Shark move or jerk move? (1 Viewer)

[RUSF18]

If there was a sign that said "Road Merge in 5 miles" would you go ahead and move into the extreme right lane immediately and stay there for all 5 miles?

 

[Insein]

If there was a sign that said "Road Merge in 5 miles" would you go ahead and move into the extreme right lane immediately and stay there for all 5 miles?

Some would apparently.

 

[The Duff Man]

The correct way to merge is to get on BEHIND the guy who is in front of you.

Yes....most times he is dumb and merges too quick. Now you have a choice. Zoom past him and get on at the merge point....causing everyone behind you to have to brake because the zipper is messed up.

Get on early too. Now you will be stuck when jerks zoom past to merge at the merge point.

Hang out in the merge lane BEHIND the guy who got on early, regardless of how much space is in front of you. With no one merging in ahead of you, traffic will clear and you can move ahead to merge at the proper point.

CONGRATS! You have just successfully reinitiated a zipper structure after some bozo messed it up....instead of taking advantage of the situation and screwing over everyone in that lane.

And maybe....just maybe....we could all do this and you may benefit from it someday.

 

[Insein]

The correct way to merge is to get on BEHIND the guy who is in front of you.

Yes....most times he is dumb and merges too quick. Now you have a choice. Zoom past him and get on at the merge point....causing everyone behind you to have to brake because the zipper is messed up.

Get on early too. Now you will be stuck when jerks zoom past to merge at the merge point.

Hang out in the merge lane BEHIND the guy who got on early, regardless of how much space is in front of you. With no one merging in ahead of you, traffic will clear and you can move ahead to merge at the proper point.

CONGRATS! You have just successfully reinitiated a zipper structure after some bozo messed it up....instead of taking advantage of the situation and screwing over everyone in that lane.

And maybe....just maybe....we could all do this and you may benefit from it someday.

So guy gets over in front of you 2 miles from the merge and you go along with him thus backing up traffic from that point instead of the merge point they intended. Congratulations on making traffic larger than it needs to be.

 

[Fat Nick]

The correct way to merge is to get on BEHIND the guy who is in front of you.

Yes....most times he is dumb and merges too quick. Now you have a choice. Zoom past him and get on at the merge point....causing everyone behind you to have to brake because the zipper is messed up.

Get on early too. Now you will be stuck when jerks zoom past to merge at the merge point.

Hang out in the merge lane BEHIND the guy who got on early, regardless of how much space is in front of you. With no one merging in ahead of you, traffic will clear and you can move ahead to merge at the proper point.

CONGRATS! You have just successfully reinitiated a zipper structure after some bozo messed it up....instead of taking advantage of the situation and screwing over everyone in that lane.

And maybe....just maybe....we could all do this and you may benefit from it someday.

Sorry - I made a smart @## comment about merging behind the guy who is in front of you before I read this whole thing...I get what you're saying, and there are times that I do this...but there are just as many times where the guy who merged too early did so because he's also that guy who leaves 20 yards of following distance between him and the car in front of him. In those cases, merging behind him is difficult, because all the folks he just merged in front of are wondering why that idiot won't go...in those cases, I would pass him and merge in front.

 

[The Duff Man]

I am mainly talking about an on ramp situation which is a relatively short distance.

I may not be this nice in a 2 mile situation. But lets ask this. If no one is zooming up merging on the right....isnt the traffic flow on the left going to improve? The main reason it slows is cars merging in ahead...which wouldnt be happening...

 

[Fat Nick]

I think there's some general confusion here...there are 2 camps here, but I think there are 3 types of drivers.

-Drivers who believe you merge as soon as you can

-Drivers who ride down to/close to the merge and merge

-Drivers who fly to the end and cut everyone off without any regard to what people behind you have to do.

I don't think ANYONE here is advocating the latter. I know what I (and others) are saying is that it is 100% possible to ride down close to the end of the merge, and merge over, without causing anyone to hit their breaks, having to cut people off, or doing anything dangerous or illegal.

If you don't ride down to the merge, you really don't understand that when you pass 30+ cars, there WILL be a gap at some point that is 10+ yards long, and more than enough space to put your car into. The car you merge in front of won't have to even touch their brakes for you. This is as proper of a merge as anyone merging when the sign shows up.

I agree with anyone who dislikes the guy who flies down the ending lane, gets to the end, puts their turn signal on, and just starts cutting in where there's no space. THIS is a jerk move. This is flat out cutting people off. As somebody said earlier, good drivers don't use their turn signal to ask for permission...good drivers see an open space that they can safely drive into, and they move in. Turn signal indicates intention.

 

[Fat Nick]

I am mainly talking about an on ramp situation which is a relatively short distance.

I may not be this nice in a 2 mile situation. But lets ask this. If no one is zooming up merging on the right....isnt the traffic flow on the left going to improve? The main reason it slows is cars merging in ahead...which wouldnt be happening...

I get what you're saying on an on-ramp. I don't typically view on ramps as an opportunity to pass people. I'll merge over as soon as I can, and yeah, I do tend to stay behind the car I came on with.

In the 2 mile example, I'd still argue that if you merge correctly and smoothly, the traffic flow won't be any better or worse. The slow spot is caused as much by the density of cars already in the thru lane as it is by folks merging. If more people used both lanes, the thru lane wouldn't be as dense, and merging would be easier.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

If the cars you cut in front of have to brake for you in order to keep a safe distance...jerk move.

I agree with this 100%...but there is typically plenty of opportunity to merge in safely and without cutting people off at these merges...even only a few dozen yards from the end of the lane. It's one time I appreciate people texting while driving and leaving huge gaps between cars. I can also typically merge in front of a semi-truck as they take longer to accelerate and leave big gaps. Absolutely no interruption to other drivers.

I agree with all this and, but you are probably not the only one pulling into that gap and add in that there will probably be 2 or 3 cars pulling into that same gap it will slow down the people in that lane to some extent. I don't put all the blame on the cutters, that person who thinks they must keep 20 car lengths between them and the car in front is also at fault.

I won't say I have never done it because that would be a lie, but I also know I am being a jerk when I do it which is why it is a rare thing for me to do.

If you want to merge at the first "lane closing ahead" sign then by all means do so, but that does not make everyone else that passes you a cutter. Both lanes are open until the merge point and when you get there you are supposed to take turns merging.

They tell you way in advance because they expect you to start getting over.....not continue to drive until the lane is gone and #### everything up.

No, they tell you in advance so that you can prepare for getting over because there is no more road in X miles.

What do you have to prepare?.....Are you telling your turn signal and steering wheel, hey guys we have to prepare to get over because we are going to run out of lane shortly...Just move the hell over and things will go more smoothly. What is your point of continuing to the end of the lane.

To merge at a merge point. If they wanted you to merge 2 miles away, theyd make the merge point there. Scared drivers merge two miles away and sit for 20 mins. Confident drivers merge at the merge point and get on with their day.

Nice ...yeah, calling yourself a part of the "confident drivers."

More like obnoxious ######## drivers that serve as another fine example of the "me first" approach that is getting bigger all the time.

What makes you think that your time is more important than everyone else's?

Because I assume if your time was more important you would have gone up to the merge point. I figured you like waiting in a really long line for no reason.

Insein logic

 

[Chaz McNulty]

I don't know that I have ever been in a situation as crowded as described by the OP, but my family routinely does the "you get the food I'll grab a table" plan. This thread has been an eye opener.

My family also. Christmas time at the food court is packed and everyone does this. I've never had a problem with anyone doing it.

I would like to know what the breakdown is in people with children vs. no children.

 

[spOOfy]

jerkish shark move, imo. i have done this myself before. only, my wife and kids usually sit down and i'll get the food. if i have a lot to carry, i'll bring a kid with me. i haven't really been at a fast food place where there was absolutely no seating and this happens, but at a place like disney world or an amusement park where you may have to walk around for awhile to find an open table, we'll split up with 1 group going for food and the other looking for a table.

 

[ghostguy123]

First things first, anyone calling it a "smart" or "brilliant" move needs to back off that real, real quick

If you were so smart of brilliant you could afford to eat at a much nicer place than one where you have to fend for yourself for seating. Not only that, a smart or brilliant individual would not only be eating at a nicer place, but would likely use the call-ahead option so that a seat at a nice restaurant would be ready for you right when you walk in the door rather than try to fight off the bottom 1% with a stick.

Call ahead seating at a nice place......................true shark move.

 

[butcher boy]

The real jerks are the people who linger around and chat long after eating while people are waiting to get a seat. Or people who don't clean their trash.

I hate waiting around with a tray of food for a seat. Will always have someone grab a table while I'm in line. If people ahead of me didn't have the foresight to do the same, that's their problem.

A lot of people who don't reserve tables go through the line then look shocked when they have to wait for a seat even though it was clear from the moment they walked in it was busy. I notice a lot of people go through life without paying attention in general. These are the same people and is one example of that. Liberal handout culture is partially to blame too.

 

[Amused to Death]

jerkish shark move, imo. i have done this myself before. only, my wife and kids usually sit down and i'll get the food. if i have a lot to carry, i'll bring a kid with me. i haven't really been at a fast food place where there was absolutely no seating and this happens, but at a place like disney world or an amusement park where you may have to walk around for awhile to find an open table, we'll split up with 1 group going for food and the other looking for a table.

Yup. Amusement park or common food court it's standard operating procedure. Inside of a fast food restaurant I probably wouldn't. I'd wait for a table to open up.

 

[Ditka Butkus]

This is a recent initiative by AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). Zipper merge during times of congestion, merge whenever you want during normal traffic flow. FWIW, I've been doing traffic control plans for NJ for 20 years and have never seen the construction signs posted by Godsbrother. Apparently they are common in PA.

New CDOT Signs Urge Motorists to Merge Later Approaching Work Zones
The Colorado Department of Transportation this month announced a plan to use new sign messages with the intent of cutting down on traffic delays through construction zones.

Known as "late merge," the signs are part of a traffic control program emphasizing the use of open lanes until a work zone's actual merge point.

"Our engineers have observed congestion increasing through construction projects when vehicles merge into a single lane too soon, creating unnecessary backups prior to the work area," said CDOT Director of Operations Ryan Rice in a statement. "Our goal is to improve both traffic flow and work zone safety by reducing the frustration and confusion that drivers often experience when merging. By following the directions on the signs, drivers should experience reduced delays."

Two CDOT projects have put the late merge signs into service. Drivers entering either work zone are directed in the following order:

• USE BOTH LANES DURING CONGESTION
• USE BOTH LANES TO MERGE POINT
• TAKE TURNS MERGE HERE

A video demonstrating late merge is posted on YouTube on the "CDOT Media" channel.

According to CDOT, the late merge strategy has proven effective in congested work zones by improving traffic flow and reducing delays as drivers alternate merging into the open lane. Drivers are advised to still merge early when driving through work zones during non-congested periods.

"We've seen drivers merge too early, probably in fear that other drivers won't let them into the traffic queue down the road," said Rice. "We appreciate motorists wanting to change lanes early so they can avoid the potential difficulties in merging, but drivers should use both lanes all the way up to the designated merge point when the highway is congested."

Study data have shown that when used properly, the late merge method can shorten queue lengths by as much as 35 percent.

CDOT will be evaluating the effectiveness of the late merge signage to see how well it improves traffic flow. If it reduces congestion and queue times, future projects could implement the signing elsewhere in Colorado.

Yeah that is fine and good...right up to the 'take turns;......then I laugh my ### off because it will never happen.

 

[eurotrashman]

Sounds like some hipster taco place

 

[Zegras11]

This is a recent initiative by AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). Zipper merge during times of congestion, merge whenever you want during normal traffic flow. FWIW, I've been doing traffic control plans for NJ for 20 years and have never seen the construction signs posted by Godsbrother. Apparently they are common in PA.

New CDOT Signs Urge Motorists to Merge Later Approaching Work Zones
The Colorado Department of Transportation this month announced a plan to use new sign messages with the intent of cutting down on traffic delays through construction zones.

Known as "late merge," the signs are part of a traffic control program emphasizing the use of open lanes until a work zone's actual merge point.

"Our engineers have observed congestion increasing through construction projects when vehicles merge into a single lane too soon, creating unnecessary backups prior to the work area," said CDOT Director of Operations Ryan Rice in a statement. "Our goal is to improve both traffic flow and work zone safety by reducing the frustration and confusion that drivers often experience when merging. By following the directions on the signs, drivers should experience reduced delays."

Two CDOT projects have put the late merge signs into service. Drivers entering either work zone are directed in the following order:

• USE BOTH LANES DURING CONGESTION
• USE BOTH LANES TO MERGE POINT
• TAKE TURNS MERGE HERE

A video demonstrating late merge is posted on YouTube on the "CDOT Media" channel.

According to CDOT, the late merge strategy has proven effective in congested work zones by improving traffic flow and reducing delays as drivers alternate merging into the open lane. Drivers are advised to still merge early when driving through work zones during non-congested periods.

"We've seen drivers merge too early, probably in fear that other drivers won't let them into the traffic queue down the road," said Rice. "We appreciate motorists wanting to change lanes early so they can avoid the potential difficulties in merging, but drivers should use both lanes all the way up to the designated merge point when the highway is congested."

Study data have shown that when used properly, the late merge method can shorten queue lengths by as much as 35 percent.

CDOT will be evaluating the effectiveness of the late merge signage to see how well it improves traffic flow. If it reduces congestion and queue times, future projects could implement the signing elsewhere in Colorado.

Yeah that is fine and good...right up to the 'take turns;......then I laugh my ### off because it will never happen.

Yep, I've been not been forcing people to brake, but actually creating room for them to go faster.

 

[rockaction]

The real jerks are the people who linger around and chat long after eating while people are waiting to get a seat. Or people who don't clean their trash.

I hate waiting around with a tray of food for a seat. Will always have someone grab a table while I'm in line. If people ahead of me didn't have the foresight to do the same, that's their problem.

A lot of people who don't reserve tables go through the line then look shocked when they have to wait for a seat even though it was clear from the moment they walked in it was busy. I notice a lot of people go through life without paying attention in general. These are the same people and is one example of that. Liberal handout culture is partially to blame too.

I'm pretty conservative, and we call waiting your turn "courtesy."

 

[Papa Georgio]

Reminded me of a story, and no debate it was a double jerk move.

At an outdoor all day concert me and some buddies sit up camp right in front of a roped off section with our lawn chairs. There is probably about a 10 foot drop off past this rope/wire down to "floor" seating. So 2-3 other people come in just a little later and squeeze right in front of us. There were spots all over and never thought we needed to be pressed right against the rope. To make it worse they stood up the whole time.

So between bands they all get up to go roam about and one of my buddies grabs their chairs and throws them over the rope down the 10 foot drop off. They come back and the girl of the group confronts us. The guy who threw the chairs over told her, "honey if I thought I could lift you I'd throw you over the rope too."

I have had my kids save spots before. Never really thought of it as a jerk move, but I can see your point.

 

[Insein]

Reminded me of a story, and no debate it was a double jerk move.

At an outdoor all day concert me and some buddies sit up camp right in front of a roped off section with our lawn chairs. There is probably about a 10 foot drop off past this rope/wire down to "floor" seating. So 2-3 other people come in just a little later and squeeze right in front of us. There were spots all over and never thought we needed to be pressed right against the rope. To make it worse they stood up the whole time.

So between bands they all get up to go roam about and one of my buddies grabs their chairs and throws them over the rope down the 10 foot drop off. They come back and the girl of the group confronts us. The guy who threw the chairs over told her, "honey if I thought I could lift you I'd throw you over the rope too."

I have had my kids save spots before. Never really thought of it as a jerk move, but I can see your point.

See now that's just a #### move on their part. If there's enough lawn for everyone and they choose the spot right in front of you and proceed to stand, then yea, **** move.

eta: Why is one **** censored and the other **** not?