A rant about roadwork lane closures and those who "police" them!

AdrianC

unholyangel wrote: »

The first situation in those examples is how its relevant.

No, because merging in turn.

Scrapit

Keep left unless overtaking hasn't been mentioned yet. Odd.

Indout96

What I can't understand is why everyone has to merge in to the left lane, if they coned off half the left lane and half the right lane leaving the open "lane" in the centre of the two then people would have to merge correctly but in the present situation one side had to give way to the other.

almillar

Are you two forgetting HC133?

Rule 133
If you need to change lane, first use your mirrors and if necessary take a quick sideways glance to make sure you will not force another road user to change course or speed. When it is safe to do so, signal to indicate your intentions to other road users and when clear, move over.

No. I'm not talking about changing lane, I'm talking about merging. I do make the distinction, though I understand others don't. Rule 133 doesn't really cover merging in traffic, everybody has already had to change their speed/course because of the queue.

FWIW, my driving instructor said it depends on the layout/markings. If the left lane continues and the right merges into that lane (with arrows showing they should move over) then they need to give way to traffic already in that lane, as it is only their lane that is ending. If however two lanes suddenly just stop to become one, then they're both merging and those in the right lane dont need to give way to those in the left lane.

And I don't like this. When you start being told you do or don't have to give way, people think they can drive over the top of each other.

The first situation in those examples is how its relevant.

I disagree, Rule 133 doesn't seem to be specific to lane closures or merging traffic.

Keep left unless overtaking hasn't been mentioned yet. Odd.

Well, what you say is correct, but not really relevant in 2 lanes of queuing traffic. If there's an empty lane, and a full lane, both going to the same place, I take the empty one. Overtaking might happen. But if everyone follows the system, one lane will be one car shorter than the other, so everyone gets through fairly.

What I can't understand is why everyone has to merge in to the left lane, if they coned off half the left lane and half the right lane leaving the open "lane" in the centre of the two then people would have to merge correctly but in the present situation one side had to give way to the other.

I really like this idea but I think it would blow some peoples minds. Plus your idea requires more cones.

ohreally

I hate merge ins for this very reason, most road users are incapable off grasping how merge ins should operate. Much to my disgust I sometimes join the queue and stew for doing so.

Sea_Shell

Until cars are fully automated and controlled over 5G networks, rather than humans, it will be forever thus.

You have the early queuers, who won't let anyone in, as they think they're all queue jumpers.

The early queuers, who then think s*d this, and then pull out to purposely jump the queue, irking those above.

Then there's the I'm already in this (ending) lane, so I'll proceed for now, which works until they come across both those above!!

It would seem that a lot of drivers HATE to feel they are being inconvenienced for a nanosecond and their journey is THE most important thing!!!

AdrianC

Sea_Shell wrote: »

Until cars are fully automated and controlled over 5G networks...

There isn't even enough signal to send and receive SMS around here...

unholyangel

AdrianC wrote: »

No, because merging in turn.

Merging in turn might be recommended, but only at low speeds (the examples it gives is road works or traffic accidents - where one lane still exists but is temporarily unavailable) and you're still expected to give way to traffic already in the road/lane you want to join.

Rule 133
If you need to change lane, first use your mirrors and if necessary take a quick sideways glance to make sure you will not force another road user to change course or speed. When it is safe to do so, signal to indicate your intentions to other road users and when clear, move over.

So overriding duty on the car changing into the lane that continues. Again, not saying people shouldn't merge in turn. Just that it's never going to happen and that technically, it depends on whether one lane continues and one ends or whether they both merge into a new one. In the latter, there is no "changing lanes" so neither has an obligation to give way. Although obviously you'd hope they'd both be ready to!

Scrapit

almillar wrote: »

Well, what you say is correct, but not really relevant in 2 lanes of queuing traffic. If there's an empty lane, and a full lane, both going to the same place, I take the empty one. Overtaking might happen. But if everyone follows the system, one lane will be one car shorter than the other, so everyone gets through fairly.

Entirely relevant. A driver is either keeping left or overtaking if driving properly. That is regardless of which of the lanes is closed and the speed or volume of traffic. There is no fair, only driving correctly.

almillar

Entirely relevant. A driver is either keeping left or overtaking if driving properly. That is regardless of which of the lanes is closed and the speed or volume of traffic. There is no fair, only driving correctly.

I agree - under normal circumstances, drive on the left, unless you're turning right, or overtaking. But this is queuing traffic. Different situation. Use both lanes, make the queue twice as wide, and half as long.