Slow highway merging

[ClutchDisc]

So lately whenever I'm getting on the highway and someone else is getting on in front of me, they will be going really slow. This usually forces me to get over two lanes and floor it to avoid getting hit by the traffic behind me. I like to be going 65 - 70 mph by the time I get to the bottom of the ramp, so I can merge safely and smoothly. The worst I've had yet was a guy that got on at 35 mph!

Is anyone else noticing this? Why do people get on the highway so slowly?

[six]

It's because they are idiots.

That isn't even the worst. The worst I've seen, I was behind this person that STOPPED before merging onto the freeway. I was so mad. That's an accident waiting to happen every time that person enters a freeway.

[theholycow]

The ramp that I use in the morning has this problem all the time.

It's straight, not curved; it's downhill into a valley most of the way and then slightly uphill onto the highway (also slightly uphill). There is great visibility. There is every reason to enter the highway at the 65mph speed limit.

My car is not very powerful. It behooves me to reach 65 before the uphill portion. Most people do 30-45 until almost at the end of the merge lane, then unleash all the horsies contained in a modern vehicle's engine bay at once, leaving me with a tractor trailer coming up behind me fast.

Edit: Removed unnecessary tangent rant.

[tankinbeans]

All the time, it makes my blood boil. Merging is something that nobody seems to be able to do and I've gotten dirty looks for reaching the freeway at speed. Also, shooting over to the left lane isn't possible because of the left lane bandits, making the Serenity prayer a good idea.

I wish people would learn how to idle along on the freeway instead of feeling the need to fill the gaps and then stop short. If everybody idled along I'm pretty sure we'd all get where we were going faster.

On a slightly related note: people need to figure out how to merge when lanes are closed for construction.

EDIT: changed slightly to make my post less choppy to read.

[daleadbull]

You know what's even worse?

People who fly down the ramp and stop at the end (or slow down dramatically) before merging. I mean why? You should be using your peripheral vision! This pisses me off especially in a manual since I have to downshift or come to complete stop.

[AHTOXA]

A good merger is one that can merge without affecting the traffic around him, whether by making them slow down or speed up.

I'm usually going faster than freeway traffic by the time I'm nearing the end of a ramp. Texas ramps are like launch pads, compared to some narrow, tight and short turning ramps I've seen in Chicago - i.e. eastbound ramp from Touhy onto I94. That one's always been tough.

[theholycow]

A good merger is one that can merge without affecting the traffic around him, whether by making them slow down or speed up.

+1

Find a gap before you enter, and aim for it.

[tankinbeans]

A good merger is one that can merge without affecting the traffic around him, whether by making them slow down or speed up.

+1

Find a gap before you enter, and aim for it.

That's what I always try for. Usually it works, but then I'll run into to a left lane bandit who realizes he needs the next exit and he'll swing in just as I'm trying to move over. I tell you, if I had an old Suburban I'd maintain my course and take them out.

[AHTOXA]

These topics make me mad even sitting at work reading this stuff. The stupidity of drivers out there is overwhelming.


Don't even get me started on people messing with their phone while driving. I got mad yesterday morning on the way to work because an idiot was swerving into my lane. Got next to them and what do I see? Eyes glued to the phone in their hand. I hammered the horn and made a hand phone signal (like aloha horns with thumb to my ear) gesturing to put the phone down.

[ClutchFork]

Hate it when you are cruising along in the right lane and there are no vehicles for 300 or more feet in front and behind you and some Bozo comes down the ramp and is headed exactly for the same space that you occupy!

Years ago my wife was in the right lane and a lady stopped at the bottom of the ramp but in a way that she was sticking out almost into the traffic lane, it was also raining and the car in front had ABS (my wife's car did not). At the same time this lady stopped at the bottom of the ramp the traffic slowed suddenly and because the car in front apparently had ABS or whatever, maybe my tires were somewhat worn, but my wife slid a little in braking to avoid rear ending the car in front and she slid sideways and bumped the car of the lady at the bottom of the ramp. Now, who is at fault. The cops came and it happened that this lady who stopped at the bottom of the ramp was married to a Livonia cop and so the cop who came out to the scene was a Livonia cop too. And my wife got a ticket!

When I get behind a slow person on the ramp I like to hold back (providing there is nobody behind me) and let the slow poke get way down the ramp, then I have space and give it a hard run down the ramp to get up to proper speed.

Longer merge lanes would be beneficial and trucks have a problem of slow acceleration and so they need a runway so to speak.

Then there are the two lane ramps that pinch down to one lane before they enter the freeway, and there typically will be a sign indicating that the right lane has to merge into the left, so what happens? Somebody will be in the right and try to pass me at the merge point instead of merging as they are supposed to.

Then there is the oil burner (or worse, the rich running black smoker) that comes down the ramp and plants in front of you to pollute the atmosphere. If you drive a Ford, you will eat that nasty discharge even if you have the HVAC on the off position. I notice the Plymouth Voyager I recently acquired (1999) rarely if ever eats fumes like that, and my son's Chevy S10 likewise. Don't get what it is with Fords.

Of course there are the guys who come down the ramp and merge direct to the left lane in one wild sweep. And the reverse happens for off ramps of course.

[Krimsalt]

I hate this more than anything. Where I live we have a nice looooooong on ramp for the purpose of accelerating to freeway speed, and yet people still cruise on the ramp at 60-70km/h and merge at that speed (often braking as they merge). I HATE IT. If you are not confident behind the wheel, you should not be driving!

[theholycow]

When I get behind a slow person on the ramp I like to hold back (providing there is nobody behind me) and let the slow poke get way down the ramp, then I have space and give it a hard run down the ramp to get up to proper speed.

+1

Slingshotting like that is useful for other purposes too, like a difficult pass.

[potownrob]

Why do people get on the highway so slowly?

too cheap/dumb to upgrade their 2.slow

[94Corolla5Speed]

A good merger is one that can merge without affecting the traffic around him, whether by making them slow down or speed up.

I'm usually going faster than freeway traffic by the time I'm nearing the end of a ramp. Texas ramps are like launch pads, compared to some narrow, tight and short turning ramps I've seen in Chicago - i.e. eastbound ramp from Touhy onto I94. That one's always been tough.

Another awful one is the Peterson/Caldwell ramp going eastbound. The long light at Cicero and the hustle to be on the right as quick as possible, coupled with the very tight decreasing radius on ramp (that has a damn stoplight right in the middle) and barely any room to merge is awful. Unless I'm alone on the ramp, the person in front of me always decides to merge at literally 25. The most I can get up to is 40-45 before I get off the turn, and that's in a Miata with fairly grippy tires. Terrible ramp.

[tankinbeans]

Why do people get on the highway so slowly?

too cheap/dumb to upgrade their 2.slow

I think if I had to drive a VW with that I'd cry.