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

Scrapit

almillar wrote: »

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.

I'm not disagreeing. Stay left unless overtaking. In real terms that's stay in the left lane and when it stops you can overtake if there's space on the right.

cubegame

Tonight's idiot was someone who failed spectacularly to prevent me from merging in and then followed me in the single lane with his hand on the horn for the entire distance of the roadworks. This took some 5 minutes.....that's right, he used his horn for 5 whole minutes......

zagfles

cubegame wrote: »

Tonight's idiot was someone who failed spectacularly to prevent me from merging in and then followed me in the single lane with his hand on the horn for the entire distance of the roadworks. This took some 5 minutes.....that's right, he used his horn for 5 whole minutes......

I always take the outside lane as far as I can when it's closing and merge at the end, but never seem to wind anyone up in the way you seem to.

But I never try to force my way in or get wound up by the queuers who refuse to let cars merge in - sometimes a few cars will deliberately prevent me merging but that doesn't bother me. Someone will, and it's rarely more than 5 cars or so, and they've been in the queue far longer than me, so what's the problem?

The behaviour of the queuers means people who take the outside lane get there much quicker, so why complain about them? I'm grateful to them!

almillar

I'm not disagreeing. Stay left unless overtaking. In real terms that's stay in the left lane and when it stops you can overtake if there's space on the right.

But in a 2 lane queue, which this whole thread is about, you approach the end of it, and you join the shortest lane. That's all. The problem is that so many people join the left lane, and leave the right lane empty. 'Drive on the left' doesn't apply in this special situation.

Car_54

almillar wrote: »

But in a 2 lane queue, which this whole thread is about, you approach the end of it, and you join the shortest lane. That's all. The problem is that so many people join the left lane, and leave the right lane empty. 'Drive on the left' doesn't apply in this special situation.

It’s not a special situation. If the RH queue is shorter, then you are overtaking the LH Lane. Simples.

Scrapit

almillar wrote: »

But in a 2 lane queue, which this whole thread is about, you approach the end of it, and you join the shortest lane. That's all. The problem is that so many people join the left lane, and leave the right lane empty. 'Drive on the left' doesn't apply in this special situation.

What? Where is the "but"? Stay in the left lane. If it stops or slows move to the right and over take in that lane. You are agreeing yet in the form of an argument.

almillar

Call it overtaking if you want. The difference I'm trying to get across is that the guidance would change from:
drive on the left
to:
fill up both lanes. Join the shortest one.
And again, if everyone actually follows the second one, not much overtaking will happen, you'll be roughly, permenantly, beside one or two vehicles.


I'm sorry if I seem pedantic, and the people I'm arguing with do seem to know what to do, but going by the state of my commute every day, loads of people don't.

bonnyrigger

Zip merging from slip roads should be the norm but all too often we either get the drivers trying to get onto the main carriageway right at the start (or even over the hatch lines) - causing delays on both roads OR the alternative white van man approach of charging to the far end of the slip and only then attempting to force their way in.
I try to use 2/3 to 3/4 of the length of the slip, (start indicating about the 1/2 way point), match the speed with the main carriageway and move into the gap which will be there (because most people allow reasonable merging with no issues).
If people are constantly blocking the OP maybe they need to look at their driving style.

hareng

bonnyrigger wrote: »

Zip merging from slip roads should be the norm
I try to use 2/3 to 3/4 of the length of the slip, (start indicating about the 1/2 way point), match the speed with the main carriageway and move into the gap which will be there (because most people allow reasonable merging with no issues).
If people are constantly blocking the OP maybe they need to look at their driving style.

You indicate when theres a gap you create, its not up to other road users to alter their speed. So on your typical slip road dual carriageway or motorway if theres no gap you stop at the stop sign. Thats why you should be altering speed looking for a gap on the slip road then indicating. Had a taxi driver do exactly that this morning thought god given right to be let in at presumably 40mph in a 60mph on a long uphill dual carriageway where dozens of lane hoggers in overtaking lane, meaning couldnt get over, he should have accelerated or backed off not force his way on.

Difference is when drivers have no intention of passing in overtaking lane, filter in and slow everyone else down there after as there is no gap, those that have moved from stationary in to 2nd gear (all 12 lorries and cars) literally have to stop to create a gap all because of someone pushing his luck.
So the point is if they could have done something about it by using the overtaking lane as built, there wouldnt be a problem slowing everyone else.

Of course theres the ex dual carriageway Highways made single lane, slip road is now the slow or left lane sometimes travelling faster than lane 2, you cant get over to get off within 300 yards.

Scrapit

almillar wrote: »

Call it overtaking if you want. The difference I'm trying to get across is that the guidance would change from:
drive on the left
to:
fill up both lanes. Join the shortest one.
And again, if everyone actually follows the second one, not much overtaking will happen, you'll be roughly, permenantly, beside one or two vehicles.


I'm sorry if I seem pedantic, and the people I'm arguing with do seem to know what to do, but going by the state of my commute every day, loads of people don't.

It is overtaking. Queuing is still driving. Nothing has changed.