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.

This is exactly what causes traffic jams. It's so frustrating.

I don't understand how the voting is 50/50 because you're totally right but I guess it's all the numpties who sit in the left lane voting?!

I think the right thing to do is for everyone to queue in both lanes and then take it in turns to go, I think it’s called a zipper or something. That would be the most fair and efficient use of space.

however, I find it excruciatingly embarrassing to zip up and then nip in. So even though I know I’m making the more inefficient choice, I queue up. I do however gladly let people in front of me who do have the sense to over take us silly people queuing up 😆

Nope, in queueing traffic you should use all available lanes.

Be nice if the number of cars in the lanes were 50/50... 😁

That relies on everyone doing the same speed though - as soon as you have idiots flying up the outside lane at 60 then slamming on their breaks and trying to force their way in at the very last possible second when the speed limit reduced to 30 or 40 way back then it just creates jams further back. If everyone was doing the same speed (or thereabouts) and merged in turn gradually then it would work so much better.

No it doesn't but arseholes who basically jump to the front of the queue piss everyone, me included, off. Just because they start to move over quicker than they need to doesn't mean they queue longer, except when they have to leave a space (or someone else does) to let a CFer in, so they do queue longer.

Brakes

From the AA
"What do you do in the situation where road works ahead are closing one lane? Most traffic moves over early to queue in the lane that continues past the roadworks but do you:
Join the queue yourself, even moving closer to the back bumper of the vehicle in front as you reach the roadworks to block any 'queue jumpers' who've had the gall to use the emptier lane
Stay in the closed off lane as late as you can in the hope that other vehicles will let you 'merge in turn' at the point where two lanes become one
Or maybe you're the self-appointed traffic police, sitting astride the white lane given vehicles behind no option but to queue behind you?
Busy city centre dual carriageway junction
What does the Highway Code say?
The Highway Code could perhaps be a little clearer on the issue but it does at least give some guidance. Rule 134 of the Highway Code says: "In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily. Merging in turn is recommended but only if safe and appropriate when vehicles are travelling at a very low speed, e.g. when approaching road works or a road traffic incident. It is not recommended at high speed."
So what you should do depends on the circumstances, in particular how fast the traffic's moving. What would certainly help is the use of more ‘Merge in Turn’ signs.
Slow, stop-start traffic
Where traffic is queuing and moving slowly you should use all available road space in both lanes with drivers at the front of the queues taking it in turns to 'merge in turn' or 'zip merge' as the Americans call it. This can help reduce the overall length of the queue significantly and minimises the risk of disruption at junctions further back up the road.

Faster, free flowing traffic
If on the other hand you're on a motorway or fast dual carriageway in freeflowing traffic and road signs indicate that your lane is closed up ahead then it's best, and safest to move over early when you've got time to pick a safe gap in the adjacent lane rather than wait until the last second when the line of cones gives you no choice but to move across, possibly forcing other vehicles around you to brake to make space.
The problem seems to be the British obsession with queuing. Even unprompted we'll form an orderly queue and wait patiently in line, considering anyone who doesn't to somehow be cheating.
But next time you find yourself in slow-moving traffic approaching road works or an incident that's blocking one lane, try to resist your deep-seated urge to queue early, use all available lanes and merge in turn when you reach the lane closure.
Also, do let in drivers who need to merge. The'll probably thank you for it and leave you in a slightly better mood."

TLDR
If traffic free flowing then move over fairly early. Where traffic is queuing use all available lanes and zip together

I do the same as you because otherwise everyone's journey becomes longer because of those queueing from the beginning of the sign.

But people wouldn't be able to do that if people followed the rules.

If everyone followed the zip method then there would be two queues of traffic of pretty much the same length going the same speed with the cars at the top of the queues merging in turn.

People following the highway code are not CFs 🙄

Ok I get it makes the queue shorter (which if there’s a roundabout, etc further back is good) but it doesn’t make the queue quicker? So on a motorway with no roundabout or junction affected what’s the benefit? You still have x number of cars to fit through a gap.

No, there wouldn’t be an empty lane to zoom up! instead of one lane with a long queue and one empty lane for ‘idiots’, there would be two shorter queues of approximately the same length in both lanes, with cars from each taking it in turns where it merges.

Honestly, of all the things I like about mumsnet, a good thread where there is a clear right and wrong answer but only like 70% of people know the answer so the other 30% argue until they’re blue in the face, it’s the absolute best thing

Bravo, I am really enjoying it

Honestly threads like this make me think people should have to sit their driving theory test on a regular basis. That way people wouldn't forget as much of it and they would have to keep up to date with rule changes (not relevant to this thread but in general also can be an issue)

😂

Maybe if both lanes of traffic were moving with a gap between each car it would work so nobody needs to brake. But that doesn’t happen, it’s stationary in the open lane (due to cars merging at the last minute/due to no gaps being left depending on the pov)

Maybe the signs should be changed so they don’t indicate which lane will be closed - there’s instead a generic sign indicating that the lanes will merge 800 yards ahead, for example.

I keep close the vehicle in front, & don't let wankers like you push in .

I live near to a very fast and busy A- road which frequently switches between three or four lanes and two. On one particular stretch, there are signs alerting drivers to the loss of a lane in 800 yards and 200 yards respectively.
Most people respond to the first, those that don't, tend to panic and accelerate toward the later sign. Zippering doesn't work terribly well when closely bunched cars in a continuing lane are travelling at 70mph and those cutting in are doing 90mph.
There have been many accidents, some fatal and I will continue straddling the line from 300 yards out to protect the rocketship pilots from themselves.

You have entry sliproads. People having to queue to get into the motorway because the traffic is tailing back so far. The slip road queue affects those trying to drive on the roads leading up to it.

Also holds up people trying to reach the exit slip road from the motorway. They have to sit and wait ages because the queue is so far back.

Just follow the damn highway code!

Just to be clear when you say straddle the lane do you mean you are driving in both lanes over the central line?

Why?

I’m not talking about an empty lane (as my pp says) - I’m talking about lanes where people are merging in turn appropriately as the distances count down at roughly the same speed. I’ve been driving for 34 years and have seen plenty of early mergers and plenty of drivers who haven’t grasped the fact that barrelling up past the ‘slower’ 30 or 40 mile an hour drivers then braking at the lane closed point to try and get in just means the ones who would sailed through at 30 now have to stop to let the racing car in. The post from @NannyGythaOgg explains it well.