Merge in turn

[FrogsWormsandButterflies]

What do people actually think this means?
I’ve just had an encounter with a very angry man accusing me of “pushing in” when I used the right hand lane and merged.
What do people think the lanes are for? I phoned my friend and she said “well you did use the naughty lane”
Honestly if people merged properly there would be less traffic on those roads!

We have 2 dual carriageways where 1 merges into the other before joining motorway
very busy generally people start to merge asap zip fashion but then u always get the odd one that with race to the top of the tapering lane
more often than not they end up in the equivalent of the hard shoulder stuck

I’m not sure if that’s quite the right analogy. It only works if there are 2 queues going to one till not the other way round.

If I get to the supermarket and there’s 2 queues, then I join the shortest. If people choose to join the longest one, it’s not my fault I get out of the supermarket before them. In this case the second queue is empty because people are choosing not to use it even though they should be. And they (and probably everyone else) would get out of the queue quicker if they did.

This gives me the absolute rage. There’s one near me with big signs that quite clearly state ‘use both lanes and merge in turn’ but do people do that? No, they don’t - instead they decide to queue on the roundabout causing more congestion. Then when you zip up the free lane they glare at you like you’re the one in wrong!! Madness

But the merge point is at the end of the two lanes not 200m before the end. So that’s not merging nicely that’s contributing to congestion.

@TeenDivided you are right Jersey is much better at this, people here are far more considerate drivers generally and the looks you get for filtering out of tern could kill you stone dead!

Roundabouts cause some consternation though!

@FrogsWormsandButterflies if you are pushing in at the front, you are not merging in turn

*turn!

I did a module on road design at uni and a surprising amount of it relates to cultural aspects. Shared spaces work perfectly in netherlands but are a disaster in the UK. Merge in turn mini roundabouts work well in many places but Britain. But we cope well with big roundabouts.

@FrogsWormsandButterfliesif you are pushing in at the front, you are not merging in turn

If you are getting to the front in an empty lane you are merging in turn, not pushing in. If you are joining the other lane early you are just changing lane, not merging.

Exactly @DappledThings

If there is 2 lanes of slow moving traffic then both lanes should merge in turn at the last point. It's not cheeky and it's perfectly safe as the traffic is moving slowly and everyone (should) know to take turns.

If the road is clearer and the traffic is moving faster, and there is no queue, then you should move over sooner and not leave it till the last minute.

Common sense!!

and now having RTFT I can see that the issue is people don't know how to use a merge in turn. @FrogsWormsandButterflies you will have to make it your mission to educate them!

You could not be more wrong.

I got some twat move over to block me in the right hand lane because I was moving towards the merge point past a queue of ninnies sitting stationary like divs. Just because lots of people are wrong doesn't mean anyone else is obliged to be wrong in solidarity.

Merge like a zip explained well. I don't know why people get so cross. They are the ones causing tailbacks.

The worst is the idiots that decide because they want to sit in a mile long queue that they are going to force you to do it to by moving over and blocking the empty lane.
I have been known in the past to slot in behind them then pull up alongside so they can't get back into the original lane. Stupid I know but these idiots don't own the road and they have no right to block the empty lane.

Perhaps this is why when anyone I meet in the U.K. tells me they’ve driven at home the first thing they mention is filters.

They are far less confusing than people seem to think. Nobody has right of way, be nice and considerate and wait for your turn.

Saw that today WilkinsonM - on a patch of road that had recently been converted from one lane to two, in order to give more capacity and avoid the queue tailing back over a roundabout. Left lane full and static, right lane empty because people are idiots. Traffic lights change, some cars head towards the empty lane - and some dangerous twat in an Audi took it upon him/herself to swerve out from the left across the lane divider to block the right one; this forced the car two in front me to slam on the brakes.

Anyone posting here who thinks it's a good idea to leave a lane empty is completely wrong. As wrong as that Audi twat.

"if you are pushing in at the front, you are not merging in turn"

And it's thanks to people who should let merging cars in. But they don't because they queued, so others should do so too god knows why.

As we can see, most are lacking common sense unfortunately.

There are temporary traffic lights near me right at the top of 3 lengths of dual carriageway. I'd been in the left lane the entire way and both were nose to tail moving at a creep. The sign for the lane closure also had a merge in turn sign so I didn't panic and try to change lanes.

Pleasantly surprised to see the cars in front all merge in turn to get through the obstruction. Started moving across when it was my turn to find the shiny tank behind moving up to keep me out. The driver leaned on her horn again and again, edging up. Glanced in the mirror and it was a blonde woman red in the face and furious.

She carried on beeping even as I went straight on and she went right, so not stopping her getting anywhere. I really wanted to get out and ask what her problem was.

Everyone behind carried on merging properly.

HGV drivers are popular for doing this in Europe, including my dad!!!! I already lost track of how many times we argued over this.

Totally pinching this, hilarious 😂

It infuriates me. The rule is "merge in turn". This should happen at the point the two lanes go to one. Both lanes fill with traffic and at the very front it's one for one from each lane.

Problem is fools (like a lot on this thread) think it means merge way back and sit and tut at the people doing the right thing.

Then those who actually follow the rules are presumed to be push ins.

I think a lot of people simply don’t understand the rule, or don’t realise that merging in turn/zip-merging is perfectly ok.

Scotland tends to put these signs ahead of merge zones to remind people. I’ve not seen them as much when I’m driving in England, maybe the Highways Agency should get some more printed up?

The kiwis have this right. "Merge like a zip, enjoy a shorter trip".

Just because lots of people are wrong doesn't mean anyone else is obliged to be wrong in solidarity.
Absolutely this!