To say this sign does NOT mean move over now

[DappledThings]

Roadworks going on near me, a section of dual carriageway is temporarily reduced to one lane. As you join that section from a roundabout there is this sign (except with only one black arrow for the one lane staying open not two).

The second lane closes in 800 yards. At the closure point there is a standard circular blue sign with a white arrow to the left indicating the lane closes there and to merge into the left lane.

So every day I do that, merrily overtaking 50 or so cars sitting in the left lane for the entire 800 yards.

AIBU to consider that this sign means lane closing in 800 yards and merge where the arrow tells you to and not please pointlessly queue from this point leaving the lane empty for the full 800 yards.

Nobody ever looks pissed off at the merge point and I wouldn't think they had the right to be. I don't understand why everyone queues from so far back. It's so inefficient.

Just listen to what you're being told and drive properly. And stop blocking people from merging. You're the one who is wrong. What you're doing is dangerous and causes more congestion and more problems.

How about I drive the way I was taught over 10 years ago and drive to the safe standard that I passed at? I'm not listening to anyone on the internet with regards to driving, especially not here. Thanks.

You shouldn't be driving in that lane unless you are overtaking.

@SarahShorty I can guarantee you weren't taught to drive so closely to cars in front of you that no one can pull in. If you were, it wasn't by a competent driving instructor.

All a matter of opinion.
If you are tailgating the car in front solely to ensure that someone performing a legal and recommended maneuver cannot safely carry this out it is not a matter of opinion that this is bad driving.

This happens all the time when I am driving on the motorway and people ar inches from bumpers so they don't have to let you in, it has always baffled me how some drivers are so bloody clueless about the highway code.

@ludocris @calmlakes
I acknowledge your opinions. I also happen to disagree with them.

This part of MN is just awful. I'm now not avoiding it, I'm completely disregarding it's existence.

I love it when people just blatantly make things up when they've realised they're totally wrong but want to defend themselves.

No competent driving instructor taught you to merge at the 800 yard warning and block anyone else from merging in. Not one driving instructor is teaching that. I'll bet my house on it.

The right thing to do is to match speeds with the cars on your left. That way, no one overtakes or pushes in, you just quietly use all 3 lanes and merge efficiently.

I wish it was taught, because I have people behind me thinking I should overtake all the left Lane people and push in.

I think the problem is because loads of people get in quickly the closing lane is empty so it bothers our sense of unfairness when others whip past us. If both lanes had short queues that merged we would all be happier.

Just use your common sense - no point whatsoever in merging too early but as the distance starts to count down to 600, 400 and 200 then it makes sense to start moving over providing the lanes are still moving. If the traffic is still moving but very very slowly then adjust your speed and move it before the land is completely closed - don’t fly up the outside, slam on your brakes at the last minute and then try and force in because you then cause the drivers at the zip point to have to stop for you causing drivers behind to stop - which in turn causes the entry points further back to be very limited for other drivers trying to move over.

Who taught you? A local dog?

There’s something like this near me but it’s just two lanes that merge into one and in the city centre. I have to do it every day and I hate it. It’s the right lane which is closed off which is really annoying because just after it is a right turn, so most people don’t realise and go flying down the right lane to realise it just disappears.

Because it’s the city centre everyone is in a rush and absolutely nobody lets anyone merge, they keep the gaps as tight as possible. I’ve seen people who make the mistake of attempting to merge last second (I have done so) sat there for ages and I’ve seen a few minor accidents here also. The congestion gets really bad because everyone drives like dicks.

I am struggling to believe any driving instructor has told anyone to ride another car's bumper and block legal maneuvers.
Don’t be a dick, merge like a zip! loving this!

Love it! The Aussies do have a way with advertising. I remember the "Drink drive? Bloody idiot" slogan when I was there years ago

I move as soon as possible to the lane that isn't closing. I've been left stranded at a merging point more than a few times and have given up. Has anyone else noticed that it's usually the lorry drivers who let you in?

Merging in when you can is one thing

Merging in the instant you see the sign and then driving right up the arse of the car in front to stop people who are actually following the rules from merging in is quite a different story

And the judgemental thing is calling people who are following the correct rules 'chancers'

But common sense says everyone should use both lanes then merge at the merge point.

Attempting to join the queue halfway up it makes even less sense than joining the back of it as you then do have to actual cross and move over into a full lane rather than joining that lane when it becomes the only lane.

I am overtaking. About 50 cars!

This drives me mad! Using both lanes means shorter queues - when the dual carriageway on my home from work had these signs up, people were queuing in one lane only all the way back to the motorway island, causing gridlock, when there was half a mile of clear lane they could have been sitting in.

Both lanes having short queues that merge is precisely how it should be done, when done properly its a thing of beauty like car ballet

Those of us under 40 have no idea how far a yard is so we dont like to take our chances 😁 (I am joking btw before i get loads of arsey comments)

There's a hill like this near me, and I can guarantee that 75% of the time there is a big fuck off lorry every fifth car length driving at the much slower speed of the inside lane, completely blocking anyone from zipping up the hill on the outside.

Always makes me laugh when I see it

I can't get too excited about the rights or wrongs either way myself.

You're doing it the correct way, OP. Anyone who designs roads and works with road closures will tell you the same.

I don’t think it’s politeness. If everyone queued up in both lanes and merged in turn at the end the wait would be less for everyone. Many countries have signs encouraging this behaviour. For some reason this hasn’t been tried/hasn’t worked in Britain. Probably due to our ‘crabs in a bucket’ mentality more than politeness.