To remind people for lane closures to merge in turn???

[HeleenaHandcart]

A11 two lanes to one, huge huge queue in the left lane. As usual empty right hand lane. People trying to force their way left early 900 yards before the lane closure (planned and well sign posted roadworks).

Over 800+ yards of alternating signs reminding motorists ’use both lanes to queue’ and ‘merge in turn’ repeated.

Yet everyone still goes left and gets angry?! It’s so clear, why do people do this? One woman nearly caused an accident swerving out to block the car in front of me using the right lane. Others get angry at the merge point trying to glue to the bumper in front of them to block merging. People were shouting, blocking each other and even straddling the middle line to stop cars passing them.

I use the right lane, travel at a sensible low speed past the left queue then zipper merge. Surely if everyone did this the road would flow better without the stop start random pushing in on each other for a mile or so.

What’s with it?

Totally agree.
The one that annoys me though is often on the A2 they close all except one lane. They don't have a 'use all lanes' notice - they specifically indicate to move across now and there's a big red X across all except the inside lane. Then the motorists speeding past in the closed lanes have the temerity to try and barge into the inside lane. Sorry - no. Follow the instructions like everyone else.

People do this at every merge in turn I think. They all choose to queue in the left lane then get pissy when other people start using the right.
Someone very nearly hit my car trying to block me off from merging. Basically, people are dicks.

I find it annoying too. If nobody used the right hand lane the queue would be even longer! It doesn't even allow you down if people just do it rather than mulishly refusing.

I used to work in an office that had a stretch of road below that went from two lanes to one just under our windows. Beep beeeeep beep BEEP all day long.

So many people have no idea how to merge or even what merging is. They seem to think the person merging is cutting them up and get angry.

Yes. Is this part of the driving test? It should be.

There's one I regularly drive - driving down the outside lane and "pushing in" feels all wrong, but I'm doing what you're supposed to do. The only problem is "they" don't know that and are fuming.

Middle Lane hogging and the frustration it causes has been common knowledge for decades and yet the middle lane is full of idiots. Merging in turn will not catch on for many, many decades. People just don't get it, when it comes to driving.

I have no objection to letting people merge in and I more often than not do, but then the people behind get all narky.

I do not let the dickheads who drive at excessive speed though, there is no need when everyone else is slow moving.

It drives me mad does this. Bet all the people sat in the left lane are middle lane hoggers at 50mph on motorways as well 🙄. Only drive far left when it suits.

I'm usually ok with the merge in turn rule BUT when 1 person merges and the one behind then merges as well and the one after that so the "merge lane" is at a stand still that gets me wound up. Yes entitled twats on the 303 past Stonehenge I'm looking at you.

To add that the lorry drivers that sit in the middle of the two lanes purely to prevent people going past and merging, are also twats.

It's odd isn't it?!

I was once talking to a friend about this once, she was complaining about cars 'cutting in' by using the right lane. I said that's what you're meant to do. Her (looking annoyed) 'No it's not!' I asked why there were two lanes then and she couldn't answer.

The problem here is that everyone doesn't do the same thing. Some places have "merge in turn" signs.

But where there aren't, it's quicker to get into the left hand lane earlier and then it keeps moving. The reason it doesn't, is because people push in.

And the lorry drivers are not twats unless it says merge in turn. They are professional drivers who probably know a bit more about the roads than the average MNer and are trying to stop people making the queue longer by pushing in further up.

I think it's quicker if you get over early, but I suspect it depends on the location concerned and the volume of traffic. And eg at Stonehenge they say merge in turn (much of the problem there is idiots slowing down to look at it, not the getting into one lane se, it's because even though you are in one lane, you still can't move freely).

Great post OP and it's pathetic no one gets it.

Their behaviour is directly contributing to tailbacks and delays.

Then again, we have 4 lane motorways where most cars are in lanes 2 and 3 only no matter the driving conditions, or the Highway Code stating 'keep left unless overtaking'.

And on the tailgating thread we get someone saying "if I'm the car in front, why would anyone want to go faster than me?"

So it's not hard to see where the mentality starts from.

But they're not 'pushing in' - they're merging, because the lanes are reducing from multiple to single etc?

At what point is is deemed correct for a person to merge? Any place on the road as long as it's one car behind you?

Yes, good point. Here in Scotland the signs tend to say ‘merge in turn’ and there’s a little graphic demonstrating zip-merging. I’ve never, ever seen signs like this in England. In fact I think some road narrowing sections specifically say NOT to zip-merge.

That bit of the M4 heading into London can be particularly bad for this.

Sorry, I didn't realise that the unprofessional lorry drivers were given authority by the police to control traffic.

I always go straight up to the front, then,"push in", except it's not pushing in, it's merging the way it should be done.
If others want to sit in a queue for ages, then fair enough, but I'm not the one breaking the road rules here.

@riesenrad God yes, that bit past Stonehenge can get quite alarming can’t it? I’ve seen so many near accidents there because someone slows down for a look. I once saw a woman leaning halfway out of her window taking pics/videos with her phone. 😳

And you'll have this joy for the next year at least, OP! Such fun!

I absolutely agree with you OP!! It's amazing how many people really don't get it - as evidenced by the above "pushing in" comment. It turns adults into children on the playground.

On my way home is a roundabout, 2 lanes coming off and merge sign. This is specifically to keep traffic from backing up and blocking the roundabout and people STILL get all annoyed and try to block others using the right lane.

Good on you and agree

It's just the depressing British mentality of "you're gaining what I perceive to be an advantage, therefore I'll take it away from you"

The people sitting strangely in single file in the left lane, all had the option of moving earlier into the right, and 'zip' merging, but then again that would mean actually thinking about driving

The one that annoys me is on my way home, right lane goes straight on and right, and is usually empty.
Left lane is left only and full. Then surely they shouldn't be in the right lane and merging at the lights, way way after the sign showing which lane goes where?? No merge sign.

people are thick.

That's actually the answer to a lot of 'why do people....' questions!

It's the whole queueing mentality that's completely British. I bet it doesn't happen in other countries.

@riesenrad you are wrong, completely. It doesn't need a sign to enforce merge in turn and lorry drivers really aren't the best authority for driving.

Once traffic is going slowly the highway code says to merge in turn.