My vent for the day...

[JackstandJohnny]

I've gotten into the habit now, with all these yahoo drivers, of not even shoulder checking at the end of my merging lane. I have the single on the entire time and at the end of my merge lane I'll be coming over and take my chances in court. If you hit me from the middle of my vehicle to the back then  you should have made room for me to merge. If I hit you from middle to back then I should have slowed down to merge.

does anyone know the actual traffic law on that one? at the end of a merge lane?  cause if you are not shoulder checking, and merging into traffic, you will be pryed out of my YJs front bumper...........  i remember it being courteous to move over a lane to make merging easier, but i do not understand how it is MY RESPONSIBILITY to ensure YOU merge safely. far as i'm concerned, if you merge into me at any time, merge lane or not, you'll be at fault cause you incorrectly, and dangerously switched lanes.......  i'd push for stunting as well as reckless driving


again, i ask one question: why is it my responsibility to ensure YOU merge safely.......... just answer that.

this has been one of those issues for me too. i hate drivers that expect me to slow down or speed up so THEY can merge.......... again, how is it my responsibility to ensure you drive safely?

[Hi Lo Silver]

That's what a merge lane is all about. It's not a yeild sign fort that lane its merge. You best check your laws on that. If people choose to change lanes prior to the end then have fun fighting an unsafe lane change charge.

The merge lanes are there for the purpose of speeding up bringing your vehicle up to the speed being done. If you're one of thoe drivers that speed up to closse the gap, have your fun day in court.

It's also the responsibilty of those merging not to all think they can merge into the lane in the same opening. Have to give enogh room so you can blend in one for one, provided the driver infront of you doesn't jam on the brakes because they've lost their nerve to blend in.

For those not familair with merging.  http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType45/Production/basichanbookmay08.pdf
Do a search in there for merging. You'll find that Alberta traffic laws are based on that and not on courtesy.

I'm not suggesting you have to slow down to allow people to merge, but you shouldn't be one of those idiots that speed up to close the gap either and not allow them in.

I've followed people in the main lane that have actually come to a complete stop to let people merge from a stop. Those people are morons as well.

[JackstandJohnny]

think we're on a similar playing field here. my main point is if you don't follow this : (taken from handbook)

This may require adjusting your
speed so that, when you reach the end of the acceleration
lane, you have a gap in the traffic, which will permit you to
enter the flow of traffic safely.

my point is, if we're at the end of that lane, I assume its your job to either speed up into the gap in front of me, or slow down to teh gap behind me.  its not my job to 'create' a gap for you by slowing or speeding up.   IF i stay constant speed tho, either choice allows you to merge successfully. if i were to slow down to let you in, and you slow down, then we all lose. (as we see on the Canyon meadows/mcleod turnoff)



if you are timing gaps at the end of the merge zone then this sure isn't a problem!!!

but if you are just cruisin' top down havin a blast, and don't bother to 'blend' into a gap, nor shoulder check, and you drive into the side of my jeep, i believe you will get hit for unsafe lane change.   cause to my knowledge when u merge into my lane, I should still have that right of way.



but just like the book says, if we all drove like that, we wouldn't have to worry bout it.



just took this off the alberta traffic sight
Entering onto highway

50   A person who is about to drive a vehicle onto an intersecting highway from another highway that is marked by a “merge” sign need not stop the vehicle before driving the vehicle onto the intersecting highway but shall take all necessary precautions and merge the vehicle safely with the traffic on the intersecting highway.

Allow merging

51   A person driving a vehicle on a highway where the highway is marked by a “merging traffic” sign near the intersection of another highway marked by a “merge” sign shall take all reasonable precautions to allow a merging vehicle to enter in safety onto the highway on which the merging is to take place.

[JackstandJohnny]

looks like a pretty grey area to me........... 

guess its who can prove what in court.   but i think my beef is when ur in a merge lane and i'm on the 'highway' we are going equal speeds. i think you should adjust to me kind of deal.

if i'm coming up on a merge and your merging, I sure hope to many people don't speed up to cut you off. as long as your not merging at 60 on a highway tho (unless big lifted jeep lol)  i don't think it'd be such a problem, not for me anyways, i'd just move over

[LifesGrand]

Here is another scenario that irks me. In a construction zone that has a lane ending and plenty of signage about it, it really bothers me when some prick goes right to the end of the lane to get into traffic as far up as possible instead of just merging in asap . More than that, I really hate when some butthead lets them in ! Make 'em wait! Maybe they will get the hint.

I just wanted to make a comment about this as this is one thing that bothers me, nothing personal.
I understand that if you were in the far left lane waiting a while for traffic & here's this lane closure causing people to merge in front of you, this can be a bit frustrating I'm sure.  There is a reason for this tho, to some it's budding, to me it's using the space of the road that's available for others behind you. Ever sit behind someone in rush hour who's not using that lane closure properly? I end up sitting for 3 or 4 red lights waiting to turn into the closing lane because no one is using the lane for traffic to flow. It's not about budding in front, it's about merging into traffic & preventing others from having to wait 2 or 3 lights because someone is waiting at the beginning of this merge lane & not allowing the flow of traffic. Don't blame me for all this construction every day..
Just so you understand the next time I bud in front... 

[fug]

if i'm coming up on a merge and your merging, I sure hope to many people don't speed up to cut you off. as long as your not merging at 60 on a highway tho (unless big lifted jeep lol) 

The "not let you" in thing is a frequent occurrence in my commute.  I've noticed its particularly bad coming off the deerfoot onto memorial headed towards downtown.  I will match speed and throw my signal on and someone invariably hammers on it to cut me off and not let me in.  Got to the point where I pretty much count on it.

Another place that is bad is when coming onto the Deerfoot from Memorial or any of the other roads to the north in the afternoon.  Traffic is usually crawling and you STILL get the guys who just don't want you in front of them.

[LifesGrand]

The "not let you" in thing is a frequent occurrence in my commute.  I've noticed its particularly bad coming off the deerfoot onto memorial headed towards downtown.  I will match speed and throw my signal on and someone invariably hammers on it to cut me off and not let me in.  Got to the point where I pretty much count on it.

Another place that is bad is when coming onto the Deerfoot from Memorial or any of the other roads to the north in the afternoon.  Traffic is usually crawling and you STILL get the guys who just don't want you in front of them.

I hear that!!!
My signal is on way in advance to let others know that I'm making my move & yes I signal before I change lanes, not one of those I'm crossing & then blink blink, to find some jerk has now sped up & I know this because I watch the flow of traffic not only in front of me but behind me. I know when it's a safe space to do so & I know  it's not because of their blind spot that they didn't see me.
It's start to get to the point where you have to force yourself in once someone is arrogant about it.

[dunl]

Which is why my brother-in-law in Toronto states to me that while driving there you should NEVER put on your signal for a lane change.  It's just not safe to do so, as 98% of the time it is taken as a sign that they are able to speed up and cut you off.

[JackstandJohnny]

umm wow. ok. i don't speed up to cut people off, ESPECIALLY if you are up to speed.  i didnt' know that many people would actually speed up to cut someone off trying to merge. never done it.  like i said, i will stay constant with speed so you can merge safely, and if your in front, yes i'll let you in.   even 'butt-ers'

there is just one merge lane close to where i live where you both come off the line and you know the lane ends, its kind of like, either beat me off the line, or blend in behind me... don't go neck and neck with me the whole way, cause eventually i'll have to let you in, or run you off the road.... happens often on my way to work, so when i thought of merging jumped into my head

[Vinman]

You know, if Calgary got rid of the IDIOTS that design the current intersections and hired people that actually knew a thing or two about proper intersection construction that allows easy merging/exiting the roads would be a lot safer and run more efficiently.

I mean, come on, Deerfoot and 16th ave? Deerfoot and Memorial? Deerfoot and 32nd ave? There is absolutely no reason for the congestion at any of those intersections. There is also NO reason to have a single set of traffic lights at ANY Deerfoot intersection.
I couldn't design those messes if I was drunk.

Ever been on a true cloverleaf intersection? There is only ONE true cloverleaf intersection in Calgary and it happens where two of the BUSIEST roads in Calgary meet yet it is very seldom backed up.

Does anybody know the intersection I'm refering to?

Vince

[JackstandJohnny]

k, i'll ask. where is it?

[esi]

Here is another scenario that irks me. In a construction zone that has a lane ending and plenty of signage about it, it really bothers me when some prick goes right to the end of the lane to get into traffic as far up as possible instead of just merging in asap . More than that, I really hate when some butthead lets them in ! Make 'em wait! Maybe they will get the hint.

I  haven't been driving my truck much lately, but with it having a 6" kit and 35s is good sized, so if a lane is closed ahead and everyone is merging nicely I'll usually ride in the middle of both lanes so that the ignorant jack azzes that think all the other people lined up get through the bottleneck have less important places to get than they do can't get past. Most often I can see others in the rear view starting to do the same thing as well.

[mrjeep4]

Ever been on a true cloverleaf intersection? There is only ONE true cloverleaf intersection in Calgary and it happens where two of the BUSIEST roads in Calgary meet yet it is very seldom backed up.

Glenmore amd Deerfoot ? 

[WhiteOut]

I think you're right Eric.

If I am travelling the speed limit in the far right lane next to a merge lane, I will NOT slow down or speed up for you to merge.  You should be up to speed and driving to merge safely.  I think if you merge into me, I wont be held at fault.  This is a huge problem coming off of Anderson coming onto Mcleod, people in the far right lane try to merge into the left as the offramp turns, why do people think its ok to merge in the middle of a turn?

[Rubi03 jef]

there are to many drivers out there that dont know how to merge properly .. as you enter another road or highway you must enter at the same speed as the other cars/trucks are moving.. DO NOT STOP ON THE MERGE LANE because you are retared .. step on the skinny peddle and match the speed of the others and join the trafic

i cant count how many people i have fallowed on a merge lane that hesitate and stop and i just pass right by them .. it pisses me off and i wish i had a H2 to just slam into them with (notice how i would just love to scrap one of those peices of S%$T)

there are way tomany drivers out there that should of never gotten there licenses ..  and dont get me started about when theres like 2cm of snow on the ground ..
there is no reason for 300 plus accidents in this small city because of 2cm of snow ..
guess what winter tires were made for a reason TO DRIVE IN THE WINTER    ... thats right even with so little snow the roads are cold and hard summer tires do no get traction when they are frozen pukes ...