What do you do when on a dual carriageway/motorway and a lane closes?

[JOHNNYAITCH]

I like the lane-straddling. I've done it a couple of times though I'm always slightly worried that it might end in a road rage incident.

 

Do it in front of me and it will :mad::)

[VantaaVale]

Like this woman....

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-29294620

 

Are people just stupid or what?

[kevin_struggles]

Might have something to do with good feelings/courtesy toward a fellow Football fan that one.

 

I drive in excess of 50,000 miles each year and believe me I see all types of selfish/dangerous/illegal driving up and down the country every day. The older I get the more I have come to realise that young/old/males/females have declined into very awful driving habits, so much so that the majority of people now don't even consider some of the mad antics as being mad!

 

 

Bad habits unfortunately become the norm to some and it's now a situation whereby "sod you Jack, I'm all right and if you don't like it I'll get out of my vehicle and punch you!!" That is others of course, not me.:) Sad indictment of today's society I'm afraid.

 

I agree, I have noticed the same thing. when I first started driving there was far more courtesy between drivers. I now sit at the end of a side street waiting to join a busy main road knowing that nobody will let me out and observing that some will even speed up when they see me waiting to actually close the gap and stop me from getting out. Why I do not know but it happens often.

 

Where I live there is a pedestrian crossing to the left of where I come out, usually turning right onto the main road on my way to work in the mornings. You wouldnt believe how many morons on main road actually stop in front of the side street, stopping me from getting out, when the lights are on red.

 

At times like that I begin to understand where road rage comes from.

[George]

I have to drive home from work every day in such a situation, and I don't care what patronising crap he says, I'm straddling both lanes every time to stop those selfish *******s who think they are have more right to get home quicker than the rest and try to drive all the way to the obstruction then force their way in. It's not as though people have slowly merged together on this road. Everyone actually starts in the one lane, and you have to pull out to push back in again. They aren't doing it to follow the Highway Code. I doubt they know it any better than the rest. They are doing it because they are selfish.

 

Are you for real? You do realise that this puts YOU in the wrong, makes YOU the bad driver, and makes YOU the selfish driver by causing longer tail backs?

 

The merge point is there for a reason. Up to that point all lanes are open and you should use them to ease congestion and keep the traffic flowing as much as possible.

[Andyregs]

Are you for real? You do realise that this puts YOU in the wrong, makes YOU the bad driver, and makes YOU the selfish driver by causing longer tail backs?

 

The merge point is there for a reason. Up to that point all lanes are open and you should use them to ease congestion and keep the traffic flowing as much as possible.

 

Well, about a year ago it was a road that started as one lane with everyone in line then went to 2 for a stretch, hen quickly back to one due to road works. The cars had already merged, apart from selfish people who would nip out as though turning right half way only to force their way literally back in at the end. So yes, I'm for real. They are the selfish ones whilst a everyone else keeps to their already merged positions. They were the ones who were causing possible accidents by going In the lane as though turning right and then forcing their way back.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Unless you're in Houston, where it's the survival of the fittest in motoring terms.

They never signal either, which drives me mad sometimes. Some of the worst drivers I've ever seen.

I have a neighbour from Venezuela, and he says that Caracas is is probably one of the worst cities in the world for driving.

 

Thailand was the most unique experience for me. Driving through Patong people would make 20 lanes where there was barely room for two when there was a traffic jam.

 

My Thai friend told me most drivers actually buy their licence which went some way to explaining their strange driving habits.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Do it in front of me and it will :mad::)

 

Get many road jams that don't involve combine harvesters down in sleepy East Devon mate? ;)

[Paul6754]

Generally speaking, drivers in England are much more courteous than here. I mentioned what we call a "zipper merge", I didn't say anyone actually practices it. I tell a lie, they do coming out of our church.... ;)

 

I have the opposite opinion, generally drivers in Boston are more courteous but less skillful and disciplined. The driving test in Massachusetts is a joke. Traffic moves slower in the US than the UK, there's less overtaking, lane discipline in the US is non existent and the number of drivers who drive with their wheels on the double yellow line marking the middle of the road is ridiculously dangerous. On the highway too many drivers sit in the middle lane with cruise control set at 65mph leading to over and under taking. Very few people know how to negotiate a roundabout (rotary) properly in the US, at times it's utterly comical but dangerous and a driver needs eyes in the proverbial back of the head to avoid trouble. I could go on.....

[Trampilot]

I read a report recently (the op's link may have been inspired by it) stating that the politeness of drivers causes congestion by merging too soon. By driving right up to the point of forced merge (roadworks or whatever) and then merging in turn this helps keep traffic moving.

 

As for "zipper" - New Zealand have the same rules - they even have signs showing a zipper icon to help you!

 

I've been trying out the driving right up to the point of merge and so far everything has been fine. I'm not speeding anywhere and I'm not forcing myself into the other lane. Now whether this is true if everyone does it will be interesting to find out.

 

THIS isn't the full report I read but it gives you the essence.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

I've seen the same thing recommended in various articles..leave it 'til the last minute before merging with the open lane to make use of all the road available; that's what I tend to do

[Samwelo]

Well, about a year ago it was a road that started as one lane with everyone in line then went to 2 for a stretch, hen quickly back to one due to road works. The cars had already merged, apart from selfish people who would nip out as though turning right half way only to force their way literally back in at the end. So yes, I'm for real. They are the selfish ones whilst a everyone else keeps to their already merged positions. They were the ones who were causing possible accidents by going In the lane as though turning right and then forcing their way back.

 

This situation may or may not be unique I can't tell form what you have said. However I see this every day driving to Keele, there's two lanes going up the hill, and people straddle both so as not to be overtaken, or try to stop people from zippering in then beep and flash and get angry even though it's the correct way to stop the traffic from backing up too far.

[Paul6754]

If I'm not mistaken Lane Discipline 134 says "You should follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed" which I interpret as move over when you see a sign telling you to move over and it's safe to do so, which is what I do. It does not say drive up to the obstruction/where the lanes merge and then merge in. Traffic density must play a part, it's easy to do the former in light traffic but not so easy when there is much traffic.