When there are traffic jams, why do people think it's ok to push in? Who has right of way?

 

I don't mind letting a car in, but when people start pushing it really cheeses me off. I was in the left lane this morning, and a van nearly scraped me cos he wanted to come over. 

 

I really think they aren't used properly in this country.

Is that not what they are for.. filtering in(?!) with the laws for these in favour of those wanting to filter in (i.e you HAVE to let them in?)

with the laws for these in favour of those wanting to filter in (i.e you HAVE to let them in?)

Really?

I thought the onus was on the vehicle joining the road to do so safely (e.g. To match the speed of the vehicles in lane 1 on the motorway).

That's backed up by the Highway Code (rule 259): https://www.gov.uk/motorways-253-to-273/joining-the-motorway-259 although I'm sure other rules apply in different circumstances.

I asked question (and not make a statement) which I hoped someone would be able to confirm or correct, so thank you

Also, your link is about filtering into a motorway and I have taken from the OP this is about two lanes merging into one? (Which I still think I am correct with my original statement, but happy to be corrected)

The UK motorist has no idea how merge in turn lanes work, they sit touching bumpers and allow nothing to merge, making congestion, in Germany it is law to allow a car into the flow if there lane is ending.

 

 It should work like a teeth in a zip, as in the picture attached, this in combination with everybody spacing themselves according will keep traffic moving. in theory.

 

There is NO law about merging in turn.

 

The Highway Code Rule 134 merely says:

 

Merging in turn is recommended but only if safe and appropriate when vehicles are travelling at a very low speed, e.g. when approaching road works or a road traffic incident. It is not recommended at high speed.

 

However it is common sense to allow alternate filtering. There is nothing worse and which causes more, longer hold-ups and delays than the dreaded Road Captain who decides "I was here first, you're not coming in front of me"

Is that not what they are for.. filtering in(?!) with the laws for these in favour of those wanting to filter in (i.e you HAVE to let them in?)

 

No you don't . It's for them to filter in to lane one, not for you to let them in.  The filter lane is there for you to match the speed of the traffic and then you filter in. You must filter in without making the traffic in lane one brake.

 

I've seen cars braking in lane one to let people in causing chaos. also cars stopping at the end of the filter lane as they haven't a clue what to do.  Should be part of the Driving test.

 

The End

Manners and good behaviour, peace and goodwill to all men and women,

and even all hard neck chancers that know exactly what merge in turn means, 

should be taught from birth, like while queuing at the nursery, then on until you get to driving age.

 

Amazing how someone that never lets other drivers in or tries not to, then curse others if they get caught out and nobody will let them in.

Like when a lane closes because of a breakdown, no warning signs, just everyone in one lane must filter.

 

george 

What are we talking about? To me a "filter lane" is a dedicated lane for traffic making a turn (left or right) off a main route at a junction.

 

What everyone else seems to be talking about is either merging when the road width reduces or joining a main route at a slip road.

What are peoples opinions on drivers or force themselves over though?! I don't mind letting people in, but if they push in as if they own the road thats a different matter. If I have had to queue for 20 mins then why should you force yourself into the traffic?!

KenONeill,

or the likes of Heading North across the Forth Road Bridge and the outside lane becomes no more.

Someone in that lane gets notice by signage of the lane closing and takes early enough action, that is if any inside them allow them to do that safely,

if nobody does, they (the Driver on the outside lane) need to slow before being crushed,

then merging becomes even more difficult, 

you are doing 40 mph or less and inside you are doing the 50 mph of the limit or maybe more.

 

george

I use the zip rule james posted, one out/in then carry in, the next car behind me should let the next one out/in

KenONeill,

or the likes of Heading North across the Forth Road Bridge and the outside lane becomes no more.

Someone in that lane gets notice by signage of the lane closing and takes early enough action, that is if any inside them allow them to do that safely,

if nobody does, they (the Driver on the outside lane) need to slow before being crushed,

then merging becomes even more difficult, 

you are doing 40 mph or less and inside you are doing the 50 mph of the limit or maybe more.

 

george

Ok George, so you at least are actually talking about merging and not filtering. 

Letting people in if they indicate,

to me can be called Filtering, Merging, Zipping or just being a Courteous driver. They look, they judge space and speed,

they get on with it, all is well with the world, give and take.

I drop back a little, they get into the lane they want or need to be in.

 

Yesterday i was not, "Please be a Courteous Driver."  because 'THey' were just being the same pillocks that they often are.

 

'Never judge a book by its cover'.  My Moto which i try to live by.

other than if the Lights/Grill regularly now say BMW, AUDI, also  often, probably most often, Jaguar, & Range Rover.  

So i 'FAIL' often, very often actually..

 

george

Zipping is the way to go and I 'generally' find that traffic merging in from a slip-road where traffic is slow on the major road is well behaved.

No you don't . It's for them to filter in to lane one, not for you to let them in.  The filter lane is there for you to match the speed of the traffic and then you filter in. You must filter in without making the traffic in lane one brake.

 

I've seen cars braking in lane one to let people in causing chaos. also cars stopping at the end of the filter lane as they haven't a clue what to do.  Should be part of the Driving test.

 

The End

It is, but in general driving, observation and acting on what you've seen. If they emerge from a slip road causing a vehicle on the carriageway they are joining to take action then generally it's a serious fault and a fail.

Reverse the situation and the candidate is on the carriageway, in crawling traffic (which is the situation I believe the OP is referring to?)

and doesn't give room for a vehicle entering from the slip road to merge. Depending on the circumstances at the time, this could also be a serious fault.

There are no hard and fast rules, as such, but in the case of LANES merging, emerge in turn works well if done correctly and actually allows the traffic to keep moving rather than slowing significantly in the 'I'm not going to let you in' scenario.

It's just a shame the bloody minded can't figure that out.

There are two lanes going into one. The traffic is start stop and really slow crawling - typical rush hour. Even on the single carriage way. A lot of drivers speed down the outside then push in because they don't want to queue. That's the basics of it.

We, as drivers, should use all the road available to us and subscribe to the "zipping" / "merge in, in turn" basis which James I posted earlier.

Was in a very similar situation on Saturday evening but the other way round.

Survival of the fittest, I want to get home and to hell with the lot of you!

 

It's dog-eat-dog out there and I aim to be the biggest dog!

 

For all of you lot that yield (or give in), well that's just weak and you deserve to be at the back of the queue.

 

Just kidding.

 

Merge in turn in slow moving traffic is courteous and in my experience results in the quickest flow of moving traffic.

 

What I find strange is when the left lane is stationary nose-to-tail and the outside lane is free right up to the point of merging. You then get people who are patiently waiting getting irate at those in lane two who appear to be 'pushing in'. If both lanes were used properly and we all learnt to merge in turn then life would at least be a little simpler!

Survival of the fittest, I want to get home and to hell with the lot of you!

 

It's dog-eat-dog out there and I aim to be the biggest dog!

 

For all of you lot that yield (or give in), well that's just weak and you deserve to be at the back of the queue.

 

Just kidding.

 

 

 

That is some people's mentality though - they are all too pre-occupied and possessive about "their" space in front of them, some of them don't even look around just stare, stone faced, straight ahead. If they don't look at you, you are not there!!!!

 

There are so many vehicles in front of you, what difference does it make? If they're in a rush, let them in. If you're in a rush, get a bike.

The fact that the OP queued in the more congested left lane may have something to do with his annoyance.   Both lanes are open upto the point of merging, where the "Zip" rule as described earlier should be used. 

What annoys me most in these situations is the constant lane changing by some individuals trying to gain a cars length or two, they are the ones that hold progress up.

What about the lorries that drive across both lanes thus blocking the 'open' lane 2 as well?

Ruins the 'zipping' theory...

What about the lorries that drive across both lanes thus blocking the 'open' lane 2 as well?

Ruins the 'zipping' theory...

They are complete "dicks" and I have seen one receive a severe rollocking from the Police for doing it.

In fairness I've found the "zipping" method works best if you do it in good time. Driving up to the very last mm of a closed lane then expecting to be let in is never going to work.