As someone who works with modelling traffic flows on a daily basis, I despair when I see a roadworks merge up ahead and everyone queuing on the inside lane, no-one using the outside lane, and then someone half-way straddling the lanes to stop them doing so.

 

It's not cutting in and being selfish.

 

It's using all the roadspace to maximise the capacity of the road as it approaches the merge.

 

It's COMMON SENSE!!!!  

 

I wish most drivers would understand this.

 

H

 

It's COMMON SENSE!!!!  

 

The rarest substance in the universe.....

 

(as rare as Unobtanium)

As someone who works with modelling traffic flows on a daily basis, I despair when I see a roadworks merge up ahead and everyone queuing on the inside lane, no-one using the outside lane, and then someone half-way straddling the lanes to stop them doing so.

 

It's not cutting in and being selfish.

 

It's using all the roadspace to maximise the capacity of the road as it approaches the merge.

 

It's COMMON SENSE!!!!  

 

I wish most drivers would understand this.

 

H

 

Merge in 800 yards and it's like a swerve and avoidance exercise of cars getting into the remaining open lane. Then the people who dare to actually use the road available as intended, get the morons blocking them from getting in. Now that we have exhausted the Australian thing we need to find somewhere else to get rid of these people to. ASAP! 

As someone who works with modelling traffic flows on a daily basis, I despair when I see a roadworks merge up ahead and everyone queuing on the inside lane, no-one using the outside lane, and then someone half-way straddling the lanes to stop them doing so.

 

It's not cutting in and being selfish.

 

It's using all the roadspace to maximise the capacity of the road as it approaches the merge.

 

It's COMMON SENSE!!!!  

 

I wish most drivers would understand this.

 

H

No it isn't; the capacity of a road is measured in vehicles per hour rather than vehicles per unit area. If you actually model road traffic flows you already know this. You may even know that the capacity of a road is maximised at a vehicle speed around 30mph, which is what everyone gets if you queue in the open lanes rather than driving to the closure and then forcing your way into an open lane.

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.

 

I agree, however I've seen issues from this arise too.

 

If the person merging doesn't get it quite right and ends up coming to a standstill before being able to complete the merge you tend to find that the cars following are also forced to come to stop and then also take this opportunity to attempt to merge.

 

This then extends the distance from the lane closure further and further and before you know it you have the 'inside lane full and outside lane empty' scenario as described above.

 

As always a number of cars then choose not to merge and travel down the outside lane at speed to merge closer to the lane closure and then you are back to a situation where those sitting in lane one think you are pushing in and are reluctant to let the others merge...

Edited 18 November, 201312 yr by silver1011

No it isn't; the capacity of a road is measured in vehicles per hour rather than vehicles per unit area. If you actually model road traffic flows you already know this. You may even know that the capacity of a road is maximised at a vehicle speed around 30mph, which is what everyone gets if you queue in the open lanes rather than driving to the closure and then forcing your way into an open lane.

 

Other than the vehicles per hour bit, I've never read such nonsense in all my life.....................

Lets be honest if youve queued in the line of traffic for 10minutes and then i come flying up at 40mph and try FORCE my way in at the last metre your going to be pretty annoyed, thats why most people dont get let in

Lets be honest if youve queued in the line of traffic for 10minutes and then i come flying up at 40mph and try FORCE my way in at the last metre your going to be pretty annoyed, thats why most people dont get let in

 

This is my exact point.

Other than the vehicles per hour bit, I've never read such nonsense in all my life.....................

Well, if your models don't measure traffic flow as vehicles per hour past a fixed point, and allow for packing density varying as the square of speed, then they're inadequate, or maybe you're not actually a traffic flow modeller but a traffic planner?

This is a thorny issue, especially on motorways,there is fault from all angles if the highway people got there closure signs out early enough which they rarely do,on a m way say 2miles to the blockage and stating exactly which Lane is closed, again they rarely do.These two single things would get shut of a lot of the anger in drivers as they could plan there merging early and with safety. Instead we get closure signs 800 mts not Lane specific so drivers carry on oblivious then suddenly at 200 mts a lane closure sign in there lane usually the outside lane, then it's a panic to merge as by this time most of the sensible ones are in the middle lane always a safe bet,with no gaps to get into and the subsequent frayed tempers. A LOT THE problem is the Highways Agency dipsticks. Somebody should have the brains to realise this is not 1970'when I worked on the M ways but 2013 with the massive growth in traffic, give drivers the information early enough and MOST will drive correctly.

Nail on head. 

If the Highway authorities carry on with there crap signing you know the ones they tend to put out on bank holidays and peak traffic times in .summer. The ones they put out on top of the problem,like somebody advertising they have done your driveway.Causing the aforementioned traffic chaos.The only way to beat this, is to buy the biggest oldest vehicle you can find, everybody will be courteous to you then.

Lets be honest if youve queued in the line of traffic for 10minutes and then i come flying up at 40mph and try FORCE my way in at the last metre your going to be pretty annoyed, thats why most people dont get let in

 

If we used both lanes to queue then the option to shoot down the outside and push in wouldn't exist...

If we used both lanes to queue then the option to shoot down the outside and push in wouldn't exist...

But we dont. We dont want to be the helmets who have to force our way in.

But if the "richards" in the crowded lane abided by the rules, used all the available lanes, and let people filter in properly they wouldn't have to force their way in.

But if the "richards" in the crowded lane abided by the rules, used all the available lanes, and let people filter in properly they wouldn't have to force their way in.

 

 

 The A449 has filter areas where they've cut the dual carriageways down to single lanes approaching junctions. Signs say to filter, road markings say to filter but the closer you get to these stretches of roads the more people tailgate. So frightened they are at losing out three metres of tarmac and fractions of a second that they'd rather cause accidents and confrontation. 

Have no qualms with letting traffic merge in because in the grand scheme of things my life is millisecond important. 

Edited 20 November, 201312 yr by sparks03

I have to deal with a filtering point every day. It is just beyond a set of traffic lights, so you selected your lane, left for straight on right for right, or right for filtering straight ahead.

And everyday a new **n* goes in the right Lane and rushes to push in. It drives me mad! But I won't succumb to using it because I'm sure it winds others up too.

Do the pusherinners just think I'm not filtering bemused I'm out for a leisurely rush hour drive? Na go ahead I selected the normal lane because I want to sit here for as long as possible!

Argh!

I use this one on a regular basis and because theres a right turn just after the hatched area people just drive over the hatches and filter in while in the lane for turning right

If there's a queue of traffic and you're in the priorty lane, then 2 things will happen from the filter lane:

 

- They indicate and move in

- They push in

 

For me, just let them in either way. By letting them in, it's going to add about 2 seconds to your travel and avoid any accident. Most people let 1 person in and it flows like that.

 

What I hate, is when you're waiting to turn in and you see the person in the priorty lane deliberately speed up to close the gap, thus not allowing you in. Really what's the point?

Edited 20 November, 201312 yr by Wardy-