging cars.

I see; I guess you are also not supposed to shake your foot if it goes to sleep either, lest you take you foot off the accelerator -- because my goodness, if you are on a highway, you absolutely MUST maintain the same speed at all times!