What is it with merging traffic?

[TerryL]

TerryL. You say Oh no it doesn't! Rule is the same. Then you say What you are thinking of is the "Give way to traffic on the right emerging from side roads which is what I thought I said

the fact this mostly only happens in small towns doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen

certainly happed a few times to me

Found this

But in France, if a car comes out to your right, you need to give way to them! The car that is on your right will not even think twice and just drive straight out because THEY have right of way (= la priorité). Fortunately this mostly only happens in small towns

The thread is about traffic barging in from slip roads so that Is what I thought you were describing and replied accordingly - apologies if I misread you. I agree though that "Prioritie a droite still applies in some small towns and villages.

 

[Scotch mist]

The thread is about traffic barging in from slip roads so that Is what I thought you were describing and replied accordingly - apologies if I misread you. I agree though that "Prioritie a droite still applies in some small towns and villages.

I think your right , it was about Motorways or major road. ?

 

[Odd-no-more]

Agreed, but I've seen drivers stopped at the end of the slip with right indicator on because they didn't have a clue how to join a motorway.

Me too. The standard of driving teaching is dire. New drivers are taught to pass the test, not how to drive.

 

[Janine]

This happened to me last week!

I was in lane one. I moved over to lane two to allow traffic to merge onto the M5 but then the idiot joining the motorway thought it would be funny to match my speed so I was stuck.

I had to reduce my speed to let him get ahead of me so I could get back into lane one.

There are some dickheads around

 

[busby]

not really alien to us in the UK as thr Highway Code does instruct drivers joining a motorway to “adjust their speed to that of the traffic already on the motorway.

hopefully those instructors and learner drivers taking advantage of the changes allowing learners onto motorways will have the opportunity to learn this procedure

Trouble is,,no one reads the Highway Code or if they do they ignore it's advice.BUSBY.

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[Nirvanauk]

you are lucky not to have a problem ,I think In France the joining traffic has the right of way

Surely the joining traffic has to give way, hence the sign cedez le passage?
Please correct me if I’m wrong as I often have this discussion with the missus.

 

[The Flute]

This merging behaviour has always amazed me, there seem to be a lot of drivers who think that as they have an indicator on, then there's a magic halo around their car!! & they feel that they have a perfect right to shove in.

Yeah not good merging But not very good driving from the lorry either. Speed never alters till he hits the car. If it had been me I would have been off the throttle as I saw it trundling to the end of the slip road and certainly been on the brakes before I rammed in to the side of it . He never even lifts till hes in the side of the car

 

[jongood]

Had a woman once drive into the front corner of my truck from a slip road, when exchanging details she asked if I saw that she wanted to pull out ! I just replied with didn't she see the lines and know what they meant !
They don't even consider that you frequently can't see them

Then the other day as brother was going down M3 in a coach he couldn't pull over to lane 2 or move and the car on slip road tooted at him etc, then when it pulled out behind him it raced passed and cut in front while braking hard, lucky brother was not carrying passengers as he had to bake rather swiftly.
Police have camera footage and see what they do.
Driving is getting worse, people seem to be in too much of a rush, but that is the way this country is going at the moment.

I had a similar incident on the M54 while it was under roadworks with a 2 metre width limit on lane 2, I saw the car coming down the long sliproad off Jct 3 and was wondering whether they were going to or not so sounded the horn to let them know I was there and they seemed to hesitate so I turned the cruise back on. Next minute they accelerated and cut in front of me and then stood on the brakes. Luckily for them I was running back with empty Dolavs.

 

[TerryL]

Surely the joining traffic has to give way, hence the sign cedez le passage?
Please correct me if I’m wrong as I often have this discussion with the missus.

You see the "Cedez le passage" on approach to roundabouts, which then are the same (generally) as the UK - you give way to traffic already on the roundabout.

But there are exceptions, the most famous being the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. There joining traffic has priority - I've had some fun on there with a coach!

It's traffic joining a main road from a side road that sometimes has priority, you're warned by the crossed out yellow diamond sign. - and there are no stop bars painted on the road which I find the easiest to spot.

 

[EX51SSS]

So why don't you move over to lane two as well?
Do as others do, indicate, check nothing to side of you and begin pulling out.

Not always possible especially in heavy traffic. In essence, it's up to the vehicle joining the motorway safely. It is not up to the vehicles already on the motorway to give way, slow down, move over etc.

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[AdamH]

I think a lot of drivers suffer with some sort of Motorhome anxiety. They feel they NEED to beat the MH or else they will be stuck behind us for miles!! I personally drive up too the speed limit as best I can. I do around 8-10k miles a year in my van & often get drivers show their rage as tho I’m an inconvenience! ?
My latest worry is with all these dash cams & the possibility of prosecution for making rude gestures, I’ve decided to keep a copy of the Highway Code handy! Now I can wave that at them furiously! ...... instead of referencing to the large appendage growing out of their forehead acquired from the completion of the Audi owners driving school ?

 

[tonyidle]

didn't she see the lines

There are no Give Way markings at the end of a slip road: there's simply a single dotted line to indicate a Merge junction. An "On" sliproad will inevitably follow the "Off" sliproad you have just passed giving ample warning to either move to lane 2 or increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front. Leaving a vehicle at the end of a sliproad so that it has to attempt a merge from a standing start is as irresponsible as the driver of a vehicle forcing his/her way in.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Please remember the first rule of driving:

The other driver has switched on the engine which has switched off their brain.

 

[busby]

I think a lot of drivers suffer with some sort of Motorhome anxiety. They feel they NEED to beat the MH or else they will be stuck behind us for miles!! I personally drive up too the speed limit as best I can. I do around 8-10k miles a year in my van & often get drivers show their rage as tho I’m an inconvenience! ?
My latest worry is with all these dash cams & the possibility of prosecution for making rude gestures, I’ve decided to keep a copy of the Highway Code handy! Now I can wave that at them furiously! ...... instead of referencing to the large appendage growing out of their forehead acquired from the completion of the Audi owners driving school ?

The Police don't even know The Highway Code. Last year 3 of Derbyshires finest were leaning on SOCO van parked within the zig zag of a pelican crossing talking.I walked across and asked them if Road traffic law had been changed since I last read The Highway Code..They did not know the van was illegally parked..BUSBY.

 

[Gromett]

Agreed, but I've seen drivers stopped at the end of the slip with right indicator on because they didn't have a clue how to join a motorway.

I was forced to do that once because the twat in the first lane kept matching my speed...

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[Pausim]

I too am fed up with people who drift onto a motorway making no effort to accelerate and match the speed of the traffic. If it is a big vehicle that has difficulty accelerating sufficiently then I am happy to adjust to let them in but mostly it is cars. Having slowed you down and poodled along for half a mile they eventually wake up and shoot off at warp factor 5.

I also get annoyed when joining a motorway if the cars in front make no effort to speed up on the slip road, they just make it difficult for everybody else.

 

[EX51SSS]

There are no Give Way markings at the end of a slip road: there's simply a single dotted line to indicate a Merge junction. An "On" sliproad will inevitably follow the "Off" sliproad you have just passed giving ample warning to either move to lane 2 or increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front. Leaving a vehicle at the end of a sliproad so that it has to attempt a merge from a standing start is as irresponsible as the driver of a vehicle forcing his/her way in.

Just Google right of way on a motorway slip road

Ultimately, it is up to the vehicle joining the motorway to give way, if necessary, and filter on without causing any trouble. The Highway Code says that traffic joining the motorway should 'give priority to traffic already on the motorway' and 'adjust speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane'.15 Feb 2008

 

[tonyidle]

Just Google right of way on a motorway slip road

Ultimately, it is up to the vehicle joining the motorway to give way, if necessary, and filter on without causing any trouble. The Highway Code says that traffic joining the motorway should 'give priority to traffic already on the motorway' and 'adjust speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane'.15 Feb 2008

Of course. But as it is a merge junction traffic that has right of way should do everything possible to allow that to be successful and safe. They're called slip roads for a reason.

 

[ShaKen]

What’s also really bad is those folk who STOP in lane 1 to let people on the slip road on to the main carriageway.

I’ve seen this loads of times near Glasgow airport where there is a short slipway onto a rising stretch on a bridge.

The double whammy is when an incompetent driver joining the motorway doesn’t watch the traffic in lane 1 and then slams on their brakes to a standstill on the slipway, then incompetent driver No. 2 driving in Lane 1 decides to stop and wave the driver in the slipway out - causing mayhem on the 3 carriageways as everyone attempts to avoid the suddenly stationary traffic in a 60mph zone.

 

[Mrsambulancekidd]

I do try and pull into the 2nd lane but its not always available,

Same here and if you don't know your approaching a slip road coming onto the motorway you shouldn't be driving.....as you say though, it's not always possible to move over, but it's sweeter for everyone if you can.

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[pappajohn]

Almost, but not always, a motorway on slip is at either a flyover or service area and will usually be preceeded by an off slip so there's plenty of opportunity to move over to lane 2 for your own safety.

 

[jongood]

Almost, but not always, a motorway on slip is at either a flyover or service area and will usually be preceeded by an off slip so there's plenty of opportunity to move over to lane 2 for your own safety.

Although it still needs to be pointed out to all drivers that on entering a carriageway they should give way to oncoming traffic.

 

[EX51SSS]

Of course. But as it is a merge junction traffic that has right of way should do everything possible to allow that to be successful and safe. They're called slip roads for a reason.

Yes but the key word there is ultimately therefore the statement is correct that the traffic on the motorway has priority to traffic ATTEMPTING to join. Whilst drivers may help, they are not obliged to and if a vehicle tries to bully its way on or join in such a way to make it dangerous, then it's the adjoining vehicle that is in the wrong

 

[Pausim]

Almost, but not always, a motorway on slip is at either a flyover or service area and will usually be preceeded by an off slip so there's plenty of opportunity to move over to lane 2 for your own safety.

On the motorways I use regularly, lane 2 is usually just as crowded as lane 1 just moving at a slightly different speed. Forcing your way out and impeding that lane is just as problematic. Also many entry slips are now at the end of traffic light controlled roundabouts and junctions so the entering traffic comes in batches and sometimes I see drivers crowding an already busy lane 2 for non existent joining traffic.

There is no simple answer that suits all situations but ultimately it is the responsibility of the joining traffic which is crossing a line, to fit in with the traffic already on the motorway which is not crossing a line. There are no merge signs and so far as I can see the Highway Code does not refer to merging at this point, it uses the word joining. Obviously being polite and helpful is sensible where it can be done without inconveniencing others but if joining drivers make no attempt to match the speed of the traffic the problem is of their own making and contrary to the Highway Code.

 

[busby]

On the motorways I use regularly, lane 2 is usually just as crowded as lane 1 just moving at a slightly different speed. Forcing your way out and impeding that lane is just as problematic. Also many entry slips are now at the end of traffic light controlled roundabouts and junctions so the entering traffic comes in batches and sometimes I see drivers crowding an already busy lane 2 for non existent joining traffic.

There is no simple answer that suits all situations but ultimately it is the responsibility of the joining traffic which is crossing a line, to fit in with the traffic already on the motorway which is not crossing a line. There are no merge signs and so far as I can see the Highway Code does not refer to merging at this point, it uses the word joining. Obviously being polite and helpful is sensible where it can be done without inconveniencing others but if joining drivers make no attempt to match the speed of the traffic the problem is of their own making and contrary to the Highway Code.

Exactly and that is what happens in Spain and its much safer..BUSBY.

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[jongood]

Of course. But as it is a merge junction traffic that has right of way should do everything possible to allow that to be successful and safe. They're called slip roads for a reason.

Do you have a link for where slip roads have been reclassified as such.

 

[ambulancekidd]

Yeah not good merging But not very good driving from the lorry either. Speed never alters till he hits the car. If it had been me I would have been off the throttle as I saw it trundling to the end of the slip road and certainly been on the brakes before I rammed in to the side of it . He never even lifts till hes in the side of the car

I've watched quite a few RTC video's on YouTube & its astonishing how many drivers don't read the situation & slow down, at fault will always be the merging traffic but, I wouldn't want to have someone else's crash.

My late father in law was a devil for not giving an inch to merging traffic ahead. I always told him that I didn't want to go through the pearly gates upside down & on fire saying "ah but its ok cos I wasn't at fault"!

 

[Silver-Fox]

This merging behaviour has always amazed me, there seem to be a lot of drivers who think that as they have an indicator on, then there's a magic halo around their car!! & they feel that they have a perfect right to shove in.

What a total plank the car driver was.

I make a point of being as far away from the end of the slip I can get before accelerating to join a single or dual carriageway as fast as I can.

 

[ambulancekidd]

Lane Change Etiquette - Are you causing problems?

We can change our mind, change our job, change the clothes we wear all quite easily. We open doors for each other at the petrol station. So why can't some drivers change lanes courteously? When it...

www.complete-driver.co.uk

 

[Silver-Fox]

I remember this being used when 2 lanes of the same carriageway merged, not when joining a motorway - not that NZ has many.

We saw signs like that in NZ worked very well

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