Who are you in these situations?

[PumpkinSpiceAndEverythingNice]

Not really an AIBU, just wondering who you are in this situation as we’re on a car journey and discussing it.

There’s two lanes of traffic, clearly signed that one lane is going to close off. The left lane is backed up and barely moving causing a big backup, while people fly up the right lane and force their way in at the front, thus saving themselves 15 mins of queuing, but also adding time to the people queuing by forcing their way in front.

We were in the left lane, queuing as I see proper, but also feeling the appropriate rage towards the people flying past us. The car in front of us doing a lot of head shaking and wanker signs towards the queue cutters.

When we got to the front of the queue, DH let some of the cars in. I would have written off my car trying to not let them in.

So, do you queue or would you be a right laner? And do you let them in?
YABU - take the right lane and go past the queue and save time
YANBU - queue like a civilised person but add time on your journey

Using both lanes, joining whichever side is shorter when you arrive, effectively “folds” the queue in half, meaning that there is less length of queue, keeping it away from snarling up other junctions behind the closure. If everyone takes it in turns to merge where the lane ends, with no animosity, then it moves smoothly and the right hand laners won’t gain an advantage over the left.

Given you’d be the one in the wrong by failing to merge in turn…

OP, this is the kind of thread where it's best to just graciously accept that you were wrong and to stand corrected. Any other response just makes you look like a twat.

It isn't remotely reasonable to be annoyed by people driving in line with the highway code. You know that really. It's ok to acknowledge that you got it wrong.

Sorry, you're all wrong. OP is right. It is not correct for people to fill up a turn-right lane to jump the queue of the left-hand straight ahead or turn left queue. This scenario is different from the one in which both lanes are going in the same direction, in which case merge in turn is correct.

You’re wrong on that point as well. Both insurance companies would agree to 50/50 cause. Being pig headed won’t be a defence.

No, the OP explains this lane is blocked off and not presently in use so everyone is being funnelled into one lane at the point of lane closure, so zipper merging would therefore apply in these circumstances.

If it was two open lanes one for turning left and one right, and cars were zooming to the front and cutting in after the point of separation, that’s different. But not what’s happening in OP’s description.

That’s not what she/he said. They said the right hand lane was closing. Therefore, it’s what the Highway Code says not what she (and you) think is morally correct.

You use both lanes and merge in turn like a zip! That’s the Highway Code and safest as it prevents the massive backlog.

the person doing w*nker signals is indeed the biggest one!

You are in the wrong. If everyone has to merge into the left hand lane anyway regardless of what direction someone is intending to go you all end up in the left hand lane anyway. So even if you’re turning left you can go in the right lane merge in turn into the left lane and the continue left. If everyone merges in turn it causes less queues and keeps the traffic flowing. If everyone sits in the left lane it causes a huge queue with a huge wait time

You needn’t worry, we’d all have driven past you and be on our way merging properly. You’ll be miles back getting very angry.

why post if you don’t read what people are saying?? Read the Highway Code and learn to drive!!

Op is not saying people are going in the right lane to queue jump to go left. The right lane closes so people should merge in turn. So although you start by saying OP is right if you actually read what Op said and what you’ve wrote, you think OP is wrong… which she is

Great. 🙄

You do realise it wouldn't be a 15 minute queue if everybody (quite correctly) used the closing lane to its max capacity and merged correctly?

I despair.

I'm the one using the lanes correctly. I tend to choose whichever lane is moving quicker (usually the lane that is closing further down as some people think that lane is open till that point just for fun) but either lane is fine, and merging in turn at the end is the correct way. The driver who was using hand & mouth gestures probably just doesn't like anyone going in front of him & is kicking himself for not using the other lane

It's kind of scary that, if this thread is anything to go by, 31% of drivers don't know how to approach a lane closure and merge correctly. Worse, some of them even think they are right. They walk drive among us.

If you are a competent driver and do use both lanes properly, it's worth bearing this in mind as you approach the merge.

The issue is not people who go on the lane about to close. It's how some behave when they get to the merging part. Usually by then, cars start moving, yet almost inevitably, the one spending up and so arriving at the merger faster, expect the car already engaged going forward at this point, to brake hard to let them through rather than them stopping to take their turn behind that car.

I won't break and stop to let the car trying to push in front of me. I will let the car that has indeed waited their turn like everyone else.

When people merge properly there shouldn't be a 15 min queue. They are not being cheeky, they are driving correctly.
The lane doesn't end when you see a sign telling you where it will close.... it's closed where the sign says it will close.

Im in the drive properly club

Everyone should use both lanes. People who don’t understand this drive me potty

How exciting a traffic thread…..I am ‘a right hand laner’ as I honestly don’t see the point in waiting in a queue when there is a moving lane of traffic that I can be in.

I am sure I generate enough shaking of fists anyway as I drive a large 4x4 which is sometimes deemed to be an awful thing to do by some.

You're wrong OP, it's called merge in turn. You would.be committing several offences doing as you suggested.

Did you actually pass your driving test?

Where did you learn that blocking the road was OK?

Depends if I’m in a hurry or not. Often I’m running late so I’ll be cheeky and take the outside lane. Other times I’ll queue patiently and curse those I see as trying to push in.

Nothing cheeky about it & they are not pushing in

It's not cheeky to drive correctly and merge in turn. They are not pushing in.

You do you boo! But I'll wave at you whilst we correctly drive past you in the right hand lane. #highwaycode

I'm a queue in the left hand laner, purely because sods law decrees if I went in the right and tried to merge, no fucker would let me in!

Agree with a pp that a "start merging now" sign would be good, more people wouldn't feel the need to dart straight into the left and stay there because there would be a clear directive they could merge in, and those already on the left wouldn't be so aggrieved at the mergers.