Is road rage getting worse or what?

[kendancy66]

What do you mean by "#1 lane" and "#2 lane"? I've never heard anyone use those expressions–with the exception of Brits, everyone I've ever known just says "right lane," "left lane," "second lane from the right," or the like. I've heard Brits say "inside lane" and "outside lane," although I gather they seem to use those terms in the reverse of what I would picture them as meaning (I would envision the "outside lane" as the "slow lane," the one closest to the edge of the road, and the "inside lane" as the "passing lane," the one closest to the median, the reason being in both cases that the median is "inside" the rest of the road).

must be a California thing.  #1 lane is the closest to the median (in our case, leftmost).  #2 is one to the right, etc.

there should be a VMS message to occasionally rotate in with the nannies: "#2 traffic: stay out of the #1 lane."

OK, thanks. I wasn't sure how it would work because, of course, we normally read from left to right, so numbering the lanes from left to right jibes with that, but on the other hand if you view the right lane(s) as the primary travel lane(s) it would also make sense to view the right-most lane as "#1" even if it meant "counting backwards."

It help myself to think in terms of the lane count increasing from the median or centerline and going to the right. 

One question I have about CA lane counting system is how to account for car pool lane.  I  like to call the leftmost "regular" lane the #1 lane, so I call the carpool lane the #0 lane



iPhone

[Mergingtraffic]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

[Brandon]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

[jeffandnicole]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

You do know that a Yield sign means slow down and stop if necessary, not speed up and try to get into the slimmest of gaps, right?

Speeding up and merging in is true if there's an acceleration lane.  But when there's no merge room, what you are describing is extremely dangerous.  Flying thru a yield sign like that is exactly why we see more stop signs instead of yield signs around.  In fact, even if there was no traffic nearby, one is supposed to slow at a yield sign then merge in.  Since this type condition doesn't usually exist on a high-speed roadway, it's usually not that hard to properly reduce speed, confirm no traffic is coming, and then entering the highway.

[agentsteel53]

the kind of book that spells alignment "alinement" because it is more logical.

didn't know CC Slater was writing books in the 1940s!

[jbnv]

... you know, the kind of book that spells alignment "alinement" because it is more logical.

Blame the French.

1685—95;  < French aligner,  equivalent to a- a-5  + ligner  < Latin līneāre,  derivative of līnea line1

[SSOWorld]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

You do know that a Yield sign means slow down and stop if necessary, not speed up and try to get into the slimmest of gaps, right?

Speeding up and merging in is true if there's an acceleration lane.  But when there's no merge room, what you are describing is extremely dangerous.  Flying thru a yield sign like that is exactly why we see more stop signs instead of yield signs around.  In fact, even if there was no traffic nearby, one is supposed to slow at a yield sign then merge in.  Since this type condition doesn't usually exist on a high-speed roadway, it's usually not that hard to properly reduce speed, confirm no traffic is coming, and then entering the highway.

but you do not slow down and disrupt the traffic - match speed and merge.

[jeffandnicole]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

You do know that a Yield sign means slow down and stop if necessary, not speed up and try to get into the slimmest of gaps, right?

Speeding up and merging in is true if there's an acceleration lane.  But when there's no merge room, what you are describing is extremely dangerous.  Flying thru a yield sign like that is exactly why we see more stop signs instead of yield signs around.  In fact, even if there was no traffic nearby, one is supposed to slow at a yield sign then merge in.  Since this type condition doesn't usually exist on a high-speed roadway, it's usually not that hard to properly reduce speed, confirm no traffic is coming, and then entering the highway.

but you do not slow down and disrupt the traffic - match speed and merge.

Again - that's hard to do when there's no acceleration lane and generally a curve - sometimes a sharp curve - before the yield sign. 

[corco]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

You do know that a Yield sign means slow down and stop if necessary, not speed up and try to get into the slimmest of gaps, right?

Speeding up and merging in is true if there's an acceleration lane.  But when there's no merge room, what you are describing is extremely dangerous.  Flying thru a yield sign like that is exactly why we see more stop signs instead of yield signs around.  In fact, even if there was no traffic nearby, one is supposed to slow at a yield sign then merge in.  Since this type condition doesn't usually exist on a high-speed roadway, it's usually not that hard to properly reduce speed, confirm no traffic is coming, and then entering the highway.

but you do not slow down and disrupt the traffic - match speed and merge.

There shouldn't be a yield sign posted if that's actually possible- there should only be a yield sign if a normal car can't get up to speed in time, and that's really the only place I've seen yield signs on freeways, at least in my experience.

Yield means yield.

[Pete from Boston]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

You do know that a Yield sign means slow down and stop if necessary, not speed up and try to get into the slimmest of gaps, right?

Speeding up and merging in is true if there's an acceleration lane.  But when there's no merge room, what you are describing is extremely dangerous.  Flying thru a yield sign like that is exactly why we see more stop signs instead of yield signs around.  In fact, even if there was no traffic nearby, one is supposed to slow at a yield sign then merge in.  Since this type condition doesn't usually exist on a high-speed roadway, it's usually not that hard to properly reduce speed, confirm no traffic is coming, and then entering the highway.

but you do not slow down and disrupt the traffic - match speed and merge.

These are clearly the conversations of folks with peppy automobiles, not sluggish trucks with a genuine distaste for acceleration.  We have a mile-long steep incline here on Mass. 2 that, if I merge onto at the bottom, makes for a long, slow trip up.  What amazes me is that with four generally underutilized lanes there, people still manage to hang around my bumper in the right lane and huff and puff that I'm not going fast enough.

[J N Winkler]

but you do not slow down and disrupt the traffic - match speed and merge.

There shouldn't be a yield sign posted if that's actually possible- there should only be a yield sign if a normal car can't get up to speed in time, and that's really the only place I've seen yield signs on freeways, at least in my experience.

Yield means yield.

It doesn't work that way in Kansas--every on-ramp gets a Yield sign even if the acceleration lane is adequate for a full-speed merge.  This example is fairly typical for easy merges:

I-235/25th Street northbound on-ramp, Wichita

I suspect there is some state-to-state variation on this issue, since there are basically two philosophies of using Yield signs that have held sway at various times.  One is that Yield is "strong control" and can substitute for Stop signs in all applications where a motorist can reasonably expect to have to stop to cede priority, except multi-way stops and intersections where an obligatory stop is necessary owing to restricted visibility (essentially the same basis on which Give Way is used in Britain).  The other is that Yield is "weak control" and should be used only at locations where traffic can routinely roll through at a fairly high speed (I think 15 or 20 MPH has been quoted as an indicative minimum) except when there is a need to cede priority which the driver can see in good time to stop or slow down just shy of the conflict point.

I think it was either the Millennium or 2003 edition of the MUTCD that endorsed the "weak control" interpretation of Yield.  This is the interpretation that supports Yield signs on every on-ramp even if the speed change facilities provided are more than adequate.  These Yield signs are not allowed under the "strong control" interpretation, for much the same reason Stop signs wouldn't be used at such ramps.  Some states may additionally omit on-ramp Yield signs on the basis that ceding priority to mainline traffic when merging is a rule of the road and, as such, does not require signing.

[Mergingtraffic]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

You do know that a Yield sign means slow down and stop if necessary, not speed up and try to get into the slimmest of gaps, right?

Speeding up and merging in is true if there's an acceleration lane.  But when there's no merge room, what you are describing is extremely dangerous.  Flying thru a yield sign like that is exactly why we see more stop signs instead of yield signs around.  In fact, even if there was no traffic nearby, one is supposed to slow at a yield sign then merge in.  Since this type condition doesn't usually exist on a high-speed roadway, it's usually not that hard to properly reduce speed, confirm no traffic is coming, and then entering the highway.

but you do not slow down and disrupt the traffic - match speed and merge.

That's the problem....What if there is a car there as you blow the YIELD sign at highway speed!?!  Do you slam on your brakes!?  No, instead you make the cars on the mainline slam on theirs. 

Problem is people speeding down the ramp and blowing through the YIELD sign where there are cars on the mainline.  Because you do that, it makes cars on the mainline slam on their brakes or swerve.  You on the ramp have to look out for cars on the mainline and YIELD to them if they are there.  If you hit someone the person on the ramp is usually at fault. 

[Brandon]

My issue is also YIELD, people tend to think YIELD means just go no matter what.
Case in point:  there are some highway on-ramps with no merge time.  There are YIELD signs at the end of the ramps and time and time again, I see people blow right through the yield when there is traffic on the main-line right lane.
 
In fact, It's happened to me and I've seen it happen to others, the car getting on the highway from the on-ramp just merges on without looking making the car in the right lane of the mainline slam on his breaks or swerving to the left lane to avoid being hit. 

Here's the map:

https://goo.gl/maps/S8shB

You see, there's this thing called an accelerator pedal on the car.  It moves the car forward, and the harder it is pressed, the faster the acceleration.  One should use this pedal to accelerate the car up to freeway speed prior to merging so one does not have to worry about yield signs or fitting into the freeway.

You do know that a Yield sign means slow down and stop if necessary, not speed up and try to get into the slimmest of gaps, right?

Speeding up and merging in is true if there's an acceleration lane.  But when there's no merge room, what you are describing is extremely dangerous.  Flying thru a yield sign like that is exactly why we see more stop signs instead of yield signs around.  In fact, even if there was no traffic nearby, one is supposed to slow at a yield sign then merge in.  Since this type condition doesn't usually exist on a high-speed roadway, it's usually not that hard to properly reduce speed, confirm no traffic is coming, and then entering the highway.

but you do not slow down and disrupt the traffic - match speed and merge.

That's the problem....What if there is a car there as you blow the YIELD sign at highway speed!?!  Do you slam on your brakes!?  No, instead you make the cars on the mainline slam on theirs. 

Problem is people speeding down the ramp and blowing through the YIELD sign where there are cars on the mainline.  Because you do that, it makes cars on the mainline slam on their brakes or swerve.  You on the ramp have to look out for cars on the mainline and YIELD to them if they are there.  If you hit someone the person on the ramp is usually at fault. 

If you're going close to the speed of traffic as you are merging, then finding the gap should be easy.  You should have already chosen your gap well before you actually merge into traffic.  The yield is unnecessary when you zipper properly.

[vdeane]

And if you can't see the traffic due to a curve or trees etc.?  Most of the time this is for places that have NO acceleration lane.  This ramp provides a good example, even though it's a stop sign instead of a yield sign (and goes into a weave): http://goo.gl/maps/iMlrJ

EDIT: No sign, but you get the gist of what I'm trying to illustrate: http://goo.gl/maps/ykXAl

[J Route Z]

NJ drivers are by far the worst. Some people say they are worse than NY drivers. PA drivers are no picnic, as like anywhere else. No one seems to follow driving etiquette anymore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_etiquette

[mrsman]

What do you mean by "#1 lane" and "#2 lane"? I've never heard anyone use those expressions–with the exception of Brits, everyone I've ever known just says "right lane," "left lane," "second lane from the right," or the like. I've heard Brits say "inside lane" and "outside lane," although I gather they seem to use those terms in the reverse of what I would picture them as meaning (I would envision the "outside lane" as the "slow lane," the one closest to the edge of the road, and the "inside lane" as the "passing lane," the one closest to the median, the reason being in both cases that the median is "inside" the rest of the road).

must be a California thing.  #1 lane is the closest to the median (in our case, leftmost).  #2 is one to the right, etc.

there should be a VMS message to occasionally rotate in with the nannies: "#2 traffic: stay out of the #1 lane."

OK, thanks. I wasn't sure how it would work because, of course, we normally read from left to right, so numbering the lanes from left to right jibes with that, but on the other hand if you view the right lane(s) as the primary travel lane(s) it would also make sense to view the right-most lane as "#1" even if it meant "counting backwards."

It help myself to think in terms of the lane count increasing from the median or centerline and going to the right. 

One question I have about CA lane counting system is how to account for car pool lane.  I  like to call the leftmost "regular" lane the #1 lane, so I call the carpool lane the #0 lane



iPhone

Having grown up in California, I refer to the lanes by number regularly.  I wish that this can be incorporated into the forum as it is a very precise way to refer to what is happening on the freeway.

The use of the numbering system is used primarily by radio traffic announcers, who also for the most part still refer to the freeways by name "Hollywood Freeway", "Santa Monica Freeway" etc.  When the radio
announcers mention an incident, the #1 lane is the leftmost general lane, not the HOV lane.

I think that the lane numbering system is so extensive in CA because for a long time our freeways were a lot wider than other areas.  If you have freeways with three lanes: left, middle, right.  But where your freeways are typically 5 or 6 lanes in each direction, numbering is the only way to go.