Should I Move Over For Merging Traffic???

Lane changes for merging traffic are a courtesy, but honestly when you are talking about a line of cars coming on I can't see why you wouldn't want to move over because odds are if you don't you are going to have to brake anyway.

 

I have to agree with Marcie. I'll move over if I have to and if I can do it safely. I'll take my foot off the gas pedal if I have to. I'll be ready to use my brakes if I have to. I'll do anything to avoid a collision or a situation, even when I've got the right of way. I don't fuss about it. If things get screwed up, I won't have participated in screwing things up. If someone is on the ramp and they're ahead of me, I let 'em get on, I could not care less.

I saw this on the back of a trailer once: A professional driver is one who stays out of trouble and helps his fellow drivers to do the same. I wrote it down. I took it seriously when I drove big trucks. I take it seriously in my personal vehicles. Keeps me out of trouble.

 

I dont mind moving over to let a line of cars in...but when they hang out in my blind spot and dont let me move back over, I get irritated. If there is too much traffic to my left that does not let me move over, I dont worry about it. I just keep truckin in my lane.

 

i will move over if i can do it safely for merging cars--always for trucks--cause you can predict their actions to a point--but cars--its kinda a crap shoot--i am putting along at my max of 65 --some cars are merging at 35--some at 75--always gotta keep your eyes peeled
but i really hate the get ons with no merge lane--

 

This is a good subject and I'm glad to see it again. There's two parts to this and I'll describe both. First will be the legal part.

If you're driving in the right lane it's your responsibility to maintain your speed and keep somewhat of a proper distance from the vehicle in front of you. You can not speed up or slow down to let someone merge over onto the highway. It's their job to adjust the speed so they fit into traffic. That's the liable part. For example if you were to slow down and let a truck in and a car slamed into someone around you they could go to court and say you caused the accident. (I've seen it happen in our company). If you maintain your speed and a car decides not to look until the last moment then crashes into a barrier because they didn't adjust then they didn't follow the law.

Now here's the common sense part. Remembering the first part you can use some common sense to allow traffic to flow onto the highway by adjusting you speed and NOT putting anyone into danger. All my last many years was city driving and watching the merging traffic is part of the Smith System. If you see the driver not looking and doing anything but merging you know there's going to be a problem right at the last moment. While that driver is not looking around you are. So you make adjustments to avoid the accident. Believe it or not there's still some drivers that will go to the end of the ramp and stop. Those drivers are best to pass by. Again your in damage control now and your main objective is to safetly continue your trip.

The point is you don't want to put yourself into liability and you want to be courteous at the same time. I was hauling gasoline. Most people would back off but I had a few that wanted to run into me. Even some trucks had no idea how to merge onto the highway. You have to watch the other guy and protect yourself at the same time.