Why are drivers so unwilling to let others merge in front of them? (Seattle: law, dangerous) - Washington (WA) -Seattle and King County Suburbs - City-Data Forum

Zima1349 · 04-11-2015, 12:42 PM

Let me preface this by saying this is NOT a rant. I moved here six months ago because I've always liked the idea, and I love it here. I just want to understand this one odd phenomenon I've discovered.

I've found that drivers here are often unwilling to let you merge in - especially in traffic. I put the turn signal on, look for a possible opening, and start to go - and the person in the other lane keeps driving forward and blocks the opening. Sometimes several of them do this in a row.

I come from the NYC metro area, which is known for aggressive driving, but this is a new situation for me. I try to avoid merging around traffic, and only do it when I have to - for example, if I need to turn and can't do it from my lane. When it comes to traffic, it's actually quite counterproductive to intentionally keep someone from merging, especially if they're trying to get off the road.

A funny thing I noticed, which may be a side effect of this behavior: when I let people merge in front of me, they are extremely cautious and only merge when I've given them 2-3x the space they actually need to merge. It's as if they are expecting me to hit the gas and block their path.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there some socially acceptable way of merging that I'm not aware of? (Not even being sarcastic - I honestly could just be missing something)

NorthStarDelight · 04-11-2015, 12:54 PM

I don't have this problem, since I don't even bother looking when I merge. Trust me, people DO move out of the way when they see you moving over - it's only when you're tentative do they try and close you out...lol.

I haven't had an accident yet, so I must be doing something right...lol.

Hemlock140 · 04-11-2015, 01:05 PM

Not only have I never seen this in 21 years here, but I have found it rather confounding that drivers are so polite. Approaching a 4-way stop, no one goes, they all sit waiting for someone else to go ahead first. Also, I walk every afternoon across the entrance to 99 south at Elliot and Blanchard, and it would be rare that the first car doesn't stop to let me cross.

CrazyDonkey · 04-11-2015, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zima1349

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there some socially acceptable way of merging that I'm not aware of? (Not even being sarcastic - I honestly could just be missing something)

Many, many times. Some drivers even speed up to shut the door. It is passive-aggressive behavior. For some it is a psychological game of "one-up" - if they let you merge in front of them, they're "one-down".

Happily, I ditched my car several years back. Good luck beating out a merging articulated bus...

CityWok · 04-11-2015, 01:37 PM

One guy went berserk on the horn when I did this the other day. I used my blinker and was way in front of him, but apparently it upset him so much that he actually went into the opposing lane to pass around me, only to race up to a red light.

The only explanation I can give is that people can be really competitive sometimes (in a sadly, childish way). It's sad to see it happen on the road, which is not supposed to be a rat race--for heaven sakes, people, you're going to run into traffic or a red light anyway, but my theory is these folks are too shortsighted to realize this, and don't know how childish they're being to put other people in danger.

Zima1349 · 04-11-2015, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorthStarDelight

I don't have this problem, since I don't even bother looking when I merge. Trust me, people DO move out of the way when they see you moving over - it's only when you're tentative do they try and close you out...lol.

I haven't had an accident yet, so I must be doing something right...lol.

Well, again, having done plenty of NYC driving, I'm fairly assertive. But some people just step on the gas when they see me getting ready to merge. One guy in a huge pickup truck was dangerously close to me as he did it, and was making all kinds of gestures at me - when all I was trying to do was get over to the exit lane - that's one less car in the traffic jam he was in. Another guy high beamed me for a while. I REALLY don't get it.

Ruth4Truth · 04-11-2015, 02:37 PM

My experience is slightly different. I haven't been closed out, but when I start to merge, seeing that there's plenty of room to do so, the car in the other lane keeps coming at the same speed (or sometimes speeds up), then as I'm completing the merge and they're very close to me (?!), they honk, as if I'd cut them off. The only conclusion I can draw from this is that some people aren't paying attention to what's going on in front of them until they're right on top of someone...? They don't seem to notice the signaling in advance, the edging over, until the merge is complete, then suddenly they're mad.

Botev1912 · 04-11-2015, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

My experience is slightly different. I haven't been closed out, but when I start to merge, seeing that there's plenty of room to do so, the car in the other lane keeps coming at the same speed (or sometimes speeds up), then as I'm completing the merge and they're very close to me (?!), they honk, as if I'd cut them off. The only conclusion I can draw from this is that some people aren't paying attention to what's going on in front of them until they're right on top of someone...? They don't seem to notice the signaling in advance, the edging over, until the merge is complete, then suddenly they're mad.

you are supposed to merge at the speed limit (60 mph). Cars that are entering the freeway are the ones who have to yield to the cars that are already in. So many times, I see drivers merge at 30 mph

which creates traffic congestion because they slow every one down.

Inkpoe · 04-11-2015, 03:44 PM

Yea, definitely a problem.

My husband once tried to merge onto the West Seattle bridge, it was all basically empty except for a couple cars. One of the car sped up just so he could block him from getting into the lane. So DH slows down to let him pass, except he never passed. Just kept matching speeds, obviously trying to block him out (from 80mph down to 30 then back up to posted speed limit, so a huge range of matching up). Lucky for my husband, a cop was there and he flashed his lights and finally pulled him over. Other times, we had to closely veer into that person's car to show we weren't playing.

Drivers are better on the surface streets, but out on the highway? Bleh. I think people really want to let out their frustrations.

elkotronics · 04-11-2015, 04:47 PM

Let me preface this by saying this is NOT a rant. I moved here six months ago because I've always liked the idea, and I love it here. I just want to understand this one odd phenomenon I've discovered.

I've found that drivers here are often unwilling to let you merge in - especially in traffic. I put the turn signal on, look for a possible opening, and start to go - and the person in the other lane keeps driving forward and blocks the opening. Sometimes several of them do this in a row.

I come from the NYC metro area, which is known for aggressive driving, but this is a new situation for me. I try to avoid merging around traffic, and only do it when I have to - for example, if I need to turn and can't do it from my lane. When it comes to traffic, it's actually quite counterproductive to intentionally keep someone from merging, especially if they're trying to get off the road.

A funny thing I noticed, which may be a side effect of this behavior: when I let people merge in front of me, they are extremely cautious and only merge when I've given them 2-3x the space they actually need to merge. It's as if they are expecting me to hit the gas and block their path.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there some socially acceptable way of merging that I'm not aware of? (Not even being sarcastic - I honestly could just be missing something)

Zima1349 - no, it isn't you, it's learning-disabled driving habits of far too many American drivers. It is common courtesy that you slow down and let someone merge into the lane they are signaling to turn in to. It's like a lot of American drivers have this dorky competitive driving quality that won't let them be "nice" or "helpful" on the streets/highways/freeways.

Hey, folks, if you haven't figured it out yet it's not a competition. We're trying to drive amongst each other on crowded highways and biways. Cooperation is required.

4-way stops? Well, it's the person that gets there first that goes first. If two cars arrive at the stop sign at the same time it's the car on the right that goes first. If it's a tie a simple hand-wave from one of the drivers is all that's needed to allow one of the drivers ta go. It's not gun it and drive idiotically as fast as you can that is the way...just because you can.

Oh, as my commentary continues, this one is closely related to the merge/turning problem the OP posted here. Where has the law about signaling your intention to turn gone in America? When I started driving almost everybody signaled when they changed lanes. Now, it's this slow drift in front of you with no signal indicated. It's like the porky-beefy overeating 'Merican I'll signal if I want to thing has taken over. Or, this has been given to me as an explanation for the laziness going on. If someone signals then the person in the lane they want to go over to will speed up so they can't go over there...fancy that. Apparently it's a L.A. thing-a rude type thing that they're actually afraid ta signal or they won't be allowed in by the dork in the other lane.

These are the types of head games we're playing now in America.