Rules Of The Road

Yeah, all BS'ing aside, that was very a-holish. It's people like him that give the rest of us a bad name.

Personally, I don't like lane-splitting unless traffic is at a DEAD or almost DEAD stop. I'm talking like, moving slow enough such that the speedo doesn't even register, it's usually way too risky.

Last time I lane split, was on the way to Epcot center in Orlando. Route 4, a tight two laned highway, had come to grinding hault because of a car fire a good 20 miles up ahead. Actually, I didn't even lane split, but rather creeped along the little sliver of breakdown lane at 10-15mph at MOST in short bursts between off ramps.

 

True, true... I admit, it was late and I was just typing out of my arse... I guess what I'm really trying to say is, for optimal driving, there's usually a mix. There's a time to be aggressive, a time to be defensive, all depends on the situation. You just can't blanket everything under "defensive" I guess is all I'm saying...

 

Around here we have "Yield" signs some places and "Merge" signs some places.

If you have a "Yield" sign, the other guy has the right of way, period.

If the signage says "Merging Traffic" or "Merge Left" or some variant, then both sides have a responsibility, and the 'zipper merge' is generally the accepted approach.

If there is no sign, then yield is assumed, just as if you were pulling out of a driveway onto a road.

 

I think the word "agressive" in this thread should be replaced with "assertive" or "offensive". No one is ever taught agressive driving and it is, in fact, against the law.

When asked "what is wrong with lane splitting"...I find this question a little disturbing if there is a law where, in whatever state, which prohibits this kind of action.

If you refuse to obey the law, you just take that chance....a chance to get a citation (raising insurance rates) or worse case scenario - cause injury/death, or damage to property. This, in my opinion, is a recipe for disaster. That chance is not worth it for my family and myself. And all that to get somewhere a few minutes earlier? The best solution for this is to plan ahead and use better time management skills.

 

Now, Squid, I know this is just your crotch rocket bravado talking here. At least I hope so, because you come off sounding like one of the way too many idiots. When I went to motorcycle school, we were taught stuff like being 'dead right' and 'right of weight'. 80% aggressive might work on the racetrack, real or simulated, but it's no way to drive.

 

I am, admittedly, a very slow driver. By slow, I mean I try to drive exactly at the posted speed limit. On the highway I usually put the car in cruise control and stay in the right lane. It would appear that I am a careful, law abiding vehicle operator but, as you point out, this is not necessarily the case. Frequently, 18 wheelers fly past me throwing up pebbles, gravel, salt, etc. Just this morning on my way into work a truck threw up a large pebble hitting my windshield and causing a noticeable chip in the glass. Driving at the speed limit may be hazardous to your health, and to the health of your Prius!

 

Well, I have to say that I agree with squid on many of these points. There are simply way too many idiots out there. Now I have no problem with defensive driving, and when I have my kids in the car (so yes, I have kids!) I drive very defensively. However, if I am by myself, I don't. Problem is that most drivers try to take advantage of defensive drivers, becuase it lets them be one or two car lengths closer to their destination. Stupid, but that's the way it is.

For example (and these are solo examples, no kids), in very congested traffic, how many times do you just sit there with a blinker on, waiting to merge or turn. People sit there and creep up on the next cars bumper, within inches, simply to prevent you from entering. Why? So they can get home 5 seconds earlier? My other car is a brute of an SUV. Huge front bumper made of 1.5" strong tube steel, mounted to the frame. I use it to nose my way in when people sit there and purposefully keep me out. Funny thing is that these people will never look you in the eye either. As each car goes by you look at the driver, hoping to catch their eye so you can gesture that you'd like to merge. If you do happen to catch their eye they often let you. Too embarassed to not at that point. But those people who inch up to close you out... They grab the wheel tightly and resolutely stare straight ahead so they don't have to look at you. So I stick my nose out inch by inch. The next car may have to swerve a bit to avoid the bumper, but then I scoot out a little more and the next car has to let me in. Am I any more of a jerk than the people intentionally blocking me? I don't think so.

Next, the road leading to my house narrows form two lanes to one. Normally, people do follow the "zipper" and alternate in merging to the single lane. I usually end up in the right lane, and need to merge to the left. I place myself so that I am in the right lane so that I am behind the driver in the left lane, so when the road narrows, I just ease over with minimal fuss. However, every now and then you get some jerk who decides that even though I am already set up to merge, they will pull up right behind the peron in the left lane, preventing me from merging. Why? Once again, this makes no sense other than the stupid perception that being one car length ahead somehow expedites their trip to some great degree. So, if I am by myself, what do I do. Once again I use the massive bulk of my SUV to merge anyway. So now once again I ask who is the bigger jerk? And once again I say the other person is. If I had simply driven defensively, I would have to slow down, potentially slam on the brakes depending on just how many jerks are in the line, in order to eventually merge. If my kids are int he car I often end up doing this as their dafety is more important. But by myself, I keep merging as though the jerk is not there. I have yet to hit someone, as the jerks value their cars more than the "pole position" spot they were aiming for. Also, I fell it sends them the message that their stupid behaviour doesn't always work. Does it make a difference, probably not. But if I can reach just one person, then my job is done.

Squid is right, often times "You control traffic around you by your driving style, NOT the other way around." I'm not advocating breaking any laws, simply taking control of you driving situation and not letting other dictate how you drive. Also, as someone said, this is not offensive driving or aggressive driving, but rather assertive driving. Nothing wrong with that.

 

I teach "offensive" driving- defined as driving in a manner so as to influence others around you...kind of like assertive driving. Make sure others know your intentions. Many times, what causes problems is the old "What the heck are you doing...OH, why didn't you just let me know"

As far as the OP, in Ohio the cars on the on ramp MUST yield...there is no provision for cars on the road to "let anyone in".

Yield simply means you will let anyone in legal use of the roadway continue on w/o having to slow or steer to avoid you.

I really like this from right on red or stop signs. People who pull out from stop signs (usually turning right) and turning right on red force you to slow down because they did it too close. One of these days I'm going to do a test and write one of them a ticket for "failing to yield from stop or right on red" and see if they fight it and if a judge agrees w/ my rationale.

 

So if drivers entering must yield so much they don't make a highway car slow ever, how do any cars ever get on the highway. Or trucks? Around here cars on ramps always require me to make adjustments if I drive in the right lane, and when I enter I slow them down too, since they are usually going 20 mph over the limit and I go at the speed limit.

In the case of traffic jams around here we alternate, highway ramp or no. By your rules the ramp traffic can never move at all in that situation.

As for the red light right turn stuff, here you could hand out all the tickets you wanted without testing the yield part. Cars here don't ever stop at the light before turning.

 

Your reply indicates you are tied up in "theory" and not practicality. Millions of cars merge everyday. How often is there "never" any room to get in and MOST drivers are courteous.

 

(dang loooooooooooong story!!!! especially for being like 6 years ago =P haha, u should debrief sooner)

anyway, that's california law. if u can't merge onto the freeway, then stop and wait. even if the ppl on the freeway aren't letting u in, if there's an accident--it's the person who's merging on's fault.