Merging lanes - hyperthetic question

anotherbaldrick

It means if the overtaking car has made a cobblers of the manoeuvre slow down rather than get into argy bargy with him, it's what is sometimes referred to as defensive driving.

WTFH

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

It means if the overtaking car has made a cobblers of the manoeuvre slow down rather than get into argy bargy with him, it's what is sometimes referred to as defensive driving.

I totally agree with that. Unfortunately the way I read a couple of posts on the previous page it seemed the users were saying that rule 168 applies for the whole of the manoeuvre.
My mistake.:o

...but all this is getting away from the story that the OP was already ahead of the other driver and had been for some time, but chose not to consider pulling in until the last minute.

zappahey

WTFH wrote: »

I totally agree with that. Unfortunately the way I read a couple of posts on the previous page it seemed the users were saying that rule 168 applies for the whole of the manoeuvre.
My mistake.:o

Arguably it does since the car in front might have a better view and see that the overtaking car is going to make a Horlicks of it.

Sure, the overtaker isn't necessarily being bright or clever but we all make mistakes from time to time.

The misunderstanding seemed to be that you believed others were suggesting that the car in the left must always slow down, rather than "if necessary"

prowla

Following on from my earlier comment, if i were the driver of the car in the outside lane, and in front then I would have tended to casually straddle the line, so as to deter the driver in the inside lane from thinking about attempting to undertake.

That's defensive driving too...

As far as what's overtaking, etc. and when the driver on the inside has to give way, my opinion is that it's at the point that the car in the outside lane's nose is in front. Unless there are queues, in which case the Code says it's OK to pass on the left. (Or on a one-way street, where the right priority doesn't apply.)

Actually, I think that all merges 2 into 1 should be marked as merge in turn - it's perfectly reasonable.

I also think that drivers should occupy both lanes up to the point of merging, and the ones who scoot across into the left lane too far ahead and then get the 'ump when someone passes them on the right aren't the sharpest tools in the box.

Tilt

This thread made me think of this junction in Wolverhampton;

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=parkfield+road+wolverhampton&ll=52.567012,-2.123065&spn=0.018964,0.045447&hnear=Parkfield+Rd,+Wolverhampton,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.566934,-2.123174&panoid=pI3B9VKPD0adqaay8q8UXQ&cbp=12,255.65,,0,0.25

2 lanes merge into one in less than 50 yards after the traffic lights and right at the point where the entrance is to the supermarket car park is. Plus there are no advanced signs indicating that the 'dual carriageway ends'.

Bet there's a few near misses and road rage incidents there! :eek:

reeac

Richard53 wrote: »

Only on roundabouts. And when sailing.

"Starboard!!!"

Night time sailing: "If to starboard red appear, 'tis your duty to keep clear".

colino

As the overtaking driver is the one in the "wrong" lane, certainly drive defensively and be aware, but don't brake (you should never cause another road user to accelerate - either change direction or speed, because of your actions). Do you want to be behind such an awful driver for x miles in a single carriageway road where he can further demonstrate he has no road awareness or anticipation skills?

WTFH

I'd rather be behind him than ahead.

If I'm behind, I can set a big gap between us. If he's behind me, he controls the gap.

almillar

The OP wasn't performing an overtake - we're talking about a merge here - two lanes into one. If he's travelling faster than the traffic on the inside lane on the dual carraigeway, he has every right to be there. So he's not completing an overtake, he's merging. As the car in front, he merges first, but according to his story, the 'lady' behind didn't like this.
No, he shouldn't have to pull into the other lane, and I also don't like the idea of straddling the lanes as defensive driving. If the 'lady' behind saw the straddling, I bet she would be antagonised by it, the opposite effect from what you want. You should merge at the merge point. Doing anything else is just changing lane. If you really thought you were going to be hit, floor the throttle and stay out as wide as you can for as long as you can, the driver behind has to yield some time...

neilmcl

What's he doing in the outside lane unless he's overtaking, that's what the lane is for after all!