Why do people que, instead of using both lanes..

[TW]Fox · 21 Dec 2008 at 23:33

theDude said:
merging onto the a13 from central london i find the best approach is just the "i dont care, i am in a 1k car, you are in a 50k car, i AM merging if you like it or not!"

Lots of people seem to say this. They can't all be daft enough to have not realised that if you merge in a banger and bang into a 50k car its you who pays for the damage not the driver of the 50k car you drove into because he wouldnt let you in?

FreeStream · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:19

Ah, I go up and down that road a few times a week.

Its mad! I just go up the free lane with no issues, I don't understand why anyone else doesn't use the emptyness!

*shrug*

Oh well, I get there quicker

Edit: BTW, its only on sections where I don't need to merge to get anywhere, where I do need to then I merge in a fair place...

clv101 · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:25

lordrobs said:
I'll stop sticking to the left lane as soon as morons stop blocking people from merging for "jumping the queue".

Exactly. I know the road the OP is talking about. Seen people stuck for ages in the right hand lane unable to merge in. When the traffic is moving freely it's not a problem but when it's really busy it just gets gummed up and no one uses the right lane as they know they'd just get stuck.

Don't blame people for not using the right lane, blame the left lane people for not letting others in.

clv101 · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:27

[TW]Fox;13133498 said:
Lots of people seem to say this. They can't all be daft enough to have not realised that if you merge in a banger and bang into a 50k car its you who pays for the damage not the driver of the 50k car you drove into because he wouldnt let you in?

The point is that no contact actually occurs just the shiny car lets the banger in.

Scarfacé · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:28

Hehe, the little chicane that you can go straight through?

If the traffic is not solid there then I will use the outside lane but I must admit if the traffic is solid (like it is over Christmas) then it is annoying when someone can obviously see the massive line of traffic and yet still comes blaring past and expects to just be let in at the top.

Seeing that there are lights just after that section... I see why it ****** a lot of people off!

Glaucus · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:35

Scarfacé said:
If the traffic is not solid there then I will use the outside lane but I must admit if the traffic is solid (like it is over Christmas) then it is annoying when someone can obviously see the massive line of traffic and yet still comes blaring past and expects to just be let in at the top.

It's there for a reason. if everyone used it, they couldn't come barrelling through.

Scarfacé · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:41

I see your theory. However, with the traffic light junction less than 100 yards after the chicane, it makes people in the left hand lane reluctant to let people in. There is confusion and hesitation... I have even seen people swerving and beeping, driving in the centre of the road there; I'm sure this makes people reluctant to use the outside lane!

Obviously, in a perfect world...

I would be interested to know if more cars would get through the lights by using one lane than the two lanes having to merge first...

My opinion is that if the traffic is flowing then yeah great use it every time if you want to go faster than the cars you are overtaking. If the traffic is totally solid then don't be a **** and go right to the very end like a lot of people do and merge as soon as you realise. This both prevents people blocking up the round-a-bout and too stops everyone thinking you're an utter ****.

Amoeba · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:43

There is a queue of traffic at the St Helens end of the Rainford bypass where I go down to work everyday. This queue sticks to the left hand lane because there are big signs saying 'RIGHT HAND LANE FOR RIGHT TURN ONLY'.

It really really annoys me when people think they can just jump the queue down the right hand lane and merge in at the front. If it was ahead and right turn then fair enough though..

Sagalout · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:43

just thinking out loud really, but if you have 1000 cars (just an example) to fit through a single lane, it wouldnt be any quicker if the cars approached it in one lane or two would it?

Amoeba · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:45

Sagalout said:
just thinking out loud really, but if you have 1000 cars (just an example) to fit through a single lane, it wouldnt be any quicker if the cars approached it in one lane or two would it?

This isn't the point he was making - he was saying the long queues can block up junctions further up the road.

Scarfacé · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:46

Sagalout said:
just thinking out loud really, but if you have 1000 cars (just an example) to fit through a single lane, it wouldnt be any quicker if the cars approached it in one lane or two would it?

My theory is that a lot less cars will get through as it is quicker to just move off than it is for cars to merge (from a stand still).

Especially after the indication, waiting, then they move off... then comes the obligatory wave or the hazards flash.

Glaucus · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:51

Scarfacé said:
Snip

The reason your meant to use two lanes is so you don't block junctions behind you. Using two lanes half the que length and thus you don't block other junctions needlessly. It has nothing to do with getting past the traffic lights quick. Grrr learn how to drive.

al123 · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:52

It only works if everyone knows what they are doing, you always get someone who uses it to overtake/undertake then forces their way in.

Or someone who refuses to let you in, then you run out of road.

I've even seen a bloke try and ram a young girl off the road because she wouldn't let him merge.

For the 30secs you save I'd rather keep my car in its original shape...

Glaucus · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:54

al123 said:
It only works if everyone knows what they are doing, you always get someone who uses it to overtake/undertake then forces their way in.

Or someone who refuses to let you in then you run out of road.

I've even seen a bloke try and ram a young girl off the road because she wouldn't let him merge.

For the 30secs you save I'd rather keep my car in its original shape...

did you have a driving test? It's you lot who are driving wrong. It's merge in turn is just that. Not lets all que up and block three other junctions making traffic come to a grinding stop.

al123 · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:55

AcidHell2 said:
did you have a driving test? It's you lot who are driving wrong. It's merge in turn is just that. Not lets all que up and block three other junctions making traffic come to a grinding stop.

I know how to merge, but it was never covered in my practical driving test or lessons. I assume its in the theory?

Perhaps that's the problem, maybe it should be taught from day one.

Glaucus · 22 Dec 2008 at 00:56

al123 said:
I know how to merge, but it was never covered in my practical driving test or lessons. I assume its in the theory?

Can't remember it's been a while. Plus it's all change these days.

Vonsteve · 22 Dec 2008 at 01:30

This is the section leading away from cibbs towards the bus lane correct? If so if there's any traffic there I'll just fly through the housing estate from the traffic lights and appear at the roundabout at the bottom. Sod people not letting you in I'll just well and truely get ahead of you all.

It's the people that clearly use it for queue jumping that annoy me though. Light turning right onto Coldharbour Lane past UWE off the ring road, and the big roundabout by Tesco's /Ikea under the M32 people always get in the wrong lane to beat the traffic. Won't be merging infront of me especially when it's clearly signposted which lane is for eastgate centre! Grrr pet hate of mine esp as I go there most days of the week working in Tesco.

osc89er · 22 Dec 2008 at 13:19

The last time I merged in turn at road works I had to sit on my horn for 30 seconds while the old man in the jaguar and the younger father of 3 in the 4x4 ignored me. Eventually I found a big enough gap that I bullied my way in between their cars.

ethos · 22 Dec 2008 at 13:26

I hate merge in turn. I always use it when it's v.busy... you know because it actually makes sense if you're not retarded... shame I live in Cornwall. Seems 99% people are this way.

There is a roundabout when people try and join the left hand lane and completely block all exits instead of taking the right hand lane around and using merge in turn.

Dad had an accident there a while back where he was 90% into the left lane, the van behind him didn't like it and crashed into the back of dads van (literally accelerated into it from 1mph).

Insurance said it's 100% the other drivers fault as he hit the rear of Dad's van, the van behind disputed it... and it went 50/50. Then they tried to put his insurance up to £1k!

I've seen car full of kids driving by some complete idiot nearly drive into me in the same place. I manage to get past and then proceeded to LET EVERYTONE out at any junction we came across (this area is v.busy and you'll see 10mph max).

What's so difficult about it?

Dingleberry88 · 22 Dec 2008 at 13:26

QUEUE!