I struggle often when I see people being oblivious and seemingly purposely 'closing' people out/off if especially when just sitting and waiting for traffic to resume movement. I mean, you are just sitting there… why not allow/make room for another person(s) to slip through/across the front of you? If only say 1-3 cars do you need to be so bloody minded?
Queued Traffic & leaving space for a car/cars to slip through. Do you consider/allow space?
[Deactivated] on 08/02/2016 - 20:29
Comments
Makes me wonder and wish that maybe some radio station (rms?) or the like would hang out around traffic areas and hand out Gold Class movie tickets or some such thing to the better people who do the right (conscientious) thing out there.
At least you try auro'. Good on ya!
Thanks for your contribution.There's another thread similar to this one about someone trying to exit or enter a driveway in a clogged but narrow street.
There's no law saying you have to give way in these situations but I think it helps traffic flow if you let in the car sometimes.
When there are two lines of traffic coming from different angles on two roads or two sections of a car park, I usually let one car in and hope that the car behind me lets the next person in and so on.
Right with you points'. I find myself looking back and hoping for some continuing courtesy.
Thank you for adding this chum.
I kinda follow the vibe, but always try to be the better 'man'.
I've got somewhere to be, often running late. Always looking to get forward in traffic.
But drive safe, drive smart. Make better decisions, and know the roads.
No-one else (a whole lane, even) should be at risk, because you're being a knob.
If someone's ripping-around, being a dick… I'll stall them, given the chance. Remove the gap. Mainly in the hope they'll have a chance to chill-out, blend-in with traffic.
Other than that, a gap's all yours, mate… life's too short.Excellent ethos. Don't change a thing!
I know what you mean about 'stalling' the dicks & fully admit to having done that once or twice myself.
Bit like the ones that tailgate you hard despite the fact that you can't go any faster as there are cars immediately in front of you.
Just tends to cause me to slow down which is exactly the opposite effect desired by the tailgater'.Sadly there are many road raging' weak minded and chronic ego types out there that lose control when everything doesn't go there way in traffic (life?).
Regards.
Me too. Let people in often susally simply by hanging back for a few seconds. If you snooze you lose though, I won't wait for you too long. If I'm crawling along in traffic I generally try to keep moving, not race up and stop repeatedly so it's no big issue to leave a gap for you. I'll even flash my lights or wave to let you now to jump in.
And if you are driving like twat, I'll definitly squeeze you out.eg If I'm in the right lane and the left is ending and you come tearing up the left and expect to get in front of me when there is a good merge gap behind, you won't get in front without scratching my old bomb, and your car too.
Just this morning I was waiting to exit a side road into a long queue of slow moving traffic. I waited for 4-5 cars and then picked a slightly bigger gap before jumping in. Had I been in the queue I would have let the car in the side street in. If there were several in the side street, I'd only let one in though to keep everyone moving.
A lot of people seem to turn into selfish maniacs as soon as they shut the door to their car - it's quite odd.
I try to follow the same rules whether I'm in my car or out of it - be nice to others and they'll generally be nice to you in return. Let someone in and they'll feel chuffed and be more likely to repay the favour when someone else needs to be let in. Give a nice wave when someone lets you in to say "thanks".
Basically, whether you're in your car or not, try to be considerate to others and just don't be a jerk. Some people seem to find that really hard for some reason.
"Give a nice wave…"
But don't wind down the window and stick your arm out waving like a crazy person, drive the car! I appreciate a wave, but if you are going to that sort of trouble to wave you aren't doing a very good job of actually driving and I'd rather you were behind me.
Always good to see the 'pay if forward' thing at play isn't it.
And that courtesy wave… gold.Amazing how many totally disregard this simple and easy level of manners.
Cheers for contributing and more importantly your driving/life attitude!
One can almost tell which cars are from where.
Drivers from my neighbourhood are courteous and always give the golden wave.
The cars who drive past our hood to the north would often race you and jump the long queue at traffic light from the inside lane. Give golden middle finger when they are supposed to give way.
Salute to the bus and truck drivers would rarely lose the cool from the idiots on the road.
After sitting in a $300+ defensive driving course, I am often courteous and leave as much space as possible to the car in the front. It is not worth to harm yourself with high blood pressure just because too many idiots are on the road in Sydney nowadays.
honestly , i try to prevent this. for the simple reason , i dont want someone to go across , have no vision , because the car in front of me and my own are blocking their vision , and them then getting into a accident, i would feel responsible.
I can appreciate your response, but all going well a little cooperation/hand gesturing for example can be really nice to see/effective.
I've very cautiously slipped through with this extra consideration from the parked driver(s) using hand gestures. At the same time I'll flick my high beams to better ensure oncoming vehicles in the further lane will notice me. Of course the worst case scenarios are getting stuck in front of considerate people or of course an accident. As you are suggesting, you can't always guarantee a safe outcome. For me personally though, I'm inclined to let others through.Regards/thanks for your comment Set'.
I often think about having C grade super powers.
One of them being knowing if the people would let you in if they were in your position, so you can know whether to let them in or not.
This would bring me more joy than it should.If someone is trying to turn and it is heavy traffic anyway I'll let them in.
If someone is being a d**k and goes down the left hand side then tries and cuts in front of me to save 2 maybe 3 minutes I'll purposely not let them in. It's hilarious to see their faces when they get stuck and you zoom past. I had someone (in a commodore with a chevvy badge) give me the finger for a solid minute for doing that (he got let in behind me) and then continued to tail gate me. I seriously considered ringing the cops. If I hit the brakes hard he would have hit me.
If additionally they are being a dick and not indicating and just push their way in I'll usually oblige for the sake of me not having an accident but give them a good blast of the horn.
Oh and if I do let someone in or pull over to the side in a narrow street and they don't wave their hand to thank me that really bugs me.
Totally agree.
Thanks kindly knick.
I let people in depending on the situation. If there's an obvious merge after the lights and there's a line at the lights, I dont let them in because its obvious they're trying to cut in line. Perhaps this is a little hypocritical to my last sentence, but OP, drivers like you is the reason why I go into the left lane and cut infront, knowing you will let me in or will have plenty of space for me to cut in.
People who go into the left lane and then expect traffic to completely stop for them is stupid and dangerous though, I don't stop for them, they can be stuck in the stupid corner for a bit longer.
Two different roads merging into one road but 2 continued lanes is different though and the above rant doesn't apply.
If there's an obvious merge after the lights and there's a line at the lights, I dont let them in because its obvious they're trying to cut in line…
For example, the intersection at Burns/Bobbin Head Road at North Turramurra, One-lane road spilt to 2 lanes before a traffic light, and then merge back to one within 50 metres after the traffic light, It is obvious merge, well signed before and after the traffic light.
Most drivers follow the long queue at the traffic light. Some from the back would take advantage at the traffic light, overtake 15 cars from the inside lane, cut in after the traffic light and expect others to give way.
Personally witnessed at least 2 car Incidents and numerous road rages on the same spot. The left lane at the traffic light was turn left only lane before and was dropped 6 months ago. Wrote to the council about the change and concern. Its reply says the design is to help with higher traffic flow. The car from inside lane is supposed to give way so council says it is safe. In reality, the car from inside lane would push in and give middle fingers for drivers who do not want to be cut in after doing the right thing and lining up on the queue.
If you are interested to poll
Council is correct, you can get way more cars across in one light change if you split them all into two lanes even briefly like your example, merging shouldn't be difficult!
That's why they build short sections of a two lane road either side of traffic lights, even when the second lane appears to go nowhere
All good, I don't entirely disagree with your point.
Cheers ;o)
Depends on whole lot of different traffic conditions, give way when its safe, and
- no when people are obviously abusing a left lane ending by first moving into the left knowingly it would end and trying to jump traffic queue.
- no when people don't merge when there is an obvious opportunity behind you only to speed up and try and over take you
- no when you purposely make me slam on the brake to let you in when you could have safely merged behind me.generally if you are going to drive like an idiot, make sure your brake lights work properly so that people aren't going rear end you and people can see you driving like a maniac, and let you through flip you a friendly bird and hope hit a pole and not hurt anyone else… so please check your lights.
I always leave a gap early when I see obstruction on one lane that would make drivers on this lane merge into mine, so people can merge early, before being stuck behind the obstruction. But when I see drivers whizz past to merge at the last second, "jumping the lane", I tend to close the gap
A well balanced view.
Thanks for your contribution kanter.
Yes to merging.
Yes to letting people in from side streets / driveways (assuming that they are awake / making their intentions clear).
A big no to making room for people to turn out across the line/s of traffic to go the opposite direction, or to turn in / around across the lines of traffic. That shit is dangerous. People can either turn into the lanes of traffic and then turn right and around at the next junction, or they can plan their journey so that they can turn left onto a nearby intersecting main road and then turn right onto the road they are attempting to cross, or they can wait until the intersection is clear.I think I get your point. A most reasonable position.
Cheers for adding your comment Ex'.
On the same topic, now that lane filtering is legal in Qld and NSW, thanks to those drivers out there that leave a gap or move to the side for motorbikes. If I can, I always give a wave or thumbs up. There are those out there that will deliberately block you, but they are rare.
I always try to leave a gap if I see a bike coming up. If you can get home and out of the traffic, more power to you! Totally jealous, but not going to slow you down.
On behalf of responsible motorcyclists, thank you, and come join us!
Back home in Europe (France) I used to ride a motorbike and was always impressed with the drivers' awareness of bikes. Most of them, as soon as they see a bike in their mirror, move to the side a bit to let the rider overtake (pass on the driver's side, otherwise it is undertaking, and undertakers will need undertakers…) safely, and the rider will pull his foot out as "the golden wave".
I don't see this happening anytime soon here, first step would be to enforce the "keep left unless overtaking" rule. Make sure that people understand the concept of "there is no shame in being slower, just let the faster ones overtake, your ego or reputation won't be affected if you get overtaken."just let the faster ones overtake, your ego or reputation won't be affected if you get overtaken
Well said. Good advice for new and older drivers alike.
I always do, and when I don't it's probably because I haven't realised someone is waiting to slip through. It's unfortunate that most drivers out there only look out for themselves and end up with no gains worth showing. Respect on roads is pretty much dead (at least in a big city like Sydney)