Why do drivers speed up and close the gap when you try and change lanes?!!

jase1

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

The reason they do it is because otherwise people steal their braking distance. Basically, they're trying to prevent the person who wants to change lanes from forcing their way in without having enough space to do so safely.

Think about it. If they have left a 2-3 second gap and you slot in the middle, now they only have a 1 second gap or so. In effect, you have forced them to either brake or move back just so that they're not tailgating you.

Essentially, when they see you about to push in, they close the gap to say 1.5 seconds (so that you dare not risk moving into something that small), in preference to you getting there first and closing it down to say 1 second.

If everyone took this attitude no-one would ever manage to file in.

I'm the reverse -- if I see someone indicating I'll make a point of letting them in -- it keeps the flow of traffic running better which is preferable for everyone.

That should be everyone's aim on motorways in particular -- keep traffic moving freely and don't obstruct.

Riccal

Mr_Thrifty wrote: »

The reason they do it is because otherwise people steal their braking distance. Basically, they're trying to prevent the person who wants to change lanes from forcing their way in without having enough space to do so safely.

Think about it. If they have left a 2-3 second gap and you slot in the middle, now they only have a 1 second gap or so. In effect, you have forced them to either brake or move back just so that they're not tailgating you.

Essentially, when they see you about to push in, they close the gap to say 1.5 seconds (so that you dare not risk moving into something that small), in preference to you getting there first and closing it down to say 1 second.

Hopefully you are just giving their justification in their own minds for dangerously blocking a perfectly justifiable manoeuvre and not agreeing with them. Although the golden rule is do not make anybody else have to accelerate or brake because of your movement that only applies to avoiding a collision or moving into a faster/slower moving lane at a different relative speed.

By the way OP, if they were going to have to brake hard to avoid the car in front, regardless of your manoeuvre, then it sounds like you may not have looked in your mirror enough as the gap you were looking to move into was already set to become too small for you.

Riccal

jase1

Riccal wrote: »

By the way OP, if they were going to have to brake hard to avoid the car in front, regardless of your manoeuvre, then it sounds like you may not have looked in your mirror enough as the gap you were looking to move into was already set to become too small for you.

Not knowing the circumstances it's hard to judge, but the OP may have felt compelled to use the whole of the piece of road he had to buffer the effect of the accelerating Mercedes.

I will always attempt to equalise my speed after I've joined the slower lane to keep the flow of traffic moving, unless the differential is too great. Not to the point where I'm having to slam on the anchor to avoid hitting that truck though.

And yes, if I've messed up and find myself in an overtaking lane 200 yards before a turnoff, I'll drive up to the next turnoff rather than doing anything risky.

Lum

I don't know the road, but is it possible that the lane you were in is free flowing but the lane for the route you wanted to take is slower moving due to congestion.

If this is the case then your actions could be perceived as trying to push past and then force your way into the queue. We all know how well British people react to that.

Note: I am not saying this was your intent, this is about perception.

Sgt_Pepper_2

oldagetraveller wrote: »

If it h

ad been the other way round he probably wouldn't have even indicated his intention. Drivers of certain marques (usually German) don't know where the indicator stalk is anyway!
However, by coincidence and to be balanced, I was driving through Birmingham about three weeks ago. Not knowing the area and in the incorrect left lane (Aston Rd?) and should have been in the r.h. lane for the sliproad onto the Expressway. Very busy and nose to tail, both lanes. I indicated right and a BMW driver in the r.h. lane actually stopped to let me in front of him. So in fact he obviously didn't think he "owned the road".

Why can't drivers sort their lanes early on the Aston expressway?


It's not like there's a shortage of signs.

Mr_Thrifty

So further down the road I brake-tested him and gave him the old British tug sign

Brake testing? AKA dangerous driving in the extreme.

My advice would be to think ahead when you need to change lanes, and not leave your manoeuvres until the last second. If it's not possible, then you just have to re-route your journey slightly. I know it's frustrating, but really there's no excuse for pushing in and causing other drivers to have to brake.

Imagine what might have happened if he had failed your brake test! You could have a broken neck from whiplash, or worse! Please, just slow it down a bit, turn the aggression down a notch, and drive safely in the future. :-)

wba31

because they are !!!!!!!s. happens too often to me in busy motorway traffic... in lane 2, lorry in front, enough gap for me to slip in, pass lorry then move back out of fleet car lane, but always some tit...

wba31

LincolnshireYokel wrote: »

because theya re !!!!s, simple as that.

I have to turn right onto my driveway, sometimes, off an intermittently busy main road. When im sat there, holding up the traffic behind me, waiting for a gap in the other lane line of traffic, most people will shuffle back or forth to make a gap for me to nip across and down my drive. The other day the car next to my nose shuffled forward to make a gap, and before i could move the stupid little tart in the car behind him, in a pink Ford Ka, moved forward and closed the gap. I bipped my horn and gesticulated about the gap, the silly cow just waved and smiled - she closed the gap quite deliberately.. Had it been a bloke i would have got out and broke his arm. Stupid, selfish little !!!!!. We had to sit there another 3 or 4 minutes, with a queue behind me, no one moving, because of her. She was about 20 years old. The manners and driving skills of some of these stupid little girl racers really do suck donkey balls.

I agree that she was stupid and selfish, but you threaten to break an arm of someone who was male who would do the same? I'm sorry, but you've now took it too far the other way.

I got off M6 north at junction 7 in rush hour friday. coming up slip road i noticed a motorbike rider weaving between cars coming up behind me, so when i got to the roundabout thing, which is a nightmare at best of times, i thought "bike" (as we're so often encouraged to) and waited for him to pass, as he looked so close in my wing mirror (and i was turning right to walsall) and i didnt want to knock him off. instead he was waiting for me (didnt flash or gesture me through) so when i moved in front just get on with, i then get mouthful of abuse for slowing down!! (yeh, how dare i think bike!) he got alongside me at the junction with the a34 and asked what i was playing at, i briefly said "making sure i didnt kill you" to which he took as an offer for a fight, and he was threatening to smash my car and face up etc etc...

needless, if someone doesnt respond as you expect them to, or as you would, violence is not needed. did i mention my wife was in the car on friday? she was shaking with fear. the guy on the bike was about 55-60, and not very scary. Im 27, 6"2 and pretty well built, but it still shook her up.

if someone narks you then fine, but just shrug them off and let them be an arrogant !!!!!!, we dont need anymore road rage on British roads...

Mr_Thrifty

wba31 wrote: »

needless, if someone doesnt respond as you expect them to, or as you would, violence is not needed. did i mention my wife was in the car on friday? she was shaking with fear. the guy on the bike was about 55-60, and not very scary. Im 27, 6"2 and pretty well built, but it still shook her up.

if someone narks you then fine, but just shrug them off and let them be an arrogant !!!!!!, we dont need anymore road rage on British roads...

i agree completely with all this, i hope your wife is OK now and please everybody lets all just be nice to each other whether it's on the roads or otherwise

LincolnshireYokel

wba31 wrote: »

I agree that she was stupid and selfish, but you threaten to break an arm of someone who was male who would do the same? I'm sorry, but you've now took it too far the other way.

Nah i stayed in the car. In actual fact if you get out the car first you'll be the one charged with S.5 Public Order, so I always stay in the car. But she really enraged me , she closed the gap deliberately and thought it was very funny and clever, and then thought shed stick two fingers up by smiling and waving, it made my blood boil it was completely unnecessary - if it had been the other way round id have made a gap for her and let her in. Like I said there some real !!!!s driving cars these days.