Merge in turn

[Whereditgo]

I'm sure when I was taught to drive some 40 odd years back, that you should move in as soon as. That way you effectively have a single line that keeps moving. Rightly or wrongly, the jams only happen when people shoot down the inside of 100 cars queueing with the sole intention of pushing in. Surely that has to stop the line that should be moving. I don't know whether the "rules" have changed on merge in turn, never thought about it until this thread, but, if everyone started merging earlier, the one single line has to move quicker than it will if people wait until the last minute to effectively jump the queue.

They're not pushing in though, they are using the road as it was intended, take a section of a dual carriageway road that is reduced to a single lane with cones for roadworks. The risks to the workforce and road users will have been assessed and the place at which the traffic needs to merge into one lane decided upon and marked by the start of the cones. Failing to use both lanes and then merge causes a longer tailback of traffic which can then impact on traffic joining the affected road from the previous junction. for e.g.

There was exactly this scenario on my route into work for several months, despite there being a large temporary flashing sign saying "use both lanes then merge" every morning some clown would try to block both lanes to stop the traffic they perceived to be queue jumpers, which caused the slip road to back up, the roundabout above the main route to back up and all the feeder roads onto the roundabout to back up.

 

[Slab]

OK, what about if you want to go left at a 3 exit roundabout. Dual lanes to it, left lane for left only, right lane for straight on or right.

Is it acceptable to when the left lane is backed up, to use the right lane and do a complete lap of the roundabout and then effectively go left?

I hope so, cos that has saved me literally hours in Newbury!!

I did this in my teens at one location with same logic as you, but if I recall I read that it wasn't ok to do this... no idea what part of highway code but i'll have a look again

 

[Orikoru]

I did this in my teens at one location with same logic as you, but if I recall I read that it wasn't ok to do this... no idea what part of highway code but i'll have a look again

To be fair, you'd just claim you were in the wrong lane accidentally and you thought it safer to go round and then come off than to try and cut into the left lane. How would it be policed?

 

[Old Skier]

I'm sure when I was taught to drive some 40 odd years back, that you should move in as soon as. That way you effectively have a single line that keeps moving. Rightly or wrongly, the jams only happen when people shoot down the inside of 100 cars queueing with the sole intention of pushing in. Surely that has to stop the line that should be moving. I don't know whether the "rules" have changed on merge in turn, never thought about it until this thread, but, if everyone started merging earlier, the one single line has to move quicker than it will if people wait until the last minute to effectively jump the queue.

More “Use both lanes” signs might resolve the issue.

 

[Foxholer]

I'm sure when I was taught to drive some 40 odd years back, that you should move in as soon as. That way you effectively have a single line that keeps moving. Rightly or wrongly, the jams only happen when people shoot down the inside of 100 cars queueing with the sole intention of pushing in. Surely that has to stop the line that should be moving. ...

There was probably no 'Merge in Turn' instruction/concept back then. 'Merge in Turn' means exactly that - 1 from left lane; 1 from right lane.Lanes should move at same speed and be 'backed up' for similar distances.

...if everyone started merging earlier, the one single line has to move quicker than it will if people wait until the last minute to effectively jump the queue.

And there's both the falacy and the problem! At the bottleneck/tailback, the 'single lane' traffic can/does only move at a fixed rate irrespective of where cars got into it. If folk allow merging 'too early', not only does that slow the flow of the 'single' lane down, but others in the 'about to end' lane simply continue further along that lane to merge. The 'fair' solution is to not merge until only the (1) merging vehicle can merge (aka 'merge in turn') and only let 1 vehicle in. That way, the queues travel at the same speed. Unfortunately, that's not how the 'psychology' of queue-ing traffic works!! Oh and it gets 'more interesting' when more lanes are involved!

 

[need_my_wedge]

Like I said, I didn't really have a concept of "merge in turn" until this thread, but to be honest, I usually let one car in at the funnel point and always have done. In future, guess I'll just drive to the funnel and merge

 

[Imurg]

OK, what about if you want to go left at a 3 exit roundabout. Dual lanes to it, left lane for left only, right lane for straight on or right.

Is it acceptable to when the left lane is backed up, to use the right lane and do a complete lap of the roundabout and then effectively go left?

I hope so, cos that has saved me literally hours in Newbury!!

Technically you're not breaking the rules.......non-technically most people will think you're a knob..

 

[Foxholer]

Technically you're not breaking the rules.......non-technically most people will think you're a knob..

Or someone with 'local knowledge'!

 

[Rooter]

Technically you're not breaking the rules.......non-technically most people will think you're a knob..

fair cop

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Technically you're not breaking the rules.......non-technically most people will think you're a knob..

In truth I doubt that many, if any, in the LH queue will spot that he passed them; went round the roundabout, then took the left turn exit. That aside, the queue they are in only goes as fast as those in front going straight on, and doing what is suggested doesn’t delay or extend that in any way. In fact it lessens the time spent queuing for those following him compared with that with him sitting in the LH queue in front of them.??

 

[larmen]

And there's both the falacy and the problem! At the bottleneck/tailback, the 'single lane' traffic can/does only move at a fixed rate irrespective of where cars got into it. If folk allow merging 'too early', not only does that slow the flow of the 'single' lane down, but others in the 'about to end' lane simply continue further along that lane to merge. The 'fair' solution is to not merge until only the (1) merging vehicle can merge (aka 'merge in turn') and only let 1 vehicle in. That way, the queues travel at the same speed.

I like to add that when everyone merges at the same, right spot, the merging will be much smoother than when you have people trying to guess where and when people merges and also actively trying to stop people from merging.

 

[Whereditgo]

In truth I doubt that many, if any, in the LH queue will spot that he passed them; went round the roundabout, then took the left turn exit. That aside, the queue they are in only goes as fast as those in front going straight on, and doing what is suggested doesn’t delay or extend that in any way. In fact it lessens the time spent queuing for those following him compared with that with him sitting in the LH queue in front of them.??

Except, the car going all the way round the roundabout will then have priority over those going straight on or turning left from his original direction of travel.

 

[Foxholer]

I like to add that when everyone merges at the same, right spot, the merging will be much smoother than when you have people trying to guess where and when people merges and also actively trying to stop people from merging.

I agree. But virtually every driver will have a different attitude about 'where is the right place to merge'!
There's an argument for signage stating 'Don't merge yet' and 'Merge here' placed appropriately.

 

[SocketRocket]

It can’t see how it delays anyone. The LH lane queueing traffic generally leaves the exit from the roundabout I want to use clear. I can drive up the RH lane and onto the inside lane of the roundabout (it’s a two lane roundabout). I go right round using the inside lane, and then straight off as the queueing traffic has left my exit clear. By doing this I also don’t queue in LH lane and so a driver behind me approaching the roundabout and wishing to go straight on isn’t stuck behind me.?. Fortunately I don’t have to bother doing this very often as the queue is usually pretty short or non-existent.

Problems can arise when drivers wanting to go straight on go up RH lane approaching, and then trying and push in, either at end of the queue or indeed once on the roundabout trying to get from inside lane of the roundabout into the outside lane.

Its pushing in and you know it. Why shouldn't you wait in line like others.

 

[SocketRocket]

I agree. But virtually every driver will have a different attitude about 'where is the right place to merge'!
There's an argument for signage stating 'Don't merge yet' and 'Merge here' placed appropriately.

There are often signs saying 'Get in lane' but for many they drive to the absolute maximum merge point.

 

[Foxholer]

There are often signs saying 'Get in lane' but for many they drive to the absolute maximum merge point.

But they are 'in lane'! Is there an arrow pointing to the 'required' lane?
My assertion is that drivers SHOULD drive to the max merge point, then 'merge in turn' as per signage.

 

[SocketRocket]

But they are 'in lane'! Is there an arrow pointing to the 'required' lane?
My assertion is that drivers SHOULD drive to the max merge point, then 'merge in turn' as per signage.

Yes, there are often arrows indicating you to change lane.

 

[Foxholer]

Yes, there are often arrows indicating you to change lane.

Then, if placed too far from the 'end' of the lane, THEY are the cause of any issues/frustration.

 

[SocketRocket]

Then, if placed too far from the 'end' of the lane, THEY are the cause of any issues/frustration.

Not at all, the frustration is where the arrows inform people to merge early and they ignore it.

 

[Old Skier]

Yes, there are often arrows indicating you to change lane.

Not on the 303, they clearly state “use both lanes”.